Viola Beach

For the community in Canada, see Viola Beach, Alberta.
Viola Beach

Viola Beach's former lineup in 2014
Background information
Origin Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Genres Indie rock, indie pop
Years active 2013–2016
Labels Fuller Beans Records
Communion
Past members Kris Leonard (deceased)
River Reeves (deceased)
Tomas Lowe (deceased)
Jack Dakin (deceased)
Frankie Coulson
Jonny Gibson

Viola Beach were an emerging British indie rock group, formed in Warrington, Cheshire, in 2013. The band's final lineup consisted of Kris Leonard (guitar and vocals), River Reeves (guitar), Tomas Lowe (bass), and Jack Dakin (drums). All four, along with their manager Craig Tarry, died in a car crash in Södertälje, Sweden, on 13 February 2016.[1][2][3][4]

In the week following the crash, their then-current single "Boys That Sing" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 80 and their previous single "Swings and Waterslides" entered at number 11, following a public campaign to boost sales.[5] In the same week, "Swings and Waterslides" also entered at number 3 on the sales-only chart (which excludes streaming data) and "Boys That Sing" entered at number 27 on the same chart.[6]

Career

Viola Beach formed in Warrington, Cheshire, in mid-2013, the original members being Kris Leonard (guitar and vocals), Frankie Coulson (guitar), Jonny Gibson (bass), and Jack Dakin (drums).[7] The band's last lineup was formed in May 2015 with original members Leonard and Dakin joined by River Reeves (guitar) and Tomas Lowe (bass).[8][9]

By September of their formation year, their track "Daisies"[10] was featured on Bandcamp’s The Indie Cassette Player’s (now known as The Mill Records) second compilation album, with "Love My Love" being featured on the website's third compilation album in October.[11]

The band self-financed the recording of their first single, "Swings & Waterslides", releasing it on their own record label Fuller Beans.[12] The track was produced by Ady Hall and Lee McCarthy of Sugar House and recorded at Catalyst Studios in St Helens.[12] "Swings & Waterslides" was added to the BBC Radio 1 playlist in September 2015.[13]

The band were supported by BBC Introducing, a platform for emerging musical talent, which described their songs as "infectious anthems" with "hints of slacker pop".[13] They performed at the BBC Introducing Stage of the 2015 Reading and Leeds Festivals.[8][14] In November 2015, the band recorded a live session for BBC Radio 1.[15] They released their second single, "Boys That Sing"/"Like a Fool", on the Communion label on 22 January 2016.[16]

Influences

When asked about his musical influences, singer-guitarist Kris Leonard said, "I'm definitely not consciously influenced by anyone",[8] but mentioned the Coral, the Zutons, the Beatles and Hooton Tennis Club as being among his favourite Liverpool bands.[8] He also said the Kooks' debut studio album Inside In/Inside Out played a big part in him becoming a musician.[17] BBC Introducing recommended the band to fans of Coasts and the Kooks,[13] while other critics drew comparisons with 1990s Britpop.[18]

Leonard told Wonderland magazine that much of the band's lyrical content was inspired by their "very grey and industrial" hometown, where there was "nothing to do other than drink cider and smoke rollies on a park and chase after girls".[17]

Deaths

The bridges over the Södertälje Canal. The accident took place on the E4 motorway bridge (centre).

On 13 February 2016, the four band members and their manager, Craig Tarry, were killed in an incident on the E4 motorway bridge at Södertälje, southwest of Stockholm, Sweden.[2][3][4] Witnesses saw the car fall through a gap in the bridge, which was open to let a boat pass.[19] The band had played at the Where's the Music? festival in Norrköping the previous day.[1] The cause of the crash was not immediately known.[19] On 15 February 2016 it was announced that the Swedish police had opened an inquiry into the incident.[20]

On 25 February 2016 a Stockholm police spokesperson was quoted as saying, “We can confirm that the very preliminary post mortem results show that the driver of the car had no trace of alcohol or drugs in the blood.”[21] Police did not release the identity of the driver.[21] On the same day, the police officer in charge of the investigation was quoted as saying, "We have been able to see that the car braked before reaching the bridge. That allows us to rule out that the driver fell asleep. But what has actually happened is completely inexplicable. Right now there is no hypothesis."[22]

In the United Kingdom, inquests into the deaths were opened and adjourned on 3 March at Warrington Coroner's Court by Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg, who also released the bodies of the five men so their families could make funeral arrangements.[23]

Reactions

On 14 February, the day the news was announced, there was a round of applause for the band at the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.[24] Manager Craig Tarry was a Manchester City supporter.[24] Tributes were made at The Lounge, the club where they began their careers, and Warrington Town Hall flew its flag at half-mast in the week following their deaths.[25]

The band had been scheduled to support Blossoms on a tour of the UK and Ireland during February and March 2016,[26] and to play at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, in March 2016.[27][28] Other scheduled appearances in 2016 included The Great Escape Festival and T in the Park.[26] Viola Beach had also been booked to play at their hometown's Pyramid and Parr Hall, in March and October respectively.[25]

