Monday 26 October 2009

Christie's Foundation Trust Charity night at the Church Inn, Uppermill 24/10/09

Torrential rain had been pouring across Saddleworth all day, but even this could not dampen the spirits of the local (and not so local) Wheel fans who had turned out in force, early, to guarantee their entrance to the evening's event - local bands playing in aid of Christie's Foundation Trust. The Church Inn, situated off the village centre of Uppermill, was the beautiful setting for the Charity night. To keep an eye on the proceedings, friendly security guards were present to ensure that the mayhem didnt get out of control. Upon entry, £5 notes were exchanged for wristbands - absolute bargin if you ask me, then down the steep steps to the rear car park where the marquee with it's purpose built stage (and metal railings for crowd safety) was being buffeted by the gail. A bbq was in full swing to keep the hungry hordes happy. By 10pm when Twisted Wheel took to the stage, the marquee was bursting at the seams. The rain had by now ebbed away, giving the audience outside, some respite as the mayhem ensued. The massive roar of approval as the lads struck the opening chords to 'Lucy The Castle' must have been heard for miles across the moors. Everyone jostling for a better view, (someone even climbed the main marquee pole) people on shoulders, people crowd surfing, throwing beer, all singing at the top of their voices for the homecoming of their local heros.
SET LIST
'Lucy the Castle'
'Racket'
'She's a Weapon'
'One Night on the Street'
'Let them have it All'
'Bouncing Bomb'
'Strife'
'Turnaround'
'Oh What Have You Done'
'We Are Us'
'You Stole the Sun'
'Smash It Up'
The crowd were loving it, with 'Racket' and 'She's A Weapon' followed by 'One Night On The Street' and 'Let Them Have It All'. Technical difficulties meant that we had Jonny singing minus guitar for 'Bouncing Bomb', but the audience stole the show by singing it all for him.
With much laughter and banter, it was straight back down to the rockin' business, with 'Turnaround' which went down a storm.
With the last few songs being played, sweat was pouring off the crowd, who I dare say hadn't enjoyed themselves so much since they'd seen Twisted Wheel on stage at the Academy a few months back. All loving this special chance to see the band play in their village. Infact, no one wanted the gig to end.
With hundreds of pounds being raised for Christie's Foundation Trust, the night had been a total success.
ALL PIX & TXT BY Jane x

