Space

Space came together in Liverpool during 1993, drawing inspiration from the dramatic intensity of Echo & the Bunnymen as well as the catchy energy of the Boo Radleys, with Tommy Scott taking vocals and bass, Jamie Murphy handling guitar, and Andy Parle on drums. The trio secured a deal with indie outlet Gut Records and delivered Me and You Versus the World in 1996, yet the following year's "Female of the Species" proved the release that cemented their presence in alternative rock. Keyboardist Franny Griffiths and vocalist Dave "Yorkie" Palmer had joined by then, aligning with the group's rising profile on Universal Records debut Spiders. The quirky single scored major success throughout the U.K. while also connecting stateside through college radio and MTV airplay. A mid-1997 American tour, however, fell short of the hopes shared by the band and reviewers alike. Murphy stepped away temporarily, and the loss of Palmer's mother Gladys Palmer, a legendary singer from Liverpool, left everyone shaken. Parle, who later died while crossing a street in Liverpool in 2009, exited soon afterward and was succeeded by drummer Leon Caffrey just ahead of Tin Planet's spring 1998 arrival. The album climbed to number three on the U.K. charts but made no impression in America. Work with songwriter and producer Edwyn Collins prepared the third studio album Love You More Than Football for a late-2001 release, though the project was shelved indefinitely. After a lengthy break the band resurfaced in 2004 with Suburban Rock 'n' Roll, trading Tin Planet's glossy approach for a sound closer to Spiders. They split the next year. A new lineup revived Space in 2011, and this edition issued Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab in 2014.