Everything but the Girl

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Everything but the Girl


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Background = group_or_band
Alias = EBTG
Origin = flagicon|England Hull, England
Genre = Pop
Alternative
Lounge/Electronica
Alternative dance (late)
Years_active = 1982–present
Label = Atlantic
Associated_acts = Lazy Dog
URL = http://www.ebtg.co.uk
Current_members = Tracey Thorn Ben Watt
Past_members =

Everything but the Girl (EBTG) are a two-person English band formed in Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and sometime-guitarist Tracey Thorn (born September 26, 1962) and guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist Ben Watt (born December 6, 1962).

Watt and Thorn are also a couple; they are intensely private about their relationship and personal life. It was not a publicized fact for some time that they were a couple, or that they had subsequently married. [ [http://www.salon.com/ent/music/int/1999/09/28/everything/index.html Salon.com] ] The duo have a strong desire to raise their three children outside of the spotlight.

Early career

", an eight-track mini-album. Watt’s L.P. was entitled "North Marine Drive".

They formed a duo and took their unusual name "Everything but the Girl" from the slogan of well-known Hull shop, 'Turners' Furniture', on Beverley Road (left). Earlier, this was a line from the 1937 film "Daughter of Shanghai", in reference to a bungled murder and theft of evidence: 'Did you get it?' 'Everything.' 'Everything but the girl!'

Everything but the Girl

EBTG's debut single, a cover version of Cole Porter's "Night and Day", was released in June 1982. Following steady sales and exposure from the "Pillows & Prayers" compilation album, the single was re-issued in August 1983. Their first album was released in 1984 in the UK as "Eden". 1984 also saw the UK release of singles "Mine", and "Native Land". Their first UK hit single, "Each and Every One", had a jazzy sound, and EBTG was considered part of the jazz/pop movement known as sophisti-pop that included other British acts like Sade, Matt Bianco, and The Style Council, on whose "Café Bleu" album they guested. EBTG and Sade both worked with producer Robin Millar and engineers Ben Rogan and Mike Pela for their debut albums.

Although "Eden" was released in the UK, a different recording, "Everything But the Girl", was released in the United States. The U.S. release contained about half the tracks from "Eden", along with some different tracks, including 'Mine' and 'Native Land'. The U.S. release balanced the bossa nova stylings of the British version with a more folk rock aesthetic, helping to establish the group's eclectic musicality.

Subsequent releases underscored EBTG's versatility and range. Their 1985 album "Love Not Money" featured a shimmering pop sound with jangly guitars, and included a cover version of The Pretenders' song "Kid" (not on the UK L.P.). The lyrics have strong social and political content. "Angel" comments upon child poverty and public attitudes towards it. "Sean" is a bitter comment on the Northern Ireland troubles. "Ugly Little Dreams" comments upon male attitudes to intelligent women and is dedicated to actress Frances Farmer. "Angel" was also released as a single in the UK.

The following year they released the self-produced "Baby the Stars Shine Bright", an album of original pop songs recorded with an orchestra. They revealed the album's inspiration by their choices of B-sides for its single releases: one finds songs from Bacharach and Jimmy Webb on the 12" versions (as well as a cover of Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces"). The first single was "Come On Home", followed by "Don't Leave Me Behind". While the jump from jazz to post-Smiths rock (with the release of "Love Not Money") may have jarred some of their audience, the move to orchestral pop was much bolder and foretold the stylistic swap they'd make ten years later with "Walking Wounded".

In 1988, EBTG released "Idlewild", a collection of mature songs that began a trend towards middle-of-the-road, adult-orientated contemporary music. A cover version of Danny Whitten's "I Don't Want to Talk About It" (previously a hit by Rod Stewart) was released as a non-L.P. single; it achieved a high UK chart position and was later added to the album. Around this time, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions asked Tracey to contribute vocals to the song "Big Snake" on their final studio album "Mainstream".

Tommy Lipuma produced the band’s 1990 album "The Language of Life". The album, which featured the single "Driving", was another lush pop effort, but with a more contemporary sound. Jazz great Stan Getz contributed a tenor sax solo on the song "The Road". Next came "Worldwide", and its single "Old Friends" in 1991. "Worldwide"'s lyrics revolve around the themes of relationships, travel and personal memories.

