Based in London, the Brute Chorus features James Steel on lead vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Nick Foots on lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Dave Ferrett on bass and vocals, and Matthew Day on drums and vocals. The band had been paying their dues on the British club circuit when they got their first major break in 2007 in the form of a Monday night residency at Camden's the Hawley Arms, a pub that became a regular haunt for a number of top-name musicians (most notably Amy Winehouse), attracting a crowd of music fans and tastemakers. As the Brute Chorus began attracting a loyal and growing audience, the proprietors of the Hawley Arms decided to start an independent record label, and the Brute Chorus became the first act signed to Bumpman Originals Records. The band's first single, "Chateau" b/w "The Cuckoo and the Stolen Heart," was released in February 2008; it didn't sell especially well despite some enthusiastic reviews, but the follow-up, "Grow Fins" b/w " "Nebuchadnezzar," released the following July, became an indie hit thanks to extensive British airplay and a music video. The Brute Chorus took up a more extensive touring schedule, including appearances at the Glastonbury and Camden Crawl festivals, and a third single, "She Was Always Cool" b/w "Artemissia," arrived in stores in time for Christmas 2008. In 2009, the Brute Chorus began work on their first full-length release; rather than struggling to capture the energy of their live show in the studio, the band chose to record the album during a late February gig at Camden's Roundhouse venue, complete with a live audience in attendance. The first track from the live album, "All the Pilgrims," was released at the end of May 2009. ~ Mark Deming