The Widows

The Widows: London group. Post-punk, psych, rock ’n’ roll… whatever you want to call it. Visceral enough to shake the paint off the walls, hypnotic enough that you might forget where you left your pint. Formed in 2015. Played a bunch of gigs that sometimes left the audiences looking like they'd witnessed a minor electrical incident.

They put out an album, Popular Demand, plus the single Brexit Chainstore Massacre — a title that caused confusion, complaints, and a bit of dancing, sometimes at the same time. Then the drummer legged it back overseas and everything went on pause because apparently flights are more important than rock 'n' roll (still love him, though).

2023: resurrection. New line-up.
Kim Le Tan: vocals/synth
Francesco Manzi: guitar/vocals
Roger Salsas: bass/vocals
Vince Johnson: drums

Yes, they’ve all heard The Stooges, Bowie, The Cramps, Television, The Fall, etc. No, they’re not doing impressions. It’s more like they fell into the same trench and came out the other side covered in a strange, lurid sonic fuzz.

The Widows deal in shadowy guitars, psych-tinged textures, and heavy rhythmic grooves that grab you from across the room and refuse to let go. Songs veer from strangely melodic to wildly unhinged, often in the same track. Kim holds it all together (more or less) with vocals that could seduce you or curse you depending on the night.

They’ve shown their faces at Camden Rocks and other dens of iniquity. Now they’re getting ready to release a new record, which is apparently their most ambitious so far (they say this every time, but this time it might be true). Lead single Bardo Blues is out on 21st November.

Live, The Widows will either convert you or confuse you, but you won’t forget them.
Rock 'n' roll band, maelstrom of sound. Proceed accordingly.

"Somewhere between Danse Macabre and Disco Inferno are The Widows."