Alabama 3 Explained

Alabama 3
Origin:Brixton, London, England
Years Active:1995–present

Alabama 3 are a British musical group founded in Brixton, London, in 1995. They are best known for their track "Woke Up This Morning", which was used for the opening credits of the TV series The Sopranos.[1] [2] In the United States, the band is known as A3, to avoid legal conflict with the country music band Alabama.[3]

History

The band formed when Jake Black (born in Glasgow, Scotland; 27 April 1960 – 21 May 2019) met Rob Spragg (from Wales) at a rave in Peckham. They decided that a fusion of country music with acid house was a musical possibility.[4] Other members of the band were added later: Nick Reynolds is the son of one of the Great Train Robbers;[5] Rob Spragg was at university with Piers Marsh, the harmonica-player and synthesiser programmer for the band; while Orlando Harrison, the group's keyboardist, used to live with Jake Black.[4]

Forming initially under the name the First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine (UK), and after having been dismissed by the mainstream media as a novelty act, the group switched names to Alabama 3. As with their performances under the previous name, their sound fuses electronic pop with elements of country and blues styles. They signed with One Little Indian Records in 1997 for the release of their debut album, Exile on Coldharbour Lane.[6] Every member of the group has an alias, the band's founding members adopting the personas Larry Love (Rob Spragg) and The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love (Jake Black). Their second album, La Peste, featured bassist John "Segs" Jennings of the Ruts under the stage name Frank Zappatista.

In August 2007, the group toured under the name of Alabama 3: Acoustic and Unplugged, with Harpo Strangelove and Devlin Love, to promote new album M.O.R.. Bassist John "Segs" Jennings left the band, saying he was "busy elsewhere and [he doesn't] have the time".[7] M.O.R. included a cover of Jerry Reed's 1970s hit "Amos Moses", and features The Proclaimers on the track "Sweet Joy". Having recorded and toured with the band in the early days, Aurora Dawn rejoined the band in 2009. Between late 2010 and early 2011, programmer, harmonicist and founding member Piers Marsh left the band.

Jake Black, a founding band member and songwriter, died of Addison's disease on 21 May 2019, several days after falling ill during a show at Highest Point Festival in Lancashire. He was 59.[8] [9]

Mountain of Love

Mountain of Love is a dubtronica group formed by two of the original three members of Alabama 3, Piers Marsh and Sir Eddie Real, in 2011 in Brixton, London.[10] The band's eponymous first album was released in 2013 on Cooked Griffin Records.

Style

Alabama 3's sound is a blend of country, blues, and acid house.[11] The band's songs have sampled Jim Jones in "Mao Tse Tung Said" and Birmingham Six survivor Patrick Hill in "The Thrills Have Gone". Trouser Press reviewer Jason Reeher wrote that A3's "debut is brilliant and shambolic...owing huge debts to both Hank Williams and Happy Mondays".

Members

Current

In 2019 the band included:

Source:[12]

Former

In popular culture

The band's music has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and video games, along with being sampled by other musicians, most famously through The Sopranos.

Film

Television

Games

Samples by other artists

Discography

See main article: Alabama 3 discography.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alabama 3 - Artist profile. eventseeker.com. 24 March 2020.
  2. Web site: The Sopranos Intro. xekivivetige.ml. 2020-03-24.
  3. Web site: Alabama 3 Biography & History AllMusic. AllMusic. 2017-06-24.
  4. Web site: Alabama 3 - Interview: Contact music spoke to Jake Black. 22 October 2002. Contactmusic.com. 21 May 2019.
  5. News: Campbell . Duncan . Has the Great Train Robbery's leader finally been unmasked? . 29 September 2019 . The Observer . 29 September 2019.
  6. Web site: ONE LITTLE INDIAN - HOME. Indian.co.uk. 21 May 2019. 28 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110728011520/http://www.indian.co.uk/alabama3/. dead.
  7. Web site: Benefit Gig for Paul Fox of The Ruts. - Free A3 - The unofficial Alabama 3 forum. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929042830/http://freea3.org/forums/showthread.php?p=23717. dead. 29 September 2007. 29 September 2007. 21 May 2019.
  8. Web site: Obituary: Jake Black, lead singer of the Alabama 3, who provided the theme song to The Sopranos. Pendreigh. Brian. 21 June 2019. The Scotsman. en. February 2, 2020.
  9. Web site: Alabama 3 co-founder Jake Black has died. Will. Lavin. 21 May 2019. Nme.com. 21 May 2019.
  10. Web site: Marsh . Piers . Mountain of Love . Mountainoflove.org . 31 March 2013 .
  11. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2000. First. 0-7535-0427-8. 12.
  12. Web site: The Band – Alabama 3 .
  13. Web site: Y Pris News . S4C . 10 May 2008 . 2007 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081003210719/http://www.s4c-ypris.co.uk/Show/News/?sid=11 . 3 October 2008 . dmy-all .
  14. Web site: Bafta Cymru 2008 Winners . 10 May 2008 . Bafta-cymru.org.uk . 26 March 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326071418/http://www.bafta-cymru.org.uk/english/awards/pdf/winners_2008.pdf . dead .

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