Linchpin

Ashley Bird - Ex-editor of Kerrang

Linchpin are the most exciting young band in Britain. Fact. Their first video was downloaded 33,000 times. The first pressing sold out in 48 hours. Dave Grohl has proclaimed them to be ‘fucking awesome’. They’ve already been praised by Kerrang!, Metal Hammer and Rock Sound magazines. Even The independent has raved about them. And with the release of their fizzing debut mini-album ‘Small Town Theory’ they’ve just raised the bar for UK pop rock. Apart from being a Band for over 4 years now the fact that all four members of the group are just 17 years of age is almost irrelevant. The fact that they said ‘fuck you’ to the pop industry in order to do things on their own terms is very relevant.

Linchpin’s debut mini-album is turning heads right across the music industry and amongst the band’s thousands of fans. With songs that take Linchpin’s early promise and turn it into a speaker-botheringly thunderous pop-metal sound, SMALL TOWN THEORY is in its own way almost a concept album. “It’s about making the most of ourselves, breaking the mould and doing great things,” states Olle. “Some people come from small neighbourhoods, they’re born there, they live there, then they die there. We don’t want to do that, we want to get out and show what we can do.” Linchpin shun the trendy emo scene in favour of crafting something new, with a more timeless, hook-laden sound. “Good songs are good songs no matter what era you’re in or how old you are,” says Olle. “And if you just follow the fashion, it will be all over for you very quickly,” says Paul. Cynics might argue that the band’s tender years mean they can’t possibly have the life experience needed to be a great band yet. But Linchpin make no excuses for their youth – to them it’s a ‘head start’ and it enables them to relate to their fans better than most. “Some older bands are embarrassed to have fans of our age,” says Paul. “But we ARE our age, and we love playing to people like us, and hopefully they will grow with the band and stick with us along the way.” “We have older fans too,” adds Joey. “I’ve had 18, 20, 25 year olds come up to me at gigs, and the interest from music magazines shows we’re not just impressing teenagers.”

Linchpin are in this for the long haul and say they’ll do anything to ensure they don’t have to work in shops for a living. “We’re prepared to live on the edge to make this band happen,” says Paul. “Even from what we’ve done so far, we know that this is exactly what we want to do with our lives.” With an arsenal of incendiary tunes, a storming live show fuelled by passion and commitment and youth most certainly on their side, you’d be a fool to bet against Linchpin taking over the world. The blue touch paper is lit, now watch them go off.

Band Website: http://www.linchpinrock.com

Vocals: Joey
Drummer: Olle
Guitarist: Paul
Bass guitarist: Mikey