Space (English Band) - Biography

Biography

Scott (then bass player), Murphy (cousin of Ned Murphy from the Liverpool band Rain (Columbia records) and later Proper (Chrysalis Records) and Parle formed Space in 1993 and aimed for a Who-influenced sound. After Griffiths, an old friend and former member of Scott's earliest group The Australians, joined them on keyboards a year later, they secured a recording contract with Gut Records who released their first single, "Money" in 1995. The single "Neighbourhood"' followed in 1996 but it was not until the release of their next single, "Female of the Species", that they achieved popular acclaim. This song was also the theme song to the UK television series Cold Feet.

Their debut album Spiders, released in September 1996, enjoyed moderate success and went platinum in the UK. "Female of the Species" also gained moderate airplay on college radio and MTV in the United States. The line-up increased with the addition of bassist/multi-instrumentalist Yorkie - who started working with the band years before their success with Spiders - in late 1996, so that Scott could concentrate more on vocals and guitar.

A tour of the US followed in mid-1997 which was less successful than many had hoped. The death of Yorkie's mother Gladys Palmer, a local Liverpool singer, devastated the band, and Parle left the group straight after the band completed work on their second album. Caffrey was quickly chosen to take over from Parle.

The new record, entitled Tin Planet, was a more mature, focused release than Spiders and was issued in spring 1998, hitting number three in the UK Albums Chart. Like its predecessor, it became a success, but it did upset some fans due to its influences from more softer, pop-friendly songs and the lack of the much more aggressive tracks found on Spiders. In late 1998, for a Honda advertisement, Space recorded a version of The Animals' "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place", which was featured on The Bad Days EP. The band also recorded a track together with singer Tom Jones for his album Reload, released in 1999.

In 2001, Space parted ways with Gut following certain issues with the label, including the constant postponing of their third album Love You More than Football. Things went from bad to worse, though, when Murphy decided to quit the band in early 2002. Feeling that they had reached their peak, Space decided to retreat from the public eye and release their music to their fans via their website. These recordings were known as Music for Aliens.

After a three year break from public attention, Space returned in 2004 to release Suburban Rock 'N' Roll, their first proper release of new material since Tin Planet. It failed to earn critical and commercial recognition. The lukewarm reception of the releases and the problems with getting a recording contract, made it financially impossible to carry on. In 2005, Space announced their decision to go their separate ways.

Since the band's original break-up, most of the former members have continued to play in bands and music industry: Scott and Phil Hartley have formed a punk band called the Drellas. Hartley, who plays bass, also produces for the band, along with other Antipop Records acts such as Metro Manila Aide, The Dead Class, The Temps and Fraktures. Griffiths is with Murphy and Vince Hagen with their band Dust, and has also making R&B under the name Subway Showdown, while Yorkie is producing for Shack.

Andy Parle died on 1 August 2009, aged 42, in Liverpool. Police said they were treating Parle's death as "unexplained" after he was seen to fall while crossing the road. Eyewitnesses described Parle tripping and falling after trying to run across a road in Liverpool at around 11.30pm on Saturday. They said he had been inside the Park Road Fish Bar in Dingle. Some locals ran to his aid and tried to revive him. A taxi full of passengers also stopped to help and paramedics were called, however he died later at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Dave Palmer, his former band mate, said: "It's the saddest, most tragic end you could have." He added that Parle had been "a brilliant drummer".

In November 2011 Space announced they would reunite for a gig at Christmas to be held at the O2 Academy in their home town of Liverpool. The line-up reunites original members Scott, Murphy and Griffiths as well as some new faces, who have previously played in Scott's current band The Red Scare (formerly known as the Drellas). They have also announced plans to record and release a new album, entitled Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab, and a world tour in 2012.