The Twang
Encyclopedia
The Twang are an indie rock
band from Birmingham
, England
, formed in 2001. The band have released two studio albums - Love It When I Feel Like This
(2007) and Jewellery Quarter
(2009). Comprising vocalist and guitarist Phil Etheridge, bassist Jon Watkins, vocalist Martin Saunders, guitarist Stu Hartland and drummer Matty Clinton, the band garnered national acclaim when the influential NME
magazine produced an article on music acts in the West Midlands
(which also featured fellow Midlanders Ripchord and The Enemy
) .
The band's debut single
, "Wide Awake
", was released March 19, 2007, with their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This
(released on June 4, 2007) being produced by Gavin Monaghan, known for his work with Editors
, Ocean Colour Scene
, Robert Plant
, Scott Matthews
and The Holloways
. The album reached #3 in the UK charts.
The Twang's second album
, Jewellery Quarter
, was released 3 August 2009 and reached #20 on the UK album chart. The album was produced by Neil Claxton of Mint Royale
at Blueprint Studios in Salford.
Lead singer Phil Etheridge is an Aston Villa supporter, Saunders is a Birmingham City supporter whilst the rest are West Bromwich Albion supporters as stated in a Live Lounge
session on BBC Radio 1
presented by Jo Whiley
.
, Birmingham
by Phil Etheridge and Jon Watkin after the pair studied music technology together at Kidderminster College. The Twang originally performed in and around Birmingham
under the name "Neon Twang". However, this was allegedly changed due to minor scuffles between the band's 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 do not promote violence at their performances and criticised the lack of doormen and security at local venues.
During the "Neon Twang" period, the band's 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" and "Fancy That" later appeared as B-Sides to the band's first single "Wide Awake". Demos of early these Neon Twang tracks can still be found online and are much beloved by fans.
In the early days prior to Stuart Hartland and drummer
Matty Clinton joining the group, lead singer Phil Etheridge and bass player
Jon Watkin swapped instruments
on numerous "Neon Twang" tracks ("Cloudy Room", "Push The Ghosts" 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.
, The Automatic
and The Ordinary Boys
at the time.
In April 2007 they had their first NME
cover and two months later they were the subject of a BBC Radio 1
documentary. Throughout early 2007 the band were frequently hailed by the NME as "Britain's Best New Band" and walked away with the Phillip Hall Radar Award at the 2007 NME Awards
.
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 and was followed up by a second single Either Way on 28 May 2007 - the bands highest charting single to date which reached number 8 in the UK singles charts. Either Way proved to be the breakthrough that The Twang needed and the single received heavy radio play and was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJs such as Edith Bowman, Jo Whiley and Chris Moyles.
Their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This
was released on 4 June 2007 amid much media hype. The record did not disappoint and landed in the UK album charts at number 3. Through 2007 - 2008 the band toured extensively and performed sold out shows most notably to a capacity show at London's Brixton Academy where they played to 5,000 adoring fans and a headline slot on the John Peel stage at Glastonbury
.
Towards the end of 2007 the band released a new single Two Lovers which starred the band alongside iconic British actor Danny Dyer
and actress Jaime Winstone as a pair of dysfunctional sweethearts.
The band also worked with The Streets
on a remix of their hit single "Either Way". The remix also featured rapper Professor Green
.
In February 2008, The Twang had their University of Surrey
gig filmed and later broadcast on Channelbee
. However this footage no longer available due to Channelbee's demise. Whether it is available on the internet via another source is unknown.
In March 2008, The Twang packed their bags and jetted out to Granada, Spain, to record their second album with Killing Joke
bassist and music producer, Youth, credited with recording The Verve
's iconic album Urban Hymns
. Back in the UK they enlisted Mint Royale
whiz kid Neil Claxton and finished recording at ‘Blueprint’ Studio’s in Salford, Manchester, home of Mercury Prize winning band Elbow
. A month later the album was complete and the title Jewellery Quarter was attached to it, a homage to the area in Birmingham in which the band were now resident. The artwork to ‘Jewellery Quarter’ was the idea of critically acclaimed Wolverhampton artist Temper who, unknown to the band was also situated in the Jewellery Quarter. The piece depicts the band all pulling a huge anchor, the symbol of the Jewellery Quarter
. The artwork, painted entirely with aerosol cans, stood at nearly six feet in height.
On 7 May 2009, The Twang announced a free download of album track "Another Bus", along with the album details and title, "Jewellery Quarter".
