The Spook School

{{Short description|British four-piece indie pop band}} {{About|the band|other uses|Spook School (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Spook School | image = The Spook School in 2017.jpg | landscape = yes | alt = | caption = The Spook School in 2017 | origin = Edinburgh, Scotland | years_active = {{start date|2011}}–{{end date|2019}} | genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|Pop punk|Queercore}} | label = {{hlist|Fortuna Pop!|Slumberland Records|Alcopop! Records}} | website = {{URL|http://thespookschool.com/}} | current_members = *Nye Todd *Adam Todd *AC Cory<ref name="AC">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ACdeecee|title=AC @ACdeecee|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=13 December 2017}}</ref> *Niall McCamley<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School">{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/music/haunting-melodies-from-students-at-spook-school-1-3147138|title=Haunting melodies from students at Spook School|last=Pollock|first=David|date=18 October 2013|work=The Scotsman|publisher=Johnston Press|accessdate=19 August 2014}}</ref> }}

'''The Spook School''' were a British four-piece indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland. They released three albums on independent record labels; ''Dress Up'' (2013), ''Try to Be Hopeful'' (2015), and ''Could It Be Different?'' (2018).

==History== They met and formed in 2011 whilst attending the University of Edinburgh.<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School"/> Brothers Nye and Adam Todd met AC Cory<ref name="AC"/> and Niall McCamley through the university's comedy society.<ref name="The Guardian - Sunday 13 March 2016 - One to watch: The Spook School">{{cite web|last1=Burrows|first1=Marc|title=One to watch: The Spook School|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/13/the-spook-school-transgender-one-to-watch|work=The Guardian|date=13 March 2016 |accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)">{{cite web|last1=Lester|first1=Paul|title=New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)|date=4 September 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/04/new-band-spook-school|publisher=The Guardian (Guardian Media Group)|accessdate=19 August 2014}}</ref> Most of the band have previously been involved in live comedy shows, some of which were performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School"/> The band first rehearsed in the basement of the Forest Café and would get told off for being too noisy by poetry nights trying to perform upstairs. They named themselves in reference to a nickname of the Glasgow School.<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School"/>Their first show was at Henry's Cellar Bar in Edinburgh.<ref name="The Skinny Back From The Moon">{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/the-spook-school-ten-years-since-dress-up|title=Back From the Moon: The Spook School return|website=The Skinny|author=The Spook School |date=28 November 2023|accessdate=28 November 2023}}</ref>

After a self released CD-R single, ''"History"'' / ''"Hallam"'', they released an EP (recorded in Adam Todd's bedroom) on cassette with Scottish label Soft Power Records in 2012 with the title ''I Don't Know, You Don't Know, We All Don't Know the Spook School''. It was followed by a single for Cloudberry Records later that year.<ref name="Allmusic Bio">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-spook-school-mn0003163126/biography|title=The Spook School Biography|last=Sendra|first=Tim|website=Allmusic|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>

Fortuna Pop! label owner Sean Price signed the band after seeing them play at Indietracks Festival in 2012.<ref name="The Skinny Back From The Moon"/> They released music on the label until its dissolution in 2017, shortly after which they signed to Alcopop! Records.<ref name="DIYMag - October 2017 - The Spook School - Could It Be Different"/>

They released their first album, ''Dress Up'', in 2013. In 2014 they played N.Y.C. Popfest. That same year, the band were invited to do the music for the second season of the BBC Three show Badults.<ref name="Allmusic Bio"/>

''Try to Be Hopeful'' was issued in October 2015, again by the Fortuna Pop! label, as well as Slumberland Records in the U.S. The group's next appearance on record was ''Continental Drift'', a split LP on Fortuna Pop! and Slumberland that also featured songs by the Mercury Girls, Wildhoney, and Tigercats.<ref name="Allmusic Bio"/>

After the 2017 holiday single ''"Someone to Spend Christmas With"'' on their new UK label, Alcopop! Records, in early 2018 the Spook School released with third album, ''Could It Be Different?''.<ref name="Allmusic Bio"/>

The band announced that they were breaking up in March 2019, and went on a farewell tour later in the year. In a statement, they said "we just can't devote ourselves to the band the way we want to anymore" and that they would "rather go out with a fanfare" than "slip away". Their last show was at The Art School in Glasgow.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Blais-Billie|first=Braudie|title=The Spook School Are Breaking Up, Announce Farewell Tour|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-spook-school-are-breaking-up-announce-farewell-tour/|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Pitchfork|date=5 March 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="The Skinny Back From The Moon"/>

On 22 May 2023 The Spook School announced two live performances would happen, one in Glasgow on 8 December and one in London on 16 December, to mark the 10 year anniversary of the release of their debut album.<ref name="Reunion">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/spookschool/status/1660615681434439680|title=The Spook School @spookschool|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=15 June 2023}}</ref>

