Drugstore | Artist

Drugstore is an English dream-pop band formed 1993 in London by singer-songwriter and bassist Isabel Monteiro, along with Dave Hunter (guitar) and Mike Chylinski aka Land Speed Record (drums). Dave Hunter was soon replaced by Daron Robinson (vocals, guitar), and Ian Burdge (keyboards, cello) joined in 1996. The band was formed via a flat-share in East London, when Monteiro and American drummer Mike Chylinski met. With the addition of guitarist Dave Hunter they soon released their debut single, "Alive", on their own label Honey Records in 1993. After only a handful of gigs, the band signed a major record deal with Go! Discs and their eponymous debut album was released in March 1995, reaching number 31 on the UK Album Charts. The following three years were spent busy touring with Radiohead, Tindersticks, Jeff Buckley and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and playing at festivals such as Reading and Glastonbury. Drugstore’s music references different periods, from 1920s Berlin cabaret through the French chanson tradition, via The Velvet Underground’s woozy melodic charm and Tom Waits’ bar-room badinage, and The Bad Seeds’ angry melancholia, creating an intoxicating mix of heartfelt sadness, longing and hope. All four of their studio albums are recommended: Drugstore (1995), White Magic for Lovers (1998), Songs for the Jet Set (2001), and Anatomy (2011). Ian Burdge also releases modern classical sountrack works and is a member of Millennia Strings. In early 2015, Isabel Monteiro moved to her hometown of São Paulo, Brazil, and with the help of local musicians, performs periodically. She lives in semi-seclusion, spending much of her time on political activism. The band's name is taken from the 1989 Gus Van Sant film Drugstore Cowboy.

Artist Website: drugstoreband.blogspot.com

Featured Albums: Drugstore

Related Artists: Isabel Monteiro, Ian Burdge