Mohair (band)
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England |
| Headquarters | Watford , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Mohair is an English rock group that originated in 1998 in Watford, Hertfordshire. The ensemble consists of drummer Pete Baker, vocalist and guitarist Tom Billington, keyboardist Alex Lee-Richards, and bassist Tim Slade. The members had been involved in various musical projects since their early teenage years.
Although the band disbanded in 2007, they announced a one-time reunion concert at London's Borderline venue in June 2019.
Early years
Tom Billington recounted the band's beginnings:
"From around age 12, we were all part of different bands. Pete and I attended the same primary school; he met Tim at secondary school when they formed their first blues band. I used to perform covers with my siblings, while Alex was active in classical performances and church choirs."
"Tim joined my band when we were about 15, followed by Pete on trumpet. I encountered Alex a year later at a musical theatre production. This evolved into a ten-member soul band playing weddings until I left school to travel to India, where I started writing songs."
"When I came back, only the four of us remained as others had gone off to university or started jobs—that marked the beginning of Mohair. We knew this was the only path for us."
The group began performing locally in 1998 under the name Trooper. By 2001, after signing with indie label M1 Records and changing their name to Mohair (to avoid confusion with a Canadian band also called Trooper), they toured extensively throughout the UK. Their US debut took place in March 2002 at The Cat Club and The Roxy in Los Angeles. By mid-2004, Mohair had played more than 300 shows and appeared at prominent UK festivals. Nevertheless, their initial two official singles attracted little attention, resulting in their departure from M1 Records in June 2004.
Small Talk
In 2005, Mohair established their own label, Ear Candy, releasing singles "End of the Line" and "Stranded (in the Middle of Nowhere)" that same year. During spring 2006, they performed at the annual South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, followed by gigs in Chicago and New York.
Their first album, Small Talk (produced by Mark Wallis and Dave Ruffy), was launched in the UK on 24 April 2006 via Ear Candy and promoted through an appearance on The Album Chart Show on Channel 4. The album garnered positive critiques: Jason MacNeil from Allmusic gave it four stars, calling it "an album that should generate considerable discussion," while Michael Deacon of the Daily Telegraph described the tracks as "straightforward and predictable" yet melodic. The US edition was released by Grunion Records on 19 September 2006, accompanied by a nine-week tour along the East Coast. Upon returning to Britain, Mohair supported Boy Kill Boy during their December 2006 tour.
In 2007, they toured with Razorlight across the US and UK from February through April and co-headlined a German tour with The Holloways in May.
Split
On 31 August 2007, Mohair announced their dissolution after nine years together. They completed a farewell tour across the UK, culminating with a final performance at The Horn Reborn in St Albans on 28 September 2007. This was their last show until reuniting in 2019.
2007 – 2019
Following the band's division, Pete Baker collaborated with Emmy The Great and the Watford-based group The Staves, and he currently serves as the drummer for multiple projects, including Younghusband.
In 2010, Tom Billington unveiled his first solo album, Make No Bones, which was succeeded by As Luck Would Have It in 2012. Subsequently, he joined forces with Sinead Quinn to form the country duo Billington & Quinn and now heads the charitable music organization Electric Umbrella.
Between 2008 and 2018, Alex Lee-Richards toured alongside The Bluetones, contributing to their concluding album A New Athens. Together with Andy Lewis, he established the Acid Jazz ensemble The Red Inspectors. Lee-Richards has also been involved in projects with artists such as Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Joan Armatrading, and the indie/folk band In The Forest.
Tim Slade shifted his focus toward composing for television and freelanced as a bassist, notably performing with Fields Of The Nephilim and Gary Numan. Currently, Slade and Baker collaborate musically in the group The Bluefingers.
Reunion
In January 2018, Mohair issued a limited edition box set entitled Almost Everything Ever, which gathered all CD and vinyl releases complemented by original photographs, setlists, and assorted memorabilia—each box being distinct. These sets sold out within a week, sparking renewed enthusiasm for the band and potential live engagements.
Mohair came together once more for a singular concert at The Borderline in London on 14 June 2019. Reflecting on this, Tom Billington stated: "We endured a great deal together but have encountered even more since—children, marriages, near-death experiences… it will be fascinating to discover what that brings when we perform again."
After the sold-out reunion in London, they held a 'homecoming' performance at O'Neill's in Watford on 19 December 2019.
From 2020 onward, Billington and Lee-Richards have toured as an acoustic duo under the Mohair name.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Tracks |
|---|---|---|
| April 2006 | Small Talk (UK Release) Ear Candy Records |
1. Talk of the Town |
| August 2006 | Small Talk Remastered (Digital Release) Available via iTunes UK |
1. Talk of the Town |
| September 2006 | Small Talk (US Release) Grunion Records |
1. Talk of the Town |
| November 2006 | Small Talk Remastered (CD Version) Ear Candy Records |
1. Talk of the Town |
Singles
| Year | Title | Details | UK Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Octopus Chunks (Beautiful in Alcohol) | Issued by M1 Records. CD Contents: 1. Octopus Chunks (Beautiful in Alcohol) 2. Kansas City $1.09 3. Bombshell 4. Thin Air |
– |
| 2003 | Superstar | Distributed through M1 Records. CD Contents: 1. Superstar 2. True Light Colours 3. Kansas City $1.09 (Demo) |
#156 |
| 2004 | Brown Eyes Blue | Released via M1 Records; also available on 7" vinyl. CD Contents: 1. Brown Eyes Blue 2. Something to Remember 3. Getaway Car Vinyl Contents: 1. Brown Eyes Blue 2. Something to Remember |
#79 |
| 2005 | Keep It Together | Issued by TBA Records. CD Contents: 1. Keep It Together 2. Time Goes So Fast |
#143 |
| 2005 | Stranded (in the Middle of Nowhere) | Published by Ear Candy Records. CD Contents: 1. Stranded (in the Middle of Nowhere) 2. Everything I Want |
– |
| 2005 | End of the Line | Released on Ear Candy Records; offered in two separate CD editions and 7" vinyl. CD 1/Vinyl Contents: 1. End of the Line 2. Ella May CD 2 Contents: 1. End of the Line 2. Talk of the Town |
#52 |
| 2006 | Life | Distributed by Ear Candy Records; also issued on 7" vinyl. CD/Vinyl Contents: 1. Life 2. Broken Pieces |
#113 |
| 2006 | Everything I Want / Little Voice | Issued solely on 7" vinyl through Ear Candy Records. Vinyl Contents: 1. Everything I Want 2. Little Voice |
– |
| 2006 | Stranded (in the Middle of Nowhere) (US) | Released digitally in the US via iTunes; featured in a Beck's beer advertisement. | – |
| 2007 | 'Talk of the Town' | 'Talk of the Town' issued by Ear Candy Records exclusively as a 7" vinyl. Vinyl Contents: 1. Talk of the Town 2. No One Gets the Better of Me |
'–' |