The Enemy (English rock band)
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 in Coventry, England |
| Founder | Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins, Liam Watts |
| Defunct | 2016–2022 (hiatus) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2022 |
| Headquarters | Coventry , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States (as The Enemy UK) |
Key people | Tom Clarke (lead vocals, guitar), Andy Hopkins (bass guitar), Liam Watts (drums) |
| Products | Studio albums: We'll Live and Die in These Towns (2007), Music for the People (2008), Streets in the Sky (2012), It's Automatic (2015) |
Number of employees | 3 (band members) |
The Enemy—referred to as The Enemy UK within the United States—are an English indie rock group that originated in Coventry in 2006. Their first studio album, We'll Live and Die in These Towns (2007), entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. The subsequent release, Music for the People (2008), achieved a peak position of number two. Their third album, Streets in the Sky, launched on 21 May 2012, secured their third consecutive UK top 10 placement. The fourth full-length record, It's Automatic, was issued on 9 October 2015. After disbanding in 2016, the band regrouped in 2022 to perform two shows in Coventry and embark on a UK-wide tour.
Formation and initial recordings (2006–07)
While bassist Andy Hopkins and drummer Liam Watts both come from Coventry, lead vocalist Tom Clarke originally hails from Birmingham before moving to Coventry. Clarke attended Finham Park School, Hopkins was a student at Heart of England School near Balsall Common, and Watts went to Cardinal Newman secondary school located in Coventry.
The band's connection to manager John Dawkins was established through Watts' family contacts. Dawkins arranged cost-effective studio sessions with producer Matt Terry, who worked on their first three recordings: 'Heart Attack', 'Had Enough', and '40 Days and 40 Nights'. These demo tracks were then forwarded by Dawkins to David Bianchi at Warner A&R.
In 2006, The Enemy performed as an opening act at Coventry's Godiva Festival, a festival they returned to for the following two years, eventually taking on the headline slot.
We'll Live and Die in These Towns (2007–08)
Early recognition came when NME identified The Enemy as the band most likely to "break your windows" in 2007. They supported prominent UK tours for acts including Oasis, The Fratellis, Kasabian, The Paddingtons, Ash, Manic Street Preachers, The Rolling Stones, and Stereophonics.
In June 2007, The Enemy appeared twice at the Glastonbury Festival, notably performing on the 'Other Stage'. They also headlined the 'Futures' tent at T in the Park on 7 July 2007.
Their single "Away From Here" entered the charts at number 8, followed by "Had Enough", which climbed to number 4. Riding this wave of success, The Enemy participated in the NME 2007 Rock 'N' Roll Riot Tour alongside Lethal Bizzle and The Wombats, appeared at the Jersey Live Festival, and supported The Rolling Stones during the final concert of their European tour at London's O2 Arena.
In September 2007, Alex Zane, host of the Xfm Breakfast Show, declared he would cease playing their music due to a disagreement stemming from a television interview; he briefly aired "You're Not Alone" before abruptly stopping it. However, relations improved by 2008, as reflected during Xfm’s annual review hosted by Sunta Templeton and Matt Dyson.
A stage production entitled "We'll Live and Die in These Towns," featuring songs from the album with Tom Clarke serving as musical director, was staged at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre from 29 September through 20 October 2018.
Music for the People (2008–2009)
March 2008 saw the commencement of production on The Enemy's sophomore album, coinciding with a six-night engagement at the London Astoria. The following month, they achieved sold-out shows over two nights at Coventry's Ricoh Arena and later supported Kaiser Chiefs at Elland Road Stadium in May. On 5 July 2008, they took the headline spot at the Godiva Festival, a complimentary event accommodating 30,000 attendees at Coventry's War Memorial Park. Additionally, they appeared on the main stage during the Reading & Leeds Festivals in August.
