User:SIMON HOWARD JONES/sandbox

The Phantom Light (Band)
The Phantom Light name originates from a 1935 film of the same name which follows the disappearance of two lighthouse keepers stationed on the desolate coast of Wales. It’s a haunting early example of the work of the visionary director Michael Powell, and resonated with founder members frontman Anthony Jones and drummer Matty James, who had grown up staring out from the shorelines of Swansea.

Ant was inspired to form the band after attending the Green Man Festival at Brecon in 2009, and attending a Massive Attack gig a month later. He started collaborating with Matty in ensuing months, and quickly hooked up also with Jason Jones (guitars and synths) who shared their musical vision and who they’d found via the internet. After spending the first few months collaborating with ideas over the internet the band knocked up a 2 track demo which they submitted to the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Contest for a possible place at 2010's 40th Anniversary Glastonbury festival. Then at the end of February, the band, out of 1600 entrants, made the final 12. The intial line-up has since been supplemented by the additional guitars of Simon Jones, the bass of Ed Purcell and the stunning harmony vocals of Aisha Chaouche.

Having achieved so much in such a short time, they immediately set out to work towards their debut album, due out in 2012. The recording process hasn’t been without its own peculiar hurdles - for example after renting a cottage in West Wales to record the guitars they found that the electric fences were interfering with the amps! However driven on by music they treasured, with influences ranging from Slowdive to Sigur Ros, from Cocteau Twins to Kraftwerk, and from Yeasayer and Explosions In The Sky to Mazzy Star and Majesty Crush, their mission to create something truly extraordinary continued in good cheer.

The band have already showcased their massive live sound alongside the likes of Ellen & The Escapades, Fixers, Tom Williams and the Boat, and Let's Buy Happiness. Further encouragement has come from radio play home and abroad, with support from the likes of Bethan Elfyn, Tom Robinson, Adam Walton and inclusion in consecutive years in the ‘Festive Fifty’ on John Peel tribute station Dandelion Radio.

Their first official release was the single 'The Greater Picture' which was digitally released June 11th 2012.

The band are currently working on a five track EP for release in early 2013