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25-545: Kekaula and Vennum founded the BellRays on the dissolution of previous group The Rose Thorns, a group formed by Vennum in 1986, which Kekaula joined in 1988; the band released an album Ralph's Mom & Dad in 1990; songs from the album were later rerecorded by the BellRays. The same year the BellRays released their self-titled debut, cassette-only, album, with Kekaula and Vennum joined by Phil Phillips on bass and Brad Vaughn on drums. The BellRays released their second album In

50-461: A Public Image Limited song, Poptones was seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation, and also included a re-issue label called From The Vaults and a reggae label run by his wife (Frazier Chorus' Kate Holmes) called In Dub . Poptones' record sleeves were designed by Mike Alway of él Records and its first releases included licensed product by The Montgolfier Brothers , Outrageous Cherry and El Vez . Most notably,

75-617: A fade-to-commercial song during the 2006 NCAA Tournament in the George Mason - Florida semifinal on CBS Sports . Poptones Poptones was a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Its roster included The Hives , January, Oranger , Arnold , Cherrystones , King Biscuit Time , The Mardous , Thee Unstrung , The Boxer Rebellion , Beachbuggy , Pure Reason Revolution and Nick Laird-Clowes as Trashmonk. In May 2007, McGee wound down Poptones for financial reasons. Named after

100-530: A flat in Shepherd's Bush they met Phil Brown, who after hearing their demo took it to Miles Leonard , who promptly signed the band. Duffield quit the band soon after recording Champion Versions . Not long after they were signed to Regal / Parlophone , Anderson became ill and quit the band. He later produced recordings under the name Lone Pigeon . The remaining members added Englishman Richard Greentree to play bass and solidified their lineup. Champion Versions

125-458: A long tour to support the album, at one point supporting Radiohead . In August 2002, they made Number 3 on Q magazine's list of "50 Bands to See Before You Die". The band began demo sessions for their third album in September 2002. They entered the studio with producer Tom Rothrock in 2003 and completed a number of tracks; however, neither the band nor Regal's executives were pleased with

150-495: A project of Nick Laird-Clowes . Poptones reportedly was close to signing Hole after they left Universal Music Group and before their demise in 2002. In 2002, Poptones gained national success and media with The Hives' Your New Favourite Band album, Main Offender 7" (which featured "Lost And Found" originally performed by The Saints as a B-Side), and Supply And Demand/The Stomp 7". Your New Favourite Band album contained

175-544: A sample from the same Günter Kallmann Choir recording was to be released at around the same time, the band opted to release "Broke" instead. A performance on Top Of The Pops for "Broke" had been recorded, but was dropped and has never been shown. Two other singles were released from the album: "Human Being" in October 2001 and "Squares" in February 2002 (with the I Monster track long out of the charts). The band embarked on

200-474: Is where you want to stop and listen. Just take it in and make up your own mind. You want somebody to tell you what it is go to Kelly Clarkson 's website instead. You tell us what we're about and then tell your friends whether you like it or not." "Zero PM" was featured in the video game Driv3r and "Revolution Get Down" in a commercial for the Nissan Xterra . "Revolution Get Down" was also used as

225-495: The Summer Sundae festival and set out on a farewell tour. Their final show was at Edinburgh 's Liquid Rooms venue on 5 December 2004. On 3 October 2005, the band released a 2-disc DVD set, The Best of The Beta Band - Film , featuring most of the band's videos and a selection of short films, television footage, documentaries as well as four songs recorded live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on 29 November 2004, one of

250-529: The 50 greatest singles of 2000 in their end-of-year awards. "To You Alone" was also included on the soundtrack of the 2000 remake of the television series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) , released in March. A hiatus followed, during which Mason released his second King Biscuit Time EP. The band gradually gravitated back into the studio, this time recruiting UK producer Colin Emmanuel, aka C-Swing , to oversee

275-541: The Light of the Sun , also cassette-only (until later reissue), in 1993, featuring new drummer Ray Chin and keyboardist Jim Kerwin. Tony Bramel (aka Tony Fate) produced and played bass on the recording and joined the band permanently as guitarist in 1996, with Vennum switching to bass. The following albums Let It Blast and Grand Fury were recorded live in the band's rehearsal space. Fifth album The Red, White & Black (2003)

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300-532: The band made a four-stop tour in the United States. The band returned to the studio to record the double A-side single "To You Alone"/"Sequinsizer", recorded by future The Go! Team producer, Gareth Parton. It was released on 24 January 2000. The single was received favourably and was regarded as a return to form for the band. The NME made it their "Single of the Week", and would later select it as one of

325-704: The band's final performances. Also released on the same day was a two CD set, The Best of The Beta Band - Music , comprising a compilation disc of studio recordings and a disc containing the Shepherd's Bush gig. Since the split, Steve Mason has released music with his solo project King Biscuit Time , as well as new projects Black Affair and Good Face. In May 2010, he released the first record in his own name entitled "Boys Outside". Robin Jones and John Maclean have become The Aliens along with former Beta Band member Gordon Anderson (a.k.a. Lone Pigeon ) and Richard Greentree

