KEANE (Alternative/Piano Rock)

(Thanks to Kaleid)

Keane are an English rock band, first established in Battle, East Sussex in 1995, taking their current name in 1997. The group comprises composer, bassist, and pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, lead vocalist Tom Chaplin and drummer Richard Hughes. Their original line-up included founder and guitarist Dominic Scott, who left in 2001. Keane are known for using a piano as their lead instrument instead of guitars, significantly differentiating them from most rock bands. The inclusion of a distorted piano effect since 2006 and various synthesizers are now a common feature in their music that nowadays combines the pure piano rock sound used during their first album and the alternative rock sound which developed during 2005. Acoustic and power ballads are also a highlight in the group's music and have evolved into many fan favourite songs such as "On a Day Like Today" and "We Might As Well Be Strangers".

Keane have cited bands such as The Beatles, U2, Oasis, R.E.M., The Smiths, Radiohead, Queen, a-ha, Marty Wilde, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys and Paul Simon as influences. The band has been known as "the band with no guitars", due to its heavily piano-based sound. By using delay and distortion effects on their piano sound, they often create sounds that aren't immediately recognisable as piano. Rice-Oxley said during an interview in Los Angeles that they tend to think piano-related music is boring and what they really wanted to do was try something different. He referred to the piano as an odd instrument to form part of a rock band instrumentation, comparing it to The Beatles' set of instruments. Rice-Oxley's aforementioned distortion piano has set most of Keane's multifaceted style, varying from hip-hop on "Dirtylicious" to house on "Tyderian".

During their early years most songs were about love or broken relationships (most notably "She Has No Time" and "On a Day Like Today"). However, other themes — including the relationship between Rice-Oxley and Chaplin — have emerged in more recent compositions. Other themes have been explored; for example, "Is It Any Wonder?" and "A Bad Dream" are both about war.

Keane's first two studio albums, Hopes and Fears and Under the Iron Sea achieved great success in the United Kingdom upon release and very high sales worldwide: their multi-award-winning debut was the best-selling British album of 2004 and their follow-up sold 222,297 copies during its first week on sale in June 2006.

In a March 2007 video interview, Chaplin and Hughes spoke of wanting to take a more "organic" approach on album three, but played down guitar suggestions, referring to it as "a fun part of the live set" at present; however, their cover of "She Sells Sanctuary", became the first song recorded since "The Happy Soldier" (2001) including the instrument.

Tracks mentioned for the third album in a recent Q Magazine interview include "Perfect Symmetry", "Black Burning Heart" and "Playing Along". Recording sessions have recently taken place in Paris and Berlin, with new bassist and guitarist Jesse Quinn. A tentative release date has been given as September 2008.


Members:
* Tim Rice-Oxley – piano, keyboards, bass, backing vocals, lead vocals (before 1997)
* Tom Chaplin – lead vocals, live keyboards, organ, acoustic guitar (before 2003; used since 2006 in live performances)
* Richard Hughes – drums, live backing vocals

Former member:
* Dominic Scott – electric guitar, keyboard, lead vocals (1995–1997), backing vocals (1997–2001)

Member for live performances:
* Jesse Quin - bass, electric guitar (2007 - )




Discography

Studio albums:
* Hopes and Fears (May 10, 2004) UK#1
Hopes and Fears is the debut album by English piano rock band Keane and was released on May 10, 2004 in the United Kingdom. It topped the UK album charts upon release, was the best selling British album of 2004, and has since gone eight times platinum. It returned to the top of the charts after winning a BRIT Award for Best Album in February 2005. With almost six million copies sold, it has been ranked the 16th biggest-selling album of the millennium so far in the UK.
* Under the Iron Sea (June 12, 2006) UK#1
Under the Iron Sea is the second studio album by English piano rock band Keane, released in 2006. During its first week on sale in the UK, the album went to #1, selling 222,297 copies according to figures from the Official Chart Company. In the United States, the album came in at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling 75,702 units in its first week. As of January 22, the album had sold above 2,500,000 copies worldwide.

Live albums:
* Live recordings 2004 (May 3, 2005)

Singles:
Singles
Pre-Hopes and Fears
* Call Me What You Like (February 2000)
* Wolf at the Door (June 2001)
* Everybody's Changing (May 12, 2003)
* This is the Last Time (October 13, 2003)
Hopes and Fears era
* Somewhere Only We Know (February 16, 2004)
* Everybody's Changing (May 3, 2004)
* Bedshaped (August 16, 2004)
* This Is the Last Time (November 22, 2004)
* The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore (April 20, 2005)
* Bend and Break (July 25, 2005)
Under the Iron Sea era
* Atlantic (April 24, 2006)
* Is It Any Wonder? (May 29, 2006)
* Crystal Ball (August 21, 2006)
* Nothing in My Way (October 30, 2006)
* Try Again (January 12, 2007)
* A Bad Dream (January 22, 2007)
* The Night Sky (December 11, 2007)


Awards:

2004 Q Awards Best Album "Hopes and Fears"
2004 Premios Onda (Spain) Best International Band
2004 Ivor Novello Composers of the Year Tim Rice-Oxley
2005 BRIT Awards Best Album "Hopes and Fears"
2005 BRIT Awards Best Breakthrough Act
2006 GQ Awards Band of the Year