This UK rock band can trace its origins back to the early 90s, when school friends Sam Herlihy (vocals/guitar), Anthony Theaker (guitar) and James Lawrence (b. 25 January 1977, Chichester, West Sussex, England, d. 15 January 2004, Box, Wiltshire, England; guitar) first began playing together in their native Chichester. They were joined later on by Paul Wilson (bass) and, following a number of false starts, formed Hope Of The States at the end of 2000. The band's unusual name was derived from a controversial paper on schizophrenia written in 1948 by social commentator Albert Deutsch. Hope Of The States' avowedly political stance was accentuated by their adoption of military uniforms as stage wear, a tactic previously used by the recently disbanded Mansun. Simon Jones (drums) and Mike Siddell (violin) joined the line-up during this period, which saw the band heavily hyped in the UK music press as post-millennial rivals to the champions of UK art-rock, Radiohead.

Listen to Hope Of The States at Finetune.

• (2003)  Winter Riot Dust Rackets
• (2003)  The Lost Riots

• The Black Amnesias
• Black Dollar Bills
• George Washington
• 66 Sleepers To Summer
• Don't Go To Pieces

• Radiohead
• Sigur Ros
• Muse
• The Killers
• Coldplay
• Bloc Party
• Arctic Monkeys
• Coral
• The Verve
• U2
• Oasis
• Flaming Lips
• The Arcade Fire
• The Libertines
• Snow Patrol
• Death Cab for Cutie
• Beck
• The Cure
• Travis
• Editors

• Stuey_P
• ReeceB
• mcgmatt