Spacehog

Spacehog are an alternative rock band formed in 1994 in New York City by four Englishmen who were living in the city. Their music is heavily influenced by David Bowie, Queen, and T. Rex. The band's best-known single is "In the Meantime".[1]

Spacehog
OriginNew York City, United States
GenresAlternative rock, glam rock, power pop
Years active1994–2002, 2008–2014
LabelsSire/Elektra Records, Artemis
MembersRoyston Langdon
Antony Langdon
Jonny Cragg
Richard Steel
Past membersRobert Curreri
Websitefacebook.com/spacehogofficial

History

Though all the band members are from Leeds, West Yorkshire, Spacehog was formed in New York City. Antony Langdon met Jonny Cragg by chance in a café where Cragg supposedly had a job killing rats.[1] Soon after, Langdon's brother Royston joined the band, and Spacehog was born. The band's original guitarist, Robert Curreri, was asked to leave the band, and Cragg's Canadian friend Richard Steel replaced him in 1994. The band signed in 1994 with Seymour Stein to Sire Records.

On 24 October 1995, Spacehog released its first album, Resident Alien.[1] It went gold on the Billboard charts, selling over 500,000 copies and spawned the hit single and video "In the Meantime" as well as the single "Cruel To Be Kind". "In the Meantime" received heavy video and radio play, and was used as background music to BBC's Match of the Day football programme and more recently was featured in the movie "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3". The band performed the song on Channel 4's TFI Friday in 1996. The band's second album, The Chinese Album, was released on 10 March 1998.[1] Though it did not sell as well as Resident Alien, the band's popularity continued to increase as Spacehog opened for more popular acts such as Pearl Jam and Supergrass. The Chinese Album had a more "artsy" sound, with the Pink Floyd-like piano on the opening track and Michael Stipe of R.E.M. contributing vocals to the song "Almond Kisses".[1]

After the band was dropped by Elektra Records, Spacehog signed with the upstart label Artemis Records and released its third album, The Hogyssey, on 10 April 2001. The album continued the band's neo-glam approach and included the singles "I Want to Live" and "At Least I Got Laid", as well as a funk version of Richard Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra". The band joined The Black Crowes and Oasis on the Tour of Brotherly Love in support of the album, which proved to be the band's final major tour for several years.

Royston Langdon and American actress Liv Tyler became engaged in February 2001,[2] and married in Barbados on 25 March 2003.[3] In December 2004, she gave birth to their son, Milo William Langdon.[4] On 8 May 2008, the couple confirmed through representatives that they would be separating but remain friends.[5]

Arckid
Main article: Arckid

Antony, Royston, and Christian Langdon then pooled their resources to form Arckid. By June 2006, they had recorded eight songs with Bryce Goggin at Trout Studios in Brooklyn. Jonny Cragg joined The Twenty-Twos as their drummer post-Spacehog, but has since rejoined the Langdon brothers in Arckid.

At the end of November 2006, Antony Langdon left Arckid on good terms and had devised an alter ego known as "Louis Arogant". This project was near completion as a record entitled Victoria: an homage to Langdon's love for his wife, the director Victoria Clay de Mendoza. The album was intended to release at end of 2007, but was never released. He also continued in the production of his television work. Also in the works was an album by Antony Langdon and Joaquin Phoenix. The project was called This Lady Is a Tramp and was being mixed by Paul McKenna with help from Creation Records founder Alan McGee and the Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.

Antony Langdon was briefly replaced in Arckid by Your Vegas guitarist Mat Steel, who subsequently left Arckid after they shot their first video to rejoin Your Vegas. Pete Denton of Cube and Kid Symphony fame joined Arckid for a short period of time. Richard Steel accompanied the three members of Arckid on stage during the Hilfiger Sessions NY and the 2007 Lollapalooza gigs.

Reunion

In July 2008, Spacehog reunited to play two shows, the first at the Viper Room and the second at Troubador. Drummer Jonny Cragg posted on the Arckid MySpace page that Spacehog would be reuniting and would begin work on a new record.[6] In July 2009, Spacehog reunited at Spaceland in Los Angeles.[7]

I'm Still Here

In 2010, Spacehog guitarist Antony Langdon gained notoriety for his role in the controversial mockumentary I'm Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Langdon, who was one of Phoenix's assistants as well as a musical partner,[8] staged a falling-out with the actor during the documentary's filming and is shown defecating on the troubled actor in retaliation for an earlier argument. In an earlier part of the film, there is a similarly shocking scene involving Langdon getting out of the shower.

