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Matt Hales
Matt Hales 2012.jpg
Background information
Birth nameMatthew Hales
Born(1972-01-17) January 17, 1972 (age 41)
OriginEngland
Genrespop, alternative, soul, folk, electronic
OccupationsSinger-songwriter, musician, record producer
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1990–present
LabelsVerve Forecast
Columbia
B-Unique
Associated actsAqualung, Lianne La Havas, Diane Birch, Jason Mraz, Paloma Faith
WebsiteOfficial website

Matt Hales (born January 17, 1972[1]) is an English songwriter, musician, and record producer who has performed professionally as Aqualung since the early 2000s.[2] Aqualung is best known in the UK for his song "Strange and Beautiful", which was featured on a television advertisement for the new Volkswagen Beetle during the summer of 2002[3] and went on to become a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart later that year.[4] In the United States, Aqualung is also known for the song "Brighter Than Sunshine", which had considerable airplay and was used in the film A Lot Like Love[5] and various television spots.

As a songwriter and record producer, Hales has collaborated with Lianne La Havas,[6] The Fray, Leona Lewis, Jason Mraz, Christina Perri, Sara Bareilles,[7] Diane Birch,[8] Paloma Faith,[9] Disclosure, Alex Clare, Birdy, Mikky Ekko, and others.[10]

Early life

Hales grew up in Southampton, where his parents ran an independent record shop.[11] He aspired to be a musician from an early age, writing songs on the family piano when he was just 4 years old. When he was 16, Hales was awarded a scholarship to study music composition at Winchester College. Within a year, he wrote his first symphony titled "Life Cycle,"[12] and formed his first band, which carried several different names during its lifespan. In the spring of 1990, the band (known at the time as Mecano Pig) [13] produced their debut self-titled album, but broke up soon afterwards. That same year, Hales moved to London to study music at City University,[14] and in 1992 formed a new band with his brother Ben called Gravel Monsters.[15]

RUTH / the 45s

Gravel Monsters became a quartet that featured Matt & Ben Hales, Matt Vincent-Brown, and Stephen Cousins.[16] The band's name was changed to RUTH in 1992,[17] and although they enjoyed a minor hit in 1997 ("I Don't Know") [18] which earned them a loyal fanbase, the indie rock quartet failed to find commercial success in their seven years together. Arc Records released RUTH's debut album Harrison in 1999.[19] After the band parted ways with Arc Records in the Summer of 2000, they renamed themselves the 45s [20] and signed a short-term contract with Mercury Records (part of the Universal Music Group). Despite releasing two well-received singles, the label declined to renew the band's contract in March 2002,[21] leading the band to split up. It was at this moment that Matt Hales began to concentrate on a solo project that he would call Aqualung.[22]

Aqualung

Almost immediately after the 45s split, Aqualung's debut single "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell on You)" gained popularity when it was used as the soundtrack on a television commercial for the new Volkswagen Beetle. It was released as a single on B-Unique Records in September 2002, and reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart.[23] Later that month, B-Unique released the eponymous debut album Aqualung, which according to the sleeve notes was recorded entirely in Hales' hallway. It peaked at #15 on the UK Albums Chart, and achieved Gold status before year's end.[24] The album's second single "Good Times Gonna Come" was released on 2 December 2002. It was featured on the British television show Skins,[25] and reached #71 on the UK Singles Chart. Several singles followed into the next year, as did Aqualung's second album Still Life, which spawned the single "Brighter Than Sunshine".[26] The song attracted the attention of film and television music supervisors in both Europe and North America, and was featured in the television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the motion picture A Lot Like Love.[27] "Brighter Than Sunshine" enjoyed Top 40 airplay success in the United States,[28] leading Aqualung to a worldwide recording contract with Columbia Records in 2005, and the US release of Strange and Beautiful,[29] a compilation of tracks from his first two UK albums. It reached #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart,[30] eventually selling more than 250,000 copies in the US. Throughout the mid and late 2000s, Aqualung's music was used in television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., CSI: Miami, Gossip Girl, Cold Case, Scrubs, One Tree Hill, Eli Stone, and Brothers and Sisters.[31]

Hales and his touring band spent the next two years performing throughout North America, and took part in the Hotel Cafe Tour,[32] which also featured Cary Brothers, Meiko, Greg Laswell, Tom McRae, Joe Purdy, and Jim Bianco.[33] While on the road, Hales would routinely switch up the Aqualung show with different musicians, settings, and approaches. The diverse elements he explored during these tours (including the use of an echo device called the Memory Man) subsequently drove the creative process behind what would become Aqualung's next album, Memory Man.[34] It was released in March 2007, and the liner notes credit Hales with playing the following instruments: piano, Fender Rhodes, glockenspiel, electric guitar, Stairwell Drums, harmonium, Moog bass and vocoder.[35] Hales completed his first UK tour since his debut album was released, and concluded the run at the newly re-opened Tabernacle, Notting Hill.[36]

2008 brought the release of Words and Music, his first album for Verve Forecast Records.[37] It featured acoustic versions of two songs from his debut album Aqualung, as well as new songs written in a similar style. In 2010, Hales moved to Los Angeles, California, to begin the production of his sixth studio album titled Magnetic North.[38] In reference to the album on his Facebook page, Hales said, "It's hard to describe. It's like 12 kids who you would never guess were in the same family until you hear them speaking." The album's first single "Fingertip" was released on 2 March 2010, and reviews of Magnetic North make reference to the indication of Los Angeles' influence on Hales as a writer, with songs containing words like "California," "Sundowning," and "Hummingbird," which were not used prior to his moving Stateside. In 2013, Hales announced on his Facebook page that he had begun work on a new Aqualung album.[39]

Songwriter and producer

As early as 2004, Hales began collaborating with other artists as a songwriter and producer. He co-wrote "UR" by Tiësto[40] which featured his lead vocal, and was released as a single and featured on the album Just Be. He worked with Leona Lewis on her album Echo[41] in 2009, and in 2010 he co-wrote songs appearing on albums by Brooke Fraser,[42] Christophe Willem, and Boyzone. [43] After co-writing and producing the song "Pick Up Your Tricks" by Australian pop rock band Amy Meredith[44] in 2011, Hales wrote and produced "Cold" which featured himself and Lucy Schwartz and appeared on the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (soundtrack),[45] which sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States.

2012 proved to be the breakout year for Hales in the recording studio. He co-wrote and produced Is Your Love Big Enough? by British singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas.[46] It debuted at #4 on the UK Albums Chart,[47] was named iTunes UK album of the year,[48] and was nominated at the 2012 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.[49] In addition to this, Hales co-wrote "Everything Is Sound" on Jason Mraz's Grammy nominated album Love Is A Four Letter Word,[50] and worked with Paloma Faith on the single "Just Be" from her album Fall to Grace. He also co-wrote and produced Diane Birch's single "Unfucked", and the single "Same Heart (feat. Tom Chaplin)" by Laura Jansen. Hales has recently spent time in the studio collaborating with Christina Perri, The Fray, Sara Bareilles, Birdie, Alex Clare, Katherine McPhee, Ginny Blackmore, amongst others.

