Babybird

{{Short description|English rock band}} {{Lead rewrite|date=June 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use British English|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Babybird | origin = Sheffield, England | genre = {{Hlist|Alternative|lo-fi|indie rock|electronic}} | years_active = 1995–2000, 2005–2013, 2015–present | label = Baby Bird Recordings, Echo, Unison Music, RW/FF Recordings | current_members = Stephen Jones Danny Lowe Robert Gregory Luke Scott | past_members = Huw Chadbourn John Pedder Matt Hay | website = {{URL|www.babybird.info}} }}

'''Babybird''' are an English rock band formed by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Jones, who has been releasing music since 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thequietus.com/articles/11394-babybird-outtakes-review | title=Babybird | work=The Quietus | date=14 February 2013 | access-date=6 April 2014 | author=McKeating, Scott}}</ref> While Jones' early solo work was released under the "Baby Bird" name, the altered "Babybird" was first used to distinguish the full band line-up that has changed often over the years. However, in recent years, Jones has recorded many of the Babybird albums himself, in addition to recording as a solo artist, and under various aliases including Death of the Neighbourhood, Trucker, Black Reindeer, Deluder, Arthritis Kid and others.

Stephen Jones started writing and recording songs at home and his first collection of these demos, ''I Was Born a Man'', was released in July 1995 using the name Baby Bird. He formed a band in order to tour and promote this work. In 1996, Babybird signed to Echo Records and their first single was released in July 1996. Babybird were dropped from their record label in 2000 after their third album, ''Bugged'', had poor sales. The band then split. Jones continued on his own, writing fiction, releasing solo work and created the score for the film ''Blessed'' (2004). In October 2005, the band reformed with three members and created the album ''Between My Ears There Is Nothing But Music'', released in September 2006. They went on tour in November 2009 and then split again in 2013. After a number of Babybird releases on Bandcamp from 2015, Jones took the band back out on tour in late 2017 with a new line up. A compilation album ''Happy Stupid Nothing'' was released in 2019, featuring a selection of Babybird tracks from 2015 onwards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/Babybird-Happy-Stupid-Nothing/release/13287468 | title=Happy Stupid Nothing | website=Discogs.com | date=4 March 2019 | access-date=4 March 2019 | author=Brown, Jason}}</ref>

== Career == Stephen Jones was born in Telford, Shropshire and spent most of his childhood living in New Zealand. He studied acting at Nottingham Trent University, where he began writing songs and recording home demos as part of an experimental theatre group called Dogs in Honey. By 1994, Jones was based in Sheffield, where he had amassed up to 400 songs on 200 cassette tapes. At the urging of friends, he signed a publishing deal with Chrysalis Music, but efforts to release his music were turned down by several labels and A&R representatives, including Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo. In July 1995, Jones self-released the first collection of these demos, ''I Was Born a Man'', under the name Baby Bird. He recruited a band made up of Huw Chadbourn (keyboards), Robert Gregory (drums), John Pedder (bass) and Luke Scott (guitar), under the slightly tweaked moniker of Babybird, in order to tour and promote his work.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book| first= Martin C. | last= Strong | year= 2000 | title= The Great Rock Discography | edition= 5th | publisher= Mojo Books | location= Edinburgh | page= 42 | isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref>

=== Commercial release === During 1995, two further albums of demo recordings were released under the name Baby Bird (''Bad Shave'' and ''Fatherhood'') and two in 1996 (''The Happiest Man Alive'' and ''Dying Happy''). Babybird were signed to Echo Records (a division of the Chrysalis Group), and the first authentic single, a full-band recording of "Goodnight", which had appeared in demo form on ''Fatherhood'', was released in July 1996, becoming a minor hit in the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 37}}</ref>

The group's second single, "You're Gorgeous", reached number 3 in the UK in October 1996,<ref name="Larkin90">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=29}}</ref> and was one of the biggest selling singles of the year, going on to chart around the world. Jones has declared it is a feminist song.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/15/babybird-youre-gorgeous-bikinis-thong|title='It's really saying you're not gorgeous at all': how Babybird made You're Gorgeous|first=Rich|last=Pelley|date=15 April 2024|access-date=5 September 2025|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> However, for its message, it presented a more commercial face to the public in comparison to Jones's earlier work, as well as in comparison to the rest of the material on the ''Ugly Beautiful'' album.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The album produced two more hit singles in "Candy Girl" and "Cornershop".

