OFFICIAL BRIDEWELL TAXIS MERCHANDISE WEBSITE

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BRIDEWELL TAXIS REFORM 2005-06.

Date Posted: OCT 2005. By caroline Boyle.

If you're claustrophobic, then Joseph's Well was no place for you on Friday night, which saw the comeback gig of legendary Leeds scallies, Bridewell Taxis. Sold-out 48 hours after they first went on sale, the £10 tickets had been going on eBay for as much as £100 each.

Ask any fan who had to part with a ton for the privilege, and they'll tell you it was well worth it.

The presence of police video vans outside the venue, along with over-zealous body searches by security, could have caused trouble with the hyped-up crowd, but, as most felt honoured to be there to witness the long-awaited comeback of the much-loved Leeds indie sensations, everyone was on their best behaviour.

Many on the guest list were disappointed however, as police and door security were adamant that extras would not be allowed in the venue due to capacity restrictions. Good friends of the band were left to listen outside.

Ex-band member and DJ Simon Scott, along with DJ Andy Pye provided the pre-concert sounds, which warmed the crowd up nicely. But everyone was waiting for the band, it's what we were all there for, and from the second they appeared on stage, the crowd went wild; the opening bars of old favourite 'Honesty' whipping the 350+ audience into an absolute frenzy.

Next up was the classic 'Face in the Crowd' which Mick had to sing while looking on incredulously at the mental mass before him. Grown men, clearly old enough to know better, went crazy, turning the first few rows of the crowd into a manic, sweaty mosh-pit, with one-fan commenting that he felt 15 years younger. As the beer spilled, soaking everyone at the front, the band continued to play, overwhelmed by the attention and adoration radiating from this raucous audience.

New boys, James and Jules, played like veterans, with the sound as pure now as it was back in 1990. 'Just Good Friends', 'Invisible', 'Hold on', and 'In God we Trust' came up next, the band sounding slick and smooth with every song. Forget the Kaisers, the Bridewells are back!

The band, clearly gobsmacked by the feedback from the audience, continued playing old favourites, 'Whole Damn Nation' and 'Wild Boar', finally ending this amazing set with 'Spirit'.

These guys have lost none of the old magic, and if they were unsure of reforming before this gig, then the reaction of the fans must surely have persuaded them otherwise. If this was a one-off gig, there will be a loyal army of very disappointed Bridewell Taxis fans today. Rumour has it that the next gig will be taking place at the Irish Centre, Leeds, some time in December, but this is yet to be confirmed.

For some, this exclusive gig was a chance to turn back the clock and reminisce on the glory days, with one fan commenting, "The last time I remember an atmosphere like this was Leeds v Man United in the early eighties. Well done boys. Even if you never play again that was the one, a night to remember for all." For others, it was an old boys' reunion, with many long-forgotten friendships resurrected and drunken discussions of the good times.

Think not of this gig as merely a comeback for the Bridewells, but expect an explosion of bygone talent on the Leeds music scene in the very near future. Watch this space.

Date Posted: DEC 2005. By Luke Ross.

The second coming of Bridewell Taxis was given the official seal of approval by fans after a barnstorming set at Pudsey's Bien Venue. Coming in the wake of a triumphant re-union show at Joseph's Well in October, the band's second appearance was always going to be the acid test. While the Well gig was a euphoric trip down memory lane and will be remembered by Bridewell's fans for years to come, the Bien Venue show was arguably far more significant in terms of progression for the new-look band. And, pleasingly for the followers who are willing them to succeed this time around, the performance represented a strong step forward for the band.

Their sound was tighter than two months earlier at the Well and the overall quality of the performance was far superior. Vocalist Mick Roberts was on top form, guitarists Sean McElhone and Jules Metcalfe complimented each other well, while drummer Glenn Scullion and bass player James Metcalfe locked together impressively. Jules' impact on guitar erased any lingering doubts about the decision to re-form minus the trademark trombone, and the result is a rawer, more powerful sound than last time around.

