Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
This Town Needs Guns (sometimes shortened to "TTNG") are a math rock band originating from Oxford in the United Kingdom. They were formed in 2004, and are currently signed to Sargent House (USA), Zankyo (JPN) as well as Big Scary Monsters (UK) which ended in August 2009.
Their debut full length album, Animals, was released in UK via Big Scary Monsters Recording Company in October 2008 and shortly after in the US via Sargent House Records.
History
The band formed in 2004 in Oxford. The original lineup consisted of Stuart Smith on rhythm guitar and vocals, Tim Collis on lead guitar, Simon Thompson on Drums and Ian Lewis on Bass. Ian and Simon left the band in 2005, to be replaced by Jamie Cooper on bass and Chris Collis (brother of guitarist Tim) on drums in early 2006. In earlier careers, bassist Jamie Cooper had worked as a graphic designer, drummer Chris Collis had been a librarian at the University of Oxford, guitarist Tim Collis was a primary school teacher, and lead vocalist Stuart Smith worked building websites for a publisher. On May 11, 2011, it was announced on This Town Needs Guns' website that lead singer Stuart Smith would be leaving the band to start a family, and that he would be replaced by Pennines' singer and guitarist Henry Tremain. Bassist Jamie Cooper also left the band in late 2012 to focus on a career in graphic design. Tremain has since taken over on bass guitar duties, converting the band into a power trio.
Musical style
Over the years the band's musical style has progressed and changed, although the focal point of their style has been the guitar work of Tim Collis interspersed with, at points, highly complex drumming and sparse, melodic bass. Early releases however, featured more distorted chord progressions, as well as a strong focus on the interlinking melodies of both Collis and Smith's guitars. More recently however, the band's music has become more technical; making more use of asymmetrical time signatures and complex accenting between guitar and drums, plus an abandonment of distortion and guitar effects, giving way to more complex melodies. The Sydney Morning Herald describes the band's music as having "intricate pop guitar work, with a touch of jazz and Spanish influences".
The band cites influences of other bands such as Owls, American Football, Incubus and Make Believe.