Friday 23 October 2009

Twisted Wheel Interview with CarterSaidWhat.com

CarterSaidWhat Chews the Fat with Twisted Wheel Picture the scene; you come round mine for a cuppa tea and a slice of banoffee pie and I say to you, “Let’s form a band. Within two years we’ll be able to count Oasis, Kasabian, Paul Weller and Ian Brown as fans and friends. We’ll be signed to a major label, and we’ll have our own headline tour and album out. What d’ya reckon?” In response you would quite rightly say, “Get your head out the clouds you lunatic. We both know that’s impossible. Now pass me the sugar and get back to your Sudoku”. Now, I understand this may sound a little far fetched, but it is possible. How do I know it is? Because Twisted Wheel have achieved it. The Oldham three-piece have gone from begging and pleading to play gigs wherever anyone would have them, to being invited by Oasis to perform with them on their recent stadium tour. And the most impressive thing is that they've done all this in the same amount of time it takes a banana skin to degrade. With all this sounding like one of those amazing dreams that could never turn into reality; I thought I would find out first hand exactly what sort of band it takes to achieve everything, in no time. I was lucky enough to get an exclusive opportunity to speak with Jonny, Adam and Rick about everything they’ve accomplished up to now, and how they see Twisted Wheel panning out in the future. CSW: “You’ve come a long way since you formed back in 2007. Could you ever have dreamed things would turn out the way they have?” TW: “We've achieved a lot in a short space of time. Before we were in Twisted Wheel, we were all in other bands grafting really hard for 4 years, but we all believed we could do it”. CSW: “Many bands say they started out as just a few mates having a laugh in someone’s garage. Was this the case for Twisted Wheel? Or was there always the thought from the beginning that you wanted to make a go of making music a profession?” TW: “We had always said that one day the three of us would start a band. When he was younger, Jonny used to follow Adam home from school asking him if he could be in a band with him because he knew he was a top drummer. Then one day we just got together and started playing some tunes that Jonny had been playing live, straight away it worked really well and we had our first gig a couple of days after”. Initially things are always difficult for a new band. However, Twisted Wheel were determined on circumnavigating the pitfalls of being another set of nearly men. The trio went about doing things the old fashioned way; handing out CDs outside other band's gigs. The CD’s came complete with a sleeve depicting a close up of a Victorian slot machine and the words: “Pay £1 for the Mega Ride”. Two years on, and I’m reliably informed that these very CD's are now reaching as much as £40 on eBay. CSW: “Was there a defining moment when you thought – ‘Jesus, we could actually make this a living?’ TW: “I think when we supported The Happy Mondays in Manchester at the end of 2007 it struck us mid-gig that we were really picking up pace. We worked really hard and managed to get some top support slots. When we walked on stage for that gig it sunk in what was happening, everyone was talking about us and wanted to come and see what the fuss was about”. Just like many top bands that are about today, the buzz surrounding Twisted Wheel started off on a local level. Sheffield has the Arctic Monkeys, Leicester has Kasabian, and Oldham has Twisted Wheel. It's important to build a local fan base which forms the foundation for everything else to grow organically from. However, as crucial as this is, without having a group of individuals that work well together in the first place, the whole exercise is pointless. CSW: “What is it about you three as musicians together that initially made you think it was all possible?” TW: “Between the three of us we have quite a similar taste in music, although we like a broad range of genres. Sometimes we'll have Sex Pistols on full wack and other times we'll be listening to the folky Davy Graham or the dubby Lee Scratch Perry. We're all good musicians and have worked hard at what we do and so it gels together really well”. CSW: “You’ve already achieved a lot. You’re signed to Colombia Records; you’ve played with Paul Weller, and you’re currently sweeping the nation with your own headline shows. What’s been the highlight so far?” TW: “The tours with Oasis were fantastic, you get to play in front of massive crowds (70,000 at Heaton Park), have a top stage sound and hang around with the people who inspired you to start playing guitar in the first place. We also love our own headline shows, its great playing in a town you've never been to and there's a big crowd of people singing every word back at you, and the hometown gigs are amazing”. CSW: “Your debut self titled album was produced by Dave Sardy. It’s pretty safe to say this man has been there and done it all in terms of music production. He’s worked some of the biggest names in music including Rage Against The Machine, Jay Z and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. How do you feel you benefited as a band working with such a seasoned pro?” TW: “When we were discussing which producer to use, Dave came back to us with some great feedback and ideas about recording the songs. Dave liked the late 70s new wave influence we had going on and I think he really understood what we wanted to get out of the recording”. Twisted Wheel’s debut album is a perfect example of where they are now as musicians. It produces a fresh sound that contains deeper qualities usually only achieved by more experienced bands. Jonny Brown's lyrics adopt a story teller technique which enables the listener to really engage with the music. Since forming in 2007, the band has received many plaudits from some industry heavyweights comparing them to some truly epic bands. CSW: “Your musical style and lyrics have been compared to the likes of The Clash, The Who and The Jam. How does it feel being compared to such legendary bands?” TW: "The Clash, The Who and The Jam are all bands we spend a lot of time listening to, we love that raw energy they have and the song writing is bang on, so obviously we like being compared to them, I think it comes out especially in our live shows". CSW: “Talking of legendary bands; you’ve obviously taken a lot of influence from Oasis. What did it mean to you to be asked by them personally to go on tour with them?” TW: “When we were growing up we used to listen to a lot of our dads record collections, like Led Zeppelin and even Deep Purple, so when you're a kid and you see what those rock stars look like its almost like looking at an alien. But when Oasis came along, they just looked like ordinary blokes who were taking over the world and made anything seem possible, they are the band that really got us into music and made us start playing ourselves. When we got the phone call saying Noel had seen us do a live set on Channel M - a Manchester TV station. We were buzzing! Our tunes are honest rock and roll tunes which is pretty much the same as theirs, so we thought they would like it”. CSW: “For me, it’s a crying shame they’re no more. However, I read a good quote from Liam the other day in The Times. It said “The thing about Oasis is, no one ... we ended Oasis. No one ended it for us. Which was pretty, kind of ... cool”. I think that’s a fair shout. What’s your opinion on the split?” TW: “We were gutted when we heard about the split and were glad to be part of what might be their last ever tour. Oasis made such a difference to music. When they came out they blew everyone else out of the water. Even 15 years later, 70,000 people are stood at one of their gigs singing their hearts out to their tunes! It’s a shame; but on the positive side, think about how many people they have influenced and made a difference to”.
 CSW: “The Oasis tour must have been a real eye-opener. You witnessed first hand the rewards you can reap if you work hard enough. But what do you prefer; playing to thousands in a field, or seeing the whites of people’s eyes in a more intimate venue?” TW: “In reality, both big gigs and small sweaty ones have their upsides and downsides. Its an amazing feeling walking out to a sea of people you cant see the end of, but then again you get a proper buzz from a small venue with 100 people clawing their way to the front singing all the words!” There's a certain rawness to the Oldham trio. They're a band that is blind to the chaos that surrounds the music industry. They're young, hungry and only care about playing their music to as many people as possible. That's the beauty of Twisted Wheel; they're a real band for real people CSW: "Finally; apart from big houses, Bentley’s and supermodel girlfriends; what does the future hold for Twisted Wheel?" TW: “We're working on a lot of new material and getting a good idea of what the second album is going to sound like. It’s great to work on new tunes and to see how they go down live. We've also got a lot on touring wise. We're back out with Paul Weller in November/December and we'll have another UK headline tour early next year” And so the interview comes to a close with the last word being, "We play because we love music and like being in a rock and roll band". And for me, that sums them up perfectly. Everyone in the Twisted Wheel camp is buzzing. They're an inspired band that has their eyes firmly on the prize. They have the attitude that they can take on the world. And with their impressive CV to date, would you bet otherwise? Posted by CarterSaidWhat http://www.cartersaidwhat.com/

