Officers (band)

Officers
Officers at M'era Luna Festival 2012 in Hildesheim, Germany. Left to right: Jamie Baker, Matthew Southall, Dan IV. Photo by Mike Scanlon.
Officers at M'era Luna Festival 2012 in Hildesheim, Germany. Left to right: Jamie Baker, Matthew Southall, Dan IV. Photo by Mike Scanlon.
Background information
OriginLeeds, York, and Manchester, England
GenresIndie rock, alternative rock, Industrial music, Synth-pop, Electro, Shoegaze, New Wave[1]
Years active2006 (2006)–present;
LabelsOut of Line Music, Rough Trade Records, Come Play With Me, Original Wall Of Death, Propaganda Records
MembersMatthew Southall
Jamie Baker
Dan IV
Emily Mann
Steven Metcalfe
Past membersStu Drinkall
Kieran Wherrett
Matt Lunn
Paul Wilson
Matt Sladen
Websiteofficersmusic.tumblr.com

Officers (commonly stylized in all caps as OFFICERS) are an English alternative and industrial rock band from Leeds, York, and Manchester.[1]

The current lineup is Matthew Southall (vocals, programming, synthesizer), Jamie Baker (guitar), guitarist Dan IV (joined 2011), ex-Client bass player Emily Mann, and keyboard player Steven Metcalfe.[1][2][3]

Formed in 2006, and previously called The Officers, the original lineup composed of Matthew Southall (vocals, programming, synthesizer), Jamie Baker (guitar), Kieran Wherrett (guitar), Stu Drinkall (synthesizer), and current Placebo drummer, Matt Lunn.[4]

The band regularly collaborate with contemporary British artist Stuart Semple, who has designed album artwork, installations, and music videos with the band.[5]

In a November 2012 interview with The Guardian, Gary Numan was asked about his involvement with Officers, and responded with, "I think they're the best new band I've heard in years and I'm very proud to be involved with them. Great music, great people. It's not often something comes along that really blows you away."[6]

Overview

As The Officers, the band released a single, "Red Chapter", in 2009 on Propaganda Records. The single was produced, mixed, and engineered by Graeme Stewart in Oxford, who is best known for his studio engineering and production work with Radiohead, and his production and recording work with Jonny Greenwood for film soundtracks, such as for the 2007 film There Will Be Blood and the 2012 film The Master.[7]

Their debut album, On the Twelve Thrones, was released through Out of Line Music/Rough Trade Records and Original Wall of Death Recordings in 2011. The album was mixed by Dave Bascombe (Tears for Fears and Depeche Mode) and Death In Vegas’ Tim Holmes, and mastered by John Davis (Dua Lipa, Led Zeppelin, and Lana Del Rey), at Metropolis Studios. The record was produced by Matthew Southall, and engineered, edited, and recorded by Matt Sladen and the band.[8] Matt Sladen also joined Officers' live lineup by playing synthesizers on numerous tours and shows throughout 2012. Sladen is known for his lead vocals on The Streets' UK number one single "Dry Your Eyes".[9] The artwork for On The Twelve Thrones was produced by Stuart Semple.[10] To promote the album, Semple and the band set up an installation within London’s Rough Trade East, which led visitors through the shop to enter a matte black shack, where they could listen to the album in a small enclosed space.[11][12]

XFM and Virgin Radio DJ Eddy Temple Morris introduced Gary Numan to On The Twelve Thrones, and Numan later included the album at number 5 in his 13 favourite albums of all time in his Baker's Dozen interview for The Quietus in 2012.[13] Numan included the song Co-Education in his BBC Radio 6 Music playlist, broadcast on 22nd December 2013.[14] Also, in a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Numan included Co-Education in his top electro tracks, alongside songs by New Order, The Human League, and Nine Inch Nails.[15]

Officers later collaborated with Numan on the track "Petals" to raise awareness for the suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), for which Southall and Baker are official ambassadors. In an interview with The Huffington Post in 2013, Numan said working with Officers was "one of my all time favourite collaborations."[16] Two music videos were made to support the release, and they were edited and co-directed by Jamie Baker, Stuart Semple, and Emmy award winning director Julian Jones.[17]

