Shed Seven

Shed Seven

Shed Seven are a band from York, United Kingdom, formed in 1990 and active from 1990 to the present. They are associated with alternative rock, britpop, jangle pop and power pop, and are linked to Polydor Records. The line-up includes Rick Witter, Paul Banks, Fraser Smith, Tom Gladwin, Joe Johnson and Alan Leach.

Career

The band reach their widest popularity in the mid-1990s during the Britpop period. Their best-known singles include Chasing Rainbows, Going For Gold, Getting Better and Disco Down, all of which reach the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart.

Shed Seven split in December 2003 after a farewell tour that ends with a final hometown show. The separation is described as amicable and follows disagreements with their record company about the band’s musical direction. In 2005, they release a collection of demos intended for what would have been their fifth studio album.

After the split, individual members pursue separate projects, including Rick Witter, who forms Rick Witter and The Dukes. The band reunite in 2007 for a UK tour that becomes their most successful to date, with the line-up including the original members and both former guitarists, Joe Johnson and Paul Banks. Although that reunion is planned as a one-off, the band remain together and play several UK festivals in the summer of 2008.

In 2009, they announce another tour for December of that year and say they are working on new songs, although none are performed on the tour. They describe that 18-date run as their most successful and enjoyable so far. They also announce high-profile summer festival appearances for 2010, including V Festival, T In The Park and Oxegen.