The Twang

The Twang
File:TheTwang.png
Background information
Origin	Quinton, Birmingham, England
Years active	2004 – Present
Members	Phil Etheridge Martin Saunders Jon Watkin Matty Clinton Stu Hartland
Website	www.myspace.com/thetwang www.thetwang.co.uk

The Twang are a baggy-influenced indie rock band from Birmingham, England. The band garnered national acclaim when the influential NME magazine produced an article on music acts (which also featured fellow Midlanders Ripchord and The Enemy) in the West Midlands, and has led to band coming second in the BBC News website's Sound of 2007 poll.

The band's debut single, "Wide Awake", was released March 19, 2007, with an album set to follow later this year. "Wide Awake" is being played frequently on XFM Manchester from which the song and band have gained large popularity in the area. The album, entitled Love It When I Feel Like This, is being produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan, at The Magic Garden studio, Wolverhampton, assisted by Gazz Rogers.

Band members

As of 2007, The Twang consists of:

Phil Etheridge Martin Saunders Jon Watkin Matty Clinton Stu Hartland

Biography

The band was formed in Quinton, Birmingham by Phil Etheridge and Jon Watkin. They are signed to the B-Unique label, home to Kaiser Chiefs, The Automatic and The Ordinary Boys. Their debut single release, Wide Awake was released in both CD and 7" format on the 19th of March 2007. The record reached number 15 in the UK singles charts, with promise of greater things to come.

The band won the Phillip Hall Radar Award at the 2007 NME Awards.

The Twang originally performed in and around Birmingham under the name "Neon Twang". However, this was allegedly changed due to numerous scuffles between the bands fans and punters in various pubs. These events prevented them booking gigs in some venues, hence the need for the name change. The band have been quoted saying that they dont promote violence at their performances and have criticised the lack of doormen and security at local venues.

In the early days before Stuart Hartland joined the group, lead singer Phil Etheridge and Bass player Jon Watkin instrument swapped on numerous "Neon Wang" tracks ("Cloudy Room", "Push The Ghost" and "Aimless With An Aim" being surviving tracks from this period) Etheridge frequently played bass guitar and sang, whilst Watkin played Lead Guitar. The addition of Hartland in late 2005 enabled Watkin to take over Bass duties permanently and allowed Etheridge to perform songs live with much more enthusiasm. Although the frontman's trademark dancing was still evident whilst playing Bass.

During the "Neon Twang" period the bands sound was very similar to how it is now, some very early track names being: "See It Thru", "Big Day Out", live favourite "Shoot To Kill", "Time Waits", "Push The Ghost", "Aimless With An Aim" and the reggae influenced "Fake ID". "Aimless With An Aim" later turned up as the B-Side to the bands first single "Wide Awake".

Discography

Album

• Love It When I Feel Like This (June 4, 2007)

Singles

• "Wide Awake" (March 19, 2007) UK #15
• "Either Way" (May 28, 2007)

External links

• Tourdate Info
• Offical Website
• Offical Myspace