midway still | biography

Bio

Line-up
Paul Thomson - Guitars / Vocals
Russell Lee - Bass
Declan Kelly - Drums / Percussion

From The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave, written by Colin Larkin:
UK indie rock band whose profile initially rose through supports to the likes of Cud and the more musically similar Mega City Four. Boasting a sound which also earned comparisons to Teenage Fanclub or Dinosaur Jr, the band comprised Paul Thomson (guitar/vocals), Jan aka John Kanopka (bass) and Declan Kelly (drums). Both of the latter were formerly members of USMF. Their first single, 'I Won't Try', emerged on Roughneck Records (a subsidiary of Fire records) in July 1991. Thematically it was dedicated to their pet python and attempts to feed it with mice who bred exponentially. Thomson was an interesting character, having met Keith Moon (Who) on holiday as a child, and sharing abths with a young Michela Strachan. Also in childhood, alas. The band were easily distinguished by their taste in Hawaiin shirts, though their efforts at running a competition in the New Musical Express to get a reader to design a logo for them ended in disaster. So too did their short but entertaining career with diminishing press returns for their second long player in 1993. As its title suggested, life may indeed be too long, but musical careers can also be disastrously short.

From the Reading Festival programme, 1992:
The guitar is back. Some go for McGuinn, others for Hendrix. Midway Still, all hair and six strings, look back with devotion to Husker Du. Debut single 'I Won't Try' mixed assault course guitar with sweet hooks, and, that, basically is what the whole shebang boils down to. Rather Retro - very tasty. The threesome spring from South London and admit to being guitar purists, with Neil Young also high on their list of praise. You can hear sone of that in the 'Wish EP' from late last year (1991), which also includes their My Bloody Valentine cover 'You Made Me Realise'. A blast, pop kids.

Unknown Source
The punk-pop trio Midway Still formed in the early '90s in Kent, England, comprising drummer Declan Kelly, bassist Jan Konopka, and vocalist/guitarist Paul Thomson. Signed to Fire subsidiary Roughneck, the band's debut 1991 single, "I Won't Try," registered impressively at number 12 on New Music Express' year-end chart. After another single, the full-length Dial Square (produced by Gumball's Don Fleming) appeared in 1992. Life's Too Long (produced by Leatherface's Frankie Stubbs) followed in 1993, along with a couple of singles soon after. Drummer Kelly exited and was replaced by Brad Aitchison (formerly of Speed Circus), and the band departed from their label. The band financed the recording of a third LP that never saw the light of day. After an extended break that began in 1994, the group reappeared (with Konopka replaced by Russell Lee) in charming fashion with the F**k You single in 2001 on Antipop.

Original Line-up
Paul Thomson - Guitars / Vocals
Jan Konopka - Bass
Declan Kelly - Drums / Percussion