Biography
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Founded In
Southampton, England, United Kingdom
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Members
- Gerry del Guercio
Formed in Southampton, United Kingdom in 2004, the five members of SixNationState moved to Reading to make it easier to get to London for the gigs they intended to play. They created a studio space at the home that they share and spent their time writing, rehearsing and playing live in pursuit of their dream of a record deal.
154 dates and twelve months later, having played festivals in Spain despite being unsigned and opened for Nine Black Alps and Babyshambles, they went some way to achieving their dream when they were signed up for a split 7” single release on newly formed tastemaker indie label Worst Case Scenario Records.
The release of ‘Keep Dancing’ in March 2006 brought the band to the attention of the media for the first time. They received specialist national radio support from Zane Lowe at Radio 1 and Steve Lamacq on 6Music and the track was playlisted at Xfm. In the US ‘Keep Dancing’ also picked up interest from Sat Bisla at A&R Worldwide who highlighted the band on his Passport Approved playlist.
Their live shows continued to win new audiences around the UK, where they secured support slots with The Maccabees and The Holloways and played to a packed tent at the 2006 Truck Festival, and in Europe. Since signing to Worst Case Scenario they have completed two tours of Germany and Austria. This increasing live profile and the success of their sold out 7” release sparked interest from a number of UK record labels and the band chose to sign to Jeepster Records (previously home to Snow Patrol, Belle & Sebastian and Isobel Campbell’s The Gentle Waves project).
SixNationState first Jeepster single, a track entitled 'Fire!' which was produced by the Robot Club (Massive Attack, Fortune Drive), was released on 6 November 2006.
As a key strength of the band lies in their live performance we are emphasising the student audience in our promotions and many of the dates in the three week, eighteen date UK tour in support of the release of 'Fire!' were specifically targetted to this market.
The tour also included a performance at In The City in Manchester and enhanced the band’s profile regionally, providing a strong base from which to promote their next single and focus on the debut album release campaign in 2007.
SixNationState’s next single, We Could Be Happy, was released on 10 September 2007. The track is taken from the band's debut album 'SixNationState' which was produced by Iain Gore (Kid Harpoon, Rumble Strips, Larrikin Love) and was released two weeks after the single on 24 September 2007. 'We Could Be Happy' is available on three track CD single, limited edition coloured vinyl 7” and as a download.
SixNationState write songs with guts, with melody, with passion and heart but above all else, they write and they play like their future depends on it.
An attack of vocal harmonies and tribal sea shanty shouts are punctured by soul stripping, sand-papered cries as the band pound out infectious rhythms and hooks. Their influences may be many and varied but at the belly of this commotion, SixNationState's sound is 100% punk from conception to delivery.
Nothing holds this band back and individual concern is cancelled out by collective optimism every time. It's not so much a case of this is all they've ever wanted to do, this is all they have ever done. They live together, they play together, they will rise together and I suspect they will fall together.
"And I feel I'm going down….yeah I keep on dancing!"
The blank look on SixNationState's five faces when asked what else they would be doing if they weren’t in a band says it all. The eager shout in unison of "Can we give up our jobs now?", as soon as they signed to Jeepster indicates less an optimistic innocence and more a commitment to their first loves: writing songs and playing live.
As the energy oozes from their collective pores from one 200mph performance to the next, the band lunge proudly behind sweat soaked hair in their faded mariachi-esque dinner jackets which look almost made to measure. Albeit made to measure by a blind, one handed tailor who drinks Bloody Mary's whilst cutting his cloth, but certainly suits fit for SixNationState and nobody else.
This is what SixNationState's twisted brand of carnival rock'n'roll is all about; tunnel vision belief. This is life and there is no other way.
SixNationState are managed by Ally at Long Live Rock And Roll.
"What finally swings the DiS Good-o-Meter from Tepid to Yeah! is 'Fire's' unashamed sense of fun; one which could sweep up all non-believers in its path and roast them alive. It's probably best to get on the bandwagon"- Drowned in sound
"One of those bands where the chemistry just works and gives SixNationState an exceptional sound that sounds so complete it should be used as a template for any band losing their direction" - Xfm
"Like disheveled Mariachis but play their guitars and drums with the energy, skill and enthusiasm of the real thing" - The Fly
"Its a leap, but imagine Sons & Daughters fronted by Editors songmaster Tom Smith, with a little of the mad gypsy knees up purveyed by Gogol Bordello, and you’re approaching the infectious racket of Six Nation State. Their distorted yelping is a joyous thing, especially as they seem to like doing it so much" - Music Week
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