login Login / Register
promoters add listings Promoters Information
Oxford

Oxford music alumni

For a city of relatively small proportions Oxford has a large and thriving music scene. Just look what we’ve given the world…

Radiohead
Originally called ‘On a Friday’, they cut their first demo in 1991, did the Jericho thing, got people talking and were snapped up by EMI sharpish. 1993 saw the release of Pablo Honey, 1995 The Bends, 1997 OK Computer and 2000 Kid A – unless you’ve been on another planet for the last 8 years you’ll be aware that all of these albums have had extreme significance in the music world. Amnesiac was released in June 2001 and Hail to The Thief in June 2003.

Oxford References – OK Computer was written in Oxford, plenty of references to Oxford type's issues and someone swore to me that a line in Creep was inspired by Little Clarendon St, ‘What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here’ being the operative line. Thom’s little brother's band 'The Unbelievable Truth' are still knocking around somewhere.

Supergrass
Supergrass per say started life in 1993 but the band go back way further to a four piece outfit called 'The Jennifers 'which Danny and Gaz put together whilst studying at Wheatley Park Comprehensive. The original debut of Caught by the Fuzz was released on an Oxford based indie label, Backbeat before being put on general release by Parlophone in 1994. Supergrass, in the tradition of Oxford bands, got signed after interest spread through A & R land on account of their gigs at the Jericho. A succession of hit singles and albums followed. With singles like Alright, Going Out and the album I Should CoCo. In It For the Money and Supergrass came next and then Life On Other Planets in 2002.

Oxford References – The Stranges Ones is supposed to be about the vagrants and wierdos you find wandering Cowley Rd.

Ride
The original shoe-gazers, Ride formed in 1988 after meeting at Art College in Banbury. After a few early gigs at the Jericho Tavern they signed to Creation to provide the nation’s doc-marten wearing, floppy-haired types with music to sway to until 1995, when Mark Gardener left the band. Who could forget such delights as Taste, Twisterella, Making Judy Smile and OX4? We certainly can’t. After the split Andy Bell went on to form Hurricane #1 before taking up his current role as bass player with Oasis. Mark Gardener and fellow Ride member Loz formed The Animalhouse. Four albums were re-issued in September 2001 by Ignition Records, as was OX4-The Best of Ride – a triple CD box-set.

b>Oxford reference – OX4 on the Going Blank Again album refers to the band's postcode and makes references to going home.

Other Oxford References
The most notable has to be The Small Faces, Itchycoo Park. Listen to the references to Oxford's dreaming spires and Bridge of Sighs.


Emma Howarth

email a friend Email to a friend

Post a comment

Oxford A to Z

Find the best bars, restaurants clubs and more in Oxford with our venues list.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z