The "Petals" single included remixes by Jagz Kooner (Sabres of Paradise, Primal Scream, Oasis), Ade Fenton (Gary Numan), and Losers.[18][19] To support the release, Stuart Semple customized 100 7-inch EP sleeves, which included an exclusive DVD featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the Officers X Numan video shoot, as well as the broadcast and uncensored versions of the music video.[20][21]

Officers also joined Numan on his Machine Music (in May and June 2012) and The Dead Moon Falling (late 2012) tours.[10][22] The Machine Music tour was documented by photographer Ed Fielding.[23][24][22][25][26][27]

Officers outside O2 Forum Kentish Town in 2012. Left to right: Paul Wilson, Matt Sladen, Jamie Baker, Jagz Kooner, Tim Holmes, Matt Southall, and Dan IV. Photo by Mike Scanlon.

Officers remixed Gary Numan's song The Fall for his 2012 remix album, Dead Moon Falling.

In 2012, Officers played at the gothic music festival M'era Luna in Hildesheim, Germany.[28]

In March 2015, Officers organised a secret aftershow event with Placebo in Leeds, after Placebo's headline show at O2 Academy Leeds. At the event, Officers, Placebo, Jon McClure (Reverend and the Makers), and MJ (Hookworms) performed DJ sets at Leeds University to raise funds for the charity CALM, and Stuart Semple designed and produced a limited edition artwork print of Placebo's album covers to raise proceeds.[29][30]

In 2015, Officers compiled and curated a companion record for Stuart Semple's 'My Sonic Youth: Ten Songs of Summer' exhibition at the Fabien Castanier Gallery in Los Angeles. In addition to tracks by Officers, the record includes tracks from Maxim (The Prodigy), Charlotte Church, Ian Pickering (Sneaker Pimps), Karima Francis, Black Moses (Jim Jones Revue), and Sam Forrest (Nine Black Alps), and was released as a limited edition vinyl LP, print, and digital download, signed and numbered by Semple. The proceeds from the vinyl sales were donated to the charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).[31][32][33][34]

In 2016, Officers released "Attack", a limited edition 7-inch vinyl on Come Play With Me records, mastered by Dave Bascombe and with artwork designed by Stuart Semple. The 7-inch vinyl is a split with Leeds band Fizzy Blood.[35][36] Later that year, Officers also released "Born in May", produced with Death in Vegas' Tim Holmes at Contino Rooms.[37][38]

In 2017, Officers assembled a playlist for One on One music magazine. The playlist included tracks by David Bowie, Sabres Of Paradise, Gary Numan, Placebo, and Shed Seven.[39]

The song 'Animal' appeared on the compilation album Come Play, released by Come Play With Me records in 2017.[40]

In 2025, Officers remixed Strange Pink (a band featuring Sam Forrest of Nine Black Alps) and their song, "Pencil Chewer". [41][42]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details
2011 On the Twelve Thrones

