Although Valerie Phillips is primarily a fashion photographer and art exhibitor, her freelance work has lead her to photograph for album covers including work on Amy Winehouse's debut. Her work also featured as the cover of The Cranberries's second single "Linger" nearly a decade earlier.
The Cranberries began as The Cranberry Saw Us in Limerick, Ireland with brothers Noel and Michael Hogan in 1989. Noel played guitar; Michael: bass; Fergal Lawler manned the drums; and Niall Quinn provided the vocals. In these early days, Quinn would provide the bulk of the songwriting with some input from Noel. The founding four didn't last any longer than a year and a demo as Quinn stepped out of the group, leaving the band without a voice. The remaining three put out an advertisement for a replacement and quickly found Dolores O'Riordan. She not only won the lead vocalist position but also quickly cemented her position as a leader of the group by supplying the band with much needed songwriting skills.
The group recorded new demos with Dolores and caught the attention of Xeric Studios founder Pearse Gilmore, who signed on as the group's manager and producer. Under his unsteady guidance, the group recorded a couple of demos, changed their name to The Cranberries, and released their first EP Uncertain in 1991. After what was supposed to be the sessions for their debut album fell through, the group fired Gilmore and replaced him with manager Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records. Travis set the group back to recording in Dublin, this time with producer Stephen Street who had previously worked with The Smiths and Morrissey (solo).
There was no bang out of the gate for The Cranberries. Both their singles ("Dreams", "Linger") and their debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? charted poorly in 1993. Touring with Suede helped their commercial momentum until they caught the broadcasting eye of MTV. The band blew up and had their album and singles re-released to meet the hype. The album reentered the UK charts at #1 (previously #74) and did nearly as well in the US after an extended tour in Europe and North America.
The Cranberries sound was that of a "synthesis" though it was an overall formula for a dreamy guitar pop. Neil Hogan's deft compositions and Street's ear-catching production mixed jangly guitars and string arrangements with electronic sensibility to provide a familiar pop foundation. But O'Riordan's Irish lilt in her vocals helped give the band a folk tinge and a defining sound that caught on with audiences. By the end of 1993, The Cranberries had slowly emerged as one of the world's most promising young bands. They were hopeful and simple in their lyrics and, as 1994 roles around, ready to reach new heights and take themselves a little more seriously.
Here is the discography surrounding The Cranberries's debut album:
Anything (1990 demo as The Cranberry Saw Us)
Water Circle (1990 demo as The Cranberry Saw Us)
Nothing Left at All (1990 demo as The Cranberry Saw Us)
Xeric Records Demos (1991 demo)
Uncertain (1991 EP)
Dreams (1992 single)
Linger (1993 single)
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
"Dreams" by The Cranberries
If you have any ideas for where the tour should go next, please give a shout. I'm open to whatever as long as the artists are historically related in some way and go in an artist's chronological order.
Pass the Headphones!!
