Space (English band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 in Liverpool, England |
| Founder | Tommy Scott, Jamie Murphy, Jamie Island |
| Headquarters | Liverpool , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Space is a musical group originating from Liverpool, England, established in 1992 by Tommy Scott (vocals, bass, guitar), Jamie Murphy (vocals, guitar), and Jamie Island (drums), who was succeeded by Andy Parle in 1993. Keyboardist Franny Griffiths became part of the lineup in 1994, and the band secured a contract with Gut Records in 1995. They rose to fame through singles such as "Female of the Species", "Me and You Versus the World", "Neighbourhood", "Avenging Angels", and "The Ballad of Tom Jones", a collaboration with Cerys Matthews from Catatonia.
Space crafted a unique sound labeled "queasy listening," which fuses elements of electronica, sampling, and styles like hip hop, techno, post-punk, ska, and lounge music. Their lyrics, often laced with dark humor, draw inspiration from cinema and delve into subjects such as serial killers, broken relationships, societal outsiders, and mental health issues. While this signature approach divided critics, it fostered a loyal cult audience.
Although the band underwent multiple personnel shifts with Scott remaining the only consistent member, Space attained commercial acclaim through their initial two platinum-selling UK albums, Spiders (1996) and Tin Planet (1998), producing eight singles that reached the UK Top 40. Difficulties during their third album's creation led to its shelving; Love You More than Football was never released at that time following their separation from Gut Records. The group dissolved in 2005 after their fourth album, Suburban Rock 'n' Roll (2004), received limited sales despite positive fan reception.
Following the split, Scott initiated The Drellas, which transitioned into Space’s second phase in 2011 with Griffiths returning and Murphy briefly rejoining. Since then, Space has continued performing live and issuing new recordings including Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab (2014) and Give Me Your Future (2017). The long-awaited release of Love You More than Football occurred in 2019 within an Anthology box set. Their seventh studio effort, Music for Pleasure Music for Pain, was launched in 2021.
Biography
Tommy Scott first met Jamie Murphy when Murphy, then 15 years old, worked as a roadie for Scott’s band The Australians. After The Australians disbanded in 1992, they formed The Substitutes with Murphy playing guitar and Scott on bass. Murphy later renamed the group Space, debuting under this name on 15 May 1992 in Liverpool. Andy Parle replaced original drummer Jamie Island, and on 5 July 1993 they released their single "If Its Real".
In 1994, keyboardist Franny Griffiths joined the band, contributing to shaping their distinctive sound. Space signed with Gut Records on 15 January 1995 and issued their debut single "Money" that November. "Neighbourhood" followed in March 1996; however, their major breakthrough came with "Female of the Species," which entered the UK Top 40 and served as the theme song for the UK television series Cold Feet.
Their first album Spiders, released in September 1996, achieved platinum status in the UK. "Female of the Species" received moderate airplay on US college radio stations and MTV as well as exposure in Australia through ABC-TV’s rage program and Triple-J radio. Bassist and multi-instrumentalist Yorkie joined late that year to allow Scott to concentrate more on vocals and guitar.
A US tour during mid-1997 posed difficulties: members experienced homesickness; Murphy suffered a nervous breakdown; Scott lost his voice for two months. The passing of Palmer's mother deeply impacted the band; after completing their second album, Parle departed and was replaced by Leon Caffrey.
Their sophomore album, Tin Planet, released in spring 1998, presented a more refined sound and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Despite commercial success, its softer pop orientation disappointed some fans who preferred the edgier tone of Spiders. In late 1998, Space recorded The Animals' "We Gotta Get out of This Place" for a Honda advertisement featured on The Bad Days EP, also collaborating with Tom Jones on his 1999 album Reload.
In 2001, Space ended their relationship with Gut Records amid delays releasing their third album Love You More than Football. Murphy left that year; thereafter, the band began distributing music independently via their website under the name Music for Aliens.
After a three-year break, Space returned in 2004 with Suburban Rock 'n' Roll, marking their first new material since Tin Planet. The album did not achieve critical or commercial success, compounded by challenges finding a record deal. In 2005, Space announced their dissolution.
Following the breakup, members remained musically active: Scott formed punk outfit The Drellas with Phil Hartley; Hartley also produced bands including Metro Manila Aide; Griffiths collaborated with Murphy and Vinnie Camilleri in Dust and produced R&B under Subway Showdown; Yorkie worked as producer for Shack. Griffiths also co-writes and produces alongside Camilleri as Spaceman V Man.
Andy Parle passed away unexpectedly on 1 August 2009 at age 42 in Liverpool after an accident while crossing a street. Palmer described him as a "brilliant drummer" whose death was "the saddest, most tragic end you could have."
In November 2011, Space announced a reunion concert at Liverpool’s O2 Academy featuring original members Scott, Murphy, Griffiths along with musicians from Scott’s project The Red Scare. They planned to release a new album titled Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab and embark on a world tour in 2012. After delays caused by Murphy leaving again, the album was finally released in March 2014 with lead single "Fortune Teller." Keyboardist Ryan Clarke departed later that year. To celebrate their twentieth anniversary, Space toured alongside Republica in March 2014.
In November 2015, they issued the single "Strange World" ahead of an upcoming album. In 2016 they revealed work on Give Me Your Future, produced by Steve Levine.
A box set entitled The Anthology, released in November 2019, compiled their first five studio albums—including the previously unreleased Love You More than Football—alongside B-sides and rare tracks.
