Hundred Reasons

Hundred Reasons
300x200px Hundred Reasons in November 2009
Background information
Origin	Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Genres	Emo, Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock
Years active	1999-present
Labels	V2 Records Columbia Records
Associated acts	Freeze The Atlantic, The Lucky Nine
Website	hundredreasons.com
Members	Andy Bews Colin Doran Andy Gilmour Larry Hibbitt
Past members	Paul Townsend Ben Doyle

Hundred Reasons are an English alternative rock band from Aldershot, Hampshire, formed in 1999. The band consists of Colin Doran (vocals), Larry Hibbitt (guitar, vocals), Andy Gilmour (bass) and Andy Bews (drums).

Having toured almost constantly for 14 months throughout the UK and Europe in support of their first releases EP1 (Cerebra), EP2 (Remmus) and EP3, (I'll Find You), Hundred Reasons released their debut album, Ideas Above Our Station (2002), to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album yielded the singles, "I'll find you", "If I Could", "Silver" and "Falter", and was followed by Shatterproof Is Not a Challenge in 2004. After being dropped by Columbia Records, the band released their third studio album, Kill Your Own (2006) on V2 Records.Guitarist and vocalist Paul Townsend departed from the band following its release, and was replaced by Ben Doyle for the band's fourth and final studio album, Quick the Word, Sharp the Action (2007).

Following years of inactivity, the band reunited with Paul Townsend in 2012, and announced plans for a ten-year anniversary tour to celebrate the release of Ideas Above Our Station.

Hundred Reasons have had 6 top 40 hit singles, sold in excess of 400,000 albums, singles and downloads, and have been nominated for several Awards, winning three Kerrang! awards for: "Best New Band" (2000), "Best Album" (2002) and "Best Unsigned Act" (2004).

Career

EP1, EP2 and EP3 (1999-2001)

The band had already built up a good Live reputation by early 2000 and had caught the attention of Fierce Panda Records, EP1 was released on Fierce Panda in July 2000, in support of this, the band toured for much of the rest of the year. Including an NME tour with Idlewild, they also went on to claim their first award, Best New Band at the Kerrang awards in London.

In early 2001 the band signed with Columbia Records and immediately entered the studio to record EP2. It was released in May 2001 followed by UK and European tours with Incubus and Muse. The band would finish the year with the release of EP3 and their first headline tour of the UK.

Ideas Above Our Station and Shatterproof is Not a Challenge (2002-2004)

The band's debut album, Ideas Above Our Station was recorded at Magic Shop Studio, New York City in August and September 2001 and was released on 20 May 2002, it reached No. 6 in the UK Albums Chart , sold over 100,000 units and spawned several Top 40 hits in the UK Singles Chart. The band went on to tour extensively throughout Europe and Japan, ending the album tour with their first and only US show at SXSW music festival. This time period represents the heights of the bands success. They made over 50 festival appearances during 2002, 2003 and 2004. Headlining many stages including the Radio 1 stage at Ozzfest, Donnington. They also made many TV appearances, including two times on the legendary Top of the Pops in the UK. They won the award for Best Album at the Kerrang awards in August of 2002. The winter headline tour of the UK would see them playing the biggest shows of their career, ending at the London Brixton Academy.

In early spring of 2003 the band relocated to Cornwall UK for a few months to finish writing their second album. Recording the Album took place in June and July, with the band again opting for Magic Shop Studio in New York City. 'Shatterproof is not a challenge' was released on 1 March 2004. The band headed out on a headline tour of the UK and a European arena tour with good friends Incubus. Despite successful tours and selling 65,000 copies of, Shatterproof Is Not A Challenge, within 4 months of its release, the touring was cut short when they were dropped by Sony BMG in June 2004. Colin Doran has said "Our relationship soured with Sony when the MD left the company as he was the reason that we signed in the first place. We felt that decisions made after that event were impacting the band in a negative way, the support and drive was no longer there, so we were happy to leave the label and were banking on it." The band would make a Main stage appearance at Reading and Leeds Festival in August with a back drop that read 'For Sale'

Kill Your Own and Townsend's departure (2005-2006)

Hundred Reasons signed to V2 Records in September 2005, having spent the best part of the year writing, the band entered Kore studios in London to record their third album, Kill Your Own - produced by guitarist Larry Hibbitt - was released on 20 March 2006. It was very well received by fans and critics alike. The band toured throughout Europe and Japan. Finishing the album tour with a sold out show at the London Koko

On 9 August 2006, it was announced on the band's official website that guitarist and vocalist Paul Townsend would be leaving the band following their tour of Japan in early September. Townsend's departure was said to be 'totally amicable', and Ben Doyle of The Lucky Nine joined the band as his replacement.

Quick the Word, Sharp the Action (2007-2009)

The band's fourth album, Quick the Word, Sharp the Action, was released on 15 October 2007. However, less than a month after the album's release, V2 Records was purchased by Universal Records - leaving the band without a record label. Hundred Reasons describe the situation as: "depressingly similar to when Shatterproof was released in 2004. Lightning has struck, hard. Twice." Larry Hibbit joked in interview that "if you count publishing, we have now had more record labels than albums."

In April 2009, bassist Andy Gilmour stated that: "when [the band] actually have something to release we’ll release it. I can’t really give a date. So far, we’ve only had one proper practise where we were actually writing. We came out with one really good song, but to do a whole album’s worth is tough; it’s going to take a while.".

