Black Box Recorder

Formed:: 1998, over 14 years ago.
Snapshot:: A Group with 11 releases. 3 members.

Black Box Recorder are an English indie rock group. They debuted in 1998 with England Made Me and followed this up with The Facts of Life, which gave them their first hit with the single of the same name in April 2000. Their third album, Passionoia, was released in 2003. There is also a compilation album, The Worst of Black Box Recorder, a collection of B-sides, cover versions and remixes.

Musically, the group is influenced by ambient music, English Rock and Roll and French electronic groups such as Air. However the lyrics to these lush and romantic melodies are frequently bleak, ironic or sarcastic: obvious influences are Ray Davies, Morrissey, and Pulp. The video for single "The Art of Driving" depicted the band as crash test dummies.

Black Box Recorder are Sarah Nixey, Luke Haines (of The Auteurs), and John Moore (formerly of The Jesus and Mary Chain). Moore and Nixey married in 2001, and have one child, although they were divorced in 2006.

Although no official announcement of the band's split was announced, Black Box Recorder was on hiatus during the mid 2000s.

The band collaborated with Art Brut during 2007, and released the single "Christmas Number One" under the name The Black Arts. In October 2008 the band played live at the Nick Sanderson (Earl Brutus, The Jesus And Mary Chain) tribute concert at The Forum, London.

In late 2008 it was announced that the band would be playing a gig at The Luminaire, Kilburn, London on 18 February 2009. The gig quickly sold out, and a second appearance at the same venue announced. These sold out shows were the band's first headlining appearances in five years.

Although an album was planned for 2009, the record never was released. On April 16, 2010, the band announced it would split after releasing a final single, Keep It in the Family" b/w "Do You Believe in God?" on May 6, 2010.

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