Orphan Boy

Orphan Boy

Orphan Boy are an indie rock group from Grimsby, active since 2008. They begin as a townie trio, and their early identity is shaped by the town’s working-life backdrop, with references to fish factories and local nightlife.

History and releases

The band forms in Grimsby a little over a year before signing to Manchester label Concrete Recordings in March 2006. Their first release appears on Scotland’s Grace Records, and it sells out on pre-order after being played on BBC Radio 6 Music by Mark Riley. Their follow-up single, Trophies of Love, is their first Concrete Recordings release in November 2006 and receives substantial play on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music, with Steve Lamacq naming it Single of the Week and interviewing the band on Lamacq Live as Band of the Day.

Style and reception

Orphan Boy are described as a power pop, post-punk, progressive and rock and roll band, with a sound that is also tagged as garage punk. Their music is presented as having northern grit, dark coherence and a hard-edged, restless character. Review coverage places them among the notable rock bands of the period and links them with a wider Manchester scene, despite their Grimsby origin.

Coverage and recognition

The band receive BBC Radio 1 support through Steve Lamacq and Huw Stevens, with both their album and earlier material getting album-of-the-week attention on BBC Radio 1 programmes. They are also associated with Glastonbury through Concrete Recordings, whose catalogue includes the Glastonbury Unsigned Bands compilations and a new music venue at the festival.