The Wytches are an English three-piece surf-psych band formed in 2011 in Peterborough, and now based in Brighton.[1] The band consists of singer-songwriter Kristian Bell, drummer Gianni Honey and bassist Daniel Rumsey.
Kristian Bell and Gianni Honey had previously played together in The Crooked Canes in their hometown of Peterborough, whom the duo later dismissed as being “really adolescent and embarrassing”.[2] Honey was taught by former Morrissey drummer Spike T. Smith and played in local bands, Through Fire This Fall,[3] the Joy Division influenced The Proles[4] and metalcore band Khalo.[5]
Following the split of The Crooked Canes, the duo moved to Brighton to attend university and advertised around campus for a bassist. Daniel Rumsey was the only person to respond and joined the band. Rumsey was a singer-songwriter originally from Dorset who had fronted the "horror punk" band Fall Victim before moving to Brighton where he fronted Dan Rumsey & The Bitter End[6] and The Voyage Andromeda.[7] Initially called The Witches, the band changed the spelling to Wytches to make their band name more easily found on Google.[8] The band originally featured second guitarist Mark Breed, with whom Bell later started a side project with called Beach Whores.[9]
The band released their debut single Beehive Queen in June 2013 via Hate Hate Hate Records[10] and follow up single Robe For Juda in November 2013[2] In September 2013 the band released a low key limited edition cassette Thunder Lizard Revisited.[11] The band released their debut US single Crying Clown(originally the b-side to the bands debut UK single) via Fat Possum Records in November 2013.[12]
On 4 February 2014, the band announced they had signed with Heavenly Recordings and released Gravedweller as a free digital single.[13] The band also signed to Partisan Records in the US.[14]
The band are set to release their debut album Annabel Dream Reader in August 2014. The album was recorded over two days at Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, London and co-produced by Bell and former Coral guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones.[15] The album was recorded and mixed by Luke Oldfield on an 8-track StuderA80.[16]
Band members[edit][]
- Kristian Bell – lead vocals, guitar
- Gianni Honey – Drums
- Daniel Rumsey – Bass, backing vocals