Music Features

The Twang

The Twang to release Wide Awake

Check back here soon for a full-length interview with singer Saunders about Birmingham life and Samurai swords.

For those who have followed The Twang in the smoky rooms of Birmingham pubs for the last year, the wait has been agonising. But finally the Brummie rockers will release their debut single on their website on March 12th.

Wide Awake is a searing tune full of boy-about-town angst and street savvy lyrics.

It proves that there is never anything wrong with simply knocking out a good tune and Wide Awake delivers flavoursome guitar licks and Brit Pop beats reminiscent of the mid-90s.

The Twang

Co-frontman Suanders told me: "It's got big guitar riffs and an emotional tone. It's great but we never thought it would be our first single."

Despite being flattered by comparisons to the Stone Roses and Oasis, Saunders feels the single will enable fans to make up their own minds about who they do or don't sound like.

"We don't care really, I suppose most bands come and you want to compare them with someone, which is fair enough."

"But anyone who listens to the single will be able to tell you it doesn't sound anything like the bands we've been compared to."

Cider in the park

Brought up in the Quinton-Bearwood area The Twang are simply local lads who found that they could put together a good song, and Suanders finds the band's heartbeat in their local history.

"We knew each other from home. Some of us went to school together or we know each other from drinking cider down the park and that kind of thing."

"A few of them started a band and I saw what they were doing and I just thought they were funny and joined."

Described by NME as "Britain's best new band" the boys are currently selling out venues across the country, including supporting Kaiser Chiefs at the Shepherds Bush Empire on March 2nd and a homecoming at the Birmingham Academy Two on March 22nd.

On top of that the band have been putting the finishing touches on their debut album at the Magic Garden recording studio in Wolverhampton with producer Gavin Monaghan.

"Working with Gavin was good because we know the geezer. Sometimes with big legend types it can be awkward but we just got on with it."

"The tunes are sounding great at the moment. We don't know when it'll be out yet but when it does it'll be wicked."

Check back here soon for a feature length one-to-one interview with Saunders as he tells us about life on the road, big-shot record label parties and all that stuff about Samurai swords.