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Gomez are a five-piece British act consisting of Ben Ottewell (vocals, guitar), Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Paul Blackburn (bass, guitar), Olly Peacock (drums), and Ian Ball (vocals, guitar, harmonica). Emerging during a time in which the majority of up-and-coming British bands were either retro-pop (à la Oasis), trip-hop (Portishead), or space rock (the Verve, Radiohead), Gomez were one of the few to feature bluesy influences. The Southport boys' debut for Virgin Records, Bring It On, received praise from rock critics on both sides of the Atlantic and received the distinguished Mercury Music Prize for 1998's Album of the Year, edging out such stiff competition as Massive Attack's Mezzanine and the Verve's Urban Hymns. Gomez completed an inaugural U.S. tour opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry in October 1998, while the press still offered praise (Spin magazine called Bring It On "a damn beautiful album," giving it an eight out of ten rating). Liquid Skin followed one year later an...