Biography
Milk Teeth, a British punk outfit, stepped away from the rapid volume and aggression typical of their scene. Thick layers of distorted guitar, moody yet memorable melodies, and fluid shifts in intensity drawn from 1990s grunge and indie rock took its place instead. The band formed in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, where vocalist and bassist Becky Blomfield, guitarist and vocalist Josh Bannister, and drummer Oli Holbrook had all attended the same school. Bound by a common love of music, the three belonged to a network of friends who routinely supported one another’s projects.
Early in 2013 Bannister and Holbrook tracked a batch of demos. Guitarist Chris Webb heard the recordings and joined, turning the pair into a trio. After Bannister asked Blomfield to come aboard, they settled on the name Milk Teeth, borrowed from a song by the Japanese Voyeurs. The digital single “Vanilla” appeared in May 2013, followed three months later by the EP Smiling Politely. These first releases drew an eager response, and the group began playing regularly across the U.K. and Europe.
A second EP, Sad Sack, surfaced in April 2015. Its success prompted American punk label Hopeless Records to sign the band and reissue the record internationally. November 2015 brought the single “Brickwork,” which previewed the full-length Vile Child that arrived on January 29, 2016. Shortly before the album’s release, Milk Teeth announced Bannister’s departure and noted that guitarist Billy Hutton would fill the spot for the upcoming live dates. Early 2017 saw the band sign with Roadrunner Records and issue the EP Be Nice; a second EP, Go Away, followed that November.
Additional lineup changes over the next two years eventually left the group as a trio: Blomfield on vocals and bass, guitarist Em Foster of Nervus, and drummer Jack Kenny. Tours supporting PUP and Enter Shikari, along with festival appearances, ensued before the trio signed with Music for Nations. In 2019 they returned to the studio with Neil D. Kennedy to record their second album. The self-titled effort appeared at the start of 2020, preceded by the tracks “Given Up” and “Destroyer.”
Early in 2013 Bannister and Holbrook tracked a batch of demos. Guitarist Chris Webb heard the recordings and joined, turning the pair into a trio. After Bannister asked Blomfield to come aboard, they settled on the name Milk Teeth, borrowed from a song by the Japanese Voyeurs. The digital single “Vanilla” appeared in May 2013, followed three months later by the EP Smiling Politely. These first releases drew an eager response, and the group began playing regularly across the U.K. and Europe.
A second EP, Sad Sack, surfaced in April 2015. Its success prompted American punk label Hopeless Records to sign the band and reissue the record internationally. November 2015 brought the single “Brickwork,” which previewed the full-length Vile Child that arrived on January 29, 2016. Shortly before the album’s release, Milk Teeth announced Bannister’s departure and noted that guitarist Billy Hutton would fill the spot for the upcoming live dates. Early 2017 saw the band sign with Roadrunner Records and issue the EP Be Nice; a second EP, Go Away, followed that November.
Additional lineup changes over the next two years eventually left the group as a trio: Blomfield on vocals and bass, guitarist Em Foster of Nervus, and drummer Jack Kenny. Tours supporting PUP and Enter Shikari, along with festival appearances, ensued before the trio signed with Music for Nations. In 2019 they returned to the studio with Neil D. Kennedy to record their second album. The self-titled effort appeared at the start of 2020, preceded by the tracks “Given Up” and “Destroyer.”
Albums
Singles
