Alisha's Attic

infobox musical artist
Name = Alisha's Attic

---

Img_capt = Shelly (left) and Karen (right)
Background = group_or_band
Origin = London, England
Genre = Pop
Years_active = 1996 - 2001
Label = MCA Music, Inc./Mercury
Associated_acts = Shelly McErlaine
Also Known As =
URL = http://www.alishasatticofficial.com
Past_members = Shelly McErlaine
Karen Poole

Alisha's Attic were an English duo of the 1990s and early 2000s. The two members were Shelly McErlaine (née Poole) and Karen Poole, sisters born in Dagenham, East London, England.cite journal|last=Kwaku|date=1996-06-29|title=Mercury betting the house on Alisha's attic|journal=Billboard|volume=Vol. 108|issue= Issue 26, p58|issn=00062510] Their father is Brian Poole of Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, a 1960s musical group.cite journal|last=Sexton|first=Paul|coauthors=Horak, Terri|date=1997-03-15|title=Mercury set to open up U.K.'s Alisha's Attic in U.S|journal=Billboard|volume=Vol. 109|issue= Issue 11|pages=p15|issn=00062510] cite book |author=Wilson, Dave |authorlink= |editor= |others= |title=Rock Formations |edition= |language= |publisher=Cidermill Books |location= |year=2005 |origyear= |pages= p104|quote= |isbn=0-9748483-5-2 |oclc= |doi= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=tOpB23GGxAIC&pg=PA104&dq=%22alisha%27s+attic%22&lr=&num=20&as_brr=3&ei=SJBpSM24HaXOjgHSkoGpBw&sig=ACfU3U2yZ2aQRHNrfN3S2A0HcqTaj34CQg|accessdate=]

History

Alisha's Attic were discovered by Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics) after they sent him a demo tape recorded at home. Impressed, Mercury Records Managing Director Howard Berman signed the girls. They had been trying to get a record contract for nine years.

If one discounts the sisters' teenage material recorded as "Keren & Chelle", Karen and Shellie's recording career began with the single "I Am, I Feel", a hit in the UK, and this was quickly followed by their debut album "Alisha Rules the World" in November 1996. They were nominated for a 1997 Brit Awardcite journal|last=Hudson|first= Heidi|date=April 1997|title=Alisha's Attic|journal=Lesbian News|volume=Vol. 22|issue=Issue 9|pages=p37|issn=07391803] for Best Newcomer, losing out to Kula Shaker.

They went on to release two more albums. Their record label then chose not to take up the option for a fourth album, and the girls went their separate ways: Shellie focusing on a solo career and, as she did so, changing her name to Shelly; and Karen writing tracks for well-known artists including Will Young, Sugababes, Amy Studt, and Kylie Minogue.

A solo album entitled "Hard time for The Dreamer" was released by Shelly in 2005cite news|title=New from Shelley Poole|last=Verrico|first=Lisa |date=2005-09-02|work=Section: Features, Pop CDs, |publisher=Times, The (United Kingdom)|pages=pg. 11|accessdate=2008-07-01] ; she has also written material for Janet Jackson and appears on Michael Gray's "Borderline".

"Pretender Got My Heart" appeared on the "Bridget Jones Diary" soundtrack.

The song "Intense" appeared in the motion picture "Starship Troopers" , but did not appear on the film's soundtrack.

Discography

Albums

* "Alisha Rules the World" (November 1996, UK #14)cite book |author=Brown, Tony; Neil Warwick; Jon Kutner |authorlink= |editor= |others= |title=The Complete Book Of The British Charts: Singles and Albums |edition= |language= |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=London |year=2004 |origyear= |pages= p57|quote= |isbn=1-84449-058-0 |oclc= |doi= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=ib4MyAIpe3MC&pg=PA57&vq=%22alisha's+attic%22&dq=%22alisha's+attic%22&lr=&num=20&as_brr=3&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U0E2jn5lAWBhdiNn68C6ulQXW-iPw|accessdate=]
* "Japanese Dream" (1997, Japan-only release)
* "Illumina" (October 1998, UK #15)
* "The House We Built" (July 23, 2001, produced by Bill Bottrell, recorded at Bill Bottrell's studio in Mendocino, California, UK #55)
*# "Sex Is on Everyone's Tongue"
*# "Can't Say Sorry"
*# "Push It All Aside" (single)
*# "Pilot"
*# "The House That We Built"
*# "Pretender Got My Heart" (single)
*# "That Other Girl"
*# "Perfectly Happy"
*# "She Ain't Missing You"
*# "If You Want Me Back"
*# "Devil You Call Love"
*# "Dreaming"
* "The Attic Vaults 1" (August 2001, produced by Alisha's Attic)

After separating from Mercury Records, Karen and Shelly produced and released an album of tracks that had been held back from their previous albums, initially selling it just to members of their fan club.

# "Strangers"
# "Taken Back"
# "Don't Let Love Bring You Down"
# "The Last Letter"
# "Too Far Forgotten"
# "Real Love"
# "When U Coming Home?"
# "Impossible Dreamer"
# "Flaws"
# "Free"
# "Stay Will U Stay"
# "She's A Heroine"

* "The Collection" (July 7, 2003)

Singles

* 1996 "I am, I Feel" UK #14
* 1996 "Alisha Rules the World" UK #12
* 1997 "Indestructible" UK #12
* 1997 "Air We Breathe" UK #12
* 1998 "The Incidentals" UK #13 [cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifexqwhld0e~T1|title=Alisha's Attic > Biography|last=Jeffries|first=David |accessdate=2008-07-01|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/5YybBI2qt|archivedate= 2008-07-01]
* 1999 "Wish I Were You" UK #29
* 1999 "Barbarella" UK #34
* 2001 "Push It All Aside" UK #24
* 2001 "Pretender Got My Heart" UK #43

Other songs

*A cover version of Suede's "Still Life" for the 1996 charity album by ChildLine.
*A cover of The Crystals' "He's a Rebel" for the 1997 film, "Bean".

References

External links

* [http://www.alishasatticofficial.com/ The Official Alisha's Attic Website]
*