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Following the success of ''[[Definitely Maybe]]'' (1994) by [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], Creation Records' owner [[Sony Music Entertainment]] wanted more chart success from the label.<ref name=Cavanagh456/> After the departure of marketing consultant Tim Abbot, John Andrews became his successor in November 1994.<ref name=Cavanagh455>Cavanagh 2000, p. 455</ref> While Abbot had previously tried to market the label in his own image, Andrews was more concerned with simply selling records. Andrews was tasked with achieving commercial success for [[Teenage Fanclub]] and the Boo Radleys. Guitarist Martin Carr said upon meeting Andrews for the first time, he was "scaring me with all this talk about marketing. It was the first time we'd ever been asked to participate alongside marketing and take an interest in it".<ref name=Cavanagh456>Cavanagh 2000, p. 456</ref>
Following the success of ''[[Definitely Maybe]]'' (1994) by [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], Creation Records' owner [[Sony Music Entertainment]] wanted more chart success from the label.<ref name=Cavanagh456/> After the departure of marketing consultant Tim Abbot, John Andrews became his successor in November 1994.<ref name=Cavanagh455>Cavanagh 2000, p. 455</ref> While Abbot had previously tried to market the label in his own image, Andrews was more concerned with simply selling records. Andrews was tasked with achieving commercial success for [[Teenage Fanclub]] and the Boo Radleys. Guitarist Martin Carr said upon meeting Andrews for the first time, he was "scaring me with all this talk about marketing. It was the first time we'd ever been asked to participate alongside marketing and take an interest in it".<ref name=Cavanagh456>Cavanagh 2000, p. 456</ref>


Upon hearing the album's final mixes in November 1994, staff from the label argued over the first choice of a single. Assistant press officer Andy Saunders, along with Carr, proposed "Wake Up Boo!", while co-founder Dick Green wanted the less commercial-sounding "It's Lulu".<ref>Cavanagh 2000, pp. 460–1</ref> Saunders chalked this up to the old-school way of thinking at the label, not wanting to seem like the band [[Selling out|sold-out]]. Three other staff members agreed with Green, which resulted in Saunders exclaiming, "You are ''insane''. This ['Wake Up Boo!'] is a smash".<ref name=Cavanagh461>Cavanagh 2000, p. 461</ref> Creation Records used the emerging [[Britpop]] movement to help push promotion for ''Wake Up!''. Founder Alan McGee said they had "indie bands doing stuff that wasn't indie at all – the Boo Radleys being interviewed by [[Richard and Judy]], doing children's programmes".<ref>McGee 2014, p. 208</ref> As an important element of Andrews' marketing campaign for "Wake Up Boo!", he wanted the single to be priced at £1.99, and increase by two pounds the week after its release, which was in line with what [[major label]]s did for their single release. Green and business manager James Kyllo were hesitant about this, while Andrews was adamant about it being key to the song's potential success.<ref name=Cavanagh461/> Despite the album's success, McGee said the band were approaching them for money to help fund touring.<ref>McGee 2014, p. 209</ref>
Upon hearing the album's final mixes in November 1994, staff from the label argued over the first choice of a single. Assistant press officer Andy Saunders, along with Carr, proposed "Wake Up Boo!", while co-founder Dick Green wanted the less commercial-sounding "It's Lulu".<ref>Cavanagh 2000, pp. 460–1</ref> Saunders chalked this up to the old-school way of thinking at the label, not wanting to seem like the band [[Selling out|sold-out]]. Three other staff members agreed with Green, which resulted in Saunders exclaiming, "You are ''insane''. This ['Wake Up Boo!'] is a smash".<ref name=Cavanagh461>Cavanagh 2000, p. 461</ref> Creation Records used the emerging [[Britpop]] movement to help push promotion for ''Wake Up!''. Founder Alan McGee said they had "indie bands doing stuff that wasn't indie at all – the Boo Radleys being interviewed by [[Richard and Judy]], doing children's programmes".<ref>McGee 2014, p. 208</ref>
As an important element of Andrews' marketing campaign for "Wake Up Boo!", he wanted the single to be priced at £1.99, and increase by two pounds the week after its release, which was in line with what [[major label]]s did for their single release. Green and business manager James Kyllo were hesitant about this, while Andrews was adamant about it being key to the song's potential success.<ref name=Cavanagh461/> Despite the album's success, McGee said the band were approaching them for money to help fund touring.<ref>McGee 2014, p. 209</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==

Revision as of 18:39, 19 October 2022

Wake Up!
Studio album by
the Boo Radleys
Released27 March 1995
RecordedSeptember–October 1994
StudioRockfield, Wales
GenreAlternative rock, Britpop, baroque pop
Length51:29
LabelCreation (UK), Columbia (US)
ProducerThe Boo Radleys
The Boo Radleys chronology
Giant Steps
(1993) 		Wake Up!
(1995) 		C'mon Kids
(1996)

Wake Up! is the fourth album by British alternative rock band the Boo Radleys, released by Creation Records in 1995.

