Straw | en

There are at least four acts named Straw:

1) Straw are a band from Fife, Scotland. Formed in 2008 by Graham Munks (guitar, various instruments and backing vocals) and Gus Black (lead vocals,bass,various instruments) they were joined a year later by Derek Barclay on backing vocals and acoustic guitars.
They released their first album 'Old ten ton' in June 2010 on recmusics' label.
www.recmusic.co.uk

2) New York-based rapper Straw, member of MC duo Team Arliss (created by, named after and almost exclusively produced by D-Block's Supa Mario,) alongside fellow rapper Trav.

3) Straw were a British pop band that released one album, "Shoplifting", in 1999. Straw was formed in Bristol by Mattie Bennett (vocals/guitar) and Roger Power (bass/guitar), formerly of The Blue Aeroplanes. Later adding keyboardist Mark "Duck" Blackwell, the group signed to Arista Records under the moniker "Please" with a different lead vocalist. They recorded an album in Boston with American producers Slade and Kolderie.(Hole, Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom, Radiohead).

Unhappy with the results however the band were dropped by the label (who kept the original singer) after releasing a single 'If I was God...'. Bennett reluctantly stepped into the lead vocalist role, adding drummer Andy Nixon and re-christening themselves "Straw". This newly revitalised line-up were quickly signed to WEA and issued its debut single "Weird Superman" in the summer of 1998. Two more singles and one EP were released: "The Aeroplane Song," (charting at no.37), "Moving to California" (charting at no. 50) and "Soundtrack of the Summer" (including The World is Not Enough - a James Bond theme attempt) in 1999 before Straw released their first full-length effort, "Shoplifting" now viewed as a "lost classic" of the late 1990's post-britpop era.

Throughout 1998 and 1999 the band toured extensively with indie stalwarts Puressence, Space and Feeder alongside emerging future stars MUSE. Unfortunately the extensive touring and television appearances (including the O-Zone and TFI Friday) took their toll, and differences broke out in the band resulting in the dismissal of Power after the bands final appearance of 1999 at the Glastonbury Festival. To add to Straw's misery, they were also subsequently dropped by WEA. They persevered however, recruiting new bassist Dan McKinna, and self-funded (and self-produced) the recording of several new tracks in the basement studio of Pete Thomas' house (drummer from Elvis Costello and the Attractions). On the strength of this new material they were signed to Columbia in 2000 and released the 4-track EP "Home Work" and the single "Sailing Off the Edge of the World" to critical acclaim, however it charted at a lowly 52. A 2nd album, "Keepsakes", was slated for release later that year but, seemingly in keeping with Straw's run of bad luck, they were dropped by Columbia and went their separate ways shortly afterwards.

Andy Nixon and Dan McKinna went on to play in The Jeevas with Crispian Mills of Kula Shaker and then onto The Magic Bullet Band. Dan has also played for 10 years with Carol Decker Tpau), Duck, after producing both Straw and The Jeevas, continues to work as a record producer. Bennett had been spotted working in a high street bank and was due due to debut solo material in 2004, but his only scheduled gig was cancelled due to a London Underground strike and is currently an English teacher at Fowey Community College. The whereabouts of Power are unknown.

4) Straw is the alias of Colin Anderson, a rock musician and high school teacher, best known for featuring on children's TV show Dik and Dom In Da Bungalow in a band performing TV theme tunes.

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