The Boy Least Likely To biography

The Boy Least Likely To is an English indie pop duo, composed of composer/multi-instrumentalist Pete Hobbs and lyricist/singer Jof Owen.

Owen and Hobbs both grew up in the village of Wendover in Buckinghamshire. They met when they were still in school and started writing songs together. They began writing and recording songs for The Boy Least Likely To in the summer of 2002. The group created the independent label Too Young to Die as a means to release their music. Their first release was the 7" single "Paper Cuts" in 2003. They released three singles and completed the recording of their debut album before they played any live shows. Their debut album The Best Party Ever'' was released in the UK in February 2005. The album was released in the United States in late Spring 2006.

''The Best Party Ever was included in the Pitchfork top 50 albums of 2005 and was number 8 in the Rough Trade Shop top 100 albums of the same year.

They are known for the colourful characters that they use in their artwork, which are drawn by Jof Owen's brother, Tim. The artwork for their second album features 3D versions of the drawings that have been knitted.

The band describe their own sound as "Country Disco" in their song I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon To Your Star . They were included in the top ten bands of 2006 in Rolling Stone magazine, and described as sounding like what would happen "if all your childhood stuffed animals got together and started a band."

They toured the UK and USA with James Blunt in 2005 and 2006. In October 2006 they toured the United Kingdom with Razorlight.

Rashida Jones stars in the video for Be Gentle With Me.

Their second album, previously delayed by label troubles, was entitled Law of the Playground and was released in April 2009. It includes the singles 'Every Goliath Has Its David', 'A Balloon On A Broken String', 'When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade' and 'A Fairytale Ending'.

Their songs have been used in a number of different commercials in the USA for Coca Cola and General Electric Cars and films and televison shows including Easy A and Grey's Anatomy. Be Gentle With Me has been featured in a commercial in the UK for ING Direct and I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon To Your Star was used in a UK commercial for Cadburys Chocolate Digestive Biscuits in 2008. In February 2010, Apple, Inc. featured The Boy Least Likely To's song "Stringing Up Conkers" in Apple's latest iPhone 3GS advertisements. In April 2010, the song was also featured in an iPad demonstration video for iTunes.

In December 2010 they released a seasonal album called The Boy Least Likely To Christmas Special, which included 8 original compositions and 3 traditional festive songs. It includes the single George And Andrew.

They are currently in the studio recording their fourth album, scheduled for release in 2012.

Musicians known to have toured with The Boy Least Likely To include:

Alistair Hamer - Drums, Backing vocals. (Sweet Billy Pilgrim)
Anthony Bishop - Electric Bass, Backing Vocals (Sweet Billy Pilgrim)
Adam Chetwood - Guitar, Banjo. (I Am Arrows)
Amanda Applewood - Keys, Backing Vocals.
Bahar Brunton - Violin, Backing Vocals.
Boris Ming - Violin, Keys.
Rob Jones - Glockenspiel, Backing Vocals. (The Voluntary Butler Scheme)
Ross Curnow - Drums, Backing Vocals (Captain Phoenix)
Luke Keyte - Guitar, Banjo (Captain Phoenix)

Discography

Albums

''The Best Party Ever'' - Too Young to Die - 2005
''Law of the Playground'' - Too Young to Die - 2009
''The Best B-Sides Ever'' - +1 Records - 2009
''The Boy Least Likely To Christmas Special'' - Too Young to Die - 2010

Singles

"Paper Cuts b/w Sleeping With a Gun Under My Pillow" - Too Young to Die 2003
"Be Gentle With Me" - Too Young to Die 2003
"Fur Soft as Fur" - Karma Lion - 2004
"Hugging My Grudge" - Too Young to Die - 2004
"Paper Cuts" - Too Young to Die - 2005
"Little Donkey" - Too Young to Die - 2005 given away free to fans at Christmas
"Be Gentle With Me" - Too Young to Die - 2006 UK #62
"Hugging My Grudge" - Too Young to Die - 2006 UK #66
"Faith" - Too Young to Die - 2007 released as a limited edition download
"I Box Up All The Butterflies" - Too Young to Die - 2008 released as a limited edition free download
"The First Snowflake" - Too Young to Die - 2009
"Every Goliath Has Its David" - Too Young to Die - 2009
"When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade" - Too Young to Die - 2009
"Fairytale Ending" - Too Young to Die - 2009
"Summer Of A Dormouse" - For Us Records - 2009
"George and Andrew" - Too Young to Die - 2010

References

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