Spacehog
{{Short description|English-American rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{lead too short|date=May 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Spacehog
| image =
| caption =
| alt =
| background = group_or_band
| origin = New York City, United States
| genre = Alternative rock, glam rock, power pop
| years_active = 1994–2001, 2006–present
| label = Sire/Elektra Records, Artemis
| associated_acts = Arckid
| website = https://www.spacehog.band
| current_members = Royston Langdon
Antony Langdon
Jonny Cragg
Richard Steel
| past_members = Robert Curreri
}}
Spacehog is an alternative rock band formed in 1994 in New York City by four British men who were living in the city. Their music is heavily influenced by David Bowie, Queen, and T. Rex. The band's best-known single is "In the Meantime".
History
Though all the band members are from Leeds, West Yorkshire, Spacehog was formed in New York City. Antony Langdon met Jonny Cragg by chance in a café where Cragg supposedly had a job killing rats.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=369}} Soon after, Langdon's brother Royston joined the band, and Spacehog was born. The band's original guitarist, Robert Curreri, was asked to leave the band, and Cragg's friend Richard Steel replaced him in 1994. The band signed in 1994 with Seymour Stein to Sire Records.
On 24 October 1995, Spacehog released its first album, Resident Alien. It went gold on the Billboard charts, selling over 500,000 copies and spawned the hit single and video "In the Meantime" as well as the single "Cruel to Be Kind". "In the Meantime" received heavy video and radio play and was used as background music to BBC's Match of the Day football programme. The band performed the song on Channel 4's TFI Friday in 1996. The band's second album, The Chinese Album, was released on 10 March 1998. Though it did not sell as well as Resident Alien, the band's popularity continued to increase as Spacehog opened for more popular acts such as Pearl Jam and Supergrass. The Chinese Album had a more "artsy" sound, with the Pink Floyd-like piano on the opening track and Michael Stipe of R.E.M. contributing vocals to the song "Almond Kisses".
After the band was dropped by Elektra Records, Spacehog signed with the upstart label Artemis Records and released its third album, The Hogyssey, on 10 April 2001. The album continued the band's neo-glam approach and included the singles "I Want to Live" and "At Least I Got Laid", as well as a funk version of Richard Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra". The band joined The Black Crowes and Oasis on the Tour of Brotherly Love in support of the album, which proved to be the band's final major tour for several years.
Royston Langdon and American actress Liv Tyler became engaged in February 2001,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1180825.stm|title=Liv Tyler's Yorkshire love|date=20 February 2001|work=BBC News|access-date=9 January 2009}} and married in Barbados on 25 March 2003.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2912385.stm | title = Liv Tyler ties the knot |work = BBC News|access-date=11 January 2009 | date = 3 April 2003}} In December 2004, she gave birth to their son, Milo William Langdon.{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1007037,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119032709/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1007037,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 January 2008 |title=Liv Tyler Names Her Newborn Baby|access-date=24 June 2008|date=14 December 2004|work=People}} On 8 May 2008, the couple confirmed through representatives that they would be separating but remain friends.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1940782/Liv-Tyler-splits-from-Royston-Langdon.html|title=Liv Tyler splits from Royston Langdon|last=Singh|first=Anita|date=9 May 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=10 January 2009 | location=London}}
=Arckid=
Antony, Royston, and Christian Langdon then pooled their resources to form Arckid. By June 2006, they had recorded eight songs with Bryce Goggin at Trout Studios in Brooklyn. Jonny Cragg joined The Twenty-Twos as their drummer post-Spacehog, but has since rejoined the Langdon brothers in Arckid.
At the end of November 2006, Antony Langdon left Arckid on good terms and had devised an alter ego known as "Louis Arogant". This project was near completion as a record entitled Victoria: an homage to Langdon's love for his wife, the director Victoria Clay de Mendoza. The album was intended to release at the end of 2007 but was never released. He also continued in the production of his television work. Also in the works was an album by Antony Langdon and Joaquin Phoenix. The project was called This Lady Is a Tramp and was being mixed by Paul McKenna with help from Creation Records founder Alan McGee and the Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.
Antony Langdon was briefly replaced in Arckid by Your Vegas guitarist Mat Steel, who subsequently left Arckid after they shot their first video to rejoin Your Vegas. Pete Denton of Cube and Kid Symphony fame joined Arckid for a short period of time. Richard Steel accompanied the three members of Arckid on stage during the Hilfiger Sessions NY and the 2007 Lollapalooza gigs.
