Gareth Williams - Vocals, Harmonica. Cavie - Guitars, Backing Vocals. Michael Cockerham - Guitars. Suggy - Bass, Backing Vocals. Bobby Syme - Drums.
Winny - Drums 2004-2009.
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The Voltaires on LastFM
Influences
The Rolling Stones, Love, Iggy Pop, The Stooges, Super Furry Animals,
The Beach Boys, The Strokes, Idlewild, The Zombies, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, The Hives, The Futureheads, The Beatles, The Kinks, Quack Quack, The White Stripes, The Beastie Boys, Black Sabbath, The Dandy Warhols, Explosions In The Sky, Felt, Jimi Hendrix, The Magic Numbers, Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Moby Grape, The Monkees, De La Soul, Iron & Wine, Teenage Fanclub, Stevie Wonder, The Smashing Pumpkins, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ride, Asian Dub Foundation, My Bloody Valentine, The La's, The Smiths, The Stranglers, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, The Detroit Cobras, Oasis, The Belles, The Posies, Josh Rouse, Sigur Ros, The Research, Kate Bush, Death From Above 1979, The Blueskins, The Pixies, Blur, The Autumns, The Dears, AC/DC, The Charlatans, Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, Rosie Thomas, The Shins, Elliott Smith, Public Enemy, Leonard Cohen, Rufus Wainwright, Joanna Newsom, The Wannadies, Evan Dando, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, Jose Gonzalez, Goldrush, MC5, Joni Mitchell, Joy Division, The Cribs, Delays, Robert Johnson etc. etc. etc.
Conceived in Spring 2004, The Voltaires were locked in their Leeds studio for most of said year writing more songs than you could shake a stick at (unless you're the owner of some sort of stick-waving machine).
They emerged, bleary eyed and unfamiliar with the world, to subject gig-goers to their psych-pop-blues-punk racket in early 2005 - gig-goers were impressed and offered them their affection.
The Anti-Love E.P. was released, also in 2005, on the This Is Art label. Again people said nice things and The Voltaires were most gracious.
2006 saw the band embark on their first national tour and prepare their sophomore release. Immense.
2007 was the Chinese Year Of The Pig. The Voltaires celebrated this by trying not to eat much bacon AND by recording. Lots. The band released the first fruits of these sessions on the 3rd December - the double a-side single 'Hard Lines' / 'Sign Me Up'. We thought it was ACE. So did some other nice people.
2008 was very kind indeed to The Voltaires with lots of MEGA gigs, the release of our 'Sugar Filled Chemistry' E.P. and the lovely people at Mtv2 playlisting the video for our song '(I Hate) Saturday Nights'.
Founder member and top drum bloke Winny left the band at the start of 2009 due to a move down South/an argument over the correct pronunciation of the word "hegemony". But we only went and found DOUBLE ACE drum bloke Bobby Syme to replace him didn't we? Yes. Along with the usual phenomenal pop concerts we will be embarking on our second UK tour in September and putting some serious work into the recording of our debut album. It is unlikely you will ever know such excitement as this. Our gift -> to you.
And remember - "No songs over 3 minutes and 30 seconds – GUARANTEED!"
"The Voltaires are the best rock and roll band in Leeds at the moment" - Sandman Magazine
Click below to buy the CD version of the Sugar Filled Chemistry E.P. using PayPal for just £3.00 (+ £1 p&p) Reviews
"... (I Hate) Saturday Nights is a concisely sharp attack of window rattling rock and roll. Mixing urgent indie with post-punk values, the guitars crunch and Gareth Williams' vocal yelp all collide satisfyingly into some rasping early Who-styled chords and an energised blast of wild pop irreverence. I Wanna Go (Go, Go) is perfect ’77 dayglo punk pop, whipping up bits of The Ramones and The Buzzcocks with The Rezillos, whilst splashing in the comic book rock of The Dickies." - Manchester Music
'Hard Lines'/'Sign Me Up' Single (This Is Art Recordings 17/12/07)
Click below to buy the CD version of 'Hard Lines' / 'Sign Me Up' using PayPal for just £2.50 (+ £1 p&p) Reviews
"A very powerful reason for not staying in watching TV, but for going out and seeking out great live bands. They've played all over our region to great acclaim; in fact someone in a publication not a million miles from here went as far as calling them the best rock n roll band in Leeds, and it would be hard to disagree, based on these three tracks. Hard Lines has a ridiculously catchy chorus, very Futureheads, but with a swagger and mean guitar break in the middle. Sign Me Up overflows with punk energy and blasts your socks off with another slice of catchy sing-along Leeds stomping. Exciting music from one of our region's great acts." - Sandman Magazine
"Shining with aggressive slow tempo new wave ideas ... it just goes to show that the days of the EP aren’t numbered at all, when bands like The Voltaires give you so much to chew on. Recommended." - Manchester Music