In October 2009, Doran when asked "any news or ideas for the next album? have you guys been playing around with any new material or ideas for the next album?" stated "We don’t have the time to get together as much as we’d like these days but we do jam and slowly but surely, we’re getting a new record together. It may take a while, we will make sure it is worth the wait."

Ideas Above Our Station anniversary shows (2012)

In 2012, following three years of inactivity, the band announced that they would be performing their debut album, Ideas Above Our Station, in full at Sonisphere Festival to mark its ten-year anniversary. The festival, however, was subsequently cancelled.

At around this time, the band posted a photograph online featuring founding guitarist Paul Townsend amongst its line-up, with a caption reading, "6 years later..." It was later confirmed that Townsend had rejoined Hundred Reasons and that the band were "immensely super-pleased about this." Regarding the band's return, guitarist Larry Hibbitt noted, "We sort of fizzled out a little bit and never went out with a bang or split up. We’ve been talking about trying to get together to try and mark the anniversary – it’s not even a reunion, it’s not a comeback, I don’t know what it is!"

Hibbitt also noted that the band will not record a fifth studio album: "We’d have to change our lives so much to put ourselves in a position where we’d make a good Hundred Reasons record. We could toss off an average Hundred Reasons record, but there’s no desire to do that. I don’t think that any of us want to do it full-time again. We’re being realistic. Six months of hard work to make an album is not really on the cards."

In April 2012, the band announced that they would be performing at both Banquet Records Big Day Out and 2000Trees, and that the overall amount of anniversary shows would be limited due to the availability of each band member. Hell is for Heroes drummer Joe Birch will be performing with the band in the summer, due to drummer Andy Bews' prior commitments, with the band stating, "In the winter, there’ll be a special thing with Bewsy and then that will be it for the foreseeable future."

On 8 May, the band revealed that guitarist Paul Townsend will no longer be performing with the band at 2000Trees or Big Day Out.

In November 2012 the band played their 10 year anniversary shows, starting with a warm up show at the Exeter Cavern club, They then went on to play 3 sold out shows at the London Coronet, Manchester Academy and London Forum.

Band members

Current

• Andy Bews - drums (1999–present)
• Colin Doran - lead vocals (1999–present)
• Andy Gilmour - bass (1999–present)
• Larry Hibbitt - guitar, vocals (1999–present)

Former

• Paul Townsend - guitar, vocals (1999–2006, 2012)
• Ben Doyle - guitar (2006–2012)

Touring

• Joe Birch - drums (festival appearances, 2012, 2014)
• Cal Owen - guitar (all shows, 2012, 2014)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Ideas Above Our Station (2002) UK No. 6
• Shatterproof Is Not a Challenge (2004) UK No. 20
• Kill Your Own (2006) UK No. 79
• Quick the Word, Sharp the Action (2007) UK No. 100

Live albums

• Live Bootleg (2004)
• Live at Freakscene (2005)
• Year Ten: Live At The Forum (2012)

Singles and EPs

• EpOne (2000) EP
• EpTwo (2001) EP UK No. 47
• EpThree (2001) EP UK No. 37
• Hundred Reasons/Garrison split (2001) EP
• "Lamps Collapsing" (2002) Fan club release only
• "If I Could" (2002) UK No. 19
• "Silver" (2002) UK No. 15
• "Falter" (2002) UK No. 38
• "The Great Test" (2003) UK No. 29
• "What You Get" (2004) UK No. 30
• "How Soon Is Now?" (2004) UK No. 47
• "Kill Your Own" (2006) UK No. 45
• "The Perfect Gift" (2006)
• "The Chance/Live Fast, Die Ugly" (2006)
• "No Way Back" (2007)
• "I'll Never Know" (2009) (download only)
• "Break the Glass" (2009) (download only)

Music Videos

• Remmus (2001)
• I'll Find You (2001)
• If I Could (2002)
• Silver (2002)
• Falter (2002)
• The Great Test (2003)
• Harmony (2004)
• Kill Your Own (2006)
• The Perfect Gift (2006)
• The Chance (2006)
• No Way Back (2007)
• I'll Never Know (2009)
• Break the Glass (2009)

Compilation albums

• The Dead Cheap Fierce Panda Sampler - (September 2000, features "Cerebra")
• Born To Do It Better - (October 2000, features "Change Of Season")
• Rumours, Ridicule and the Profit Motive - (January 2001, features "Counting The Days")
• Please Take Off Your Shoes Before Entering - (March 2001, features "Slow Learner")
• Rumours, Ridicule and the Profit Motive - (April 2001, features "Counting The Days")
• Commercial Breakdown Vol. 2 - (August 2001, features "Different" and "Wireframe")
• Mosh & Go - (October 2001, features "Slow Learner")
• Oli Coles 'appy Days - (March 2012, features "falter")
• How Soon Is Now - The Songs of the Smiths - (March 2004, features their cover of "How Soon Is Now?")

External links

• Official website
• What You Get - Hundred Reasons fansite
• Video for "No Way Back" - director: Shane Davey

Interviews

• Stereokill Interview: Andy Gilmour, April 2009
• Interview with Larry Hibbitt
• January 2008 Liberation Frequency interview with Larry Hibbitt
• Article on Hundred Reasons