South is a London‑originated English rock band formed in 1998 at Haverstock School in Chalk Farm, London, with Joel Cadbury as lead vocalist, and multi‑instrumentalists Brett Shaw and Jamie McDonald sharing duties on guitars, bass, percussion and keyboards. Their early work unfolded under the mentorship of ex‑Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown before signing with James Lavelle’s independent label, where they released the promotional U.S. album Overused in 2000. The band’s first official studio effort, From Here on In, dropped on 26 March 2001 and featured the single "Paint the Silence", which later appeared on the soundtrack of The OC and the third season of Roswell. In 2003 they issued With the Tides, including the hits "Colours in Waves" and "Loosen Your Hold", before a brief hiatus. They returned with Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars on 3 April 2006 and followed it with You Are Here in April 2008. After announcing an indefinite break, Jamie McDonald formed The Hug with Joel Cadbury, released two solo EPs in 2010, while Brett Shaw established a London studio producing for acts such as Florence and the Machine and Clean Bandit. The group’s final release, the compilation From Here on Out, arrived on 26 March 2021, revisiting tracks from the From Here on In era.
