The Spook School

The Spook School were a British four-piece indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland.[3] The name is a reference to the Glasgow School.[2]

This article is about the band. For other uses, see Spook School (disambiguation).

The Spook School
The Spook School in 2017.
Background information
OriginEdinburgh, Scotland
Genres
Years active2011 (2011)–2019 (2019)
Labels
Associated acts
Websitethespookschool.com
Members
  • Nye Todd
  • Adam Todd

  • AC Cory[1]
  • Niall McCamley[2]

The band's lyrics explore "gender, sexuality and queer issues"[3] with themes such as "fluidity and the lack of a binary in gender".[2]

Their music is often compared to bands on the C86 compilation, such as The Shop Assistants, as well as The Buzzcocks;[3][4][5] the band also lists David Bowie as an influence.[2]

History

They met and formed in 2012 whilst attending the University of Edinburgh.[2] Brothers Nye and Adam Todd met AC Cory[1] and Niall McCamley through the university's comedy society.[6] Most of the band have previously been involved in live comedy shows, some of which were performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[2]

After a self released CD-R single, "History" / "Hallam", they released an EP (recorded in Adam Todd's bedroom) on cassette with Scottish label Soft Power Records in 2012 with the title I Don't Know, You Don't Know, We All Don't Know the Spook School. It was followed by a single for Cloudberry Records later that year.[7]

Fortuna Pop! label owner Sean Price signed the band after seeing them play at Indietracks Festival in 2012. They released music on the label until its dissolution in 2017, shortly after which they signed to Alcopop! Records.[8]

They released their first album, Dress Up, in 2013. In 2014 they played N.Y.C. Popfest. That same year, the band were invited to do the music for the second season of the BBC Three show Badults.[7]

Try to Be Hopeful was issued in October 2015, again by the Fortuna Pop! label, as well as Slumberland Records in the U.S. The group's next appearance on record was Continental Drift, a split LP on Fortuna Pop! and Slumberland that also featured songs by the Mercury Girls, Wildhoney, and Tigercats.[7]

After the 2017 holiday single "Someone to Spend Christmas With" on their new UK label, Alcopop! Records, in early 2018 the Spook School released with third album, Could It Be Different?.[7]

The band announced that they were breaking up in March 2019, and went on a farewell tour later in the year.[9]

Critical reception

Their debut album, released in 2013,[4] is entitled Dress Up because it "relates to the idea of gender being a social construction, something that can be artificially appropriated".[3] The record received positive reviews from Loud and Quiet,[5] Under the Radar,[10] and The Skinny.[11]

Their second album, Try To Be Hopeful, released in 2015, has also received favourable coverage from music journalists.[12][13][14] Often with emphasis that their world-view encompasses the fluidity of both gender and sexuality and that this gives their output "urgency and cheering freshness".[14]

The band's third album, Could It Be Different? was released January 2018 - just before embarking on a US tour supporting New York state pop-punk duo Diet Cig.[15] It has been described as a "defining statement",[15] and a "a life-affirming return"[16] which finds them "on the cusp of greatness".[15] Clash called it arguably "one of the most important albums of 2018".[17] It was long-listed for that years Scottish Album of the Year Award.[18]

Discography

Albums

Extended plays
  • I Don't Know, You Don't Know, We All Don't Know The Spook School - Soft Power Records, Cassette EP, MP3 (2012)[3]

Singles

Split releases

References
  1. "AC @ACdeecee". Twitter. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  2. Pollock, David (18 October 2013). "Haunting melodies from students at Spook School". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  3. Lester, Paul. "New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  4. Morrison, Alan (8 October 2013). "The Spook School: Dress Up (Fortuna POP!)". The Herald (Glasgow). Newsquest. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  5. Scott, Hayley. "Dress Up by The Spook School". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  6. Burrows, Marc. "One to watch: The Spook School". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  7. Sendra, Tim. "The Spook School Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  8. "The Spook School Sign to Alcopop! for new album 'COULD IT BE DIFFERENT?', share 'STILL ALIVE' video". DIY. Sonic Media Group. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  9. "The Spook School Are Breaking Up, Announce Farewell Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  10. Saunders, Chris. "Reviews - The Spook School, Dress Up". Under the Radar. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  11. Buckle, Chris. "Reviews - The Spook School - Dress Up". The Skinny. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  12. Brown, Paul. "The Spook School Try to be Hopeful". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  13. Scott, Hayley. "The Spook School - Try To Be Hopeful". Clash. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  14. Didcock, Barry. "The Spook School: Try To Be Hopeful (Fortuna POP!)". The Herald (Glasgow). Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  15. Turner-Heffer, Adam. "The Spook School – Could It Be Different?". The Skinny, Radge Media. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  16. Mair, Rob. "The Spook School – Could It Be Different?". Dork. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  17. Beech, Dave (12 February 2018). "The Spook School - Could It Be Different?". Clash. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  18. Snapes, Laura (1 August 2018). "Scottish Album of the Year: Mogwai and Young Fathers among nominees". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
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