The Horrors | |
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The Horrors, 2007
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Background information | |
Origin | Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England |
Genres | |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts |
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Website | thehorrors |
Members |
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The Horrors are an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea in 2005, consisting of lead vocalist Faris Badwan, guitarist Joshua Hayward, keyboardist and synthesiser player Tom Cowan (also known as Tom Furse), bassist Rhys Webb, and drummer and percussionist Joe Spurgeon. Their music has been classified as garage rock, garage punk, gothic rock, shoegazing and post-punk revival.
The band have released four studio albums: Strange House (2007), Primary Colours (2009), Skying (2011) and Luminous (2014), all of which charted within the UK Top 40.
In the early 2000s, the Horrors coalesced around shared interests in obscure vinyl and DJing. During trips to London and on the Southend circuit, Webb met Badwan (formerly of the Rotters) and Cowan through their mutual interest in 1960s garage rock and new wave as well as post-punk bands such as the Birthday Party and Bauhaus.
In 2005, the three formed a band with Hayward and Spurgeon. The band was centred around Junkclub, an underground club founded by Webb and Oliver Abbott. Their first rehearsal consisted of two covers: the Sonics' "The Witch" and Screaming Lord Sutch's "Jack the Ripper" (interpreted in the tradition of previous garage covers such as those by the Fuzztones, One-Way Streets and the Gruesomes). The latter rendition was later rerecorded as the opening track of their debut album, Strange House. The Horrors made their first live performance at The Spread Eagle on Kingsland Road in London on 16 August 2005.