The album was released back in 2016, just five months after the band Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe, Jack Dakin and their manager, Craig Tarry, tragically died following a car accident in Sweden.

The band’s debut album ‘Viola Beach’ will now be released, for the first time, on Vinyl. The Vinyl will be on a rainbow picture disc, an homage to an iconic photograph of the band holding rainbow umbrellas, and will be released 22 October 2021 via the band’s label Fuller beans record.

The family of Viola Beach have commented on the anniversary vinyl’s release. Lead singer Kris Leonard’s mum, said: “I would like to thank SJM and other organisations for the continued support we as families have received. I am very proud that the Boys album will be released on Vinyl. I’m sure Kristian would have been too. Kris and the boys’ lives will continue through their music.”

Tomas Lowe’s family added: “The family of Tom would like to thank everyone at SJM & Communion Records who have made this re-release possible and to everybody out there who has listened to their music over the past 5 years. As a family we are immensely proud of Tom and the re-release of the albums is a lasting tribute to the boy’s passion, music and friendship.” On behalf of River Reeve’s family, Ben and Sharon Dunne said: “Our most precious memories are of River making music and performing. We want the world to know that through the music, River, along with his bandmates and manager, will continue to live on in all our lives.”

Last February, to mark the fifth anniversary of the band and their manager’s tragic death, a number of artists from their hometown Warrington collaborated for a cover of the band’s debut single ‘Swings and Waterslides.’ The editor of Warrington’s local music magazine, WAM, Lee Harman said: “We should have seen Viola Beach headlining the biggest festivals five years on but despite the pain and sadness getting easier every year, they put Warrington on the map, and we want to show they’re still an important part of the town’s culture.”

On 13 February 2016, all four band members and their manager died in a freak accident on a lift bridge in a town near Stockholm, Sweden. After playing at Where’s The Music? Festival in Norrkoping, the band’s vehicle fell through a gap in the lift bridge as it was being lifted to let an oil tanker pass. Their self-titled album ‘Viola Beach’ reached UK Number 1 the following August.

Viola Beach anniversary Vinyl rainbow edition is available to pre-order now and will be released on 22 October 2021.

Track List

Side A
Swings and Waterslides
Like a Fool
Go Outside
Cherry Vimto
Drunk

Side B
Really Wanna Call
Call You Up
Get To Dancing
Boys That Sing

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/viola-beachs-posthumous-debut-album-to-be-released-on-vinyl/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/viola-beach-debut-album-hits-number-one/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/viola-beach-debut-album-hits-number-one/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2016 17:52:47 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=4557 A tragic day in February told the story of a horrific accident in Sweden which killed all four band members and their manager.
Musicians were quick to pay their respects and saw them as a highly emerging band with a promising future ahead of them. Recently Coldplay’s Chris Martin continued this tribute at Glastonbury:

“We’re going to create Viola Beach’s alternate future for them and let them headline Glastonbury with their song.”

Coldplay then performed ‘Boys That Sing’.
Their eponymous album – released by friends and family as a tribute – has topped the UK album charts. The families of Viola Beach released a statement:

“The tragedy that ended Craig, Jack, Kris, River and Tom’s lives in Sweden and the pain and sense of loss will never leave us. By sending the Viola Beach album to Number 1 the public have sent out an important message to the world.
“The tragic circumstance that met Viola Beach and their manager Craig that fateful night in Sweden will not now define their lives. What will now define their lives and what they will be remembered for, forever, is the music they were so passionate about making together.”

Chief executive of the Official Charts Company, Martin Talbot, said:

“It is hard to think of an album more people were rooting for than the Viola Beach release – nor a success which has felt so bittersweet. We’re delighted that it has taken the No 1 spot, but it is an awful tragedy that Jack, Kris, River, Tomas and Craig are not here to see themselves take a place in the annals of British music.”

Joining Blossoms were The Kooks, The Zutons, The Coral, and Courteeners. There were also performances by the likes of Warm up Dayman, Eliza and the Bear, Hidden Charms, Vryll Society, The Stawberries, and Psyblings.

Featured on Digital Spy, frontman Tom Ogden spoke to BBC news:

“When we found out the details, it was horrible. We didn’t say a word to each other.

It’s unheard of in history. It’s so devastating and shocking. You know they would have been having the time of their lives.

Ogden continued:

“We were getting closer as the tour went on. It happened before all the big gigs. They’d done about two weeks. It was such a shame we didn’t get to know them better.”

“There are just no words for what happened. It’s something we’ll never forget – it could have been us.

“They were such a good a band, and it’s just a shame this is how people have ended up hearing them.”