350-493: The international hits "Hate To Say I Told You So", "Main Offender", "Supply And Demand", "Die, Alright", and "Outsmarted" off Veni Vidi Vicious (Epitaph/Sire/Reprise Records), as well the Independent success of "Here We Go Again", "A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T", "Automatic Schmuck", and "Hail Hail Spit N'Drool" off Barely Legal (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Gearhead Records). In May 2007, McGee told The Independent newspaper that he

375-582: The label arranged a licensing deal with Sweden's Burning Heart Records and launched the career of The Hives in the UK. Poptones' roster included acts such as the former Creation band Arnold , psychedelic DJ Cherrystones , ex- Beta Band member Steve Mason 's King Biscuit Time , Thee Unstrung , January, The Mardous, The Boxer Rebellion , The Icarus Line 's sister project Souls She Said, Sailboats are White, Viking Moses, Beachbuggy and acey-folk acts The Singleman Affair and Pure Reason Revolution and Trashmonk,

400-655: The process. The album, Hot Shots II , appeared in mid-2001, and was warmly received by critics and fans. It sacrificed much of the first album's experimentation for more boiled-down pop structure and hooks. The band had originally intended to release "Squares" (b/w "Won"), which featured a sample from the Günter Kallmann Choir's 1970 version of Wallace Collection's " Daydream ", as the lead single . A video had been filmed and promo discs issued, but because another single ( "Daydream in Blue" by I Monster ) featuring

425-660: The results. Producer Nigel Godrich was called in to mix the album, which was finally completed in early 2004. Lead single, "Assessment", was released on 12 April 2004, followed by the album Heroes to Zeros on 26 April. One of the tracks, "Liquid Bird" is based on a sample of "Painted Bird" by Siouxsie and the Banshees . A second single, "Out-Side", followed in July. The band announced their breakup on their website on 2 August 2004, citing financial discord with their label, to whom they owed £1.2 million. In November, they performed at

450-516: Was featured in High Fidelity and It's All Gone Pete Tong . The Beta Band was formed in 1996 by St Andrews musicians Steve Mason (vocals, guitar) and Gordon Anderson . The two had plans to call their group The Pigeons but later changed their minds. As they pulled together songs for their debut EP , Champion Versions , they added Robin Jones (drums), John Maclean (DJ, sampler, keyboards), and Steve Duffield (bass). While living in

475-502: Was invited to Chalk Farm recording studios shortly afterwards where he was asked to play three riffs on his trumpet for Dry the Rain. Two further EPs followed in 1998 produced by Chris Allison and the band: The Patty Patty Sound in March and Los Amigos del Beta Bandidos in July. All three EPs received critical praise, and all three appeared on the appropriately titled The Three E.P.'s collection in September 1998. The compilation

500-475: Was loose and unrefined in comparison to their prior style of production. The mixed press turned decidedly negative when the band announced their own disdain for the record, including Mason who declared that it was "fucking awful": Regal's deadline and tight budgets kept them, they stated, from refining their improvisations into coherent songs, and led to an album that was conceptually incomplete. Also in June that year

525-449: Was rated by Pitchfork in the Top 10 Albums of the year . The song "Dr Baker" featured on the soundtrack of the first series of Trigger Happy TV . Despite inner conflict, the band commenced work on their first full-length recording after being signed to Regal. The record, titled The Beta Band , was released in June 1999. The album was more stylistically diverse than the initial EPs, and

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550-437: Was released in 2010 and their most recent album Punk Funk Rock Soul Volume Two in 2018. On the group's MySpace page, they described themselves as follows: "High Octane Rock and Roll! Biography schmiography! Who cares about where they came from or what they did before or how many records they put out. Stats are not what music or this band is about. If you have an open mind and want something challenging in your life then this

575-610: Was released in July 1997 to critical acclaim not only for the music but also for the record's innovative cut-and-paste sleeve design (the work of John Maclean). The trumpet solos recorded for "Dry the Rain" on Champion Versions were played by Jonathan Levien, credited as Jon Levien on the record. Jonathan was attending the Royal College of Art in 1997 where he met John Maclean in the Art Bar and mentioned that he could make some interesting whale sounds on his trumpet. Jonathan Levien

600-510: Was released on the Poptones label in the UK and Alternative Tentacles in the US. Craig Waters replaced Chin as drummer for the band's next two records Have a Little Faith and Hard, Sweet and Sticky , the latter featuring Billy Mohler on production and bass guitar, Bob Vennum having switched back to lead guitar with the departure of Tony Fate. The BellRays' eighth album proper Black Lightning

625-464: Was winding down Poptones for financial reasons. The Beta Band The Beta Band were a Scottish musical group formed in 1996. Their style was described as being a blend of folk , psychedelia , electronica , post-rock and trip hop , often involving stylistic experimentation and occasional humour. They were praised by members of both Radiohead and Oasis , the former of which chose them to open for their concerts in 2001. The band's music

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