Beggars

Beggars was a mid-90s band from the US that had members who would later become founders of Better Than Ezra and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Their debut albut, self-titled, was produced by Michael Been (of The Call) and released in 1996. The band dissolved soon afterwards. Another, later, Beggars (prev. A Beggar's Opera) are a four piece band from Reading, UK featuring frontmen and brothers Justin and James Girdler along with Daniel Webb and Daniel Stargatt.

Beggars was a mid-90s band from the US that had members who would later become founders of Better Than Ezra and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Their debut albut, self-titled, was produced by Michael Been (of The Call) and released in 1996. The band dissolved soon afterwards. Another, later, Beggars (prev.

A Beggar's Opera) are a four piece band from Reading, UK featuring frontmen and brothers Justin and James Girdler along with Daniel Webb and Daniel Stargatt. Their sound has been likened to Britpop meets Bob Dylan with a little bit of the early Beatles sound and looks thrown in for good measure. Having toured with the likes of Babyshambles they are well primed for their debut album release in the summer of 2008. Formed in Reading just over 2 years ago, the youthful 4-piece (average age 20), they started off performing in small bars and later taking on a regular slot in Reading’s popular and famous nightspot, the Purple Turtle. Rigorously performing live at many venues around the UK, including Liverpool’s famous Cavern club; in early 2007, combined with many favourable reviews in the local press and even airtime on Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq show their hard work paid off when they were spotted by an A & R representative from the indie label Heavenly, responsible for such acts as The Vines and The Manics. They already have a head start. The trappings of the 'classic band' have already germinated; the trousers are sharp of cut, shoes are revered, the looks are Stuart Sutcliffe and the songs, laden with soaring vocal harmonies and timeless pop hooks.

Tracing a lineage that takes in the driving beat and essence of a nuggets band, purple flashes of caustic Creation guitars and La's-esque melodies. They exude an aspirational cool, maintain an enigmatic distance, they naturally know what makes a band great. They make you want to be part of their group. They have so far managed to avoid the early sniffs and looks that have proved to be the death knell for many young bands. Instead they have remained hidden, preferring to make sure it's right, writing and recording behind Heavenly doors for much of 2007 and some of 2008.

2008 saw them record their debut album with producer Brendan Lynch in rural Yorkshire, and so they arrive perfectly poised and ready. The 12-track long-player, currently being mixed by Cenzo Townsend, is set to be released by Heavenly Recordings in the summer of 2008. Influenced largely by artists such Bob Dylan, the Kinks, the Beatles, Leonard Cohen and The Libertines, their melodic, timeless feeling sounds combined with poetic lyrics make Beggars a band to look out for in 2008. http://beggarsband.co.uk http://www.myspace.com/beggarsband http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEGGARS/7726339639 User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL..