Martin Carr (born 29 November 1968, Thurso, Scotland, but raised in Wallasey on the Wirral) is a British musician and writer who was the chief songwriter and lead guitarist with the British band The Boo Radleys.
Life and career
Carr is an ex-pupil of St. Mary's College, Wallasey Village, and played an early gig with The Boo Radleys at The Grand nightclub in New Brighton.
After the breakup of the Boo Radleys, Carr launched a solo career, taking the name bravecaptain from a song by the U.S. rock band Firehose. His solo work has largely been more electronic based than his previous work, and mainly features himself on lead vocals, whereas in The Boo Radleys he rarely sang (despite writing the lyrics). He is known for his varied taste in music, including loves of jazz and hip-hop, and an interest in electronic experimentation, ensuring that the Boo Radleys soon moved past their shoegazing roots.
In 2008, Carr announced that he had recorded a new album in Cardiff with producer Charlie Francis and a few 'friends'. Martin Carr told music website The Quietus about his plans to release the album via the Bandstocks scheme.[1] By the start of the following year Carr had abandoned the Bandstocks project, later commenting to music industry website HitQuarters that "it needs a lot of work and commitment to try and find investors and I couldn't offer either."[2] Instead he released the album Ye Gods (and Little Fishes) in July 2009 on his own new imprint Sonny Boy Records, using the company State 51 for distribution.
Carr explained, during a September 2014 interview for BBC 6music, that he had all but given up hope of a career as a solo artist, and was working on TV themes and other commissions, when German label Tapete Records had contacted him. The label staff had enquired whether he had any material which they might release. This, and especially the relaxed nature of the request, led to his 2014 album The Breaks, and its debut single, "Santa Fe Skyway".
Family
Martin Carr has a twin brother, Calum.
Solo discography
- Fingertip Saint Sessions Vol 1 (17 August 2000)
- Go With Yourself (Fingertip Saint Sessions Vol II) (19 October 2001)
- Nothing Lives Long, He Sang, Only The Earth and The Mountains (2001)
- "Better Living Through Reckless Experimentation" (single) (19 March 2001)
- "Corporation Man" (single) (6 April 2001)
- "Captain America" (single) (20 August 2001)
- Advertisements For Myself (14 October 2002)
- "I Am a Lion" (single) (29 November 2003)
- Eating the Afterlife (EP) (28 June 2004)
- All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace (2 August 2004)
- allonewordsmallbee (December 2004)
- Distractions (30 January 2006)
- Ye Gods (and Little Fishes) (13 July 2009)
- "Sailor" / "I Will Build a Road" (single) (28 May 2012)
- "Santa Fe Skyway" (single) (31 August 2014)
- The Breaks (26 September 2014) [3]
References
- ^ "Martin Carr Tells The Quietus About Bandstocks Scheme". Thequietus.com. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ "Interview With Martin Carr". Hitquarters.com. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ^ "Senseless Apprentice / Martin Carr". 1001 Records. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
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