By Trevor Baxter
THIS PARTICULAR Wheel wants to turn full circle and roll back into Saddleworth for a home coming gig…
But Jonny Brown, the Greenfield-based former frontman of Twisted Wheel, isn’t sure how much of a welcome there might be in the hills.
A solo acoustic tour ends in Derby this weekend having included a rousing, well received stopover at Manchester’s Night and Day café.
Brown, 28, has plenty of plans for 2016, including a solo record and the formation of a new band but as yet though, there are no dates in his diary to plug in his guitar locally.
“I think a gig would go down really well,” said Brown during a chat with the Saddleworth Independent in his ‘office’ – The Clarence on Chew Valley Road.
“When Wheel first started we did a few gigs in the marquee at the back of the Church Inn. They were mad and we had some great times.
“I’d definitely do one gig with some good support acts, possibly at the Civic Hall. I think it would go down well but probably the majority of the crowd would come from Manchester.
“A lot of the Saddleworth crowd, once Wheel started doing well, didn’t come to our gigs anyway. It was like they didn’t want us to do well.
“We got more negative feedback from people in your own town than Manchester. I think a lot of people would come from other areas. But if Saddleworth people want to see me, great.”
Brown used the Wheel back catalogue extensively during recent gigs, including shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
But the planned five track EP will feature new material written but as yet unrecorded during the past 12 months.
Twisted Wheel buckled for the last time in 2014 and Brown says he regrets the band’s demise but has enjoyed his recent singularity.
“You can’t beat walking on stage, having your brothers on tour with you, that unity between you is a great thing,” he said.
“Then again it’s great on your own because you don’t have to pay out as much money! Seriously, it’s great entertaining a crowd on your own.
“It takes a lot of bottle. And the Twisted Wheel songs still mean stuff to people. They weren’t throw away songs; they were embedded into people’s memories.”
And that’s why you suspect new material or not; new band or not; there will always be room for a Wheel tune in any future Brown set list. Hopefully in Saddleworth.
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