User:Elevenelevenuk/Eleven eleven

Eleven:Eleven are a 4 piece punk band from South East Kent, UK, consisting of Matt Verrell (Lead Vocals/Bass), Sean Houghton (Guitar, Vocals), Loz Hollett (Drums) and Sam Parker (Lead Guitar, Vocals).

They didn't start life as Eleven:Eleven, the band began in 2002 under the name Shibby. Sean Houghton (Guitar/Vocals) and James Allix (Drummer) formed the band with close friend Tommy Hewitt joining not long after on bass. Their first EP, "Brown Eye" was recorded at Mark 1 studios in Deal, Kent and featured 3 tracks "Bring Back The Pop Punk", "Bare Face" and "Don't Stick Around". They started gigging live in about 2003 and became the local house band at Concorde Youth Centre in Ramsgate, Kent. The next album entitled "Up The Creek Without A Paddle" was released early 2004.

In the same year, James Allix left and the hunt was on to find a replacement. Sean had met Loz Hollett earlier on, as his old band had been invited to play the Concorde Centre. Loz quickly learnt the songs and Shibby we're back on the road within 2 months. The first thing they did was recorded "The Live Album", whilst playing at Concorde Youth Centre. But it wasn't long before Tommy decided to leave the band as he wanted to pursue a different style of music.

It was early 2005 while Sean was out of the country, Loz found Matt Verrell whilst they we're both studying Music Technology at Canterbury College. Matt soon became the member they needed to excel forward and they were soon back in the studio to record "If All Else Fails..." which featured songs like "Without You" and "High School Rules". This EP signaled a more energetic sound and live show, with Matt adding keyboards to the mix. They toured this EP in early 2006 and embarked on the "Fred Bull Gives You A Boner" tour. This was the bands first taste of touring life. In the same year, they we're approached by Chromium Records to release the EP properly. Of course, the band being young and niave jumped at the chance, handed over £150 which they thought was normal and waited. But in early 2006 the label liquidated along with their money.

But this was not the end because a few months later they we're found by Mark Adams who took them under his wing and started managing them. Ther first thing was to get them back in the studio to record a "real" EP, so he sent them off to Dorset to RNT Studios where Rick Parkhouse (Producer - Sandy Thom) moulded the sound and captured the raw energy of the live show.

This EP was to be called "Blurring The Edges" and went on to sell around 1500 copies. The band then went out on tour again, this time supporting Essex pop punk band Koopa. Three days before the tour began, Koopa pulled out leaving Just Shibby and Tripped And Falling to complete the tour. This tour was a disaster and things we're tense within the band. Mark had learned of a new band rising through the ranks "Elliot Minor" and so managed to get a support slot on their first full UK tour. The tour started in Leeds in July and ended in Sheffield in early september. This rocketed Shibby to new heights. Things we're looking good when they joined Elliot Minor again in Scotland 3 months later.

Jan 2008 after being in the band for three years, Matt left to persue new projects leaving the band in ruin. Loz and Sean tried to continue drafting in long term friend Justin Clarke, but things just weren't the same, so in Feb 2008 Shibby was no more. It took 4 months for Sean and Loz to decide they needed a new venture, so decided to start a new band, something a bit harder and a bit more serious. It was Amanda (Sean's wife) that suggested the name "Eleven:Eleven" - this was due to the countless times Sean had seen 11:11 on the digital clock.

So it began, the hunt for a new guitarist and new bass player. Sam Parker was one of the first people they tried out after he advertised to join a band on a local site. Straight away they knew this was the man for the job, so in May 2008 Sam joined Eleven:Eleven as lead guitarist and backing vocalist. But the hunt for a bass player was turning out to be a lost cause. It wasn't until November 2008 that Matt got back in touch with Loz offering to session play bass on their new EP. This went one step further when Matt auditioned at a band practice and decided to re-join.

And so the line up was completed, and straight into the studio they went again and recorded "I Am" and "Lights On" at Delta Studios in Chartham, kent. They started gigging again and soon created a buzz around the name once more.

2009 saw them win the Kent Soundclash contest, record a music video, play with bands like The Blackout, Feeder, Ash, Attack! Attack!, The Ghost of A thousand + many more.