18 Wheeler

Scotland's alternative pop/rock outfit 18 Wheeler drew scant attention and frequent critical scorn during its existence. The group came together in the early '90s with Sean Jackson handling vocals and guitar, David Keenan on guitar and vocals, Alan Hake on bass, and Neil Halliday behind the drums. Like fellow Scots Teenage Fanclub, the quartet gravitated toward Big Star's pristine guitar pop while also embracing Gram Parsons's country-rock leanings and the Beach Boys' luminous vocal harmonies. Because those touchstones sat so plainly on the surface, U.K. journalists branded 18 Wheeler mere copyists. After cutting several singles, Keenan departed in 1994 to launch the Telstar Ponies; guitarist Steven Haddow stepped in as his replacement. The same year the band issued its debut album, Twin Action, through Creation Records. Formanka appeared twelve months afterward. Creation ended the relationship following the 1997 release Year Zero, an effort that incorporated dance rhythms in an attempt to refresh the group's approach.