The World Of Twist Story : p1

For anyone living in Manchester during the early 90's and not totally convinced by the Madchester scene - preferring music with a little more glamour and a little less predictability - World Of Twist (along with Intastella) were the ones worth paying attention to. Difficult to musically pin down, they were a kind of early Roxy Music meets Velvet Underground meets Northern Soul meets Joe Meek meets Human League.

World Of Twist were one of the first bands to be making quirky retro glam electronic pop music of the kind of that bands like Pulp (who at one point supported WOT live) and Goldfrapp would later be exploring and gaining wider success with.

Initially formed in Sheffield in 1985 the band line up was James Fry (Vocals), Andrew Hobson (Bass), Gordon King (Guitar), Tony Ogden (Drums), Rory Conolly (Saxophone), Nick Phillips (Organ) and Andy Robbins (Synthesiser). This World Of Twist soon fell to pieces and it was another three years until a new Manchester line up would emerge.

The 1989 version of World Of Twist had Tony Ogden (Now singer and co-songwriter) and Gordon King (Guitar and co-songwriter) joined by Andy Hobson (Synthesisers), Alan Frost aka Adge (Visual effects and Synthesisers), Julia aka MC Shells (Swirls and Sea Noises), Angela Reilly (Visual Effects). Nick Sanderson (Drums) joined a little later.

A four track demo tape (The Storm, Blackpool Tower Suite, The Spring, She's A Rainbow) released early 1990 had considerable local alternative radio play and rave reviews in the local press - the inevitable London A & R frenzy soon followed. Read Part 2 >



Left to Right : Julia, Andy, Angela, Adge, Gordon & Tony.

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