:: oceancolourtheme :: the band part 2

During early 1996, the hype machine began to go into overdrive for Ocean Colour Scene, as Gallagher proclaimed them the best band in Britain in several interviews and Chris Evans, a DJ on BBC's Radio 1, constantly played Ocean Colour Scene's comeback single "The Riverboat Song," essentially using it as his theme song. "The Riverboat Song" entered the charts at number 15 early in 1996. Moseley Shoals, the band's second album, was released in April of 1996, unexpectedly entering the charts at number two. The album was a fixture in the British Top 10 throughout 1996, spending six months total in the upper regions of the charts. Two subsequent singles from the record, "You've Got it Bad" and "The Day We Caught the Train," reached the Top 10 and the album continued to sell strongly throughout 1996, going multi-platinum in the UK. To this day, it has sold over 1 million copies world-wide. Ocean Colour Scene also became a popular live attraction in Britain, selling out concerts during their summer tour. Moseley Shoals was released in America during the summer, but it failed to make much of an impact in the US.

As the band was working on their third album, Ocean Colour Scene released the B-sides compilation 'B-Sides: Seaside’s & Freeride's' in March 1997. By the late summer they had completed the album and had released "Hundred Mile City" as a single; it debuted at number two on the UK charts. Marchin' Already, OCS's third album, was released in September 1997 and it debuted at number one in the UK, knocking Oasis' Be Here Now off the top slot.

Ocean Colour Scene released their fourth album, One From The Modern, in September of 1999. Although, in comparison to the previous two releases, the album fared disappointingly in terms of chart position, it has sold steadily, turning gold soon after its release. The band have continued to tour, playing at a number of festivals during the summer of 2000 and enjoying a successful full UK tour during spring 2001. Following recording sessions in North Wales and London in addition to their Moseley Shoals studio, this coincided with the release of a fifth full album, 'Mechanical Wonder', Unlike “One from the Modern” which was overworked, taking nine months to complete, the band took three months off in Wales to do most of their recording, although this charted at a disappointing number 7 despite critical acclaim and being the bands most reflective record, full of the kind of maturity and depth that can only come from their experience and history.

After a relatively quiet time since then, and having changed record labels from Universal to Sanctuary, just a short acoustic tour from Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison in November 2002, taking in smaller venues, and producing a limited edition album “Live on the Riverboat”. They are now back with a vengeance, a New Album ‘North Atlantic Drift’ was released in early July, the first single from the album ‘I Just need Myself’ placing 14th in the Charts, which followed with much needed appearances on ‘Top of the Pops’ and ‘So Graham Norton’.
Accompanied by a full 29 date tour in September and taking in the UK, Ireland and Scotland, the bands could be seen to be going from strength to strength, dissapointing sales of the second single ‘Make the Deal’ and the ‘bombshell’ of Damon Minchella’s departure after 14 years in December has put a damper on that.

The summer of 2004 was spent with festival appearances which won critical acclaim, and the release of a live CD on the back of this, entitled ‘One for the Road’ complete with the new five strong live band line-up, Dan Seeley on Bass and Andy Smith on Guitar giving the band a fuller sound.
The New Studio album was written and recorded in the early part of the year up in a shooting lodge in Scotland, this is due for release in February/March 2005.

There is a lot more to come from the Simon, Steve, and Oscar. The Hyperactive Workout album is very good and marks a return to form for them, receiving rave reviews, although this did not translate into record sales, after Sanctuary, the record label, did not promote the singles and album as much as they could have. This left the band in a unfortunate state, where they wanted to record a new album but did’nt feel they could rely on the support of the Label. In October 2005, the band had an acrimonous split with Sanctuary to form their own label entitled ‘Moseley Shoals Records’, now, finally, the band will be in charge of their own destiny, this is an exciting new chapter in Ocean Colour Scene’s history. Onwards and Upwards.

Sections © Tom Broughton