The Bridewells opened and closed the Pudsey show with Honesty - much to the delight of the crowd - and ran through a host of tunes old and new. Re-worked crowd favourites such as Whole Damn Nation, Wild Boar, Spirit and Just Good Friends sound fresher while Honesty and Give In retain their familiarity yet with a different dimension.

Hold On is another of the older tunes which stands alone and the band delivered a spine tingling version at Pudsey.

Face in the Crowd and Moving Fast were both well received while Change The Way I Feel, the band's latest offering, provided confirmation that the Bridewells are more than capable of writing catchy material and the aptly-named "New Song" further enhanced the band's credentials that they are looking to the future rather than relying on past glories. The audience, a good natured crowd there to enjoy the evening, showed their appreciation, and the band exited the stage knowing full well that they are well poised to move onwards and upwards.

One long-time fan said: "I can't believe that was only the 2nd live gig in 14 years - they sounded excellent. I liked the sound of the new songs and the old ones sounded class without the trombone."

Another follower, who had missed the Joseph's Well return, echoed those sentiments. "The songs new and old were terrific," he said. "It's like the band haven't been away."

Taking the show to Bien Venue was a gamble for the Bridewells - it is an unusual venue that bears more of a resemblance to a small Town Hall - but it was a punt that paid off and the band were rewarded with yet another sell-out crowd.

Their next date is a Christmas Party at Leeds Uni's Mine Bar and the band have already confirmed that will be their last hometown date for four months. By the time they return to Leeds, on the evidence of their last two shows, it's safe to say that they will be looking at bigger venues to accommodate their fast-growing army of fans. With more new material to be added to their set and a tour already being planned, the Bridewell Taxis look well set for 2006.

As resurrections go, this is turning out to be a good one.

Date Posted: DEC 2005. By Luke Ross.

It's official. The Bridewell Taxis are proving to be the hottest ticket in Leeds. After selling out their re-union gig at Joseph's Well in October in the space of 48 hours, tickets were again snapped up in double-quick time for their appearance at Pudsey's Bien Venue on Thursday December 8th. Pre-ordered sales were in three figures and tickets to see the re-formed band are like the proverbial gold dust.

Date Posted: DEC 2005.
Reply to above post from: Leeds Lass.

I saw bridewell taxis in Pudsey & at the Leeds match... I had never heard of them & just went along for sumat to do !! They were great & the atmosphere was amazing !! Cant wait to see you guys play tonight !!

Date Posted: FEB 2006.
HOW IT STARTED
By Paul Dews "The Man Behind The Pen (and the Taxis).

If 2005 turned out to be a year to remember for Leeds-based crowd pullers the Bridewell Taxis, then 2006 could well be the year that propels the band into the national spotlight. Less than 12 months ago, the Bridewells’ name was little more than a reminder of times gone by when Leeds was a city buzzing with musical talent attempting to keep the pace with our Mancunian cousins across the Pennines.
But, in the space of a few short weeks last year, the Bridewell Taxis emerged as one of the musical success stories from the city and the re-invigorated five-piece are suddenly ready to take on all-comers.

A chance conversation in a London hotel room last March after a Happy Mondays gig re-lit the Bridewell Taxis fire and by the end of 2005, the band had played three sell-out gigs on home soil, recorded their first demo for 14 years, and made an appearance at Elland Road as guests of Leeds United. Long-time pal and former roadie Mick Tobin was responsible for sewing the seeds for a potential one-off re-union gig and, to use the title of one of their own songs, things have been Moving Fast for the band.

"We’d watched the Mondays in London and Mick said afterwards that we should get the band back together again," explains vocalist Mick Roberts.
"Me and Sean (founder member) had talked about it before, but there was always one reason or another why we never took it any further."

This time around, Mick was up for the idea and Sean took the decision to set up a website to see if the interest was out there. Within days of its launch, the website was inundated with well-wishers asking if the band had any plans to re-form and play again. Drummer Glenn Scullion had always been wary of re-forming, but when approached, he too was more than willing to borrow a kit, dust off his sticks, and have a laugh for old times sake. Glenn was already jamming with twins James (bass) and Jules Metcalfe (guitar/vocals), and the duo became obvious choices to join a new-look band with three of the original members.

