The Black Country duo GANS has been making waves across stages nationwide. Anyone who witnessed Euan Woodman (drums, vocals) and Thomas Rhodes (bass, vocals) supporting their fellow Black Country band Big Special on tour over a year ago likely shared the same thought as this reviewer: “Who are these guys?!” After signing with Pete Doherty’s Strap Originals label, receiving airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music, performing at festivals, and attracting dedicated fans wherever they perform, the duo is now set to release their debut album, 'GOOD FOR THE SOUL.'
In a Zoom conversation just nights before they opened for The Libertines at Halifax's magnificent Piece Hall, our first question noted the swift arrival of their debut album. Tom concurred: “That’s a fair point. We wanted to make our mark in the world, you know? In line with GANS' ethos, we just create what we want when we want. We felt ready.”
Their signing to Strap Originals has accelerated the release process of their debut album. Tom revealed that the first album he bought was ‘Up The Bracket’ and expressed his excitement about being signed to Pete Doherty’s label: “It’s incredible! They picked us up last November, really early on. Pete was a fan from the very start, which is quite remarkable, especially considering how significant this is to our lives now. Back then, we were just starting to grow.”
Euan and Tom have been friends since they were 16. After exploring different bands, they reunited to embark on a new project. Initially, their aim was to write songs without worrying about their audience. They wanted to create a significant amount of noise. When they released their debut single ‘WHAT YOU MEAN’ in December 2023, they were surprised by the positive feedback. People responded enthusiastically. Their future manager, Keith McColl, was so impressed after listening to their music that he immediately stepped in. Tom elaborated: “We wrote songs together since we were about 17, then lost touch for a few years due to life. We missed each other and wanted to create music again, mainly for ourselves. The thought of being rock stars wasn’t even on our minds. We create for our own sake, driven by an impulse, not to inflate our egos or become something else. We need to write music together; it’s our calling.”
Releasing a debut album is a significant milestone for any artist. ‘GOOD FOR THE SOUL’ will be out on September 19th, produced by Ross Orton. For GANS, the album encapsulates their life experiences, relationships, and the realities of growing up working-class in the Black Country. Tom added, “It’s an identity piece for us. It reflects us, our experiences, our upbringing, and the essence of being us, transformed into these 11 songs.”
A key track, ‘OH GEORGE’, has personal significance for Euan: “My brother struggled with serious mental health issues. I wrote the lyrics for ‘OH GEORGE’ based on a poem I had written titled ‘Bill’. It’s less about the individual and more about the family's perspective. Most musicians write about those who suffer from mental health challenges, but this song is about those who care for them. Having supported many individuals with severe mental health concerns, performing that song is often emotional due to the anger, despair, and love one feels for someone in that situation. George can be anyone, and I think anyone can relate to George. If it makes you think of someone, that’s who we mean.”
Singles like ‘IN TIME’ and ‘I THINK I LIKE YOU’ exhibit the energetic side of GANS and are just a glimpse of their live performances; however, the album also includes more introspective tracks like ‘EVERYTHING IN EXTREME’. Tom describes it as a reflection of a long-term relationship that ended: “We both feel deeply, which can lead to a lot of pain. ‘EVERYTHING IN EXTREME’ tries to encapsulate a turbulent relationship, capturing the intense highs and lows in one song. While we’re a punk rock band, we’re also songwriters and emotional beings. We wanted to show this at the earliest opportunity. The philosophy behind the album is that we may not get a chance again, so let’s highlight all facets of our thoughts, lives, friendships, and personalities in this record. Thus, ‘EVERYTHING IN EXTREME’ is our introspective attempt to express tenderness and articulate our intense personal experiences.”
Most of the album was composed in a cottage in Llandudno, where they isolated themselves for 10 days with a crate of beer, mostly without informing the owner that they were bringing along a drum set, amps, and studio equipment, despite her living just 30 meters away! Eight of the 11 songs were written during this time. Tom shared: “It was
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The Black Country duo GANS has been making waves on stages all over the country. Anyone who witnessed Euan Woodman (drums, vocals) and Thomas Rhodes (bass, vocals) perform