Space (English band)

Space
The first lineup of Space, circa 1996
Background information
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	Alternative rock, Britpop, electronica, alternative hip hop, neo-psychedelia
Years active	1993–2005; 2011–present
Labels	Gut Records Universal Records RandM HUG
Members	Tommy Scott Franny Griffiths Phil Hartley Allan Jones
Past members	Jamie Murphy Yorkie Leon Caffrey Andy Parle Ryan Clarke

Space are an English indie band from Liverpool, who came to prominence in the mid-1990s with hit singles such as "Female of the Species", "Me and You Versus the World", "Neighbourhood", "Avenging Angels" and "The Ballad of Tom Jones". They worked with both Tom Jones in 1999 and Cerys Matthews a year earlier. The band had formed in 1993 and released three studio albums, plus a number of charting singles, before eventually disbanding in 2005. In 2011, two years after the death of original drummer Andy Parle, the band announced they would reunite with Tommy Scott, Jamie Murphy and Franny Griffiths returning alongside three new members, crowd-funding their first album in a decade, Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab. A follow-up album is due early 2017.

The melodic core of Space's sound was inspired by 1960s guitar groups such as The Kinks and The Who, which got them tagged as part of the Britpop scene. However, their imaginative, pioneering usage of electronic instruments and sampling drew mostly from post-punk, ska, hip hop and vintage film soundtracks. Each member of the group had wildly different tastes in music, which they often brought to the fore of their work. The band were also known for their delibaretely over-the-top, dark humoured lyrics, which frequently dealt with topics such as serial killers, failed relationships, social outcasts, and mental illness.

Tommy Scott (then bass player), Jamie Murphy, and Andy Parle formed Space in 1993 and aimed for a Who-influenced sound, releasing a 12-inch single entitled "Is It Real". After Franny Griffiths, an old friend and former member of Scott's earlier group Hello Sunset, was brought in to join them on keyboards and electronics a year later, establishing their trademark style. The band secured a recording contract with Gut Records who released their first single, "Money" in 1995. The single "Neighbourhood"' followed in 1996 but it was not until the release of their next single, "Female of the Species", that they achieved popular acclaim. This song was also the theme song to the UK television series Cold Feet.