Thom Pounds (Vocals, rhythm guitar),
Paul Offord (Vocals, bass guitar),
Rob West (Lead guitar),
Dan Dare (Drums)
Lucy Cotter (Vocals)
Influences
The Who, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, The Clash, Queen, Fairport Convention, Johnny Cash, Small Faces, The Faces, Gram Parsons, Ramones, Joni Mitchell, Billy Bragg, Tom Waits, Beatles, The Smiths, Dr Feelgood, Led Zep, ACDC, Oasis, Blur, The Libertines, The Jam, Strokes, The Pixies, Sex Pistols, Blondie, Kate Bush, The Kinks, Indigo..........
Thom's influences: The Clash, Blur
Paul's influences: Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Squeeze
Rob's influences: Queen, Pink Floyd
Dan's influences: Keith Moon, Buddy Rich
Lucy's influences: Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Kate Bush.
The Starts are musical soul mates who take an artful approach to producing massive music, complemented by luscious harmonies and lyrics as smart as their shoes.
Original members Thom Pounds (singer/guitarist), Paul Offord (singer/bassist), Rob West (lead guitarist), and Dan Dare (drummer) invested years of inspiration and perspiration into developing their core sound, which blends the passion and power of The Who and The Clash, with the musicality and exuberance of Queen and Ian Dury and The Blockheads.
Inspirational new recruit Lucy Cotter (vocals) has fired sweet dreams and alchemy into the mix, inspired by the likes of Emmylou Harris and Sandy Denny.
This complex melting pot has brewed compelling music unlike anything else around today, which is captured in their epic debut album ‘The Cannon and the Rapier’.
The Starts are building a growing army of believers across the country with their passionate, maximum-energy live shows.
You can check them out at their monthly residency gigs at the White Hart, in Mile End Road, Whitechapel, London, and the King’s Head, in Rochford Square, Rochford, Essex.
Their hit single in waiting ‘Cry Baby’ has been played repeatedly by influential mod torch bearing DJ Eddie Piller, on his shows on 6 Music, Radio 2, and most recently Q Music.
Other supporters have included Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq, BBC Essex’s Mike Bromfield and Ollie Winiberg, and former Inspiral Carpets’ frontman Tom Hingley, who invited The Starts to be his support band at the Islington Bar Academy and the Dry Bar, in Manchester, after watching them play an electric gig.
The band’s proudest moment so far was when legendary singer/ songwriter Billy Bragg made their 21st century protest song ‘I Can’t Afford to Live in the South East’ record of the Week on his BBC London show.
The Starts are looking for record companies interested in taking ‘The Cannon and the Rapier’ to a much wider audience and can be contacted by email at:
Saw the Band supporting Who's Who and really enjoyed the performance so when there was a CD that I could buy I did and I must say that I ain't disappointed in it, at least a 9/10.
BLEECH are playing The Worlds End tonight at 5.00 and then Proud Galleriy at 9.00 so if you are bored and have nothing to do then come along....you even have a choice! and they are both *FREE*
Thank you for your friendship and I am glad you enjoy my music! I could not have done it without your support. I am very excited and full of inspiration that I can't wait to share with you. New things are on the way! I hope you are doing what you love and following your dreams! Don't forget to keep in touch!!
Hi there! Saw you guys Saturday 25th October at the Kings Head Rochford, and thought you were shit hot! I love the sound! Early Japan, early Adam & the Ants mixed with the clash, the Jam, the stranglers a bit of Ian(RIP)& the block heads and a hint of clock work orange with a huge dollop of ordinarily! Keep it up! can’t wait for the album love “I can’t afford to live in the south east”!
