The Thinking Men

The Thinking Men

The Thinking Men are a Norwich rock and blues band. They form as a five-piece alternative rock group, with a sound described through bluesy rock, and with influences that include blues, folk, country and alternative/indie rock.

History

The band begins in 2010, when Johnny Raspin and Ronnie Smith, both of whom have played in other bands before, start writing new material together. They build songs on acoustic guitars, drawing on shared interests in music, poetry and philosophy. Sarah Barsoumian joins in the early period and adds keyboards, helping shape the group’s developing sound. The band plays small shows in Norwich and gradually builds a local following through writing, gigging and testing new songs.

After further development, the music takes on a broader mix of 1950s rock, blues, country and folk, but with a contemporary feel. Matt Rowe joins on drums in August 2012 after playing all his life and performing in several other bands. Duncan Samwell later joins on fretless bass; he has previously played with Matt in Deltaville, a Norwich band from the mid-2000s. The group also continues to use an old bass drum and stomp plank as part of its rhythm section at one stage.

Style and influences

The Thinking Men’s sound combines gritty, blues-led rock with elements of folk, country and alternative rock. Their music is built around hooks and melodies, and their live sets are associated with strong, foot-stomping songs. Their listed influences include Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and The Doors.