Career
Letters & Colours were formed in late 2003 by Sheffield Hallam University students David Jaques (Guitar, programming) and Gerry Poole (Vocals, keys, guitar). Jaques and Poole played shows throughout the North of England including performances at The Leadmill in Sheffield and Barfly (club) in Liverpool, building up a strong fanbase. Combining live shows and the release of free recordings (made available through myspace), the band built a large following making them one of the first groups, along with Arctic Monkeys and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to use the internet to swell their fanbase. The first shows used the combination of guitars, programming and vocals to create tight, epic music but could lack direction due to the limitations of programmed drums in the live context.
Over the next year the line up was extended in order to create more flexibility in live performances, initially drafting in Ian Baxter on bass guitar to be shortly followed by Paul Roberts on drums. The band gelled quickly as a four piece inspiring a change in style for the group. The new sound was accompanied by an increase in tempo and more exciting live performances, adding a pop edge to the band's sound. With new songs and a greater live presence, Letters & Colours continued to build their fanbase and played with groups such as Harrisons and Little Man Tate (band), and played at In The City (festival) in Manchester, during 2005.
At the beginning of 2006 Baxter left the band to concentrate on drumming duties in fellow Sheffield band The Yell. The band had organised a national tour and single to be released on their own label, Dead Product in March 2006, but with the departure of Baxter the bands plans were put in jeopardy. The band recorded the single without Baxter, and toured with Miller deputising on bass for certain songs. The single and tour were a success, spurring the band to carry on and find a new bassist in Ric Griffiths.
Within weeks of completing the new line up, the group developed several new songs and played their first gig at The Plug, with New Young Pony Club. During 2006/07 Letters & Colours played headline shows all over the UK including The Fly in London, The Faversham in Leeds, The Barfly in Liverpool, and Sheffield University's legendary Fuzz Club, as well as Mean Fiddler's Carling Weekend. Letters & Colours also appeared on BBC's Look North news programme, alongside The Pigeon Detectives in the press coverage for the 2006 Carling Weekend. The band also garnered critical acclaim from DJs on Xfm, Radio 1, 6Music, BBC Raw Talent and were one of Steve Lamacq's top tips for 2007.
The band's song 'Alpha' was included in Alt Delete's era defining compilation Digital Penetration in 2006 and in April 2007 the band released Gaunt/Plan A on Mother Tongue. The song was recorded by Sheffield musician/producer Alan Smyth and was Steve Lamacq's single of the week on his Monday night Radio 1 new music show.
Despite continuing to receive critical acclaim, and an ever increasing fanbase, the band split in the summer of 2007, believing they had achieved all they could in their current guise.
Read more about this topic: Letters And Colours
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