The Ordinary Boys

The Ordinary Boys

The Ordinary Boys are an English band from Worthing, United Kingdom. They form in 2002 under the name Next in Line and later take the name The Ordinary Boys from a Morrissey song of the same title. The group is active from 2004 to the present and is identified with britpop, indie rock, indie, ska and rock.

Background and style

The band draws on mod revival and Britpop, and also on the music of Madness, The Specials, The Kinks and The Smiths. Their early work is rooted in indie rock, while later material includes a more pop-oriented sound on the single “Lonely at the Top”, which uses synthesisers and samples.

Members

The Ordinary Boys consist of Samuel Preston, William J. Brown, James Gregory and Dan Logan. Earlier line-up changes include Simon Goldring on drums, who replaces Charles “Chuck” Stanley in 2005. Preston handles vocals and guitar, Brown plays guitar, Gregory plays bass, and Goldring is the drummer at the time of the band’s split.

Releases and notable songs

Among the band’s better-known songs are “Maybe Someday”, “Talk Talk Talk” and “Seaside” from the debut album, along with “Boys Will Be Boys” from the second album. “Over the Counter Culture” appears on the soundtrack to Burnout 3: Takedown. “Boys Will Be Boys” also features in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Public profile and later activity

The band’s chart success is limited, but its profile increases after Samuel Preston appears on Celebrity Big Brother UK in January 2006. After that, album sales rise and “Boys Will Be Boys” climbs from number 33 to number 3 in four weeks. The band’s fanbase is known as the Ordinary Army. Yahoo! UK lists The Ordinary Boys as the fourth most searched keyword of 2006, and the group is referenced in episode five, “Smoke and Mirrors”, of series two of The IT Crowd.

Breakup and reformations

In early 2008, Preston confirms the band’s split and says he is working on solo material. A solo album is completed in 2009 but is not released. The Ordinary Boys later reunite for a UK tour in December 2011 with Preston and Goldring, but without William Brown or James Gregory, and with a new guitarist, bassist and keyboard player. The group reforms again in 2014 and plays a mini tour around the UK.