The first single proper to be lifted from the album was "Barney Rubble" and featured a sample from classic 1990s dance track "Give It Up" by The Goodmen, the promotional video featured the band in the idyllic hills of Montenegro driving classic cars and motorcycles whilst mixing with locals.
The Twang's songs have been used on various T.V. programmes. "Twit Twoo", taken from the album Jewellery Quarter, was used on Match of the Day. "Barney Rubble" was used on ITV when they showed the group standings and results after, before or at half-time in their football shows/matches. "Back Where We Started", also taken from Jewellery Quarter, was used on ITV as part of their football shows/matches. "Reap What You Sow" from Love It When I Feel Like This was used on Katie Price: What Happened Next and Ice Cream Sundae has also been used at various times on the BBC
.
Live footage of the band's sold out show at Birmingham O2 Academy in 2009 was used in the video for the album's second single "Encouraging Sign" which was released on download only.
In summer 2010, The Twang began writing and recording new material with long time friend and producer Jon ‘Simmo’ Simcox. With the introduction of Simcox on guitar, the Twang realised a fresh new sound and direction. They quickly recorded demos, and then later in 2010 recorded final versions of the songs due to be released as The Twang's third studio album.
The Twang announced on 1 February 2011 via Facebook that they would be releasing a new EP titled ""Guapa"" on 14th February 2011 containing 4 brand new tracks. The EP was well received by fans and critics alike. The physical release was limited to 1,000 pressings and sold out almost immediately.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, formed in 2001. The band have released two studio albums - Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This is the debut album by baggy-influenced band The Twang, which was released in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2007 through B-Unique Records. The album was produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan at The Magic Garden studio, Wolverhampton, and was...
(2007) and Jewellery Quarter
Jewellery Quarter (album)
Jewellery Quarter is the second album by The Twang, released on 3 August 2009. The title was announced on 7 May, along with a free download of the final track on the album, namely "Another Bus"...
(2009). Comprising vocalist and guitarist Phil Etheridge, bassist Jon Watkins, vocalist Martin Saunders, guitarist Stu Hartland and drummer Matty Clinton, the band garnered national acclaim when the influential NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
magazine produced an article on music acts in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
(which also featured fellow Midlanders Ripchord and The Enemy
The Enemy (UK band)
The Enemy are an English rock band formed in Coventry in 2006, signed to Warner Music Group . In June 2007, The Enemy played twice at Glastonbury Festival, first in the 'Guardian Lounge' on Saturday and then the much larger 'Other Stage' on Sunday. They also headlined on the Saturday night of T in...
) .
The band's debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Wide Awake
Wide Awake (The Twang song)
"Wide Awake" is a song by Birmingham based indie-rock band The Twang, released as their debut single under the B-Unique Records as a download on March 12, and as a limited edition 7" and CD single on March 19 that year. By downloads alone, it entered the UK Singles Chart at #32 and climbed to #15...
", was released March 19, 2007, with their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This is the debut album by baggy-influenced band The Twang, which was released in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2007 through B-Unique Records. The album was produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan at The Magic Garden studio, Wolverhampton, and was...
(released on June 4, 2007) being produced by Gavin Monaghan, known for his work with Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
, Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
, Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
, Scott Matthews
Scott Matthews
Scott Matthews , is a singer/songwriter from Wolverhampton, England.His first album Passing Stranger was released on 13 March 2006 on San Remo Records before being re-released on Island Records later in the year. Janice Long was the first of the BBC DJs to play his music...
and The Holloways
The Holloways
The Holloways are a four-piece indie-rock band from North London.-Formation:David Jackson and Bryn Fowler established the beginnings of the band, finding Rob Skipper at a local live music venue. They would meet later to jam together, playing in future drummer Dave Danger's room...
. The album reached #3 in the UK charts.
The Twang's second album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Jewellery Quarter
Jewellery Quarter (album)
Jewellery Quarter is the second album by The Twang, released on 3 August 2009. The title was announced on 7 May, along with a free download of the final track on the album, namely "Another Bus"...
, was released 3 August 2009 and reached #20 on the UK album chart. The album was produced by Neil Claxton of Mint Royale
Mint Royale
Mint Royale is a big beat electronic music act from Manchester, England. They were originally founded by the duo Neil Claxton and Chris Baker in 1997; the latter left the band in 2004, but Claxton continues to produce music using the Mint Royale name.-Career:...
at Blueprint Studios in Salford.
Lead singer Phil Etheridge is an Aston Villa supporter, Saunders is a Birmingham City supporter whilst the rest are West Bromwich Albion supporters as stated in a Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
session on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
presented by Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
.
