The Magic Numbers

The Magic Numbers are an alternative rock band from Ealing in the United Kingdom, formed in 2002. The group consists of two sibling pairs: Romeo Stodart, Michele Stodart, Angela Gannon and Sean Gannon. Romeo Stodart plays lead guitar and sings, Michele Stodart plays bass guitar, sings and plays glockenspiel, Angela Gannon plays melodica, percussion, keyboard and vocals, and Sean Gannon plays drums.

Background

The Stodarts are the children of a Scottish father and a Portuguese mother. They are born in Trinidad, where their mother works as an opera singer and presents her own television show. After the family leaves Trinidad in 1990 following an attempted coup, they are raised in New York City. In the mid-1990s Romeo and Michele move to London. The Gannons are of Irish descent and live in Hanwell, London, where they become friends with the Stodarts.

Early years and breakthrough

Before the band forms, Romeo Stodart and Sean Gannon try to make music together under different names, including Guess. The Magic Numbers begin playing the London circuit in late 2002 and build a following through live shows, including support slots for artists such as Travis, Ed Harcourt and Snow Patrol, and attention from The Chemical Brothers. Ed Harcourt later influences their signing to Heavenly Records, which they choose over Rough Trade Records.

Their first releases include the limited 7-inch single Hymn for Her, issued in November 2004, and the single Forever Lost. Even before their debut album appears, they play a sold-out show at the Forum in Kentish Town to an audience of more than 2,000, and they also play their first live BBC Radio 2 session on the Dermot O'Leary Show. Their self-titled debut album is recorded at Metropolis Studios in London with American producer Craig Silvey and released in 2005. The album is shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize. Other singles from the record include Love Me Like You, Love's a Game and I See You, You See Me.

Albums and touring

Those the Brokes follows in 2006, with recording partly taking place at Allaire Studios in New York and engineering by Richard Wilkinson. The band tours extensively around the album, including support for The Who in Southampton and an appearance at Glastonbury in 2007. A live album, Live at the Kentish Town Forum, appears in 2007 and documents material from the first two albums.

After a break in 2008, the group begins work on The Runaway, which is produced by Romeo Stodart with Valgeir Sigurðsson, mixed by Ben Hillier and features string arrangements by Robert Kirby. Alias follows in 2014. Outsiders is released in 2018. Their releases also include a Japanese tour documentary segment on Jonathan Ross's Japanorama and a live recording of a performance at the Kentish Town Forum.

Other activity

The Magic Numbers play the Splendour in the Grass festival in 2010 and Glastonbury again in 2010. In 2013 they announce an acoustic tour across the UK and Ireland, with Goldheart Assembly supporting. That same year they appear in The Harry Hill Movie as bed and breakfast owners in Blackpole. In 2015 they tour the UK with McAlmont and Butler, supporting the duo and also contributing backing vocals and rhythm section.

Michele Stodart also releases solo material. Her first solo album, Wide-Eyed Crossing, appears in 2012 and has a strong country music influence, with a duet featuring Conor O'Brien of Villagers. Her second solo album, Pieces, follows in 2016 on One Little Indian Records and includes guest appearances from Romeo Stodart and Kathryn Williams.