Apollo 440 is a British band from Liverpool. This musical city has given the world many interesting bands.
Chief among which, of course, is The Beatles. But if the famous four used classical guitar music, then the Apollo 440 group relied on modern trends in electronic music.
The name of the group was in honor of the god Apollo and the note la, the frequency of which, as you know, is 440 Hz.
The beginning of the journey of the Apollo 440 group
The original composition of the Apollo 440 group was created in 1990. The group included: Trevor and Howard Gray, Norman Jones and James Gardner. The team widely used keyboard instruments and sampled guitars in their work.
The group experimented with sound and recorded the first compositions in such genres as: electronic rock and alternative dance.
For greater creative freedom, the guys decide to create their own label. A year after the formation of the band, Stealth Sonic Recordings was created.
Own label helped the musicians to refuse producers and create the kind of music that they themselves liked. The hallmark of the band was the synthesized sound of musical instruments and a high level of energy efficiency at concerts.
Apollo 440's first singles were released in 1992: Blackout, Destiny and Lolita. They immediately became major club hits.
Inspired by the first successes, the guys decide to secure the title of idols of the electronic scene and make original remixes for the compositions of U2 and EMF. They helped increase the popularity of the team.
The first success of the Apollo 440 group
But the main success for the group came in 1993, when the guys released another single, Astral America. When creating this composition, the musicians used the famous hit of the 1970s Lake And Palmer by Emerson.
Surrounding a sample from this composition with modern electronic riffs, the guys breathed a modern sound into the song. Another hit for club discos was ready.
The musicians of the Apollo 440 group skillfully combined such genres as rock and roll, ambient and techno. The original compositions quickly won the love of the public and got to the top of the charts.
In 1995, the team decided to move from their native Liverpool to the capital of England. The recording of the debut album Millennium Fever took place in London. Immediately after work, James Gardner left the group.
In 1996, the band decided to change its name. The first part of which Apollo remained, and the numbers 440 were changed to the letter designation Four Forty. During the recording of the last (at the moment) album, the band decided to make a reverse name change.
The band's second numbered album, Electro Glide in Blue, was released in 1997. One of the compositions of the disc reached the top 10 of the British hit parade.
The main hit of the disc is Ain't Talkin' About Dub. When creating this composition, the guys used the famous riff from the Van Halen song.
They increased its tonality and playback speed. The result was a composition that "blew up" the dance floors of popular London clubs.
In 1998, the Apollo Four Forty recorded the theme song for the film Lost in Space. The composition immediately "burst" into the US hit parade and entrenched in the 4th position.
Six months later, the team created music for the PlayStation game, which made it possible to call Apollo 440 the first group to record a full-fledged soundtrack for a computer game.
Musicians widely used their talent for processing popular compositions and giving them an electronic sound. In 1999, another album was released.
At this time, the bands The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers were on everyone's lips. But against their background, the Apollo 440 group was remembered for more soulful music. Playing in the genre of electronic rock, the guys were able to protect themselves from the trends of the new time and did what they liked.
After the release of the third album, the band toured a lot. The musicians have repeatedly given concerts in Ukraine and Russia. The fourth album was released in 2003.
The Apollo 440 group continued to experiment with sound. On the next disc, the guys skillfully combined breakbeat, jungle, blues and jazz. The musical component of the disc has become richer and more diverse.
The musicians regularly gave live performances, invited various vocalists, which only increased the potential of the band.
Apollo 440 group today
Today, the Apollo 440 group is based in the London Borough of Islington. The band's studio is located here. The group has more than 50 compositions, many of which are used as soundtracks for films and computer games. The music of the "Apollos" sounds in commercials.
Liverpool's fifth album Dude Descending a Staircase was released in 2003. In it, the musicians paid tribute to such a style as disco. Many compositions from this disc can be used as a background for work. A feature of the disk is that it is double. There are 18 tracks on the disc in total.
The latest (at the moment) Apollo 440 CD came out in 2013. The experiment with the musical component and sound continues. The tracks are made in the Drum'n'Bass and Big Beat genres. The musicians are actively touring and are not going to rest.
