Black Box Recorder
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Albums, singles |
Black Box Recorder was a London-based English indie rock group that emerged in 1998 with their debut album England Made Me. Their sophomore release, The Facts of Life, produced their initial charting single in April 2000. The band's third studio effort, Passionoia, came out in 2003. Additionally, they compiled a collection titled The Worst of Black Box Recorder, which included B-sides, cover versions, and remixes.
The lineup featured Sarah Nixey, Luke Haines (previously of The Auteurs), and John Moore, who had been part of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Moore and Nixey married in 2001 and had one child; although they divorced in 2006, their professional partnership continued.
Following the conclusion of their contract with One Little Independent, Black Box Recorder entered a period of inactivity during the mid-2000s. In 2007, they worked alongside Art Brut and released the single "Christmas Number One" under the name The Black Arts. In October 2008, they took part in the Nick Sanderson tribute event held at the London Forum.
Toward the end of 2008, the band announced a performance at The Luminaire scheduled for 18 February 2009; tickets sold out rapidly, leading to an additional sold-out show. These concerts marked their first headline appearances in five years.
Although a new album was anticipated for 2009, it never materialized. On 16 April 2010, the group issued a 'final statement' following the release of their last single, "Keep It in the Family" b/w "Do You Believe in God?" on 6 May 2010.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of their debut, a remastered edition of England Made Me was made available on Spotify on 17 November 2023.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK | ||
| 1998 | England Made Me
|
110 |
| 2000 | The Facts of Life
|
37 |
| 2003 | Passionoia
|
179 |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2001 | The Worst of Black Box Recorder
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||
| 1998 | "Child Psychology" | 82 | England Made Me |
| "England Made Me" | 89 | ||
| 2000 | "The Facts of Life" | 20 | The Facts of Life |
| "The Art of Driving" | 53 | ||
| 2003 | "These Are the Things" | 91 | Passionoia |
| "The School Song" | 102 |