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==History==
==History==
=== Early years: 2007–2008 ===
=== Early years: 2007–2008 ===
Mumford & Sons were formed in October 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. A handful of similar bands increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label "West London folk scene". Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in general area at the time. In an interview with the ''[[Herald Sun]]'', Marcus Mumford said, "It's not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it's certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It's a community, not a scene. It's not exclusive."<ref name=Betts>Betts, Marianne (25 March 2010). [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/music/mumford-sons-have-taken-australia-by-storm/story-e6frf9hf-1225845393954 "Mumford & Sons have taken Australia by storm"]. ''Herald Sun''. Retrieved 24 January 2011.</ref>
Mumford & Sons were formed in October 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. A handful of similar bands increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label "West London folk scene". Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in general area at the time. In an interview with the ''[[Herald Sun]]'', Marcus Mumford said, "It's not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it's certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It's a community, not a scene. It's not exclusive. SO BACK OFF, OWEN!"<ref name=Betts>Betts, Marianne (25 March 2010). [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/music/mumford-sons-have-taken-australia-by-storm/story-e6frf9hf-1225845393954 "Mumford & Sons have taken Australia by storm"]. ''Herald Sun''. Retrieved 24 January 2011.</ref>


In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from [[Alessi's Ark]], [[Sons of Noel and Adrian]], [[Peggy Sue (band)|Peggy Sue]], Pete Roe, The Cutaway and others. They were longlisted for the BBC's [[Sound of 2009]].<ref name="bbcsound"/> Mumford also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude toward Mumford & Sons audiences.<ref name=Betts/>
In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from [[Alessi's Ark]], [[Sons of Noel and Adrian]], [[Peggy Sue (band)|Peggy Sue]], Pete Roe, The Cutaway and others. They were longlisted for the BBC's [[Sound of 2009]].<ref name="bbcsound"/> Mumford also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude toward Mumford & Sons audiences.<ref name=Betts/>

Revision as of 06:47, 21 February 2011

Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons are an English folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (vocals, guitar, drums, mandolin), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, accordion, drums), "Country" Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro), and Ted Dwane (vocals, string bass, drums). Although the band members have claims on certain instruments, they switch instruments during live shows according to convenience, for they each play a variety of instruments. The band formed in October 2007, rising out of what some in the media labelled the "West London folk scene" with other artists such as Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn and Noah and the Whale.

The band has often supported Laura Marling at concerts, while their association with Noah and the Whale can be traced back to St Paul's School, Barnes and King's College School, Wimbledon. Mumford and Lovett attended King's College School alongside Noah and the Whale bassist Matt Owens, while Marshall attended St Paul's School along with Charlie Fink, lead singer of Noah and the Whale.

The band's debut album, Sigh No More, was released in the United Kingdom in October 2009, and February 2010 in the United States. On 1 December 2010, the band received two Grammy Award nominations, one for Best New Artist and the other for Best Rock Song ("Little Lion Man"). They won the Brit Award in 2011 for Best British Album.

History

Early years: 2007–2008

Mumford & Sons were formed in October 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. A handful of similar bands increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label "West London folk scene". Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, "It's not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it's certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It's a community, not a scene. It's not exclusive. SO BACK OFF, OWEN!"[1]

In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessi's Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue, Pete Roe, The Cutaway and others. They were longlisted for the BBC's Sound of 2009.[2] Mumford also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude toward Mumford & Sons audiences.[1]

Mumford & Sons' first project was an EP entitled Love Your Ground which took a year to complete and was released in November 2008 on Chess Club Records.[3] Having developed in West London's folk movement of the late 2000's, they are akin to artists such as Noah and the Whale, Johnny Flynn, and Laura Marling, the last for which Marcus Mumford moonlights as the drummer.[4]

Sigh No More: 2009–present

Throughout 2008 and into 2009, Mumford & Sons performed in small to moderate venues in the UK and US, exposing audiences to the material that would eventually become Sigh No More. It finally recorded the material with Markus Dravs, who has produced albums with artists such as Arcade Fire. The band self-financed the album to avoid the artistic and technical compromises sometimes befalling studio-financed projects.[1] Mumford also toured again in support of Laura Marling in 2009, and Mumford & Sons were contributing musicians to her 2010 album I Speak Because I Can.[2][1]

In August 2009, Mumford & Sons signed a licensing deal to Island Records in the UK, to Dew Process in Australia and New Zealand, to Glassnote Records in North America and Cooparative Music in the rest of the world, and through its own label Gentlemen of the Road; its debut album was released on 5 October 2009. "Little Lion Man" was the lead single. Dew Process boss Paul Piticco signed the band after having seen it at a US gig in 2009 and having appreciated its "honest" approach and unique sound.[1]

Dave Berry of XFM made it his record of the week, and in another interview with the band, Berry said "Screw 'of the week', it's my favourite track of the year". BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe made "Little Lion Man" his "Reaction Record" on 27 July 2009,[5] before naming it the "Hottest Record in the World" the following evening.[6] In an interview during the show, Marcus confirmed the album would be titled "Sigh No More," from the name of a track on the album.

