13palms became a band not because of any great need to be in the spotlight, more just because they wanted to make music out of the many ideas they had floating around between them.

 

Forming when will, dave and olly were 16, very little was done initially, as the boys were more than happy just to be "in a band". apart from the occasional practice in olly's

basement or dave's front room, it was a casual thing, with parents simply passing it off as another "phase". after a year of semi-activity, and without their original drummer steffan parry (now with "the chudettes"), the band set about getting serious and making some home grown recordings. using a cassette four track that dave got for his 18th, the band spend many a night at olly's and dave's houses getting ideas down on tape. the song "seven" was born around this time. Final versions and extra bits were recorded in will's shed during easter 2001, as making noise was much preferred to revising for a-levels. they mastered it, stuck it on CD and named it "they got biters".

this EP drew the attention of ronnie jones, who offered his services as a manager to the band and offered to record a couple of the tracks from "they got biters"

in a professional recording studio. the band jumped at the chance, and the "shed" EP was born. recorded at GCMP in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, "shed" was a more polished, layered EP when compared to the raw, home-made "they got biters". 13palms were finally gaining some momentum.

 

but the band still needed a drummer...

 

it so happened that geoff cooper (owner of GCMP and engineer of the "shed" EP), had an ex-pupil who he felt would complement the band's style. he told ronnie, and

before they knew it, the rest of the band was meeting andy hayes in a barn, next to a golf course. olly, dave and will all instantly clicked with andy. his wide knowledge of music, and the fact that he had been gigging with other bands meant he could bring some much needed live experience to the 13palms cause.

 

13palms then set about getting a set together that they deemed good enough to play to an audience. hiding themselves away in a rehearsal room for a whole weekend, every other weekend, the band worked on new material and began to construct a strong live set. Making their live debut back in spring 2002, they now have many songs of different styles in their arsenal, ranging from slower folksy songs such as "nitescreen", to the faster, edgier "Shotgun". and there's plenty of standout tracks in between.

spring 2003 finds 13palms and ronnie jones deciding to go their separate ways. creative differences had always been apparent in their relationship, and it was this that eventually brought it to a mutual end.

 

13palms are currently gigging around the london/hertfordshire/essex area.