Alex and Thomas originally formed Fixed Ascent (later The Feltro Media) with schoolfriends Alistair Gavan and Russell Gleason in around 1997. Whilst ostensibly a formulaic indie outfit, there were flashes of the more complex symphonic arrangements and varied production values that would characterise later Electric Soft Parade releases, and over three self-released albums the band cultivated a (relatively) original sound, not unlike that of
Holes in the Wall. Following interest in their 1999 LP,
The Wonderful World of the Feltro Media, the band were offered a deal with
DB Records (a subsidiary of
BMG). The band officially signed to DB Records (as a two-piece) in January 2001, with their debut single following that April. Their original choice for a name was "The Soft Parade" but were made to change it after legal action by an American band
the Doors (
The Soft Parade being the title of a Doors album).
2002–2004 The Brothers' debut,
Holes in the Wall was released in February 2002 to wide critical acclaim. With A&R and production from
Chris Hughes, the album spawned two UK top-forty hits and led to performances on
Top of the Pops,
Later With Jools Holland and a world-tour covering Europe, Japan and Australasia. They were also nominated for the 2002
Mercury Music Prize, where they lost out to
Ms. Dynamite. They later won the
Q Award for Best New Act. The band's second LP,
The American Adventure appeared in October 2003 on
BMG Records. Largely a response to their treatment at the hands of
BMG (DB had by this point folded despite substantial sales, and the band had been automatically up-streamed) the album was seen as too much of a departure from their previous work, and the band were dropped in early 2004. On release, the album received wildly differing responses, largely criticising the looser arrangements and downbeat feel (though NME awarded it 9/10, lauding the bands' "near-superhuman powers"). However, the album can now be seen as a major turning point in the bands' sound – from the hi-tech, digital production of
Holes in the Wall to the organic feel of later releases.
2005–2008 The Electric Soft Parade returned in late 2005 with the six-track
The Human Body EP on
Truck Records. The U.S. version of
The Human Body EP was released in May 2006 on
Better Looking Records (their first official US release). ESP made their first U.S. appearance at the
South by Southwest Festival in March 2006. A third full album was released in April 2007. Entitled
No Need to Be Downhearted, it was named after a
lyric from
The Fall's song "15 Ways" from their
Middle Class Revolt album. The album was entirely self-produced, using
Truck Records' rudimentary
Portakabin studio in the
Oxford countryside. In March and April 2007 they made their second visit to the South by Southwest Festival, took part in a tribute to
Billy MacKenzie at
Shepherd's Bush Empire in aid of
Sound Seekers, and played a UK tour. There was also an extensive U.S. tour in May and June 2007 with Brakes and
Pela. July and August 2007 saw appearances at UK and European festivals in the Netherlands, Austria, France, Switzerland and Germany. The final single to be taken from
No Need to Be Downhearted, "Appropriate Ending", was released on 26 November as a digital download. It included two covers, "
Happiness" originally by
Elliott Smith and "Friends of the Heroes" by
The Aislers Set. The band toured from October to December 2007 with shows in France, Belgium, Spain, United Kingdom and Germany. The beginning of 2008 saw shows in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France including dates supporting
Ian Brown. On 11 June 2008, The Electric Soft Parade supported
Sparks at their
Hello Young Lovers show – the last of a 20 concert extravaganza at the Islington Academy, London. Following this show, the band took a two-year break from touring and recording.
2009–2011 In December 2010, the band returned to the stage (as a five-piece) for the first time in over two years, at Maximalism!, a charity concert organised by the White brothers in aid of The Martlets Hospice. In January 2011 an official Facebook page appeared online, with details of new material and appearances. Energised by the reaction at the December show, the band held a monthly residency from March through June at The Prince Albert, Brighton, where they revisited their entire back catalogue in sequence, as well as debuting brand new material. "A Quick One" EP, a four-song download (and double A-side 7"), was released by Paris-based label A Quick One Records on 18 July 2011. Featuring a new song from each of the brothers, as well as two cover versions ("If I Can Dream" and "Orange Crate Art"") the EP marks the very first time the brothers have taken their "live band" into the recording studio. The band have stated their plan to record and release a series of EP's over the coming year, culminating in a 4th full-length album sometime in 2012. The band rounded off 2011 with a run of UK shows, including support slots with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, British Sea Power and Dodgy, as well as choice headline shows of their own.
2012–2013 Reuniting once again with the production team that made their debut, "Holes in the Wall", ESP spent much of 2012 in
Wiltshire recording tracks for what would become their 4th LP, "IDIOTS". A single, "Brother, You Must Walk Your Path Alone", was made available in early March 2013, with the full-length album slated for release on 17 June.
2014–present The band has toured sporadically since "IDIOTS", with occasional dates around the UK, and a May 2019 tour of France and Belgium. During 2018–19, the band was connected to Pledge Music, and was negatively affected by the fallout from the revelations of alleged fraud and the failure of the company to pay through the results of completed pledges. They are thought to have lost around £10,000. An album,
Stages, was released on 8 January 2020 through the band's own label Chord Orchard. The first song made available from
Stages, "Roles Reversed", was released freely via the band's YouTube. On 19 May 2023, the band revealed their latest album, titled 'Avenue Dot,' dedicated to Joanne Chapman and written in her house. The album was released through their label Chord Orchard's Bandcamp. Prior to the full album release, the band offered a sneak peek to the public with the release of the first song, 'A Temporary Star.' ==Related projects==