Operahouse
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | 2009-07-06 |
| Headquarters | Camden, London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Operahouse was a rock ensemble consisting of five members, originating from Camden, London. Their initial release, the single "Man Next Door," appeared in March 2007 under Glaze Records and secured airplay on stations such as BBC 6 Music, Xfm, and Jonathan Ross's show on BBC Radio 2. The subsequent single, "Born A Boy," launched in January 2008 via Marrakesh Records, garnered heightened radio exposure and favorable critiques in the NME. Following this, the May 2008 release "Diane" also achieved notable success. With the single "Change in Nature," the band adopted a darker musical style, signaling a deliberate departure from their earlier indie influences.
History
Johnny Lloyd, vocalist and guitarist for the group, drew inspiration from bands like The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin. He began learning guitar at the age of eight. Originally hailing from Newcastle, he relocated to London through Rugby, where he played football alongside bassist Jimmy Cratchley. Cratchley started playing guitar with Lloyd at 15 but transitioned to bass when forming the band. Guitarist Alex Kaines became part of the lineup after a mutual acquaintance introduced him to Lloyd. Completing the original formation was drummer Ben Niblett, who joined at 18 with five years of drumming experience.
Synthesizer and keyboardist Dan White joined the band subsequently, influencing their developing sound and featuring in videos for "Change in Nature" and "Genius Child."
In 2007, their debut attracted attention from Dominic Hardisty—recognized for signing The Killers—who signed Operahouse to his UK label Marrakesh Records. Their first full-length album was released in early 2009.
The band officially disbanded on 6 July 2009. Afterward, Johnny Lloyd, Jimmy Cratchley, and Dan White went on to establish the indie rock group Tribes, while Alex Kaines (also known as Alex Robertshaw) pursued a career as guitarist with Everything Everything.
Albums
- Change in Nature EP (November 2008, Marrakesh Records)
- Escape from the Sun (April 2009, Marrakesh Records)
Singles
- "Man Next Door" (March 2007, Glaze Records)
- "Born a Boy" (January 2008, Marrakesh Records)
- "Diane" (May 2008, Marrakesh Records)
- "Change in Nature" (November 2008, Marrakesh Records)
- "Genius Child" (March 2009, Marrakesh Records)