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Mew (band)

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Mew
Mew performing in Oslo in 2018
Mew performing in Oslo in 2018
Background information
OriginCopenhagen, Denmark
Genres
Years active1995–2025
LabelsExlibris Musik, Evil Office, Sony BMG, Sony Music
Members
Past membersBo Madsen
Websitewww.mewsite.com

Mew is a Danish alternative rock band made up of Jonas Bjerre (lead vocals), Johan Wohlert (bass) and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen (drums). Wohlert left the band in 2006 before the birth of his first child, but made a return in 2013 while the band were in the studio, before making his first live appearances since his departure in 2014. Guitarist Bo Madsen left the band in June 2015.[2] This was confirmed in a statement on the band's official website on 1 July of the same year.[3]

Whilst their music may be classified as indie and on occasion progressive rock, former guitarist Bo Madsen said "I usually say we are 'indie stadium.' A mix between 'feelings' and 'thinking' is usually good."[4]

The band announced their separation in September 2024, due to Bjerre's departure from the band. Mew's two farewell shows are scheduled for spring 2025.[5]

History

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Formation and debut album (1995–2000)

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Formed in 1995 in Hellerup, a suburb of Copenhagen, they had a profound impact on the Danish indie scene, emerging alongside the likes of Carpark North, Swan Lee and Saybia, in the early 2000s.[6][7] They released their debut album A Triumph for Man in April 1997 and its follow-up Half the World is Watching Me was released in May 2000.

Frengers (2003–2004)

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Their first commercial success came with their third album Frengers, released in 2003. At the 2004 Steppeulven awards, Mew won the awards for "Album of the Year" and "Band of the Year".[8] After a European tour supporting R.E.M. they began to attract wider attention.[9]

And the Glass Handed Kites (2005–2008)

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Mew signing autographs in 2006

Their next album And the Glass Handed Kites was released in Denmark on 19 September 2005, in the United Kingdom and rest of Europe on 26 September, and in the United States on 25 July 2006. The album received critical acclaim, with Mew described as making "dreamy thunderstorm pop".[10] At the 2006 Danish Music Awards they won 4 awards.[11]

On 11 April 2006, Wohlert left the band to spend more time with his girlfriend, Pernille Rosendahl, of the band Swan Lee, who was to give birth to their son in May 2006. The two would later go on to form a duo, The Storm.[citation needed]

The band toured with Nick Watts (formerly of UK indie band Headswim) as their keyboardist, and Bastian Juel (who used to act as a studio and live bassist for Swan Lee) joined them as their live bassist. The band finished touring for And the Glass Handed Kites in the summer of 2007. They returned to Brooklyn, New York in May 2008 in order to begin recording their next record, and tapped Rich Costey (who produced their breakthrough album, Frengers) once again as producer.[6]

No More Stories... (2009–2010)

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The band's fifth album No More Stories Are Told Today, I'm Sorry They Washed Away // No More Stories, The World Is Grey, I'm Tired, Let's Wash Away was released on 17 August 2009 in Scandinavia, 24 August in the UK and 25 August in the US.[12] In 2009, the band supported Nine Inch Nails for various tour dates across Europe and the United States.[citation needed]

On 25 October 2010 Mew released their first compilation album entitled, Eggs Are Funny, which featured 14 songs from previous albums as well as one new song, "Do You Love It?". The track list was compiled of what Mew consider to be their "best work".[citation needed]

+ - (2012–2015)

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Mew performing on Roskilde Festival in 2012

During summer 2012, Mew premiered two new songs, with the working titles "Boy" and "Klassen", that were in the running to feature on their sixth studio album, at shows in Scandinavia.[citation needed]

On 23 January 2013 Mew announced via their Facebook page that they were no longer signed to Sony and would release new music independently. On 9 April they confirmed, again via Facebook, that they had started preproduction on their 6th studio album with producer Michael Beinhorn.

On 25 September they released an iOS app entitled Sensory Spaces in conjunction with B&O Play.[13] The app contained, amongst other things, a preview of a new song, "Making Friends", which featured on the upcoming album. In November 2013 "Making Friends (13)" was made available to stream via Spotify and as a free download via the Sensory Spaces website. The band pointed out that it was not a single, but a thank you to their fans for waiting while they completed the upcoming album and that the album would contain a different version of the song.[citation needed]

During a concert at NorthSide Festival in Aarhus, Denmark on 14 June 2014, Johan Wohlert was formally reintroduced as a member of the band and he played live with the band for the first time since 2006.[14] While the band were onstage, fansite mewx.info posted an article confirming that he had been involved in the writing and recording of the upcoming album.[15]

On 16 June 2014, Mew announced a Nordic tour for winter 2014 and that the album would be released in 2015.[16]

As of the Northside show on 14 June 2014, the new songs that had been played live and were thought to be in the running to feature on the new album were tentatively titled "Making Friends", "Klassen", "Russle", which featured a guitar part by Russell Lissack, "Witness", "Changes" and "Boy". Aside from "Making Friends", it was unknown which songs would be featured on the album and what their official titles would be. With the release of the album, the official titles of these songs were confirmed, and "Boy" was not featured on the album. Some of the songs were released with different names; "Klassen" became "Satellites", "Russle" became "My Complications", and "Changes" became "Clinging To A Bad Dream".[citation needed]

