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Sleaford Mods

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Sleaford Mods
Sleaford Mods, Glastonbury Festival, 2019
Sleaford Mods, Glastonbury Festival, 2019
Background information
Also known asThat's Shit, Try Harder (2007)
OriginNottingham, England
Genres
Years active2007 (2007)–present
LabelsDeadly Beefburger Records, A52 Sounds, Harbinger Sound, Ipecac, Invada, Little Teddy Recordings, Rough Trade Records
MembersJason Williamson
Andrew Fearn
Past membersSimon Parfrement
Websitesleafordmods.com

Sleaford Mods are an English post-punk music duo, formed in 2007 in Nottingham. The band features vocalist Jason Williamson and, since 2012, instrumentalist Andrew Fearn.[7] They are known for their abrasive, minimalist musical style and embittered explorations of austerity-era Britain, culture, and working class life, delivered in Williamson's East Midlands accent.[1] The duo have released several albums to critical praise.[2][8][9]

History

[edit]
Jason Williamson, Sleaford Mods, Glastonbury Festival, 2019

Williamson was born 10 November 1970, and raised in Grantham, Lincolnshire.[7] Inspired by the mod subculture and musical sources like the Wu-Tang Clan, he spent several years pursuing music unsuccessfully, both with various groups and as a solo singer-songwriter. He had also worked as a session musician with local artists as well as Spiritualized and Bent.[10][11] Fearn (born 1971 in Burton upon Trent) grew up on a farm in Saxilby, Lincolnshire.[7][12]

Williamson first met Fearn in 2009 after hearing him DJ at a small Nottingham club called the Chameleon, where he was playing his own rough-edged and minimal grime-inspired tracks.[13] Sleaford Mods began when Simon Parfrement, a friend of Williamson's, suggested he combine his vocals with a music sample from a Roni Size album.[7] Originally, the project was called "That's Shit, Try Harder",[7] but was later changed in reference to Sleaford, a town in Lincolnshire, not far from Grantham.[12][7]

Williamson formed the band with Simon Parfrement, with whom he worked alongside a studio engineer at Rubber Biscuit Studio in Nottingham on their first four albums. Parfrement left the music production to Andrew Fearn after the release of the 2012 album Wank, the first album to feature Fearn, but Parfrement continues to play an important role with the band as their photographer and media producer.[14][15]

Sleaford Mods, live in 2013; Fearn (left), Williamson (right)

On 10 December 2014, Williamson published the lyrics collection[16] Grammar Wanker: Sleaford Mods 2007-2014,[17] followed by Jason Williamson's House Party: Sleaford Mods 2014-2019[18] in 2019.

A collaboration between Sleaford Mods and The Prodigy was announced at the end of 2014.[19] They recorded a track together, "Ibiza", which appears on The Prodigy album The Day Is My Enemy, released in March 2015.[citation needed]

The Leftfield album Alternative Light Source, released on 8 June 2015, also features a collaboration with Sleaford Mods, a track called "Head and Shoulders".[20] The video for "Head and Shoulders" is a stop-motion/animation hybrid that debuted in August 2015.[21] In July 2015, the band released a new album, Key Markets. It was one of the 19 records nominated for the IMPALA Album of the Year Award.[22]

The band featured in two documentary films, Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain, released in 2015 and Bunch of Kunst. A Film About Sleaford Mods,[23][24] released in 2017.

In 2016, an important turning point took place after many years, as Sleaford Mods left Harbinger Sound and signed with Rough Trade Records. Their first release on the new label was the T.C.R. EP in 2016.[citation needed]

In 2017, following the release of English Tapas, Sleaford Mods embarked on their first North American tour.[25]

One year later, Sleaford Mods left Rough Trade, which eventually led to the dismissal of their long-time manager (and owner of Harbinger Records), Steve Underwood.[26]

After releasing Eton Alive on their own label Extreme Eating Records in 2019, the band returned to Rough Trade. This renewed cooperation resulted in the release of the compilation All That Glue in 2020 and Spare Ribs in 2021 (including the single "Mork n Mindy", which was released on 30 October 2020, and reached the top of the UK vinyl singles chart).[27]

