1.|An American indiepop group with three singles released in 1996-1997, on A Turntable Friend, Fantastic and Orange.
2.|Juniper (1991-1999), a relatively successful young Irish 5-piece who played electrifying gigs which were always packed to the rafters. They signed to Polygram for a potential 6-album deal and managed to release two reasonably-well received singles, the most notable being Weatherman.
Deep down Juniper were not happy and after the second single was released, Damien Rice decided to jump ship. “I certainly don’t regret leaving the band.” “I would look back on things I did and say ‘I wouldn’t do that again’ but if I hadn’t have done it, I wouldn’t have learned that I didn’t like doing it. I just wanted to be free and when I was signed to the record company I wasn’t free.”
In early 1999, Juniper were due to fly to the south of France and record their debut album with Manic Street Preachers’ producer Mike Hedges - all paid for by Polygram. On the eve of this dream junket, however, Rice announced that he was quitting the band. The rest of the guys in Juniper then formed Bell X1. |
