The US most certainly does not have a monopoly over alternative rock music. There have been several notable UK groups that have crossed over to international success. One group that might just be well on its way beyond Surrey, England is the You Me at Six band.
The band obviously carries an attractive name, one that should’ve grabbed some attention a long time ago. They might be getting some limelight now but the move upward wasn’t so fast at the start.
The year 2004 was when the original members converged. The group was made up of vocalist Josh Franceschi, rhythm guitarist Max Heyler, bassist Matt Barnes, lead guitarist Chris Miller and drummer Joe Phillips. Dan Flint came in two years later to take over from Philips. From the very start, the group seemed to have had its act together and might have been able to quickly begin building a You Me at Six discography. Unfortunately, the focus of the members was mainly on travelling to and playing in various venues.
By 2006 however, they were finally able to push a minor release with We Know What it’s Like to be Alone, an EP that contained four tracks. This was followed in 2007 by another EP that contained four tracks. This was also the year when the group started playing in bigger events and venues, most notably at the Camden Underworld in which they played to a full audience.This started the ball rolling for more You Me at Six merch.
The rising local support for the group eventually paved the way for the first official You Me at Six band album. Take Off Your Colours was released through Slam Dunk in 2008 and took the 25th spot in the UK charts. Two singles in the album, Finders Keepers and Kiss and Tell likewise took slots in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart.
The taste of initial success was already clear proof that alternative music could use another band. By 2010, the band had completed another album, Hold Me Down which was released by Virgin Records. This was even better than its predecessor as proven by its 5th standing in the charts. The album sold well enough to garner a silver certification.
The evolving You Me at Six discography saw a new EP added to its ranks. In 2010, they released Underdog which featured the almost amusing Fact-tastic. Interestingly, it is a piece that details the group’s opinion on the inaccuracy of information propagated by various popular sources such as forums and websites. This is perhaps a clear reference to such sites as Punktastic.com. After this piece of work, the band flew by with more releases. The year saw more of the group’s music with the EP Liquid Confidence and the iTunes bundle Stay with Me.
The origins of the group are obviously less dramatic than other bands that have risen in popularity. Nonetheless, being less than exciting isn’t a hindrance to success. The band has been nominated three times at the Kerrang! Awards for Best British Band. There’s hope that they’ll soon be number one in every band store in the UK and US.
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