Gloria Cycles is an English indie rock band consisting of Kenny McCracken (vocals/guitar), Jen Dalby (vox/bass), Julian Ward (guitar/vocals), and Jack Hannan (drums). Founding members Kenny McCracken and Julian Ward, first met at Brighton University, a south coast petri dish breeding creative talent. Both were studying photography, achieving their own merits along the way and it wasn't until degrees were done and dusted that they decided to enter into a musical partnership. This was sealed in the Brighton boozer The Basketmakers Arms, where the name was taken from a tin sign on the wall advertising an "Agency for Gloria Cycles." Kenny's first musical experiences were on a piano in his parents' garage in Glasgow, aged 4, while Jules, who grew up in Sussex, had always carried a passion for music heavily influenced by his father's vinyl collection and acoustic guitar. Both progressed through teenage bands. Through mutual friends the pair later met Jen Dalby, who had moved from Newcastle to Brighton to study fashion. Raised on her father's record collection, she had recently taken up the bass, but unknown to them all she also had a beautiful, harmonic voice. Lastly, they found drummer Jack Hannan and the picture became complete. Born in Abu Dhabi, he spent 10 years in Boston, MA before returning to England. His drumming experience is very comprehensive, from musical theater to punk rock, urban hip-hop and everything in between. Far from being another run-of-the-mill indie guitar band, Gloria Cycles songs are as diverse as their characters and musical references. Many Cycles songs are conceived without their author even being wholly conscious. "I often record them while drunk, go to bed, find them in the morning, then work on them," says Kenny. Gloria Cycles is a musical democracy with Kenny penning the lyrics, and every member twisting, turning, and manipulating a melody with guitars, drums and bass until it reaches its final glorious form. This "Vegas" off their debut album Campsite Discotheque.
www.myspace.com/gloriacycles
Smelly Dog
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