"The closest thing we have to The Stooges ... 'Hard Lines' swings in just where the band left off with their last E.P. and its pumping thrust of energy is right on cue. Gareth Williams' screaming brand of Jagger-ism charms us along the journey, and just as you're punching the air it careers to an exhilarating halt. 'Sign Me Up', at just over a minute and a half is a pogo assault somewhere between The Hives and The Mooney Suzuki, bursting with balls-out enthusiasm. B-side 'Pre-Established Harmony' draws on all influences and rounds things off well with flowing unease. A new E.P. is also on its way but this'll do just nicely for now, welcome back lads!" - Vibrations
"Gareth Williams does hollering intense delivery with aplomb, also found in Winny's battering ram drums ... The barmy songs stay in the brain for days. Good work!" - Planet Sound, Teletext
"We've waited some time for this; the follow up to 2005's brilliant 'Anti-Love' E.P. and by God it's worth it!" - Rhubarb bomb
"There's enough serious riffing in the three songs to choke the grandchildren of Iggy Pop, and enough yelps and punk squeaks to blow the ear drums out of any member of Hot Hot Heat - fast, dynamic, aggressive drumming propel these tracks into internal haemorrhages." - Click Music
Virgin Digital: New And Unsigned, Vol.1 (Virgin 19/12/05)
Click below to buy the CD version of the Anti-Love E.P. using PayPal for just £2.50 (+ £1 p&p) Reviews
"Refreshingly free of post-punk manoeuvres and displaying a love of
The Stooges, The Hives, AC/DC and The Stones. The title track is their
most direct take on proceedings ... 'Clocks' stomps and pouts with a
pleasing infusion of mod psychedelia ... best track though is 'Automatic' ... the way the track opens out for its closing segment is superb ... worth the price of admission on its own." - Whisperin' & Hollerin'
"A fine contribution to the Leeds musical legacy ... The Voltaires are ready for the big time ... Ones to watch out for." - Heathen Angel
"Damn good listening!" - Leeds Music Scene
"One infectious racket... the title track is a fantastic opener and
'Clocks' is even better ... 'Automatic' completes the trio of tracks in
fine fashion with another killer chorus that begs to be played on repeat" - Rhythm & Booze
"A pretty stunning and efficiently different E.P." - Manchester Music
"Rumbling guitars, Hives-style "L-O-V-E" chanting, giddy handclaps -
they know just how to create indie-disco mayhem ... well worth further
investigation!" - Planet Sound, Teletext
"Recommended stuff!" - Jumbo Records
"The Voltaires play the type of glorious garage rock that makes girls dance with reckless abandon and boys wish they were rock stars ... damn cool!" - Helter Skelter
"Leeds lads The Voltaires sure know how to turn heads with their inspirational brand of indie-fuelled rock 'n' roll, with the three tunes that comprise this EP all being quirky, catchy and supremely cool in due course ... if I was you, I'd get on down to one of their gigs ASAP!" - This Is Ull
Our EP launch is creeping ever nearer it would be most fantastic if you could attend! It's going to be seriously horse!
It's Saturday the 30th of May at The Library. It's an early start, early finish job (6pm - 11pm) and we are on at 9pmish. Tickets are £4 from Crash of Jumbo or on the door.
We are surrounded by brilliant bands such as our label mates The Light Streams (also launching their new EP), our old pals The Voltaires, our new friends The Feelies Inc. and we have transpennine excitement from Little Tremors.
Our EP, titled A GLimpse of Lightning will available on the night and is released the 1st of June. It's real hot. The Remix version is actually available now at www.silverlodeonline.co.uk.
hey up
hope you dig our tunes, we have UK Chart single release on monday,
and just agreed a distribution contract with Universal Records, Album in all major stores in may
hope to have your support
you are welcome to come down to our Single launch party Leeds Centre The Smokestack Sat 11th April
free entrance, bring ya dancin shoes!!!! love to see you come down
stay proud
Hello,
We are playing the lovely Cardigan Arms on the 21st of March, being foreigners from Sheffield it would be grand if you could pop in and see us and bring a few other Leedsies with you if you are free.
Here are a few nice things people have said about us have a listen on our page and see if you like what we are up to:
Reviews:
"AN AMAZING LIVE ACT, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM AGAIN" (Sandman Magazine)
"AN IMPRESSIVE SET FROM A BAND WITH A KNACK FOR WRITING CATCHY SONGS AND DELIVERING THEM LIVE AS WELL AS IN THE STUDIO" (Sandman Magazine)
"PROMISING SONG WRITERS" (Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 6)
"THESE DAYS I FIND THRASH AND POWER POP A BIT REPETITIVE, BUT THIS WAS REMINISCENT OF MORRISSEY WHILE STILL BEING PERSONAL, I HEAR THE POSSIBILITY OF A GOOD FUTURE. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU COULD SUPRISE US ALL ONE DAY". (Paul Gambaccini, BBC Radio 6)
Hey dudes, good to see you last night! I've got the CD on now, thanks a load!
Loving It's a Wonder.... the softer side of The Voltaires!? The Saturday Nights video is really cool too as is the artowork and stuff. Great CD. Nice one.
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