Background information Also known as A Band of Bees (U.S. name) Origin Isle of Wight, England Genre(s) Indie rock Years active 2001–present Label(s) Virgin Records (formally We Love You) (UK)
Astralwerks (US) Website www.thebees.info Members Paul Butler
Aaron Fletcher
Kris Birkin
Michael Clevett
Tim Parkin
Warren Hampshire

The Bees (known in United States as A Band of Bees) are an English band from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Although they are generally classified as an indie rock group, their style of music is influenced by a colourful range of 60's rock, country, reggae and jazz.

The Bees have so far released 3 albums: 2002's Mercury Prize-nominated Sunshine Hit Me (which was acclaimed by critics for being recorded in frontman Paul Butler's own garden shed), its 2004 major label follow-up Free the Bees, and the band's most recent work, 2007's Octopus. The first two albums feature songs that have been used in British television advertisements, which are partially responsible for the band's recognition: Sunshine Hit Me's "A Minha Menina", a cover of an Os Mutantes track, appeared in a Citroën car commercial, whilst "Chicken Payback" and "Wash in the Rain", both from Free the Bees, were incorporated in adverts for Sure Deodorant for Men and Sainsbury's, respectively.

The promo video for the band's most recent single "Listening Man" was directed by Dominic Leung (who has directed videos for acts such as Coldplay), and was acclaimed for its' laid-back storytelling approach.

Members

• Paul Butler – lead vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, mandolin, drums, various percussion
• Aaron Fletcher – bass guitar, guitar, piano, drums, percussion, lyrics, vocals
• Michael Clevett – drums, bass guitar, percussion, hammond organ, vocals
• Tim Parkin – trumpet, bass guitar, piano, rhodes, percussion, vocals
• Warren Hampshire – hammond organ, celesta, acoustic guitar, percussion, jew's harp, vocals
• Kris Birkin – guitar, vocals

Discography

Albums