Spacehog
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 in New York City, United States |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Spacehog is a British-American alternative rock group established in 1994 in New York City by four musicians originally from the UK: lead singer and bassist Royston Langdon, rhythm guitarist Antony Langdon, drummer Jonny Cragg, and lead guitarist Richard Steel. Between 1994 and 2001, they released three studio albums, followed by an additional album after their reunion in 2006. Their musical approach combines elements of 1990s post-grunge with influences from 1970s glam rock and space rock, drawing inspiration from artists such as David Bowie, Queen, T. Rex, and Slade.
The band became notable for their dramatic stage presence—featuring the Langdon brothers emulating The Spiders from Mars, Steel’s signature guitar work, and Cragg’s expressive drumming. They achieved commercial recognition with their 1996 hit single "In the Meantime". Although this track brought them widespread attention, Spacehog has sometimes been categorized as a one-hit wonder.
History
All members originally come from Leeds, but Spacehog was formed in New York City. Antony Langdon encountered Jonny Cragg by chance, which led to Royston Langdon joining the lineup shortly thereafter. The initial guitarist Robert Curreri was replaced in 1994 by Richard Steel. That same year, they secured a contract with Sire Records.
Their debut album, Resident Alien, was released on 24 October 1995 and achieved gold status on the Billboard charts, surpassing 500,000 copies sold. It included hit tracks like "In the Meantime" and "Cruel to Be Kind". "In the Meantime" received significant airplay on radio and television, including features on the BBC's Match of the Day. Their sophomore effort, The Chinese Album (released 10 March 1998), showcased a more experimental direction with guest input from Michael Stipe of R.E.M.. Although it did not match the commercial success of their debut, Spacehog expanded their visibility by touring alongside bands such as Pearl Jam and Supergrass.
Following their departure from Elektra Records, Spacehog signed with Artemis Records and launched their third studio album, The Hogyssey, on 10 April 2001. Maintaining their neo-glam aesthetic, this album featured singles like "I Want to Live" and "At Least I Got Laid", as well as a funk-inspired version of Strauss’s "Also sprach Zarathustra". They toured with acts including The Black Crowes and Oasis during the Tour of Brotherly Love, which became their final major tour for several years.
In 2003, Royston Langdon married American actress Liv Tyler, with whom he separated amicably in 2008.
Arckid
The project Arckid was formed by Antony, Royston, and Christian Langdon, who had recorded eight tracks by June 2006 at Trout Studios in Brooklyn with producer Bryce Goggin. After leaving Spacehog, Jonny Cragg joined Arckid as drummer but later returned to collaborate again with the Langdon brothers in this group.
In November 2006, Antony Langdon amicably departed from Arckid and developed an alter ego named "Louis Arogant". Under this persona, he worked on an almost finished album titled Victoria, dedicated to his wife, director Victoria Clay de Mendoza. Although planned for release in late 2007, the album never came out. Antony also ventured into television production and collaborated on an album with Joaquin Phoenix called This Lady Is a Tramp, mixed by Paul McKenna and featuring contributions from Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records, and Tim Burgess of the Charlatans.
During Antony’s absence from Arckid, Your Vegas guitarist Mat Steel briefly took his place but left after their initial video to return to Your Vegas. Pete Denton also joined temporarily while Richard Steel supported Arckid live during performances such as the Hilfiger Sessions NY and at the 2007 Lollapalooza festival.
Reunion
In July 2008, Spacehog came together again to perform two concerts at the Viper Room and the Troubadour. Drummer Jonny Cragg revealed on Arckid’s MySpace page that the band planned to start creating a new album. The group reunited once more in July 2009 for a show at Spaceland in Los Angeles. In March 2025, Spacehog declared a US tour alongside fellow British act EMF.
I'm Still Here
In 2010, Spacehog’s guitarist Antony Langdon attracted attention for his involvement in the provocative mockumentary I'm Still Here, featuring Joaquin Phoenix. Langdon, who served as Phoenix’s assistant and musical collaborator, orchestrated a staged public dispute during filming, which included provocative interactions between the two.
Although Langdon’s role in Spacehog is not explicitly referenced in the movie, footage of their television performance is shown, and Royston Langdon receives credit for one of the soundtrack’s tracks.
The film’s cinematographer Magdalena Górka filed a lawsuit against director Casey Affleck, claiming that Antony Langdon—working as a camera assistant—was implicated in several instances of sexual harassment during production.
As It Is on Earth
On 17 September 2011, Spacehog announced via MySpace that their album As It Is on Earth was finished; however, it was not released until over a year later, on 16 April 2013. This marked their first studio album in more than ten years, issued through their own Hog Space Records and distributed by Redeye Distribution. The record continues the band's glam-inspired style with dynamic anthems like "Gluttony," evoking influences such as David Bowie and Queen, alongside slower ballads like "Cool Water." Joe Gross of Rolling Stone awarded the album three out of five stars, describing it as a welcome alternative to groups like the Lumineers and Animal Collective.
Musical style
Spacehog is chiefly recognized as an alternative rock ensemble,[1] merging elements of 1990s post-grunge with 1970s glam rock and space rock, drawing inspiration from artists including David Bowie, Queen, T. Rex, and Slade.[2] Steve Huey of AllMusic characterized their sound as a "wall-of-distorted-guitars," while Hal B. Selzer from The Aquarian Weekly described it as a "semi-glam sound," combining distorted guitar riffs with melodic basslines to contrast with the darker tones typical of grunge.[3] As British artists operating out of New York City, they fuse the catchy hooks and wit of Britpop with the powerful chord work characteristic of American grunge.[4]
Reviewers have likened Spacehog’s musical approach to that of contemporaries such as American rock group Stone Temple Pilots during their Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996) era, as well as Belgian electronic duo Soulwax, who similarly incorporated 1970s pop rock influences like Badfinger on Much Against Everyone's Advice (1998).[2][5]
Members
- Royston Langdon, also known as "Ray Sprinkles" (born 1 May 1972) – bass guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, and backing vocals.
- Antony Langdon, nicknamed "Tone Down" (born 14 May 1968) – rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals.
- Jonny Cragg, referred to as "Corky" (born 18 July 1966) – drums and backing vocals.
- Richard Steel, called "Rich" (born 12 November 1968) – lead guitar and backing vocals.
Studio albums
| Album | Information | Highest chart rankings | Certifications (sales benchmarks) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | CAN | US | ||||||||
| Resident Alien |
|
40 | 50 | 19 | 49 | ||||||
| The Chinese Album |
|
126 | — | — | — | ||||||
| The Hogyssey |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||||
| As It Is on Earth |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||||
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts | |||||||||||
EPs
- Hamsters of Rock (Sire, 1996)
- 4 Future Tracks (Artemis, 2001)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | CAN | CAN Alt. | NZ | SWE | US Hot 100 | US Main. | US Mod. | |||
| 1996 | "In the Meantime" | 29 | 40 | 33 | 6 | 45 | 36 | 32 | 1 | 2 | Resident Alien |
| "Cruel to Be Kind" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | ||
| "Space Is the Place" | 145 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998 | "Mungo City" | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 21 | The Chinese Album |
| "Carry On" | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "I Want to Live" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | The Hogyssey |
External links
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- Articles with short description
- Musical groups formed in 1994
- Musical groups that disbanded in 2002
- Musical groups reunited in 2008
- English glam rock bands
- Four-member musical groups from New York (state)
- Artists signed to Sire Records
- Alternative rock bands originating from Leeds
- Musical groups disestablished in 2002
- Pages with reference errors
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