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Milltown Brothers

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milltown brothers
Live at Kanteena, Lancaster 25.11.23
Live at Kanteena, Lancaster 25.11.23
Background information
OriginColne, Lancashire, England
GenresIndie rock
Discographywww.officialcharts.com
Years active1989–1993; 2004–present
LabelsA&M
SpinoffsAnother Crush, Kingsize Screamer, The Rubbish, The Showponies, Greenheart & Sixtyfivemiles
MembersMatt Nelson
Simon Nelson
James Fraser
Barney Williams
Nian Brindle
Websitewww.milltownbrothers.co.uk

Milltown Brothers, (stylised as 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 used as the theme tune to the BBC drama All Quiet on the Preston Front.[1]

History and Career

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Early Releases

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In 1989 the band's first independent release on Big Round Records, was the "Coming From The Mill" EP featuring live favourite "Roses" and the songs "Something On My Mind" and "We’ve Got Time." It was named single of the week in the NME magazine. The same publication tipped Milltown Brothers for stardom in the 1990s.[2]

The band's second indie single was "Which Way Should I Jump" backed up by "Silvertown" on the B-side.

A&M years (1990-1993)

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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.[3] It also reached number 10 in the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock chart.

Recorded in Bath in the summer of 1991, the album Slinky followed. It peaked at number 27 in the UK Albums Chart.[3] Q Magazine described it as the "Byrds with hard-edged contemporary pop and upfront vocals"[4] and awarding it a maximum five stars.[5]

It was placed at #46[6] by the NME in their 1991 best album of the year list.

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.[1] It peaked at number 41 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]

In 1993, the single "Turn Off" was released ahead of the bands second album Valve. The album was not as successful as Slinky and the band eventually left the A&M label.

milltown brothers stanley logo

A 12-track compilation ‘’The Best Of Milltown Brothers’’ was issued by Spectrum Music in 1997.

Independent Releases

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It was 10 years before the band worked together again. In March 2004 they released their third studio album, Rubberband. A double CD, it was released on their own label Rubber Band Records and made available on the band's website.

In 2009 an extended 17-track retrospective ‘’Milltown Brothers - Best Of’’ was released on Cherry Red Records.

In the summer of 2015, Milltown Brothers released their fourth album Long Road, which was once again self-released.

In 2020 a further album Stockholm[5] featuring eight new songs was released.

In 2022 a compilation of independent singles and demos from 1987-1990 was released titled Tongue-Tied Mesmerised.

Live Appearances

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The band made their Reading Festival debut in 1990, playing the Mean Fiddler stage.[7] and again in 1991.[8] The following year on Friday 28 August 1992, they supported The Wonder Stuff & The Charlatans on the main stage.[9]

In 1991 the band embarked on a tour of North America with The Wonder Stuff and flew to New York on 15 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.[10]

On Monday 23 September 1991 the band appeared at the WFNX 101.7 8th birthday celebration festival in Boston, Massachusetts[5] alongside The Wonder Stuff, The Smashing Pumpkins & Nirvana.

Originally booked for 6 October[11] but moved to 14 October 1993[12] they were the headline act at Manchester Academy 3. Supported by the Real People and an up and coming Manchester band called Oasis.[13][14]

On 13 April 2012 the band made an appearance at the Colne Muni to promote the charity album Songs From the Neighbourhood, which was released to raise money for Pendleside Hospice and Derian House Children's Hospital in Chroley.[15] 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.[16] 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.[17]

Other Ventures

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The Rubbish,a comedy act akin to The Wurzels featured a reluctant Barney Williams on keyboards. They released a collection of self penned oddities titled "Crazy Farmers" in 1998 and supported Status Quo at Wembley Arena, where James Fraser joined them on bass.[18] He played with them again at their triumphant hometown show at Nelson Cricket Club in 2003 while also supporting them with his band the Showponies.[19]

Fraser and Williams also appeared with The Wurzels tribute act at Kendal Calling in 2018.[20]

Fraser has also played bass in Jay Diggins' band and is frontman of Greenheart, a band from Lancaster.[21][22]

As of 2023, Barney Williams is also a member of The Animals & Friends.

