The Young Knives Biography

Hailing from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England, Young Knives feature Henry Dartnall (vocals/guitar), Oliver Askew (drums), and Thomas Dartnall (bass) (aka House of Lords).

Originally known as Simple Pastoral Existence, then Pony Club before settling on The Young Knives (later dropping the 'The'), these snarky geek-rock post-punk revivalists initially started out "playing bad Ned's Atomic Dustbin covers" while living in their hometown of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.

A move to Oxford in 2002 gave Young Knives their big break and anappearance at the Truck Festival led to the band issuing 'The Young Knives...Are Dead' mini-album for Shifty Disco in 2002. Three years later, the trio was playing shows alongside The Futureheads and Hot Hot Heat while readying their debut EP for Transgressive.

The limited-edition 'Junky Music Make My Heart Beat Faster' sold out quickly; 'The Decision,' which was produced by Gang of Four's Andy Gill, followed in December 2005.

In the new year, Young Knives' growing popularity seemed unstoppable. Both 'Here Comes the Rumour Mill' and 'She's Attracted To' made the U.K. Top 40.

The band chose to play gigs in schools and libraries, and additional shows with The Rakes and Dirty Pretty Things wowed the U.K., and the band's American performance debut at the annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, TX, proved successful.

Young Knives' debut full length album, 'Voices of Animals and Men' (a throw to Adam & The Ants' song 'Animals and Men') was realeased in 2006 and nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize.

The follow up album, 'Super Abundance' was released on March 10 2008, reaching 28 in the UK charts.

On April 7, 2008 Young Knives announced they would be releasing new single 'Turn Tail' from the first take, straight to vinyl - the first time a band has done this since the 1970's.