On 13 August they announced via Twitter that they had begun mixing the album.[17] On 19 September, they tweeted that they had finished the upcoming album and that release details would follow soon after.[18]

The band announced on 19 January 2015 that the sixth album, + -, will be released on 27 April through Play It Again Sam.[19] They also released the first single off the album called "Satellites" (previously known by the working title "Klassen").[citation needed]

Mew performed at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 18, 2015.[citation needed]

On 1 July 2015 it was announced that guitarist Bo Madsen had left the band.[20] Mew posted a statement on their official website saying, "After 20 years playing together in Mew, the band and Bo Madsen have decided to part ways for the time being."[21] Speculations about Madsen's departure began circulating when the guitarist was not present at a concert in The Netherlands on 21 June 2015 and in Sweden on 26 June 2015.[22][23]

Visuals and disbandment (2017–present)

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On 24 January 2017, Mew announced their first album following Bo Madsen's departure, entitled Visuals, via their official website, while a song from the album, "Carry Me to Safety", was premiered on Danish radio station P6 Beat. On February 16 the album's first proper single, entitled "85 Videos", was made available to stream or download, while a video for the song, directed by Jonas Bjerre, was revealed on YouTube. Visuals was released on 28 April 2017,[6] and the band embarked on a world tour to promote the album soon after.

On 10 September 2024, after a lull in studio activity and only occasional live performances, the band announced two farewell shows to be taking place in Denmark in May 2025. Elaborating on the reason for the band's disbandment in a post to its official social media pages, Bjerre stated that he "[had] come to the realisation that it's time for [him] personally to embark on a different journey, and focus on other creative projects."[5]

Band name

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Bjerre explained that the name came from their days in high school when, disappointed after baking a "disgusting" cake, the members threw possible band names around, and Mew stuck. "It had a sort of incomplete symmetry to it – it was kinda pointy at the edges and soft in the middle with the small E. There wasn't any deeper thought behind it than that, just how it sounded and looked. And it had a mystery to it, in a way," Bjerre said.[24]

Band members

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Current

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  • Jonas Bjerre – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar (1995–2025)
  • Johan Wohlert – bass guitar, backing vocals, guitar (1995–2006, 2013–2025)
  • Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen – drums, percussion (1995–2025)

Touring

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  • Nick Watts - keyboards, backing vocals, guitar (2001–present)
  • Mads Wegner - guitar, backing vocals (2015–present)

Former

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  • Bo Madsen – guitar, backing vocals (1995–2015)
  • Bastian Juel – bass (2006–2013; touring)

Discography

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Main article: Mew discography

Studio albums

Videography

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DVDs

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  • Live in Copenhagen (2006)

References

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  1. ^ Apar, Corey. Mew | Biography & History. AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  2. ^ "Mew Part Ways With Guitarist And Founding Member Bo Madsen". Stereogum. 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  3. ^ "Mew | Official Mew". Mewsite.com. 2015-07-01. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  4. ^ "Mew's widescreen vision - Music | The Star Online". Thestar.com.my. 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  5. ^ a b "Mew Announce Breakup, Farewell Shows". Stereogum. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  6. ^ a b c "Timeline – MewX.info". Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  7. ^ "Past Shows – 1995-2014 – MewX.info". Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  8. ^ "Mew Tops Danish Awards Ceremony". Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  9. ^ "Timeline – 2005, Supporting R.E.M. – MewX.info". Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  10. ^ [1] Archived July 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Mew, TV-2 Big Winners At Danish Music Awards". Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  12. ^ "New Mew Album Details: Extremely Long Title, Crazy Tracklist | News". Pitchfork.com. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  13. ^ "Sensory Spaces by Mew and B&O PLAY". Sensoryspaces.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-01. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  14. ^ Caroline Clante (2014-06-22). "Johan Wohlert gjorde comeback i Mew – Ekstra Bladet" (in Danish). Ekstrabladet.dk. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  15. ^ Heikkinen, Tero (2014-06-14). "The Return of the Captain". MewX.info. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  16. ^ "Mew - Mew's Photos". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  17. ^ "Mew on Twitter: "Mixing people.. Mixing!"". Twitter.com. 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  18. ^ "Mew on Twitter: "So the album is complete release news will be coming soon". Twitter.com. 2014-09-19. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  19. ^ "Mew - Timeline Photos". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  20. ^ Stine Eskildsen, Rune Melchior Sjørvad (1 July 2015). "Før Roskilde-brag: Mew mister guitarist". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  21. ^ "STATEMENT". Mewsite.com. 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  22. ^ Holm, Marie (22 June 2015). "Før Roskilde-brag: Mew mister guitarist". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  23. ^ Holm, Marie (29 June 2015). "Før Roskilde-brag: Mew mister guitarist". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  24. ^ Bryant, Sarah (2015-11-26). "Mew". The Brag. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
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