Elbow

Elbow is a UK rock band from Ramsbottom, England, active since 1990. The group forms in sixth-form college and centres on Guy Garvey on vocals and guitar, Mark Potter on guitar and vocals, Pete Turner on bass, Craig Potter on keyboards and Richard Jupp on drums. The band is identified with alternative rock, chamber pop, dream pop, indie rock, post-britpop and post-rock.

Early development

The band first goes by names including Soft and Mr. Soft before settling on Elbow, a name taken from a line in the BBC television mini-series The Singing Detective. In its earliest period it plays a style described as “chilled funk” before changing direction after the members decide the approach is not working. Its first proper release is The Noisebox EP, which appears in 1998.

Recordings and label history

After the change in direction, Elbow issues two EPs on the independent Ugly Man label. Island Records shows interest, but the band is dropped before any release there appears. V2 Records then releases the debut album Asleep in the Back, which earns strong critical praise and a Mercury Music Prize nomination in 2001.

The single “Newborn” draws attention after Radio 1 bans it for the lyric “I’ll be the corpse in your bathtub”. The second album, Cast of Thousands, enters the UK chart at number 7 and includes the single “Fallen Angel”, which charts at number 19. The third album, Leaders of the Free World, reaches number 12, and its lead single “Forget Myself” reaches number 22.

Later albums and live work

The Seldom Seen Kid appears through Fiction and reaches number 5 in the UK album chart. It wins the Mercury Music Award in 2008. The track “The Fix” features guest vocals and lead guitar by Richard Hawley. In 2009 the band releases The Seldom Seen Kid Live at Abbey Road, recorded with The BBC Concert Orchestra and Chantage as a complete run-through of the album at Abbey Road Studios.

Later releases include Build a Rocket Boys!, the Lost Worker Bee EP, Little Fictions and Giants of All Sizes. Across its career, the band releases eight studio albums and four EPs and has more than five UK top 40 singles.

Recognition

Elbow’s early critical profile includes the Mercury Music Prize nomination for Asleep in the Back and the Mercury Music Award win for The Seldom Seen Kid. The band also headlines sell-out tours during its rise to wider recognition.