Joel Pott

Joel Pott
Background information
Born (1979-01-20) 20 January 1979
GenresIndie
InstrumentsVocals, synthesizer, guitar, keyboard, bass guitar, piano, drums
Years active1999–present
LabelsFiction, Parlophone, Astralwerks
Formerly ofAthlete

Joel Laslett Pott (born 20 January 1979 in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie band Athlete between 2000 and their split in 2013. In recent years he has served as a songwriter and music producer for numerous artists.[1]

Biography

While a child, he was bought some drums by his parents. These ultimately "didn't work out" and he was then given a nylon string guitar at the age of six. In his teenage years, he listened to British bands such as Blur, Radiohead and Oasis. He has cited Blur guitarist Graham Coxon as an influence on his own playing of the instrument.[2]

Pott went to Trinity school in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester and then to Hillcrest School in Bellingham, near Catford in London, later studying graphic design, photography and English for his A levels at the Brit School of Performing Arts and Technology.[3]

He considered attending the University of Edinburgh, but decided to move to Deptford, London, where he formed Athlete with childhood friends Carey Willetts, Steve Roberts and Tim Wanstall in 1999. Pott appeared on the BBC panel gameshow Never Mind the Buzzcocks on 15 November 2007.

Athlete

Pott and his band Athlete - formed in 2000 - released four studio albums. These are Vehicles and Animals in 2003, which was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize award, Tourist in 2005, which reached number one in the UK Album Charts in its first week and included the band's highest charting song "Wires" at number four, Beyond the Neighbourhood in 2007 and the latest, Black Swan, in 2009.

Athlete have also released three EPs which are titled Athlete, The Outsiders EP and The Getaway. The band have also released two live albums which includes a live recording from the band's show at Union Chapel performing their main hits stripped back to acoustic and more mellow titled Live at Union Chapel. The band's other live release was a ten-year anniversary live version of their debut album Vehicles and Animals Live recorded during a tour across the country.

The band continued to play occasional dates and small festivals. Pott has more recently been working with artists including George Ezra and London Grammar in writing songs. Athlete have stated that at this moment they do not intend to create a new album, but have not ruled it out in the future.

Personal life

Pott married in 2000.[4] From the relationship he has three children including a daughter called Myla and a son named Ethan.[3] Although now healthy, Myla was born prematurely and is the subject of the Athlete song "Wires".[5] Pott also wrote "Black Swan Song" after his grandfather, who fought in World War II and died in 2005.

Songwriting and production credits

Since 2011, Pott has co-written and produced tracks with a number of artists including George Ezra, London Grammar, James Bay, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Walker and Shura.[6] He was nominated for the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards as co-writer of the hit single "Budapest" by George Ezra.[7]

