Dan Jenko speaks to Trash Green about  their recently released album ‘Open Sky’, and details the incredible story behind the London rockers’ return to the music scene. Plus, as always he brings you the best new guitar tracks via the ‘Picks Of The Week’.

Band’s breaking-up or falling out is common in rock music, but often a lengthy hiatus can lead to a group reforming and sharing some of their best work with the world. Enter Trash Green, a band who have re-emerged recently with the excellent indie-rock album Open Sky.

It’s a record that one may have happened to stumble across while searching for a decent album among the deluge of uninspired pop-drivel the charts seem to be plagued with at the moment, and it happened to be the shining star of my latest voyage of discovery.

Despite their obvious talent, perhaps the most interesting thing about Trash Green is the fact that it has been more than a decade since the band members originally went their separate ways.

They originally rocked the London pub and club music scene of the mid nineties, with the band’s guitar, keys and driving-bass creating a sound that was edgy and intense but always musical.

Unfortunately, the group’s career took a turn for the worse during a gig at the Kings Head Fulham, in which the band were handed a major opportunity to impress publishers, managers and A&R men. Things did not go as planned.

“Just two bars into the second song of the set our bassist Ric’s amp packed up,” explains lyricist and frontman Steve Cutmore. “With a patched-up bass sound we played on, but something more than equipment was broken – we faltered and the gig didn’t live up to expectations. For Ric, the disappointment proved too much and after four years in the band he announced his departure.”

It appeared the band would be on an indefinite hiatus since that fateful day, but the most unusual of circumstances led to them re-forming. By 2007 lyricist Steve was “feeling haunted by music’s past”, and began to realise that he was “bursting with new songs, and new ideas for old songs.”

He contacted his friend, the drummer Stephen Harker, and the pair began to “embark on recording some old and some new material”. Before long, they had recorded some of the band’s most notable new tracks, including the arena-ready indie rock anthem Burn The Factory Down. Then, out of nowhere, there was another twist in the tale. Steve received an e-mail stating that Ric’s mother Freda had sadly died, and that Ric wanted to perform (preferably with Steve) “a song inspired by a conversation between Steve and Freda many years before”.

After Steve and Ric reunited for the funeral, Trash Green was officially re-born along with a fresh, new keyboard talent in the form of Toby Moore. Having recorded both new tracks and old favourites, Open Sky was eventually released on the 11^th of November of this year, and can be downloaded from Trash Green’s bandcamp page.

Not only does Trash Green’s album more than deserve the label of ‘Unsung Rock’, but the band’s story deserves equal recognition as it is one that can be related to some of rock’s biggest and best. 2011 has marked the triumphant return of The Strokes, The Stone Roses and Razorlight after disappointing hiatuses, and all of these returns have boosted the future of rock music.

So, that pretty much sums up Unsung Rock this time around. As always, we’ll close with the ‘Picks of the Week’:

 

The Killers – The Cowboy’s Christmas Ball

Massively popular American four-piece The Killers return with their annual charity christmas single, The Cowboy’s Christmas Ball. Continuing the trend Boots set last year, The Killers have produced another festive, catchy and all-together excellent single. What’s more, it only will make yo more excited for their upcoming fourth studio album, which is due at some point next year.

Empire Machines – Never Enough

Indie band Empire Machines’s debut self-titled EP is impressive to say the least, and opening track Never Enough is the resounding highlight of the band’s first release. An excellent drum beat provides the basis for a what is a delightfully simple, yet catchy, indie-rock song. Check out the band’s bandcamp page to download the full EP free of charge.

 

Got a suggestion for next week’s picks? You can e-mail Dan with your tips at unsungrock@rocketmail.com. Alternatively, leave your comments below and your pick may feature in next week’s column.