{{Short description|English rock band}} {{Multiple issues| {{Notability|music|date=June 2020}} {{More footnotes|date=June 2020}}}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Former Utopia | image = | image_size = 300px | origin = London, England, UK | years_active = 2006–present | genre = Rock | label = Damnably | current_members = George Gargan<br />Rama<br />Russ Evans }}
'''Former Utopia''' is a rock band from London, England. They formed after meeting at a Silver Jews gig in 2006. The band toured the UK with Julie Doiron<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/live/julie-doiron---the-luminaire-london-300909-20495|title=Julie Doiron – The Luminaire, London 30/09/09|website=The Line of Best Fit}}</ref> in 2009 and with smallgang<ref>[https://archive.today/20131031133731/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/half-measures-pub-rockers/story-12849344-detail/story.html] </ref> 2011 and Europe with Shonen Knife<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gaffa.dk/anmeldelse/65766|title=Shonen Knife, Former Utopia og Orphans: Loppen, København|website=Gaffa.dk}}</ref> in 2012. They have also shared stages with Bottomless Pit, Uzeda, COME, Bellini, Thee More Shallows, Chris Brokaw, Geoff Farina, Shannon Wright, David Grubbs<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/programme/DavidGrubbs.shtm |title=<David Grubbs> |access-date=31 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102161100/http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/programme/DavidGrubbs.shtm |archive-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and PW Long.
The band's ''Collapsar'' EP was self-recorded at Karma Studios in a day at Stoke Newington in 2012, and mixed and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Echolab Studios in Denton. Released on Damnably<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.slowthrills.com/2013/02/new-music-former-utopia-collapsar-ep.html |title=NEW MUSIC: Former Utopia 'Collapsar' EP, and launch night preview ~ Slow Thrills |access-date=31 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102130451/http://www.slowthrills.com/2013/02/new-music-former-utopia-collapsar-ep.html |archive-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in 2013, tracks from the EP received BBC Radio 6 Music airplay from Gideon Coe,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pp6l8|title=BBC Radio 6 Music - Gideon Coe, 09/01/2013|website=BBC}}</ref> and Tom Ravenscroft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p7fc2|title=BBC Radio 6 Music - Tom Ravenscroft, 14/12/2012|website=BBC}}</ref>
In 2013, the band were selected to play at Incubate<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://incubate.org/2013/line-up/137/former-utopia |title=Former Utopia - Line-up - Incubate 2013 |access-date=30 October 2013 |archive-date=3 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103052303/http://incubate.org/2013/line-up/137/former-utopia |url-status=dead }}</ref> Festival in Tilburg.
==Band members== *George Gargan(guitar) *Rama (Drums) *Russ Evans(Bass)
George Gargan was formerly a member of the band Lazarus Clamp from 1999-2003 and played bass and sang on the albums ''The More We are The Funnier It Is'' (2004) and ''It Ain't What You Do It's What it Does to You'' (2008).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lazarusclamp.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-what-you-do-its-what-it-does-to-you|title=It ain't what you do its what it does to you, by Lazarus Clamp|website=Lazarusclamp.bandcamp.com}}</ref>
==Discography== * ''Tiptoe Through The Tulips'' - 2009, Damnably * ''Collapsar'' - 2013, Damnably
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.formerutopia.com/ Former Utopia's website] * [http://www.damnably.com/former-utopia/ Former Utopia's Dammnably page] * [http://someofitistrue.com/2013/02/03/in-bloom-7-future-utopia/ Former Utopia Interview in Some Of It Is True] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102032541/http://someofitistrue.com/2013/02/03/in-bloom-7-future-utopia/ |date=2 November 2013 }} * [http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2009/10/julie-doiron-%E2%80%93-the-luminaire-london-300909/ Review in The Line Of Best Fit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912072549/http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2009/10/julie-doiron-%E2%80%93-the-luminaire-london-300909/ |date=12 September 2010 }} * [http://www.sodapop.it/rbrth/reviews/1725-former-utopia-colapsar-ep-damnably-2013.html Review in Sodapop] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102000057/http://www.sodapop.it/rbrth/reviews/1725-former-utopia-colapsar-ep-damnably-2013.html |date=2 November 2013 }} * [http://damusic.be/live/incubate-2013/dag-van-uitersten Review in Damusic] * [http://3voor12.vpro.nl/lokaal/tilburg/nieuws/2013/incubate/INCU13-de-jaren-90-belden-ze-willen-Former-Utopia-terug.html Review in 3voor12] * [http://pocketjury.net/2013/01/former-utopia-collapsor-ep/ Review in Pocket Jury] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102014807/http://pocketjury.net/2013/01/former-utopia-collapsor-ep/ |date=2 November 2013 }} * [http://incubate.org/2013/line-up/137/former-utopia Incubate Page for Former Utopia] * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pp6l8 Former Utopia played on Gideon Coe's BBC 6 Music Radio Show] * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p7fc2 FU played on Tom Ravenscroft BBC 6 Music Show]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Former Utopia}} Category:English rock music groups Category:Rock music groups from London Category:British post-punk revival music groups