Friendly Fires (band) life and biography

Friendly Fires are an indie band formed in 2006 in St Albans, United Kingdom. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008, and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.

The band consists of Ed MacFarlane (vocals), Edd Gibson (guitar) and Jack Savidge (drums). The name Friendly Fires originates from the opening track of the Section 25 LP Always Now. The band consider German techno label Kompakt, Carl Craig and Prince to be their greatest influences. The band released their second album, “Pala”, was released on 16 May 2011. According to the Pala Songfacts, the title Pala is a reference to the doomed utopia of English writer Aldous Huxley’s novel Island. Published in 1962, it is the account of Will Farnaby, a cynical journalist who is shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala, where parrots whisper uplifting messages to the islanders.

Formed out of the ashes of First Day Back, the St Albans, United Kingdom hardcore band they formed while still at school, Friendly Fires make razor-sharp post-punk that burns through the memories of all the dismal, skinny jeaned ‘80s revivalists you’ve been hearing these past few years. Sounding brittle, knotty and urgent, Friendly Fires are the real deal. With no fat or padding on them at all, their songs possess an elegant sparseness. As guitarist Edd Gibson notes: “The hardest thing I think is to know what to leave out, to know when something is enough.” But amongst all the stripped-back twists, there are also moments full of deep, blissed-out melodies. “I love lush, massive, tingly chords; the My Bloody Valentine sound,” says bassist and singer Ed MacFarlane. On July 9, 2012 the band announced they are set to released a new album, but apparently under a different name.

Albums released:
Friendly Fires (2008)
Pala (2011)

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