Toploader
{{short description|English rock band}}
{{Other uses|Top loader (disambiguation){{!}}Top loader}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = group_or_band
| name = Toploader
| image = Weyfest 2013 (9647360366).jpg
| landscape = yes
| caption = Toploader performing in 2013
| origin = Eastbourne, East Sussex, England
| genre = {{hlist|Post-Britpop|alternative rock|indie rock|pop rock}}
| years_active = {{hlist|1997–2003|2009–present}}
| label = {{hlist|S2|Epic|Underdogs Music|Big Lake Music}}
| website = {{URL|toploaderofficial.com}}
| current_members =
- Joseph Washbourn
- Dan Hipgrave
- Rob Green
| past_members =
- Matt Knight
- Julian Deane
}}
Toploader are an English rock band from Eastbourne, East Sussex, formed in 1997,{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010719224341/http://www.chartattack.com:80/damn/2001/07/1701.cfm "CD Reviews: The Beta Band, Default, Toploader and many more"]}}. Chart Attack, 17 July 2001 with over two million album sales and several top-20 hits both home and abroad. Their debut album, Onka's Big Moka, sold over one million units and peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart, where it remained for six months; it earned them four nominations at the 2001 Brit Awards. They are best known for their 2000 cover of King Harvest's US hit "Dancing in the Moonlight", which became a global hit for them. Their second album, Magic Hotel, reached No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart. The band broke up in 2003, after the release of their second album, but they reformed in 2009 and remain active as of {{currentyear}}.
History
=Beginnings (1997–1998)=
{{More citations needed|section|date=November 2024}}
File:Joseph Washbourn (Toploader) Godiva Festival 2009.jpg
File:Godiva Festival 2009 - Toploader P7049645-e.jpg
Named after a joint-rolling technique, Toploader's career began playing with Coldplay and Muse in small venues across the UK. They later went on to support the likes of Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Tom Jones, Robbie Williams, and Simple Minds. On 20 July 2000, they backed Bon Jovi at the original Wembley Stadium, becoming the last British band to play there before it was demolished and redeveloped.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/toploader-3-1397127|title=Toploader keep grip on charts |website=Nme.com|date=19 July 2000|access-date=20 October 2020}}
=Commercial success (1999–2001)=
{{More citations needed|section|date=November 2024}}
By 1998, Toploader had been picked up by S2 Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, and signed a six-album deal. On 7 May 1999, the band made their first live TV performance on TFI Friday, hosted by Chris Evans.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b82b74942|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609212951/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b82b74942|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 June 2020|title=Tfi Friday[07/05/99] (1999)|website=Bfi.org.uk|access-date=20 October 2020}} On 22 May 2000, their debut album, Onka's Big Moka, was released and became a huge hit. It was produced by Dave Eringa, a longtime collaborator of the Manic Street Preachers. It debuted at number five in the UK Albums Chart and settled at number four. "Dancing in the Moonlight" was the top single off the album, eventually reaching number seven in the UK Singles Chart, while "Achilles Heel" managed to get to number eight. The band received four nominations at the Brit Awards, though did not win any of them. On 24 June 2000, Toploader played at the Glastonbury Festival, as part of the Saturday lineup.
=Breakup (2002–2003)=
In 2002, the band released a second album, Magic Hotel. It was poorly received by critics and failed to match the success of the first.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2885811.stm|title=Pop band Toploader split|publisher=BBC|date=25 March 2003|access-date=8 August 2013}} They struggled with a backlash from the UK music press, and their single "Time of My Life" could only make it into the top 20. Due to the negative reception and the album not meeting the same success as the first, the band was dropped by S2. Not long after that, they broke up, in 2003. Julian Deane retired as a musician and in 2007 founded Raygun Music, a Brighton-based management company that serves both as a record label and publisher.{{Cite web|url=http://smilefest.co.uk/julian-founder-of-raygun-guitarist-with-toploader/|title=Julian Deane (Raygun Management)|website=Smilefest.co.uk|date=1 March 2018|access-date=20 October 2020}}
=Reforming and later work (2009–present)=
File:Toploader Live Dundee Oct 2011.JPG in 2011]]
In 2009, Toploader got back together in a lineup that consisted of three of its five original members: Joseph Washbourn, Dan Hipgrave, and Rob Green, with touring and session member Patrick Greenberg (a former touring-bassist with Clean Bandit).{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} They signed a one-record deal with Underdogs Music{{cite web|url=http://underdogsonline.com|title=Underdogs Music|publisher=Underdogsonline.com|access-date=27 April 2012}} and released Only Human in June 2011. The first single, "Never Stop Wondering", came out on 14 March 2011. Another single, "A Balance to All Things" (featuring a remix from Ash Howes), followed on 20 June 2011.