A social media campaign was initiated by fans to get the band's single "Swings & Waterslides" to the top of the UK Singles Chart. The campaign later drew support from former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and rock band Kasabian.[29] The single appeared at number 39 in the Official Chart Update published 15 February 2016, and climbed to number 11 by the end of the week.[5][30][31] On 18 February it had briefly reached number one on the iTunes chart.[32]

Following news of the band members' deaths, it was announced that all proceeds from their latest single would be donated to the families of the band members and of their manager.[16] On 18 February Blossoms, who had performed with the band in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, two days before their deaths, announced they would play a recording of the Leamington concert at a gig in Bournemouth that evening. They also planned to showcase the band's material on the tour where Viola Beach were scheduled to support them.[33]

On 2 April 2016, a tribute concert was staged at Warrington's Parr Hall, with performances by several of the band's friends and influences, including the Coral, the Courteeners, the Kooks, and Blossoms.[34] The Zutons also made a "rare live appearance" at the event.[35]

The band had recorded songs for a five- or six-track EP, which was scheduled to be released in 2016.[36] When asked about the possibility of further recordings being released, the band's agent was quoted as saying, "There’s a lot of music, a lot of demos, a lot of amazing songs, and it’d be great if it got out, but at the moment, everybody’s still grieving. We need to sit down and work out what we do with it."[36]

Discography

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions
UK
[37]
2015 "Swings & Waterslides" 11
2016 "Boys That Sing" 80

References

  1. 1 2 Khomami, Nadia; Meikle, James (14 February 2016). "Members and manager of indie band Viola Beach die in car crash in Sweden". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "UK band Viola Beach 'killed in Swedish car crash'". BBC News. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Members of UK band Viola Beach reportedly killed in Sweden car crash". NME.com. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Members of British indie band Viola Beach among five killed after car plunges off bridge in Sweden". Nine Network. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Viola Beach single Swings & Waterslides enters top 20". BBC News. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Officialcharts.com. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Viola Beach". The Music Manual. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Guy, Peter (12 November 2015). "Viola Beach – Buzz Band of the Week". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "30 seconds interview: Viola Beach". M. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "September 2013 - Volume 2 [FREE]". The Mill Records. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  11. ↑ "October 2013 - Volume 3 [FREE]". The Mill Records. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  12. 1 2 Morgan, David (19 February 2016). "How Viola Beach took on the music industry after self funding their debut single, Swings and Waterslides". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 Cobain, Elise (3 September 2015). "On the playlist: Viola Beach – Swings & Waterslides". BBC Introducing. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Staufenberg, Jess (14 February 2016). "Viola Beach: British band in Sweden canal crash performed at Leeds and Reading festivals". The Independent (Independent News and Media). Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Parry, Josh (14 February 2016). "Viola Beach tribute show to be played on Radio 1". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  16. 1 2 Margan, Max (14 February 2016). "Family tributes to Viola Beach band members killed in car crash". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  17. 1 2 Nicholson, Lizzy (29 January 2016). "New Noise: Viola Beach". Wonderland Magazine. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "Découverte musique : Viola Beach". Le Parisien (in French). 28 August 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Viola Beach families pay tribute to band and manager". BBC News. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "Viola Beach crash inquiry begins in Sweden". BBC News. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  21. 1 2 Haroon Siddique and agency (25 February 2016). "Viola Beach driver was not intoxicated when car crashed". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  22. ↑ "Viola Beach crash driver was not drunk, autopsy suggests". The Local. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  23. ↑ "Viola Beach deaths: Bodies returned to family members". BBC News (BBC). 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  24. 1 2 Critchley, Mark (14 February 2016). "Viola Beach: Manchester City fans 'clap for Craig' and pay tribute to crash victim against Tottenham". The Independent. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  25. 1 2 "Flowers, beer and a guitar left in tribute to Viola Beach". Warrington Guardian. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Viola Beach’s label issue statement, will donate single proceeds to band’s family". NME. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  27. ↑ "Viola Beach: Remembering the Warrington band". BBC Newsbeat. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  28. ↑ "British Rock Band Viola Beach Reported Killed In Car Crash In Sweden". Huffington Post. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  29. ↑ "Liam Gallagher and Kasabian back bid to get Viola Beach to number one". ITV News (ITV). 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  30. ↑ Copsey, Rob (15 February 2016). "Viola Beach are set to make their Official Chart Top 40 debut after the tragic death of the British band". The Official Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  31. ↑ Khomami, Nadia (15 February 2016). "Viola Beach enter Top 40 chart as fans mourn after fatal car crash". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  32. ↑ Bley Griffiths, Eleanor (18 February 2016). "Tragic band Viola Beach hit number one on iTunes as fans honour group killed in car crash". Daily Record (Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd.). Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  33. ↑ "Blossoms will play Viola Beach session recording at their gigs". BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat (BBC). 18 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  34. ↑ Blake, Jimmy (3 April 2016). "Viola Beach: The perfect way to say goodbye". BBC Newsbeat. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  35. ↑ Renshaw, David (3 April 2016). "The Coral and Courteeners pay tribute to Viola Beach at celebratory Warrington gig". NME. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  36. 1 2 Nicolson, Barry (4 March 2016). "Remembering Viola Beach". NME. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  37. ↑ "Viola Beach". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 February 2016.

External links

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