Alabama 3 are an English band mixing rock, electronic, blues, country, gospel, and spoken word styles, founded in Brixton, London in 1995. The group achieved international fame when the producers of hit TV series The Sopranos chose the track “Woke Up This Morning” for the show’s opening credits.
The band is particularly notable for their fusion of styles, lyrics full of ironic intent, their deliberately humorous personas and their outrageous live performances. Alabama Three’s sound is a blend of country, blues, and acid house. The band’s songs have sampled Jim Jones in “Mao Tse Tung Said” and Birmingham Six survivor Patrick Hill in “The Thrills Have Gone.” Critics have noted that they owe a lot to artists like Hank Williams and Happy Mondays.
Alabama Three signed with One Little Indian Records in 1997 for the release of its debut album, “Exile on Coldharbour Lane.” In August 2007, the group toured under the name of Alabama 3: Acoustic and Unplugged, with Harpo Strangelove and Devlin Love, to promote its new album M.O.R. (released 10 September 2007). M.O.R included a cover of Jerry Reed’s 1970s hit “Amos Moses” and features The Proclaimers on the track “Sweet Joy” plus piano parts on the country stomp version of the Gil Scott Heron song “The Klan”, written by Heron and Brian Jackson. In September and October 2007, the band toured the UK in support of M.O.R. with Irish band Republic Of Loose supporting.
Founding member Piers Marsh and another Alabama 3 founding member, Sir Eddie Real, are now performing new material under the name of “Mountain of Love.”