In 2019, Williamson lent his vocals to the track "Talk Whiff" by Scorn. In 2022, Williamson acted as Lazarus in the series finale of Peaky Blinders.[28][29] Sleaford Mods appear alongside Orbital on the song "Dirty Rat", released on 20 October 2022.[30]

Their twelfth album, UK Grim, was released on 10 March 2023.[31]

On 27 May 2023, the band appeared on Later... with Jools Holland.[32]

During a concert in Madrid on 3 November 2023, the duo abruptly ended their performance after a keffiyeh was thrown on stage. The band later posted on social media saying they believed the cloth throwing was an attempt to make them "pick sides" in the conflict in Palestine.[33]

On 22 November 2023 they covered the Pet Shop Boys song 'West End Girls' with profits being donated to Shelter.[citation needed]

Musical style

[edit]

Sleaford Mods have described their work as "electronic munt minimalist punk-hop rants for the working class."[1] Williamson is responsible for the words, Fearn for the music. Sleaford Mods songs have been described as embittered rants about such topics as unemployment, modern working life, celebrities and pop culture, capitalism and society in general.[34] The lyrics usually contain profanity, which is, according to Williamson, the way in which he speaks and "not just fucking swearing".[34] Fearn's music has been described as "purgatorial loop[s]" of "pugilistic post-punk-style bass; functional but unprepossessing beats; occasional cheap keyboard riffs and listless wafts of guitar."[35]

Williamson's voice on Sleaford Mods songs is sprechgesang, rapped with his recognisable East Midlands accent.[36] His vocal and lyrical style has variously been compared to Shaun Ryder,[37] John Cooper Clarke,[38] Mark E. Smith,[39][failed verification] Ian Dury,[40] Mike Skinner[41] and Nigel Blackwell[42] as well as various punk and oi! artists. Williamson has cited influences including the mod subculture, the Wu-Tang Clan, Stone Roses, Nas, Red Snapper, Trim, Two Lone Swordsmen, rave and black metal.[34]

Members

[edit]

Current members

[edit]
  • Jason Williamson - vocals, rap (2007–present)
  • Andrew Fearn - computer, samples, loops, programming, production (2011–present)

Former members

[edit]
  • Simon Parfrement (aka Simon Claridge) - computer, samples, loops, programming, production (2007–2012)

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
[43] 		AUS
[44] 		BEL
(FL)
[45] 		BEL
(WA)
[46] 		FRA
[47] 		GER
[48] 		IRE
[49] 		NZ
[50] 		SWI
[51]
Sleaford Mods
  • Released: 2007
  • Labels: A52 Sounds
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 — — — — — — — — —
The Mekon
  • Released: 2007
  • Labels: A52 Sounds
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 — — — — — — — — —
The Originator
  • Released: 2009
  • Labels: A52 Sounds
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 — — — — — — — — —
S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
  • Released: 2011
  • Labels: Deadly Beefburger Records
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 — — — — — — — — —
Wank
  • Released: 2012
  • Labels: Deadly Beefburger Records
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 — — — — — — — — —
Austerity Dogs
  • Released: 3 January 2013
  • Labels: Harbinger Sound
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP
 — — — — — — — — —
Divide and Exit
  • Released: 19 May 2014
  • Labels: Harbinger Sound
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP
 — — — — — — — — —
Key Markets
  • Released: 24 July 2015[52][53]
  • Labels: Harbinger Sound
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP
 11 — 90 — — 74 — — —
English Tapas
  • Released: 3 March 2017
  • Labels: Rough Trade
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP
 12 — 93 — 164 60 91 — 87
Eton Alive
  • Released: 22 February 2019
  • Labels: Extreme Eating
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette
 9 — — 191 — 58 — — —
Spare Ribs
  • Released: 15 January 2021
  • Labels: Rough Trade
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette
 4 47 30 112 — 10 30 — 19
UK Grim
  • Released: 10 March 2023
  • Labels: Rough Trade
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette
 3 — 64 150 139 15 — 28 47
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
[43]
Chubbed Up – The Singles Collection
  • Released: 14 February 2014
  • Labels: Self-release
  • Format: Digital download
 —
Retweeted – 2006–2012
  • Released: 10 May 2014
  • Labels: Salon Alter Hammer
  • Format: LP
 —
Chubbed Up +
(With additional tracks) 		—
All That Glue 10

