David Gray (musician)

David Gray

Gray performing in Redmond, Washington,
9 December 2010
Background information
Born (1968-06-13) 13 June 1968[1]
Sale, Greater Manchester, England
Genres Rock, folk rock, folktronica
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano & keyboards, harmonica
Years active 1992–present
Labels Hut, IHT, Polydor, MapleMusic Recordings (Canada), Kobalt[2]
Website davidgray.com

David Gray (born 13 June 1968) is an English singer-songwriter.[3][4] Gray released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later. It was the first of three UK chart-toppers in six years for Gray, the latter two of which also made the Top 17 in the US. White Ladder became the fifth best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.[5] Gray has been nominated for four Brit Awards – twice for Best British Male.[6]

Career

Early life and career

Gray was born in Sale, Greater Manchester and grew up in Altrincham before moving with his family to Solva, Pembrokeshire. He went on to attend the Carmarthenshire College of Art. He later attended the Liverpool School of Art.

Gray's first two albums A Century Ends and Flesh were issued in 1993 and 1994 respectively and led to Gray becoming popular in folk-rock circles, but both failed in terms of commercial sales.[7] In 1996 Gray released his third album, Sell, Sell, Sell. With his first two albums having been entirely composed of acoustic folk music, this album used his now-trademark blend of folk, alternative rock and electronics for the first time. Despite critical acclaim, the album did not chart, but the song "Late Night Radio" received some airplay on alternative UK radio stations. On the 1997 Mary Black album Shine, Gray contributed five songs.

1998–2002: White Ladder and rise to fame

The re-release of Gray's fourth record album, White Ladder, in 2000 on ATO Records, brought him commercial success and critical attention.[8] The album included his best-known songs: "This Year's Love", "Babylon", "Please Forgive Me" and "Sail Away". White Ladder was originally released on Gray's own label IHT Records in November 1998.[9] After its re-release, combined with the release and success of single "Babylon," it sold 100,000 copies in Ireland alone, making it number one for six weeks,[10] and it remains the biggest-selling album in Ireland.[11] In August 2000, "Babylon" hit No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart; it remains his biggest UK hit to date. In the United States, the album received a boost from jam-band leader Dave Matthews, who made it the first release by ATO Records, the record company he co-founded. "Babylon" was also the first of three US chart entries for Gray to date.

Gray performing an acoustic set on 17 August 2003

The album was No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, two years and five months after its original release,[12] spending a total of 151 weeks on the chart.[13] Aside from "Please Forgive Me," which charted at No. 72 on the UK Singles Chart, all other single releases charted within the Top 20:[13] the re-released "Please Forgive Me" charted at #18, and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" and "Sail Away" peaked at #26.

The year 2001 also saw the release of two compilation albums of Gray's early works and unreleased material, The EPs 1992-1994 and Lost Songs 95-98, both of which followed White Ladder into the Top 20 in the UK Albums Chart.

In November 2002, Gray released the follow-up to White Ladder, entitled A New Day at Midnight. The new release did not receive the same critical acclaim as its predecessor, but still went straight in at Number One, famously beating Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates's debut album What My Heart Wants to Say to the summit and selling nearly 150,000 copies in its first week of release; it went on to reach platinum status within a year, eventually being certified four times platinum overall, and was the second-biggest selling album by a UK artist in 2002, behind Pop Idol winner Will Young's debut album From Now On. A New Day at Midnight spawned two further UK Top 30 hits in "The Other Side" and "Be Mine" and a minor US hit with "Dead in the Water".

Recent career

Gray and his band performing in 2006

After a three-year hiatus which saw him wind down his recording and touring schedule due to exhaustion, Gray returned with his seventh album, Life in Slow Motion, in September 2005, which, like its predecessor, also hit the top of the UK album chart in its first week of release. After the much-criticised A New Day at Midnight, Life in Slow Motion was hailed as a return to form by many critics. Lead single "The One I Love" was a Top 10 hit in the UK in October 2005 and spent three months in the UK chart. Following the relative commercial failure of follow-up singles "Hospital Food" and "Alibi", Gray again went into hiatus during 2006.