In 1997 the band returned to the studio, with producer Darren Allison. They recorded two new tracks - a brand new version of "Bad Shave", and a re-working of "CFC". These new tracks were included on the 1997 U.S. release of ''Ugly Beautiful''.

Babybird returned, minus keyboardist Huw Chadbourn, in 1998 with ''There's Something Going On'', preceded by a single, "Bad Old Man".<ref name="Larkin90"/> The album was a modest success and was followed by further minor hits, "If You'll Be Mine" and "Back Together".

In 2000, a line-up of Babybird comprising Jones, Scott and Matt Hay created a third album. ''Bugged''. Sales were poor and the two singles from it, "The F-Word" (later the theme tune to Gordon Ramsay's UK TV cookery show of the same name) and "Out of Sight" barely dented the charts. Babybird were dropped by their record label soon after. A third single from the album, "Fireflies" / "Getaway" was released on Animal Noise Records, but sold few copies. The band subsequently split.

Jones went on to write fiction, release solo work and score a film, ''Blessed'', in 2004. In October 2005, a posting on the Babybird website announced that the band had reformed as a three-piece featuring Jones, Scott and Robert Gregory. An album, ''Between My Ears There Is Nothing But Music'' was released on 25 September 2006.

=== Reformation 2006–2012, 2015–present=== In August 2009, it was announced that the band would be doing a tour of four gigs in November 2009 to promote the album ''Ex-Maniac'', which was released in February 2010. The line-up consisted of Jones, Scott and Gregory, with a cameo appearance from long-term fan Johnny Depp on the track "Unloveable".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/baby-bird/47593 |title=Johnny Depp makes 'cameo appearance' on new Babybird album |website=Nme.com |date=2009-09-30 |access-date=2014-04-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=18420 |title=Unloveable by Babybird Songfacts |website=Songfacts.com |access-date=2014-04-24}}</ref> Depp also directed the music video. The following year, Babybird released the album ''The Pleasures of Self Destruction''.

In 2013, Stephen Jones announced via his Twitter feed that Babybird was no more.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}} He launched his own site at Bandcamp, and released a number of albums under aliases such as "Black Reindeer", "Deluder", "Arthritis Kid", "The Great Sadness" and "Trucker".

In 2015, Jones started trading under the Babybird name again, reforming the band as a live unit in 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/93aaa233-6b5f-41bf-bfe8-70cf1552c218|title=Babybird - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music|website=Bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> and in early 2019, toured as support to Dodgy with his new line-up.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://homegrown25.dodgyology.com/|title=Dodgy {{!}} HOMEGROWN 25|website=Homegrown25.dodgyology.com|access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> A number of Babybird tracks from 2015 onwards were released on 1 March 2019 as a compilation album ''Happy Stupid Nothing''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Babybird-Happy-Stupid-Nothing/release/13287468|title=Babybird {{!}} HHAPPY STUPID NOTHING|website=Discogs.com|date=March 2019 |access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> Just a few months later, it was announced that another album ''Photosynthesis'' would be released in July 2019. As well as these, Jones has been releasing a prolific amount of new Babybird albums via Bandcamp, often selling them as unique limited edition CDs.