Promotion

Following the success of Definitely Maybe (1994) by Oasis, Creation Records' owner Sony Music Entertainment wanted more chart success from the label.[1] After the departure of marketing consultant Tim Abbot, John Andrews became his successor in November 1994.[2] While Abbot had previously tried to market the label in his own image, Andrews was more concerned with simply selling records. Andrews was tasked with achieving commercial success for Teenage Fanclub and the Boo Radleys. Guitarist Martin Carr said upon meeting Andrews for the first time, he was "scaring me with all this talk about marketing. It was the first time we'd ever been asked to participate alongside marketing and take an interest in it".[1]

Upon hearing the album's final mixes in November 1994, staff from the label argued over the first choice of a single. Assistant press officer Andy Saunders, along with Carr, proposed "Wake Up Boo!", while co-founder Dick Green wanted the less commercial-sounding "It's Lulu".[3] Saunders chalked this up to the old-school way of thinking at the label, not wanting to seem like the band sold-out. Three other staff members agreed with Green, which resulted in Saunders exclaiming, "You are insane. This ['Wake Up Boo!'] is a smash".[4] Creation Records used the emerging Britpop movement to help push promotion for Wake Up!. Founder Alan McGee said they had "indie bands doing stuff that wasn't indie at all – the Boo Radleys being interviewed by Richard and Judy, doing children's programmes".[5]

As an important element of Andrews' marketing campaign for "Wake Up Boo!", he wanted the single to be priced at £1.99, and increase by two pounds the week after its release, which was in line with what major labels did for their single release. Green and business manager James Kyllo were hesitant about this, while Andrews was adamant about it being key to the song's potential success.[4] Despite the album's success, McGee said the band were approaching them for money to help fund touring.[6]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
The Guardian[8]
Select5/5[9]
Uncut[10]

Although the band had received critical acclaim with their previous album, Giant Steps, Wake Up! was their first true commercial success, reaching number one in the UK album charts.[11] This was due in large part to two factors: the emergence of Britpop as a driving force in mid-1990s British music, and a Top 10 single, "Wake Up Boo!".

Two further singles were released from the album: "Find The Answer Within" (with two versions available, one an early fade of the album version, the other a remix by The High Llamas) and "It's Lulu". Both reached the UK Top 40 but were unable to repeat the popularity of "Wake Up Boo!".

"Wake Up Boo!" was ranked at number 67 on Spin's "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995" list.[12]

Track listing

Original release

All songs written by Martin Carr.

  1. "Wake Up Boo!" - 3:37
  2. "Fairfax Scene" - 2:14
  3. "It's Lulu" - 3:04
  4. "Joel" - 6:10
  5. "Find the Answer Within" - 4:34
  6. "Reaching Out from Here" - 3:02
  7. "Martin, Doom! It's Seven O'Clock" - 6:21
  8. "Stuck on Amber" - 5:24
  9. "Charles Bukowski Is Dead" - 2:39
  10. "4am Conversation" - 2:43
  11. "Twinside" - 4:45
  12. "Wilder" - 6:56

2010 expanded edition

CD1 - Wake Up!
CD2 - First bonus disc
  1. "Janus" (3:08)
  2. "Blues for George Michael" (8:48)
  3. "Friendship Song" (5:25)
  4. "Wake Up Boo! Music for Astronauts" (8:55)
  5. "And Tomorrow the World" (4:36)
  6. "The History of Creation [Parts 17 & 36]" (4:40)
  7. "Find the Answer Within" (High Llamas Mix) (5:44)
  8. "The Only Word I Can Find" (3:06)
  9. "Very Together" (3:22)
  10. "Don't Take Your Gun to Town" (3:52)
  11. "Wallpaper" (4:04)
  • 1 - 6 taken from the "Wake Up Boo!" singles.
  • 7 - 11 taken from the "Find the Answer Within" singles.
CD3 - Second bonus disc
  1. "This Is Not About Me" (4:02)
  2. "Reaching Out from Here" (High Llamas Mix) (2:52)
  3. "Martin, Doom! It's Seven O'clock" (Stereolab Mix) (6:42)
  4. "Joel" (Justin Warfield Mix) (4:49)
  5. "Tambo" (1:47)
  6. "Donkey" (1:57)
  7. "From the Bench at Belvidere" (4:23)
  8. "Hi Falutin" (3:23)
  9. "Crushed" (3:23)
  10. "Almost Nearly There" (3:36)
  • 1 - 6 taken from the "It's Lulu" singles.
  • 7 - 10 taken from the "From The Bench At Belvidere" single.

Personnel

The Boo Radleys
  • Sice - vocals
  • Rob Cieka - drums, percussion
  • Tim Brown - bass guitar, keyboards
  • Martin Carr - guitar, keyboards, vocals

with:

  • Richard Green - guitar on "Fairfax Scene"
  • Nigel Hitchcock - saxophone
  • Simon Gardner, Chris Moore - trumpet
  • Steve Kitchen - trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Neil Sidwell - trombone
  • Lindsay Johnson - cello
  • Fay Sweet - viola
  • Peter Fry - double bass
Technical
  • Andy Wilkinson - engineer
  • Alistair Clay - mixing
  • Stephen A. Wood - sleeve artwork

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b Cavanagh 2000, p. 456
  2. ^ Cavanagh 2000, p. 455
  3. ^ Cavanagh 2000, pp. 460–1
  4. ^ a b Cavanagh 2000, p. 461
  5. ^ McGee 2014, p. 208
  6. ^ McGee 2014, p. 209
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wake Up! – The Boo Radleys". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  8. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (31 March 1995). "CD of the week: The Boo Radleys". The Guardian.
  9. ^ Morris, Gina (April 1995). "The Boo Radleys: Wake Up!". Select. No. 58. p. 98.
  10. ^ "The Boo Radleys: Wake Up!". Uncut. p. 77. 'It's Lulu' boasts the adolescent heart-skipping rush of vintage Buzzcocks, with added horns.
  11. ^ "Wake Up". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  12. ^ A.Z. (6 August 2015). "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin. p. 2. Retrieved 7 August 2015.

Sources

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