Aqualung

Main article: Aqualung discography

References

  1. ^ "Matt Hales' official Aqualung Facebook post on 40th birthday - Jan 17, 2012". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-03-08. 
  2. ^ Bonacich, Drago. "Aqualung - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  3. ^ Salmon, Chris (2007-06-28). "Beetle mania". Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  4. ^ Columbia, Records (2004-12-08). "Strange And Beautiful, Eagerly-Anticipated Aqualung Album, Ready for Stateside Release". UBM plc. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  5. ^ Murray, Rebecca (2005-03-08). ""A Lot Like Love" Soundtrack News". About.com. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  6. ^ Brown, Helen (2012-07-06). "Lianne La Havas, Is Your Love Big Enough?, review". Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  7. ^ Ganz, Caryn (2010-03-10). "Sara Bareilles Turns Panic Into Rebirth on Uptempo Summer Disc". Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  8. ^ "New Album To Be Released In Late April". Warner Bros. Records. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  9. ^ Kellman, Andy (2012-05-29). "Fall to Grace - Paloma Faith". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  10. ^ Matt Hales. "Matt Hales - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  11. ^ "Profile from Matt Hales 'Aqualung'". Bebo. 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  12. ^ Silverstein, Rebecca (2007-02-21). "Getting To Know Matt Hales From Aqualung". The Fader. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  13. ^ Stovin, Jack (2010-05-10). "Aqualung announce the release of new album 'Magnetic North'". Altsounds.com. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  14. ^ Mervis, Scott (2005-05-05). "Music Preview: Matt Hales, aka Aqualung, explains confusion with Jethro Tull album". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  15. ^ Murfett, Andrew (2007-04-20). "Bigger than Texas". Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  16. ^ "RUTHsongs". Vanity Press. 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  17. ^ Long, Joe (2005-07-25). "Aqualung: Breathing Underwater". Glidemagazine.com. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  18. ^ "Ruth (12) - I Don't Know". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  19. ^ "Harrison-Ruth". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  20. ^ "45s - biography, band news, gig listings, reviews". Leedsmusicscene.net. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  21. ^ Tripwire. "Strange And Beautiful". The Fader. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  22. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (2003-04-23). "Wired for sound". Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  23. ^ "Aqualung". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  24. ^ Pearson, Beth (2002-11-20). "Music Aqualung, St Andrews in the Square, Glasgow". Newsquest. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  25. ^ "Skins - Music guide: series 2, episode 2". E4 (TV channel). Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  26. ^ Daley, Niky (2003-08-27). "Aqualung Still Life Review". BBC. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  27. ^ "A Lot Like Love - Original Soundtrack". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  28. ^ "B&E - Aqualung". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  29. ^ Jenkins, Mark (2005-05-06). "Aqualung 'Strange and Beautiful' Red Ink/Columbia". The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  30. ^ "Heatseekers Albums: Sep 03, 2005". Prometheus Global Media. 2005-09-03. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  31. ^ "Matt Hales - IMDb". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  32. ^ "Hotel Cafe Tour". Penske Business Media. 2005-01-28. [dead link]
  33. ^ Brownlee, Bill (2008-04-02). "Review: Hotel Cafe Tour". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  34. ^ "Aqualung puff out their chest". News International. 2007-10-04. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  35. ^ "Memory Man - Aqualung". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  36. ^ "Lily Allen, Pink Floyd-supported venue to reopen". NME. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  37. ^ "Words & Music - Aqualung". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  38. ^ Ashari, Nazirah (2010-03-26). "First Impressions: Aqualung, “Magnetic North”". Filter (magazine). Retrieved 2013-05-29. 
  39. ^ https://www.facebook.com/AqualungOfficial/posts/10151476467963863
  40. ^ "UR - DJ Tiësto, Aqualung". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  41. ^ Smart, Gordon (2009-06-30). "Leona’s album is Aqua-fresh". News International. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  42. ^ Jones, Bridget (2010-11-10). "http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/4218798/Fraser-experiments-with-Flags". Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  43. ^ Murphy, Lauren (2010-03-05). "Music Review-Boyzone-Brother". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  44. ^ Eliezer, Christie (2011-11-16). "Amy Meredith: new international management deal, split from Sony". The Music Network. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  45. ^ Thatcher, Autumn (2011-11-17). "Musicians hope to win new fans with 'Twilight' soundtrack". MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2013-02-12. 
  46. ^ Ramirez, Erika (2012-08-22). "Lianne La Havas, Reps Talk 'Is Your Love Big Enough?' Album & Stardom". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  47. ^ Maynard, Trent (2012-12-17). "news: Lianne La Havas' year in review". Box Television. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  48. ^ James, Nicole (2013-02-21). "Lianne La Havas Is Winning British Soul Right Now". Fuse (TV channel). Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  49. ^ Vaziri, Aidin (2012-11-09). "Lianne La Havas' dreams are coming true". Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 
  50. ^ "Everything Is Sound - Jason Mraz". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-22. 

External links

  • Aqualung.net
  • Aqualung on Facebook
  • Aqualung on Twitter
  • Aqualung on Myspace
  • Aqualung's channel on YouTube
  • Matt Hales at the Internet Movie Database
  • http://elementalmusic.us/producerwriter-management/matt-hales/
  • http://pulserecordings.com/clients/matt-hales]
   

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