"Mick Tobin asked us if we wanted to join a band and we were like ‘who’?" recalls Jules. "We couldn’t believe it when he said he wanted to get the Bridewells back together and wanted us to join.
"We saw the band a lot first time around and were big fans. We knew the lads and we knew the songs so we thought ‘there’s nothing to lose, we’ll give it a go’."

And so it was that this group of lads gathered in a Garforth rehearsal room in the early days of Spring. It had been 14 years since the Bridewells last played together, but it took just two minutes to recreate that missing vibe.
"When we walked into the room the lads started playing Honesty and it just blew your mind," smiles James.
"There was an immediate chemistry between everyone and it had such a good feeling about it."

Vocalist Mick was soon in on the vibe and with no formal plan, other than the possibility of a re-union gig at the back end of the year, the new-look Bridewells set about re-working their old material.

"The plan was for us to play a one-off gig," explains Glenn.
"None of us had thought about anything longer-term, we were just going to play the once, we hadn’t even looked beyond that."

But the internet is a powerful tool and the website set up by Sean was proving a major source of motivation.

"People were e-mailing asking ‘when you gonna play again’," says Sean.
"There was loads of interest - I couldn’t believe it, because when you’ve been away so long, you don’t know what to expect.
"We were just playing a few tunes, so we booked Joseph’s Well and put the word out..."
The word, as it turned out, didn’t need putting out.

Friday October 7 was the date set for the re-union and within 48 hours of the tickets hitting the shops, the gig was a sell-out. Tickets were exchanging hands for over £100 on e-bay and interest was sky high. The Yorkshire Evening Post was quick to pick up on the band’s decision to re-form and the subsequent publicity eclipsed most of what was afforded to the Bridewells last time around. Yet nerves still abounded. The Bridewells played a low-key rehearsal at the Primrose in Meanwood three weeks before the Joseph’s Well when a small group of pals were given the privilege of witnessing their first live performance since 1991. But that was nothing compared to the hysteria which surrounded the Well.

"Joseph’s Well was the best gig we’ve ever played," insists Sean. The rest of the band nod in agreement.
"A lot of work had gone into it and we wanted to have a good night, but it was just unbelievable.
"The place was absolutely packed, there were loads outside who couldn’t get in, and the atmosphere was amazing.
"Whatever happens now, that was a night we’ll always remember."

Even the presence of police vans outside the entrance failed to dampen the spirits for a crowd who were there simply for a trip down memory lane. Over 350 crammed into the sweaty venue to see the Taxis strut their stuff and the whole event was captured on camera for a DVD release. The band rolled out old favourite after old favourite - vocalist Mick was mesmerised as one fan mouthed every word to every song - and the lads were buzzing.

"It wasn’t until afterwards that we sat down and looked at what we’d done," says Glenn.
"And then you ask ‘where do we go from here?’. We’d only planned it as a one-off, but we’d got people ringing, texting and e-mailing asking when we were gonna do it again."

Happy to oblige and, privately boosted by the confidence of playing in front of a sell-out crowd, the Bridewells announced there would be a second date three weeks before Christmas. And maybe more.
Pudsey’s Bien Venue nightclub seemed a bizarre choice for a second gig, the venue resembling a small town hall rather than your usual fare, but tickets again went in a matter of days and the wheels were well and truly moving. Indeed, even before the Pudsey gig, the band lined up Leeds University’s Mine Bar for a Christmas party in order to satisfy a demand that was far outweighing the tickets available.

"We talked about everything after the Well gig," explains Glenn.
"We didn’t want to be one of those bands that goes around the Christmas cabaret circuit doing what they did 15 years ago.
"If we were gonna do it again, we all agreed we’d have to work at it. There’s no point in doing it if you’re not gonna try and do it properly."

By Pudsey, the band had a carefully nurtured set that included two new tunes. The catchy ‘Change The Way I Feel’ was already proving popular with the fans and the Bridewells were moving in their chosen direction.
Suddenly they were men in demand. A glossy Leeds-based magazine featured the band, Leeds United were on the telephone offering an on-pitch appearance at their game against Cardiff City, and local radio stations were clamouring for interviews and sneak previews of their demo CD. Then came the Mine Bar and, while the sound wasn’t as powerful as their two previous gigs, the Christmas Party was arguably the most significant of the three shows.