Thursday 22 October 2009

Twisted Wheel's first headline show in Japan - confirmed

First headline show in Japan confirmed...9th January 2009.
Astro Hall,
4-32-12 Jingumae
Harajuku B1
Tokyo, 150-0001
Phone: +81 3 3401 5352

Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays loves Twisted Wheel

Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays tells American web site, http://www.buzzbands.la/ about his love for Twisted Wheel:
On Buzz Bands’ behalf, local promoter and DJ Larry Gjurgevich — one of the driving forces behind the long-running L.A. weekly Club Undergound (where, on any given Friday, you’re likely to hear the Psychedelic Furs and Happy Mondays) — caught up with Ryder
Thank you for taking time out. How is this tour going? In San Francisco to have a shower and some sleep. It’s great, ya know what I mean? It’s great, but I’m an old man now and this is a young man’s game, ya know what I mean? I’m getting old for this game of night after night after night of shows. Been good, though. You played huge festivals over the summer such as V Festival, how was that? It was great, really great. What bands are you listening to at the moment? There are a lot of bands that I like at the moment. I’m not like the other older f*****s slaggin’ on all the new bands. There’s load of good bands out at the moment. Problem is, I can’t remember their names. As far as English bands go, I am a big fan of Twisted Wheel. They are a great Manchester band, I think they are one of the best bands to come out of Manchester in the last 20 years. http://buzzbands.la/2009/09/17/interview-shaun-ryder-of-the-happy-mondays/

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Twisted Wheel live at the Church Inn, Uppermill, 24/10/09 all proceeds going to Christie's Foundation Trust

Twisted Wheel are set to play at the Church Inn, Uppermill, Saddleworth, on Saturday 24th October 2009.
This hometown charity gig has all proceeds going to Christie's Foundation Trust.
The gig itself will be staged in a marquee, so entry will be limited.
Entry from 4pm and there are no tickets available, £5 will get you inside, so get there early to guarantee your entry to what will be at totally breathtaking evening of rock and roll mayhem.
As well as Twisted Wheel, you will get to see Danny Mahon, The Slates, Where's Strutter? and Blouse.
see you there
xx

Monday 19 October 2009

Latest Album review by Nina Bhadreshwar

IT’S GOOD TO HEAR AN ELEGANT ROAR 
By Nina Bhadreshwar

 REVIEW OF DEBUT ALBUM OF TWISTED WHEEL: 

The arrival of the three piece ‘Twisted Wheel’ is rather like the arrival of a strange machine; you are not quite sure how it works, but it works well. There’s a bit of fear too – what will happen when they let go, when the throttle is flat to the floor, the chains are off? It’s not that rock ‘n’ roll has got saggy exactly but maybe it’s a bit tired. Maybe it’s forgotten where it came from, who it’s for, what it’s for. Well, let Twisted Wheel reintroduce you to the fundamentals in their pitiless, full-on songs.

