Joel Pott


Joel Laslett Pott is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie band Athlete between 2000 and their split in 2013. In recent years he has served as a songwriter and music producer for numerous artists.

Biography

While a child, he was bought some drums by his parents. These ultimately "didn't work out" and he was then given a nylon string guitar at the age of six. In his teenage years, he listened to British bands such as Blur, Radiohead and Oasis. He has cited Blur guitarist Graham Coxon as an influence on his own playing of the instrument.
Pott went to Trinity school in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester and then to Hillcrest School in Bellingham, near Catford in London, later studying graphic design, photography and English for his A levels at the Brit School of Performing Arts and Technology.
He considered attending the University of Edinburgh, but decided to move to Deptford, London, where he formed Athlete with childhood friends Carey Willetts, Steve Roberts and Tim Wanstall in 1999. Pott appeared on the BBC panel gameshow Never Mind the Buzzcocks on 15 November 2007.

Athlete

Pott and his band Athlete - formed in 2000 - released four studio albums. These are Vehicles and Animals in 2003, which was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize award, Tourist in 2005, which reached number one in the UK Album Charts in its first week and included the band's highest charting song "Wires" at number four, Beyond the Neighbourhood in 2007 and the latest, Black Swan, in 2009.
Athlete have also released three EPs which are titled Athlete, The Outsiders EP and The Getaway. The band have also released two live albums which includes a live recording from the band's show at Union Chapel performing their main hits stripped back to acoustic and more mellow titled Live at Union Chapel. The band's other live release was a ten-year anniversary live version of their debut album Vehicles and Animals Live recorded during a tour across the country.
The band continued to play occasional dates and small festivals. Pott has more recently been working with artists including George Ezra and London Grammar in writing songs. Athlete have stated that at this moment they do not intend to create a new album, but have not ruled it out in the future.

Personal life

Pott married in 2000. From the relationship he has three children including a daughter called Myla and a son named Ethan. Although now healthy, she was born prematurely and is the subject of the Athlete song "Wires". Pott also wrote "Black Swan Song" after his grandfather, who fought in World War II and died in 2005.

Songwriting and production credits

Since 2011, Pott has co-written and produced tracks with a number of artists including George Ezra, London Grammar, James Bay, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Walker and Shura. He was nominated for the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards as co-writer of the hit single "Budapest" by George Ezra.
TitleYearArtistAlbumSongwriterProducer
"Chances"2010WestlifeGravity
"Hit My Ego"2011CicadaSunburst
"Sunburst"2011CicadaSunburst
"Is This Love"2012Aiden GrimshawMisty Eye
"As One"2013HadoukenEvery Weekend
"Stop Time"2013HadoukenEvery Weekend
"The Comedown"2013HadoukenEvery Weekend
"Another Life"2013Bo BruceBefore I Sleep
"Over & Over "2013Bo BruceBefore I Sleep
"Salvation"2013Gabrielle AplinEnglish Rain
"Broken is Beautiful"2013Jonas MyrinDreams Plan Everything
"Shyer"2013London GrammarIf You Wait
"Youth"2013Fenech-SolerRituals
"Did You Hear the Rain?"2013George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Budapest"2013George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Just Once"2014Shura
"Touch"2014ShuraNothing's Real
"Cassy O"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Blame It on Me"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Barcelona"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Listen to the Man"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Leaving It Up to You"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Stand By Your Gun"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Breakaway"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Spectacular Rival"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Song 6"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Da Vinci Riot Police"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Blind Man in Amsterdam"2014George EzraWanted on Voyage
"Indecision"2014ShuraNothing's Real
"Kings & Queens"2014Brooke FraserBrutal Romantic
"2Shy"2015ShuraNothing's Real
"Need the Sun to Break"2015James BayChaos and the Calm
"Better Off Without You"2015AquiloPainting Pictures of a War EP
"Wildstar" 2015Giorgio MoroderDéjà Vu
"Close Your Eyes"2015RhodesWishes
"White Light"2015ShuraNothing's Real
"Know Me Better"2015Mabel
"Without Your Love"2015Charlene SoraiaLove Is the Law
"My Boy My Town"2015Mabelrowspan="2"
"Touch" 2016Shura-
"What's It Gonna Be?"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"The Space Tapes"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"Make It Up"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"Thinking of You"2016Mabel
""2016ShuraNothing's Real
"Nothing's Real"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"Kidz 'n' Stuff"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"What Happened to Us?"2016ShuraNothing's Real
""2016ShuraNothing's Real
"Tongue Tied"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"311215"2016ShuraNothing's Real
"No Gold"2016Norma Jean MartineOnly in My Mind
"Hang My Hat"2016Norma Jean MartineOnly in My Mind
"Angels on My Shoulders"2016Norma Jean MartineOnly in My Mind
"Ride or Die"2017MabelBedroom EP
"Talk About Forever"2017MabelBedroom EP
"Don't Matter Now"2017George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Begging"2017MabelIvy to Roses
"Come Over"2017MabelIvy to Roses
"Low Key"2017MabelIvy to Roses
"Get Away"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Shotgun"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"All My Love"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Sugarcoat"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Hold My Girl"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Saviour" 2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"Only a Human"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"The Beautiful Dream"2018George EzraStaying at Tamara's
"17"2018Lily MooreNot That Special EP
"3AM"2018You Me at SixVI
"Make 'Em Like You"2018Tom GrennanLighting Matches
"Little by Little Love"2018Tom GrennanLighting Matches
"Secret Lover"2018Tom GrennanLighting Matches
"Back Again"2018You Me at SixVI
"All Day"2018Lily MooreI Will Never Be EP
"Pray for Me"2018You Me at SixVI
"Candlelight"2019Jack SavorettiSinging to Strangers
"BKLYNLDN"2019ShuraForevher
"Religion "2019ShuraForevher
"The Stage"2019ShuraForevher
"Something About You" 2019ElderbrookWhy Do We Shake in the Cold?
"That's Me, Just a Sweet Melody"2019ShuraForevher
"Side Effects"2019ShuraForevher
"Tommy"2019ShuraForevher
"Princess Leia"2019ShuraForevher
"Flyin'"2019ShuraForevher
"Forever"2019ShuraForevher
"Control"2019ShuraForevher
"Skyline, Be Mine"2019ShuraForevher
"Better Half of Me"2019Tom WalkerWhat a Time to Be Alive:
Deluxe Edition
"Elevator Girl" 2020Shura
"Wait for You" 2020Tom Walker"I Am"
"I'm a Fool"2020ElderbrookWhy Do We Shake in the Cold?
"Feet Don't Fail Me Now"2021Joy CrookesSkin
"Too Much History"2021Jack SavorettiEuropiana
"Why Not"2021Jack SavorettiEuropiana
"Late Night"2021Jack SavorettiEuropiana
"Anyone for You "2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Green Green Grass"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Gold Rush Kid"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Manila"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Fell in Love at the End of the World"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Don't Give Up"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Dance All Over Me"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"I Went Hunting"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"In the Morning"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Sweetest Human Being Alive"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"Love Somebody Else"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"The Sun Went Down"2022George EzraGold Rush Kid
"The Things We Say"2024Nieve EllaWatch It Ache and Bleed
"Teenage Love"2024Katie Gregson-MacLeod
"See You Later"2024Matilda Mann“Roxwell”
"I Know You'd Kill"2024Joy Crookes“Juniper”
"I Wanna Be Loved By You"2024Shura"I Got Too Sad for My Friends"
"Bad Kid"2024Shura"I Got Too Sad for My Friends"