Magistrates (band)
| Company type | Indie pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | 2009 (initial), 2014 (final) |
| Headquarters | South Woodham Ferrers , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Paul Usher, Mark Brandon, Marcus Avery, Andy Grant, Daniel Williams |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Parent | XL Recordings |
Magistrates was an indie pop group originating from South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, England.
Members
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Usher | Lead Vocals, Keyboard |
| Mark Brandon | Guitarist |
| Marcus Avery | Bass Guitar |
| Andy Grant | Drummer |
| Daniel Williams | Keyboardist |
History
Before forming Magistrates, Paul Usher and Mark Brandon collaborated in several bands, including Echelon in 2006 alongside Andrew Grant. Following several personnel changes and a rebranding phase in mid-2007, the band secured a contract with XL Recordings in June 2008. They subsequently released two singles: "Make This Work" in August 2008 and "Heartbreak" in May 2009.
In 2009, Magistrates were part of the Samsung NME Radar Tour, performing alongside acts such as La Roux, Heartbreak, and the Chapman Family. They also supported Friendly Fires at London's HMV Forum and served as an opening act for Blur during their 2009 reunion shows at Cliffs Pavilion and Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Additionally, Magistrates opened for La Roux at Chinnerys in Southend-on-Sea.
That year, their live appearances included Wakestock festival, The Big Chill festival held in Herefordshire, and performances on the Festival Republic stage at both Reading and Leeds festivals.
On 21 December 2009, the band announced their dissolution via social media platforms Twitter and Facebook. They reunited in February 2011 and performed their first show back at Queen of Hoxton in London during August of that year. Shortly thereafter, they supported Athlete at Brownstock Festival, which took place in their hometown of South Woodham Ferrers.
In 2013, Magistrates issued the singles "B.T.P.A" and "When We Are Apart." The music video for "When We Are Apart," directed by VH/Yes, creatively incorporated re-edited footage from 1980s dating videos to create a lip-sync effect.
Their album When We Are Apart, released in 2014, was their final project before disbanding later that same year. After the split, Paul Usher moved into songwriting for other artists, while Mark Brandon initiated his own venture called Model Man.