In 2009, The Enemy joined Oasis as support on their Dig Out Your Soul Tour, including a performance at their hometown venue, Ricoh Arena. Their UK and Ireland tour spanning March to April 2009 drew an audience of approximately 70,000, featuring support from Twisted Wheel and Kid British. Birmingham vocalist Emma Skipp contributed vocals to "No Time for Tears". Unfortunately, health complications compelled them to cancel appearances at Oasis's Heaton Park concert on 4 June and their Wembley Stadium show on 11 July due to lead vocalist Tom Clarke’s illness.
Streets in the Sky (2012–13)
After a two-year break following Music for the People, The Enemy returned to creating their third album, interspersed with occasional unannounced performances. By 2011, they had composed roughly 30 tracks, targeting a late spring 2012 release that revisited the sound reminiscent of their debut We'll Live And Die In These Towns. Having signed with Cooking Vinyl, they collaborated with manager John Dawkins and producer Joby Ford (The Bronx) while recording sessions took place in both London and Los Angeles.
On 21 February 2012, frontman Tom Clarke revealed the album title as Streets In The Sky, accompanied by the release of the complimentary single "Gimme The Sign". The album featured songs such as "This Is Real," "Saturday," "1-2-3-4," and "Bigger Cages (Longer Chains)." Originally planned for release on 21 May with two shows at Coventry Cathedral ruins, safety concerns necessitated relocating these performances to Kasbah nightclub.
On 5 May 2012, The Enemy performed at the FA Cup Final held at Wembley Stadium, delivering two new album tracks from atop the stadium roof; this performance was broadcast live on ESPN. Despite this significant exposure, Streets In The Sky attracted mostly unfavorable critiques, receiving harsher assessments compared to their earlier albums.
In June 2012, they announced a UK tour scheduled from late September through October, covering key urban centers. It was disclosed on 6 September that the single "Saturday" would be included in the soundtrack for EA Sports' FIFA 13.
The band headlined Crooked Ways Festival in West Yorkshire on 1 June 2013 and also performed at Derbyshire’s Y Not Festival on 4 August.
It's Automatic (2014–15)
The Enemy unveiled their fourth and concluding studio album titled It's Automatic, which was released on 9 October 2015. Its lead single, "Don't Let Nothing Get In The Way," became available from 7 July 2015.
Reception to It's Automatic was varied. The Coventry Telegraph cited favorable remarks including praise from the Daily Star, which stated: "They're having a blast and back on peak form." Conversely, Barry Nicolson of NME rated it three out of five stars, describing it as "occasionally clumsy" yet "genuinely heartfelt." Pip Dunn from Truck & Driver magazine assigned a two out of five rating, labeling it "somewhat disappointing from a trio previously hailed as champions of guitar-driven rock."
Hiatus and Tom Clarke's Solo Endeavors (2016–21)
In 2016, lead vocalist Tom Clarke declared an indefinite pause for the band, attributing this decision to personal health concerns, responsibilities as a father, and limited public visibility.
Throughout this interval, Clarke embarked on a solo path, often performing acoustic renditions of The Enemy’s well-known tracks during tours. His first solo album, The Chronicles of Nigel, was unveiled in April 2021.
Reunion Tours (2022–23)
On 30 October 2021, during a solo performance at Coventry’s HMV Empire, Clarke joined former band members on stage and announced a reunion concert scheduled for 28 October 2022. The following day, The Enemy confirmed a comprehensive UK reunion tour to mark the 15th anniversary of their debut record, We'll Live and Die in These Towns.
The 2022 tour included multiple sold-out dates at various O2 venues, culminating in three consecutive sold-out shows in Coventry. In 2023, The Enemy reappeared on the UK festival scene with sets at TRSNMT, Isle of Wight Festival, Manchester’s Neighbourhood Weekender, and headlined Coventry’s Godiva Festival.
Indie Til I Die Tour (2024)
The band announced their studio return in 2024, sparking international anticipation among fans. Late in the year, they played two concerts alongside The Subways and The Holloways as part of Radio X’s ‘Indie til I Die’ tour.
