Milltown Brothers: Англиялық инди-рок тобының тарихы

English indie rock group

milltown brothers are an English indie band from Colne, Lancashire, England. They are best known for the top 40 single, "Which Way Should I Jump" and "Here I Stand" which was also used as the theme tune to the BBC drama All Quiet on the Preston Front.

In 1989 the band's first independent release on Big Round Records, was the "Coming From The Mill" EP featuring the songs “We’ve Got Time”, live favourite "Roses", and "Something On My Mind". It was named single of the week in the NME magazine. The same publication tipped Milltown Brothers for stardom in the 1990s, along with The Hoovers, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, The Charlatans, The Mock Turtles and New Fast Automatic Daffodils. The band's second indie single was "Which Way Should I Jump", with "Silvertown" as the B side.

After the band signed to A&M Records worldwide in 1990, "Which Way Should I Jump?" was re recorded and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 38,. It also reached number 10 in the U. S. Billboard Modern Rock chart. Recorded summer 1991 in Bath, the album Slinky followed. It peaked at number 27 in the UK Albums Chart. and awarding it a maximum five stars. It was placed #46 by NME in their 1991 best album of the year list. Slinky was produced by Irishman Dave Meegan, who worked for U2 as an engineer during the sessions for The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum. He is best known for his work with Marillion. The next single released from the album was "Here I Stand", which was also used as the theme tune for the BBC television programme, Preston Front. and again in 1991. The following year on Friday 28 August 1992, they supported The Wonder Stuff & The Charlatans on the main stage. In 1991 the band embarked on a tour of North America with The Wonder Stuff and flew to New York on 15th September. The tour started in Baltimore and included venues such as Marquee in New York, Rock Candy in Seattle, Cabaret Metro in Chicago & First Avenue Club in Minneapolis. On Monday 23 September 1991 the band appeared at the WFNX 101.7 8th birthday celebration festival in Boston, Massachusetts but moved to 14 October 1993 they were the headline act at Manchester Academy 3. Supported by the Real People and an up and coming Manchester band called Oasis. On 13th April 2012 the band made an appearance at the Colne Muni to promote the charity album, Songs From the Neighbourhood; which was released to rasie money for Pendleside Hospice and Derian House Children's Hospital in Chroley. The album included the milltown brothers first single, Roses. It also included songs by The Rubbish, Danny Handley, Simon Webbe, The Hollies and the former Burnley Building Society song The Best Dreams Begin with B by George Chandler. On 26 August 2023 they played Hebden Bridge Trades Club to a capacity crowd. The gig followed renewed interest in the band after Slinky made an appearance earlier in the year on an episode of Tim's Twitter Listening Party hosted by The Charlatans frontman, Tim Burgess.

The Rubbish, later known as The Tidy, featured Barney Williams on keyboards. They released the album "Crazy Farmers" in 1998 and supported Status Quo at Wembley Arena, where James Fraser joined them on bass. He played with them again at Nelson Cricket Club in 2003 while also supporting them with his band the Showponies. Fraser and Williams also appeared with the Rubbsih at Kendal Calling in 2018. Fraser has also played bass in Jay Diggins' band and is frontman of Greenheart, a band from Lancaster. As of 2023, Barney Williams is also a member of The Animals & Friends. Simon Nelson was part of a four piece called SixtyFiveMiles around 2009, along with Ash Woodward, Neil Gordon & Ryan Vann. They released the single "Mary" and album "Finnish Tango" both on Cherry Red Records.