Many people find it surprising that a band called the Holloways that are so strongly connected to the Holloway Road aren't actually from London. But for a band that have embraced styles of music as varied and previously thought of as incompatible as punk, calypso, dub and skiffle the name The Holloways makes perfect sense "we live on the Holloway Road but that is basically the start of the A1 which goes all the way to Edinburgh, it's a nationwide road. We're not just another London band".
Alfie, Rob, Bryn and Dave met by chance at the Nambucca pub (596 Holloway Road). The four of them went down to Nambucca independently for the first time. They bonded over a shared love of booze, mischief, parties and rock and roll. Bored with the same formulaic indie bands, they wanted to embrace the rock-a-billy music Alfie had heard his Dad (a well known rock and roll DJ) play and the calypso and Gypsy punk that Rob brought with him.
The band hadn't been playing long before they were offered a tour supporting Babyshambles both in the UK and around Europe, before they even had a record deal. They quickly recorded and released their talismanic anthem 'Generator' on their own label 'Sensible Records' just so they had something to sell on tour. It was quickly picked up on by Radio 1's Zane Lowe and eventually won the 'Fresh Meat' section of his show.
Produced by Langer & Winstanley (Elvis Costello, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Madness) the band's debut LP, 'So This Is Great Britain' displays a plethora of wide ranging influences. Elements of rock, pop, calypso and folk, can all be heard, yet the albums manages to sound entirely like just one band, The Holloways. In addition to the bands exceptional ear for melody, 'So This Is Great Britain' showcases Alfie's wry, observation on Great Britain today. Though the band are rightly perceived from their live shows as being unashamedly upbeat, much of the album's lyrical content casts a fine, cynical eye over the celebratory culture that reigns in this country today. As NME pointed out in their review "the most informed, ecstatic and god-darned best guitar-pop record of 2006".
After the re-release of the band's talismanic 'Generator' all the hard work looks like it just might pay off for The Holloways, the single is still the A-list at Radio 1, the daytime list at XFM and the video on high rotation at MTV. They turned in an amazing performance at Glastonbury this year where they took to the stage on a Rickshaw, were a real high light at T In the Park- a truly great band, both in the studio and live, look out for great things, and a new album in 2008.