Picture the scene. It's Saturday night and 5 guys from London are spread out around the country. It's been 5 years since they decided to follow their passion for music. So many ideas, so much enthusiasm – all they needed was time to create. But time costs money so they did a few function band gigs to get some cash together… and a hotel residency here or there wouldn't hurt… Oh and maybe a little teaching to tide them over…
As the bills rained in their dreams took a backseat and life became a groundhog day of teaching and playing ‘background music'. This wasn't what they had signed up for. That Saturday night it all changed.
Perhaps it was as Sam began to sing Mustang Sally for the millionth time and Ross and Scott yet again launched into the opening riff of Long Train Running or maybe it was when Martin was asked to play Nickelback's How You Remind Me just for that drum fill and Dan had to play yet another bass breakdown in You Can Call Me Al.
We don't know what the final trigger was but we changed that night. A line was drawn, and underneath that line emerged Halfway to New York. What was the goal? To get the buzz back – to take creative control. It was a huge gamble and compromises had to be made but the feeling of creating music we believed in and getting the response we have had has made that leap of faith worthwhile.
Halfway to New York's music has a common thread throughout – strong melodies with honest lyrics. Nothing controversial, just great tunes and emotive lyrics.
If the response so far is anything to go by I would definitely watch this space…