About Bell X1
Bell X1 formed in Celbridge, County Kildare, in 1999, but the group`s roots stretch back to the band Juniper formed in 1991 and featuring Damien Rice.
After Rice split off in 1998, the remaining members regrouped with Paul Noonan assuming lead vocal duties, and Bell X1 (named for the first plane to break the sound barrier) was born.
Bell X1 released their debut album, Neither Am I, in 2000 but it was a bit of a flop. They received some acclaim for their follow-up album, Music in Mouth, and the album Flock released in 2005 debuted at number one in the Irish album charts and got good reviews at home and in the U.K.A live album Tour De Flock was released 2 years later.
The album Blue Lights on the Runway was released in 2009. It went straight to No.1 in the Irish album charts and went Top 20 stateside in the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart. The record received favourable reviews both sides of the Atlantic and was nominated for the Choice Music Prize that year. The band perfomed the single "The Great Defector" from the album on Irish and American TV (Tubridy Tonight and The Late Show With David Letterman respectively). Bell X1 toured heavily in promotion of the new record, with arena shows at Summer festivals in Europe including Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, Spain, Electric Picnic, Ireland and Live at The Marquee, Cork. The band also supported U2 on the last show of their three-night residency in Dublin's Croke Park. After some dates in the US at the end of the Summer – including the Austin City Limits Festival – the band returned to Ireland for two sell-out homecoming shows in Dublin's Olympia Theatre as well as a live session at Other Voices.
Their next album, Bloodless Coup, was released in 2011.
Field Recordings, a limited availability two-disc collection of 21 live acoustic tracks from across their catalogue and tour photographs was released in 2012.
Chop Chop was released on 28 June 2013 and premiered at a sell-out date at Dublin's National Concert Hall the following night. It became the third Bell X1 LP to enter the Irish charts at No.1 and is among the best reviewed studio album releases in the band's career.
Work in the band's next album, Arms, began in late 2014/early 2015. After some delays and reworking of some tracks, it was released in October 2016, entering the Irish album charts at No.2.The band toured the album in Australia, USA and Europe.
The album Merciful Hour was released in 2023. Hotpress described it as a 'Vintage effort from Irish rock heroes'.
Bell X1 are known for regular changes in sound from album to album, their range taking in alternative, indie, hard rock, post-punk, acoustic, lo-fi, folk rock, ballad, pop, synth-pop, new wave and electronica. They have been compared to The Blue Nile, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Coldplay, U2, Animal Collective, Elbow and Talk Talk.
Lineup
- Paul Noonan - lead vocals, guitar, percussion, keys
- Dave Geraghty - guitar, vocals, keys, percussion, banjo, piano, harmonica
- Dominic Philips - bass guitar, backing vocals
- (former) Brian Crosby - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Video
Bell X1 - Haint Blue
Bell X1-Rocky Took a Lover (Live)
Bell X1 - Velcro
Bell X1 The Great Defector (Live)
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