Dog Is Dead

D.I.D, formerly known as Dog Is Dead, are a five-piece indie pop band from West Bridgford, Nottingham, who have described their music as "an original blend of harmonious, indie-pop in the disco, with a cheeky jazz hint"[1] and "uplifting pop for jazz junkies and choir folk".[2] The band consists of Robert Howie Milton (main vocals, guitar, bass guitar), Rob 'Paul Roberts' White (vocals, guitar), Joss Van Wilder (vocals, keyboards, guitar, accordion), Lawrence 'Trev' Cole (vocals, saxophone, bass guitar) and Daniel Harvey (drums).

D.I.D
D.I.D
D.I.D
Background information
OriginWest Bridgford, Nottingham, England
GenresIndie pop
Years active2008 (2008)–present
LabelsYour Childhood Records
Atlantic Records
MembersRobert Howie Milton
Joss Van Wilder
Daniel Harvey
Lawrence 'Trev' Cole
Rob 'Paul Roberts' White
Past membersLawrence Libor
Websitedidnotts.com

The band are also well known for their sense of humor. This was showcased when a screenshot taken by keys player Joss was featured on popular Twitter page LADbible after a prank in which his phone number was placed on Gumtree alongside an advert for kittens and he was inundated with responses.

History

Early years - 2008

Robert Milton, Joss Van Wilder and Lawrence 'Trev' Cole met at the West Bridgford School.[3] Rob and Joss first played together aged 13 in a band they named "Oh Henry!", after the Oh Henry! chocolate bar. They first played as "Dog is Dead", together with Trev, at the school concert "Bridgstock", taking their name from a favourite joke at the time.[4] They have also given an alternative explanation that the name came from Shakespeare's Richard III.[5] Trev brought in one of his old friends from Primary School, Lawrence Libor, to become the band's original full-time drummer. Trev also brought in guitarist Rob White, whom he attended a drama club with. Rob White goes by the name 'Paul Roberts' to avoid having two people called Rob in the band. The band initially played gigs at friends' parties and at schools. The band started securing gigs in Nottingham in late 2007. In 2008 they started performing live at many venues in Nottingham, including the Bodega Social Club, Junction 7 and at the city's 'Splendour' festival.

2009–10: Your Childhood Records

In 2009 the band supported acts including One Night Only and Cajun Dance Party.[6] In April, they released their debut promotional EP under their own label "Your Childhood Records".[7] and performed at Splendour in Nottingham and Dot to Dot Festival.

2010–11: Glastonbury

In 2010 they supported more acts, including OK Go.[8] They returned to the Dot to Dot Festival, and appeared at Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage[9] and OX4.[10]

In June they released their first single "Glockenspiel Song" under their own label (later rerecorded and released under Atlantic Records in 2012). This version was recorded at Nottingham's Random Recording Studios.[11] and followed later in the year by "Young". Both singles received airplay on BBC national Radio 1 and Radio 6 Music.[12]

2011–12: TV, Atlantic Records and Europe

In 2011, DHP Group, the owners of Nottingham's Rock City venue, took over management of the band.[13] In March they appeared as themselves on the British TV teen drama Skins[14] after the scriptwriter saw them at Glastonbury.[15] The closing scene of the fifth series featured the band in a marquee playing "Glockenspiel Song", with most of the series' characters joining in the song's chant: "We are a mess. We are failures and we love it". The episode, first broadcast on channel E4 in March 2011, also included "Young" as background music during the wedding scene. Shortly after, they were signed by Atlantic Records, who released a collection of their previously available songs on the "Your Childhood" EP. This was followed by two new singles: "River Jordan" and "Hands Down".[16] During 2011 Lawrence Libor decided to leave the band to pursue a career in theatre, later writing and performing music as a solo artist under the name "Clay Shaped Boy".[17] He was replaced on drums by Daniel Harvey. The band continued to tour extensively, both as a headline act and as support for Bombay Bicycle Club and Viva Brother. They performed at several UK festivals (Bestival, Latitude Festival, Leeds Festival, Reading Festival, Isle of Wight Festival), Paris (Festival des Inrockuptibles)[18] and Amsterdam.

2012-2014: Two Devils, Glockenspiel rerelease, Debut Album

Their third Atlantic Records release, "Two Devils", was accompanied by a much darker video matching the title.[19] A rerecorded version of "Glockenspiel Song" was released in July. Atlantic Records released their debut album, All Our Favourite Stories on 8 October.

2014-present: D.I.D

In 2014, the band changed their name from "Dog Is Dead" to the abbreviation "D.I.D", usually rendering the first D backwards: "ᗡ.I.D". The first track released under the new name was "Hotel" (10 November 2014).[20][21] The band continued to write and tour, releasing the EP Fast Food in 2015, and their second album, The State We're In, in December 2016.[22]

Discography

Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)
  • Dog Is Dead (Promotional release - April 2009)
    • "The Zoo"
    • "Board Games"
    • "Clockwork"
  • Your Childhood (Atlantic Records - May 2011)
    • "Young"
    • "A Motel"
    • "River Jordan"
    • "Glockenspiel Song"
  • Confessions (Promotional Release - September 2011)
    • "Young (Acoustic)"
    • "Head in Your Hands (Acoustic)"
    • "River Jordan (Acoustic)"

Singles
Year Title Chart Positions Album
UK
2010 "Glockenspiel Song (original release)" –
"Young" –
2011 "River Jordan" – All Our Favourite Stories
"Hands Down" –
2012 "Two Devils" –
"Glockenspiel Song (re-release)" –
"Talk Through the Night" –
"Teenage Daughter" –
2014 "Hotel" – The State We're In
2015 "Fast Food" –

References
  1. "Introducing... Dog Is Dead". Nottingham - Entertainment. BBC Radio Nottingham. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  2. Simon Wilson (4 June 2010). "Dog Is Dead launch debut single". Nottingham Evening Post. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  3. "This is one Dog that's about to have its day". Nottingham Post. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  4. JJ Natrass (22 August 2012). "Our Ones To Watch: Dog Is Dead". entertainmentwise.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  5. The 405 Interview (1 September 2010). "Dog Is Dead // The 405 Interview". thefourohfive.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  6. 4ortherecord (1 September 2010). "For The Record | Introducing: Dog Is Dead". 4ortherecord.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  7. Simon Wilson (3 April 2009). "Interview with Nottingham's Dog Is Dead". Nottingham Evening Post. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  8. "OK GO at Rescue Rooms". Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  9. BBC Music (27 June 2010). "Glastonbury Festival - Dog Is Dead". BBC. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  10. "OX4 Festival 2010 Lineup". Virtual Festivals. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  11. "Random Recording Studios Alumni". Random Recordings. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  12. "Music - Dog is Dead". BBC. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  13. "Path to success is still there, but just harder". The Unsigned Guide. Manchester. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011. [Anton] Lockwood says DHP supports local artistes … the Group took on the management role for Dog Is Dead.
  14. Kyle (17 March 2011). "Skins Music". E4. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  15. Gourlay, Dom (9 March 2011). "DiS meets Dog Is Dead". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  16. Renegade. "Hands Down". Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  17. "Clay Shaped Boy". Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  18. "Festival Les Inrocks - Dog is Dead". Les Inrockuptibles. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  19. "Dog Is Dead Name Debut Album". 8 June 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  20. "D.I.D (formally Dog Is Dead) Release Brand New Track 'Hotel' Ahead of Sold Out UK Live Dates". 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  21. "D.I.D - Hotel". 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  22. Gumushan, Tanyel (December 2016). "The State We're In: The Return Of D.I.D". Clash Music. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  23. "Artists". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
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