The Broken Vinyl Club
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Aberdare , Wales, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 5 (members) |
| Parent | Acid Jazz Records |
The Broken Vinyl Club was an indie rock group from Aberdare, South Wales, influenced by 1960s Welsh music and signed to Acid Jazz Records.
They were distinguished by their tight vocal harmonies and chiming guitar sounds, often compared to the Beatles, the Byrds, the La's, and the Kinks. The band was acknowledged as part of the UK's rising mod movement.
The initial roster included Scott Howells (vocals, guitar), Justin Beynon (lead guitar, vocals), Jamie Taylor (bass, vocals), and Meirion Townsend (drums, vocals). Townsend departed in early 2013 and was succeeded by Twm Champagne, formerly the drummer for Keys.
Origins and See Monkey Do Monkey
In late 2008, multi-instrumentalists Scott Howells and Meirion Townsend established the band to make use of a newly constructed studio located in the basement of a tattoo parlor in Aberdare. What started as a casual songwriting and recording project quickly evolved as they enlisted Justin Beynon—previously with local outfit Cripplecreek—to handle lead guitar duties, and Jamie Taylor—Howells' ex-bandmate from Black Hand Laser Band—on bass.
Following extensive rehearsals, their debut performance took place at Buffalo in Cardiff in May 2009. They subsequently concentrated on playing gigs throughout South Wales while working on their first album in Townsend’s studio. During a show at Ten Feet Tall in Cardiff, the local label See Monkey Do Monkey, which also represented one of their inspirations, Keys, signed them on the spot.
Pretty Green
Shortly after releasing the single I Want You Girl, its video caught the attention of Welsh actor Jonny Owen, who was impressed enough to share it with his contacts in the music industry via his online TV program Svengali. This exposure led to an invitation to perform at the launch event for Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green club in Islington, London—a night attended by Gallagher himself, his Beady Eye bandmates Gem Archer and Andy Bell, actor Martin Freeman, and Acid Jazz Records founder Eddie Piller.
Acid Jazz Records
Their profile rose further when former Creation Records executive Alan McGee forecasted significant success for them. Their track "I Want You Girl" was included on Acid Jazz Records’ mod-themed compilation Hipsters 2. The label then reviewed their entire catalog and offered a three-album contract. The first single released under Acid Jazz was "One Way Street" (b/w "Day Too Long") in August 2011, followed by their self-titled debut album The Broken Vinyl Club in October 2011.
Supporting Stereophonics and "Diamonds in Her Eyes"
Following their album launch, Welsh artist Kelly Jones extended a personal invitation for them to support Stereophonics during three London dates at Shepherd's Bush Empire as well as a warm-up show at Bournemouth's O2 Academy. Capitalizing on this opportunity, they issued a second single through Acid Jazz—the non-album track "Diamonds in Her Eyes"—in February 2012.
Lineup change and disbandment; Svengali soundtrack
Early 2013 saw founding member Meirion Townsend exit the group; his place was filled by Twm Champagne, previously of Murry the Hump. Although they continued performing for a time, the band dissolved by the end of that year, concluding with a final performance at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff on 23 November 2013.
After disbanding, their single I Want You Girl was featured on the soundtrack of the 2013 film Svengali, alongside contributions from artists such as Miles Kane, Jake Bugg, The Stone Roses, and The Who.
Past members
- Scott Howells – lead vocals, guitar (2009–2013)
- Justin Beynon – lead guitar (2009–2013)
- Jamie Taylor – bass guitar, backing vocals (2009–2013)
- Meirion Townsend – drums, percussion (2009–2012)
- Twm Champagne – drums, percussion (2013)
Albums
The Broken Vinyl Club Their debut album, self-recorded in their Aberdare studio, was released through Acid Jazz Records in October 2011.
All tracks were composed by Howells and The Broken Vinyl Club, except for songs 5 and 12, which were written by Beynon and The Broken Vinyl Club.
Singles
- "I Want You Girl" / "In My Mind" (See Monkey Do Monkey, 2010)
- "One Way Street" (Acid Jazz Records, 2011)
- "Diamonds In Her Eyes" (Acid Jazz Records, 2012)