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The 22-20s.
The 22-20s are young, broody and play the blues. Sound familiar? Despite their resemblance to The Black Keys, 21 year old singer/guitarist/songwriter Martin Trimble has barely heard of said band. Instead Trimble is content writing blues-rock pop songs and 'keeping the music honest'.
"I think writing three minute pop songs is a really honourable thing to do. I'd like to have a knack for writing melodies, which I don't, but I try to get as close to that as possible. I think it's better to write a pop song that is recorded in a really exciting way that makes guitars sound like guitars. Pop music like Coldplay doesn't sound like guitars, it sounds like someone plucking a string and then it going through millions of computers. So why not write dark, intelligent pop music? That's all we want to do, we don't want to be straitjacketed."
Now based in London, Trimble and bassist Glen Bartup grew up together in a small town and played blues as a duo until they were 18. "We didn't really know what we were doing or where we were heading then. Towards the end we were playing gigs to raise money to be able to record. I'm happy to now be earning money and enjoy what I'm doing, but it was never the plan."
What has always been clear to the 22-20s is that when it comes to music, they will never compromise. Taking an 'honesty is the best policy' approach to music, Trimble explains that it was his childhood that prepared him for the pressures of the music industry. "All of our songs on a our record reflect me and Glen [Bartup] growing up in a small market town with narrow-minded people that wanted to churn you out as an estate agent. They were all very narrow minded about race and about homosexuality, that's the environment we grew up in. Everyone was in their little clubs, you know, the lads that are into girls and the lads that are into...whatever. It's hard growing up like that, but listening to blues you realise not everyone's like that. We thought moving to London would be different but you get to the record companies and they're still all part of the same little clubs and we'll never try to fit into something like that."
Having finished school and taken a year off playing gigs about the place or working in warehouses to raise money to record, the 22-20s were burnt by their first record deal. "We got a really ill deal with a record company that basically ripped us off, but when The White Stripes came along and kicked the door open it was an exciting time for a lot of bands making blues music, including us."
With such a dark, brooding feel, one could easily assume that the 22-20s have little sunshine in their life. "Bright moments for me are when Manchester United win, but I can't really sing about that," Trimble chuckles. I mention United's recent win over Tottenham and the tone in Trimble's voice lifts for the first time. "It was just fantastic! I was the happiest I've been for years!"
We both agree that writing about a soccer team winning isn't going to get any 'blues-rock cred', so Trimble's songwriting formula thus far seems more appropriate. "I write about what I care about, I think you've got to put that across. Everyone's become very nice and there aren't enough good guys and bad guys in music. I've always been really interested in extremes and the different between right and wrong, so when I write a song I don't try to rationalise it, I just try to put down how I feel. Paranoia, insecurity and darkness are what I love about blues music and the frustration with it as well. That hopefully comes out in what we do."
Part of that dark, paranoid sound comes from the addition of Charly Coombes on keys. "I think when he came he made the whole thing 3D because a lot of the songs sounded very straight. When we added piano it filled the gaps and it had that kind of darkness that you can't get from just guitars, bass and drums. With the piano you can add minor chords and bring it all together. Everyone's going to have to look back at their music and no matter what genre people categorise it as, if you've made your own of it, then you can be happy that you've made it yourself."
Cassie Hilditch
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'22-20s' is out now through Heavenly Recordings/EMI.
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