Elbow

Elbow are a Mercury Prize winning English alternative rock band. The band formed in Bury, Lancashire, in 1990, and retains its original line-up of lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Guy Garvey, guitarist and back up vocalist Mark Potter, keyboardist and back up vocalist Craig Potter, bassist Pete Turner and drummer Richard Jupp. Over the band's 18 year career they have released four studio albums, four EPs and ten top fifty singles in the UK.

The band are named after a line in the BBC TV mini-series The Singing Detective; a character says that the word "elbow" is the most sensuous word in the English language, not for its definition, but for how it feels to say it.

Acclaimed for their innovative sound and front-man Guy Garvey's candid, evocative lyrics, Elbow have received vast critical acclaim and been endorsed by major artists Radiohead, Blur, R.E.M. and U2. The Velvet Underground's co-founder John Cale selected Elbow's "Switching Off" as one of his eight chosen records on the BBC's "Desert Island Discs" radio programme. In September 2008, alternative rock band Snow Patrol declared their appreciation for the band by covering Elbow's track "One Day Like This" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. Commercial success is finally beginning to match Elbow's critical acclaim and status among fans.

• Asleep in the Back (May 7, 2001, #14 UK)
• Cast of Thousands (August 18, 2003, #7 UK, #196 US)
• Leaders of the Free World (September 12, 2005, #12 UK)
• The Seldom Seen Kid (March 17, 2008, #5 UK April 22, 2008 - US Release; #109 US^[7])

UK singles & EPs

All positions are from the UK Singles Chart.

Early releases:

• "The Noisebox EP" (January 1, 1998)
• "The Newborn EP" (August 7, 2000)
• "The Any Day Now EP" (January 23, 2001)

From Asleep In The Back:

• "Red" (April 23, 2001) #36
• "Powder Blue" (July 9, 2001) #41
• "Newborn" (October 8, 2001) #42
• "Asleep in the Back" / "Coming Second" (February 4, 2002) #19

From Cast Of Thousands:

• "Ribcage" (download only single) (May 2003)
• "Fallen Angel" (August 4, 2003) #19
• "Fugitive Motel" (October 27, 2003) #44
  • "Ribcage" / "Fugitive Motel" (limited edition 7") (2003)
• "Not a Job" (February 23, 2004) #26
• "Grace Under Pressure" / "Switching Off" (EP) (July 12, 2004)

From Leaders Of The Free World:

• "Forget Myself" (August 29, 2005) #22
• "Leaders of the Free World" (November 7, 2005) #53

From The Seldom Seen Kid:

• "Grounds for Divorce" (March 10, 2008) UK #19
• "One Day Like This" (June 2, 2008) UK #35
• "The Bones of You" (download only single) (September 29, 2008)