• 1996-

  James SkellyVocals1996-

  Paul DuffyBass1996-

  Ian SkellyDrums1996-

  Bill Ryder-JonesGuitar1996–2005, 2006–2008

  Lee SouthallGuitar1996-2015

  Nick PowerKeyboards1998-

  Paul MolloyGuitar2015-
• The Coral are a British rock band that originated in Hoylake, Wirral. Their music blends elements of rock, psychedelia, folk, and even incorporates a touch of Merseybeat, reflecting their Liverpool roots. This eclectic mix set them apart in the indie music scene.
• The Coral caught the attention of Alan Wills, a former Shack drummer who started a label just to sign them. All five original members were attending Hillbury high school in Hoylake, a relatively affluent suburb of Liverpool, when the band formed.
• Alan Wills encouraged the teenage musicians to pursue their unique sound. "We played him a few songs, and then we played Shadows Fall," frontman James Skelly told the BBC. "And he was like, 'that's what you need to do - the rest of your tunes are like Happy Days.' So we sacked all our other tunes and did that."
• Their first album, The Coral, came out in 2002 and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The media hailed them as the heirs of Britpop and tried to create a new movement called "Cosmic Scouse" around them and other local bands.
  
  The Coral resisted the hype and turned down invitations to the Brit Awards, claiming they didn't feel like they belonged to the mainstream music industry. Instead, they focused on making more music, releasing five albums in six years. Some of their songs, like "In The Morning" and "Dreaming Of You," became big hits. "We were discouraged from releasing that many albums," keyboardist Nick Power told the BBC. "We wanted to do more. Major labels don't want you to do that."
• The Coral went on a hiatus in 2010, with members pursuing individual projects. They reunited in 2016 and continued to release albums that explore different musical styles while maintaining their distinctive sound.
• The band are occasionally mistaken for Coral Racing, the UK bookmakers chain, and sometimes receive complaints from punters about lost bets or poor customer service, unaware they're messaging a Merseyside indie band rather than a high street bookmaker.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Slow HandThe Pointer Sisters

"Slow Hand" was a #1 Country hit for Conway Twitty in 1982, a year after The Pointer Sisters recorded it.

The OneMemphis Bleek

Rapper Memphis Bleek's 2005 album track "The One" is notable for featuring a then-unknown Rihanna on the hook. It was the Barbadian singer's first-ever major-label appearance.

Here Comes Your ManPixies

"Here Comes Your Man" is the closest the Pixies came to a hit in America. It was rumored to be about a drug dealer, but Black Francis says it's just a story about some hobos who travel by train and die in an earthquake.

VoodooGodsmack

The line, "I feel the snakebite enter my veins," led many to believe the Godsmack song "Voodoo" is about drugs, but it's really about Wiccan ritual, inspired in part by the Wes Craven movie The Serpent and the Rainbow.

Strawberry Letter 23The Brothers Johnson

"Strawberry Letter 23" by The Brothers Johnson was written by Shuggie Otis, whose girlfriend would send him letters written on strawberry-scented paper.

VogueMadonna

Every film star mentioned in Madonna's "Vogue" has since died. The last was Lauren Bacall, who passed away in 2014.

Editor's Picks

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.