The High
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Manchester, England |
| Founder | John Matthews |
| Headquarters | Manchester , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The High are a rock band originating from Manchester, England, known for their fusion of alternative rock with elements inspired by 1960s pop and psychedelic guitar sounds.
History
Established in 1989 by John Matthews, previously the vocalist for Turning Blue, The High featured former Buzzcocks F.O.C. members Andy Couzens on guitar (who had also played with The Stone Roses), Simon Davies handling bass duties, and drummer Chris Goodwin, who had experience with Waterfront and Inspiral Carpets. They secured a contract with London Records, a label recognized for its roster of baggy and Madchester artists such as Flowered Up. Their debut album, Somewhere Soon, was released in 1990 and peaked at number 59 on the UK Albums Chart. That year, the band achieved three modest hits on the UK Singles Chart and in 1991 reached the top 30 with a reworked version of their first single, "Box Set Go," produced by Martin Hannett.
In 1991, London Records was penalized £50,000 by the BPI due to allegations of chart manipulation linked to the single "More," casting doubts on artificially boosted chart rankings. As the Madchester movement waned amid growing attention to emerging dance music and grunge genres, subsequent releases from The High failed to chart, culminating in their disbandment in 1993.
Afterward, John Matthews and Chris Goodwin collaborated with Manchester musicians Stephen Fitzpatrick and Carl Wolstenholme to form One Summer. This new group worked alongside Factory Records' A Certain Ratio and recorded a demo before Factory Records entered administration.
Reformation
In early 2015, The High reunited with original members John Matthews and Andy Couzens, supplemented by Tony Meehan on bass, Jack Couzens on drums, and Richard Thomas on keyboards. Their comeback performance took place on 23 May 2015 as headliners at Manchester's Gigantic Festival held at Academy 2. Since then, they have performed multiple headline concerts.
Recent work
June 2016 marked the release of their first single in a quarter-century titled "Kiss the Sun," issued through their independent label Thin Line Productions. That same month saw Warner Brothers re-release their debut album Somewhere Soon, while plans were announced for a new album slated for early 2017.
Drummer Jack Couzens departed in 2016 due to scheduling issues and was succeeded by Scott Parkinson. Additionally, The High contributed to Jon Savage's compilation Perfect Motion - Jon Savage's Secret History of Second-Wave Psychedelia 1988-93.
In 2020, they unveiled The Martin Hannett Sessions, comprising previously unreleased demo recordings, as part of Record Store Day celebrations.
Albums
| Year | Album | Label | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Somewhere Soon | London Records | 59 |
| 1992 | Hype | — | |
| 2020 | The Martin Hannett Sessions | Vinyl Revival | — |
| "—" indicates titles that did not enter the charts. | |||
Singles
| Year | Single | UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Box Set Go" | 28 |
| "Up and Down" | 53 | |
| "Take Your Time" | 56 | |
| 1991 | "More..." | 67 |
| 1992 | "Better Left Untold" | — |
| 1993 | "Sweet Liberty" | — |
| "—" indicates singles that failed to chart. | ||