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Dodgy

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Dodgy
Lead singer looking relaxed in his dark sunglasses
Nigel Clark playing an acoustic set at Guilfest in 2012.
Background information
OriginHounslow, London, England[1]
GenresAlternative rock, power pop, Britpop
Years active1990–98, 1999–2002, 2007–present
LabelsA&M, Bostin'
MembersNigel Clark
Mathew Priest
Andy Miller
Stuart Thoy

Dodgy are an English rock band formed in Hounslow in 1990. The band rose to prominence during the Britpop era of the 1990s. They are best known for their hits "Staying Out for the Summer", "If You're Thinking of Me", and "Good Enough".[1] "Good Enough" was their biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] They released their latest album, What Are We Fighting For, in September 2016.

History

Formation and initial activity (1990–97)

The band was formed by Nigel Clark, Mathew Priest, and Andy Miller. Relocating from Worcestershire to London in 1988, Clark and Priest played together in the trio Purple, with Frederic Colier [fr] on the bass. They recruited guitarist Ben Lurie, who left the band after one week to join The Jesus and Mary Chain and was replaced by Miller. After Colier's departure, the band renamed itself Dodgy.

The band played an eight-month residency at a wine bar in Kingston Upon Thames and created a following. In 1991, they signed a six-album deal with A&M Records and signed publishing with BMG.[3]

Dodgy's debut album was produced by The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie.[3] The band concerned themselves with social issues by supporting The Serious Road Trip, War Child, the Liverpool Dockers' Strike, Charter88 and youth democracy campaigns. The band became the second UK act, after China Drum, to play in Sarajevo after the lifting of the siege, giving a concert at the Kuk club in August 1996. They returned to Bosnia in 1997, to film a programme with Kate Thornton in Mostar.[citation needed]

Post-break up and reunion (1998–present)

While Clark was absent from 1998 to 2007 to pursue ongoing solo projects, Priest and Miller continued the band as a five piece joined by the vocalist David Bassey, keyboardist Chris Hallam, and bassist Nick Abnett.[3] This line-up of the group recorded one album, Real Estate, in 2001. The album was produced and mixed with Robin Evans at T-Pot Studios in Perthshire. In the meantime, Clark released the solo album 21st Century Man in 2006,[4] and in 2007 he teamed up with the dance music duo to record a remix of Dodgy's "Good Enough".[5]

The band played two sets at Guilfest in July 2008. The first set was an acoustic set in the Unison tent where they appeared in support of the organisation. They later played a set with full band on the main stage. They headlined the Sunday night at Beached Festival in August 2008, and appeared at the ToneFest in September. In November, the first tracks from new recording sessions appeared online. They played a benefit show in May 2009, as part of the homelessness charity Crisis' 'Hidden Gigs' campaign, alongside The Bluetones.[6]

In 2009, Dodgy played at Glastonbury Festival, as well as appearances at Bug Jam 2009, Whatfest and Cornbury.[citation needed] On 29 August 2010, Dodgy played at The Galtres Festival in North Yorkshire, playing Dodgy tracks such as "In a Room" and "Staying out for the Summer", as well as a version of Nigel Clark's solo track, "21st Century Man".[citation needed]

On 23 April 2011, Dodgy played as the headliners at the Mash Fest Festival in Trowbridge and on 28 May 2011, Dodgy headlined at the LeeStock Music Festival in Sudbury, Suffolk, helping to raise money for the Willow Foundation.[7] Mathew Priest said in an interview with the BBC that they would be playing a mixture of new songs and old favourites and talking of their new material said "If we can just get people to listen to it, they're going to love it".[8] on 25 August 2011, Dodgy also Headlined at the Garlic Festival, in the Isle of Wight. For live shows promoting the album, the band recruited Stuart Thoy of the band Smoke Feathers[9] to play bass.[10] In May 2012 they played at Lakefest festival.[11]

"What Became of You" was the first single to be taken from Stand Upright in a Cool Place, their new album. Rather than following the trend of bands re-forming to play their classic albums in full, Dodgy announced that on their recent UK tour, it was their new album that would be previewed live in its entirety. The album was released 20 February 2012 via the independent Strikeback Records, to favourable reviews from MOJO, the Guardian [12][13] and Q Magazine.[citation needed] Thoy would then join the band as a full member and participate in the recording of their fifth album, What Are We Fighting For, which was released on 2 September 2016.[14]

