Editing Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

{{Short description|British rock/pop band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
| image            = LC2.jpg
| caption          = Lloyd Cole and the Commotions performing in [[London]], 2004
| image_size       = 
| background       = group_or_band
| alias            = 
| origin           = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| genre            = {{hlist|[[Jangle pop]]<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |first=Stewart |last=Mason |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rattlesnakes-mw0000202553 |title=''Rattlesnakes'' – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions / Lloyd Cole |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=11 December 2008}}</ref>|[[indie pop]]<ref name="AllMusic" />|[[New wave music|new wave]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.lloydcole.com/press/lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions-wembley-arena/|title=Lloyd Cole And The Commotions // Wembley Arena|first=Lloyd|last=Cole|website=Lloydcole.com}}</ref>|[[pop rock]]<ref name="auto"/>}}
| occupation       = 
| years_active     = {{hlist|1982–1989|2004|2009}}
| label            = {{hlist|[[Polydor Records|Polydor]]|[[Geffen Records|Geffen]]|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]}}
| website          = 
| current_members  = * [[Lloyd Cole]]
* [[Blair Cowan (musician)|Blair Cowan]]
* [[Lawrence Donegan]]
* [[Neil Clark (musician)|Neil Clark]]
* [[Stephen Irvine]]
| past_members     = 
}}

'''Lloyd Cole and the Commotions''' were a British [[Rock music|rock]] and [[Pop music|pop]] band that formed in [[Glasgow]], Scotland in 1982. Between 1984 and 1989, the band scored four Top 20 albums and five Top 40 singles in the UK; it also had success in several other countries including Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand. After they broke up in 1989, Cole embarked on a solo career but the band reformed briefly in 2004 to perform a 20th anniversary mini-tour of the UK and [[Ireland]].

==Band history==
The band were formed whilst [[Lloyd Cole|Cole]] (who was born in [[Derbyshire]], England) was studying at the [[University of Glasgow]]. They signed a recording contract with [[Polydor Records]];<ref name="uncut.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions-collected-recordings-1983-1989 |title=Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Collected Recordings 1983-1989 - Uncut |website=Uncut|date=14 November 2014 }}</ref> their debut single "[[Perfect Skin (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions song)|Perfect Skin]]" reaching number 26 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in spring 1984, while the second single "[[Forest Fire (song)|Forest Fire]]" reached 41. Their debut studio album, ''[[Rattlesnakes (album)|Rattlesnakes]]'', was released in October 1984. Produced by [[Paul Hardiman]] and featuring string arrangements by [[Anne Dudley]], it peaked at No.&nbsp;13 in the UK and was certified gold for sales over 100,000 copies. ''[[NME]]'' included it in its Top 100 Albums of All Time list, and the [[Rattlesnakes (song)|title track]] was later covered by the [[United States|American]] singer [[Tori Amos]]. The Welsh band [[Manic Street Preachers]] included the album amongst their top ten list.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

The band's follow-up studio album, ''[[Easy Pieces]]'', was produced by [[Clive Langer]] and [[Alan Winstanley]], who had previously produced for [[Madness (band)|Madness]], [[the Teardrop Explodes]], [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] and [[Elvis Costello|Elvis Costello and the Attractions]]. Released in November 1985,<ref name="uncut.co.uk"/> the album was a quicker commercial success than its predecessor (entering the [[UK Albums Chart]] at No.&nbsp;5, and certified gold within a month). The singles "[[Brand New Friend]]" and "[[Lost Weekend (song)|Lost Weekend]]" were the band's first and only UK top 20 hits (reaching No.&nbsp;19 and No.&nbsp;17 respectively).

Two years later, the band released their third and final studio album, ''[[Mainstream (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions album)|Mainstream]]''. Produced by [[Ian Stanley]]<ref name="uncut.co.uk"/> (former songwriter and keyboardist of [[Tears for Fears]]), the album peaked at No.&nbsp;9 in the UK and was also certified gold, but contained only one UK top 40 single, "[[Jennifer She Said]]" (No.&nbsp;31). Its first single "[[My Bag (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions song)|My Bag]]", and a later release, the "[[From the Hip (song)|From the Hip]]" EP, failed to make the top 40.

In 1989, the band decided to break up and released a "best of" compilation, ''1984–1989'', which was their fourth top 20 album (UK No.&nbsp;14) and fourth gold certification. Following this, Cole embarked on a solo career with the release of his [[Lloyd Cole (album)|eponymous debut studio album]] in 1990.

