By Angus White
The 00s gave us some of the greatest bands in indie/rock history, most of them are still together now and are keeping us on our toes as we wait impatiently for new material. There’s nothing better than when a classic from your childhood comes on. It takes you back to the good old days. If you have somehow missed these bands, well now is your moment, get listening.
So after last weeks’s absence of Noughty Thursday, we return with another must-listen band who smashed the 00’s. It’s one of Sheffield’s finest, Milburn. They have gained quite the reputation over their lifespan. Starting up back in 2001, after playing football with each other for years. The four-piece started off by covering bands who they admire. They played their first gigs in front of friends.
The Sheffield outfit are composed of Joe Carnall (vocals and bass), Louis Carnall (vocals and rhythm guitar), Tom Rowley (lead guitar) and Joe Green (drums).
Their first demo came out in 2001, Steel Town, this was handed out to people after a gig. A year later, the band had sold out their local venue, The Boardwalk, twice and played in Liverpool, London and Sheffield again. Another band was rising at the same time from the same city who are probably the best thing Sheffield have ever made, Arctic Monkeys. In 2005 Milburn invited Alex Turner and co to support them on their UK tour.
They released two singles on their own label, Lipstick Lickin and Showroom, which led to them bagging a record deal with Mercury Records. Their debut single with Mercury reached #22 in charts and their debut album released in October 2006 peaked at #32. Album #2 came up in 2007, These Are The Facts and promoted the album with a tour in September and November 2007.
The band parted ways in 2008 to explore new projects and they said there was no falling out and they will still remain friends. They played their final two gigs in May 2008, one at ABC Glasgow and the other at Carling Academy Sheffield.
During the spilt, Louis Carnall became a member of Lords of the Flatbush with ex-Arctic Monkeys Bassist and native Sheffield Steve Edwards. Rowley and Green became members of The Backhanded Compliments and the bands reincarnation remains today, Dead Sons. Rowley also joined Reverend and the Makers in 2009 and in 2013 he also joined Arctic Monkeys on tour as a touring member.
Eight years later, the band reformed and played four nights at O2 Academy Sheffield in celebration for their debut album, Well Well Well, being out for ten years. The shows were a huge success and led to a follow up autumn tour as well as a new double A-side single, Midnight Control/Forming of a Fate.
The band have now completed their next album and are awaiting release. They have recently announced another UK tour in November, stopping off in London, Leicester, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds.