The Enemy UK Tour (2025)
For late 2025, The Enemy planned several UK performances supported by selected summer festival appearances and a prominent outdoor event in Newcastle. This tour will also introduce new songs, offering a preview of their forthcoming fifth studio album.
Styles and influences
The Enemy’s music often explores themes of camaraderie and societal issues, drawing inspiration from groups such as The Sway, 6 Times, The Jam, and The Libertines. Tom Clarke highlights The Clash and Oasis as significant influences that have shaped both the band’s sound and internal relationships.
Line-up
- Tom Clarke – lead vocals, guitar, piano, string arrangements on records
- Andy Hopkins – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Liam Watts – drums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Indie | IRE | SCO | ||||||
| We'll Live and Die in These Towns |
|
1 | — | 63 | 1 |
| |||
| Music for the People |
|
2 | — | 41 | 2 |
| |||
| Streets in the Sky |
|
9 | 3 | — | 2 | ||||
| It's Automatic |
|
21 | 5 | — | 9 | ||||
| "—" indicates an album that either did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | |||||||||
Singles
| Track Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Positions | Certifications | Corresponding Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Rock | POL | SCO | ||||||
| "40 Days and 40 Nights" | 2006 | — | — | — | — | We'll Live and Die in These Towns | |||
| "It's Not OK" | 2007 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Away from Here" | 8 | — | 43 | 5 |
| ||||
| "Had Enough" | 4 | — | — | 3 | |||||
| "You're Not Alone" | 18 | — | — | 13 | |||||
| "We'll Live and Die in These Towns" | 21 | — | — | 12 | |||||
| "This Song Is About You" | 2008 | 41 | — | — | 6 | ||||
| "No Time for Tears" | 2009 | 16 | — | — | 3 | Music for the People | |||
| "Sing When You're in Love" | 122 | – | — | 9 | |||||
| "Be Somebody" | 193 | — | — | — | |||||
| "Gimme the Sign" | 2012 | — | 35 | — | — | Streets in the Sky | |||
| "Saturday" | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Like a Dancer" | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "This Is Real" | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "It's Automatic" | 2015 | — | — | — | — | It's Automatic | |||
| A dash ("—") signifies the track did not chart or was not released in that market. | |||||||||
Music videos
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2006 | "40 Days and 40 Nights" |
| "It's Not OK" | |
| 2007 | "Away from Here" |
| "Had Enough" | |
| 2008 | "We'll Live and Die in These Towns" |
| "You're Not Alone" | |
| "This Song Is About You" | |
| 2009 | "No Time for Tears" |
| "Sing When You're in Love" | |
| "Be Somebody" (live) | |
| 2011 | "1-2-3-4" (acoustic) |
| 2012 | "Saturday" |
| "Gimme the Sign" | |
| "Like a Dancer" | |
| 2015 | "It's Automatic" |
Music industry awards
- Q Awards – Best New Act (October 2007)
- XFM Awards – Best British Debut Album (January 2008)
- NME Awards – Best New Band (February 2008)
The Enemy – Tour Dates for 2025
Friday, 30 May – Trentham Gardens Friday, 18 July – Times Square, Newcastle Saturday, 19 July – Godney Gathering Festival Friday, 1 August – AppFest, Tewkesbury Saturday, 23 August – O2 Academy Bournemouth Friday, 10 October – O2 Academy, Oxford Saturday, 11 October – Dreamland, Margate Thursday, 16 October – University Great Hall, Cardiff Friday, 17 October – Electric Ballroom, London Saturday, 18 October – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton Thursday, 23 October – Limelight, Belfast Saturday, 25 October – The Dome, Liverpool Thursday, 30 October – Leadmill, Sheffield Friday, 31 October – Beckett SU, Leeds Saturday, 1 November – New Century, Manchester Thursday, 6 November – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow Friday, 7 November – Asylum, Hull Saturday, 8 November – Rock City, Nottingham Thursday, 13 November – Portobello Town Hall, Edinburgh (EH6 Festival) Friday, 14 November – HMV Empire, Coventry Saturday, 15 November – HMV Empire, Coventry