 A real song is one that makes you smell, feel the place it was born. It’s simultaneously as familiar and remote as your first crush and this album is packed with them.

‘Lucy The Castle’ is a remorseless stramarsh. Lead singer Johnny Brown spits out a furore of lyrics like a baby Weller but with the intonation of an older, earthed-in Mancunian Daltry. It uses the rhythms of the Ramones’ lesser-known tunes and seventies’ punk to form a gem of an adoration anthem. It’s admittedly the one which rips up the floor at an early stage in their live sets.

But it’s just a precursor for the already legendary ‘She’s A Weapon’. The song hurtles through a gamut of intense minor chords before ripping itself to rags in a mod-meets-rock bridge. It’s the beautiful bare bones of these songs which makes them unusual. While others aim for vacillation and vagueness for mystery, it’s the sharp shadows and echoes of Twisted Wheel’s crystal clear sounds and the graceful brutal architecture of these tunes which haunt and intimidate. There’s a stark symmetry in each. ‘We were talking in the garden, we were talking in the sea, we were talking in the city…I just have one thing to say: What’s your name?...It was dark now it is light’(‘What’s Your name?) Stripped down to the bare knuckles of tightly coiled emotion, they are concentrated capsules of an intense vigour of thought and feeling few young bands can articulate.

 Brown’s lyrics are sharp, witty and complex – all the more astonishing confined into such instinctive nuggets. ‘We Are Us’ is a journey through any post-industrial wasteland, the roar of defiance echoing over the rift between the new mod/punk and the clumsy sleepy rock which tried to fill in the gaps of Oasis. Austere and lean production is what such rare songs deserve. 

The sardonic snarl of ‘Oh what have you done, you dirty rock ‘n’ roller?’ over taut mauling riffs is more infectious than a relentless ‘Rock’n’Roll Radio’ (‘Oh what have you done?) and ‘You Stole The Sun’ is a hilarious, ridiculous rant of a metaphor which hurls itself headlong on its pitiless percussion and thumping guitars. It makes perfect sense – at least for anyone from the UK and melanin-challenged.

But it is ‘Strife’ and ‘Bouncing Bomb’ which hint at the latent power of Brown as an iconic poet in the ilk of Lennon (before the overt politics). There is the wit, the ache and the tormented tenderness which never permits itself indulgence, held so rigidly by each melody.

 The range of the songs is remarkable but it’s their clean structure and haunting lyrics which really mark them out.

Don’t underestimate their understated simplicity: Twisted Wheel have to be so tight as there’s so much wrapped up in there. Rock ‘n’roll exists for such dense genius.

TWISTED WHEEL album now available on Columbia/Sony BMG Records
Album also contains several amazing videos of live performances by the band taken at Manchester's Ritz..... .. .. http://www.therealstate.co.uk/2/70/Music/TWISTED_WHEEL_-_ALBUM_REVIEW.html....

Sunday 18 October 2009

Exeter Cavern Club 17/10/09

After a night out on the town in Brighton, it was back to business again, at an Indie Night in The Cavern club, in Exeter, situated in a tiny side street off the main shopping area in the town centre. The lads were in good spirits and looking forward to playing in this venue, with its excellent acoustics. The bar was full and so was the dance floor, ready to witness another epic Twisted Wheel gig.
SET LIST
'Lucy The Castle'
'Racket'
'Bad Candy'
'One Night on the Street'
'Shes a Weapon'
'Let Them Have It All'
'Strife'
'Smash it Up'
'Turnaround'
'Oh What Have You Done'
'We Are Us' (longer intro)
'You Stole The Sun'
The crowd enjoyed themselves, falling over with pints in their hands, everyone having a fantastic time, dancing along with each other to the energetic full throttle set.
And thats where we leave it, the southern section of the tour over with many new Twisted Wheel fans added to their already massive following.
Bring on Scotland is all I can say....
see you there... xx

