This Town Needs Guns

TTNG
Origin Oxford, England, UK
Genres Alternative rock, indie rock, math rock, emo, progressive rock
Years active 2004–present
Labels Big Scary Monsters, Sargent House (US)
Website ttng.net
Members Henry Tremain
Tim Collis
Chris Collis
Past members Jamie Cooper
Dan Adams
Jody Prewitt
Stuart Smith

TTNG (previously known as This Town Needs Guns)[1] are a British rock band from Oxford. They were formed in 2004, and are currently signed to the American label Sargent House Records. Their debut full-length album, Animals, was released in the UK via Big Scary Monsters Recording Company in October, 2008 and shortly after in the US via Sargent House Records.[2] Following numerous departures, the band went from being a four-piece to a trio, featuring Henry Tremain on bass and lead vocals, Tim Collis on guitar and his brother Chris Collis on drums. The band released their second album 13.0.0.0.0 in January, 2013 via Sargent House Records.

History

The band formed in 2004 in Oxford. The original lineup consisted of Stuart Smith on rhythm guitar and vocals, Tim Collis on lead guitar, Simon Thompson on drums and Ian Lewis on bass. Thompson and Lewis left the band in 2005, to be replaced by Dan Adams on bass (replaced by Jamie Cooper after the recording of Animals in 2008) and Matt Bennington on drums (replaced by Chris Collis, brother of guitarist Tim, in 2006). In earlier careers, bassist Jamie Cooper had worked as a graphic designer, drummer Chris Collis had been a librarian at the University of Oxford, guitarist Tim Collis was a primary school teacher, and lead vocalist Stuart Smith worked building websites for a publisher.[2] On 11 May 2011, it was announced on This Town Needs Guns' website that lead singer Stuart Smith would be leaving the band to start a family, and that he would be replaced by Pennines' singer and guitarist Henry Tremain. Bassist Jamie Cooper also left the band in late 2011 to focus on a career in graphic design. Tremain has since taken over on bass guitar duties, converting the band into a power trio.

On 14 September 2012, the first track from the second album 13.0.0.0.0, entitled "Cat Fantastic" was released on digital streaming platforms.[3] Their third album, Disappointment Island, was released in July 2016.[4]

Musical style and influences

Over the years the band's musical style has progressed and changed, although the focal point of their style has been the guitar work of Tim Collis interspersed with, at points, highly complex drumming and sparse, melodic bass. Early releases however, featured more distorted chord progressions, as well as a strong focus on the interlinking melodies of both Collis and Smith's guitars. More recently however, the band's music has become more technical; making more use of asymmetrical time signatures and complex accenting between guitar and drums, plus an abandonment of distortion and guitar effects, giving way to more complex melodies. The Sydney Morning Herald describes the band's music as having "intricate pop guitar work, with a touch of jazz and Spanish influences".[5]

The band cites influences of other bands such as Owls, American Football and Make Believe.[6]

Name change

With the release of 13.0.0.0.0 the band announced that they would be calling themselves TTNG. They stated that the name was ironic because guns are hardly present in their hometown of Oxford, and the UK in general. Now that the band is more known around the world, the name is no longer clearly ironic.[1]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Personnel

Current members

Former members

Timeline

References

  1. 1 2 Kaye, Ben (22 January 2013). "This Town Needs Guns change name to TTNG". consequenceofsound.net. Retrieved 2016-07-08.
  2. 1 2 Solomon, Blake (12 October 2008). "This Town Needs Guns – Interview", AbsolutePunk. Retrieved on 2009-09-28.
  3. ↑ "Listen to 'Cat Fantastic'". thefourohfive.com. The Four Oh Five. 14 September 2012.
  4. ↑ Dedman, Remfry (5 July 2016). "TTNG – Disappointment Island: Exclusive Album Stream". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-08.
  5. ↑ Hassett, Sebastian (25 July 2009). "Pass the sugar", The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on 2009-09-28.
  6. ↑ Yates, Ben (September 2008). "DiScover: This Town Needs Guns", Drowned in Sound. Retrieved on 2008-12-27.
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