The Candyskins
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Oxford, England |
| Headquarters | Oxford , England |
| Products | Albums, singles |
The Candyskins emerged as an English rock group established in 1989 in Oxford, England. As part of the early "Oxford Scene," their commercial impact was modest when compared to peers such as Radiohead and Supergrass. Widely recognized by the British music press as a foundational act within early Britpop, they produced four studio albums across eight years before disbanding in 1998 and later reuniting in 2009.
History
The ensemble began with Mark and Nick Cope, Nick Burton, and John Halliday, all hailing from Islip, Oxfordshire, who attended Gosford Hill School between 1974 and 1980. Throughout the 1980s, the group underwent several lineup shifts and name changes before solidifying as The Candyskins in 1989 with Richard (mini) Brown on bass and banjo. Following the release of their successful single "Submarine Song" in 1990, they launched their debut album Space I'm In, which included singles like "Submarine Song," "She Blew Me Away," and "You Are Here." Brown departed prior to the album’s release.
After extensive touring and substituting a temporary bassist with Karl Shale, the band unveiled their sophomore album Fun? under Geffen Records in 1993. This ironic collection, featuring tracks themed around football and gardening, aimed to capitalize on their US momentum. However, disappointing sales resulted in a lengthy legal battle with Geffen over songwriting royalties.
Their third studio effort, Sunday Morning Fever (1997, Ultimate), brought their highest chart achievement with "Monday Morning" breaking into the UK Top 40. Despite this success, the record label’s insolvency left the band stranded during the production of their final album, Death of a Minor TV Celebrity. Although it included "Feed It," featured on the soundtrack of The Waterboy, the album failed to gain significant commercial traction.
Break-up
In 1998, the band parted ways, with members exploring different avenues within the music industry. Mark Cope went on to form Nine Stone Cowboy, releasing singles such as "Jesus Doesn't Like Me". Nick Cope transitioned into children's music and became host of the CBeebies program Nick Cope’s Popcast. John Halliday pursued a career as a producer at Shonk Studios in Oxford.
Reformation
Following their split, The Candyskins reunited sporadically for select performances including:
- A final gig on New Year’s Eve 2001 at The Zodiac.
- The closing event of The Zodiac on 17 May 2007, which was documented in the Oxford music film Anyone Can Play Guitar.
- Appearance at the Truck Festival on 26 July 2009 alongside fellow Oxford bands such as Supergrass.
Line-up
- Nick Cope – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Nick Burton – rhythm guitar
- Mark Cope – lead guitar
- Brett Gordon – bass
- Karl Shale – bass
- John Halliday – drums
Albums
| Release date | Title | UK chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Space I'm In | – |
| 1993 | Fun? | – |
| 1997 | Sunday Morning Fever | – |
| 1998 | Death of a Minor TV Celebrity | – |
| 2000 | Live at the Zodiac | – |
Singles
| Release Date | Song Title | US Modern Rock Chart | UK Chart Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Submarine Song" | 9 | – | Space I'm In |
| 1993 | "Wembley" | 12 | – | Fun? |
| 1996 | "Mrs Hoover" | – | 65 | Sunday Morning Fever |
| 1997 | "Monday Morning" | – | 34 | Sunday Morning Fever |
| 1997 | "Hang Myself on You" | – | 65 | Sunday Morning Fever |
| 1997 | "Feed It" | – | 82 | Death of a Minor TV Celebrity |
| 1998 | "You Better... Stop" | – | 78 | Death of a Minor TV Celebrity |