User:Dr Gary Paul Duke/sandbox

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 Trojan Horse are a Progressive Rock band, from Salford, Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. The band are Nicholas Joel Duke (guitar, keyboards, lead vocals), Guy Crawford (drums, guitar), Lawrence Salvador Duke (bass, guitar, lead vocals), Eden Ellis Duke (keyboards, vocals, bass). The band are all multi-instrumentalists. In the early days the band were heavily influenced by 1960s British psychedelia such as Barrett-era Pink Floyd and SF Sorrow by the band The Pretty Things. Today the band cite influences as diverse as Steely Dan, King Crimson, Soft Machine and Robert Wyatt, which has led the band to more recently focus on melodies over riffs.

History
Formed in 2005-06, Trojan Horse emerged from the studio recordings of the now defunct Manchester project Will Fall whose members were Nicholas Duke (guitar, backing vocals), David Cain, (bass, vocals), Justin Turnbull, (drums).

Early Trojan Horse
Gigging across the UK, Will Fall supported the likes of Mick Jones and Tony James of Carbon Silicon at the Fleece and Firkin, Bristol, 2005. Artistic differences between Cain and the band brought Will Fall to an end. Their first album was almost complete although unmixed. Produced by Danny the Red, drummer with CarbonSilicon[|CarbonSilicon], the recordings are unlikely to be part of any future release. In the wake of Cain's hurried departure, younger sibling Lawrence (Salvador) Duke was brought in on bass. Work began almost immediately on 'Mr Engels Says'in late summer 2005 at the Bunker Studios in Salford. An entirely new composition, 'Engels' marked a significant turning point for the band, pointing a new artistic way forward for the newly named Trojan Horse. The vocals sung in unison on Engels were shared by the two Duke brothers.

During the initial recordings of 'Mr Engels Says', guitarist Ste Stephens was brought in on lead guitar and vocals, also culled with Lawrence Duke from the Salford rock trio the 'Last Line'. The name Trojan Horse is said to emanate from the brothers love of history and the canon of epic Homeric poetry.

The Bunker recordings - 2005/2011
In late 2005 and early 2006, Trojan Horse embarked upon a tireless schedule of gigging and recording. With almost unlimited studio time at their disposal, producer DtR steered the band away from their usual way of working - the laying down live backing tracks - and moved them towards what Nick Duke has in the past described as "an often tedious and rather frustrating recording methodology" based on the extensive use of individual tracking (the heavy use of overdubbing or the multi-layering of guitars, drums, keyboards and vocals based on Phil Spector's 'wall of sound' philosophy).

Firmly rooted in Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds, Mr Engels Says is reputed to have in places between forty to sixty multi-tracked guitars. The final mix of 'Engels' contains over 120 individual tracks of instrumentation. At the time of recording, rumours were circulating that the studios owners had to regularly upgrade their digital recording systems to cope with this extensive use of overdubbing by the band. This use of digital technology has since become the hallmark of every Trojan Horse recording, where the studio has itself become, in the words of front-man Nick Duke, their 'instrument of choice'.

Trojan Horse Vol I
Their attention to detail resulted in their first album Trojan Horse (Vol I) which is on record as having taken three years to complete from initial recordings to release (LTTR 0001). An eclectic album with influences from Earth, Wind & Fire, King Crimson, Stevie Wonder, Yes, the Soft Machine and heavy on vocal harmonies, the narrative of this album is clearly rooted in the early industrialisation and socio-economic impoverishment of a pre-Victorian working class in Salford and Manchester. Songs such as 'Patricroft Way' draw on the Duke brothers early years living in and around their hometown of Eccles in Salford. The middle England Justice of the Peace 'Major Banks', lead character featured in Disciplining the Reserve Army, dwells on his nightly terrors of social anarchy. As a consequence, he uses his position on the magistrates bench to send young working class men to prison while he regularly 'beats his wife to the ground' and fantasizes about 'little girls in their gowns'. This social commentary highlights their antipathy

In 2011 drummer Justin Turnbull left suddenly leaving the project in limbo before the album's release. Turnbull was replaced by Manchester drummer Chris Hurst. Around the same time, younger sibling Eden Ellis Duke joined the band on keyboards and vocals. The band gigged extensively throughout the North West of the UK to critical acclaim. Only one track was recorded with Hurst on drums,'Fire' which later found its way onto the band's first 'Fire' EP.

Music and Politics
Despite receiving almost universal praise and positive reviews from the underground press, this did not reflect in sales of the album. Despite slow sales, Mr Engels Says was later featured in the soundtrack for the independent film 'The Condition of the Working Class' based on Frederick Engels' seminal book. The band are proud of their Salford roots, and are themselves steeped in outspoken views and political activism. They've gigged in support of Love Music Hate Racism, local campaigns such as Salford Against the Cuts and their track Laces and Racists is said to exemplify their commitment to anti-fascism and anti-racism.

In 2012 drummer Chris Hurst disappeared a few weeks before the band were due to begin a tour to promote 'Vol I'. Producer Danny the Red stepped in for several gigs until Guy Crawford saw the band playing at the Ruby Lounge in Manchester and joined, becoming a key member of the band. Crawford is also an experienced cameraman and produced the video for their second single 'Paper Bells'.

'Fans of the band'
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''' Snooker star, progressive and avant garde DJ and co-presenter of the Interesting Alternative Show Steve Davis is a huge fan of the band, featuring them on the show in 2012 where they provided a live playlist of songs and tracks that have most influenced them. Their 13.04 minute tour de force 'Bicycle Jam' is a favourite of Davis.

Recordings for 'Trojan Horse Vol II: The World Turned Upside Down' album 2011-2014
Prior to the release of Vol I, the band moved into SSR studios in Manchester to begin the recording of their second album laying down several backing tracks including a re-recording of 'Fire', 'Jurapsyche', Sesame Street' (working title), and 'Spunky' (working title). In late 2012 the band released their first EP with an earlier version of 'Fire' and a cover of Neil Young's 'Ohio', receiving airplay and positive reviews from BBC Radio Manchester's Michelle Hussey. The EP marked a move away from their emphasis on the aurally microscopic towards a  more organic recording process. Ohio and a re-recording of 'Disciplining the Reserve Army' were undertaken in their home studios. This marked a significant shift for the band. Having built their own studio, the band could now record whenever and importantly whatever they liked.

The SSR backing tracks, with the solid live rhythm tracks laid down by drummer Crawford, provided the foundations for a much heavier sound which the band could continue to build up at their leisure. This time, instead of meticulously replacing or recording each instrument one at a time, producer DtR worked with the raw material, adding overdubs only when absolutely necessary. Paper Bells, a new song, was laid down in one take. The middle eight was added months later

Towards the end of the recording of World Turned Upside Down, producer Danny the Red approached former Cardiacs guitarist and founder of Knifeworld Kavus Torabi who has provided lead guitar on the Soft Machine-esque 'Jurapsyche' Trojan Horse's most recent release 'Paper Bells' has seen the band move away from an eclectic focus on 'prog nouveau' towards a more coherent