Livan (band)

LIVAN is a UK-based alternative rock band founded by Greek-born singer Livan that also features guitarist Will Crewdson (Rachel Stamp, Malcolm McLaren and Johnette Napolitano) and drummer Damon Wilson (Ray Davies, Joss Stone). The band has toured with artists like Aerosmith, Alice Cooper and Peter Murphy among others.[1][2][3]

Livan
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresAlternative rock
Years active2007 – present
Websitewww.livan.co.uk
MembersLivan, Will Crewdson, Damon Wilson, John Robertson, David Ryder Prangley

Greek-born Livan (aka Cosmas Livanos)[4] is the grandson of former Greek Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos.

Members

Discography

Singles
  • "Undead"
  • "Life Is Smiling"
  • "If Only" / "If Jesus Lived Today"
  • "King of the World"
  • "Happy Returns"
  • "Where I Bleed"
  • "Faces For The Future"

Studio albums

Democr[i]cy

  • Released: 2008 [5]
  • Format: CD
  • Tracks: Life Is Smiling, Democricy, Once Again, No Mans Land, Crawl, If Only, If Jesus Lived Today, Undone, Stay Awake, Scars, Ride To Freedom

Happy Returns

  • Released: 2009 [6]
  • Format: CD
  • Tracks: King of the World, Happy Returns, Kiss and Tell, Where I Bleed, Shout, When the Lights Go Down, The Machine, Underground, Still Around, Ghost, Liberated Mr. Hyde

Off The Grid (EP)

  • Released: 2010 [7]
  • Format: CD
  • Tracks: Undead, Little White Lies, Meet Me On The Other Side, the Silence, Sad, King of the World, the Joker

Off The Grid (Extended)

  • Released: 12 April 2011[8]
  • Format: CD
  • Tracks: Undead, Little White Lies, Meet Me On The Other Side, the Silence, Sad, King of the World, the Joker, Where I Bleed, When The Lights Go Down, No Mans Land, Happy Returns

Beggars and Believers

  • Released: 7 April 2013[9]
  • Format: MP3
  • Label: Pumpkin Music
  • Tracks: Obsessed, Strange, She Walks in Beauty, The Waiting Game, Anarchy, War Paint, Carousel, Beggars and Believers, Darkness, End of the World

Reception

Michelle St. James (Shakefire.com) described LIVAN's music as "industrial pop punk/alt-rock" going on to say that it "sounds gritty, raw, and fun with crashing guitar and thumping bass lines".[10] Jack Feerick (Pop Dose) said that the "Happy Returns" album was "currently rockin’ my world down to a nub" and went on to describe the title track as sounding like "the Kaiser Chiefs meets The The with vocals by a slumming Peter Murphy".[11] Rob Smy (Spinner) compared LIVAN to Placebo and Nine Inch Nails.[12] However, Patrick Slevin (Aquarian Weekly) described LIVAN's vocals as an "acquired taste".[13]

Writing for the Associated Press, critic Wayne Parry said "Livan defies easy categorization. His voice has the snarl of Johnny Rotten and the exaggerated bass of Iggy Pop. His shaved head evokes Rob Halford, and his stage presence evokes Freddie Mercury, clad one night in hot pink spandex and combat boots, the next in a leather fringed kilt. And he rocks."[2]

References
  1. "Livan will be the support act for the Aerosmith concert" (in Greek). Greece: MTV Greece. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  2. Parry, Wayne (8 April 2011). "Four overlooked albums of 2011". Associated Press. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  3. Robinson, Mara (8 April 2011). "Peter Murphy and Livan". Cleveland Free Press. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  4. "Profile / Life-story". celebuzz.com. July 2008.
  5. "Livan working with Kaiser Chiefs producer on album Democrisy". Daily Mirror. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  6. Papapostolou, Anastasios (16 September 2009). "A Greek Londoner with a Checkered Past Comes to Hollywood". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  7. Thomas, Cody R (30 March 2011). "Exclusive Premiere: Goth Rocker Livan's New Song "Undead"". Revolver. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  8. ASIN B004VKRCHE, Off The Grid @ Amazon
  9. ASIN B00C5ZUCBK, Beggars and Believers @ Amazon
  10. St. James, Michelle (26 August 2009). "Livan: Happy Returns (2009)". ShakeFire.com. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  11. Feerick, Jack (24 July 2009). "How Bad Can It Be?: Livan, "Happy Returns"". Pop Dose. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  12. Smy, Rob (25 September 2009). "The Crap Stack: Livan, CIAM, Teenage Bottlerocket". Spinner. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  13. Slevin, Patrick (21 September 2009). "Livan — Happy Returns". The Aquarian Weekly. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
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