Forget about songs detailing the constant search for a physical relationship and dropping pills, songs about junk dealers and stealing the sun are where it’s at.
Bridging the neglected gap between mundane Indie normality and avant-garde post-modernism, Twisted Wheel’s diverse song topics and sound are something to behold.
“Our sound is simply a combination of each of us playing our instruments without trying to make it sound like something that already exists; we’ve had people say it’s a cross between Johnny Cash and The Clash.”
The Mancunian trio can only be described as a Lowry painting set to music. They’re paradoxically raw yet polished and sound as fresh as they do old, and having just been signed by Columbia are the next big thing out of Manchester.
“Manchester is an exciting place to be in terms of music at the moment, I think it has been brewing for a few years. There are always great bands from Manchester but it’s not that often that there are there so many at one time.”
Currently on tour with Reverend and the Makers and having previously supported the likes of Ian Brown, Cherry ghost and The Happy Mondays, they have already earned veteran status although they only formed 12 months ago.
”Our live shows have become quite explosive recently! Local ones in particular, there’s bodies flying everywhere. We’ve got some real hardcore fans and they pretty much make the night as much as we do.”
Such explosive shows are partly to do with front man Jonny Brown’s witty, intriguing singable lyrics and the bands embodiment of the spirit of Punk. Whilst they retain a very obvious and proud Northern Indie sound the fast paced tempo and intemperate energy on stage has a definite Punk ancestry.
It’s Jonny’s lyrical social observations that fuse humour and realism, that is equally musing as it is amusing, that really helps set them apart for the rest. And with their first UK headline tour, a debut single and album due, Twisted Wheel are arming themselves for a busy 2008.
