Milburn

Milburn is an indie rock band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, and is active in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2008. The group consists of Joe Carnall on lead vocals and bass, Louis Carnall on vocals and rhythm guitar, Tom Rowley on lead guitar, and Joe Green on drums.

Style and sound

The band’s music centres on riffs and melody, with a raw mod-punk influence. Their sound is also described through comparisons with The Jam, alongside ska elements and the hooks associated with contemporaries such as The Libertines and Razorlight.

Early activity and live reputation

Milburn builds an early local following through live shows in Sheffield. In 2002, the band twice sells out the Boardwalk, a 350-capacity venue, and also takes part in a band development programme at Red Tape Studios in Sheffield, selected from around 70 local acts. Over this period they gain recording and performance experience and play venues including the Cavern Club in Liverpool, The Garage in London, and the Leadmill in Sheffield, where they support Laika Dog, the band featuring Tony Wright of Terrorvision and Cosmic Rough Riders.

In July 2003, the band records and distributes a demo around the time of a then-largest show at the Nelson Mandela building at Sheffield Hallam, where more than 600 people attend. They also play the Music Box in Manchester and later return to the Boardwalk for another sell-out show. Milburn is then invited to perform at In The City as part of a youth development event.

Recordings and radio play

Their demo Lipstick Lickin’ is regarded as their strongest at that point and receives positive reviews as well as airplay on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show. The band later releases its second album, These Are The Facts, and the first single from that album is What Will You Do (When the Money Goes)?.

Later live dates and split

Milburn promotes These Are The Facts with a UK tour and finishes with a homecoming show at the Leadmill in Sheffield that sells out quickly. The band’s later 2007 appearances include a headlining show at Sheffield Octagon and a performance at Doncaster Dome supporting The Pigeon Detectives. In 2008, the group announces that it is ending, while stating that there is no falling out between the members and that they remain friends.