Blossoms are building themselves up to be an important act for British music. Since their release of their Blown Rose EP, Blossoms have been constantly adding new material for a highly anticipated debut album later this year.

They have been very busy touring the UK and Europe and this continues:

6/4 – Le Trinnon – Paris, France

8/4 – Melweg – Amsterdam, Netherlands

9/4 – Luxor – Cologne, Germany

10/4 – Knust – Hamburg, Germany

The Stockport group then return to the UK:

30/4 – Live at Leeds – Leeds

1/5 – Festevol – Liverpool

19-21/5 – The Great Escape – Brighton

10/6 – Isle of Wight Festival – Newport

11/6 – The Parklife Weekender – Manchester

12/6 – Field Day – London

18/6 – Best Kept Secret Festival – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands

18/6 – Northside Festival – Aarhus, Denmark

22-26/6 – Glastonbury Festival – Pilton

Blossoms’ festival season continues into July:

28-31/7 – Kendal Calling – Kendal

29-31/7 – Standon Calling – Standon

10-14/8 – Broadmasters Festival – Cornwall

20-21/8 – Summer Sonic – Tokyo, Japan

26-28/8 – Reading Festival – Reading

28/8 – Leeds Festival – Bramham Park

1-4/9 – Festival Number 6 – Portmeirion

2-4/9 – Electric Picnic – Stradbally, Ireland

Widely in the news, Viola Beach’s four members and their manager tragically died in a car crash in Stockholm, Sweden back in February.

Before the memorial gig, fans united in a conga as a celebration of the lives of Viola Beach.

Featured on the BBC, Oli, a friend of the band said:

“In a few years’ time they would have been selling out arenas and winning awards,”

“For this to be happening is a great way to say goodbye.”

The band, consisting of comprised of guitarist/lead vocalist Kristian Leonard, 20, guitarist River Reeves, 19, bass player Tomas Lowe, 27,  drummer Jack Dakin, 19, and manager Craig Tarry, 32, were tragically killed when the car plunged 82ft from a highway bridge into a canal in Södertälje, Sweden, on Saturday Morning.

Now the Official Charts have confirmed that the band’s debut single ‘Swings & Waterslides’ has broken into the charts at No.39 as fans pay tribute to the band.

The Father of Craig Tarry urged fans to buy the single as tribute, saying “It’s just a tragic loss. I just don’t want them to die in vain. Go out there and buy their records. Let’s get them to number one.” He also added  that the band were set to do great things, saying they were “like a volcano – ready to explode”.

The band’s record label have also confirmed that all the proceeds of the single will go to the families of the band and their manager.

The band, comprised of guitarist/lead vocalist Kristian Leonard, 20, guitarist River Reeves, 19, bass player Tomas Lowe, 27,  drummer Jack Dakin, 19, and manager Craig Tarry, 32, were tragically killed when the car plunged 82ft from a highway bridge into a canal.

Viola Beach formed in Warrington in 2013, but the final line-up was formed in May 2015, with River Reeves and Tomas Lowe joining original members Kristian Leonard and Jack Dakin. The band released their first single ‘Swings and Waterslides’ in August 2015, and was added to the BBC Radio 1 Playlist in September. The band also played the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leads Festival that year, and were set to break out into stardom.

The family of guitarist River Reeves said: “We are all heartbroken following River’s tragic death and the circumstances which have seen him lose his life alongside the bandmates and manager he adored and loved being with. Viola Beach were on such an exciting journey and River could not have been happier. He would have loved to have stuck around for the party.”

Kristian Leonard’s family said in a statement: “Words cannot express the sadness we feel at the loss of our precious Kristian. He was doing the job he loved and will be missed so much by his family and friends.”

Tributes poured out from people in the music industry that had known the band too, with Radio 1 DJ Huw Stevens saying: “So sorry to hear the news about Viola Beach and their manager. The saddest news. Thinking of all their families at this awful time.”

So sorry to hear the news about Viola Beach and their manager. The saddest news. Thinking of all their families at this awful time.

— Huw Stephens (@huwstephens) February 14, 2016

Singer/ Producer Lapsley tweeted: “It is so sad to hear of the passing of the band members and manager of Viola Beach. I used to see them out in liverpool. brings perspective”

It is so sad to hear of the passing of the band members and manager of Viola Beach. I used to see them out in liverpool. brings perspective

— Låpsley (@MusicLapsley) February 14, 2016

Meanwhile Collabro singer Jamie Lambert wrote: “How sad about Viola Beach. Up and coming talent.”

Our thoughts go out to the family, friends, and fans of Viola Beach and Mr Tarry.