Serafin (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Serafin

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Img_capt = Serafin playing live in 2006.
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin =
Genre = Noise Rock
Alternative rock
Years_active = September 2000 - present
Label = Taste Media
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.serafin.co.uk Official Website]
Current_members = Ben Fox Smith - Vocals & Guitar
Christian Smith-Pancorvo - Drums
Darryn Harkness - Guitar, Keys & Vocals
Johanna Hoppe - Bass
Past_members =
Ben Ellis - Bass & Vocals (until 2007)
Ronny Growler (until 2004)
Mike Clark (until 2002)
Stuart Quinnel
Richie Mills
Notable_instruments =

Serafin is a rock band from London who formed and began playing in September 2000.Often compared to almost anything in the rock industry, Serafin's sound is sometimes compared to bands like Pixies, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Placebo, Radiohead, Blur and Jacob's Mouse.

Band History

The original band lineup didn't play live but the two members who have stayed throughout are Ben Fox Smith, and Darryn Harkness. The band itself was formed after the demise of Stony Sleep (who were awarded single of the week by Ozzy Osbourne) when Ben met Darryn at a Eurovision Song Contest party in Highbury, London. Darryn played on some John Peel Sessions before forming Serafin. They added Johnny Borrell (bass) and then Stuart Quinnell with Richie Mills (drums) from Cable. These line-ups were short lived (a few months) and their first gig had Ronny Growler on drums and Mike Clark on bass.

Stuart Quinnell appears to be the bass tech for Frankie Poullain from The Darkness and plays in the road crew band Onion Trump

Mike Clark left to go back to Canada in 2002 and is now working on Ben Smith's acoustic-electronic solo project Young Sawbones. He was replaced by Ben Ellis who had been playing for Catherine Wheel who had decided to call it a day. It was this line-up on their debut album "No Push Collide".

On the 26 August 2004 Serafin posted this note on their website: "We have replaced our drummer Ronny Growler with a guy called Lonely Blue boy. We love Ronny who is a fantastic drummer in his own right, but have had to realise our musical differences and preferences which, while considering the chemistry of the band and its future, became too great to continue with." Not too soon later did they announce that they had returned to the studio for their second album.

The new drummer was Ben's brother Christian Smith who had left Razorlight in March 2004.

Famous fans include Simon Pegg of Spaced and Craig Nicholls of The Vines

On 23rd October 2007 Serafin announced their new bassist: Johanna Hoppe from the New Telepathics who replaces Ben Ellis

Releases

Although the band has been around for a few years, only one full album has been released, "No Push Collide" (2003) on Taste Media with minimal promotion. It was produced by Dave Sardy in Los Angeles.Fact|date=December 2007

Two singles were released before the album, "Things Fall Apart" and "Day by Day".Fact|date=December 2007

Serafin have released two four track EPs, also on Taste Media before No Push Collide. The first was in April, 2002, the second in August, 2002.Fact|date=December 2007

Taste Media was bought by Warner Music Group in 2004 which forced the band into "legal limbo" with no way to get out of their contract and no funding to promote "To The Teeth".Fact|date=December 2007 The management was fired and all four members spent more time on side projects (New Telepathics, French Car And The Bulimic Wizards, Young Sawbones and Triggerbox).Fact|date=December 2007

At the start of May 2005, Ben began releasing acoustic MP3s on their site, culminating in 21 ideas for songs free for download.Fact|date=December 2007 The recording quality varies due to the nature of four-track recordings. They now have rough mixes of non-acoustic tracks on their Myspace page.

The Second album, 'To The Teeth', was released in December 2007, under their new record label 'Our Rekords'.

Discography

Albums

Compilations

*X-Ray CD 05 - Build High, Tear Low "(Track 8) X-Ray, June 2003"
*All Areas Volume 41 - No Happy "(Track 2) Visions Magazine, July 2003"
*X-Rock #01 - Thing Fall Apart "(Track 4) X-Rock, 2003"
*Peoplesound: Special Edition 4 - Day By Day "(Track 1) Peoplesound, 2003"

Appearances

They sold the most records in France on Naive Records, 24000 or so. They have toured extensively playing the Reading and Leeds Festivals twice, once on the Carling Stage (2002) and once on the Radio 1 stage (2003). Played many festivals in other European countries and supported Frank Black, Muse and Feeder. The Feeder support at the Brixton Academy in April 2003 was noted for ill treatment of Feeder and their fans, and were told the following night to play their support set and leave the venue. Earlier in the tour, one of Serafin's members threw a glass bottle intending to hurt the crowd, but instead it luckily smashed on the barrier.

Serafin's "Day By Day" appeared on the Madden NFL 2004 video game.

One of the most notable things about the band, which is evident in one song, is that the founding members Darryn and Ben Smith are vegan.

External links

* [http://www.serafin.co.uk/ Official Homepage]
* [http://www.myspace.com/serafinrocks Serafin's Myspace page]
* [http://www.drownedinsound.com/artist/view/454 DrownedInSound (Interview, News)]
* [http://www.stonysleep.com/fakeplasticbrett/FakePlasticBrett/Serafin.html Live Photos]