Athlete (band)

Athlete is a British band from London.

History

The four band members had known each other since their youth and formed a band in 1999. After concerts in the London borough of Deptford, the home of three band members, they released their first EP Athlete in 2002. Through a number of tours and singles, the band's profile and popularity grew. As a result, the single You Got The Style entered the Top 40 of the British charts.

After a few gigs opening for bands like Mansun, The Polyphonic Spree, The Electric Soft Parade and Simian, the band got a record deal with EMI, where their debut album Vehicles and Animals was released in 2003. This album earned the band their first platinum record. After appearances at the Glastonbury Festival and T in the Park, the band was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

In 2005, the band released their second album Tourist, which reached #1 on the charts and earned them their second platinum record. The album's first single was the track Wires, in which vocalist Joel Pott works through his feelings as a new father. In the summer of that year, Athlete played as the opening act for three concerts as part of Irish band U2's Vertigo Tour. In 2006, the song Chances from the Tourist album was used for the trailer of the film A Good Year.

In September 2007, they released their third studio album, Beyond the Neighbourhood.

Style

The band had initially dedicated itself to Britpop, but developed an independent sound shaped by electronic influences. Like Keane and Coldplay, Athlete can be counted as alternative indie rock.