Stellar debut single for Macclesfield band Red Sky Dawn
By Alex Greensmith
18th Mar 2022 | Local News
A new rock band from Macclesfield have released their first single.
What Were You Thinking? is the debut release by Red Sky Dawn.
The five-piece have members from Macclesfield and Bollington. The band also includes two siblings from South Park.
The teenage alt-rock band have released a polished three-and-a-half minute track with impeccable production.
The band of youngsters have a sound that will please older listeners, with What Were You Thinking? being a mid-tempo post-punk number.
The opening guitar and bass lines have shades of New Order that even Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner would both have to agree to smile over.
Lead vocalist Sam Timson even sings in a soft echoey voice reminiscent of Joy Division or Editors, but with a little more warmth.
And they have a trump card niche that many rock artists have failed at. Red Sky Dawn manages to make a saxophone work in a modern rock song.
Having honed their craft with an energetic saxophonist at their live gigs in Macclesfield and Wincle, fans of the band (including this journalist) were intrigued how the brass instrument would work in a studio recording.
Tom Riddle's saxophone sits low in the mix, but amplifies the emption of the chorus further. But the fact most new guitar bands fail to use the jazz-associated instrument, it makes their throwback post-punk sound completely new.
Drummer Alex Walton also puts in an excellent performance between the sticks.
Red Sky Dawn's guitarist and songwriter Charlie Candlish spoke candidly on the achievement of the new single:
"I never expected to be the guitarist in a band until I was one," said Charlie.
Drums were my main instrument, and I played in a few bands growing up, they were mostly cover bands; but I never got much from playing other people's songs.
"It's hard to be a songwriter behind a drum kit. So naturally, I gravitated towards the guitar sitting in my bedroom.
"I had started playing the drums because I saw Stewart Copeland from The Police on their 2007-08 reunion tour.
"So ten years later, I shifted sights onto their guitarist, Andy Summers, and watching videos of him has initiated a neverending YouTube journey.
"I have already taken massive inspiration from watching guitarists like The Edge, Johnny Marr, Dave Fielding, Andy Gill, and Bernard Sumner.
"As you can tell, my tastes are very 80s inspired. I feel that the instrument used to have such a unique character back then, with people discovering and experimenting with effects pedals for the first time.
"I think some of that character has been lost in today's music, and I see no reason why it shouldn't return."
Elsewhere in the band, bassist Josie Candlish is influenced by Paul McCartney.
Red Sky Dawn's Twitter also list Foals, Big Country, Sam Fender and Kings of Leon as bands they compare themselves to.
Red Sky Dawn first performed together in September 2019.
Three years on and following the release of their first single, the band have now begun work on their debut album.
Macclesfield: You can listen to What Are You Thinking? at the top of this article.
Their music can also be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
You can also follow the band on Facebook or Instagram.
They also have a website and YouTube account.
Special thanks to Warren Millar Photography for photo permission for this article. Follow Warren on Instagram.
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