Also known as Moreau Years active 1998–2005 Active until 2005 | Origin London, England Website Cousteau My Space Active from 1998 | |
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Albums Cousteau, Nova Scotia, Sirena, Magazzini Generali Milano 04-02-2002 Members Liam McKahey, Joe Peet, Robin Brown, Tom Clues Similar Davey Ray Moor, Mack 10, Skoop On Somebody, Timbaland, Techniec | ||
Cousteau are a London-based band who enjoyed considerable international success, particularly in Italy and the U.S. from 1998 to 2005. The band's sound has been compared to Burt Bacharach, Scott Walker and David Bowie with an updated contemporary edge.
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Their best known song remains the single "The Last Good Day of the Year", from their eponymous debut album. It has featured in advertisements (such as those for Nissan in the United States and Borsci in Italy), films (such as Happily Ever After, with Charlotte Gainsbourg, winner of the Special Selection category at the Toronto Film Festival 2005, and South Kensington with Rupert Everett) and documentaries and television programmes around the world. It also enjoyed radio play on both BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 in the UK, later becoming a staple of the NPR and AAA networks in the US.
History
The first release of the 1999 eponymous album was 'home-made' and included many demos produced for various major labels. 3,000 copies of the album were pressed by indie label Global Warming (later to become Series 8) set up by Trevor Holden. The album sold out after receiving good reviews, including a 5-star review in Uncut magazine, and recommended album in Time Out London. When the band signed to Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures label a decision was made to re-record the majority of the album (two tracks, including 'Last Good Day of the Year', were not changed). On re-release the album was Album Of The Week in The Guardian in the UK, and went on to sell more than 230,000 copies internationally.
The band achieved gold-record status in Europe after years of consistent touring and promotion, including tours supporting The Dandy Warhols, David Gray, and Goldfrapp.
In 2002 the second album, Sirena, was released; the version released in the US included a DVD with videos and unreleased live songs. This album sold over 80,000 copies, and contains the singles 'Talking to Myself' and '(Damn These) Hungry Times'. Sirena was met with critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, USA Today and Billboard, and most notably a 2-page colour feature in the New York Times. In 2005 Sirena was awarded Classic Album status in The Sydney Morning Herald.
The band's line-up changed when songwriter/producer Davey Ray Moor left to pursue production jobs in Italy, such as the No. 4 album Dove Sei Tu for Cristina Dona, a solo album 'Telepathy', released in Europe in the USA (included in Republica's Critics Top 100, 2004) and television soundtracks such as Channel 4's Supernanny. More recently Davey is a senior lecturer at Bath Spa University where he teaches production, songwriting, marketing and performance.
Songwriting duties were taken on by singer Liam McKahey, and after a change in record companies, the group returned in 2005 with the album Nova Scotia, produced by U2's engineer Ger McDonnel. Nova Scotia was released in the US in 2006 under the name of Moreau, for legal reasons.
The HBO network in the US continues to licence Cousteau's earlier work, with their song 'Mesmer' appearing in a feature about Heidi Fleiss, and 'The Last Good Day of The Year' in the HBO film Tell Me You Love Me and again in the 2005 French movie Happily Ever After.
Lead singer Liam McKahey (now resident in Australia) released a solo album in 2009 as 'Liam McKahey and the Bodies' entitled Lonely Road, and 2014 saw the release of a second album entitled 'Black Vinyl Heart'
In August 2015 it was announced that Liam McKahey and Davey Ray Moor were returning as CousteauX and are back in the recording studio preparing new music for 2016. The first gig of the new CousteauX was at The Blue Note in Mlian on 31 May 2016. The band are signed to Edel in Italy where an EP and an album are scheduled for release in May then September 2016.
Current
Former
Albums
Singles (CD)
The Last Good Day Of The Year (radio mix) / Captain Swing / Love In The Meantime / The Last Good Day Of The Year (album mix)
She Don't Hear Your Prayer / Lovers In A Loveless Place (Babyman Remix) / Late September Rain
The Last Good Day Of The Year / Captain Swing / Rachael Lately
The Last Good Day Of The Year / Mesmer / You My Lunar Queen / The Last Good Day Of The Year (video)
She Don't Hear Your Prayer (live) / (Shades Of) Ruinous Blue (live) / Jump In The River (live) / Rachael Lately
Heavy Weather (album version) / The Last Good Day of the Year (remix by Feel Good Production) / The Last Good Day of the Year (live) / She Don't Hear Your Prayer (live) / (Shades Of) Ruinous Blue (live) / Jump In The River (live)
Wish You Were Her / To Know Her / The Cuttlefish Walks The Cuttlefish Waltz
Talking To Myself / Short Sighted, Beautiful And Shy / Last Secret Of The Sea
(Damn These) Hungry Times (Bedroom Rockers Remix Radio Edit) / (Damn These) Hungry Times (album version) / Nothing So Bad
Sadness / Nova Scotia / World Away
Other contributions
Songs
The Last Good Day Of The YearCousteau · 2000
Your Day Will ComeCousteau · 2000
You My Lunar QueenCousteau · 2000