Audioweb

Audiowebare an English indie rock band, formed in 1991 inManchester.They were initially called The Sugar Merchants.^[1]

Career

Audioweb scored twoTop 40 hitsin theUK Singles Chart- "Policeman Skank...(The Story Of My Life)", and acover versionofThe Clash's "Bankrobber".^[2]Famous admirers of the group wereU2andIan Brown.Audioweb supported U2 atWembley Stadiumin August 1997. Prior to this Stadium gig they supportedCastat Glasgow'sBarrowlandsin March 1997. They also supportedMadnessat Madstock '96 atFinsbury Park,London. Audioweb released theirmaterialon theMother Recordslabel.^[2]

The band went on an extended hiatus after 2000. Bassist McCann played forIan BrownandBadly Drawn Boyand released his own music under the name Fellow Traveller; Maxfield has drummed forIan BrownandShed Seven;File has been working with the singer-songwriterFinley Quaye;while Merchant's 2007 - 2013 Manchester band, SupaJamma have released one mini album "That Was Then, This is Now" & four singles, "Madaboutit, It's Alright, Hope & Pray, We Run Tings" on Stereokill Recordings. Merchant is also the vocalist on the theme tune for the BBC showRastamouse.

Audioweb reformed in 2016. The band's first live performance after reforming was on 18 June 2016 atManchester City F.C.'sEtihad Stadium,supportingThe Stone Roses.^[3]The reformation was derailed in September 2017 when frontman Martin Merchant was charged with three counts of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of ammunition, and sentenced at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.^[4]^[5]

Nevertheless, the single "King" was released in 2021, followed by the critically acclaimed EP "I/O Volume 1" in March 2023.^[6]

New single, "The Only One", was released on 6 October 2023, with an album of new music and live dates planned in 2024.^[7]

Personnel

Martin "Sugar" Merchant (vocals)
Sean McCann (bass)
Robin File (guitar)
Robert "Maxi" Maxfield (drums)

Discography

Albums

Audioweb(1996)UKNo. 70
Fireworks City(1998)^[2]

Singles

"Sleeper" (1995)UKNo. 74
"Yeah?" (1996) UK No. 73
"Into my World" (1996) UK No. 42 US No. 10
"Sleeper" (remix) (1996) UK No. 50
"Bankrobber"(1997) UK No. 19
"Faker" (1997) UK No. 70
"Policeman Skank... (The Story of My Life)" (1998) UK No. 21
"Personal Feeling" (1998) UK No. 65
"Get Out of Here" (1998)
"Test the Theory" (1999) UK No. 56^[2]
"King" (2021)
"The Only One" (2023)

References

^"New band! Mancunian dub crew Supajamma".Louderthanwar.9 September 2011.Retrieved19 December2021.
^^a ^b ^c ^dRoberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 33.ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^Lovell, Lucy (3 July 2016)."Watch: Cult Manchester band Audioweb reform with new live dates".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved19 December2021.
^Rucki, Alexandra (8 September 2017)."Man, 54, charged after police find loaded guns in house in Hulme".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved19 December2021.
^@gmpolice (8 September 2017)."Martin Merchant (12/03/1963) of City Road, Hulme has been charged with gun offences"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
^"I/O Volume 1, by Audioweb".
^"OUTPUT:REMIXES 95-99, by Audioweb".Audioweb.Retrieved5 November2024.

External links

[1] "New band! Mancunian dub crew Supajamma".Louderthanwar.9 September 2011.Retrieved19 December2021.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-2] Roberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 33.ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[3] Lovell, Lucy (3 July 2016)."Watch: Cult Manchester band Audioweb reform with new live dates".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved19 December2021.

[4] Rucki, Alexandra (8 September 2017)."Man, 54, charged after police find loaded guns in house in Hulme".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved19 December2021.

[5] @gmpolice (8 September 2017)."Martin Merchant (12/03/1963) of City Road, Hulme has been charged with gun offences"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.

[6] "I/O Volume 1, by Audioweb".

[7] "OUTPUT:REMIXES 95-99, by Audioweb".Audioweb.Retrieved5 November2024.

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