The Thirst
Encyclopedia
The Thirst are an indie
band based in Brixton
, London
. The band consists of brothers Mensah (vocals
/guitar
) and Kwame Hart (bass
), Mark Lenihan (guitar
) and Marcus Harris (drums
/backing vocals).
from his parents around the age of 14, and after a few years he decided to get his brother, Kwame, a bass guitar
, buying it from 'cash converters'. This inspired friends Mark and Marcus to complete the band by purchasing a second guitar and drum kit respectively. The main inspiration behind starting the band was their strong musical upbringing and appreciation as well as the need to stay away from the life of street crime in London. "I [Mensah] started playing now and again and got these three round just smoking and trying to stay off the road. My mum allowed us all to come round her house and chill out. She’d rather that than us hanging on the corner smoking weed." Their musical influences include Jimi Hendrix
, punk, drum n bass, and local hip-hop.
The Thirst's first performance consisted of hastily created songs to fill their two forty-five minute acoustic sets. From there The Thirst continued to constantly gig all around London. Their explosive live performances, cultivated by constant gigging around London for a year, garnered a strong fanbase and more public awareness. Fortunately they were spotted at The Jamm in October 2006, which lead to their recording contract with Ronnie Wood's new record label, Wooden Records (est. 2004).
They have performed at a number of festivals, including Isle of Wight Festival 2007
, Hyde Park Calling, Electric Gardens
, the Dorking Rock Festival, and Glastonbury
, as well as exclusive support performances with The Rolling Stones
in Croatia July 2007, and two one-night support acts for The Sex Pistols November 2007.
While working with renowned producer, Jake Fior (The Libertines
), The Thirst have released The Thirst EP (23 July 2007), the single "Ready To Move" (29 October 2007) and, finally, on 26 May 2008, they released their debut album, On the Brink
, to a generally positive critical reaction.
In March 2008, they played at the SXSW festival in Texas
, and were picked out by Tom Robinson
as the highlight of the festival. They later performed a live session on Marc Riley
's BBC 6 Music
show Brain Surgery.
In July 2008 the band signed to Sentric Music
for publishing.
After performing at The Oak in Burntwood, Staffordshire on November 21, 2009, The Thirst, their manager (Kingsley Slater) and their sound engineer were arrested by armed police. The band were detained overnight and were withheld any information about their arrest until their release. Half a day later, all parties were released without charge and were notified that CCTV operators had flagged them under suspicion of firearms possession. Several months after the incident, the Staffordshire police finally agreed to destroy the DNA evidence acquired in the undeserved confinement of The Thirst and crew.
At the start of 2010, The Thirst were invited to compete in a songwriting competition as representatives of England at the Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar
, in Viña del Mar, Chile. They are to perform a cover of "Satisfaction
" by The Rolling Stones
in the competition and perform their own songs during the Festival between February 22–27, 2010.
EPs:
Albums:
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band based in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The band consists of brothers Mensah (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Kwame Hart (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Mark Lenihan (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Marcus Harris (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
/backing vocals).
History
Mensah received an electric guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
from his parents around the age of 14, and after a few years he decided to get his brother, Kwame, a bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, buying it from 'cash converters'. This inspired friends Mark and Marcus to complete the band by purchasing a second guitar and drum kit respectively. The main inspiration behind starting the band was their strong musical upbringing and appreciation as well as the need to stay away from the life of street crime in London. "I [Mensah] started playing now and again and got these three round just smoking and trying to stay off the road. My mum allowed us all to come round her house and chill out. She’d rather that than us hanging on the corner smoking weed." Their musical influences include Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, punk, drum n bass, and local hip-hop.
The Thirst's first performance consisted of hastily created songs to fill their two forty-five minute acoustic sets. From there The Thirst continued to constantly gig all around London. Their explosive live performances, cultivated by constant gigging around London for a year, garnered a strong fanbase and more public awareness. Fortunately they were spotted at The Jamm in October 2006, which lead to their recording contract with Ronnie Wood's new record label, Wooden Records (est. 2004).
They have performed at a number of festivals, including Isle of Wight Festival 2007
Isle of Wight Festival 2007
The Isle of Wight Festival 2007 was the sixth revived Isle of Wight Festival on the Seaclose Park site in Newport on the Isle of Wight. It took place between 8 June – 10 June 2007. Tickets went on sale at 9am on Thursday 22 February and were sold out by Monday 26 February. It was the first festival...
, Hyde Park Calling, Electric Gardens
Electric Gardens
Electric Gardens, , sometimes abbreviated to 'EGFestival', or 'EGFest', or sometimes simply 'EG', is a medium sized 'Boutique' Music Festival situated at Mount Ephraim, Faversham in Kent. The event occurs on a weekend in early August.The first occurrence of the festival was in 2006, and so far the...
, the Dorking Rock Festival, and Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, as well as exclusive support performances with The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in Croatia July 2007, and two one-night support acts for The Sex Pistols November 2007.
While working with renowned producer, Jake Fior (The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
), The Thirst have released The Thirst EP (23 July 2007), the single "Ready To Move" (29 October 2007) and, finally, on 26 May 2008, they released their debut album, On the Brink
On the Brink
"On the Brink" is the fifth episode of series seven of the British espionage television series Spooks, and the 60th episode overall. It was originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three on 10 November 2008, and repeated on frontline channel BBC One on 17 November. The episode was written by...
, to a generally positive critical reaction.
In March 2008, they played at the SXSW festival in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and were picked out by Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
as the highlight of the festival. They later performed a live session on Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
's BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
show Brain Surgery.
In July 2008 the band signed to Sentric Music
Sentric Music
Sentric Music is a British independent music publisher specialising in emerging song writers and artists.Incorporated in February 2006, the company is based in Liverpool, England...
for publishing.
After performing at The Oak in Burntwood, Staffordshire on November 21, 2009, The Thirst, their manager (Kingsley Slater) and their sound engineer were arrested by armed police. The band were detained overnight and were withheld any information about their arrest until their release. Half a day later, all parties were released without charge and were notified that CCTV operators had flagged them under suspicion of firearms possession. Several months after the incident, the Staffordshire police finally agreed to destroy the DNA evidence acquired in the undeserved confinement of The Thirst and crew.
At the start of 2010, The Thirst were invited to compete in a songwriting competition as representatives of England at the Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located...
, in Viña del Mar, Chile. They are to perform a cover of "Satisfaction
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
" Satisfaction" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Richards's throwaway three-note guitar riff — intended to be replaced by horns — opens and drives the song...
" by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in the competition and perform their own songs during the Festival between February 22–27, 2010.
Discography
Singles:- "Ready to Move" (29 October 2007)
- "Sail Away" (28 April 2008)
EPs:
- The Thirst EP (23 July 2007)
Albums:
- On the Brink (26 May 2008)