==Musical style== Their music is often compared to bands on the C86 compilation, such as The Shop Assistants, as well as The Buzzcocks;<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" /><ref name="The Herald (Glasgow) - 8 October 2013 - The Spook School: Dress Up (Fortuna POP!)" /><ref name="Loud And Quiet - October 2013 - Dress Up by The Spook School">{{cite web|last1=Scott|first1=Hayley|title=Dress Up by The Spook School|url=http://www.loudandquiet.com/2013/10/dress-up-by-the-spook-school/|publisher=Loud and Quiet|accessdate=19 August 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050306/http://www.loudandquiet.com/2013/10/dress-up-by-the-spook-school/|url-status=dead}}</ref> the band also lists David Bowie as an influence.<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School"/>

The band's lyrics explore "gender, sexuality and queer issues"<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" /> with themes such as "fluidity and the lack of a binary in gender".<ref name="The Scotsman - 18 October 2013 - Haunting melodies from students at Spook School"/>

==Critical reception== Their debut album, released in 2013,<ref name="The Herald (Glasgow) - 8 October 2013 - The Spook School: Dress Up (Fortuna POP!)"/> is entitled ''Dress Up'' because it "relates to the idea of gender being a social construction, something that can be artificially appropriated".<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" /> The record received positive reviews from ''Loud and Quiet'',<ref name="Loud And Quiet - October 2013 - Dress Up by The Spook School" /> ''Under the Radar'',<ref>{{cite web|last1=Saunders|first1=Chris|title=Reviews - The Spook School, Dress Up|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/the_spook_school_dress_up/|publisher=Under the Radar|accessdate=19 August 2014}}</ref> and ''The Skinny''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Buckle|first1=Chris|title=Reviews - The Spook School - Dress Up|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/306032-the_spook_school_dress_up|publisher=The Skinny|accessdate=19 August 2014}}</ref>

Their second album, ''Try to Be Hopeful'', released in 2015, has also received favourable coverage from music journalists.<ref name="Drowned in Sound - October 2015 - The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful">{{cite web|last1=Brown|first1=Paul|title=The Spook School Try to be Hopeful|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19049/reviews/4149456|publisher=Drowned In Sound|accessdate=14 October 2015|archive-date=16 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016023308/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19049/reviews/4149456|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Clash - October 2015 - The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful">{{cite web|last1=Scott|first1=Hayley|title=The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful|date=12 October 2015 |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-spook-school-try-to-be-hopeful|publisher=Clash|accessdate=14 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="Herald Scotland - October 2015 - The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful">{{cite web|last1=Didcock|first1=Barry|title=The Spook School: Try to Be Hopeful (Fortuna POP!) |date=11 October 2015 |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/13839566.CD_Review__The_Spook_School__Try_To_Be_Hopeful__Fortuna_POP__/|publisher=The Herald (Glasgow)|accessdate=14 October 2015}}</ref> Often with emphasis that their world-view encompasses the fluidity of both gender and sexuality and that this gives their output "urgency and cheering freshness".<ref name="Herald Scotland - October 2015 - The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful" />

The band's third album, ''Could It Be Different?'' was released January 2018 - just before embarking on a US tour supporting New York state pop-punk duo Diet Cig.<ref name="The Skinny - 22nd January 2018 - The Spook School – Could It Be Different?">{{cite web|last1=Turner-Heffer|first1=Adam|title= The Spook School – Could It Be Different?|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/the-spook-school-could-it-be-different|publisher=The Skinny, Radge Media|accessdate=25 January 2018}}</ref> It has been described as a "defining statement",<ref name="The Skinny - 22nd January 2018 - The Spook School – Could It Be Different?" /> and a "a life-affirming return"<ref name="Dork - The Spook School – Could It Be Different?">{{cite web|last1=Mair|first1=Rob|title= The Spook School – Could It Be Different?|date=23 January 2018 |url=https://www.readdork.com/reviews/the-spook-school-could-it-be-different/|publisher=Dork|accessdate=25 January 2018}}</ref> which finds them "on the cusp of greatness".<ref name="The Skinny - 22nd January 2018 - The Spook School – Could It Be Different?" /> Clash called it arguably "one of the most important albums of 2018".<ref name="Clash - The Spook School – Could It Be Different?">{{cite web|last1=Beech|first1=Dave|title= The Spook School - Could It Be Different?|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-spook-school-could-it-be-different|publisher=Clash|accessdate=27 January 2019|date=12 February 2018}}</ref> It was long-listed for that years Scottish Album of the Year Award.<ref name="The Guardian SAY Award">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/01/scottish-album-of-the-year-mogwai-and-young-fathers-among-nominees|title=Scottish Album of the Year: Mogwai and Young Fathers among nominees|first=Laura|last=Snapes|date=1 August 2018|website=The Guardian|accessdate=6 February 2019}}</ref>

