The Carnabys

The Carnabys are a pop/rock outfit hailing from the streets of Twickenham, South West London. Made up of vocalist Jack Mercer, drummer James Morgan, bass guitarist Mike Delizo, and guitarists Frankie Connolly and Ben Gittins, the quintet met while at high school and formed a bond over a shared passion for the likes of rock, pop, blues, funk, and many classics from across the decades. Eventually the five friends began jamming and performing on the local gig circuit, dubbing themselves the Carnabys. They initially began to perform covers of songs by legendary pioneers such as Paul Weller, James Brown, and the Temptations. This approach to learning songs from the greats eventually gave way to their own songwriting, resulting in the gradual integration of original songs into their set list. The band quickly began to ignite a surefire buzz, and eventually grasped the attention of Hard Rock Records. The Carnabys then got to work recording their debut full-length release, No Money on the Moon, released in 2014. The record received widespread acclaim, particularly for the explosive nature of its opening track and the band's debut single, "The Pocket," as well as critics noting the band's vintage '90s rock sound alongside the Brit-pop aesthetic of acts such Oasis and Arctic Monkeys. Further positive reviews of both the Carnabys in venues and on disc earned them a support slot for Blondie on their U.K. and E.U. tour. The following years saw more success for the Carnabys, particularly in the live performance field as they received praise for their unwavering tight performances and showmanship, selling out gigs at prestigious venues across London, such as the Koko and the Garage. This led to more opportunities to tour internationally, earning them support slots for household names such as Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, and Kings of Leon. The group released its second effort, Too Much, Never Enough, in 2016. The band decided to put the album up for pre-sale three weeks prior to its official release to raise profits for the Music Venue Trust, a registered U.K. charity dedicated to rescuing live music venues from closure across Britain. ~ Rob Wacey