Clark released the solo album Make Believe Love in 2020, and also works as a music teacher at the Aspire Academy in Worcester.[15]

Musical style

AllMusic biographer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the band as "clowns of Brit-pop" that played "infectious, goofy punk-pop", which "alternately sounded like the early Who and the Stone Roses."[16]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Sales Certifications
UK
[17]
The Dodgy Album
  • Released: 24 May 1993
  • Label: A&M (540 082)
  • Format: CD, CS, DL, LP
 75
Homegrown
  • Released: 24 October 1994
  • Label: A&M (540 282)
  • Format: CD, CS, DL, LP
 28
Free Peace Sweet
  • Released: 17 June 1996
  • Label: A&M (540 573)
  • Format: CD, CS, DL, LP
 7
Real Estate
  • Released: 23 July 2001
  • Label: Bostin (BTNCD005)
  • Format: CD, DL
 —
Stand Upright in a Cool Place
  • Released: 20 February 2012
  • Label: Strike Back (SBR 200)
  • Format: CD, DL, LP
 76
What Are We Fighting For
  • Released: 2 September 2016
  • Label: Cherry Red (BRED689)
  • Format: CD, DL, LP
 —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Year Album UK
[2][17]
1998 Ace A's and Killer B's 55
2004 The Collection —
2014 Good Enough – The Very Best of Dodgy —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Live albums

  • So Far on 3 Wheels – Dodgy on the Radio (2007)
  • Dodgy – Live at Cornbury Festival (2009)
  • Dodgy Live – Back to Back (2013)

Singles

Year Title UK
[2][17] 		Certifications
1991 "Summer Fayre" 195
"Easy Way" —
1992 "The Black and White Single" 127
1993 "Water Under the Bridge" —
"Lovebirds" 65
I Need Another (EP) 67
1994 The Melod-EP 53
"Staying Out for the Summer" 38
1995 "So Let Me Go Far" 30
"Making the Most Of"
(with the Kick Horns) 		22
"Staying Out for the Summer" (remix) 19
1996 "In a Room" 12
"Good Enough" 4
"If You're Thinking of Me" 11
1997 "Found You" 19
1998 "Every Single Day" 32
2000 "Feathercuts and Monkeyboots" 88
2001 "(We All Need a Little) Liftin" —
2008 Down in the Flood/Forgive Me (Club Tour Mix) (EP) —
2012 "What Became of You" —
"Only a Heartbeat" —
"This Love Is Bigger Than Both of Us" —
2016 "California Gold" —
"What Are We Fighting For" —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Downloads

  • "Forgive Me – Demo" (2008)
  • "Down in the Flood" (2008)
  • "Find a Place" – The Bootleg Series and Crisis Charity Download (2009)
  • "Christmas at the Foodbank" (2013 charity release for The Trussell Trust)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 279. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 163. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 130. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  4. ^ "1769 – Vote for the Albums". Albumvote.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Nigel Clark Looks to Repackage Past Hit for a Comeback – antiMUSIC News". Antimusic.com. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Crisis.org". Archived from the original on 15 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Information | LeeStock Music Festival 3 June 2012". Leestock.org. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  8. ^ Dobbie, Anna (20 May 2011). "BBC News – Dodgy and Bluetones singer Mark Morriss at LeeStock". BBC. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  9. ^ Green Gab PR (2011). "Smoke Feathers". Green Gab PR. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  10. ^ Smoke Feathers (2 October 2011). "Stu plays bass for Dodgy on UK tour". Smoke Feathers. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Lakefest 2012: Line-up 2012". Lakefest.co.uk. 20 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  12. ^ Harris, John (9 February 2012). "Dodgy's fifth album is a musical reunion worth celebrating". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  13. ^ Simpson, Dave (16 February 2012). "Dodgy: Stand Upright in a Cool Place – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  14. ^ Britton, Luke Morgan (23 May 2016). "Dodgy confirm new album 'What Are We Fighting For' – watch 'You Give Drugs A Bad Name' video". NME. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Meet the school staff… – the Aspire Academy". Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  16. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dodgy | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  17. ^ a b c "DODGY - full Official Chart History". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  18. ^ "Dodgy - Homegrown". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  19. ^ Newman, Melinda (29 March 1997). "Mercury Dodges Releasing Dodgy Album; Compilation Lands on 'Mars'". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 13. p. 16. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Dodgy - Free Peace Sweet". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Dodgy - Good Enough". BPI. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
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