In March 2007, Gray released the compilation album Shine: The Best of the Early Years. On 7 July 2007, Gray performed with Damien Rice at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium in London. Gray released a compilation CD of live covers entitled A Thousand Miles Behind exclusively through his official website on 8 October 2007 on CD and digital download. On 13 November 2007, Gray released a Greatest Hits album which includes many of his best known songs as well as two new songs, including the lead single "You're the World to Me."

On 28 May 2009, Gray announced that his new album, entitled Draw the Line, would be released on 14 September 2009 in the UK and on 22 September in the United States. The album features guest appearances by Annie Lennox and Jolie Holland. The album's first single "Fugitive" was released on 7 September 2009. An expansive worldwide tour coincides. On 19 September 2009, Gray performed his self-proclaimed first pool-side concert at the Rooftop Pool at The Colonnade Hotel in Boston for the Mix 104.1 End of Summer Bash. Gray performed songs from the new album, including "Fugitive," "Draw the Line," and "Jackdaw".

In an interview for an issue of Hot Press released on 3 December 2009, Gray revealed to Jackie Hayden that he was working on his next album, Foundling. Gray also revealed that one of the tracks will be called "The Old Chair." According to Gray, "It features just a drum kit and me on my Steinway piano. It's very quiet." Originally, Foundling was to be released on 14 September 2010 in the United States. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Gray reiterated that it would be released in September 2010. However, it was released in the UK on 16 August 2010[14] and in the US on 17 August.[15] Foundling is a double album: the first CD consists of eleven new songs and the second bonus CD consists of eight previously unreleased songs. A ninth previously unreleased song is included when Foundling is ordered through the iTunes store.

David Gray inked a global agreement with Kobalt Label Services for the release of his new studio album "Mutineers. "We've been in conversation with Kobalt over the past year and as the record came together so has their team around the world," notes Gray’s manager Rob Holden. "We've seen the success they have had with their releases and are excited to partner with them for what promises to be an exhilarating new phase for IHT and David Gray." Mutineers, Gray's 10th studio album and his first in four years, was recorded at The Church Studios in London and produced by Andy Barlow (Lamb). It was released on 17 June 2014. Gray will support the new release with a North American tour through April and May, followed by an eight-date headline U.K. tour in June and July which includes a show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.[16]

2016: The Best of David Gray

Gray released a new compilation album, The Best of David Gray, on CD, Double CD and LP on 14 October 2016, featuring a selection of tracks from across his extensive back catalogue as well as two brand new tracks. The album, released in conjunction with IHT Records, has already been released as a dynamic playlist on Spotify that automatically changes shape every Monday. David Emery, VP Global Marketing Strategy, Kobalt Label Services, told MBW that the format would give Kobalt and Gray the opportunity to keep the artist’s 850,000-plus monthly listeners on Spotify engaged. He said, "We didn't just want to make a static playlist – Kobalt has the technology to create something special that changes and adapts with David Gray as an artist. We have noticed that the tracks that are most popular for [David Gray] change over time on Spotify, and a lot of that is driven by playlists. This provides the chance to see an instant reaction to new tracks, just as much as older tracks."[17][18]

Kobalt says that the "Best of David Gray Weekly" playlist benefits from its 'advanced proprietary software', which makes the most popular tracks from the artist more prominent as each week goes by. "This is ever-changing, and essentially controlled by how David Gray fans are listening to his music," he explained. "We’re not in control of it, [David]'s not in control of it and Spotify isn't in control of it: it's purely powered by popularity, and that's a fascinating thing." He added: "Kobalt Label Services sees ourselves as enabling things for our artists using technology, expertise and service. We’re not a consumer-facing brand, but they are. We’re here to power their careers. For an artist with such a great catalogue of massive hits like David Gray we wanted to take a step back and rethink what a Greatest Hits compilation should be in 2016."[17][18]

Gray commented, "What we have on our hands with 'The Best of David Gray Weekly' is an ever-evolving 'Best Of' that is different every week, every month, every year, every decade. The more you stream a track, any David Gray song, the higher in the playlist it appears." Chris Stoneman, Senior Account Manager, Spotify commented, “Spotify are thrilled to partner with Kobalt in helping artists use our data in new and original ways. In re-imagining the 'Best Of' album for the streaming age, they’ve provided a better experience for fans whilst creating opportunities for the artist."[17][18]

