Also known as T:AX Genres Indie rock | Origin Derbyshire, England Years active 2004–2007 | |
Labels Coercion Records (2006-2007) | ||
The Auxiliaries were a four-piece indie rock band made up childhood friends from the Chesterfield area of Derbyshire, the band was unsigned, but they did release a self-titled EP in 2006 under Coercion Records.
Contents
The band cited musical influences ranging from "The Jam to James Brown and anyone who dare play inbetween"
Although gigging round the county, the band found most success in and around South Yorkshire, although featured regularly on popular French Canadian radio stations due to heavy promotion work by CISM-FM in Montreal.
Beginning
The band were formed in December 2004 following a Battle of the bands in Derbyshire where all 12 finalists were Metal bands. Tom Millington and Lee Unwin, friends from childhood decided that the heart of Chesterfield had not been captured in music and decided to "give it a go, at least till the summer". Later that month the band recruited drummer Josh Wheeler through a magazine advertisement in NME and completed the line up with bassist Phabian Burton. They toured substantially throughout 2005, gaining attention around Sheffield supporting bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Little Man Tate and Bromheads Jacket.
2006
In 2006, the band caught the eye of Southampton-based label Coercion Records who signed the band thanks to their tour with Alexis Blue who were signed the summer before.
They then entered Derbyshires Young band of the year, winning it convincingly with 62% of the votes of ten bands. The band then were forced to drop Josh Wheeler due to differences about how the band should carry on, they then spend four months writing new material before recruiting drummer Paul Williams. In the band's first gig as a new lineup they stormed to win the semi final of Derbyshires band of the year, the competition which had originally brought them together, then followed the win up with a unanimous verdict in the final, leaving them the first band in the competitions history to win both competitions in the same year. This led the band to do various interviews across the surrounding area, most notably on Sheffield's Hallam FM and Sheffield Live Radio. This led to Coercion Records announcing they would be releasing the band's first self-titled album in December 2006. The album sold all 400 copied produced for release, and a further 1200 in the year after.
2007 - End
After touring for the first four months of the year, including a Club NME tour place supporting Blood Red Shoes the band announced they were to go on Hiatus until the end of their A-Level exams. In August, the band announced that Phabian, after under achieving academically would be leaving the band to concentrate on work and was quickly replaced by Nikki Dunbar, a local promoter for Sheffield's The Plug Club NME LIVE nights. In late September the band launched what would be their final tour of the country in; Sheffield, London, Leeds, York, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool and ending again in Sheffield at The Boardwalk club. After returning from the tour the band set out to write new material, but found as they had gone to separate universities it was impossible to carry on and announced that they would split on 21 September posting the following announcement on their website and myspace.
"Hi,
When we set out we were just somewhere between the hills and dales of Derbyshire, and the broken down coal fields of Yorkshire, a band playing in brick-clad rooms of a Victorian house; the glass windows were shaking a bit and the neighbours undoubtedly complained as soon as this racket ceased.. but we were friends. After this long journey, comparable only to taking your home town team to the FA Cup final, only to lose on penalties because of a broken PS2 controller and a dodgy bus timetable it is time to call it a day. We have had such an amazing time making music and meeting you all at our shows, we just feel with university starting and us flung around the country like apples in space it was time to love you and leave you.
To the good times. Tom, Lee, Paul, Nikki.
Lee Unwin
Lee Unwin was the lead vocalist of the band, rhythm guitarist and synthist. He also co-wrote Alexis Blue's lyrics with Tom Millington, and the bulk of their songs. He played a white Fender Telecaster through his Fender Deluxe.
Tom Millington
Tom Millington was the band's lead guitarist. He also provided backing vocals on the majority of the band's songs. He played a sunburt Rickenbacker 330 through a Vox AC30CC2. He also co-wrote all of The Auxiliaries songs.
Paul Williams
Paul Williams played drums and provided backing vocals. He played his (Unknown).
Phabian Burton
Phabian Burton played bass guitar. He played his Fender Jazz Bass through a Marshall 30w bass amp.