The Mine Bar attracted the curious crowd from the Leeds music scene, eager to see what the buzz was all about. A stand-offish group watched from the back of the room as the band took the stage and, without realising it, the Bridewells were facing their own acid test. Two songs in and the throngs had moved onto the dance floor and the place was rocking.

"The Uni was a real mixed crowd," smiles Mick Tobin, the driving force behind the band.
"There were a few old faces and a few who’d not been able to get tickets for the other gigs, but 70 per cent of the people there had never seen the band before, and they got well into it.
"People will talk about the Well as a one-off or the Pudsey show, but the Uni stood out because of the way the crowd reacted.
"It was the first time the band had really had to perform to an audience who didn’t know all about them and to see them get into it like they did made it all worth it."

If making it all worthwhile was the exercise, then the mission for 2006 is to take things a step further. A hardy few still lament the absence of a brass section, but it’s easily forgotten that when the Bridewells called it a day first time around, the trombone was already no longer part of their sound. With Jules’s powerful guitar riffs effortlessly taking the place of the brass in the new-look band, the back-catalogue has a new feel. ‘Honesty’ and ‘Give In’ are just two of the songs to benefit from a makeover while ‘Spirit’, ‘ Whole Damn Nation’ and the classic ‘Hold On’ still retain that familiar feel yet sound fresher today.
And fuelled by that confidence and the belief in the work they are doing, the band headed back into the rehearsal room last month to develop their new material in readiness for a March tour.
"We’ve got a lot of ideas and we’re working on a lot of things," says vocalist Mick.
"Just because we’ve been away, I never stopped writing songs. It’s what keeps me going. I’ve an album inside me I’d love to write.
"As a group of people we’ve clicked again. There’s a chemistry there. That is the big thing.
"And we’re enjoying what we’re doing. That’s important as well."

The feedback has also given the band added encouragement. Scepticism was unsurprisingly high among long-time fans, but support has been high. Advance sales for next month’s tour suggest the demand is there and people are willing them to do well this time around.

The current wave of optimism seems higher than last time when the original Bridewell Taxis spent almost two years seemingly on the verge of being signed to a label.
After nurturing a healthy local following and playing repeated sell-out gigs at the Warehouse, the Uni and Leeds Town Hall, the Bridewells of old were tipped for big things. But, within weeks of that Town Hall show, the band fell apart.

Glenn, Sean and Mick are all reluctant to talk about the past but, for all their reticence, they accept it’s that past that has given them the platform to move on.
"We had some good times," recalls Sean. "But in the end we had to make a decision. There was interest from record companies in Smile and we said if we didn’t get a deal by the end of 1991 then we would pack it in."

Glenn continues: "We were made a lot of false promises and told this would happen or that would happen and it never did. So we called it a day. "
"We were going through a bad time," adds Mick. "We all wanted different things, we kept sacking each other, and in the end things just didn’t work out."
But time waits for no man and almost 14 years after a farewell gig at the Warehouse - the band’s spiritual home - the band signed off 2005 at Leeds Uni in front of an appreciative crowd.

Quite what 2006 holds remains to be seen, but it’s hard not to share the band’s cautious optimism, that they could be embarking on a more successful journey this time around. They may be a little older, but they are considerably wiser.
"We’re gonna see how it goes," adds Glenn. "We’ve got a good team around us and we’re all in it together.
"Whatever happens, happens, but we’ll enjoy it along the way and if we give people something back for their support then it’s all been worth it."

You can catch the Bridewell Taxis in York, Fibbers (Mar 18), Doncaster, Camelots (Mar 25), and Leeds Uni Stylus Bar (Mar 31). More dates are set to be added.

Date Posted: FEB 2006.
Reply to above post from: Terry H.

Well what can be said that Mr Paul Dews hasn't already said? I challenge anyone out there to write anything better!