== Discography == === Studio albums === {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2 |Year !rowspan=2 |Album details !colspan=2 |Chart positions !rowspan=2 |Certifications (sales thresholds) |-style="font-size:smaller;" !width=30|UK <ref name="ChartlogUK-B">{{cite web |title=UK Chartlog – 1994–2010 Darren B – David Byrne |url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_B.HTM |website=Zobbel.de |access-date=16 July 2014}}</ref><ref name=OCC>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/173/babybird/| title=Babybird / Artist / Official Charts| website=Officialcharts.com| access-date=2016-05-25}}</ref> !width=30|NZ <ref name=nzcharts>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird| title=Discography Babybird |website=Charts.nz| access-date=2014-07-16}}</ref> |- |rowspan=3| 1995 | ''I Was Born a Man'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: July 1995 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | ''Bad Shave'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 5 October 1995 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | ''Fatherhood'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: December 1995 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |rowspan=3| 1996 | ''The Happiest Man Alive'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 1 April 1996 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| 127 |align=center| — | |- | ''Dying Happy'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 27 May 1996 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | ''Ugly Beautiful'' * Released: 21 October 1996 * Labels: Echo |align=center| 9 |align=center| 15 | * BPI: Gold<ref name=bpi/> |- | 1998 | ''There's Something Going On'' * Released: 24 August 1998 * Labels: Echo |align=center| 28 |align=center| — | |- | 2000 | ''Bugged'' * Released: 12 June 2000 * Labels: Echo |align=center| 104 |align=center| — | |- | 2006 | ''Between My Ears There Is Nothing But Music'' * Released: 25 September 2006 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | 2010 | ''Ex-Maniac'' * Released: 1 March 2010 * Labels: Unison Music |align=center| 186 |align=center| — | |- | 2011 | ''The Pleasures of Self Destruction'' * Released: 31 October 2011 * Labels: Unison Music |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | rowspan="2"| 2015 |''The Last Album'' * Released: 8 May 2015 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''Back to the Womb'' * Released: 3 July 2015 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | rowspan="2"| 2016 |''Life After Death'' * Released: 8 June 2016 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''Take My Air'' * Released: 22 November 2016 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | rowspan="5"| 2017 |''The Wrong Words'' * Released: 25 January 2017 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''I Miss Myself'' * Released: 17 March 2017 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''I Miss Myself 2'' * Released: 17 March 2017 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''People Do Stupid Things'' * Released: 18 June 2017 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- |''King of Nothing Part One'' * Released: November 2017 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | 2018 |''King of Nothing Part Two'' * Released: 4 January 2018 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | 2018 |''Selfies Inside The Coffin'' * Released: October 2018 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | 2019 |''NOTPOP/Toothpaste For The Soul'' * Released: February 2019 * Labels: Self-released |align=center| — |align=center| — | |- | 2019 |''Photosynthesis'' * Released: 19 July 2019 * Labels: RW/FF Recordings |align=center| — |align=center| — | |}

=== Compilation albums ===

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Album details |- | 1997 | ''The Greatest Hits'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 30 August 1997 * Labels: Baby Bird Recordings |- | 2002 | ''The Original Lo-Fi'' (boxset) (as Baby Bird) * Released: 18 November 2002 * Labels: Sanctuary |- | 2004 | ''Best of Babybird'' * Released: 16 February 2004 * Labels: Echo |- | 2012 | ''The Original Lo-Fi Greatest Hits'' * Released: 25 October 2012 * Labels: Self-released |- | 2013 | ''Outtakes'' * Released: 10 January 2013 * Labels: Self-released |- | rowspan=2 | 2014 | ''A Personal Lo-Fi Mixtape: Part One'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 1 July 2014 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''A Personal Lo-Fi Mixtape: Part Two'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 1 July 2014 * Labels: Self-released |- | rowspan=11 | 2015 | ''Roadkiller'' * Released: 17 January 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Roadtripper'' * Released: 23 January 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Roadfiller'' * Released: 23 January 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Road'' * Released: 3 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Missing Lofi Part One'' * Released: 13 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Rehearsal Tapes'' * Released: 15 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Missing Lofi 2'' * Released: 21 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Missing Lofi 3: Songs'' * Released: 10 April 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Missing Lofi 3: Soundtracks'' * Released: 10 April 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Last Album Outtakes'' * Released: 15 May 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Fatherhood2'' (as Baby Bird) * Released: 26 June 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | 2016 | ''People Do Stupid Things'' * Released: 1 July 2016 * Labels: Self-released |- | 2017 | ''KONpilation'' * Released: 22 December 2017 * Labels: Self-released |- | 2019 | ''Happy Stupid Nothing'' * Released: 1 March 2019 * Labels: Psycho Mafia Recordings |}

=== Live albums === {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Album details |- | 2012 | ''Live at the Electric Ballroom Bootleg 1996'' * Released: 30 October 2012 * Labels: Self-released |- | rowspan=4 | 2015 | ''Live Sessions 1995–8 Volume One'' * Released: 27 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Live Sessions 1995–8 Volume 2'' * Released: 27 February 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Cambridge Junction 1998'' * Released: 29 May 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | ''Babybird Live in Vienna 2000'' * Released: 16 October 2015 * Labels: Self-released |- | 2018 | ''Babybird Live in Koln at the Luxor'' * Released: 24 January 2018 * Labels: Self-released |}

