Cradle

The artist Cradle can refer to four groups: 1. CRADLE is a groundbreaking Japanese unit specializing and leading a beautiful revolution in mellow and jazzy Hip Hop track making. Through their stunning first release “MAKE IT LAST (feat. Aloe Blacc (Emanon)” in 2005 CRADLE were immediately propelled into the spotlight through outstanding success in Japan. MAKE IT LAST was later released in the USA, Europe and Australia. Their long-awaited debut album “ATTITUDE” streeted in June, 2006 and the albums immense popularity elevated CRADLE in the top tier of Japanese mellow Hip Hop artists, alongside the internationally acclaimed NUJABES and NOMAK at the forefront of the genre in Japan As DJs CRADLE play with some of the biggest major and underground Hip Hop artists in Japan including NUJABES, DJ KRUSH, YASUHARU KONISHI (Pizzicato Five), SHUYA OKINO (Kyoto Jazz Massive, DJ KIYO, DJ JIN (Rhymester), DJ MILES (Breakestra), STARVING ARTIST CREW, DJ MITSU , THE BEATS (Gagle), DJ RYOW etc etc Pursuing their dream sound (and also partly due to the risks and limitations using sampling) CRADLE (aka CRADLE ORCHESTRA) commenced working hard on creating their own unique “LIVE SOUND”, an exciting, new sound that they have always wanted to create. By collaborating directly with some amazingly skilled and high profile musicians in Japan CRADLE now incorporate live violin, flute, piano, saxophone, bass, and many more instruments into their track making. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of amazingly beautiful and unique melodies with an incredibly original orchestra type sound……the CRADLE ORCHESTRA sound! 2. The alternative lo-fi band Cradle (which started as Johans solo-project after quiting Flowers for Francis) was born on September 15, 1996 in Rotterdam, Holland. After playing about everywhere around Holland and some European countries, Cradle decided to call it a day on August 1, 2004. It was time to review and start all over. They changed their name into the rare, but continued beeing Cradle again in August 2007. Since August 2007, Cradle was a duo most of the time: Henk and Johan together with a drummachine and sequencer. Peter, the drummer, joined them on occasion. After three gigs Henk and Johan decided to look for a permanent drummer again. It took a few auditions, but since March 2008 Gilbert is now the man behind the kit. But, he was not the only one joining the band: Nina (guitar) completed the line up in March as well. Some past Cradle-highlights: Cradle supported 16 Horsepower, Johan, The Suburbs and performed live in France, Germany, England and Holland. Many radiosessions were aired and also some acoustic sets were on the bill. Early 2001 they won a bandcontest: ‘De Kleine Prijs van Dordt’. Late 2001 a videoclip was shown on the Dutch music-channel TMF. Line up (2008) Gilbert - drums Henk - bass Nina - guitar Johan - guitar and voice. Cradle’s typical sound and performance is raw, intens, hypnotic, loaded, pure and basic. Let’s reanimate and “Enjoy the Feeling”! [Besides Cradle, Johan is also working on his singer/songwriterproject The Weak And The Strong.] Update 2010: Cradle have recently changed their name to Cradle FC. 3. Evolving out of the roots Quatro sisters’ first band (the Pleasure Seekers), Cradle morphed into a much harder direction, contributing relevant lyrics, creative harmonies, and heavy original music with attitude. They rocked this Renaissance era of sheer, raw, driving “grit” that burst out of Detroit, as it fused the Motown influence, colliding with the English invasion and Acid Rock. Cradle gained popularity quickly, well respected by their musician peers, and touring the country’s pop festivals, concerts, and ballrooms on bills with Mountain, Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, Joe Cocker, MC5, Iggy Stooge, Ted Nugent, and many legends of the day. Though they were gaining momentum, Cradle’s ride was sadly cut short with the hard struggle women had to find credibility with the record companies, finally breaking up in 1973, as Suzi went on to a solo career and international fame, and Patti joined forces with Fanny on the west coast. 4. Within a week of leaving Levitation in 1993, Bickers teamed up with guitarist Clive Giblin (Alternative TV, Shock Headed Peters, Two Worlds Collide, Sol Invictus). The duo formed a band called Paradise Estate, named after the Television Personalities' track as they were both fans. They spent about six weeks writing and recording the songs that would convince Warner Bros to sign Bickers, following which the pair drifted apart (with Giblin leaving the band). Bickers renamed the project Cradle and drafted in three new members. A year later, unhappy with the band, Bickers approached Giblin and asked him to rejoin Cradle (also recruiting former King Kurt drummer Daniel). This line up – together with Bickers' partner, singer Caroline Tree – spent the summer of 1994 locked away in a studio in Lincolnshire recording an album for Warner Bros. The band recorded almost 20 tracks in various forms (with fifteen finished and mixed) but this period was allegedly a difficult time for all concerned due to strong destructive external influences in several band members' personal lives. The end result was an album and single for Warner Bros, neither of which were released (although some copies of the single were pressed and reviewed in the music press). Once again Giblin jumped ship, and not long after Warner Bros dropped the band. Moving to Rye in Sussex, Bickers put together a third line-up of Cradle with himself on guitar, vocals, and various instruments, Caroline Tree as co-lead singer (and main creative foil) and Ian Mundwyler on guitar, plus a floating cast of contributing musicians. Recording sessions for this project were more successful and Cradle released what would be their only completed album, Baba Yaga, in 1995. This displayed a divided approach, alternating distinctly between noisy indie rock songs (predominantly sung by Tree) and ghostly psychedelic material (predominantly sung by Bickers) which showed a much softer approach than either Levitation or The House of Love. (During this period, Bickers also played on Divan, the 1995 debut album by Oedipussy, a project headed by former The Perfect Disaster member Phil Parfitt).[15] In contrast to the reception afforded to Bickers' two previous bands, the press received Cradle with indifference or even contempt, with Caroline Tree being labelled as "the worst singer in the world" in a review in New Musical Express. Tree left the band shortly afterwards.[13][16] Despite playing a few concerts with Bickers as lead vocalist, and more or less ditching the more conventional indie rock approaches in favour of dark psychedelia, Cradle did not last for much longer and quietly dissolved in 1996. Read more on Last.fm. 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