We all know Bristol has an amazing music scene. From independent festivals and all-day gigs, to underground parties, open mic nights and even street busking; there’s always something for music fans to drool over in a BS postcode.
Sometimes, though, there’s a little too much choice. Which is perhaps why these five local acts failed to receive the attention they deserved before sadly deciding to call it quits.
You & the Atom Bomb
Formed through the University of Bristol in the mid-noughties, this angular indie pop outfit created utterly addictive, punk tinged goodness from the word go. You & the Atom Bomb released two albums, 'Shake Shake Hello?!' in 2006 and 'The Spirit of Things' in 2007, before silently breaking up a few years later.
Various band members have since reprised their musical role through projects such as Glis Glis and Bravo Brave Bats. However, Bristol is yet to discover the same joyous 'sleepeasy' delirium it felt under You & the Atom Bomb’s rule.
Strangelove
Patrick Duff is now a permanent fixture on the Bristol scene, but before he went solo he performed alongside his band, Strangelove. Confined to the '90s, the alt-rock four piece went so far as to support Radiohead and Suede on tour – but it wasn’t enough. They split shortly after the release of their self-titled third album.
Band members had previously performed in The Blue Aeroplanes and The Jazz Butcher, so it’s no surprise few packed away their instruments following Strangelove’s demise. Besides Duff’s solo career, notably Alex Lee has performed with Suede and Placebo.
New Rhodes
Brought to fame through an NME compilation, New Rhodes kicked up a sizeable fuss when they relocated from Bristol to London in 2004. Two years later, they released their indie debut album 'Songs From The Lodge' and toured the UK. It was a short-lived fame. The band announced their intention to split alongside a final headline slot at (what was then) The Fleece & Firkin in 2010.
Despite working with producers Paul Epworth, Ian Grimble and James Ford throughout their career, New Rhodes has yet to re-materialize on the scene.
Safetyword
Safetyword
Contemporaries of You & the Atom Bomb, Safetyword did confusing indie pop like no other band on the scene. Mixing a smorgasbord of styles and sounds – including kitchen utensils and stationary – the four-piece released no less than eight albums in four short years, before things unravelled in 2008 when band members moved away from the city.
They were admittedly popular on the local scene, but that doesn’t excuse their failure to take on the UK as a whole. Until recently, band member Stephen Kerrison performed under the name of Zun Zun Egui.
Sleeping States
Another band to relocate to London; Sleeping States were originally Bristol based and signed to Bella Union. The project of singer songwriter Markland Starkie, with a bunch of albums under his belt, he brought DIY punk and experimental music to the fore throughout his career.
Although Sleeping States have yet to officially break up, things have been very quiet since 2009's 'In the Gardens of the North'.