Alabama 3 Article Index for
Alabama 		Website Links For
Alabama 3 		 

Information About

Alabama 3
  CATEGORIES ABOUT ALABAMA 3
   
english musical groups
   
music from london
   
british electronic music groups
   
acid house groups
   
british house music groups
   
one little indian records artists
   
APPAREL
BABY
BEAUTY
BOOKS
CAR TOYS
CELL PHONES
DVD'S
ELECTRONICS
GOURMET FOOD
GROCERIES
HEALTH & PERSONAL
HOME & GARDEN
JEWELRY
MUSIC
MUSIC INSTRUMENTS
OFFICE PRODUCTS
SOFTWARE
SPORTING GOODS
TOOLS & HARDWARE
TOYS
VIDEO GAMES
SHOPPING HOME
MORE SHOPPING...



  Background group_or_band
  Origin Brixton , London , England
  Genre Acid House <br/> Blues <br/> Country <br/> Gospel
  Years Active 1989 - present
  Label One Little Indian
  Also Known As The First Presleyterian Church Of Elvis The Divine (UK)
  URL http://wwwalabama3couk/
  Current Members Jake Black<br>Jonny Delafons<br>Simon Edwards<br>John Jennings<br>Orlando Harrison<br>Piers Marsh<br>Mark Sams<br>Rob Spragg


Alabama 3 is a chose their track " Woke Up This Morning " for the show's opening credits.

The band are particularly notable for their innovative fusion of styles, lyrics full of ironic intent, their deliberately humorous personas and outrageous live performances. In line with the many religious references inherent within gospel music every member of the group has an alias by which they are known, the band's founding members adopting the personas "Larry Love" (Rob Spragg) and "The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love" (Jake Black).


HISTORY

The band was formed when Jake Black met Rob Spragg at an Acid House party in Peckham and they decided that a fusion of country music with acid house was a musical possibility.''Contact Music'', ''Interview with D. Wayne Love'' ( link ). Other members of the band were accumulated over a lengthy period but it is known that Rob Spragg was at university with Piers Marsh, the harmonica player and synth programmer for the band whilst Orlando Harrison, the group's current keyboardist, used to live with Jake Black.

Starting their act under the alias "The First Presleyterian Church Of Elvis The Divine (UK)" they eventually switched names to Alabama 3 and, after much wrangling and failure to capture attention, having been dismissed by the mainstream media as a novelty act amidst the climate of Britpop , the group finally signed to One Little Indian records in 1997 for the release of their debut album '' Exile On Coldharbour Lane ''.''One Little Indian Records'', ''Alabama 3'' ( link ).

As of August 2007, they are currently touring under the name of "Alabama 3: Acoustic and Unplugged" with Devlin Love to promote their new acoustic album, out in September. In the meantime, bassist John "Segs" Jennings has apparently left the band, saying he is "busy elsewhere and doesn't have the time." http://freea3.org/forums/showthread.php?p=23717


CURRENT BAND MEMBERS/ALIASES

The members of the band are:
  • Jake Black AKA The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love: Vocals

  • Rob Spragg AKA Larry Love: Vocals

  • Piers Marsh AKA The Mountain of Love: Harmonica and programmed beats

  • Simon Edwards AKA Sir Eddie Real: Percussion

  • Orlando Harrison AKA The Spirit: Keyboards

  • Mark Sams AKA Rock Freebase: Guitar

  • Jonny Delafons AKA L. B. Dope: Drums



MUSICAL STYLE

Alabama 3's sound is a self-professed blend of Country , Blues , and Acid House . Their songs have sampled, with a hint of irony and righteous energy, Jim Jones in " Mao Tse Tung Said" and Birmingham Six survivor Patrick Hill in "The Thrills Have Gone."


ALABAMA 3/A3'S MUSIC IN TV AND FILM

  • A shortened alternate version of Alabama 3's song " Woke Up This Morning " from '' Exile On Coldharbour Lane '' plays during the opening credits of the HBO television series '' The Sopranos ''. The version of "Woke Up This Morning" featured on the show's soundtrack album is the version featured on the Alabama 3's ''La Peste'' album but it does not feature the long spoken intro from the Coldharbour Lane version.

  • A snippet of "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlife" can be heard at the beginning of the first episode of the Third Season of ''The Sopranos'' as Tony Soprano walks down the drive way to get his morning newspaper.

  • 'Mansion on the Hill' featured on the Kurt Russell/Kevin Costner film ''3000 Miles to Graceland''.

  • "Too Sick to Pray", from La Peste, plays on the radio at one point in the film ''Gone in 60 Seconds'' and "Peace in the Valley" in ''A Life Less Ordinary''.

  • A shortened alternate version of Alabama 3's song " Woke Up This Morning " can be heard for nearly 50 seconds, an abnormally long playtime, in The Simpsons episode '' Papa's Got A Brand New Badge '', while Fat Tony and his gang are on the ride to the house of the Simpsons. The sequence is a parody of the opening sequence of The Sopranos.

  • " Sister Rosetta " from their album '' Exile On Coldharbour Lane '' can be heard in the film ''Barnyard''.

  • Rapper Nas sampled "Woke Up This Morning" for his 2001 hit, "Got Urself A Gun."



On the Region 4 DVD release of the Sopranos' first season, the case incorrectly cites the "Woke Up This Morning" Music Video included in the Special Features as being performed by "Alabama 5".


DISCOGRAPHY


Studio Albums



Solo Album



Singles and EPs



Live Albums, Imports, Compilations and Bootlegs



NOTES & REFERENCES






EXTERNAL LINKS