Live albums

[edit]
Title Details
Live At SO36
  • Released: 4 November 2016[54]
  • Labels: Harbinger Sound
  • Format: Digital download, CD, LP

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
[43]
Fizzy
  • Released: 27 October 2014
  • Labels: A Records
  • Format: Digital download, Single sided Vinyl
 —
Tiswas
  • Released: 24 November 2014
  • Labels: Invada
  • Format: Digital download, Vinyl
 —
T.C.R.
  • Released: 14 October 2016
  • Labels: Rough Trade
  • Format: Digital download, Vinyl
 —
Sleaford Mods
  • Released: 14 September 2018[55]
  • Labels: Rough Trade
  • Format: Digital download, Vinyl
 42

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Album
"Kebab Spider" 2019 Eton Alive
"O.B.C.T."
"Discourse"
"Mork n Mindy" 2020 Spare Ribs
"Dirty Rat" (with Orbital) 2022 Optical Delusion
"The Violent Economy" 2023 Non Album Single
"West End Girls"

Music videos

[edit]
Year Album Title Director Other featured artist
2014 Divide and Exit Tied Up in Nottz Simon Parfrement
Tiswas James Turner
2015 / Jolly Fucker David Sillitoe

Andrew Fearn

Key Markets Tarentula Deadly Cargo Simon Parfrement
No One's Bothered Adam Bibilo
2017 English Tapas B.H.S. Simon Parfrement
Moptop
2018 Sleaford Mods Bang Someone Out Chris Floyd (photographer)
2019 Eton Alive Kebab Spider Roger Sargent (photographer)
/ Discourse
2020 All That Glue Second Robin Lee
Spare Ribs Mork n Mindy Ben Wheatley Billy Nomates
Shortcummings Ian Tatham

Sonder Design

2021 Nudge It Eddie the Wheel Amy Taylor
2023 UK Grim UK Grim Cold War Steve
Force 10 From Navarone Eddie Whelan Florence Shaw
So Trendy John Minton Perry Farrell
More UK Grim Big Pharma Sean Sears AKA Prawnimation
/ West End Girls Ewen Spencer

