22-20s
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England |
| Headquarters | Sleaford , England |
| Products | Blues rock music |
22-20s was a blues rock group originating from England, formed in 2002 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The band initially dissolved in December 2005, but reunited in 2008, releasing the albums Shake/Shiver/Moan (2010) and Got It If You Want It (2012). They disbanded once more in early 2013 before coming back together again toward the end of 2019.
Their songs have been utilized in various advertisements and films, with notable placements including "Devil in Me" featured in a Vauxhall Astra commercial in 2016 as well as a campaign for the Racing Post. Additionally, their music has appeared on soundtracks for movies such as Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla, London Boulevard, Cry Wolf, and Stoned, along with the television series One Tree Hill and the video game Driver: San Francisco.
Origins to initial dissolution
Martin Trimble and Glen Bartup, hailing from Heckington and Fulbeck respectively—both towns in Lincolnshire—met while attending Carre's Grammar School in Sleaford. At age fourteen, they purchased their first guitars together, influenced by blues records that Trimble’s uncle had introduced them to. Drawing inspiration from blues icons such as Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy, alongside rock figures like Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, they began performing within the northern English blues scene under the band name Crossfire, which was later changed to Martin Trimble & Outside Help. This ensemble included bassist Dave Wheeldon and various drummers including Rob Flanagan and Mark Barrett. Their repertoire mainly consisted of blues covers, and they toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe before disbanding in November 2001.
Following this, Trimble formed The Infidels and The Martin Trimble Band, with Bartup transitioning to bass duties. At nineteen years old, Trimble, Bartup, and Barrett recorded a demo under the name 22-20s that concentrated on original compositions inspired by Skip James' "22-20 Blues." After Barrett’s departure due to an unsuccessful recording contract, the group toured Europe employing session drummers until James Irving joined as a permanent drummer in 2002. They found the traditional blues circuit limiting because audiences expected covers rather than original songs, and promoters were reluctant to support non-traditional material.
The band secured a publishing agreement with EMI’s subsidiary Heavenly Records after submitting a demo to the Heavenly Social venue located in Nottingham. This sparked a competitive bidding process involving approximately 30 record labels, ultimately resulting in a contract with Heavenly. Relocating to Oxford, they incorporated Charly Coombes on keyboards during sessions for their debut album.
Their first single "Such A Fool" debuted in April 2003, followed by the live EP 05/03 released in September 2003 to capitalize on their reputation for compelling live performances. Their self-titled debut album arrived in September 2004, produced by Brendan Lynch—known for his work with Paul Weller and Primal Scream. The album pursued a contemporary rock sound rather than embracing a retro blues revival style. Both releases garnered critical praise. The band embarked on extensive tours across the UK, United States, Australia, Japan, and Europe, supporting prominent acts such as Oasis, Supergrass, Graham Coxon, The Black Crowes, and Kings of Leon.
In August 2005, after canceling multiple festival appearances reportedly due to illness, the group announced their breakup in January 2006 while working on their sophomore album in New York. Trimble cited creative disagreements and dissatisfaction with how the public perceived the band as key reasons behind the split. Although initially described as an amicable decision, later reports revealed that Trimble’s aspiration to steer the band’s direction differently clashed with other members’ perspectives. He emphasized that maintaining artistic integrity was more important than pursuing commercial success for any future projects.
Post-split period
Following the division, Trimble stayed in New York, collaborating with Bartup on fresh material and expressing intentions to tour later that year. He emphasized that this would not be a solo project. Although a new website was announced, it never came to fruition, and the band's MySpace profile was eventually removed.
Irving performed with Lincoln-based group Fuzzbox Music before moving to London, where he worked with Asylum alongside Cass Brown from Skunk Anansie, as well as with Hungarian ensemble The Puzzle and Richmond's Marner Brown. After departing Marner Brown, who replaced him with Coz Kerrigan of Larrikin Love, Irving rejoined 22-20s.
Coombes established Missing Pieces with Richard Walters and toured as a secondary guitarist and backing vocalist alongside Supergrass members Gaz and Rob. He later created and led his own band, Charly Coombes & The New Breed.
Reunion until second disbandment
In late 2008, the band reunited after their former manager offered studio time to Trimble and Bartup and invited Irving back as drummer. Unsure whether the recordings would be released under the 22-20s name, they accepted an invitation from Heavenly Records to perform at the Heavenly Festival in September 2008 at London's Royal Festival Hall. They brought in Dan Hare, previously of The Jubilees, as a second guitarist. Coombes did not participate in this lineup. Despite unveiling a new song during the show, the band stated they had no intentions of continuing beyond that performance.
