Biography

This Bath, England-based indie rock trio comprises twins Mike (vocals/guitar) and Pete Bishop (vocals/bass), and Chris McConville (b. Scotland; drums). The Bishop brothers met McConville while they were working at a bar in London’s east end. The twins were already making and writing music of a 60s beat genre much like the Beatles or the Hollies, while McConville had a penchant for metal, in particular AC/DC. Rehearsing in a basement at a YMCA where they were living, the addition of McConville beefed up the Bishops sound giving it an early Libertines flavour, with a Buddy Holly twist. In October 2005, a self-released debut, ‘I Don’t Really Know What To Say’, was released, sending ripples of interest around the style and music press because of the Bishops’ authentic beat sound. A bidding war then ensued with 1-2-3-4 Records winning owing to their reputation for having exciting new bands on their roster. In May 2006, the Bishops released ‘The Only Place I Can Look Is Down’ to rapturous reviews, the UK music paper the NME stating: ‘Timeless melodies from the golden era of pop - who says they don’t make ’em like they used to?’. The single was recorded at the Toe Rag Studios in east London, a haven for analogue enthusiasts. There followed a gruelling tour of obscure venues around the UK throughout the summer of 2006, culminating in the release of ‘Higher Now’ in September, featuring an equally strong b-side, ‘In The Night’.