{{Short description|British-American alternative rock band}} {{for|the semiconductor device|Transistor}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2011}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Transister | image = | background = group_or_band | origin = Los Angeles, California, United States | genre = Alternative rock | years_active = 1995–1997 | label = Interscope | website = | current_members = Eric Pressly<br/>Gary Clark<br/>Keely Hawkes | past_members = }}
'''Transister''' was a British-American alternative rock band formed in late 1995 in Los Angeles. Despite only having released one album to moderate sales, their work has been featured on a number of film soundtracks. The band was fronted by Keely Hawkes, the sister of English musician Chesney Hawkes and daughter of Len 'Chip' Hawkes, a member of the English beat group the Tremeloes.
==History== Transister's formation was the culmination of various collaborations between songwriter Eric Pressly, former Danny Wilson frontman Gary Clark, and vocalist Keely Hawkes. Hawkes first made use of Pressly's songwriting on her 1993 solo debut for EMI, while Pressly and Clark first worked together in the band King L, releasing the album ''Great Day for Gravity'' in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/artist/danny-wilson-gary-clark/|title=Danny Wilson & Gary Clark - Timeless Scottish Songwriters | uDiscover|first=uDiscover|last=Team|date=February 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/one-l-of-a-reincarnation-1595677.html|title=One L of a reincarnation|date=October 23, 2011|website=The Independent}}</ref> The three were encouraged by the results of their early songwriting attempts, and decided to release a six-song EP on their record label.
Transister began to attract major label attention after KCRW DJ Christopher Douridas played a few of the self-recorded tracks on ''Morning Becomes Eclectic'' in early 1996. Interscope Records released Transister's self-titled debut in the US in 1997; UK and international distribution was handled by Virgin Records. Tracks from the album were featured on a number of film soundtracks, including ''Nightwatch'' (1997), ''Wild Things'' (1998), ''Jawbreaker'' (1999), ''Never Been Kissed'' (1999), ''Charlie's Angels'' (2000) and ''Cheaters'' (2000). Although members of the band have since gone on to other projects, Hawkes and Pressly maintained a relationship and were married on January 8, 2005.
Their song "Look Who's Perfect Now" entered the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at No. 56 in March 1998.<ref name=occ>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/4338/transister/|title=Official Charts > Transister|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=23 July 2019}}</ref><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= 564}}</ref> "Look Who's Perfect Now" also charted in Australia, where it peaked at No. 76 in June 1998.<ref name="ARIA"/> A second single, "Dizzy Moon" peaked at No. 90 in the UK in July 1998.<ref name=occ/>
==Discography== ===Album=== *''Transister'' (Interscope, 1997 / Virgin Records, 1998)
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK<br /><ref name="occ"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br /><ref name="ARIA">{{cite Ryan|page=284}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Look Who's Perfect Now" | rowspan="2"| 1998 | 56 || 76 | rowspan="2"| ''Transister'' |- ! scope="row"| "Dizzy Moon" | 90 || — |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p276434}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Alternative rock groups from California Category:British musical trios Category:American musical trios Category:Interscope Records artists Category:Virgin Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997