Title Year Artist Album Songwriter Producer
"Chances" 2010 Westlife Gravity check
"Hit My Ego" 2011 Cicada Sunburst check
"Sunburst" check
"Is This Love" 2012 Aiden Grimshaw Misty Eye check
"As One" 2013 Hadouken Every Weekend check
"Stop Time" check
"The Comedown" check
"Another Life" Bo Bruce Before I Sleep check check
"Over & Over (Run With the Horses)" check check
"Salvation" Gabrielle Aplin English Rain check
"Broken is Beautiful" Jonas Myrin Dreams Plan Everything check
"Shyer" London Grammar If You Wait check
"Youth" Fenech-Soler Rituals check
"Did You Hear the Rain?" George Ezra Wanted on Voyage check
"Budapest" check
"Just Once" 2014 Shura Non-album single check check
"Touch" Nothing's Real check check
"Cassy O" George Ezra Wanted on Voyage check
"Blame It on Me" check
"Barcelona" check
"Listen to the Man" check
"Leaving It Up to You" check
"Stand By Your Gun" check
"Breakaway" check
"Spectacular Rival" check check
"Song 6" check
"Da Vinci Riot Police" check
"Blind Man in Amsterdam" check check
"Indecision" Shura Nothing's Real check check
"Kings & Queens" Brooke Fraser Brutal Romantic check
"2Shy" 2015 Shura Nothing's Real check check
"Need the Sun to Break" James Bay Chaos and the Calm check
"Better Off Without You" Aquilo Painting Pictures of a War EP check
"Wildstar" (ft. Foxes) Giorgio Moroder Déjà Vu check
"Close Your Eyes" Rhodes Wishes check
"White Light" Shura Nothing's Real check check
"Know Me Better" Mabel Non-album single check check
"Without Your Love" Charlene Soraia Love Is the Law check
"My Boy My Town" Mabel Non-album single check check
"Touch" (re-release ft. Talib Kweli) 2016 Shura check check
"What's It Gonna Be?" Nothing's Real check check
"The Space Tapes" check
"Make It Up" check check
"Thinking of You" Mabel Non-album single check check
"(i)" Shura Nothing's Real check
"Nothing's Real" check check
"Kidz 'n' Stuff" check
"What Happened to Us?" check check
"(ii)" check check
"Tongue Tied" check
"311215" check
"No Gold" Norma Jean Martine Only in My Mind check check
"Hang My Hat" check
"Angels on My Shoulders" check check
"Ride or Die" 2017 Mabel Bedroom EP check
"Talk About Forever" check check
"Don't Matter Now" George Ezra Staying at Tamara's check
"Begging" Mabel Ivy to Roses check
"Come Over" check check
"Low Key" check check
"Get Away" 2018 George Ezra Staying at Tamara's check
"Shotgun" check
"All My Love" check
"Sugarcoat" check
"Hold My Girl" check
"Saviour" (ft. First Aid Kit) check
"Only a Human" check
"The Beautiful Dream" check
"17" Lily Moore Not That Special EP check
"3AM" You Me at Six VI check check
"Make 'Em Like You" Tom Grennan Lighting Matches check check
"Little by Little Love" check check
"Secret Lover" check check
"Back Again" You Me at Six VI check check
"All Day" Lily Moore I Will Never Be EP check
"Pray for Me" You Me at Six VI check check
"Candlelight" 2019 Jack Savoretti Singing to Strangers check
"BKLYNLDN" Shura Forevher check check
"Religion (U Can Lay Your Hands on Me)" check check
"The Stage" check check
"Something About You" (with Rudimental) Elderbrook Why Do We Shake in the Cold? check
"That's Me, Just a Sweet Melody" Shura Forevher check
"Side Effects" check check
"Tommy" check
"Princess Leia" check check
"Flyin'" check check
"Forever" check check
"Control" check check
"Skyline, Be Mine" check check
"Better Half of Me" Tom Walker What a Time to Be Alive:
Deluxe Edition
check
"Elevator Girl" (ft. Ivy Sole) 2020 Shura Non-album single check
"Wait for You" (ft. Zoe Wees) Tom Walker "I Am" check
"I'm a Fool" Elderbrook Why Do We Shake in the Cold? check
"Feet Don't Fail Me Now" 2021 Joy Crookes Skin check
"Too Much History" Jack Savoretti Europiana check check
"Why Not" check check
"Late Night" check check
"Anyone for You (Tiger Lily)" 2022 George Ezra Gold Rush Kid check check
"Green Green Grass" check check
"Gold Rush Kid" check check
"Manila" check check
"Fell in Love at the End of the World" check
"Don't Give Up" check check
"Dance All Over Me" check check
"I Went Hunting" check check
"In the Morning" check check
"Sweetest Human Being Alive" check check
"Love Somebody Else" check check
"The Sun Went Down" check
"The Things We Say" 2024 Nieve Ella Watch It Ache and Bleed check
"Teenage Love" 2024 Katie Gregson-MacLeod Non-album single check
"See You Later" Matilda Mann “Roxwell” check check
"I Know You'd Kill" Joy Crookes “Juniper” check
"I Wanna Be Loved By You" Shura "I Got Too Sad for My Friends" check check
"Bad Kid" check

References

  1. ↑ "NME.COM - News - Ivor Novello Awards - the results". www.nme.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Shop Fender | Electric Guitars, Acoustics, Bass, Amps and More". Fender.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 Poole, Dan (26 October 2007). "Interview: Athlete lead singer Joel Pott". Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Loundras, Alexia (11 April 2003). "Athlete: On their marks". The Independent.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. ↑ Loundras, Alexia (13 September 2007). "Athlete: On top of their game". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "JOEL LASLETT POTT". Jaxmanagement.com.
  7. ↑ "The Ivors Nominations 2015". Theivors.com. 24 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.