The Brent Flood

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The Brent Flood

Origin Northern Ireland, UK
Years active 1997–present
Genres Indie, rock, post-punk
Members J Marsh
Rob Chesterman
Chris Chesterman
Eddie Stalsberg
Past members Richard Simms
Sam Clarke

The Brent Flood is a four piece band based in London, England. They have accumulated a diverse indie rock catalogue since their formation in Northern Ireland in 1997. Their music has been compared to acts as varied as The Smiths and Radiohead, and on some songs the influence of post-punk revival bands such as Interpol and British Sea Power is evident. Extensive gigging in London since the summer of 2005 and a series of acclaimed E.P.s have attracted increased attention to their trademark melancholic vocal melodies, sweeping guitar lines and punchy, swaggering riffs.

Contents


[edit] Members

The Brent Flood has 4 members. They are:

  • J Marsh - Vocals, Guitar
  • Rob Chesterman - Guitar
  • Eddie Stalsberg - Bass Guitar
  • Chris Chesterman - Drums

[edit] Music

Rob Chesterman playing "The Mariner's Tale" at The Fleece, Bristol, 2004
Rob Chesterman playing "The Mariner's Tale" at The Fleece, Bristol, 2004

The band have built a reputation for mixing plaintive, theatrical pieces with humorous or ironic social commentary. Their music incorporates contrapuntal and interdependent guitar arrangements as a departure from the traditional distinction between rhythm and lead guitars. Although recurring guitar riffs and catchy vocal melodies are central features, typically rigid verse/chorus structure is rejected in favour of more transitional frameworks.

Their live shows often incorporate periods of extended instrumental or improvisational passages in the Jam band style. However, within this vein they subscribe to the more commercial tendency of the newer generation of jam bands to treat their songs as songs, rather than launchpads for lengthy improvisational workouts as favoured by the pioneers of the style.

[edit] History

The band formed in 1997 when J Marsh (vocals) moved to Northern Ireland from Manchester and met Rob Chesterman (guitar) and Chris Chesterman (drums) at Methodist College Belfast. In the early years they performed as a trio gigging exclusively in Northern Ireland. Eddie Stalsberg (bass) and Richard Simms (keyboard) joined the band in September 2000 as they sought to establish themselves in the live music scene in Belfast.

J Marsh playing at The Clapham Grand London, 2006
J Marsh playing at The Clapham Grand London, 2006

In September 2002 the band recorded The Limelight Lady EP at Homestead Studios, Randalstown under the direction of Mudd Wallace (Van Morrison, The Divine Comedy). This E.P. introduced two of their most popular tracks, The Mariner's Tale and My Only Angel.

Shortly after this time the band moved to Bristol and new recruit Sam Clarke replaced Stalsberg on bass. While studying at Bristol University they began to establish themselves within student circles playing the circuit of annual balls and student venues. In 2004 Simms left the band to pursue other projects, a move which resulted in a stylistic shift in The Brent Flood's sound as they chose not to audition for a replacement keyboard player. Later that year they recorded The Brent Flood E.P., comprised of 2 self-produced tracks and 2 tracks cut at a second session in Homestead. This E.P. received a Highly Commended award in the UK-wide Sennheiser Unsigned Artists Competition 2004.

In the summer of 2005 the band relocated to London in search of a more vibrant music scene and were rejoined by Stalsberg. They established themselves as regular performers on the London live music scene, appearing courtesy of Feedme Promotions and Plum Promotions. During this time they worked on several occasions with producer Jess Corcoran of Gravity Shack Studios in South London. Their most recent release is the 5 track EP The Brent Flood: A Demonstration Tape which was recorded at Gravity Shack in September 2006 and includes the prospective single Heavy Petting.

[edit] UK Discography

The Brent Flood live at the Purple Turtle, Camden Town, November 2005
The Brent Flood live at the Purple Turtle, Camden Town, November 2005

[edit] Singles and EPs

  • The Sylvia EP (UK 2001)
  • The Limelight Lady EP (UK 2002)
  • The Brent Flood EP (UK 2004)
  • The Not So Chiselled Now EP (UK 2006)
  • The Brent Flood: A Demonstration Tape (UK 2006)

[edit] Samples

  • Download sample of "(This One's For) Jethro's Baby" from The Not So Chiselled Now EP.

[edit] Trivia

  • The band are currently based in Tooting, South London. Their material contains various geographical references to London and the South East. The protagonist of Not So Chiselled Now is described as having a "Whitbread Surrey smile"; A Jolly Good Rant refers to "A field you own near Walthamstow" and This One's For Jethro's Baby refers to the "Northern Line to Morden". Walthamstow Central is the most northerly station on the Victoria Line of London Underground and Morden is the most southerly station on the Northern Line, only 4 stops past Tooting Broadway.
  • "The Brent Flood" was not the original band name. After a series of short-lived alternatives it was coined in 2000 by Duncan Harvey, a popular D.J. in Glasgow and long time acquaintance of the band.

[edit] External links

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