Keane have had five official members since they formed in Battle, East Sussex, in 1995. The current line-up is Tom Chaplin, Tim Rice-Oxley, Richard Hughes and Jesse Quin; the only former member is guitarist Dominic Scott, who left in 2001.
Keane are best known for using piano and keyboards as their lead instrument instead of guitar. Their debut album, Hopes and Fears (2004), topped the UK Albums Chart and won the Brit Award for Best British Album. Here is every member, the role each one plays and when they were in the band.
Tim Rice-Oxley – Keyboards, Bass and Songwriting (1995–2014, 2018–present)
Tim Rice-Oxley started the band. In 1995, while studying at University College London, he formed a group with Dominic Scott and asked Richard Hughes to play drums. He sang lead vocals until 1997, played bass from 1995 to 2007 and has played keyboards throughout the band’s history. He is also the band’s main songwriter, and in 2005 he received the Ivor Novello award for songwriter of the year.
In 1997 Chris Martin invited Rice-Oxley to join his newly formed band Coldplay as a keyboard player. He declined because he did not want to leave the band he already had.
Richard Hughes – Drums and Percussion (1995–2014, 2018–present)
Richard Hughes, like Rice-Oxley and Scott, attended Tonbridge School in Kent. He has been Keane’s drummer and percussionist since the band’s first line-up in 1995 and has added backing vocals since 2006. He is one of two members who have been in the band for its whole history.
Tom Chaplin – Lead Vocals (1997–2014, 2018–present)
Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley were friends from an early age. Chaplin joined in 1997 to take over lead vocals from Rice-Oxley and to play acoustic guitar. His arrival led to the band’s name changing from the Lotus Eaters to Cherry Keane, which was soon shortened to Keane. He has also played guitar in several spells (1997–2001, 2006–2011 and since 2022) and keyboards from 2006 to 2008.
During the band’s hiatus, Chaplin released a solo album, The Wave, in 2016.
Jesse Quin – Bass, Guitar and Backing Vocals (2011–2014, 2018–present)
Jesse Quin worked with Keane as a touring and session musician from 2007. On 3 February 2011 the band’s official website announced that he had become an official member. He plays bass, guitar and keyboards and sings backing vocals. With Rice-Oxley he also runs the side project Mt. Desolation.
Dominic Scott – Guitar and Backing Vocals (1995–2001)
Dominic Scott met Rice-Oxley at Tonbridge School and was a founding member of the band. He played guitar and sang backing vocals until 2001. He left a month after the single “Wolf at the Door” was released, to continue his studies at the London School of Economics. He is Keane’s only former official member.
Keane Line-Up Changes at a Glance
- 1995: Rice-Oxley, Scott and Hughes form the band, first called the Lotus Eaters.
- 1997: Chaplin joins as lead vocalist, and the name becomes Cherry Keane, then Keane.
- 2001: Scott leaves, and the band continues as a trio.
- 2011: Quin becomes an official member after four years as a touring musician.
- 2014–2018: The band is on hiatus. The four-piece line-up returns in 2018 and released Cause and Effect in 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who are the current members of Keane? Tom Chaplin (lead vocals), Tim Rice-Oxley (keyboards), Richard Hughes (drums) and Jesse Quin (bass).
- Who founded Keane? Tim Rice-Oxley formed the band in 1995 with Dominic Scott and Richard Hughes. Tom Chaplin joined in 1997.
- Does Keane have a guitarist? Not in the usual sense. After Dominic Scott left in 2001, the band built its sound around piano and keyboards. Chaplin and Quin both play guitar at times.
- Did Keane break up? No. The band went on hiatus after The Best of Keane (2013) and returned in 2019 with “The Way I Feel” and the album Cause and Effect.
Related
- How to Change Sleep Settings on Windows 10 for Better Power Management
- How to Change Sleep Settings on Windows 11 Easily
- How to Change Sleep Settings on Windows 11 Easily