Simon Nelson was part of a four piece called SixtyFiveMiles[23] around 2009, along with Ash Woodward, Neil Gordon & Ryan Vann. They released the single "Mary" and album "Finnish Tango" both on Cherry Red Records.

Line-up

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  • Matt Nelson - Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
  • Simon Nelson - Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
  • James Fraser - Bass & Backing Vocals
  • Barney Williams - Organ, Piano, Blues Harmonica & Backing Vocals
  • Nian Brindle - Drums
  • Gary Thistlethwaite - Lap Steel Guitar - (2015 to date)

Awards

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  • 1991 NME Slinky Album of the Year #46
  • 1991 Q Magazine Slinky - Album Rating - Five Stars

Discography

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Turn Off video shoot 1993

Albums

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  • Slinky (1991) (No. 27 UK)[3]
  • Valve (1993)
  • Rubberband (2004)
  • Long Road (2015)
  • Stockholm (2020)

Compilations

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  • The Best Of Milltown Brothers (Spectrum Music, 1997)
  • Best Of (Cherry Red Records, 2009)
  • Tongue-Tied Mesmerised (Independent Singles + Demos 1987-1990) (2022)

Singles

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Year Title Chart Positions Album
UK
[24] 		US Mod Rock
[25]
1989 "Coming From The Mill 1989" (UK only) — — singles only
"Which Way Should I Jump?" (UK only) — —
1990 "Seems to Me" (UK only) 181 — Slinky
"Apple Green" 82 —
1991 "Which Way Should I Jump?" 38 10
"Here I Stand" (UK only) 41 —
"Sally Ann" (Non-UK) — —
"Apple Green (Dave Meegan Remix)" 43 —
1993 "Turn Off" (UK only) 55 — Valve
"It's All Over Now Baby Blue" (UK only) 48 —
"Sleepwalking" (UK only) 97 —
2015 Long Road — — Long Road
2020 F.I.L.A. — — Stockholm
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.

Music Videos

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  • "Roses"
  • "Apple Green" "Apple Green" (Remix)
  • "Which Way Should I Jump"
  • "Here I Stand"
  • "Turn Off"
  • "It's All Over Now Baby Blue"

References

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  1. ^ a b "INTERVIEW: Lancaster members of the Milltown Brothers share stories of Oasis and Little Richard". Beyond Radio. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  2. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 463. CN 5585.
  3. ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 368. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ Black, Johnny (5 March 1991). "Slinky review". Q Magazine. 55: 75–6.
  5. ^ a b c "'It was a great time to be in a band' - Colne's Milltown Brothers 30 years on from debut album". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  6. ^ NME (10 October 2016). "NME's best albums and tracks of 1991". NME. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Reading 1990". Reading Festival. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Reading 1991". Reading Festival. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Reading 1992". Reading Festival. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  10. ^ "'It was a great time to be in a band' - Colne's Milltown Brothers 30 years on from debut album". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Manchester Academy | Roll of Honour". Manchester Academy. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Oasis, Ticket - Academy 3 (Hop & Grape), 14th October 1993". Manchester Digital Music Archive. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Oasis Gigography". Latest Oasis, Liam And Noel Gallagher News STOPCRYINGYOURHEARTOUT.COM. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Milltown Brothers back on beat after 11 years". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Rare live appearance from Colne indie favourites The Milltown Brothers". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  16. ^ "The Trades Club - Holme Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorks, HX7 8EE". Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  17. ^ "slinky - Milltown Brothers". timstwitterlisteningparty.com. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Rubbish dumped". Lancashire Telegraph. 18 March 2000. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Three-trick Pony". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 March 2003. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Cult East Lancs band The Rubbish to play first gig in 15 years - at Kendal Calling". Lancashire Telegraph. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Two bands, one heart". Lancaster Guardian. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  22. ^ "New album is psychedelic, funk-fuelled indie goodness". Lancaster Guardian. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  23. ^ eMinor. "Mary | Sixtyfivemiles". ReverbNation. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Milltown Brothers - UK Chart". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  25. ^ "Milltown Brothers - US Alternative Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
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