=Reunion=
In July 2008, Spacehog reunited to play two shows, the first at the Viper Room and the second at Troubador. Drummer Jonny Cragg posted on the Arckid MySpace page that Spacehog would be reuniting and would begin work on a new record.{{cite news | last=Kaufman | first=Gil | title=Former Spacehog Takes A Shot With Velvet Revolver | url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/07/30/former-spacehog-takes-a-shot-with-velvet-revolver/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129092406/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/07/30/former-spacehog-takes-a-shot-with-velvet-revolver/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 January 2013 | publisher=MTV| date=30 July 2008 | access-date=31 July 2008 }} In July 2009, Spacehog reunited at Spaceland in Los Angeles.{{Cite web|url=https://lasnark.com/2009/11/21/spacehog-spaceland/4459|title=Spacehog reunites at Spaceland|website=Lasnark.com|date=21 November 2009}} In March 2025, Spacehog announced it was reforming for a US tour with fellow Brits EMF.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/spacehog-and-emf-announce-us-summer-tour/ |title=Spacehog and EMF announce US summer tour }}
=''I'm Still Here''=
In 2010, Spacehog guitarist Antony Langdon gained notoriety for his role in the controversial mockumentary I'm Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Langdon, who was one of Phoenix's assistants as well as a musical partner,{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2008/10/joaquin-phoenix-quits-acting-pursue-music/|title=Joaquin Phoenix Quits Acting to Pursue Music|date=30 October 2008|website=Spin}} staged a falling-out with the actor during the documentary's filming and is shown defecating on the troubled actor in retaliation for an earlier argument. In an earlier part of the film, there is a similarly shocking scene involving Langdon getting out of the shower.{{who|date=September 2021}}
Langdon's time in Spacehog is not mentioned in the film, but a clip of the band performing on television is shown. Royston Langdon is also credited for one of the film's songs.{{cite news | title=Joaquin Phoenix movie turns Spacehog guitarist into exhibitionist | url=http://shortformblog.com/music/joaquin-phoenix-spacehog-im-still-here/ | website=ShortFormBlog.com | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231232555/http://shortformblog.com/music/joaquin-phoenix-spacehog-im-still-here/ | archive-date=31 December 2010}}{{cite news | url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/09/is_that_the_guitarist_from_spa.html | title=Is That the Guitarist From Spacehog Pooping on Joaquin Phoenix? | work=New York }}
The film's cinematographer, Magdalena Gorka, sued director Casey Affleck for multiple complaints. She alleged Antony Langdon, who worked as the camera assistant, was one of the crew members who subjected her to "routine instances" of sexual harassment.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/images/Entertainment/Gorka_complaint.pdf |title=Gorka v. Affleck, et al., No. BC441003, complaint (Cal. Super. Ct., L.A. Cty., Jul. 30, 2010|website=ABC News|access-date=20 December 2021}}
=''As It Is on Earth''=
On 17 September 2011, Spacehog announced the completion of their latest album, As It Is on Earth, on their MySpace page.{{Cite web|url=https://myspace.com/spacehogmusic|title=SPACEHOG | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos|website=Myspace.com}} It was released on 16 April 2013.{{cite magazine|title=Spacehog Return With Rollicking 'Glad to Know' – Song Premiere|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/spacehog-return-with-rollicking-glad-to-know-song-premiere-20130111|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114160648/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/spacehog-return-with-rollicking-glad-to-know-song-premiere-20130111|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 January 2013|magazine=Rolling Stone}}
Members
- Royston Langdon a.k.a. "Ray Sprinkles" (born Royston William Langdon, 1 May 1972){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/spacehog-mn0000743623/biography|title=Spacehog | Biography & History|publisher=AllMusic}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486052/|title=Royston Langdon|publisher=IMDb}} – bass guitar, lead vocals, keyboards & backing vocals.
- Antony Langdon a.k.a. "Tone Down" (born Antony Chester Langdon, 14 May 1968)[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486018/ Antony Langdon] at the Internet Movie DatabaseAbout the band. [https://www.angelfire.com/fl/goatwoman/ant.html Tone Down] – rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals
- Jonny Cragg a.k.a. "Corky" (born 18 July 1966)About the band. [https://www.angelfire.com/fl/goatwoman/jonny.html Jonny Cragg] – drums, backing vocals
- Richard Steel a.k.a. "Rich" (born 12 November 1968)About the band. [https://www.angelfire.com/fl/goatwoman/rich.html Rich] – lead guitar, backing vocals
Discography
=Studio albums=
=EPs=
- Hamsters of Rock (Sire, 1996)
- 4 Future Tracks (Artemis, 2001)
=Singles=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.spacehog.band/}}
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p169573}}
{{Spacehog}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1994
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2008
Category:English glam rock groups