Gloucester Guildhall Presents
THE MILK
“Pure fire and skill…an immersive experience you don’t want to end” The Guardian
“This is the next band you all should be paying attention to” NME
“Straitjacket-tight…influenced by classic soul, punk and reggae, but defiantly un-retro” Time Out, Ones To Watch For 2012
“Irresistibly infectious” The Sun
The Milk’s contemporary twist on classic soul, hip-hop and ska has already won a wealth of support. With fans everywhere from NME, The Guardian and Neon Gold to Zane Lowe, Huey Morgan and The Sun, the band are sure to be one to watch throughout 2012.
The Milk have announced news of a brand new single – ‘Broke Up The Family’ – in conjunction with a massive UK tour (Sign Of The Times / Sony). ‘Broke Up The Family’ is an exhilarating and infectious follow-up to the hip-hop-infused groove of ‘B-Roads’, which cemented The Milk’s reputation as one of the major new acts of 2012. A mix of classic, contemporary soul, taut guitar-rock and an effortless ear for pop melodies, the single is also a darker, more personal turn for the band, written in response to broken homes. It was also produced by the boys’ long-term collaborator, celebrated DJ and remixer Brad Baloo (The Nextmen). The Milk recently completed recording their debut album with Brad, of which ‘Broke Up The Family’ is just the tip of the iceberg. The as-yet-untitled record will see a release later this year.
Of this newer material, ‘Broke Up The Family’ perhaps best encompasses the diverse sounds and small-town stories that have shaped The Milk. Having been friends since school, the boys began life as a teenage punk band: after some disastrous efforts to act rock-and-roll, the group soon split, though lead-singer Rick’s belting soulful voice arguably benefited from these loud, formative years. Sometime later, the boys revisited the classic Motown, Stax and Trojan Records that had soundtracked their teens, intent on putting on a club night. Instead, they hit a creative breakthrough. Holed up in the shed at the bottom of their garden, all new songs and sounds were experimented with, which were written in-between and sometimes in response to a series of make-do jobs in Wickford, Essex.
Surrounding the release of ‘Broke Up The Family’, The Milk will take their fearsome live reputation on the road for the very first time. They have already been nominated for the 2011 Festival Awards, and prior to the Scala date on April 4, have also sold out an impressive run of London shows (see Dingwalls, Hoxton B&K, Jazz Cafe, Camden Barfly and XOYO). With this first nationwide trek selling fast, this year should see The Milk prove beyond doubt that there is more to Essex than that reality TV show may have suggested…
More information about the band can be found at their web site: www.thisisthemilk.com
Saturday 10th March // Tickets £5 // Doors 7.30pm // Over 14s
For tickets visit Gloucester Guildhall’s Box Office, call 01452 503050 or book online at http://www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk Tickets are also available from the Tourist Information Centre on Southgate Street.
concertphotography.co.uk 