User:Sjatat35/Apple shift seven

Apple Shift Seven

Apple Shift Seven formed in Bletchley part of the sprawling Buckinghamshire ‘new-town’ Milton Keynes, UK in 2005. Drummer Mark Barnett and guitarist and former bass player with Luton indie popsters ‘Choke’ Mike Smith were introduced by a mutual friend. The duo rented rehearsal space at local studio and set about writing and recording the demos some of which were later to be release as B-sides (Yeah! from the single ‘Robot Love’). The duo love for punk, post-punk and new wave is inspired by the music of The Dickies, Minutemen, Mission of Burma, Gang Of Four, Dr. Feelgood, The Clash, The Damned , Stiff Little Fingers and more current artists like Graham Coxon, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead and Sonic Youth.

In 2010 Simon Turner joined the ranks after a chance meeting with old acquaintance Mike on a boozy night out. The pair had gigged together on a number of times many years before in the mid nineties when Simons ‘The Dean Browns’ would Support Mikes ‘Choke’ on the North London circuit. The former drummer with The Dead On Holiday, Eden James and The Koolaid Electric Company was looking for a new project and after a little persuading by close friend Richard Hopkins of Analogue Devices, a former band mate with The Koolaid Electric Company and The Dead On Holiday and The Dean Browns, Simon volunteered his services as the bands bass player. Simons previous projects include working cloesly with Dave Colwell of Bad Company as well as Julian Standen mix engineer /producer of such punk luminaries as The Buzzcocks and Tour Managing The Moons.

One rehearsal was enough to see the trios potential. Simon suggested that they record a single and maybe even an album at his studio in rural Buckinghamshire. ‘Robot Love’ was released on 20th September 2010 on the bands own label TrashTunes - ‘Trash-Tunes’ being being Marks description of the bands sound. The B sides ‘I saw A man With The Girl With The Mushroom Eyes’ was a demo recorded by Mike at his home on a four track. The album 'Diseasy Living', entirely recorded, produced and mixed by the band at Simons own studio, is expected to be released in late 2010 on their own label TrashTunes.

The bands sense of humour, sense of fun on and off stage set them apart. The name Apple Shift Seven is said to derive from an Apple Computers keyboard shortcut that doesnt do anything. "Much like the band" Mark has said. The anachronism 'ASS' was simply an accident but a comical and useful one non the less. The bands members seem to have developed an apparent obsession with the Wagon Wheels chocolate and marshmallow biscuit snack. The inclusion of which into promotional cd packs and competition giveaways has said to have lent much to their success so far.