Bio
Bio from Website
The Tenderfoot are Marc Beatty (Keyboards, Backing Vocals), Joel Gibson (Drums, Backing Vocals), Darren Moon (Vocals, Guitar), Gavin Moon (Guitar), Russell Prior (Bass, Backing Vocals)
United by their love for the then unfashionable Lemonheads, Brighton schoolfriends Joel, Darren and Russell, formed "Tenderfoot" in 1998. For a year they rehearsed and eventually gigged, playing loud and fast punk covers until the threesome took a sabbatical while Russell and Darren pursued their university careers. Rehearsals and gigs were sporadic during this time, but after Darren and Russell returned to Brighton, Tenderfoot's ranks were swelled by Darren's brother Gavin and Marc Beatty, the engineer/producer at Brighton's Mockin' Bird Studio.
The summer of 2001 saw a burst of renewed activity. Trawling through old songs and writing new material, the five-piece put together a set of original numbers. In the midst of the Brighton rock renaissance, well-received gigs for Brighton's Totally Bored collective were followed by demo recordings at Mockin' Bird. Doing the rounds of record companies began.
Responses came quickly; initial talks with Nude Records were encouraging, but the label went under shortly afterwards. But things did not stop there and in the following months the band entertained A&R interest from Parlaphone, Heavenly and Mute among others. Things went from strength to strength; following a minor name change (adding 'The' to avoid confusion with a US Christian metal outfit) the band played support to some major names, including the American Analog Set and their Brighton friends Electric Soft Parade and British Sea Power on their autumn 2002 tours.
But now things really started to happen – John Reid and Phil Barton, partners in the Brighton label 5:15 Records came to a few 'Foot gigs and the band certainly delivered the goods. The Tenderfoot's debut single "Still Holding My Stomach In" was released as a one-off on 5:15 Records in January 2003. The single was well received, with multiple plays on Radio 1's Evening Session (much admired by Steve Lamacq), London's Xfm and the BBC digital channel 6Music. In July 2003 The Tenderfoot signed a multi-album deal with 5:15. A new single will be released later this year and the debut album is scheduled early in 2004.
What the press have said about The Tenderfoot:
"Brief vignettes of outsider awkwardness, heavenly jangles and the cheek of chimps – you will be seduced" (The Source, Brighton)
"The Tenderfoot deal in the bruised melancholy of Delgados and Elbow, with an air of everyman vulnerability that makes 'Still Holding My Stomach In' both accessible and relevant to anyone who's ever had a bad day. This means you. Think Arab Strap without the piss stains and funny smells." (Logo Magazine)