There are bands that become famous. Then there are bands that musicians talk about. The Milltown Brothers belong firmly in the second category.
Long before Britpop exploded and Oasis became the biggest band in Britain, five lads from Colne were already showing everyone that Lancashire could produce songwriting every bit as intelligent, melodic and emotionally charged as anything coming out of Manchester or Liverpool. Their influence may never have been shouted about, but among those who followed the indie scene in the late eighties and early nineties, The Milltown Brothers were regarded as one of the great lost bands of their generation.
This December they return to Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre for what promises to be an unforgettable Lancashire homecoming—a Christmas celebration of one of the county's finest musical exports, performed exactly as it should be... close enough to see every smile, hear every harmony and feel every note.
When Coming From The Mill landed in 1989 it wasn't simply another indie EP. NME immediately made it Single of the Week, while the music press tipped the band alongside the emerging generation that would soon reshape British guitar music, including The Charlatans, Carter USM, The Mock Turtles and New Fast Automatic Daffodils.
Their second single, "Which Way Should I Jump?", created a bidding war before A&M Records signed the band worldwide. Re-recorded for the major label, it reached No. 38 in the UK Singles Chart and climbed all the way to No. 10 on Billboard's Modern Rock Chart in America—proof that their appeal stretched far beyond Lancashire.
Then came Slinky.
Thirty-five years later it still sounds astonishing.
Produced by Dave Meegan, whose CV already included U2's The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, Slinky wasn't simply another "baggy" album—it quietly transcended the scene. Rich with Byrds-style guitars, soaring melodies and Matt Nelson's unmistakable voice, it remains one of the great overlooked British guitar records of the era. Q Magazine awarded it a full five stars, describing the sound as "The Byrds with hard-edged contemporary pop and upfront vocals," while NME later ranked it among the finest albums of 1991.
Looking back today, it's difficult to overstate just how highly The Milltown Brothers were regarded.
They toured America with The Wonder Stuff, appeared alongside Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins at Boston's WFNX Birthday Festival, played the Reading Festival, shared stages with The Charlatans, and, in one of those glorious twists of musical history, an unknown Manchester group called Oasis opened for them at Manchester Academy in October 1993. At the time nobody could possibly have guessed what would happen next.
Like so many brilliant British bands, however, timing and record-company politics proved their greatest enemy.
The magnificent "Here I Stand" looked destined to become the breakthrough hit that would propel them into the Top 20 and onto Top of the Pops. Instead, controversial chart weighting denied the record the position many believed it had earned, leaving it stranded at No. 41 despite being A-listed on BBC Radio 1. It remains one of British indie's great "what if?" moments.
Time, though, has been incredibly kind to The Milltown Brothers.
Albums such as Rubberband, hailed by Record Collector as "a faultless third album," together with Long Road, Stockholm, and more recently Boogie Woogie, have confirmed that this was never simply a nostalgic reunion. Their latest work has charted strongly on the UK Independent, Vinyl and Physical Album charts, proving there is still a passionate audience for beautifully crafted guitar music.
In recent years the band's reputation has only continued to grow. Tim Burgess' celebrated Twitter Listening Party introduced Slinky to a whole new generation of listeners, sold-out shows have followed across the country, a major biography—The True Story of the Milltown Brothers (And Jesus Danced Twice)—has been published, and critics are increasingly recognising what many Lancashire music fans have always known...
The Milltown Brothers were one of the finest British guitar bands of their generation.
Now the original five members return to Barnoldswick for what promises to be one enormous Christmas celebration.
Expect "Roses," "Which Way Should I Jump?", "Here I Stand," "Apple Green" and treasures from every chapter of an extraordinary catalogue. Expect stories, memories, huge choruses and that unmistakable Milltown Brothers chemistry that has never faded.
Most of all, expect one of those magical nights where a room full of Lancashire people celebrate one of Lancashire's greatest bands.
No barriers. No VIP packages. No corporate nonsense.
Just one of Britain's finest cult bands, coming home for Christmas.
If you know... you know.
Need help, lost your tickets, or have any questions? Click here for help