Toploader

Biography

Toploader are an English rock band from Eastbourne, East Sussex, formed in 1997, with over two million album sales and several top-20 hits both home and abroad. Their debut album, Onka's Big Moka, sold over one million copies and peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart, where it remained for six months; it earned them four nominations at the 2001 Brit Awards. Their 2000 cover of Boffalongo's song "Dancing in the Moonlight×Dancing in the Moonlight2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Dancing in the Moonlight3:522Dancing in the Moonlight (Stargate Radio mix)3:343Dancing in the Moonlight (Alliance DC Vocal remix)6:314Dancing in the Moonlight (live)4:31" reached the top ten in the music charts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Their second album, Magic Hotel×Magic Hotel2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Time of My Life3:352Cloud 93:343Never Forgotten3:314Leave Me Be3:295Lady Let Me Shine5:026Stupid Games3:297Following the Sun3:088Only Desire4:039Promised Tide4:1410The Midas Touch5:2811Some Kind of Wonderful3:13, reached no. three on the UK Albums Chart. The band broke up in 2003, after the release of their second album, but they reformed in 2009.

Beginnings (1997–1998)

Named after a joint-rolling technique, Toploader's career began playing with Coldplay and Muse in small venues across the UK. They later went on to support the likes of Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Tom Jones, Robbie Williams, and Simple Minds. On 20 July 2000, they backed Bon Jovi at the original Wembley Stadium, becoming the last British band to play there before it was demolished and redeveloped.

Commercial success (1999–2001)

By 1998, Toploader had been picked up by S2 Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, and signed a six-album deal. On 7 May 1999, the band made their first live TV performance on TFI Friday. On 22 May 2000, they released their debut album, Onka's Big Moka. It was produced by Dave Eringa, a longtime collaborator of the Manic Street Preachers. It debuted at number five in the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number four. "Dancing in the Moonlight×Dancing in the Moonlight2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Dancing in the Moonlight3:522Dancing in the Moonlight (Stargate Radio mix)3:343Dancing in the Moonlight (Alliance DC Vocal remix)6:314Dancing in the Moonlight (live)4:31" was the top single off the album, reaching number seven in the UK Singles Chart, while "Achilles Heel×Achilles Heel1 May 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Achilles Heel3:582Alien3:133Colour Me In2:32" reached number eight. The band received four nominations at the Brit Awards, though did not win any of them. On 24 June 2000, Toploader played at the Glastonbury Festival, as part of the Saturday lineup.

Breakup (2002–2003)

In 2002, the band released a second album, Magic Hotel×Magic Hotel2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Time of My Life3:352Cloud 93:343Never Forgotten3:314Leave Me Be3:295Lady Let Me Shine5:026Stupid Games3:297Following the Sun3:088Only Desire4:039Promised Tide4:1410The Midas Touch5:2811Some Kind of Wonderful3:13. It was poorly received by critics and failed to match the success of the first. They experienced backlash from the UK music press, and their single "Time of My Life×Time of My Life5 August 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Time Of My Life3:352The Man I Know I Am3:383Stepping Stone2:49" fell short of expectations when it peaked at number 18 in the UK charts. Due to the negative reception and the album not meeting the same success as the first, the band was dropped by S2. Not long after that, they broke up, in 2003. Julian Deane retired as a musician and in 2007 founded Raygun Music, a Brighton-based management company that serves both as a record label and publisher.

Reforming and later work (2009–present)

In 2009, Toploader got back together in a lineup that consisted of three of its five original members: Joseph Washbourn, Dan Hipgrave, and Rob Green, with touring and session member Patrick Greenberg (a former touring-bassist with Clean Bandit). They signed a one-record deal with Underdogs Music and released Only Human in June 2011. The first single, "Never Stop Wondering×Never Stop Wondering14 March 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Never Stop Wondering (radio edit)3:352Never Stop Wondering (full length)4:343Shifting Sands4:124Dancing in the Moonlight3:33", came out on 14 March 2011. Another single, "A Balance to All Things" (featuring a remix from Ash Howes), followed on 20 June 2011.
In May 2012, Toploader played at Lakefest festival, and in July, they appeared at the Tiree Music Festival in Scotland. During 2012, the band agreed to act as patrons for a UK-based children's charity called Time Is Precious.
In 2013, Toploader released a new single, "Turn It Around×Turn It Around11 February 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Turn It Around3:192Only for a While (live session 2013)3:483A Balance to All Things (live session 2013)4:424Breathe (live session 2013)5:45", co-written with Eg White, as part of a four-song EP of the same name. In 2013, they headlined the LeeStock Music Festival in Suffolk and the AmpRocks Festival in Bedfordshire.
On 12 May 2017, the band released their fourth album, Seeing Stars×Seeing Stars20 February 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Boom3:582Roll with the Punches2:483Together5:214Things We Do for Love3:295Is This a Rainbow?5:416A Moment of Clarity4:067Boy Machine5:088The Shape of Things to Come3:379Crazy Dream4:1510Flood4:34; "Roll with the Punches" was chosen as its lead single. The record was crowdfunded using an online direct-to-fan music platform called PledgeMusic.
Toploader appeared on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on 18 March 2023 as part of the "Sing-a-long Live" segment, where they performed "Dancing in the Moonlight×Dancing in the Moonlight2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Dancing in the Moonlight3:522Dancing in the Moonlight (Stargate Radio mix)3:343Dancing in the Moonlight (Alliance DC Vocal remix)6:314Dancing in the Moonlight (live)4:31". They also performed at the 2023 Conservative Party conference in Manchester on 3 October 2023 and the 2023 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on 11 October.
From February to March 2025, Toploader joined James Blunt as the support act for his six-venue UK/Ireland tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album, Back to Bedlam.

Band members

Current

Joseph Washbourn – lead vocals, keyboards, organ, piano, acoustic guitar (1997–2003, 2009–present)
Dan Hipgrave – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1997–2003, 2009–present)
Rob Green – drums, percussion (1997–2003, 2009–present)
Past

Matt Knight – bass, backing vocals (1997–2003, 2009–2016)
Julian Deane – rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals (1997–2003)
Touring and session members

Patrick Greenberg – bass, backing vocals (2016–present)