Biography

Orphan Boy began as a solo project for Paul Smith (bass, vox). In early 2005 he was joined by Chris Day (drums) and then Rob Cross (vox, guitar), which became the original three-piece line-up for the band's early years. After initial gigs in their hometown Cleethorpes, Orphan Boy moved to Manchester and in 2006 signed for Concrete Recordings. In the following years, the band honed their abrasive 'council pop' style and built a loyal fanbase in both Manchester and Cleethorpes/Grimsby known as the Orphanites. Their debut album Shop Local was released in 2008, followed by Passion, Pain & Loyalty in 2010, which contained the lauded singles Popsong and Some Frontier. During the late 00s, they regularly achieved national press and radio exposure, toured the UK, played Glastonbury festival four times and hovered on the cusp of mainstream success. Following a short hiatus, in 2012 Orphan Boy recruited Sam Carlton (keys, guitar, sax) to enhance their sound, forging a more expansive yet introspective style that became Coastal Tones, their final album, in 2015. Despite returning to Cleethorpes, they continued to gig frequently alongside their day jobs, including several support slots for The Enemy and Babyshambles. They also released Black and White (For You) as a charity single in support of Grimsby Town FC, which became an unofficial anthem for the football club. After six years of inactivity, Orphan Boy reformed to play sell-out shows in Grimsby and Manchester in 2022.