Troubles (band)

Troubles were an English ambient post-rock instrumental band formed in 2005 following the demise of Hope Of The States.^[1]

The band comprised Joel Clifford, Sam Herlihy, Michael Hibbert, Simon Jones, Mike Siddell and Jon Winter.

History

The band was formed towards the end of 2005, with recording taking place from September 2005 and the band's MySpace page being created on November 9, 2005. Troubles was originally a side project of Hope of the States, of which Herlihy, Hibbert, Jones and Siddell were members. Following the dissolution of Hope of the States in August 2006, Troubles continued and has become the primary project of the four former members.

Troubles were first heard in February 2006. Three tracks were uploaded to a specially created page on The Halfway Home, a Hope of the States fansite, entitled Undertunnel/Overtunnel, Troubles Angels - Worry and Rabbits In The Trees. Dubbed the Troubles Musick Sampler, the tracks quickly began circulating amongst the Hope of the States community, despite them being removed from the website soon after first appearing due to intervention from Sony BMG (Hope of the States' label at the time). Further tracks were added occasionally to the band's MySpace page.

Tour

In October 2006 the band published a blog on their MySpace page requesting assistance and suggestions for venues for concerts to be put on in December 2006. The first date of the tour and an extension of the request for suggestions was published on DrownedInSound.com on the 20th of November . A three-date tour in the first week of December was announced, and dubbed the Slow Down Or Die Tour 2006. The concerts were:

• December 4, Manchester, The Star and Garter
  • Supporting: Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam, Blocks (Sam Herlihy's solo project).
• December 5, Sunderland, Voodoo Rooms
  • Supporting: The Broken Things, Sefelt, lachrymose one.
• December 6, London, London College of Fashion
  • Supporting: Sons of Noel and Adrian.

The concerts revealed a much more 'post-rock' sound to the band, quite different from the more ambient soundscapes heard on the demos released beforehand. All the members of the band wear white onstage while similarly-coloured projections play behind them.

The Band's second tour started was taken in February 2007. The concerts they played were:

• February 15, Leeds, Brudenell Social Club.
• February 16, Newcastle, Northumbria University.
• February 17, Lincoln, Bivouac.
• February 18, Portsmouth, Eastney Cellars.
• February 19, Manchester, The Star and Garter.
• February 20, Edinburgh, Henry's.
• February 21, Glasgow, Barfly.
• February 22, London, Legion.

The band supported iLiKETRAiNS in March.

Most members of the band play guitar, occasionally reverting to keyboard or music box, while Simon Jones plays the bass and Mike Siddell the violin. In the live shows, Mike Hibbert's brother Marc has played with the band onstage. The band's first ever gig at the Manchester Star & Garter was considered successful, in spite of some technical glitches.

Discography

• Troubles (2006), album sold on the Slow Down Or Die Tour 2006
• Sen'taur (2007), EP sold on the band's February tour
• Wolf (2008), released 14 April 2008 available from www.puregroove.co.uk includes free poster

Future plans

The band as of April are recording new material.

See also

• Hope of the States
• The Northwestern

External links

• Forwardirektion.com, website devoted to the side projects spawned from Hope of the States
• Forwardirektion: message board (frequented by the band)
• Troubles MySpace Profile with merchandise including both the EP and the double album
• The Halfway Home, including a 'Side Projects' page with information about Troubles and Blocks

References