Luxembourg (band)

History

Luxembourg was formed in 2001 in London. Press interest occurred after two tracks appeared on Angular compilations, The New Cross, and Rip Off Your Labels, alongside artists such as Bloc Party, Art Brut and The Long Blondes.

Their debut single, "What The Housewives Don't Tell You", was released in September 2004. A compilation, Best Kept Secret, featuring tracks from the now deleted demo EPs alongside live recordings and electro reworkings, was released in December 2004. The album (described as "Not Our Debut Album" on the CD artwork) received 3.5 out of 5 from indie journalism legend Simon Price in the Independent On Sunday.

The next single, "Luxembourg vs Great Britain", was released in November 2005, with B-sides "The Exhibitionist" and "About Time". All three songs were produced by Darren Allison, previously involved with artists such as The Divine Comedy.

The band's debut album proper, "Front", was recorded with Brian O'Shaughnessy, and released in late October 2006. This was preceded by the release of "We Only Stayed Together For The Kids" in June 2006, with B-side "A Secret Public". It was the band's first vinyl release, and received exceptional reviews in some quarters, including publications that had previously spurned the band such as Artrocker.

Bass player Jon Bacon left the band in December 2006, and was replaced by David Barnett, previously of The Boyfriends. The first gig with the new line-up occurred under the pseudonym The Exhibitionists on 29 March 2007, showcasing a large number of new songs.

As well as playing frequent London gigs throughout 2007, the band ran an online fan club called The Bourglar, giving fans access to unreleased recordings, photos, exclusive interviews and other features. Following the band's split, this content is currently unavailable.

Luxembourg split in early 2008, citing "musical differences". At the same time, they made available an uncompleted album, Last Holiday Before Divorce, free to download at Last.fm, featuring demos of the songs which might have comprised the second studio album alongside an unreleased single, "Kick Me" / "Not Quite Right/Not Quite Not Right".

The band performed a gig in Islington on October 15, 2016, with a line-up consisting of Shah, Britton, Barnett, Bacon and Brummell.

Post-split activity

Members of the band have continued to collaborate in various ways.

David Shah continues to pursue his solo project The Melting Ice Caps, sometimes collaborating with Alex Potterill and Aug Stone. Meanwhile, David and Aug co-write and record as The Soft Close-Ups.

Alex Potterill now fronts glam/indie pop band Jonny Cola & The A-Grades.

David Barnett is the mastermind fronting The New Royal Family, with Britton on bass, Charley Stone on guitar and Jennifer Denitto on drums; The Famous Cocks and David and the Barnettes. He has also played bass for the The Melting Ice Caps.

Rob Britton released a solo album entitled 'Found Wanting' for free download on Last.fm in January 2009, and has played guitar in Brontosaurus Chorus.

Steve Brummell runs a website devoted to band photography called A Secret Picnic and has been coaxed out of retirement to drum for Piney Gir, The Monochrome Set, Rebecca Jade and the live Melting Ice Caps band.

Barnett, Britton and Brummell have all performed with Keith Top of the Pops & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band.

Singles

Albums

Compilations

Appearances on Compilations

Live appearances outside London

Despite being best known in London, where they played most of their gigs, Luxembourg also performed in:

Brighton (twice), Sheffield (twice), Liverpool (at the Liverpool Mathew Street Music Festival), Cardiff, Oxford, Reading, Cambridge (Downing College Ball), Norwich, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (twice), Glasgow (twice), Edinburgh, Tunbridge Wells and Paris.