On the first two Commotions albums, Cole was the band's principal songwriter (though he co-wrote several songs with various bandmembers). The third studio album is credited to the band as a whole.

During 2004, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions reunited for a month to celebrate the release of the ''Rattlesnakes'' deluxe edition. Rehearsals were in Glasgow and the band played to packed houses at the [[Barrowland Ballroom|Barrowlands]], and then in Dublin, Manchester and London.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lloydcole.com/lloyd/|title=Lloyd - lloydcole.com|date=24 February 2015|website=Lloydcole.com|access-date=9 November 2023}}</ref>

==Band members==
* [[Lloyd Cole]] (born 31 January 1961) – [[Lead vocalist|lead vocals]], [[guitar]], [[lyricist]]
* [[Blair Cowan (musician)|Blair Cowan]] (born 1960?) – [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]
* [[Lawrence Donegan]] (born 13 July 1961) – [[bass guitar]]
* [[Neil Clark (musician)|Neil Clark]] (born 3 July 1958) – guitar
* [[Stephen Irvine]] (born 16 December 1959) – [[drum kit|drums]]

The band's manager Derek McKillop is credited as a full band member in the credits of the group's third studio album, ''Mainstream''.

==Post-breakup careers==
* Cole moved to [[New York City]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/life-after-fame-lloyd-cole-on-what-your-hotel-room-tells-you-about-your-pop-career-2112039.html |title=Life after fame: Lloyd Cole on what your hotel room tells you about |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=23 October 2010 }}</ref> and later to [[New England]] to pursue a solo career with Polydor and Capitol Records and later appeared on [[Rykodisc]], before establishing self-published entities in the United States. His solo career has found him collaborating with the late [[Robert Quine]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/02/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries |title=Obituary: Robert Quine |first=Garth |last=Cartwright |date=2 July 2004 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> [[Fred Maher]], [[Dave Derby]] and [[Jill Sobule]].
* Clark continued working with Cole on almost all of his solo releases and full band tours. He was also a member of the short-lived group Bloomsday, with Irvine (of the Commotions) and Chris Thomson of [[The Bathers (band)|the Bathers]]. He later worked as a website designer and wrote music for film and TV.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/dec/12/popandrock |title=Friends reunited|date=12 December 2004 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
* Cowan collaborated with Cole and his new backing band in New York on Cole's first two solo studio albums (1989–1991). He returned for ''Broken Record'' (2010), ''Standards'' (2013), ''[[Guesswork (album)|Guesswork]]'' (2019) and ''[[On Pain]]'' (2023). He played with [[Del Amitri]], Paul Quinn and the Independent Group, the [[Kevin McDermott (singer-songwriter)|Kevin McDermott Orchestra]] and [[Texas (band)|Texas]].{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
* Donegan is a journalist and an author – he was a golf journalist for ''[[The Guardian]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lawrencedonegan |title=Lawrence Donegan |website=The Guardian}}</ref> and published several non-fiction titles, including ''No News at Throat Lake''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/jul/23/kimbunce |title=Observer review: No News at Throat Lake |first=Kim |last=Bunce |date=23 July 2000 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> and ''Four Iron in the Soul''.
* Irvine joined former bandmate Clark in Bloomsday, and as a session musician worked with Del Amitri, [[Étienne Daho]] and [[Sarah Cracknell]]. He is also managing artists and bands.

==Discography==
{{Main|Lloyd Cole discography}}
* ''[[Rattlesnakes (album)|Rattlesnakes]]'' (1984, No.&nbsp;13 UK)
* ''[[Easy Pieces]]'' (1985, No.&nbsp;5 UK)
* ''[[Mainstream (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions album)|Mainstream]]'' (1987, No.&nbsp;9 UK)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000827676}}
* {{discogs artist}}
* {{IMDb name|id=10922509}}

{{Lloyd Cole and the Commotions}}
{{Lloyd Cole}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole and the Commotions, Lloyd}}
[[Category:Rock music groups from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Scottish rock music groups]]
[[Category:Scottish indie pop groups]]
[[Category:Scottish new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:Scottish jangle pop groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1982]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1989]]
[[Category:Geffen Records artists]]
[[Category:Polydor Records artists]]