=== Singles === {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="7"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! UK <ref name=OCC/> ! AUS <ref>Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks: *Top 50 peaks: {{cite web |url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |title=australian-charts.com > Babybird in Australian Charts |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=2016-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424230312/http://www.australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |archive-date=24 April 2016 |df=dmy }} *Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}} *"Goodnight", "Candy Girl", "Cornershop", "Bad Old Man" and "If You'll Be Mine": {{cite web |url=http://i.imgur.com/q1abuq2.gif |title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 24 May 2016 |publisher=Imgur.com |access-date=2016-05-25 }}</ref> ! FRA <ref>{{cite web|url=http://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |website=Lescharts.com |title= Babybird dans les Charts Français |language=fr|access-date=2016-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630182833/http://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |archive-date=30 June 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref> ! GER <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-8295|title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Babybird – You're Gorgeous (single)|language=de|website=Offiziellecharts.de|access-date=2016-05-25}}</ref> ! IRE <ref>{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/Obi7IZI.jpg|title=The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for: Babybird (from irishcharts.ie)|website=I.imgur.com (original site published by Fireball Media)|access-date=2016-05-25}}</ref> ! NZ <ref name=nzcharts/> ! SWE <ref>{{cite web|url=http://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |website=Swedishcharts.com |title=Babybird in Swedish Charts |access-date=2016-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813135930/http://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird |archive-date=13 August 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref> |- | 1995 ! scope="row" | "Snake Caves" / "Baby Lemonade" (as Baby Bird) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | {{Non-album single}} |- |rowspan=2 |1996 ! scope="row" | "Goodnight" | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |rowspan=4 |''Ugly Beautiful'' |- ! scope="row" | "You're Gorgeous" | 3 | 28 | 46 | 74 | 16 | 22 | 17 | * BPI: Gold<ref name=bpi>{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/nxDHrt0.jpg|title=BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for: Babybird (from bpi.co.uk)|website=I.imgur.com |access-date=2016-05-25}}</ref> |- |rowspan=2 |1997 ! scope="row" | "Candy Girl" | 14 | 184 | — | — | — | — | — | |- ! scope="row" | "Cornershop" | 37 | 125 | — | — | — | — | — | |- |rowspan=2 |1998 ! scope="row" | "Bad Old Man" | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |rowspan="3"|''There's Something Going On'' |- ! scope="row" | "If You'll Be Mine" | 28 | 128 | — | — | — | — | — | |- |rowspan=2 |1999 ! scope="row" | "Back Together" | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |- ! scope="row" | ''Split 1'' (split single with East River Pipe) (as Baby Bird) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | {{Non-album single}} |- |rowspan="3"|2000 ! scope="row" | "The F-Word" | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |rowspan="3"|''Bugged'' |- ! scope="row" | "Out of Sight" | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |- ! scope="row" | ''Double A EP'' ("Getaway" / "Fireflies") | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |- |rowspan=2 |2006 ! scope="row" | "Too Much" / "Dive" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |rowspan=2 |''Between My Ears There's Nothing But Music'' |- ! scope="row" | "Lighter 'n' Spoon" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |- | 2010 ! scope="row" | "Unloveable" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | ''Ex-Maniac'' |- | 2019 ! scope="row" | "King of Nothing" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |rowspan="2"|''Happy Stupid Nothing'' |- |2020 ! scope="row" | "In Place of Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |}

=== Compilation tracks === * "Bad Twin" (on ''The Avengers'' OST, Atlantic Records, August 1998)

=== Promotional videos === * "Goodnight" (1996, directed by Stuart A. Gosling) * "You're Gorgeous" (1997, directed by Stuart A. Gosling) * "If You'll Be Mine" (1998, directed by David Slade) * "The F-Word" (2000, directed by Rob Leggatt & Leigh Marling) * "Out of Sight" (2000, directed by Rob Leggatt & Leigh Marling) * "Lighter 'n' Spoon" (2008, directed by Philipp Pflüger) * "Unloveable" (2010, directed by Johnny Depp) * "King Of Nothing" (2019, directed by [RW/FF]) * "In Place Of Love" (2019, directed by [Stephen Jones]) * "The Greatest Thing" (2019, directed by [Stephen Jones and RW/FF]) * "No Cameras" (2019, directed by [RW/FF])

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [https://xbabybird.bandcamp.com/ Babybird on Bandcamp] * [https://thestephenjones.bandcamp.com/ Stephen Jones on Bandcamp]

Category:English indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Sheffield Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:1995 establishments in the United Kingdom

Babybird

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