There are at least two sets of Brakes. Joe Fadil, Keith Wilson, John Brown and Bob Renny made up The Brakes, a powerpop / mod group which released the album “For Why You Kicka My Donkey” on the Magnet label in 1979. The currently popular Brakes are a 4-piece band from Brighton, United Kingdom fronted by Eamon Hamilton, formerly of British Sea Power. They formed in 2002.
Brakes (known as ‘Brakesbrakesbrakes’ on their US releases) were formed when Tom White (guitar) and Alex White (drums) of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton (vocals, guitar) then of British Sea Power perform a solo gig supporting The Lonesome Organist in Brighton. Marc Beatty (bass) of Mockin’ Bird Studios and The Tenderfoot (and who also worked with British Sea Power, when recording their debut album) was also soon recruited, and the band set about recording their debut single, “Pick Up the Phone”, which was released on Tugboat Records in 2004.
In early 2005 the band recorded their debut album, Give Blood, for Rough Trade Records. The album was released in July of the same year. The album features 16 songs (including re-recordings of the 3 tracks from their debut single) and runs for 29 minutes. It features duets with Leila Moss of The Duke Spirit on a cover of the Johnny Cash / June Carter Cash classic “Jackson” and with The Pipettes on a version of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Sometimes Always”.The album was voted the best of 2005 by Rough Trade shops.
