Infadels

Infadels are a rock and indie group from Hackney, United Kingdom. Active from 2003 to 2012, they are based in London and are known for their energetic live shows. The band consists of Bnann Watts, Matt Gooderson and Alex Bruford, with Richie Vernon and Wag Marshall-Page joining shortly after formation.

Formation and line-up

The group forms in 2003 with Bnann Watts on vocals, Matt Gooderson on guitar and programming, and Alex Bruford on drums. Richie Vernon plays live keyboards and Wag Marshall-Page plays bass. Alex Bruford is the son of drummer Bill Bruford, and Wag Marshall-Page is a friend of Danny Wallace and appears in his books.

Recordings and labels

Infadels release two singles, Leave Your Body and Can’t Get Enough/Murder That Sound, on their own label, Dead at Thirty. They then sign to Wall of Sound after winning the awards for Best Live Act and Best Dance Band at the 2004 Diesel-U-Music Awards.

Their debut album, We Are Not the Infadels, is produced by Jagz Kooner and released in January 2006. Their second album, Universe In Reverse, follows in June 2008 and is written largely by Watts and Gooderson. It is produced by Martin “Youth” Glover, who has worked with The Verve, Guns N’ Roses and Depeche Mode.

Style and touring

The band’s sound moves from a dance-influenced debut toward a more urgent rock style on Universe In Reverse, with crashing guitars and hoover-synths. Gooderson describes the music as combining the energy and guitars of rock bands such as The White Stripes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs with deep, cinematic textures.

Infadels tour heavily in support of their debut album, playing more than 150 shows in 20 countries in 2006 alone. This run includes two UK tours, three European tours, two Australian tours, dates in the USA and China, and 35 festival appearances.

Singles and later activity

Play Blind is given away as a limited-time free download in early 2008, followed by the singles Make Mistakes and Free Things For Poor People. Free Things For Poor People reaches number one on the UK Indie Singles Chart. The band mark the song’s release by throwing money from an office window in central London, after which police caution the crowd.

In 2008, Infadels are voted best band at the Lowlands festival by the Dutch public ahead of Editors and N*E*R*D. They begin recording a follow-up to Universe In Reverse in 2009 and confirm a planned third album title, The Future of the Gravity Boy. In 2009 they also release a cover of Sweet Dreams on their website, air a new track called Ghosts on Radio 1, and later confirm Alex Metric as producer for the next record. The group disbands in 2012.