On 27 August 2021, Space unveiled "Hell No," the lead single from their seventh studio album Music for Pleasure Music for Pain, initially available during an October meet-and-greet event before its general release in December 2022. In September 2022 they announced a twenty-fifth anniversary tour celebrating both Spiders and Tin Planet, featuring Murphy’s return.
In April 2024, Space revealed plans for an autumn tour supporting their forthcoming eighth studio album titled Blood and Bubblegum. An updated edition of The Anthology box set incorporating both Give Me Your Future and Music for Pleasure Music for Pain is scheduled for release on November 22, 2024.
Musical style
Space’s music is recognized for its diverse and cinematic qualities which author Paul Skillen notes “defy categorization within an industry keen to pigeonhole artists into marketable genres.” Their incorporation of synthesizers alongside advanced production techniques such as looping and sampling—drawing from hip hop and dance beats—distinguishes them from other Liverpool bands that focus primarily on classic ’60s-inspired guitar pop.
This methodology allowed them to avoid the nostalgic tendencies typical of Britpop acts often linked to them. Journalist Jennifer Blake highlighted that Space’s originality sets them apart from contemporaries like Blur or Oasis by making their output unpredictable and compelling.
The band’s lyrics explore varied topics including famous personalities, fictional narratives, science fiction motifs, and horror themes—elements echoed visually through videos, performances, and cover art. Frontman Tommy Scott credits film and television as primary creative influences rather than other musicians: "The songs I write depend on what film I'm into at the time."
Scott describes their songwriting process as collaborative:
Scott emphasizes that Space never intended to produce deliberately “odd” music but simply refused to conform: "We’d enter rehearsal with a song; record it; release it—no grand plan just natural flow." Addressing critics who label them “quirky” or novelty:
Current members
- Tommy Scott – vocals, guitar, bass guitar (1992–2005, 2011–present)
- Jamie Murphy – lead guitar, vocals (1992–2001, 2011–2012, 2022–present)
- Franny Griffiths – keyboards, synthesizers, melodica, sonic effects, turntables, samples, backing vocals (1994–2005, 2011–present)
- Phil Hartley – bass guitar, double bass, keyboards, backing vocals, piano, banjo arrangements; record producer (2011–present)
- Allan Jones – drums, guitar contributions, backing vocals (2011–present)
Touring members
- Paul Hemmings – guitar (2016–2020)
- Jorden Owoo - vocals (2019–2024; deceased)
Former members
- Jamie Island - drums (1992–1993)
- Andy Parle – drums (1993–1997; deceased in 2009)
- David "Yorkie" Palmer – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1996–2005)
- Leon Caffrey – drums (1997–2005)
- Ryan Clarke – keyboards, vocals (2011–2014)
Timeline
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</timeline>
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | FIN | NZ | US | ||
| 1996 | Spiders
| |||||
align="left"| Tin Planet
| ||||||
align="left"| Suburban Rock 'n' Roll
| ||||||
align="left"| Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab
| ||||||
align="left"| Give Me Your Future
| ||||||
align="left"| Love You More than Football
| ||||||
align="left"| Music for Pleasure Music for Pain
| ||||||
- A dash ("—") indicates albums that did not chart or were unreleased
Compilation albums
- Invasion of the Spiders (B-sides and remixes related to Spiders) (1997)
- Greatest Hits (2002)
- Music for Aliens collection (2002–03)
- Greatest Hits & Unheard Bits compilation (2003)
- Greatest Hits - The Collectors Edition (2005)
- Avenging Angels - The Best Of retrospective (2009)
- The Anthology... Five Studio Albums B-Sides and Rarities box set (2019)
- The Anthology... Seven Studio Albums B-Sides and Rarities expanded set (2024)
Singles
| Year | Song | UK | AUS | IRE | NZ | US Alt |
Album | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "If Its Real" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | "Money / Kill Me" | — | — | — | — | — | Spiders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | "Neighbourhood" | 56 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Female of the Species" | 14 | 80 | — | — | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Me and You Versus the World" | 9 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Neighbourhood" (re-issue) | 11 | 90 | — | 22 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dark Clouds" | 1997 | 14 | 228 | — | — | — | Spiders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Avenging Angels" | 1997 | 6 | 146 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Ballad of Tom Jones" | 4 | 46 | 26 | 27 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Begin Again" | 21 | 82 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Bad Days" (EP) | 20 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Diary of a Wimp" | 49 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Gravity" (promo single) | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Zombies" | 87 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Suburban Rock 'n' Roll" | 67 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "20 Million Miles from Earth" | 124 | — | — | —
-|- | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Frightened Horses" (video single) | — | — | — | — | - | | "Fortune Teller" (digital download) | — | — | — | — | -rowspan=2 | | "Fortune Teller" (7" vinyl re-issue) | — | — | — | — | - | | "Falling in Love" | — | — | — | — | - | | 2015 | "Strange World" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles |
| 2016 | "Blow Up Doll" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | "Dangerous Day" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | "Metropolis" | — | — | — | — | — | Give Me Your Future | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | "Hell No" | — | — | — | — | — | Music for Pleasure Music for Pain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | "Blood and Bubblegum" | — | — | — | — | — | Blood and Bubblegum |
External links
- Articles with short description
- English alternative rock bands
- English electronic music acts
- Alternative rock ensembles from Liverpool
- Alternative dance music groups
- English neo-psychedelic bands
- Gut Records artists
- English musical quartets
- Musical groups formed in 1992
- Musical groups disbanded in 2005
- Musical groups reunited in 2011
- Musical groups disestablished in 2005