Alabama 3 is a British musical group founded in Brixton, London, in 1995. Their track "Woke Up This Morning" was used for the opening credits of the TV series The Sopranos. In the United States, the band is known as A3, to avoid legal conflict with the country music band Alabama.

History

The band formed when Jake Black (born in Glasgow, Scotland; 27 April 1960 – 21 May 2019) Other members of the band were added later: Nick Reynolds is the son of one of the Great Train Robbers; Rob Spragg was at university with Piers Marsh, the harmonica-player and synthesiser programmer for the band; while Orlando Harrison, the group's keyboardist, used to live with Jake Black. Every member of the group has an alias, the band's founding members adopting the personas Larry Love (Rob Spragg) and The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love (Jake Black). Their second album, La Peste, featured bassist John "Segs" Jennings of the Ruts under the stage name Frank Zappatista.

In August 2007, the group toured under the name of Alabama 3: Acoustic and Unplugged, with Harpo Strangelove and Devlin Love, to promote new album M.O.R.. Bassist John "Segs" Jennings left the band, saying he was "busy elsewhere and [he doesn't] have the time". M.O.R. included a cover of Jerry Reed's 1970s hit "Amos Moses", and features The Proclaimers on the track "Sweet Joy". Having recorded and toured with the band in the early days, Aurora Dawn rejoined the band in 2009. Between late 2010 and early 2011, programmer, harmonicist and founding member Piers Marsh left the band.

Jake Black, a founding band member and songwriter, died of Addison's disease on 21 May 2019, several days after falling ill during a show at Highest Point Festival in Lancashire. He was 59.

Mountain of Love

thumb|235px|right|Mountain of Love

Mountain of Love is a dubtronica group formed by two of the original three members of Alabama 3, Piers Marsh and Sir Eddie Real, in 2011 in Brixton, London. The band's eponymous first album was released in 2013 on Cooked Griffin Records.

Style

Alabama 3's sound is a blend of country, blues, and acid house.

Former

  • Jake Black a.k.a. The Very Reverend D.Wayne Love – vocals (d. 2019)
  • Aurora Dawn – vocals
  • Brian O'Horain, "Paddy Love" – vocals
  • John Jennings a.k.a. Segs – backing vocals, bass guitar
  • Zoe Devlin a.k.a. Devlin Love – vocals
  • Simon (The Dude) Edwards a.k.a. Sir Eddie Real – percussion, vocals
  • Piers Marsh a.k.a. The Mountain of Love – synths, programming, harmonica
  • Marianna Little Eye Ty – dancer
  • Laura Lady Love dancer – dancer
  • Robert "Hacker" Jessett : a.k.a. El Comandante – harmonica, guitar, backing vocals
  • Rob Bailey – guitar

The band's music has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and video games, along with being sampled by other musicians, most famously through The Sopranos.

Film

  • "Peace in the Valley" is featured in the film A Life Less Ordinary. He and John Hardy won the Best Original Music Soundtrack award at BAFTA Cymru 2008.
  • Member Be Atwell appeared on the 2021 series of Come Dine With Me, scoring 25 out of 40, coming joint last.

Video Games

  • "The Night We Nearly Got Busted" is featured on the soundtrack of the MMO game, All Points Bulletin.

Samples by other artists

  • Rapper Nas sampled "Woke Up This Morning" for his 2001 hit "Got Ur Self A...".

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Discography

  • Exile on Coldharbour Lane (1997)
  • La Peste (2000)
  • Power in the Blood (2002)
  • Last Train to Mashville, Volume 2 (2002)
  • Outlaw (2005)
  • M.O.R. (2007)
  • Revolver Soul (2010)
  • There Will Be Peace in the Valley... When We Get the Keys to the Mansion on the Hill (2011)
  • Shoplifting 4 Jesus (2011)
  • The Men from W.O.M.B.L.E. (2013)
  • The Wimmin from W.O.M.B.L.E. (2014)
  • Blues (2016)
  • Step 13 (2021)
  • Cold War Classics Vol. 2 (2023)

References

See also

  • 24 Hour Church of Elvis
  • London gig review November 2006