References

  1. ^ a b c "Spotlight: Officers". Soundsphere magazine. September 6, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  2. ^ "OFFICERS". SoundCloud.
  3. ^ Smith, Graeme (May 24, 2017). "Officers". York Calling.
  4. ^ BBC. "Beached Fest Battalion". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
  5. ^ "Artist Stuart Semple collaborates with Leeds band Officers - Soundsphere magazine". July 19, 2011.
  6. ^ Boult, Adam (November 30, 2012). "Gary Numan answers your questions" – via The Guardian.
  7. ^ Magazine, Regen (May 15, 2012). "Officers InterView: Ghosts in the Machine".
  8. ^ "Officers - On The Twelve Thrones". January 20, 2012 – via www.discogs.com.
  9. ^ Dohertypublished, Niall (July 27, 2024). ""It was never released because Chris thought it didn't need him": 20 years since The Streets' Dry Your Eyes hit Number One, hear the unreleased version featuring Coldplay's Chris Martin". Louder.
  10. ^ a b Quietus, The (August 7, 2012). "Men As Machines: An Interview With Officers".
  11. ^ "OFFICERS, ON THE TWELVE THRONES | Stuart Semple: Official Homepage".
  12. ^ "Making 'On The Twelve Thrones' physical | Stuart Semple: Official Homepage".
  13. ^ Quietus, The (December 6, 2012). "Music For A Chameleon: Gary Numan's 13 Favourite Albums | Page 6 of 14".
  14. ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - 6 Music Playlist, Gary Numan". BBC. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
  15. ^ Robinson, Peter (May 29, 2017). "From Being Boiled to I Feel Love: Gary Numan's top electro tracks" – via The Guardian.
  16. ^ "Gary Numan Reveals: 'Not ALL Collaborations Work'". December 6, 2012.
  17. ^ "Mid Wales director Julian Jones creates 007: Road to a Million for Prime Video | brecon-radnor.co.uk". www.brecon-radnor.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-20.
  18. ^ "GARY NUMAN X OFFICERS – 'PETALS' FOR C.A.L.M. (CAMPAIGN AGAINST LIVING MISERABLY) – FM famemagazine.co.uk". www.famemagazine.co.uk.
  19. ^ "KitMonsters – Jagz Kooner". kitmonsters.com.
  20. ^ "PETALS 100 – Stuart Semple for Officers feat. Gary Numan | Stuart Semple: Official Homepage".
  21. ^ "Stuart Semple designs limited edition Officers and Gary Numan record". May 24, 2012.
  22. ^ a b Magazine, Trebuchet (November 20, 2012). "Gary Numan UK Tour".
  23. ^ "Music Photographer | Artists & Musicians". Ed Fielding Photography.
  24. ^ "Gary Numan / The Officers - eGigs.co.uk". www.egigs.co.uk.
  25. ^ Barding, Andy (December 1, 2012). "Numan new stuff... listen!".
  26. ^ "Gary Numan + Officers @ HMV Institute, Birmingham – Thursday 31st May 2012". June 1, 2012.
  27. ^ "Gary Numan 'Dead Moon Falling' Tour |".
  28. ^ "Human Verification". www.concerts-metal.com.
  29. ^ "Stuart Semple X Placebo artwork for C.A.L.M | Stuart Semple: Official Homepage".
  30. ^ "Placebo after-show to raise awareness for CALM". March 2, 2015.
  31. ^ "MY SONIC YOUTH – limited edition vinyl LP, print & digital download | Stuart Semple: Official Homepage".
  32. ^ "Stuart Semple, MY SONIC YOUTH - CASTANIER". September 29, 2015.
  33. ^ "Stuart Semple: My Sonic Youth". Artsy.
  34. ^ Magazine, Trebuchet (November 28, 2015). "Not Painless. Stuart Semple's 'My Sonic Youth' Addresses Male Suicide - Trebuchet".
  35. ^ "COME PLAY WITH ME RECORDS ANNOUNCE SPLIT RELEASE WITH HER NAME IS CALLA AND DEADWALL". November 18, 2016.
  36. ^ "Attack/Sweat & Sulphur - Fizzy Blood, The Offi... | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  37. ^ Smith, Dom (May 8, 2017). "Officers announce new single, 'Born In May' - Soundsphere magazine".
  38. ^ "Leeds and Manchester band Officers return with new single, 'Born In May'". May 9, 2017.
  39. ^ "Northern Synth-Rockers OFFICERS Have Made You A Playlist Of Their Favourite Songs And It's A Cracker". June 16, 2017.
  40. ^ "Come Play - Various Artists | Album | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  41. ^ "OFFICERS deconstruye a Strange Pink en el remix industrial de «Pencil Chewer» (UK)". November 28, 2025.
  42. ^ "INDUSTRIAL IS SO BACK IN OFFICERS' REMIX OF "PENCIL CHEWER" BY STRANGE PINK". Get Some Magazine.
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