* En anglais uniquement
English indie rock band
the Moons take elements of psychedelia and garage rock and add a healthy dose of catchy pop. Lead singer
Andy Crofts had played in
Paul Weller's backing band before
Weller contributed to
the Moons' first album, 2010's
Life on Earth.
Edwyn Collins got on board for 2012's
Fables of History. Following a third full-length and a brief hiatus,
the Moons returned with Pocket Melodies in 2020.
The group was established in Northampton in 2008 by vocalist/guitarist
Andy Crofts out of the ashes of his former band,
the On Offs.
The Moons' first demo, The Lunar Sessions, was recorded with
Crofts playing most of the instruments except for drums, which were handled by former
On Offs drummer Danny Connors. After those initial sessions, a full lineup was assembled, including Ben Gordelier (drums), Adam Leeds (bass), and Chris Ketley (guitar). Leeds and Ketley soon moved on, to be replaced by
James Bagshaw and Tom Warmsley. Recorded at
Paul Weller's studio --
Weller and
Crofts were closely associated, with
Crofts playing in his band -- where he contributed piano on "Wondering" and lead guitar on "Last Night on Earth,"
the Moons' debut album,
Life on Earth, saw release in 2010 on Acid Jazz.
In 2011,
the Moons began working alongside
Edwyn Collins on a follow-up.
Fables of History was released in 2012 after the band signed to Schnitzel Records; it was also their first record to feature keyboardist Tom Van Heel. After releasing another album for Schnitzel, 2014's
Mindwaves, the group took a hiatus from recording, although they would still play the occasional gig. This changed in 2020, when, still showing an affection for the rock of the '60s, they self-released their fourth album, Pocket Melodies, on
Crofts' label, Colorama Records. ~ Liam Martin & Marcy Donelson