Theaudience
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Studio album, singles, music videos |
theaudience (presented in lowercase as theaudience) was a London-based English rock ensemble formed in 1996. They produced a single studio album and saw three of their singles enter the UK Singles Chart. Following the group's dissolution, lead singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor went on to establish a successful solo career.
History
Guitarist Billy Reeves, previously associated with the indie band Congregation, initiated theaudience. The group’s roster featured frontwoman Ellis-Bextor, drummer and producer "Patch" Hannan (formerly of The Sundays), keyboard player Nigel Butler (ex-The Bridge), guitarist Dean Mollett (ex-Porcupine), and bassist Kerin Smith. Their debut album, self-titled, garnered positive reviews and peaked at number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, with two singles reaching the Top 40.
In December 1998, Reeves exited the band. Subsequently, the remaining members composed and recorded demos for over 30 tracks intended for a follow-up album. However, Mercury Records declined this second effort, resulting in the band being dropped from the label and ultimately disbanding in 1999. Approximately half of these unreleased songs surfaced online unofficially and were later compiled in a fan-created bootleg named Quiet Storm in 2009.
Afterward, Ellis-Bextor pursued a solo path centered on mainstream dance-pop music, gaining notable recognition through her 2000 collaboration with Spiller on "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)".
Discography
Theaudience's official releases consist of one studio album, four singles, and four accompanying music videos. The track Keep In Touch was considered as a potential fifth single.
Between 1998 and 1999, the band recorded 33 full demos for their planned second album; more than half have been circulated as unofficial bootlegs. Among these, Out With The Old School was featured on the NME compilation "Wicked Women" towards the end of 1998.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK | ||
| Theaudience | 22 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||
| "I Got the Wherewithal" | 1997 | 170 | theaudience |
| "If You Can't Do It When You're Young; When Can You Do It?" | 1998 | 48 | |
| "A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed" | 1998 | 27 | |
| "I Know Enough (I Don't Get Enough)" | 1998 | 25 |