Joseph Swidenbank | VOCALS > > > >
Joe's musical career has taken the usual twists and turns experienced by most people in the business – one door closing, another one opening. Originally front man with Bob's Got Mad Hair, his grounding in live shows ranged from support to Saxon on their 1998 UK tour to Battle of the Band winners with such songs as `I 8 U and I Want U 2 Die`….
Out of the ashes of Wishlist, Joe joined Real (with brother Ben) playing the London circuit. More recently, he undertook lead guitar and back-up vocals with Mark Joseph on his 2004 UK tour. Festival appearances along with TV and radio broadcasts happened at the same time.
In his BGMH days, Joe had written and performed his own songs; it was a natural progression, therefore, to extend this to recording. Following the release of Roads as a 4 track demo in March 2005, Matchbox Recordings stepped in and released the full 10 track album in June.
Further natural progression, therefore, when Joe put the band together in September of the same year with live shows around the country, starting in November.
With the album now featuring as a FREE download, Joe is working on the follow up incorporating the members of the band.
Ben Swidenbank | BASS > > > >
"Yes, He's Joseph's brother and brings his own
unique style to the band"
Having been playing for 13 years since '92, Ben has played every type of gig you could imagine, in his own words “In a shit-load of bands!” His first gig was with School band Vena Cava, which he recalls as terrifying. He learnt the bass to a good standard pretty quickly through relentless practising, often late into the night much to the expense of his education. He fell asleep in most lessons! It was with this band that he won an award of recognition in a national youth music final and where he gained his first recording experience.
After School, he studied Popular Music and Music Technology whilst also playing his first paid gigs with rock act Beguiled. It was in 1998 that he became bass player for female fronted Wish List. He claims to have gained massive experience from this, learning to improve his recording technique and master the five-string bass. He also found himself at the 1999 Loot Awards after a series of breathtaking heats!
After the band split, Ben became involved (alongside Peter and Bud) in soul band Blue Train doing weddings, parties etc. He even found time to play in his Father's Irish band, Grafton Street. In 2003, he took on a job in a music shop where he was introduced to Mark Joseph's manager. After a quick audition, Ben began his first tour of the U.K. With the Mark Joseph Band came television and radio appearances ( including MTV, ITV and BBC), video shoots and another tour. After a period of uncertainty the band began a highly successful support tour with Brit pop veterans Ocean Colour Scene, his proudest achievement to date.
Through all this Ben has found time to record Joe's album, continue with Blue Train and Grafton Street, teach students, play shows with blues act Moonshine, rehearse and gig with Joe's band and do the occasional photo-shoot as a model for Airhead Clothing…
contact Ben at the following: benbass@hotmail.co.uk
The Cut: 1990 - 1993
For The Money - Album (1990)
The Word - EP (1991)
Emotional Suicide - Album (1993)
Numb: 1994 - 1999
Hypnotic Revolutions - Album (1994)
Sentient - Album (1995)
Intercity Mars - Album (1996)
Solo project: 1998
Eclipse - Guitar Concerto No1 - (1998)
Bluetrain 2001 - present
Bluetrain and the Raging Horns - (2003)
For what it's worth :
BAHons - Music, Derby University (1998)
Drummer Pete Hancock brings over 20 years of musical experience to Joe's band, not to mention a musical CV that reads like a “Who's That” of the entertainment industry.
A classically trained percussionist, Pete started his playing career with his school band, and ultimately progressed to leading the percussion section of Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra - until a stint with a local rock band ignited Pete's real desire to focus on playing kit.
Following a series of lessons from The Drifter's Martin Hearn, Pete played with a variety of bands until early 1994, when he successfully won an audition to play drums for britpop band Numb (which featured Adam Wakeman on keyboards, and a certain young Guitarist called Bud), who he recorded and toured with extensively for over 5 years.
More recently, Pete has been very much in demand putting in regular performances with several bands, including Clem Curtis & The Foundations. Along with Ben and Bud, he also plays for successful 10-piece soul band Blue Train - who are of course available for weddings, children's birthday parties, bar mitzvahs etc…..