Brighton Audio 16/10/09

Ah, Brighton, with its lovely shops (in the lanes) and excellent night life, never lets us down... The Audio club is situated right along the Brighton sea front, its a cellar, with a tiny stage, so small infact, they only just fit on.... so we're all underground for this night of mayhem (quite an understatement I might add)
The club is rammed tight with eager fans, all trying to get the best view down at the front barrier with shouts of 'WWWWhhheeeeellll' again reverberating around the club. Things were getting hot and sweaty even before the lads came on, with growing anticipation the fans were working themselves into a frenzy. The reward came in the form of the opening chords of 'Lucy The Castle', everyone in the room was sing and dancing, and the fans at the front getting a bit squashed at the barrier not wanting to loose their place. 'Racket' and 'Bad Candy' were up next, with the barrier loosing out to the fans, it had all become undone, even toppling over a few times and it even made a hole in one of my boots :/. SET LIST
'Lucy The Castle'
'Racket'
'Bad Candy'
'One Night On The Street'
'She's A Weapon'
'Let Them Have It All'
'Bouncing Bomb'
'Whats Your Name'
'Bang of The Beat'
'Strife'
'Smash It Up'
'Turnaround'
'Oh What Have You Done'
'We Are Us'
'You Stole The Sun'
The pace and the heat didnt let up at all for this fantastic set . The fans totally loving it, which was so evident at the end, due to the twisted barrier!!! Im sure it wont be long, until Twisted Wheel make the long journey South again.

Colchester Arts Centre 15/10/09

Colchester Arts Centre, a beautiful gothic church, situated ontop of the hill, with an equally beautiful pub 100 yards away... I was intrigued to find the similarities with my home town of Salisbury's Art's Centre, right down to its old manager who is now in charge of the Colchester venue.. small world... Oh, and another thing, who ever thought Colchester was a sleepy town was wrong, which you will find out about further into this review.........
So here we are, on the first date, of the second section of the Twisted Wheel tour, and the venue is filling up nicely, with chants of 'Wwwhhheeeeellll', to let the lads know that theres an eager crowd waiting. Of course, they don't disappoint, storming onstage and straight into 'Lucy The Castle', a completely changed set list to last week... quickly followed by 'Racket' and 'Bad Candy'

Photobucket

SET LIST
''Lucy The Castle'
'Racket'
'Bad Candy'
'One Night on the Street'
'Shes A Weapon'
'Let Them Have It All'
'Bouncing Bomb'
'Whats Your Name'
'Strife'
'Bang of the Beat'
'Smash It Up'
'We Are Us'
'Oh What Have You Done'
'You Stole The Sun'

With the crowd being so rowdy, it wasn't long before the first stage invasion of the evening. In fact, there were many, much to the annoyance of the bouncers, who really seemed to be a bunch of 'jobsworths'. Infact Jonny pleaded to leave the extras on stage, but unfortunately, they were removed, one of the bouncers even remonstrated with Jonny which angered the crowd somewhat. We're all here to have a good time, so why do they see the need to spoil things?

The good people of Colchester obviously love Twisted Wheel and really showed their appreciation and I am sure the lads were so impressed by the evenings events that they will certainly request to make a return date

the bouncers being a bit rough...

Wednesday 14 October 2009

Fault Magazine - Twisted Wheel Interview 04/09/09

FAULT: What were you doing before Twisted Wheel? Jonny: I didn’t do anything for years, just sort of fucked around. I was a bit of a menace. Rick: I was at university doing 3D Design…It was shit. FAULT: What can people expect from your debut album Jonny: In truth, lots of energy, fast pace, good songs, a straight forward rock ‘n’ roll debut album. FAULT: What is your favourite song off the album? Jonny: I’ve got two. We’ve got an acoustic track called Bouncing Bomb that’s dead chilled out and that’s the second till last tune on the album. My other favourite is a new version of She’s a weapon. I like all different ones on different days. FAULT: Who writes the songs and where do you get your inspiration? Jonny: I write the tunes and then I put them to the band. Inspiration is everything, nothing specific, different things at different times. Girls seem to keep coming out but I’m getting away from that now, I’m going into politics… FAULT: What do you think of new music? Jonny: I don’t really know any new music Rick knows more then me. I like The Views’ new stuff. I also like stuff that Jack White does, I think he’s quality. FAULT: How did the Oasis support come about? Jonny: Noel heard us on Channel Manchester. I think we only done about six tunes and Noel watched it in London and then he got asked if we could support them and he said yeah.