In September 2009, they conducted a covert tour across England using the alias Bitter Pills to showcase new songs. Without prior notice, the single "Latest Heartbreak" was digitally released in the US on 29 December 2009 through TBD Records, an ATO Records imprint. This was followed by a digital four-track "Latest Heartbreak Live EP" in March 2010.
Their album Shake/Shiver/Moan launched in May 2010 in Japan via Yoshimoto R and C, attaining No. 2 on the International Rock Chart, with a subsequent US release in June. Produced by Ian Davenport (known for work with Supergrass, Badly Drawn Boy, Band of Skulls), promotion included live studio performances on YouTube and coverage in Filter Magazine (US) and Rockin' On (Japan).
The group toured extensively throughout the US alongside The Whigs, Band of Skulls, Alberta Cross, and Cage the Elephant, and also appeared at Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival. In October 2010, they released the "Latest Heartbreak Live EP" in the UK via iTunes and embarked on their first English tour in five years, playing sold-out venues.
They issued "Latest Outtakes" exclusively in Japan, featuring early reunion recordings and outtakes from Shake/Shiver/Moan, supported by four live shows. By late 2010, they relocated to Minneapolis—Trimble’s residence with then-wife Katie Deatrick, previously Astralwerks’ Director of Publicity—to begin crafting their next album.
In February 2011, a PledgeMusic campaign was initiated to distribute Shake/Shiver/Moan beyond Japan and the US markets, including bonus tracks from both "Latest Heartbreak Live EP" and "Latest Outtakes."
Their third studio album Got It If You Want It was released in Japan in March 2012, with a planned US release via TBD Records scheduled for July 2012. With three members based in Minneapolis while Hare remained in London, they played occasional regional shows early that year. On 3 May 2012, Hare departed due to financial difficulties and geographic distance; the band proceeded as a trio. The album did not see release outside Japan nor was it supported by touring. Trimble later attributed decreased output to family obligations and limited songwriting but expressed intentions to produce a new album by summer 2013.
On 27 March 2014, the band revealed on Facebook that they had disbanded the previous year, explaining that they "took a break from it this time last year and subsequently all moved in different directions."
Activities following the second split
Martin Trimble and his spouse Katie operated No. 6 Shop, a business specializing in importing and selling English antiques. In 2016, Trimble briefly joined Dead Man Boys Choir in Minneapolis as a guitarist and backing vocalist; however, the band deleted all social media accounts without releasing any recordings. By 2017, he had relocated back to Sleaford with his family and currently performs as the drummer for the blues cover ensemble Black Cabinet, led by Gary Jobling.
James Irving resides in Saint Paul, Minnesota and works as a real estate professional while co-managing Grand Realty Property Management. In 2017, he partnered with singer-guitarist Dan Fowlds to form the duo LowRay, debuting their EP Columbia in May; Irving contributes both drums and songwriting.
Glen Bartup holds a position within the Department of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh.
Dan Hare released music independently under the name Latin Wolves in 2015 and now teaches guitar in Leeds. In 2017, Hare mentioned having recent communication with former members of the band.
Unrealized second reunion
On 9 December 2019, the band's official Facebook page displayed their emblem. A subsequent post on 15 December announced a recording session at Superfly Studios located in Newark. The precise lineup was uncertain, as drummer James Irving remained in the United States while the band collaborated with session musician Wayne Proctor.
In March 2020, frontman Martin Trimble revealed via Facebook intentions to issue re-recorded versions of earlier tracks and embark on a tour later that year; nevertheless, these plans did not come to fruition. No further announcements have been made as of December 2022.
Albums
| Year | Details | UK Album Chart Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 05/03
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| 2004 | 22-20s
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| 2005 | Live in Japan
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| 2010 | Shake/Shiver/Moan
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| 2010 | Latest Outtakes
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| 2012 | Got It If You Want It
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Singles
| Year | Single Title | UK Singles Chart Peak Position | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Such a Fool" / "Baby, You're Not in Love" | — | 22-20s |
| 2004 | "Why Don't You Do It For Me?" | 41 | |
| "Shoot Your Gun" | 30 | ||
| "22 Days" | 34 | ||
| 2005 | "Such a Fool" (re-release) | 29 | |
| 2009 | "Latest Heartbreak" (Digital release only) | — | Shake/Shiver/Moan |