The Zephyrs

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Zephyrs


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Origin = Edinburgh, Scotland
Genre = Indie, shoegaze, folk rock
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Label = Acuarela, Setanta, Rock Action
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Current_members = Stuart Nicol
David Nicol
Robert Dillam
Marcus MacKay
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The Zephyrs is an Edinburgh, Scotland-based indie band. They have released four albums and two EPs containing their shoegazing folk-rock style.

Band history

Brothers Stuart (vocals, guitar) and David Nicol (bass) had been playing music together for many years before forming The Zephyrs. Adopting the band monicker used by their father 25 years before, they released their first album in 1999.

"It's OK Not to Say Anything" was released on the tiny Edinburgh indie label Evol and just 700 copies were printed. Small as this release was, it garnered the attention of Scottish post-rock band Mogwai who signed The Zephyrs to their own imprint Rock Action, which was then owned by SouthPaw Records.

In 2001 the band released their second album "When the Sky Comes Down It Comes Down on Your Head" (which included guest vocals from Mojave 3's Rachel Goswell) through SouthPaw Records to excellent reviews. AllMusic.com gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5, exclaiming " [The Zephyrs] manage to combine the epic grandeur of Mogwai with the country-rock of Gram Parsons". Unfortunately for the band, SouthPaw Records folded the week the album came out. Their publishing deal evaporated, as did the funding for the album's promotion and the band's tour. In spite of the album's critical success and a well received performance at the Reading Festival, the band were forced to concede temporary defeat and return to their day jobs.

The Nicol brothers were determined not to let the setback destroy the band. In early 2002 The Zephyrs began work on a new album. At around this time, the Madrid-based record label Acuarela approached the band. They had loved "When the Sky..." and invited The Zephyrs to play at the Primavera Sound music festival in Barcelona. Play they did, and in June of that year Acuarela released a four song EP called "The Love That Will Guide You Back Home".

By this time the band's line-up had gone through many changes. Only Stuart and David Nicol had remained in the band throughout. Malcolm Cochrane, the band's original lead guitarist who had left after the release of their first album, returned. David Jeans, a schoolfriend of the Nicol brothers, joined the band to play drums. Robert Dillam, formerly of Adorable, joined to play guitar. It was this five piece line-up that set off for Spain to embark on a two-week tour arranged by Acuarela.

Throughout this rocky period in the band's history Keith Cullum, of Setanta Records, had been offering managerial advice. Impressed with the new line-up, and the new demos that were emerging from them, he signed The Zephyrs to Setanta.

Working with long-time friend and producer Michael Brennan, the band completed their third album. Almost titled Thirteen Months And A Day, the band changed their minds at the last minute when they learned that Fame Academy winner David Sneddon had named his album Seven Years - Ten Weeks. On September 2, 2003, the record was released with the title "A Year to the Day".

After a short tour in support of "A Year To The Day", the band's schedule lightened considerably. They played just five shows during 2004.

In June 2005, The Zephyrs returned to Acuarela with their fourth album "Bright Yellow Fellows on a Dark Double Bed" and a new European tour.

Discography

Albums

*"It's OK Not to Say Anything" (1999, Evol)
*"When the Sky Comes Down It Comes Down on Your Head" (2001, SouthPaw)
*"A Year to the Day" (2004, Setanta)
*"Bright Yellow Flowers on a Dark Double Bed" (2005, Acuarela)

EPs

*"Stargazer EP" (2001, Rock Action)
*"The Love That Will Guide You Back Home" (2002, Acuarela)

Compilations

*"A Quiet Riot" (2002, Play It Again Sam) song: "Setting Sun"
*"HomesleepHome 2" (2002, Homesleep) song: "Greyhound Going Somewhere"
*"Acuarela Songs 2" (2003, Acuarela) song: "Make Me Lonely"

External links

* [http://www.thezephyrs.com/ The Zephyrs' official website]
* [http://www.acuareladiscos.com/ Acuarela Records official website - available in both English and Spanish]
* [http://www.setantarecords.com/ Setanta Records official website]
* [http://www.rock-action.co.uk/ Rock Action Records official website]
* [http://www.epitonic.com/artists/thezephyrs.html/ The Zephyrs on Epitonic.com]