Musical direction

Gray's early music was in a contemporary folk-rock, singer-songwriter mode; his primary instrument was acoustic guitar, with occasional piano. 1996's Sell, Sell, Sell featured some rock arrangements and electric instrumentation. Starting with the release of White Ladder, Gray began to make significant use of computer-generated music to accompany his voice and acoustic instrumentation, a technique which differentiates him from many of his peers. A New Day at Midnight continued this direction, although lyrically it was darker in tone than White Ladder and the instrumentation much more downbeat. In the liner notes, Gray dedicated the album to his father, who died in 2001. Gray also provided vocals on the electronic-based band Orbital's 2001 single "Illuminate." Despite the move to more complex music, Gray has used small-scale, often home-based, recording methods and equipment and espoused a do-it-yourself approach to music production. However, 2005's Life in Slow Motion is a collaboration with the record producer, Marius de Vries.

Band

Former longterm band members:

Discography

Tours

Gray has been touring since 1993. Prior to his breakthrough album White Ladder in 1998, Gray had been the supporting act for the likes of Kirsty MacColl, Dave Matthews Band and Radiohead, He has had multiple tour dates in many different places such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.[19]

Personal life

Gray married his wife Olivia in Los Angeles, California in 1993,[20] and together they have had two daughters.[21] Gray is also the brother-in-law of Phil and Paul Hartnoll of Orbital.[22]

In 2011, a portrait of Gray was painted by British artist Joe Simpson. The painting was exhibited around the UK including at a solo exhibition at The Royal Albert Hall.

David Gray is a Manchester United fan.[23]

Venus in Furs

The fictional band Venus in Furs was formed in 1998 for the film Velvet Goldmine. (The band is named after the Velvet Underground song "Venus in Furs" whose title and lyrics in turn reference a novel of that name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.) Gray's drummer, Craig “Clune” McClune provided drums in the band which also included Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, Andy Mackay of Roxy Music and Bernard Butler of Suede.

References

  1. ↑ "Today in history". The New York Times. Associated Press. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Pakinkis, Tom. "David Gray signs new album to Kobalt Label Services". Musicweek.
  3. ↑ Charlotte Philby (5 September 2009). "My Secret Life: David Gray, musician, 41". The Independent.
  4. ↑ http://vision.ae/views/david_gray
  5. ↑ "James Blunt records the biggest selling album of decade". Press Office. BBC. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  6. ↑ David Gray BRITS Profile. BRIT Awards Ltd. Retrieved 29 January 2013
  7. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 399. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  8. ↑ "Biography". Official Community of David Gray. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "NME Album Reviews – White Ladder". NME. UK. 14 July 2000. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  10. ↑ Perrone, Pierre (16 April 2000). "The infinite shades of Gray". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  11. ↑ "Top 20: The best-selling albums in Irish history". The Daily Edge. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Gray Climbs 'Ladder' To No. 1 In The U.K.". Billboard.com.
  13. 1 2 "David Gray". Chart Stats. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  14. ↑ "Discography – DavidGray.com". Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  15. ↑ "Discography – DavidGray.com". Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  16. ↑ Brandle, Lars. "David Gray Inks Deal to Release 'Mutineers' Album, Debuts New Song". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 Ingham, Tim (18 August 2016). "Kobalt rethinks the 'greatest hits' album with dynamic David Gray 'Best Of'". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 Copsey, Rob (18 August 2016). "David Gray has re-imagined his new Best Of album for the streaming age". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  19. ↑ "Tour". Official Community of David Gray. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  20. ↑ Fine, Jason (2 May 2001). "A Brighter Shade of Gray". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  21. ↑ McCann, Fiona (8 August 2009). "A line under the ladder". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  22. ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (11 June 2001). "Tool Homage, David Gray Show Up On Orbital LP". MTV.com. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  23. ↑ "My Secret Life: David Gray, musician, 41". The Independent.

External links

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