Sunday 4 October 2009

Twisted Wheel at the Rockhouse, Derby 03/10/09

The thrid night of the tour, and Twisted Wheel hit the town of Derby. With the Rockhouse venue being upstairs, its all hands to the deck to make sure the equipment gets inside and straight down to the soundcheck.
Way before the doors are open, theres already a huge crowd gathered outside to witness the nights shinanegans - they won't be disappointed....

The Rockhouse, being another sell out date of the tour begins to fill quickly and theres swift trade being done on the merchandise stall too with T shirts, badges, vinyls and cds flying off the counter like hot cakes. If you're going to a gig on the tour, make sure you check the stall out as Twisted Wheel t shirts are a bargin at £10, with badge sets and vinyls at £3 you won't find a better deal anywhere....... With the venue packed solid, the lads come on stage to the usual chants of 'Wwwheeellll' and storm straight into 'She's A Weapon', 'Bad Candy', 'Racket' and 'Lucy The Castle'. An excellent change to the new set, the crowd love 'She's A Weapon' and with it being the opener, it sets the energetic pace at a high.

It didnt take long for the crowd surfing to commence, with quite a few people coming over the front, it was getting quite a squash down at the barrier with the mosh pit just behind them, but everyone was having such a good time, nothing mattered, everyone's total concentration was on the band... Slowing down for 'Bouncing Bomb', the audience singing at the top of their voices, gave everyone a chance for a well earned breather Highlight of the night has to be the brilliant 'Bang of The Beat' and the awsome extended 'We Are Us', with the original arrangement for 'Turnaround' making a welcome return. I can't think of a better way to end a Wheel gig, other than with the octane fuelled 'You Stole The Sun'.

Set List
'She's A Weapon'
'Bad Candy'
'Racket'
'Lucy The Castle'
'Let Them Have It All'
'Bouncing Bomb'
'Whats Your Name'
'One Night on the Street'
'Smash It Up'
'Bang of the Beat'
'Strife'
'We Are Us' (extended)
'Turnaround' (original version) 'Oh What Have You Done'
'You Stole The Sun'
So Derby has a lot to live up to, it was easily the best gig of the tour so far... see you in Colchester 15th, Brighton 16th and Exeter 17th October with many more dates following, including Scotland which undoubtedly will be out of this world.
jane xx
(p.s. sorry about the pix- poor quality due to the exessive use of dry ice)

Saturday 3 October 2009

Twisted Wheel at the Bullingdon, Oxford 02/10/09

With the first night of the tour at (hot n' sweaty) Fibbers in York being a roaring success, it was time to move on to Oxford. The Bullingdon, being a Pub venue, situated just around the corner from Oxford's Academy - but I know which venue all the crowds flocked to for a guaranteed good night out - The Bullingdon of course to witness the second instalment of the rockin' new set by Twisted Wheel. A new set - straight into 'We Are Us', (the usual last song ) got the crowd well and truely going, followed by 'Racket' and 'Bad Candy' set the pace for the fast and furious night of mayhem. Set List
'We Are Us'
'Racket'
'Bad Candy'
'She's A Weapon'
'Strife'
'Let Them Have It All'
'Bouncing Bomb'
'One Night on the Street'
'Bang of the Beat'
'Lucy The Castle'
'Turnaround' (new version)
'Oh What Have You Done'
'You Stole The Sun'

'Bouncing Bomb' went down a storm with the whole place singing along. Adam and Jonny kept the audience's attention with their ad lib jam session when a bass guitar cable became slightly difficult, but they soon were storming into the fantastic 'Bang of the Beat'. Next up, 'Lucy The Castle' and the fantastic 'Turnaround' where alot of the audience obviously new the song and just went for it in a big way! Last up, was, 'You Stole The Sun' which saw the whole place irrupt. It was a fantastic gig,it was plain to see that everyone enjoyed themselves.. now, roll on Derby.....