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In the autumn of 2003, a couple of old school friends from Rotherham decided to get together for a jam. Iain Bushby had just started playing the drums while Dave Woodcock was licking his wounds over the disintegration of his band Broadside. Woodcock (taking with him a bunch of songs from his old band as well as some new tracks penned in the interim) and Bushby began playing together regularly, knocking out raw country-blues songs with grunge guitar and V.U drumming. While the duo searched Rotherham for a suitable bassist and vocalist, Woodcock took over the vocal duties despite never having sung anything before in his life, confident in the knowledge that a singer who could give wings to his songs would just be around the corner. A personal tragedy changed everything. Woodcock disappeared for a few weeks and on his return had written an album’s worth of material that was personal enough for him to feel that only he should sing it. They stopped looking for a vocalist. He also brought with him Chris Allen who he met through the course of the upheaval in his life. The two became close in their shared grief. Chris was a bass player. A trio was formed, taking the name Taste Of Shotgun from a poem by Bob Dylan. In December 2003, a (very) limited edition EP ‘Drowning In Tennessee’ was produced, comprising exceptionally poorly recorded versions of songs that would show up on the band’s first album ‘Both Barrels’. Fellow Rotherham singer-songwriter Tommy Binks produced the first album, recording it completely live in early 2004. It was released on 28 February 2004, the date of the band’s first live show at the Millmoor in Rotherham. The album sold well and garnered a little praise. Taste of Shotgun took to playing live around Rotherham generating a small but loyal fan-base. In May 2004, they played the prestigious Wath Festival at Montgomery Hall while also setting their sights on the follow-up album. Throughout May and June, a new collection of songs was put together which would eventually become the ‘Wits End’ album. Again these songs were intensely personal— but whereas ‘Both Barrels’ dealt almost exclusively with the loss of a loved one (one reviewer noted “There’s enough angst here to sell-out Cobain’s funeral”)—‘Wits End’ was full of songs about redemption and moving-on. It was produced by Woodcock with help (again) from Tommy Binks and his brother Joe. The album was launched at the Grapes in Sheffield on Bonfire night 2004, the first time the band had played the city – but not the last! Again, the new album sold modestly but well and received good reviews but, more importantly, the band was welcomed into the vibrant, exciting music scene that Sheffield is currently experiencing. Now the city is the bands second home having only played their hometown of Rotherham once this year, something which will hopefully be rectified soon. After the recording (but before the release) of ‘Wits End’, Tom Bailey was drafted into the band as second guitarist to fill out the band’s live sound thus completing the now classic Taste of Shotgun line-up. The band now consist of four passionate musicians with wildly different influences who have come together to create heartfelt rock music with an edge. At the time of writing, the band are currently recording their third studio album, confident that it will be their finest yet – full of Woodcock’s trademark heart-on-sleeve sincerity coupled with the band’s raw energy. And with many shows lined up for the foreseeable future and with more recording inevitable, Taste of Shotgun are one band who don’t believe in slowing down. Do yourself a favour and have a taste of Shotgun. --Sandy Fingers, July 2005.