The Bluetones

The Bluetones

The Bluetones are an English alternative rock band from Hounslow, United Kingdom, active since 1993. The group consists of Mark Morriss, Adam Devlin, Scott Morriss, Eds Chesters and Richard Payne. They are associated with alternative rock, britpop, indie pop, indie rock, jangle pop and new wave, and release material on Superior Quality Recordings.

Career

The band forms in the early 1990s and becomes closely linked with the Britpop period because its early success coincides with that scene’s rise. Their debut album, Expecting to Fly, appears in 1996 and includes the single “Slight Return”, which helps establish them commercially. They later score further UK Top 20 singles with “Marblehead Johnson”, “If...” and “Keep the Home Fires Burning”.

After two more albums on A&M/Universal — Return to the Last Chance Saloon in 1998 and Science & Nature in 2000 — they move to Cooking Vinyl in 2003 for Luxembourg and then release The Bluetones in 2006. The band continues to tour and issue new material beyond the Britpop era.

Solo work and later activity

Mark Morriss releases a solo EP under the name Fi-Lo Beddow in 2006, before expanding the material into a solo album under his own name. His album Memory Muscle appears in 2008 and includes reworked versions of the Fi-Lo Beddow songs, with string arrangements by film score composer David Arnold.

The Bluetones release their final album, A New Athens, in 2010 and complete a farewell tour in 2011. They later reform for touring and continue to appear live, including a headline slot on the 2017 Star Shaped Festival tour.