Local Bands

The lads were just days removed from supporting The Enemy in London, an experience they described as "amazing" on BBC WM Introducing.

To huge listener response, Escobar performed a four song set, treating fans to some of their best numbers, including 'Stand Alone' and 'Top Of The World'.

Click the link at the top of the page to listen to Escobar's live session on BBC WM Introducing.

In 2007, Chris Osborne sat down with Escobar front man Glenn Smyth for a chat about The Twang, drinking with The View and nearly being thrown in the nick for football violence.

Escobar

Read on for the exclusive interview:

I had been put in contact with Escobar’s Glenn Smyth because apparently he had a few things to say about the Birmingham music scene, plus his high-tempo rock ‘n’ roll band had been causing ripples in knowledgeable circles.

However, the details I had been given of the band also included the information that Glenn was guilty of football violence and had been involved in full blown fisty-cuffs with fellow Brum band The Twang.

If I were a wise professional journalist I would have probably setup the interview to be conducted over the phone. I would talk to the Birmingham City fan from the safety of my office, sipping a lukewarm cafeteria tea.

However, being the carefree danger addict that I am I agreed to meet Glenn in a pub. I was greeted by a chatty 23-year old who was open about his past, revealing about his present and confident about his future.

Glenn sums it up: “I used to be perceived as a lunatic but now I’m perceived as the guy in the best band around.”

Glenn was arrested for his part in the organised fighting between Aston Villa and Birmingham City fans in September 2002. His home was part of a series of dawn raids on those involved in the riot and he admitted using threatening words with intent to provoke violence.

“I escaped jail by the skin of my teeth and ended up with a four year football ban and community service,” he explains.

“For the community service you go in at 8am on a Saturday so your Friday is half ruined straight away. Then you’re wasting time and drinking tea until you’ve left. It worked though, because it was literally so boring that I thought I didn’t want to do it again.”

Escobar

Earning respect

Glenn insists that his attraction to organised violence was never down to his upbringing but was more through a desire to be accepted into a scene.

“I come from Hall Green, I wasn’t dragged up or anything. I just got the respect from that scene that I wanted.”

“If I wasn’t in this band I’d probably get back in to it. But the way things are going I’ve got no worry of that happening.”

While the band is currently keeping him on the straight and narrow now, my conversation with Glenn soon revealed how music had helped him as a youngster.

“I used to play for Derby County as a kid and bust my ankle and just started learning the guitar. I had nothing else to do at the age of 13 and it went from there.”

“The band came together when I saw Jonathan (bass player) in the boozer and asked him if he fancied it. I’m the only one left from when I started two years ago. Shaun (guitar) was playing for a band called Dexter and he just left them as luck would have it.”

The band’s star is rising, having already supported big name acts and spreading their name to other cities.

“We supported The View at the BarFly. They had just released Wasted Little DJs. We took them to one of the main Blues pubs. It was a bit of a shock for them but the guitarist Pete seemed alright with it.”

Escobar

“We supported the Bluetones as well. To be fair it wasn’t really our crowd. Their star is falling. It was like playing to your mum really.”

The Twang

In fact, they have played with the current industry favourites and Birmingham boys The Twang on a few occasions. But it’s not the happiest of subjects for Glenn.

“They supported us in September, about a month before they made it big. He said something about our name before we came on. They were giving it all on stage. We had a load of lads there and their boy Phil did one before he got hit.”

“They try to look like they’re lads and say they’re from Quinton but the heavy faces from there don’t even know them.”

“The music’s not too bad. It’s not groundbreaking is it? It’s a bit flowered up.”

I bravely point out that if Escobar take off it could ironically be down to The Twang’s success and the spotlight they have put on the city’s music scene. Glenn thinks about this momentarily and takes it on board.

“I suppose The Twang could help us. Respect to them for raising the profile of Birmingham music, if it means we get something then great.”

“We seem to be spoon fed stuff by the media to create personas for people though. There’s supposed to be a music scene in Birmingham at the moment but I don’t see it and we’re not part of it.”

Escobar

Oasis and Kasabian

As far as Escobar goes, they trade in beat heavy rock songs that sound like every note is in the right place. A comparison with Kasabian is popular.

“Fortunately no-one has compared us to Oasis yet. I’m waiting for it though. It’s time to move on from all of that isn’t it surely?”

“Bonehead (former Oasis guitarist Paul Arthurs) has been championing us. He DJ’d in South London and we headlined the show.”

To most people this would come across as arrogance. Well it is of course, but arrogance that stems from Glenn’s genuine belief that Escobar have what it takes to out shine anything that is around at the moment.

If you need help making up your mind about whether he is right or not listen to the La’s-esque track Top Of The World on their MySpace. Glenn in the meantime has his mind firmly made up about where their music stands.

“There’s not many rock ‘n’ roll bands out there at the moment. We don’t do violent music, its just got balls. We’re the best band around at the moment.”

Escobar are playing the Dublin Castle in Camden, London on 14th April, Bar Academy on 28th April and the BarFly 19th May, 2007, in Birmingham. Visit their website www.myspace.com/escobartheband for more info.

Update 24/4/19: This article has been amended to clarify the criminal charge Glenn Smyth admitted.