Hope of the States
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2000 in Chichester, England |
| Defunct | 2006; reunited 2024 |
| Headquarters | Chichester , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Hope of the States is an English indie rock group with post-rock influences, originating from Chichester in 2000. After producing two albums, the band disbanded in 2006 but reunited in 2024.
History
The band, formed in 2000, took its name from Albert Deutsch's 1948 work The Shame of the States, which examined mental healthcare in the United States. Following the submission of a demo to Planet Sound, they secured a deal with Sony BMG. Early on, bassist Scott R. Walker departed and later collaborated with Rory Attwell to create Kasms.
During sessions for their debut album at Real World Studios in January 2004, guitarist James "Jimmi" Lawrence tragically died by suicide. Subsequently, Michael Hibbert joined the lineup, contributing fresh energy to the ensemble.
Their first album, The Lost Riots, released in June 2004, broke into the UK Top 40. The lead single, "Black Dollar Bills," was distinctively presented in hand-stitched hessian sleeves. From October 2004, the band embarked on an extensive UK tour, performing at venues such as Mandela Hall in Belfast and Dance Academy in Plymouth.
In 2005, their focus shifted predominantly to recording their sophomore album, resulting in only six acoustic live performances that year. They partnered with fan community The Halfway Home to produce a Christmas advent calendar and issued a single studio track during this period titled "Shalom."
April 2006 marked the release of the Blood Meridian EP on limited vinyl and digital formats. This was followed by the single "Sing it Out," which peaked at number 39 on the UK Singles Chart. Their second full-length album, Left, was unveiled on 19 June 2006.
That summer, Hope of the States appeared at prominent festivals including T in the Park and Reading and Leeds Festivals. Their performance at Reading on 27 August foreshadowed their impending breakup, which frontman Sam Herlihy confirmed shortly thereafter.
After disbanding, Herlihy and Simon Jones established The Northwestern, active until 2012, while other members formed Troubles. Michael Hibbert departed in 2007 to create Chapel Club, a group that dissolved in 2013.
On 8 July 2024, Hope of the States revealed plans to reunite for December concerts and new studio sessions with producer Jolyon Thomas; due to high demand, a fourth show was added.
The band’s first new release since 2006, "Long Waits in A&E," became available digitally on 1 November 2024, accompanied by a limited vinyl pressing sold exclusively at reunion performances. On 17 December 2024, they issued The Magic Kingdom (B-sides 2002-2006), a collection of previously unreleased streaming tracks from singles throughout their career.
Continuing their resurgence into 2025, they released singles "Lonesome Tear Gas Country" (June) and "Footage/Steamtrain" (July), alongside announcing a tour scheduled for October. Just before commencing this tour, they digitally launched another new track titled "Billboard Mountain."
Members
- Sam Herlihy – lead vocals, guitar, piano, music boxes, glockenspiels, mellotron, sampler, celeste, harmonium
- Michael Hibbert – guitar, harmonica, backing vocals
- Simon Jones – drums, percussion, glockenspiel, backing vocals
- James Ramsden – guitar, piano
- Mike Siddell – violin, farfisa organ, glockenspiel, backing vocals
- Paul Wilson – bass guitar, backing vocals
Former members
- James "Jimmi" Lawrence – guitar
- Keith Seymour – bass guitar
- Scott R Walker – bass guitar
- Anthony Theaker – guitar, piano, hammond organ, farfisa organ, celeste, laptop, music box, moog synthesizer, glockenspiel, mellotron
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | UK | SCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Lost Riots | * Release date: 7 June 2004
|
21 | 21 |
| Left | * Release date: 19 June 2006
|
50 | 51 |
Compilation album
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| The Magic Kingdom (B-sides 2002–2006) | * Release date: 17 December 2024
|
Extended plays
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Winter Riot Dust Rackets | * Release date: 19 August 2004
|
| Blood Meridian | * Release date: 3 April 2006
|
Singles
| Title | Year released | Highest chart positions achieved | Associated album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart (UK) | UK Independent Chart (UK Indie) | UK Rock & Metal Chart (UK Rock) | Scottish Singles Chart (SCO) | |||
| "Black Dollar Bills" | 2002 | 83 | 10 | — | 93 | The Lost Riots |
| "Enemies/Friends" | 2003 | 25 | — | — | 31 | |
| "The Red the White the Black the Blue" | 2004 | 15 | — | — | 22 | |
| "Nehemiah" | 30 | — | 2 | 29 | ||
| "Sing It Out" | 2006 | 39 | — | — | 28 | Left |
| "Left" | 63 | — | — | 30 | ||
| "Long Waits in A&E" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | rowspan="3"Template:Non-album singles |
| "Footage/Steamtrain" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Billboard Mountain" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | |
Demos and promotional singles
- Untitled eight-track demo (CD-R)
- Untitled two-track demo featuring "Black Dollar Bills" and "Three Days In The West" (CD-R)
- Untitled "Fingerprints" demo limited to ten copies (CD)
- "AMM=IBM" available as MP3 download
- "L'Ark Pour Les Enfants Terribles" issued in October 2004 as a limited edition tour CD