Formation and Neon Twang Years 2004-2007
The band was formed in QuintonQuinton
Quinton may refer to:*Quinton Andrews, American football player*Anthony Quinton, a philosopher*A. R. Quinton, an English watercolour artist*Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, an American Mixed Martial Artist*René Quinton, a French naturalist...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
by Phil Etheridge and Jon Watkin after the pair studied music technology together at Kidderminster College. The Twang originally performed in and around Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
under the name "Neon Twang". However, this was allegedly changed due to minor scuffles between the band's 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 do not promote violence at their performances and criticised the lack of doormen and security at local venues.
During the "Neon Twang" period, the band's 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" and "Fancy That" later appeared as B-Sides to the band's first single "Wide Awake". Demos of early these Neon Twang tracks can still be found online and are much beloved by fans.
In the early days prior to Stuart Hartland and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Matty Clinton joining the group, lead singer Phil Etheridge and bass player
Bass Player
Bass player can refer to:*Bass Player , an album by Rhombus*Bass Player , a magazine for bassists*Bassist, or bass player, a musician who plays the bass guitar...
Jon Watkin swapped instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
on numerous "Neon Twang" tracks ("Cloudy Room", "Push The Ghosts" and "Aimless With An Aim" being surviving tracks from this period). Etheridge frequently played bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and sang, whilst Watkin played lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
. 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.
Love It When I Feel Like This 2007-2008
After numerous meetings with major record labels The Twang eventually signed a deal in 2007 with Independent record label B-Unique, home to Kaiser ChiefsKaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
, The Automatic
The Automatic
The Automatic , are a Welsh rock band. The band is composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesizers, James Frost on guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesizer - since 2007...
and The Ordinary Boys
The Ordinary Boys
The Ordinary Boys are an English indie rock band from Worthing, in West Sussex, England. Originally named Next in Line, they were influenced by mod revival and Britpop music, as well as the bands Madness, The Specials, The Kinks and The Smiths...
at the time.
In April 2007 they had their first NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
cover and two months later they were the subject of a BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
documentary. Throughout early 2007 the band were frequently hailed by the NME as "Britain's Best New Band" and walked away with the Phillip Hall Radar Award at the 2007 NME Awards
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
.
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 and was followed up by a second single Either Way on 28 May 2007 - the bands highest charting single to date which reached number 8 in the UK singles charts. Either Way proved to be the breakthrough that The Twang needed and the single received heavy radio play and was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJs such as Edith Bowman, Jo Whiley and Chris Moyles.
Their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This
Love It When I Feel Like This is the debut album by baggy-influenced band The Twang, which was released in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2007 through B-Unique Records. The album was produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan at The Magic Garden studio, Wolverhampton, and was...
was released on 4 June 2007 amid much media hype. The record did not disappoint and landed in the UK album charts at number 3. Through 2007 - 2008 the band toured extensively and performed sold out shows most notably to a capacity show at London's Brixton Academy where they played to 5,000 adoring fans and a headline slot on the John Peel stage at Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
Towards the end of 2007 the band released a new single Two Lovers which starred the band alongside iconic British actor Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer is an English actor, media personality, and chairman of Greenwich Borough, a non-League football team.-Biography:Daniel John Dyer was born in Custom House, an area of East London, to Antony and Christine Dyer...
and actress Jaime Winstone as a pair of dysfunctional sweethearts.
The band also worked with The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
on a remix of their hit single "Either Way". The remix also featured rapper Professor Green
Professor Green
Professor Green , better known by his stage name Professor Green, is a British rapper. He was signed to The Beats, a record label run by Mike Skinner and Ted Mayhem, until 12 February 2008, as the label went under. He won the inaugural JumpOff MySpace £50,000 battle rap tournament in July 2008...
.
In February 2008, The Twang had their University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
gig filmed and later broadcast on Channelbee
Channel Bee
ChannelBee was an internet television channel which launched on 5 July 2008.As from 20/11/09 Channelbee has ceased operating.ChannelBee is a new concept featuring new and topical content each day varying from comedy sketches to daily blogs and football...
. However this footage no longer available due to Channelbee's demise. Whether it is available on the internet via another source is unknown.
Jewellery Quarter 2009-2010
In January 2008, following a rollercoaster year The Twang decamped to the isle of Anglesey, where they hired a private cottage and quietly began writing what would eventually be their second studio album. The band have described this period as a magical time in their career.In March 2008, The Twang packed their bags and jetted out to Granada, Spain, to record their second album with Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
bassist and music producer, Youth, credited with recording The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
's iconic album Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band The Verve, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year...
