Archive is a British band founded in 1994, whose music spans Electronic, Trip Hop, Avant-Garde, Post-Rock and Neo-Progressive Rock.
Fronted by Darius Keeler and Danny Griffiths, Archive released its first album, Londinium, in 1996; lead vocals were by Roya Arab and Rosko John. The style was influenced by Massive Attack's brand of Trip-Hop. The album received moderate critical acclaim, but tensions within the band resulted in a split later that year—according to some sources, said split happened mid-interview.
The band re-formed in 1997, this time using Suzanne Wooder as lead vocalist, and released its second album, Take My Head, two years later. It used electronica and beat loops to nice effects, but Wooder didn't stay in the band. Since then, Archive has released five more albums, You All Look The Same To Me in 2002, Noise in 2004, Lights in 2006, Controlling Crowds in 2009 and With Us Until You're Dead in 2012. The general evolution of the band's music has been away from Trip-Hop and towards Progressive Rock.
Discography
- 1996 - Londinium
- 1999 - Take My Head
- 2002 - You All Look the Same to Me
- 2004 - Noise
- 2006 - Lights
- 2009 - Controlling Crowds
- 2009 - Controlling Crowds - Part IV
- 2012 - With Us Until You're Dead
- 2014 - Axiom
- 2015 - Restriction
- 2016 - The False Foundation
Membership
- Steve "Smiley" Barnard - drums
- Pollard Berrier - vocals, guitar
- Mike Bird - guitar
- Danny Griffiths - keyboards, samples, additional programming, arrangements, production
- Darius Keeler - keyboards, synthesizer, piano, organ, programming, arrangements, production
- Holly Martin - vocals
- Jonathan Noyce - bass
- Dave Pen - vocals, guitar, percussion
- Maria Q - vocals
- Roya Arab - songwriting, vocals
- Dale Davis - bass
- Steve Harris - guitar, backing vocals
- Rosko John - songwriting, vocals, MC
- Matheu Martin - drums
- Lee Pomeroy - bass
- Craig Walker - songwriting, vocals, guitar
- Suzanne Wooder - vocals
Archive's music features the following tropes:
- I Am the Band: Keeler and Griffiths. The rest of the lineup changes from album to album.
- "I Hate" Song: "Fuck You" is a song about undying hatred towards someone. However, due to one line it's also interpreted as intense self-hatred.
- Still Sucks Thumb: The singer of "Fuck You" suggests the person he loathes still sucks his thumb as a way to demean them.Bet you sleep, like a child, with your thumb in your mouth. I could creep up beside and put a gun in your mouth.