As of February 2011, Sigh No More has sold over 815,000 copies in the United States.[7]

In a March 2010 interview, Ray Davies announced that Mumford & Sons will be appearing on his forthcoming collaborations album.[8] Marcus confirmed this in an interview the same month, stating, "I am more excited about that than I have been about anything before in my life".[1] Mumford & Sons performed the track "Days/This Time Tomorrow" along with Davies on 12 February 2010 on Later... with Jools Holland.[9]

In December 2010, the band earned Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rock Song ("Little Lion Man"). In February 2011 they won a Brit Award for British Album of the Year with Sigh No More.

Live shows

Mumford & Sons is noted for energetic live performances in which band members juggle varying setlists and exchange musical instruments. In interviews, they express attraction to a culture of personal connection with audience members and "downsizing".[1] The band members have stated many times that live gigs are by far their favourite part of the music experience, and that they strive for a lively, inclusive atmosphere.

In their first performance on US network television, the band played its hit "Little Lion Man" on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman on 17 February 2010. This appearance was followed by a performance of "The Cave" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on 26 February 2010.[10]

Mumford & Sons' Autumn 2010 tour sold out more than twenty venues across the United States and Canada. In 2011 Mumford & Sons' performed "The Cave" live at the 2011 Grammy Awards and on February 15th 2011 they performed "Timshel" at the Brit Awards 2011.

Musical style and influences

Much of Mumford & Sons' lyrical content has a strong literary influence, its debut album name deriving from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The track "Sigh No More" includes lines from the play such as Serve God love me and mend and One foot in sea and one on shore. The song "Roll Away Your Stone" is influenced by Macbeth.[11] "You can rip off Shakespeare all you like; no lawyer's going to call you up on that one," Mumford said in an interview.[11]

Both "Timshel" and "Dust Bowl Dance" draw heavily from the John Steinbeck novels East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath, respectively. Mumford, in an interview, even compared touring to a Steinbeck adventure: "[Steinbeck] talked about how a journey is a thing of its own, and you can't plan it or predict it too much because that suffocates the life out it. That's kind of what touring is like. Even though there's a structure — you know what towns you're going to, and that you'll be playing a gig — pretty much anything can happen." Mumford also in his spare time runs an online book club on the band's official web site.[12]

Use in media

  • "After the Storm" was featured in the closing scenes of the Stargate Universe episode "Intervention".
  • "Thistle and Weeds" was featured in the Grey's Anatomy episode "With You I'm Born Again".
  • "White Blank Page" was featured in the closing scenes of the Grey's Anatomy episode "Shock To The System."
  • "Awake My Soul" was used on the Fox promos for Lone Star.
  • "Awake My Soul" was featured in the closing scene of the MTV series World of Jenks episode "Can't Make Me Be".
  • "The Cave" was featured on the pilot episode of Lone Star, was used by the BBC as cover music for the montage of the 2010 Summer drama schedule and was featured on the E4 drama Skins in Episode 1 of Series 4.
  • "The Cave" was featured in various commercials for The Barclays Premier League on ESPN during the 2010-2011 season
  • "Sigh No More" was featured in the closing scenes of the My Generation episode "Home Movies" and in Series 2 of the British drama Being Human.
  • "Timshel" was featured on season seven of One Tree Hill episode "All The Things I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You...".
  • "Roll Away Your Stone" was used in a trailer for the upcoming movie "Rango", starring Johnny Depp as the voice of Rango a lizard.

Discography

Main article: Mumford & Sons discography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Betts, Marianne (25 March 2010). "Mumford & Sons have taken Australia by storm". Herald Sun. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b "BBC Sound of 2009: Mumford & Sons". BBC News. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  3. ^ "London - Radio - Mumford and Sons". BBC. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  4. ^ Walker, Tim (28 July 2008). "Mumford & Sons, The Luminaire, London". The Independent. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  5. ^ Lowe, Zane (27 July 2009). "Tracklisting – Monday 27th July". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  6. ^ Lowe, Zane (28 July 2009). "Tracklisting – Monday 28th July". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  7. ^ Martens, Todd; Flint, Joe (15 February 2011). "Grammy Awards: Grammy show a sales winner for performers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  8. ^ Uricheck, Mark (15 March 2010). "THE MUSICIAN'S VOICE: A Chat With The Legendary Ray Davies". Themusiciansvoice.blogspot.com. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  9. ^ BBC - Later live... with Jools Holland: Ray Davies & Mumford and Sons - Days / This Time Tomorrow Retrieved 26 November 2010
  10. ^ "Mumford And Sons censor 'Little Lion Man' for David Letterman". NME. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  11. ^ a b Pearson, Rick (9 November 2009). "The bookshop band Mumford & Sons". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  12. ^ Mumford & Sons set up 'Richard & Judy'-style book club NME Retrieved December 23, 2010
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