Langdon's time in Spacehog is not mentioned in the film, but a clip of the band performing on television is shown. Royston Langdon is also credited for one of the film's songs.[9][10]

The film's cinematographer, Magdalena Gorka, sued director Casey Affleck for multiple complaints. She alleged Antony Langdon, who worked as the camera assistant, was one of the crew members who subjected her to "routine instances" of sexual harassment.[11]

As It Is on Earth

On 17 September 2011, Spacehog announced the completion of their latest album, As It Is on Earth, on their MySpace page.[12] It was released on 16 April 2013.[13]

Members
  • Royston Langdon a.k.a. "Ray Sprinkles" (born Royston William Langdon, 1 May 1972)[14][15] – bass, lead vocals, keyboards & backing vocals.
  • Antony Langdon a.k.a. "Tone Down" (born Antony Chester Langdon, 14 May 1968)[16][17] – rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals
  • Jonny Cragg a.k.a. "Corky" (born 18 July 1966)[18] – drums, backing vocals
  • Richard Steel a.k.a. "Rich" (born 12 November 1968)[19] – lead guitar, backing vocals

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
UK
[20]		 AUS
[21]		 CAN
[22]		 US
[23]
Resident Alien 40 50 19 49
The Chinese Album
  • Release date: 10 March 1998
  • Label: Sire
  • Formats: CD, Cassette, Vinyl
 126 — — —
The Hogyssey
  • Release date: 10 April 2001
  • Label: Artemis
  • Formats: CD
 — — — —
As It Is on Earth
  • Release date: 16 April 2013
  • Label: Redeye Label
  • Formats: CD
 — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

EPs
  • Hamsters of Rock (Sire, 1996)
  • 4 Future Tracks (Artemis, 2001)

Singles
Year Title Chart peak positions Album
UK
[20]		 AUS
[26]		 CAN
[27]		 CAN
Alt.
[28]		 NZ
[29]		 SWE
[30]		 US
[31]		 US
Main.
[32]		 US
Mod.
[33]
1996 "In the Meantime" 29 40 33 6 45 36 32 1 2 Resident Alien
"Cruel to Be Kind" — — — — — — — 29 —
"Space Is the Place" 145 — — — — — — — —
1998 "Mungo City" 79 — — — — — — 19 21 The Chinese Album
"Carry On" 43 — — — — — — — —
2001 "I Want to Live" — — — — — — — 23 — The Hogyssey

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 369. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. "Liv Tyler's Yorkshire love". BBC News. 20 February 2001. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  3. "Liv Tyler ties the knot". BBC News. 3 April 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  4. "Liv Tyler Names Her Newborn Baby". People. 14 December 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  5. Singh, Anita (9 May 2008). "Liv Tyler splits from Royston Langdon". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  6. Kaufman, Gil (30 July 2008). "Former Spacehog Takes A Shot With Velvet Revolver". MTV. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  7. "Spacehog reunites at Spaceland". Lasnark.com. 21 November 2009.
  8. "Joaquin Phoenix Quits Acting to Pursue Music". Spin. 30 October 2008.
  9. "Joaquin Phoenix movie turns Spacehog guitarist into exhibitionist". ShortFormBlog.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010.
  10. "Is That the Guitarist From Spacehog Pooping on Joaquin Phoenix?". New York.
  11. "Gorka v. Affleck, et al., No. BC441003, complaint (Cal. Super. Ct., L.A. Cty., Jul. 30, 2010" (PDF). ABC News. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  12. "SPACEHOG | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com.
  13. "Spacehog Return With Rollicking 'Glad to Know' – Song Premiere". Rolling Stone.
  14. "Spacehog | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  15. "Royston Langdon". IMDb.
  16. Antony Langdon at the Internet Movie Database
  17. About the band. Tone Down
  18. About the band. Jonny Cragg
  19. About the band. Rich
  20. Peaks in the UK:
  21. "australian-charts.com - Australian charts portal". Australian-charts.com.
  22. "HITS OF THE WORLD". Billboard. 4 May 1996. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  23. "Spacehog Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  24. "Gold Platinum Database: Spacehog". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  25. "American album certifications – Spacehog – Resident Alien". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  26. "australian-charts.com - Australian charts portal". Australian-charts.com.
  27. "Top Singles - Volume 63, No. 16, June 03 1996". RPM. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  28. "Rock/Alternative - Volume 63, No. 3, March 04 1996". RPM. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  29. "New Zealand charts portal". Charts.nz.
  30. "Swedish Charts Portal". Swedishcharts.com.
  31. "Spacehog Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  32. "Spacehog Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  33. "Spacehog Chart History: Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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