Dark Star (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 in London, England |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Psychedelic rock music |
Dark Star was an English band specializing in psychedelic rock, established in London in 1996. The lineup featured vocalist and guitarist Christian Hayes, drummer David Francolini, and bassist Laurence O'Keefe.
Formation
Prior to forming Dark Star, each member had been part of the psychedelic rock group Levitation from 1990 to 1994. In addition, Francolini collaborated with Something Pretty Beautiful and The Blue Aeroplanes, Hayes contributed to Cardiacs, Ring, Panixphere, and The Dave Howard Singers, while O'Keefe played with The Jazz Butcher. Following Levitation's breakup, Hayes worked alongside Heather Nova and Julianne Regan of All About Eve, and O'Keefe partnered with Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance. Francolini temporarily stepped back from performing but aided the Scottish group Octopus in securing a contract with Food Records and produced their first album.
In 1996, Francolini suggested reuniting with Hayes and O'Keefe, mentioning a sense of "unfinished business." They commenced rehearsals shortly after attending a Sonic Youth concert that April. After auditioning several vocalists—including guitarist Crispin Gray from Daisy Chainsaw and Queenadreena—Hayes took on lead vocals himself, as the others believed that outside singers disrupted the band's chemistry.
Initially, the group signed a publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music. When their A&R representative transitioned to EMI, he promptly secured Dark Star's signing to that label.
Early releases and Twenty Twenty Sound
Dark Star introduced themselves with the Graceadelica EP in 1998 under Harvest Records, EMI's label specializing in progressive rock. This was followed by their second EP, I Am The Sun, and their debut single "About 3am" in 1999.
Their first full-length album, Twenty Twenty Sound, launched on 21 June 1999 with production by Steve Lillywhite. Captured live without overdubs, the record aimed to preserve the band's genuine sound. Hayes described it as an accurate representation of their live shows, while Francolini compared their style to "Levitation stripped of all embellishments and painted matt black." Hayes also likened their musical approach to that of Hawkwind and The Pixies. Remixed versions of "Graceadelica" and "I Am The Sun" were reissued, achieving two Top 40 placements on the UK Singles Chart.
Second album unreleased and disbandment
Following promotion of Twenty Twenty Sound, Dark Star recorded two tracks with producer Danny Saber in Los Angeles; however, these sessions were ultimately abandoned. Later in 2000, they completed a second album featuring songs such as "Roman Road," "The Last Thing She Ever Said," "Clicky," and "Three Seconds." These tracks were performed at prominent festivals including the Reading and Leeds Festivals and T In The Park, as well as on STV’s program Boxed Set.
Despite the lead single Strangers And Madmen premiering on BBC Radio 1's The Evening Session, the band parted ways with EMI shortly thereafter. Francolini attributed this split to significant staff changes at EMI combined with the band's dedication to maintaining their unique musical style.
Attempts to secure another record contract were unsuccessful, leading Dark Star to quietly dissolve in 2001 as members pursued separate ventures. Their unreleased second album and single remained archived until their eventual release in 2023.
Post-split developments
Following the band's dissolution, David Francolini moved back to Bristol, where he established a recording studio and created the studio-based group Dragons alongside vocalist Anthony Tombling Jr. Although Dragons were announced in 2003, their first album, Here Are the Roses, was not released until 2007. Early live performances saw appearances from both Hayes and O'Keefe. The band ultimately dissolved in 2009. During this timeframe, Francolini also took on production and performance roles for Julian Cope's 2005 record Citizen Cain'd, adopting the alias Mitch Razor.
Christian Hayes embarked on tours as a live guitarist for the Pet Shop Boys, reproducing guitar parts originally performed by Johnny Marr. Additionally, he provided guitar technician and production management services for artists such as My Bloody Valentine, Kula Shaker, and David Cassidy. Beginning in 2007, Hayes issued archival solo works under the name Mikrokosmos through Ingatia Recordings, releasing three projects: In the Heart of the Home, The Seven Stars, and Terra Familiar (2014).
In 2011, Hayes curated the tribute compilation Leader of the Starry Skies to aid Cardiacs' frontman Tim Smith following his 2008 strokes. He also participated in touring with a stage adaptation of Macbeth (2011–2012), which gained recognition for its inventive sound design. More recently, Hayes has been involved in several Brighton-based experimental psychedelic ensembles including ZOFFF, LSD-25, the duo M U M M Y, and an audio/visual collaboration called Cuts alongside Jo Spratley.
Laurence O'Keefe shifted his career towards working as a roadie and session bassist, collaborating with musicians such as Sophia, Dead Can Dance, and Martina Topley-Bird.
Delayed release of second album ...out flew reason
A seven-track unmastered version of the abandoned second album—referred to as Zurich—surfaced unofficially within a few years after the band's split; this version excluded "Roman Road" and "Valentine." Subsequently, a nine-track edition appeared on SoundCloud, labeled as "[the] Unreleased 2nd album from Dark Star," which included those previously missing songs.
In January 2015, during an appearance on Brighton & Hove Community Radio's The Real Music Club, Christian Hayes expressed his intention to release the second album that year. He performed "The Only Way," an unreleased track planned for inclusion but absent from earlier versions, while confirming that there were no plans to reunite the band. Later, in January 2022 on The C86 Show, Hayes revealed that the long-delayed album had been completed and was awaiting mastering.
On 15 February 2023, the finalized second album was announced via Bandcamp, with a release scheduled for 21 February 2023. Named ...out flew reason, it features seven of the nine tracks from the leaked Zurich version plus two additional songs, rounding out a nine-track collection.
The seven tracks previously leaked were recorded at Rockfield Studios in 2000; the two new additions originated from scrapped 2001 sessions with Danny Sabre at Westlake Recording Studios. Initially, the Bandcamp description promised new material from Dark Star in 2023 (which has yet to be released), but it was later updated to anticipate fresh content arriving in 2025.
Artwork
All releases by Dark Star up to their 2000 album I Am the Sun showcased cover art created by South London artist Tom Phillips. His artwork drew inspiration from his piece A Humument, which is a reinterpretation of an 1892 Victorian novel. Phillips also provided similar artistic contributions for King Crimson’s album Starless and Bible Black.
Members
- Christian Hayes – vocals (lead), guitar
- David Francolini – percussion
- Laurence O'Keefe – bass guitar, harmony vocals
Albums
- Twenty Twenty Sound (Harvest Records, 1999, chart position No. 133)
- ...out flew reason (independently released, 2023)
Singles and EPs
- Graceadelica (EP) (1998) – containing "The Crow Song," "New Model Worker," and "Solitude Song"
- I Am the Sun (EP) (1999) – includes "Faltering," "Birds," "Bugs," "Living Under Ground," and "Semaphore"
- About 3am (EP) (1999, reached No. 50) – featuring "S.P.A.M.," "Henry Beckett," "Light Years," and "Gee. St."
- "Graceadelica" (remix single) (2000, peaked at No. 25)
- "I Am the Sun" (remix single) (2000, reached No. 31)
Bootlegs
- Zurich (early versions from the second album sessions) (2003)