==Other projects== Niall McCamley also leads a band called Squiggles.<ref name="Squiggles">{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/news/the-spook-schools-niall-mccamley-unveils-new-project|title=The Spook School's Niall McCamley unveils new project|website=The Skinny|date=26 April 2019|first=Jamie|last=Dunn|accessdate=13 September 2024}}</ref> AC Cory was in London based trio The Whooperups, along with Healey Becks of Wolf Girl and Fightmilk and Camille Fry of Charla Fantasma.<ref name="Whooperups">{{Cite web|url=https://fortherabbits.net/2017/02/09/premiere-the-whooperups-latent-teenage-fantasy/|title=[PREMIERE] The Whooperups – Latent Teenage Fantasy|date=9 February 2017|accessdate=13 September 2024}}</ref> Cory is now in the Glasgow based band Picture Round.<ref name="Picture Round">{{cite web|url=https://trackseven.net/2020/12/08/the-spook-school-start-a-band-it-might-break-your-heart-but-therell-be-some-fun-times-too/|title=The Spook School: "Start a band – it might break your heart, but there’ll be some fun times too"|website=Track 7|date=8 December 2020|accessdate=13 September 2024}}</ref> Adam Todd is now in a synth-pop duo called Get Wrong with Naomi Griffin of County Durham punk band Martha.<ref name="Get Wrong">{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/81016/get-wrong-mems-of-martha-the-spook-school-announce-debut-ep-release-its-so-easy-video|title=Get Wrong (mems of Martha, The Spook School) announce debut EP, release “It's So Easy” video|website=Punknews.org|first=Em|last=Moore|accessdate=13 September 2024}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== *''Dress Up'' - Fortuna Pop!, 12" LP, CD, MP3 (2013)<ref name="The Herald (Glasgow) - 8 October 2013 - The Spook School: Dress Up (Fortuna POP!)">{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/the-spook-school-dress-up-fortuna-pop.1381242670|title=The Spook School: Dress Up (Fortuna POP!)|last=Morrison|first=Alan|date=8 October 2013|work=The Herald (Glasgow)|publisher=Newsquest|accessdate=19 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Loud And Quiet - October 2013 - Dress Up by The Spook School" /> *''Try to Be Hopeful'' - Fortuna Pop!, 12" LP, CD, MP3 (2015)<ref name="Drowned in Sound - October 2015 - The Spook School - Try to Be Hopeful" /> *''Could It Be Different?'' - Alcopop! Records (UK) / Slumberland Records (US), 12" LP, CD, MP3 (2018)<ref name="DIYMag - October 2017 - The Spook School - Could It Be Different">{{cite news|url=http://diymag.com/2017/10/03/the-spook-school-could-it-be-different-alcopop-records-still-alive-video-premiere-watch|title=The Spook School Sign to Alcopop! for new album 'COULD IT BE DIFFERENT?', share 'STILL ALIVE' video|date=3 October 2017|work=DIY|publisher=Sonic Media Group|accessdate=12 December 2017}}</ref>

===Extended plays=== *''I Don't Know, You Don't Know, We All Don't Know The Spook School'' - Soft Power Records, Cassette EP, MP3 (2012)<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" />

===Singles=== *"History" / "Hallam" - Self release, CD Single, MP3 (2011) *"Here We Go" / "Cameraman" - Cloudberry Records, 7" Single, MP3 (2012)<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" /> *"I'll Be Honest" / "Will You Always Be My Friend?" - Fortuna Pop!, 7" Single, MP3 (2013)<ref name="The Guardian - 4 September 2013 - New band of the week The Spook School (No 1,589)" /> *"Binary" / "David Bowie Songs" - Fortuna Pop!, 7" Single, MP3 (2016) *"Someone to Spend Christmas With" - Alcopop! Records, MP3 (2017) *"Still Alive" - Alcopop! Records, MP3 (2017) *"Less Than Perfect" - Alcopop! Records, MP3 (2017) *"Body" - Alcopop! Records, MP3 (2018) *"Keep In Touch" - Alcopop! Records, MP3 (2019)

===Split releases=== *''Continental Drift'' (with Tigercats, Wildhoney, and Mercury Girls) - Fortuna Pop! and Slumberland Records, 12" EP, MP3 (2016)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spook School}} Category:Underground punk scene in the United Kingdom Category:Scottish indie pop groups Category:Scottish indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Edinburgh Category:British LGBTQ-themed musical groups Category:Queercore groups Category:Musical groups established in 2011 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2019 Category:2011 establishments in Scotland Category:Alcopop! Records artists