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Sherwin, Andy (25 June 2015). "Sleaford Mods: Boris Johnson, David Gandy and Russell Brand come under attack in post-punk duo's new album Key Markets". The Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Monger, Timothy. "Sleaford Mods: Biography: AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ Bryan, Beverly. "Sleaford Mods: English Tapas Review". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  4. ^ Bell, John. "Sleaford Mods - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham 27/01/15". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Sleaford Mods: "I apologise for making fun of NME in our song"". Nme.com. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  6. ^ "extnddntwrk". Extnddntwrk.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Harris, John (17 July 2014). "Sleaford Mods: 'Most days I'd only have enough money for a Mars bar and a can of Special Brew'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  8. ^ Neyland, Nick (8 May 2014). "Sleaford Mods: Divide and Exit: Album Reviews". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  9. ^ "The Norman Records Top 50s of 2013". Norman Records.
  10. ^ "SoundClick artist: Unity Crescent". SoundClick.
  11. ^ "Unity Crescent @ BandSpace". 5.bandspace.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014.
  12. ^ a b Ellis, Amelia (9 September 2014). ""I swear too much but I can't help it" – the Sleaford Mods interview". Nottingham Post. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014.
  13. ^ O'Hagan, Sean (5 July 2015). "Sleaford Mods: 'The thing is, there really is no future for a lot of people out there'". The Guardian.
  14. ^ "Wank – Sleaford Mods". Sleaford Mods. 1 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015.
  15. ^ Stanley, Carl (16 September 2014). "Don't Suffer The Bullshit: Here's Sleaford Mods". Sabotage Times. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  16. ^ Harris, John (18 March 2015). "Grammar Wanker: Sleaford Mods 2007‑2014 by Jason Williamson – review'". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  17. ^ Williamson, Jason (2014). Grammar Wanker: Sleaford Mods 2007-2014. Bracketpress. ISBN 978-0-95661-844-3.
  18. ^ Williamson, Jason (2019). Jason Williamson's House Party: Sleaford Mods 2014-2019. Bracketpress. ISBN 978-1-99967-406-9.
  19. ^ Wright, Lisa (13 October 2014). "The Prodigy and Sleaford Mods record new track 'Ibiza'". NME. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  20. ^ Drake, Mandy (25 March 2015). "Leftfield are releasing a new record, their first in 16 years". Loud and Quiet. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  21. ^ Sklinar Green, Kimberley-Marie (6 August 2015). "Leftfield and Sleaford Mods share new video for 'Head And Shoulders'". Never Enough Notes. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Young labels featured in shortlist for IMPALA Album of the Year Award". Impalamusic.org.
  23. ^ Franz, Christine (21 April 2017), Bunch of Kunst (Documentary, Biography, Music), Andrew Fearn, Steve Ignorant, Sleaford Mods, retrieved 14 January 2024
  24. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (20 April 2017). "Bunch of Kunst review – Sleaford Mods film rips Austerity Britain a fresh one". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  25. ^ Ehrlich, Brenna (3 April 2017). "Everyone Wants To Talk To The Sleaford Mods About U.S. Politics". Tidal.
  26. ^ Hiller, Joachim (April–May 2019). "All mod cons". Ox-Fanzine. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  27. ^ "27 November 2020 - 3 December 2020". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Peaky Blinders, Season 6, Episode 6: "Lock and Key"". IMDb. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  29. ^ Starkey, Adam (4 April 2022). "Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson makes cameo in 'Peaky Blinders' finale". NME. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Orbital, Sleaford Mods – Dirty Rat". Discogs. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  31. ^ Trendell, Andrew (17 January 2023). "Sleaford Mods talk new album 'UK Grim': "It might strike a chord with people at their wit's end"". NME. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  32. ^ Later... with Jools Holland - Series 62: Episode 2, retrieved 28 May 2023
  33. ^ Sleaford Mods cut gig short after Palestinian flag thrown on stage, retrieved 4 November 2023
  34. ^ a b c Harrison, Ian (26 February 2014). "Sleaford Mods: Notts Duo Make Incensed English Rap Murk". Mojo magazine. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  35. ^ Fisher, Mark (2014). "Sleaford Mods: Divide and Exit". The Wire.
  36. ^ Balzer, Jens (11 May 2014). "Sleaford Mods Sie haben sehr schlechte Laune". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  37. ^ "Luke Haines (the Auteurs, Black Box Recorder) Talks Sleaford Mods' Divide and Exit". The Talkhouse Music. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  38. ^ Pattison, Louis (3 May 2013). ""The song? Fuck off": lo-fi punk poets Sleaford Mods big up Wu-Tang and savage the system". FACT Magazine. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  39. ^ Turner, Luke (2 May 2014). "Reviews – Sleaford Mods". The Quietus. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  40. ^ McCall, Chris (3 November 2014). ""Anything to get away from the Conservatives. Anything" – An interview with Sleaford Mods". The Skinny. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  41. ^ Pattison, Louis (25 April 2014). "Sleaford Mods – 'Divide And Exit'". NME. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  42. ^ Bell, David (26 November 2013). "Reviews – Sleaford Mods". The Quietus. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  43. ^ a b c "Sleaford Mods | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  44. ^ "Discography Sleaford Mods". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  45. ^ "Discografie Sleaford Mods". Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  46. ^ "Discographie Sleaford Mods". Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  47. ^ "Discographie Sleaford Mods". lescharts.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  48. ^ "Discographie von Sleaford Mods". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  49. ^ "Discography Sleaford Mods". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  50. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  51. ^ "Discographie Sleaford Mods". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  52. ^ "New Sleaford Mods album 'Key Markets' announced – Stream "No One's Bothered" NOW!". LouderThanWar.com. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  53. ^ Coughlan, Jamie. "Sleaford Mods Stream 'No One's Bothered', Announce 3rd LP 'Key Markets'". Overblown Webzine. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  54. ^ "Sleaford Mods - Live at S036. LP". Harbingersound.bigcartel.com.
  55. ^ "Sleaford Mods Announce New, Self-Titled EP And Share First Track "Stick In A Five And Go"". Rough Trade Records. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
[edit]
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