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Syd Arthur are an English psychedelic rock[1] band, formed in Canterbury in 2003 by brothers frontman Liam and bassist Joel Magill, drummer Fred Rother and violinist Raven Bush. Raven Bush is the nephew of singer Kate Bush. Rother was officially replaced by the Magills' younger brother Josh in 2016.

Syd Arthur
Syd Arthur performing at The Great Escape Festival
Background information
Origin	Canterbury, Kent, England
Genres	Canterbury Scene, alternative rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, English folk
Years active	2003 (2003)–present
Labels	Harvest Records Dawn Chorus Recording Company Green Bean Records Madman Records
Members	Liam Magill Joel Magill Josh Magill Raven Bush
Past members	Fred Rother
Website	www.sydarthur.co.uk

History

The band released their self-titled debut album in 2006 on Madman Records[2] and the Kingdoms Of Experience EP in 2008.[3] The band then set up their own recording space, Wicker Studios, and their own label, Dawn Chorus Recording Company.[4] In 2011 they self-released the Moving World EP and "Ode to the Summer" single, before releasing their second album, On an On, in July 2012. The band's bassist, Joel Magill, stated that the band released the album themselves "because it’s the only way we know. It may have been harder and longer for us but it has given us more satisfaction, I think. But if a major label waved a lot of money at us and said you could work with anyone you wanted we would have to think about that".[5] The band undertook their first nationwide tour to promote the album in February 2013.[6] The band supported Paul Weller on tour in October 2013,[7] invited the band to record in his studio[8] and tipped the band for success in 2014 in the NME.[9]

In December 2013, the band signed to the newly re-activated Harvest Records label. Originally a subsidiary of EMI and linked to the progressive rock movement of the early 1970s in England, the label is now owned by Universal Music Group. The band's debut album was released in the US for the first time on the label.[10]

The band released their third album, Sound Mirror, in June 2014.[11] The band spent much of the year in the US, performing at South by Southwest and Coachella and supporting the likes of Sean Lennon's band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger[12][13] and Yes.[14] The band promoted the album at home with nationwide tour in September–October 2014, after having postponed dates from earlier in the year.[11][15] The band are currently playing with the Magills' brother Josh filling in for Fred Rother,[16] who has missed gigs in the past due to problems with tinnitus.[17][18]

On 10 June 2016, the band announced that their fourth studio album, Apricity, would be released on 21 October 2016 and also released the title track as the lead single. This is the first album to feature Josh Magill on drums, and confirms the departure of Fred Rother.[19] It was later confirmed that Rother left the band prior to recording the album due to "severe hearing difficulties", with singer Liam Magill adding that "it was a precarious moment, Fred leaving, but Josh sort of saved the day, in a way. The transition was slightly difficult because we’ve been a tight band, you know, us four members, for a long time. That was a big change".[20]

Originally recorded in a barn in 2012, on 8 March 2019 the band released an EP covering the Beck song "Nobody's Fault but My Own" with the Canterbury jazz group Jack Hues and the Quartet (whose namesake is of Wang Chung fame). It was released on Bandcamp on digital download and vinyl formats.[21]

Band members

• Liam Magill – lead vocals, lead guitar
• Joel Magill – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Josh Magill – drums
• Raven Bush – violin, keyboard, mandolin

Past members

• Fred Rother – drums

Discography

Albums

• Syd Arthur (2006), Madman Records
• On an On (July 2012), Dawn Chorus Recording Company
• Sound Mirror (June 2014), Harvest Records
• Apricity (October 2016), Harvest Records

EPs

• Kingdoms of Experience (2008), Green Bean Records
• Moving World (March 2011), Dawn Chorus Recording Company
• Nobody's Fault but My Own (with Jack Hues and the Quartet) (March 2019)

Singles

• "Ode to the Summer" (October 2011), Dawn Chorus Recording Company
• "Dorothy" (November 2012), Dawn Chorus Recording Company

Filmography

• 2015: Romantic Warriors III: Canterbury Tales (DVD)
• 2017: Need For Speed: Payback (PS4, Xbox, PC)

References

External links

• Official website

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