"A Modest man" it has to be said! And I think I speak for the rest of the Band when I say that  the execution and implementation of your talented writing skills and Social awareness boosting articles often seen in the local media has without doubt gone a long way to Re-establishing the Bridewell Taxis to the position they deserve within the music scene.

MAY YOUR PEN NEVER RUN OUT OF INK.


Date Posted: OCT 2005. By Nick Rowan.

Reviews depend on trust so I'll try and give it to you straight.

This guy from Otherside works at my place. He was obviously psyched to be playing this gig, posting up flyers around the office. Not that anyone bothered turning up, it's that sort of office, but it says something that he put himself up there to be shot at. This guy seems ok to me, I wonder if puts his hours in waiting to play at night, dreaming of a way out, like me.

Anyway, Otherside played first up to a half full Stylus. They're indie rock, emphasis on the rock, with a charismatic front man. The power fused out during their second to last song, leaving singer Phil Clarke to continue his banter with a section of the crowd. They made some friends here and looked a little embarrassed by the warm welcome they received when the techies finally sorted the power out. Otherside remain a work in progress.

Here's a familiar story: Leeds band get signed. Band members quit their day jobs. It doesn't work out, the band get dropped. Upon reflection the band decides to carry on; changing their name and writing a new set. Hey it worked for Parva, why not Infrasound?

However, Walkin Lions (yeah I know, worst name ever) do not seem to be a contrived attempt at making it. Not unless there is some Doors/Deep Purple inspired psychedelia revival scene I'm not aware of. Note to self: check Pop Bitch.

I've known guitarist Joel Dowson since we were five. I think he'd already been playing a couple of years. Go back two or three years and I thought Infrasound were a sure thing. They killed at the Brudenell, won Futuresound in 2002 and got signed to EMI offshoot Versity. This year their Andy Gill produced debut "Out Of Order" was released to reasonable reviews but little acclaim.

Tonight they look tired of the chase. Songs outlast their welcome. It's not until the last two tracks that they shake the mood and re-establish their credentials. Undoubtedly talented musicians, maybe Walkin Lions will get a break this time around.

Completing a night that showcased Leeds bands in varying states of evolution, tonight's headliners are the recently reformed Bridewell Taxis. History lesson: Bridewell Taxis were originally part of the Madchester scene, sounding more stripped down and scuffed up but still in the same mode as Ride and The Stone Roses. Not knowing the Taxis or Gang Of Four, I grew up thinking Leeds was some kind of musical wasteland, Manchester's bereft neighbour.

So how did this refresher course work out? Somewhat hit and miss. The fans looked on in awe. People danced. One girl walked through the crowd swinging her jacket like a helicopter blade. All I could see was what looked like the remnants of a wedding reception when everyone's had a few too many. The mood wasn't helped by the random images projected on to the screen, over and over again. Tony Yeboah's ferocious strike against Wimbledon was bafflingly followed by snippets of The Italian Job.

They played what must have been a similar set to the Bien Venue gig, with old standards Spirit, Just Good Friends and Wild Boar bringing the house down. Again they finished, as they started, with Honesty. I felt bummed out, especially with the killer reviews they've been getting. I just didn't get it. Everything seemed a little stale.

Post-gig I downloaded the tracks freely available on their website. They're good enough to have you considering a bowl-cut all over again. Only considering, mind. Although I'm still hoping they resurrect that trombone, the records give me hope that the fans were right and I'd missed something. Perhaps there's no need for the Bridewell Taxis to fear the reaper quite yet.

YOUR ARTICLE COULD BE HERE!
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Saw the Taxis website go up back-end of 2005. Couldn't believe my eyes! Then when the news came out about the re-union gig...well I just had to get a ticket. F**k me if it wasn't like getting blood out of a stone. I felt like Charlie Bucket when he got Willy Wonkas Golden Ticket.
The gig was brilliant, what a night! Partied for 2 days afterwards.
Managed to get to most of the Other gigs too. Bien Venue (The best so far), London Hope & anchor (what a laugh), Fibbers York, Camelots at Doncaster, missed both Uni gigs as I was on Holidays.
Keep it up Lads you make me feel 10yrs younger.
All the Best for the Future! Texas JIM.