Crywank

Crywank are a Manchester, United Kingdom group active since 2009. They are an anti-folk, emo, folk punk and lo-fi act that is self-managed and unsigned. The band begins as a three-piece, with Jay Clayton as the central songwriter and performer, and their songs focus mainly on sad or humorous subjects.

Formation and name

Crywank starts in 2009, when Jay Clayton begins making folk-punk-influenced acoustic music without previous guitar experience. The name comes from a cruel nickname given to Jay during a period of depression, later reclaimed for the band. Jay later says that, had the band’s popularity been known in advance, a different name might have been chosen.

Albums and early releases

The first album, James is going to die soon, is inspired by a painful break-up. Jay describes writing the songs out of frustration and sadness, with the hope that they have a similar effect on listeners. In 2012 the band releases a second album, Narcissist On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, a set of songs about paranoia, sadness and self-understanding, shaped by self-help books and cannabis. Tour demos for the third album, Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid, appear in early 2013, and the album itself is released later that year.

Line-up changes and touring

Dan Watson joins in late 2012 on percussion. From 2016, Jay and Dan couch surf in order to tour as much as possible. Over the following four years, the band performs more than 500 shows in over 30 countries and releases four albums. In 2019 the band announces a breakup following a world tour, alongside the album fist me til your hand comes out my mouth, which marks a major change in sound and is the first release to include songwriting from Dan. The record also reflects the tense relationship that develops between Jay and Dan during years on the road.

Later activity

The breakup tour is interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the North American and European dates are rescheduled several times. During this period Jay is in a house fire, which leads to the solo Crywank album Just Popping In To Say Hi, written and recorded over three days. Between 2022 and 2023 the band continues its final tour, playing 100 shows in the USA and more than 50 in the UK and Ireland, often with bass player Jules Noel, also known as Guard Petal. In 2024 it is announced that the band is no longer breaking up and that Jules is joining as a member.

Members

The band includes Jay Clayton, Dan Watson, Tom Connolly and Julia Noel.