1992 saw another UK hit single with the release of the "Covers E.P." The lead track was "Love Is Strange", and the E.P. featured cover versions of Bruce Springsteen's "Tougher Than the Rest"; Cyndi Lauper's "Time after Time" and Elvis Costello's "Alison". These four tracks were included on the U.S.-only album "Acoustic".

In 1993, EBTG released a cover version of Paul Simon's "The Only Living Boy in New York" as a single in the UK.

The duo were forced to curtail recording and touring for a few years when Watt contracted Churg-Strauss syndrome, an autoimmune disease (he subsequently wrote a memoir, "Patient", about his ordeal). The next work of original music was not until 1994, when EBTG released "Amplified Heart". Although most of the music was still acoustic-based, it had a much more contemporary feel. Producer Todd Terry remixed the track "Missing", and when EBTG released the remix as a single, it became a huge international hit. It hit the top of nearly every chart around the world, and charted in the U.S., a feat that had previously eluded the band. The track reached number two and stayed in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for well over a year.

The success of that track, along with a collaboration Thorn did with the bands Massive Attack and Deep Dish, influenced them and helped usher the band into a more electronic sound. Having completed contractual obligations to WEA, they were free to shop their recordings and had full ownership of their future recorded works. They signed licensing deals with Virgin Records for the United Kingdom and Europe, and Atlantic Records for the United States and Canada. Their subsequent albums "Walking Wounded" and "Temperamental", showed the band's musical progress as well as established Ben Watt as a notable dance music producer. Between the two albums he produced "Stars All Seem To Weep" for Beth Orton, and it immediately garnered attention. This would bolster his growing reputation as a D.J. and producer.

Collaborations and other work

*"Protection" (with Massive Attack)
*"Batman Forever Soundtrack" – "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" (with Massive Attack)
*"Back to Mine" – tracks selected by Everything But the Girl

* Watt has concentrated on being a DJ and producer/remixer, finding success as one half of Lazy Dog with partner Jay Hannan before going solo and launching Buzzin Fly records and The Neighborhood (a dance club). He has helped to produce two acclaimed albums for Beth Orton.
* In late spring 2005, Thorn recorded her first vocals in three years, on a song called "Damage" on the album "Eat Books" for the German band Tiefschwarz, for which she also wrote the lyrics and melody.
* Thorn's first full solo album, "Out of the Woods" was released in March 2007, garnering positive reviews.

Their fan base is still very active, as messages on the band's website confirm. Their most recent release is a double disc of remixes highlighting the best of their electronica-influenced music including a trio of newly commissioned remixes.

Discography

Albums

Trivia

* A short version of "Five Fathoms" was featured on the video game Beatmania IIDX, with the music video featuring Watt and Thorn playing on other Bemani video games by Konami in the London Trocadero.
* A short version of "Five Fathoms" was also featured on the movie Hitch.(Bar Scene)
* "Single" is featured in the film Timecode
* The French singer Marc Lavoine refers to the band in the chorus of his song 2005 hit “Tu me manques tant” : Tu me manques tant/Je me sens si seul/Que j’écoute Everything/Que j’écoute Everything/Everything But The Girl
* The song Missing was covered by the English doom metal Paradise Lost. It features on the 2007 album "In Requiem" (bonustrack on the special edition).
* Australian band The Whitlams covered the song "Pigeons In The Attic Room" on their debut album Introducing The Whitlams in 1993.
* Ben Watt wrote a Christmas song. "25th December" by Everything but the Girl appears on the Atlantic Records Christmas compilation, You Sleigh Me!, which was released October 24, 1995. It is also included on "Amplified Heart".

EBTG tracks have also been used in these movies and TV-The Saint (movie)-Before Today She's Having A Baby (movie)-Apron Strings Cold Feet (TV) UK-Missing (Todd Terry Remix) Charmed (TV)-Five Fathoms Roswell (TV)-Before Today The Thirteenth Floor (movie)-The Future Of The FutureSplendor (movie)-Before Today (Chicane Remix)

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

* [http://www.ebtg.co.uk Official site]