Robbie Williams, Mystery Jets, et KT Tunstall

As part of the highly successful group Take That, Williams stood out from the crowd, with an edgy, tougher look than his pretty-boy bandmates. Following in-fighting and William's dislike for the demands made by their management, he left the band in 1995, pursuing a solo career that would lead to brighter success than what had come before.

After leaving the band, Williams befriended Oasis, joining in with the drug-fueled parties that came along with their success, This lifestyle took its toll, with Williams becoming increasingly overweight and the subject of much discussion in tabloid gossip columns, distracting Williams from focusing on his own music. In 1996, he released his first single, a cover of George Michael's "Freedom '90," which was largely a disaster. However, his second single, "Old Before I Die" in 1997 showed more promise, displaying a prominent Oasis influence. His debut album arrived the same year, "Life Thru a Lens," finding huge success in the UK. This was followed by the multi-Platinum release, "I've Been Expecting You," in 1998, establishing Williams' solo career.

His third album, 2000's "Sing When You're Winning" found even greater popularity, bolstered by the hit single "Rock DJ," with Williams also recording a big-band album of standards, "Swing When You're Winning" shortly after. Robbie Williams had by now established himself as one of the leading pop stars in Europe, through an endless string of hits, as well as his larger-than-life persona, selling more copies than he had previously with Take That.

Williams continued this high-flying success with 2002's "Escapology," although despite being one of the biggest stars in the UK and Europe, he failed to break into the American pop market. Despite this, his 2005 record, "Intensive Care" topped the charts in many European countries and his 2006 world tour sold over 1.5 million tickets in just one day. "Rudebox" followed, going double-Platinum in the UK, although it was his lowest selling album in his solo career.

In 2010, news of Take That's reunion brought forth much speculation as to Robbie Williams' involvement, recording a number of new songs with Gary Barlow although he did not become as involved as the other members of Take That. Williams' ninth album, "Take the Crown" arrived in 2012, featuring the production of Jacknife Lee, who has worked with Snow Patrol, R.E.M and Bloc Party, returning to the sound of his earlier work. He again found a number one single with "Candy," reaching the top spot in a number of European countries. In 2013, he again looked towards standards for inspiration, recording "Swing Both Ways," which also featured some originals. The album also featured appearances from star guests including Lily Allen, Olly Murs, Rufus Wainwright, Kelly Clarkson and Michael Bublé.

Originally formed of 12 year old drummer Blaine Harrison, guitarist William Rees, and Blaine’s father Henry Harrison on bass, the group underwent a series of lineup alterations prior to their musical debut. Following the arrival of Kai Fish on bass and Tamara Pearce-Higgins on the organ, Henry Harrison became the second guitarist and the band settled on the moniker The Misery Jets. Prior to the band’s debut EP Blaine misspelled Misery Jets “Mystery Jets” on his drum skin and pleased with the result the band kept it.

Having practiced in Henry’s Eel Pie Island boat shed, the band began practicing steadily with Blaine assuming the role of lead singer. Influenced by the melodies of Hall and Oates and experimentalism of Pink Floyd, Mystery Jets released their eponymous debut EP in 2004. Produced by Bishop Dante, the group’s subsequent EP the “Eel Pie Island” was issued later in 2004, following which the band began to develop new material and tightness on a modest UK tour. Mystery Jet’s first official single “Zoo Time” was released on up-and-coming label Transgressive Records, after which the band hosted a series of illegal parties. Due to this exposure the group were subsequently signed by 697 Recordings, who issued the single “The Boy Who Ran Away”.

Mystery Jets’ debut studio album “Making Dens” was released in March 2006, extolled by many, aided by the singlex “You Can’t Fool Me Dennis”, “Diamonds in the Dark”, and “Alas Agnes”. Following the release the band hosted a tribute show to Syd Barrett, featuring artists Kid Harpoon, Kate Nash, and Dan Treacy among others, and embarked on their first worldwide tour. In May 2007, the band released the U.S. only album “Zootime”, which was almost entirely made up of songs from their debut “Making Dens”.

Ahead of their sophomore album “Twenty One”, Mystery Jets released the single “Young Love” featuring indie-darling Laura Marling. The album’s second single was the seductively groovy “Two Doors Down”, which reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. “Twenty One”, produced by Erol Alkan and Nick Launay, earned widespread critically acclaim, peaking at No. 42 on the UK Albums chart. Following the release the band moved away from 679 Recording and signed with the established independent Rough Trade Records. With new label backing Mystery Jets issued their third studio album “Serotonin” in 2011 lead by the singles “Flash a Hungry Smile” and “Dreaming of Another World”. The band’s fourth LP 2012’s “Radlands”, was recorded in a home studio by the Colorado River of Texas, and was supported by extensive international touring.

Strangely enough for a musician of her magnitude, KT Tunstall did not grow up in a musical household. Her parents' only tape was a Tom Lehrer album on tape, leading Tunstall to discover the world of music entirely on her own while she spent her late teens travelling the world. Once she hit her twenties she had learnt enough about performing to start playing in a number of indie bands, where she developed a particular interest in songwriting. By her mid-20's she had struck out on her own as a singer/songwriter and after a brief dalliance with an American major label, she signed with the British indie label Relentless Records. #

Wisely, she and the label decided to spend a few years working on her material and her live performances before she debuted, and in 2004, her debut album “Eye To The Telescope” was released. The album received warm reviews from the start, but it was in danger of slipping under the radar until Tunstall was tapped to be a last minute replacement performer on a Later... With Jools Holland episode after Nas (of all people) cancelled. The solo performance of “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” that she played with only a guitar, a tambourine and a loop pedal utterly upstaged everyone else on the show, which included The Cure, Embrace and The Futureheads.

Relentless re-released the album soon after the episode aired, and the album rocketed into the charts at number three, the single also became one of the biggest radio hits of the year in the U.K, and on its release in the United States, became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. She also had huge hits in the form of the singles “Other Side Of The World” and “Suddenly I See”, both of which actually bettered the chart performance of “Black Horse...”, charting at number 13 and number 12 respectively. That kind of success has stayed with Tunstall ever since, with her debut certified five times Platinum and three of her other studio albums certified Gold. More so than any sales certificate, however, she is an artist well on her way to national treasure status, and for that, KT Tunstall comes highly recommended.