The Magnets

The Magnets are a London-based British a cappella group formed in 1995. They work as a vocal-and-beats act, using only voices and mouth-made percussion to create their arrangements. The line-up in the available information includes Colin Brown, along with Andy, Fraser, James, Michael, Nic and Steve.

Style and lineup

The group build their sound from vocal bass, harmony, lead singing and beatboxing. Andy provides the drum-like groove with vocal percussion, including bass drum and hi-hat effects, while Fraser sings bass and the others supply harmony and lead vocals. Their performances combine original material with a cappella versions of songs by artists including Elvis, The Turtles and the Jackson 5.

Recordings and awards

The Magnets release their debut album, Giving It All That', on EMI in 2001. An independent second album, Another Place, follows, and the group is in development around a third album. Both albums receive recognition at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, with the group winning best song in 2001 and 2003 and receiving several other nominations.

Live work and appearances

The band performs extensively in concert and on television and radio across Europe and Asia, and their live shows run for up to two hours. Their stage act includes humour, dancing, audience participation and a vocal drum solo. They support tours by Tom Jones, Michael Ball, Lisa Stansfield and Geri Halliwell, and they appear at events such as the Queen's Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace and the BBC Proms in Hyde Park. Other career highlights include a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2004 and performances at official functions for Tony Blair and Gerhardt Schroeder.

The Magnets also become known as a party band for high-profile private events, and they make regular television and radio appearances in the UK, including on Parkinson, GMTV, Blue Peter, The Generation Game, Songs of Praise, MTV, Star For A Night, The Kelly Show and Open House, as well as Loose Ends on Radio 4 and sessions on Radio 2. They also play charity and schools concerts, supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust and Children In Need and promoting live music in education.

International reach

In Europe, especially Germany, the group establish themselves as headliners at arts festivals and theatres, and they broaden their activity to Moscow, Israel, Singapore and China. They remain active from London as a British a cappella group.