Bond
Active: 2000 - ; London, England
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Bond is a popular all-female, or, as the group's promos describe them, "all-girl" string quartet based in London, and generally classed as a crossover group. The style of music has been compared to violinist Vanessa-Mae's, incorporating classical, rock, pop, and various other elements into the musical arrangements, making genre classification difficult. The group typically uses electronic-string instruments and the four members, all having
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Biography |
by Robert Cummings
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Bond is a popular all-female, or, as the group's promos describe them, "all-girl" string quartet based in London, and generally classed as a crossover group. The style of music has been compared to violinist Vanessa-Mae's, incorporating classical, rock, pop, and various other elements into the musical arrangements, making genre classification difficult. The group typically uses electronic-string instruments and the four members, all having super-model looks and often attired in provocative dress, can also sing.
Bond is Haylie Ecker (first violin), Eos Chater (second violin), Tania Davis (viola), and Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cello). Ecker and Davis are Australian and have been friends since their teens. The other two members are British and all are classically trained, though Westerhoff and Eos (she no longer uses her surname) have a greater interest in more popular styles of music, having performed as backup artists for pop groups -- Westerhoff for the Spice Girls and Primal Scream, and Eos for The Divine Comedy and Cocteau Twins. The four were brought together by concert promoter Mel Bush, but the shaping of their crossover playing style is largely the work of Westerhoff and Eos.
The group's first recording was a "single" called Victory, which immediately reached the top of sales charts. Their first album, Born, recorded in 2000 and released in early 2001, surpassed that hit, selling over a million copies worldwide. Despite its success, British classical charts refused to list the album because it was not classical enough. Moreover, others criticized the group members for their sexy mode of dress -- miniskirts, stiletto heels, and the like -- but the Bond players shrug off such charges, asserting their performances are meant to be entertaining.
Other successful albums followed Born: Shine (2002), Remixed (2003), Classified (2004), and Explosive: The Best of Bond (2005). With relatively few recordings, they have already sold more records (over three million as of mid-2005) than any other string quartet. The group has also made numerous appearances on popular television shows worldwide: Good Morning America (April 2001 and January 2003), CNN's Music Room (November 2002), MTV (February 2003), and on various programs in the U.K., France, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Japan. They have had considerable success with endorsements, too, appearing in ad campaigns for beer and shampoo, but they also regularly appear at charitable events. |
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