Haven (band)

Haven were an English indie rock band, formed in Cornwall in 1996. The band consisted of singer Gary Briggs, guitarist Nathan Wason, bassist Iwan Gronow and drummer Jack Mitchell. Originally called Blew, their new name was taken from a local Haven Holidays resort.[1]

This article is about the English indie rock band. For the American Christian metal band, see Haven (American band).

Haven
Haven at The Garage, Islington, London, in March 2006
Background information
OriginPenzance, Cornwall, England
GenresIndie rock
Years active1996–2005
LabelsVirgin
Associated actsJohnny Marr, Freebass, Ben Howard
Past membersGary Briggs
Nathan Wason
Iwan Gronow
Tom Lewis
Jack Mitchell

Career

The band formed after Gary Briggs moved to Cornwall and met Nathan Wason in a record shop in Penzance.[2] After recruiting drummer Tom Lewis and London born Iwan Gronow, the band moved to Manchester in 1999[3] after being discovered by the former Smiths' manager Joe Moss set them up with a regular slot at The Night and Day Café.[1] In 2001, drummer Tom Lewis left the band and was replaced by Manchester drummer Jack Mitchell.[4] Through Moss's Smiths connections they also played support slots for Johnny Marr's band The Healers, and others including Badly Drawn Boy.[1] The band's first release was the Til The End EP in May 2001, with further singles following, including the top-75 UK hit "Let It Live" and their top-30 breakthrough "Say Something".[1] Their debut album, Between The Senses, was released in February 2002, and reached No. 26 in the UK Albums Chart.[1] A second album was released in 2004, and the band constantly remained on tour. Their record label merged with another and the band were asked to record a third album. However, with the deadline set soon after the tour, Haven did not manage to record enough material to complete what the label wanted. They were subsequently released from their recording contract, and the band split up.

Following the split, Iwan Gronow and Jack Mitchell joined Manchester band Mutineers and went on to play as the rhythm section in Johnny Marr's live band.[5] Gary Briggs and Nat Wason formed the short lived band The Strays. Briggs was also recruited as the lead singer for the Peter Hook/Mani project Freebass[6] before going on to work on courses run for musicians. Wason was the guitarist in Peter Hook and The Light from 2010 to 2013 and is currently a member of A Blaze Of Feathers with singer-songwriter Ben Howard, having toured as part of his backing band for several years.[7]

In 2012, a comprehensive biography of the band was published by Matador Books.[8]

Band members
  • Gary Briggs - vocals, guitar
  • Nat Wason - guitar
  • Iwan Gronow - bass
  • Tom Lewis - drums
  • Rebecca ‘Reb’ Fitzpatrick - drums
  • Jack Mitchell - drums

Discography

Albums
  • Between the Senses (February 2002) Radiate/Virgin - No. 26 UK
  • All for a Reason (March 2004) [9]

Singles
  • Til the End EP (May 2001)
  • "Beautiful Thing" (July 2001)
  • "Let It Live" (September 2001) No. 72 UK
  • "Say Something" (January 2002) No. 24 UK
  • "Til the End" (April 2002) No. 28 UK
  • "Let It Live" (June 2002)
  • "Tell Me" (July 2003)
  • "Wouldn't Change a Thing" (March 2004) No. 57 UK [9]

References
  1. Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p.783
  2. "CMJ New Music Report". 12 August 2002.
  3. "HAVEN at Pride Of Manchester".
  4. "Johnny Marr And Haven". Johnny Marr plays guitar. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011.
  5. "Mutineers". Myspace.
  6. "Freebass — Peter Hook, Mani, Andy Rourke — releases debut album, 'It's a Beautiful Life'". slicing up eyeballs // 80s alternative music, college rock, indie.
  7. "A Blaze of Feather - Meet the people behind the mysterious new band (exclusive)".
  8. "Between the Lines - A History of Haven - Matador Non-Fiction - Mary O'Meara". Troubador.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  9. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 246. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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