. Back in the UK they enlisted Mint Royale
Mint Royale
Mint Royale is a big beat electronic music act from Manchester, England. They were originally founded by the duo Neil Claxton and Chris Baker in 1997; the latter left the band in 2004, but Claxton continues to produce music using the Mint Royale name.-Career:...
whiz kid Neil Claxton and finished recording at ‘Blueprint’ Studio’s in Salford, Manchester, home of Mercury Prize winning band Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
. A month later the album was complete and the title Jewellery Quarter was attached to it, a homage to the area in Birmingham in which the band were now resident. The artwork to ‘Jewellery Quarter’ was the idea of critically acclaimed Wolverhampton artist Temper who, unknown to the band was also situated in the Jewellery Quarter. The piece depicts the band all pulling a huge anchor, the symbol of the Jewellery Quarter
Jewellery Quarter
The Jewellery Quarter is an area of Birmingham City Centre, England, situated in the south of the Hockley area. It is covered by the Ladywood district. There is a population of around 3,000 people in a area....
. The artwork, painted entirely with aerosol cans, stood at nearly six feet in height.
On 7 May 2009, The Twang announced a free download of album track "Another Bus", along with the album details and title, "Jewellery Quarter".
The first single proper to be lifted from the album was "Barney Rubble" and featured a sample from classic 1990s dance track "Give It Up" by The Goodmen, the promotional video featured the band in the idyllic hills of Montenegro driving classic cars and motorcycles whilst mixing with locals.
The Twang's songs have been used on various T.V. programmes. "Twit Twoo", taken from the album Jewellery Quarter, was used on Match of the Day. "Barney Rubble" was used on ITV when they showed the group standings and results after, before or at half-time in their football shows/matches. "Back Where We Started", also taken from Jewellery Quarter, was used on ITV as part of their football shows/matches. "Reap What You Sow" from Love It When I Feel Like This was used on Katie Price: What Happened Next and Ice Cream Sundae has also been used at various times on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Live footage of the band's sold out show at Birmingham O2 Academy in 2009 was used in the video for the album's second single "Encouraging Sign" which was released on download only.
Guapa EP & Third Album 2011-Present
In January 2010 The Twang made an official statement regarding Stu Hartland, the band's guitarist, stating that the band and Hartland were no longer working together and that the band were working with a new guitarist Jimmy Jazz. Although no longer recording with The Twang, Hartland still plays live whilst pursuing other projects.In summer 2010, The Twang began writing and recording new material with long time friend and producer Jon ‘Simmo’ Simcox. With the introduction of Simcox on guitar, the Twang realised a fresh new sound and direction. They quickly recorded demos, and then later in 2010 recorded final versions of the songs due to be released as The Twang's third studio album.
The Twang announced on 1 February 2011 via Facebook that they would be releasing a new EP titled ""Guapa"" on 14th February 2011 containing 4 brand new tracks. The EP was well received by fans and critics alike. The physical release was limited to 1,000 pressings and sold out almost immediately.
German Band "The Twang"
There is also a German band called "The Twang". Since the Germans (a country band founded in 1999) own the rights to the name both bands release albums under the same band name which often leads to confusion.Albums
- Love It When I Feel Like ThisLove It When I Feel Like ThisLove It When I Feel Like This is the debut album by baggy-influenced band The Twang, which was released in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2007 through B-Unique Records. The album was produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan at The Magic Garden studio, Wolverhampton, and was...
(4 June 2007) #3 (UK) - Jewellery QuarterJewellery Quarter (album)Jewellery Quarter is the second album by The Twang, released on 3 August 2009. The title was announced on 7 May, along with a free download of the final track on the album, namely "Another Bus"...
(3 August 2009) #20(UK)
Singles
- "Wide AwakeWide Awake (The Twang song)"Wide Awake" is a song by Birmingham based indie-rock band The Twang, released as their debut single under the B-Unique Records as a download on March 12, and as a limited edition 7" and CD single on March 19 that year. By downloads alone, it entered the UK Singles Chart at #32 and climbed to #15...
" (March 19, 2007) UK #15 - "Either WayEither Way"Either Way" is a song by The Twang, which was released as their second single under the B-Unique Records on May 28, 2007, and it is also the second single to be taken from the band's debut album Love It When I Feel Like This...
" (May 28, 2007) UK #8 - "Two Lovers" (August 27, 2007) UK #34
- "Push the Ghosts" / "Drinking In L.A" (November 26, 2007) UK #63
- "Another Bus" (Free download)
- "Barney Rubble" (July 27, 2009) UK #59
- "Encouraging Sign" (October 18, 2009) UK #88
- "Paradise"