Dodgy
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 in Hounslow, England |
| Headquarters | Hounslow , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Dodgy is a rock group from England that originated in Hounslow in 1990 and gained recognition during the 1990s Britpop movement. They are chiefly remembered for popular tracks such as "Staying Out for the Summer," "If You're Thinking of Me," and their most successful single, "Good Enough," which climbed to No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Their most recent album, What Are We Fighting For, was launched in September 2016.
The track "Good Enough" was also featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film Sliding Doors.
Origins and early years (1990–97)
Dodgy was formed by Nigel Clark, Mathew Priest, and Andy Miller after Clark and Priest relocated from Worcestershire to London in 1988. Initially, they played as part of a trio named Purple alongside bassist Frederic Colier. Guitarist Ben Lurie joined briefly before departing to become a member of The Jesus and Mary Chain, leading to Miller taking his place. After Colier left, the band adopted the name Dodgy.
The band cultivated a local fanbase during an eight-month residency at a wine bar in Kingston Upon Thames. In 1991, they secured a six-album contract with A&M Records and signed publishing rights with BMG. Their first album was produced by Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds. Dodgy also aligned themselves with social causes, supporting initiatives such as The Serious Road Trip, War Child, the Liverpool Dockers' Strike, Charter88, and youth democracy projects. Significantly, they were the second UK band to perform in Sarajevo following the siege, playing at the Kuk club in August 1996 and returning in 1997 to shoot a television programme in Mostar.
Hiatus and reformation (1998–present)
During Nigel Clark's absence from 1998 to 2007 while focusing on solo work, Priest and Miller continued Dodgy as a quintet with new members: vocalist David Bassey, keyboardist Chris Hallam, and bassist Nick Abnett. This lineup recorded the album Real Estate in 2001, which was produced and mixed by Robin Evans at T-Pot Studios in Perthshire. Clark released his solo album 21st Century Man in 2006 and collaborated with dance duo SFG in 2007 on a remix of Dodgy’s "Good Enough."
In July 2008, Dodgy performed two sets at Guilfest—an acoustic performance supporting Unison followed by a full-band show on the main stage. They headlined Sunday night at Beached Festival in August and appeared at ToneFest in September. New recordings were made available online that November. In May 2009, they participated in a charity concert for homeless support organisation Crisis, sharing the bill with The Bluetones.
Throughout 2009, Dodgy played at major festivals including Glastonbury Festival, Bug Jam, Whatfest, and Cornbury. On 29 August 2010, they appeared at The Galtres Festival in North Yorkshire, featuring Nigel Clark’s solo piece "21st Century Man." In April and May 2011, Dodgy headlined Mash Fest in Trowbridge and the LeeStock Music Festival in Sudbury, events that benefited the Willow Foundation. Drummer Mathew Priest mentioned plans to perform a blend of new compositions alongside classic songs. On 25 August 2011, they were headliners at the Garlic Festival on the Isle of Wight. Bassist Stuart Thoy from Smoke Feathers joined them for live shows promoting new material. In May 2012, Dodgy performed at Lakefest festival.
Their single "What Became of You" was released ahead of their album Stand Upright in a Cool Place, which came out on 20 February 2012 through independent label Strikeback Records. Distinct from many reunited bands that rely heavily on past hits, Dodgy presented this album live in full during their UK tour. The release garnered positive critiques from MOJO, The Guardian, and Q Magazine. Stuart Thoy became an official member contributing to their fifth studio album, What Are We Fighting For, released on 2 September 2016.
In 2020, Nigel Clark issued his solo album Make Believe Love and currently serves as a music instructor at the Aspire Academy located in Worcester.
Musical style
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, a biographer from AllMusic, characterized the group as the "jesters of Brit-pop," delivering "catchy, playful punk-pop" that at times resembled the early sounds of both the Who and the Stone Roses.
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart positions |
Sales | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | ||||||||
| The Dodgy Album |
|
75 | ||||||
| Homegrown |
|
28 |
| |||||
| Free Peace Sweet |
|
7 |
|
| ||||
| Real Estate |
|
— | ||||||
| Stand Upright in a Cool Place |
|
76 | ||||||
| What Are We Fighting For |
|
— | ||||||
| Hello Beautiful |
|
— | ||||||
| "—" indicates an album that did not enter the charts or was not issued in that region. | ||||||||
| Year | Album title | UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Ace A's and Killer B's | 55 |
| 2004 | The Collection | — |
| 2014 | Good Enough – The Very Best of Dodgy | — |
| "—" signifies releases that did not achieve chart placement. | ||
Live albums
- So Far on 3 Wheels – Dodgy on the Radio (2007)
- Dodgy – Live at Cornbury Festival (2009)
- Dodgy Live – Back to Back (2013)
Singles
| Year | Title | UK | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Summer Fayre" | 195 | |
| "Easy Way" | — | ||
| 1992 | "The Black and White Single" | 127 | |
| 1993 | "Water Under the Bridge" | 76 | |
| "Lovebirds" | 65 | ||
| I Need Another (EP) | 67 | ||
| 1994 | The Melod-EP | 53 | |
| "Staying Out for the Summer" | 38 | ||
| 1995 | "So Let Me Go Far" | 30 | |
| "Making the Most Of" (featuring the Kick Horns) |
22 | ||
| "Staying Out for the Summer" (remix) | 19 | ||
| 1996 | "In a Room" | 12 | |
| "Good Enough" | 4 |
| |
| "If You're Thinking of Me" | 11 | ||
| 1997 | "Found You" | "19" | "" |
| "1998" | "Every Single Day" | "32" | "" |
| "2000" | "Feathercuts and Monkeyboots" | "88" | "" |
| "colspan=4 style=text-align:center; font-size:9pt;" | "—" marks singles that did not chart. |
Downloads
- Forgive Me – Demo (2008)
- Down in the Flood (2008)
- Find a Place – Released as part of The Bootleg Series and Crisis Charity Download (2009)
- Christmas at the Foodbank (2013, charity single supporting The Trussell Trust)
See also
- List of Britpop musicians
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of Never Mind the Buzzcocks episodes
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups established in 1990
- 1990 establishments in England
- English alternative rock groups
- English musical trios
- Britpop groups
- Musical groups from the London Borough of Hounslow
- Musical groups disestablished in 2002
- 2002 disestablishments in England
- Musical groups reestablished in 2007