bond is an Australian/British classical crossover string quartet.

The members of the band are Haylie Ecker (first violinist, from Perth, Western Australia, Australia), Eos Chater (second violinist, from Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom), Tania Davis (violist from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) and Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cellist, from Hull, England, United Kingdom). Their debut album Born was removed from the UK classical charts, apparently owing to it "sounding too much like pop music". Born later rose to the #1 position in 21 different charts around the world. Shine, their second album, went Gold in 6 countries. Remixed, their third release, featured remixes from their first two hit albums as well as three new unreleased songs. Their third studio album Classified was a popular and successful release. Classified went double platinum in Australia, reaching the number one spot on both the classical and pop charts. The Best of Bond, their latest release, is a Best of collection that includes three previously unreleased songs.

The quartet spent much of 2003 touring, particularly throughout Asia, and participating in the Miss Universe 2003. They also fitted in performing and filming a TV commercial for American department store chain Marshall Field’s and made a commercial in Los Angeles for the Japanese karaoke manufacturer Daiichi Kosho. The group made their movie debut playing themselves in a scene in Rowan Atkinson’s James Bond spoof Johnny English for which they also contributed the track “Kismet,” composed by Gay-Yee, and played on the Main Theme.

The quartet is currently working on an untitled fourth studio album. Its release date has not been set yet. Bond is currently on a "collective maternity leave", for Tania Davis recently gave birth to a boy.

Discography

Albums

• Born (2001)
• Shine (2002)
• Classified (2004)

Compilations

• Remixed (2003)
• The Best of Bond (2005)

Promotional Albums

• Raymond Weil (2001)
• Fab Field's Mix (2004)
• Classified Special Edition (2004)

Soundtrack

• Johnny English

Singles

• Victory
• Wintersun
• Viva!/Wintersun
• Shine
• Fuego
• Speed
• Atlanta/Time
• Viva!/Victory
• Explosive/Adagio For Strings
• Fly Samba Fly

DVD

• Live at the Royal Albert Hall
• Video Clip Collection

Other Facts

• The band's name is written in lower case because both the words "Bond" and "BOND" are already copyrighted.
• Their first concert was at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
• They are popular in Asia, especially in Japan.
• bond performed the opening for the first MTV Asia Awards on February 2, 2002 in Singapore.
• The quartet were featured in the James Bond spoof movie Johnny English, performing Kismet.
• They have recorded their own version of the James Bond Theme, titled Bond on Bond.
• bond performed at the Miss Universe contest in Panama City on June 3, 2003.
• bond appeared with Jamie Fox in the MTV Video Music Awards 2001.
• The band have been playing their instruments since the ages of 5 and 6.
• bond performed in the Classic Response tsunami relief concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
• bond performed their hit Victory in the sequel to the action film xXx - State of the Union.
• They are the best selling string quartet of all time.
• Their hit song "Explosive" from their album "Classified" was chosen as the Australian theme for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
• A mix of the hit song "Explosive" also featured as the ending theme in a selfmade movie (by the hunter Biskus from the guild Forte on Daggerspine) of World of Warcraft.
• Performances in the United States include being musical guests on Good Morning America, The Wayne Brady Show, Fox & Friends, The Early Show and WB11 News.
• bond played at The Classical Brit Awards in 2001 and 2003.
• bond's co-creator was Mike Batt, who is better known as the songwriter and producer of The Wombles and the manager of Katie Melua.
• Explosive is among the songs being played during breaks in the action at major sporting venues. It was the song used by the San Diego Padres for their highlight video of shortstop Khalil Green.

External links

• Official Site — Bond
• Bond Official Forum
• Midnight Garden (Forum)— The fourth era of Bond official fan forums.
• Bond Heart Strings — Fan Forum
• Midnight Garden — A Bond fansite.
• Japanese Site — Bond's official Japanese Site.
• Decca Records — Bond's record company.
• Duel — A Bond Fansite
• Bond Star — A Fansite for Bond

2000s music groups | All-women bands | String quartets | Australian musical groups | British musical groups

Bond (musikgrupp) | BOND