In May 2012, Toploader played at Lakefest festival,{{cite web |url=http://lakefest.co.uk/line-up-2012 |title=Lakefest 2012: Line-up 2012 |publisher=Lakefest.co.uk |date=20 January 2012 |access-date=27 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419221052/http://lakefest.co.uk/line-up-2012 |archive-date=19 April 2012 }} and in July, they appeared at the Tiree Music Festival in Scotland. During 2012, the band agreed to act as patrons for a UK-based children's charity called Time Is Precious.[http://www.timeisprecious.org/Trust_Supporters/Patron_Trust.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102003759/http://www.timeisprecious.org/Trust_Supporters/Patron_Trust.htm|date=2 November 2012}}
In 2013, Toploader released a new single, "Turn It Around", co-written with Eg White, as part of a four-song EP of the same name. In 2013, they headlined the LeeStock Music Festival in Suffolk and the AmpRocks Festival in Bedfordshire.{{cite web|url=http://www.festivalsforall.com/article/leestock-2013-headliners-announced|title=LeeStock Headliners Announced|publisher=festivalsforall.com|access-date=15 May 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ampthillfestival.co.uk/amprocks/line-up-2013.html |title=Line up || This years amazing line up |access-date=13 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709100115/http://www.ampthillfestival.co.uk/amprocks/line-up-2013.html |archive-date=9 July 2013 }}
On 12 May 2017, the band released their fourth album, Seeing Stars; "Roll with the Punches" was chosen as its lead single. The record was crowdfunded using an online direct-to-fan music platform called PledgeMusic.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Toploader appeared on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on 18 March 2023 as part of the "Sing-a-long Live" segment, where they performed "Dancing in the Moonlight".{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7mEUi8HQ5E | title=Toploader do Sing-A-Long-Live | Saturday Night Takeaway | website=YouTube | date=20 March 2023 }} They also performed at the 2023 Conservative Party conference in Manchester on 3 October 2023{{Cite news |title=Toploader respond to criticism of playing Tory Party Conference|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/social-media-reacts-to-toploader-performing-at-tory-party-conference-3508950 |last=Skinner |first=Tom |date=4 October 2023 |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=NME}} and the 2023 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on 11 October.{{Cite news |title=Toploader to play Labour party conference following Conservative event appearance|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/toploader-labour-party-conference-tories-b2424442.html |last=Chilton |first=Louis |date=5 October 2023 |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=The Independent}}
From February to March 2025, Toploader joined James Blunt as the support act for his six-venue UK/Ireland tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album, Back to Bedlam.{{cite web|title=James Blunt at London's O2 Arena: start time, tickets, potential setlist and what you need to know |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/james-blunt-at-londons-o2-arena-start-time-tickets-potential-setlist-and-what-you-need-to-know-021525#:~:text=Are%20there%20any%20support%20acts,Dancing%20in%20the%20Moonlight'%20guys |website=timeout.com |date=15 February 2025 |access-date=24 March 2025}}
In popular culture
Washbourn appeared as himself, working as a teaching assistant, in the Motherland 2020 Christmas special, playing Christmas carols on electric guitar during a school nativity play.{{Cite episode |title=Christmas Special |series=Motherland |series-link=Motherland (British TV series) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qryp |accessdate=20 April 2025 |network=BBC Television |date=23 December 2020 }}
Band members
Current
- Joseph Washbourn – lead vocals, keyboards, organ, piano, acoustic guitar (1997–2003, 2009–present)
- Dan Hipgrave – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1997–2003, 2009–present)
- Rob Green – drums, percussion (1997–2003, 2009–present)
Past
- Matt Knight – bass, backing vocals (1997–2003, 2009–2016)
- Julian Deane – rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals (1997–2003)
Touring and session members
- Patrick Greenberg – bass, backing vocals (2016–present)
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ {{Sronly|List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications}} ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="8"| Peak chart position ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Sales ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Certifications |
| scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| UK {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/7842/toploader/|title=Toploader – The Official Charts Company|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=7 July 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUS ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|DEN ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| IRE ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NLD ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SCO ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWI |
|---|
| scope="row" | Onka's Big Moka
|
| 4 || 99 || 36 || 43 || 6 || 86 || 3 || 85 | | |
| scope="row" | Magic Hotel
|
| 3 || — || — || — || 36 || — || 3 || — | | |
| scope="row" | Only Human
|
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | | |
| scope="row" | Seeing Stars
|
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | | |
| colspan="16" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Compilations=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Album details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Dancing in the Moonlight – The Best of Toploader
|
|
| scope="row"| Greatest Hits
|
|
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Album details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Toploader
|
|
| scope="row"| 4 Hits
|
|
| scope="row"| Turn It Around
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:22em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| UK ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| AUS ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| BEL ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| BEL ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| IRE ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| ITA ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| NLD ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| NZ ! scope="col" style="width:2.1em;font-size:90%;"| SWE |
| scope="row"| "Achilles Heel"{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Achilles Heel" originally peaked at number 64 on the UK Singles chart, before being re-released in May 2000 and reaching a new peak chart position.}}
| rowspan=1| 1999 | 8 | — | — | — | 90 | — | 32 | 80 | — | — | | rowspan="5" |Onka's Big Moka |
| scope="row"| "Let the People Know"
| rowspan=3| 2000 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "Dancing in the Moonlight"{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Dancing in the Moonlight" originally peaked at number 19 on the UK Singles chart, before being re-released in November 2000 and reaching a new peak chart position.}}
| 7 | 12 | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Dancing in the Moonlight" did not enter the Flanders Ultratop 50 but peaked at number 3 on the Ultratip chart.}} | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Dancing in the Moonlight" did not enter the Wallonia Ultratop 50 but peaked at number 10 on the Ultratip chart.}} | 15 | 7 | 21 | 52 | 24 | 44 |
|
| scope="row"| "Just Hold On"
| 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "Once for a While"
| rowspan=1| 2001 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "Time of My Life"
| rowspan=2| 2002 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 95 | — | — | | rowspan="2" |Magic Hotel |
| scope="row"| "Some Kind of Wonderful"
| 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "Never Stop Wondering"
| rowspan=3| 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | rowspan="3" |Only Human |
| scope="row"| "A Balance to All Things"
| — | — | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"A Balance to All Things" did not enter the Flanders Ultratop 50 but peaked at number 27 on the Ultratip chart.}} | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "She Said"
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| scope="row"| "Turn It Around"
| rowspan=2| 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | rowspan="1" |Turn It Around |
| scope="row"| "This Is the Night"
| —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"This Is the Night" did not enter the UK Singles Chart but peaked at number 41 on the UK Independent Singles Chart chart.}} | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | rowspan="1" {{non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Roll with the Punches"
| rowspan=1| 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | rowspan="1" |Seeing Stars |
| colspan="14" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Awards and nominations
;Brit Awards
{{awards table}}
|-
| rowspan="5" | 2001 || rowspan="2" | "Dancing in the Moonlight" || British Single of the Year || {{Nominated}}
|-
| British Video of the Year || {{Nominated}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | Toploader || British Group || {{Nominated}}
|-
| British Breakthrough Act || {{Nominated}}
{{end}}
Notes
{{notelist-ua|30em}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- {{Official website}}
- {{allmusic}}
{{Toploader}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1997 establishments in England
Category:English indie rock groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1997
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2003
Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2009