Clocks (band)

Clocks
Origin	Surrey, England
Genres	Indie pop
Years active	2000–2008
Labels	Island Records Hungry Kid Records
Website	http://www.clocksband.com/ http://www.myspace.com/clocks
Past members
Tom Hewitt Ed Hilliam Rich Farris John Ricketts

Clocks were an English indie pop band, formed in Epsom & Ewell (just outside London) in 2000. After deciding in 2005 to take music seriously, they spent their university vacations gigging and recording. They have recorded with Liam Watson (The White Stripes, Supergrass, Madness) and on 14 August 2006 released their debut single, "That Much Better" on Hungry Kid Records.^[1] This was enough to convince Island Records to sign them up to a recording contract that week.^[2][3]

The band spent time in 2007 recording tracks with record producer, John Cornfield^[3][4] (Razorlight, Supergrass, Muse), and have recorded their début album for Island Records with producer Eliot James (Bloc Party),^[5] which had been scheduled for release in Summer 2008. The album was leaked through several P2P sites on 13 July, without even having a title.

After eighteen months on Island Records, in which time they had completed five UK tours and recorded an album's worth of material, they parted company with the label. The band have cited global financial factors as the primary reason for this.^[5] Clocks had been forced to pull their UK headline tour in May 2008 after only one show, due to lack of financial support from the record label. Although promotional copies of the debut album, tentatively titled 'Miniskirts & Cigarettes',^[6] were issued, it remains commercially unreleased.

Members

• Tom Hewitt (born 15 June 1986) - lead vocals, guitars, keyboards
• Ed Hilliam (born 11 May 1985) - vocals, lead guitar
• Rich Farris (born 14 March 1987) - drums, vocals
• John Ricketts (born 24 April 1985) - bass

History

Frontman Tom Hewitt and guitarist Ed Hilliam were in the same class at West Ewell County First School in 1990-1991, despite being of different ages, due to the school's then policy of mixing reception and year one classes. This means that Hewitt was four years old and Hilliam was five when they first met. Ricketts and Hilliam became friends while in the same class at Danetree Middle School. Hewitt and Rich Farris also attended this school, but since they were in different year groups (Hewitt was one year below Ricketts and Hilliam; Farris was one below Hewitt) they did not become friends until they met at Scouts. Ed Hilliam, John Ricketts and Rich Farris went on to Epsom & Ewell High School, while Tom Hewitt attended Sutton Grammar School.

Discography

• "That Much Better" (14 August 2006) - Hungry Kid Records
• "All I Can" (7 January 2008) - Island Records
• "Old Valve Radio" (14 April 2008) - Island Records

Touring

Clocks undertook three UK tours; November 2006,^[2][7] February 2007^[8][9] (with Grace) and September/October 2007^[10] (with The Departure). The band have also played one-off shows with The Fray and The Feeling. In 2008 they went on tour to support Scouting For Girls.

Clocks played at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007 in the Orange Tent.

References

1. ^ Hungry Kid Records Biography For Clocks, August 2006
2. ^ ^{a b} Clocks in Epsom Guardian, 30 October 2006
3. ^ ^{a b} John Cornfield Soundscape Interview, 3 October 2006
4. ^ John Cornfield's Management Company Profile, January 2007
5. ^ ^{a b} http://www.myspace.com/clocks, Accessed 27 May 2007
6. ^ Guardian Article, 29 February 2008
7. ^ Clocks Review in Birmingham 101 Gig Guide, November 2006
8. ^ Clocks' Feb 2007 Tour on Video-C
9. ^ Clocks' Feb 2007 Tour on Ents24
10. ^ Clocks Review, Cabaret Voltaire Edinburgh, 07 October 2007

External links

• Official website
• Audio Clocks on Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 Show, 19 August 2006
• video page