The band consisted of Joe Carnall (lead vocals/bass), Louis Carnall (vocals/rhythm guitar), Tom Rowley (lead guitar) and Joe Green (drummer). They produced ear-grabbing riffs and essential Melodies, underpinned by the raw tones of the mod-punk era, which epitomises the youthfulness and abundant potential of the band. Milburn's sound has most recently been described as the aggressive riffs of the Jam, with a touch of ska mixed with the hooks and sound of modern contemporaries such as the Libertines and Razorlight.
The first vibrations of a buzz surfaced well back in 2002 when Milburn twice sold out the Boardwalk, a local venue respected nationwide, playing to a 350 capacity each time. 2002 also saw the band showcase for a band development programme at Sheffield's Red Tape Studio's. They were chosen to enter the programme from a selection of around 70 local acts and gathered essential recording and performance experience over that period. They went on to play successful gigs at the famous Cavern Club venue in Liverpool, The Garage in London and the Leadmill, Sheffield supporting Laika Dog (new band of Tony Wright (ex Terrorvision) and Cosmic Rough Riders.
July 2003 saw the recording and distribution of a demo which coincided with Milburn's biggest gig at the time; Over 600 people at the Nelson Mandela building at Sheffield Hallam, followed by a further appearance at The Music Box in Manchester. After a further sell out late 2003 at the boardwalk, the band were invited to perform as part of a youth development at In The City.
The band have used their gigging time to develop their performance and most importantly, their music and are not developing that essential sound. Their next demo, Lipstick Lickin', was regarded as their finest to date gaining rave reviews and earning radio time on Zane Lowe's show on Radio 1.
Milburn released their second album These Are The Facts on 24 September 2007 whilst releasing the first single from this album "What Will You Do (When the Money Goes)?" beforehand on 17 September.
Milburn promoted this new album with a UK tour running from 13 September to 28 September ending with a hugely anticipated home-coming gig at The Leadmill in Sheffield on the last night of the tour which sold out in just 3 days.
The latest gigs that Milburn played were at the Sheffield Octagon on 29 November 2007, which they headlined, and the Doncaster Dome on 30 November 2007 where they supported The Pigeon Detectives.
Milburn announced on 28th March 2008 that they have decided to call it a day with the band, however 'there’s been no malice or falling out between us and we still remain friends and supporters of each other as we move on and explore new musical horizons.'.
Wolves At Bay
Milburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you know that you don't,
Don't say that you will,
If you know that you won't,
It's simply common sense,
When everybody's scared of consequence,
It's hard to keep your head,
And try as you may oh you can't keep the wolves at bay,
Everyone wants to discover,
The undiscovered,
And no one's willing to commit themselves unless their own backs are covered,
It's hard to make a move,
When everyone is scared that they might lose,
It's hard to keep your head,
When all around the lights have changed to red,
And try as you may oh you can't keep the wolves at bay,
You can't keep the wolves at bay,
Oh what a difference a decade makes,
It's easy to tell between fools and lies,
All won't be lost no,
Think, and put out this fire
It's simply common sense,
When everybody's scared of consequence,
It's hard to keep your head,
When all around the lights have changed to red,
And try as you may oh you can't keep the wolves at bay,
You can't keep the wolves at bay,
Despite what you say,
You can't keep the wolves at bay
The song "Wolves At Bay" by Milburn talks about the fear of commitment and the inability to follow through with promises made. The song addresses the idea that it is better not to make promises if you cannot keep them. The lyrics "Don't say that you do, If you know that you don't, Don't say that you will, If you know that you won't" emphasize this point. The song suggests that everyone is scared of the consequences of their actions, and this fear prevents one from keeping their head when faced with challenges. The metaphor of wolves is used to represent the fear and the consequences that follow when we break promises. The song speaks of the difficulty in facing this fear and the inability to keep the wolves at bay.
The second verse of the song suggests that everyone is trying to discover the unfamiliar, but people are not willing to commit unless their own backs are covered. The fear of losing something inhibits people from taking risks, and this fear makes it harder for them to keep their heads up. The chorus "And try as you may oh you can't keep the wolves at bay" is repeated twice to emphasize that no matter how much we try to avoid fear, it cannot be avoided.
Despite all of this, the song ends on a hopeful note. The line "All won't be lost no, think and put out this fire" suggests that we can overcome fear by thinking and taking action. The song concludes with the poignant line "Despite what you say, you can't keep the wolves at bay," which emphasizes the idea that facing our fears is the only way to move forward in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't say that you do,
Don't falsely claim that you agree or support something.
If you know that you don't,
If you know that you don't believe or support something, don't pretend that you do.
Don't say that you will,
Don't make a false promise.
If you know that you won't,
If you know that you won't fulfill a promise, don't make it in the first place.
It's simply common sense,
It's just logical.
When everybody's scared of consequence,
When people are afraid of the effects of their actions.
It's hard to keep your head,
It's difficult to stay calm and rational.
When all around the lights have turned to red,
When everything seems to be signaling danger or to stop.
And try as you may oh you can't keep the wolves at bay,
Despite your best efforts, you can't prevent the dangers from getting to you.
Everyone wants to discover,
Everyone wants to explore, know, or uncover something.
The undiscovered,
Something that hasn't been found or learned yet.
And no one's willing to commit themselves unless their own backs are covered,
Nobody wants to take a risk or promise anything without being sure that they won't be hurt or blamed.
It's hard to make a move,
It's difficult to take action or make a decision.
When everyone is scared that they might lose,
When people afraid that they might not succeed or suffer because of their choices or actions.
Oh what a difference a decade makes,
It's amazing how much can change in just ten years.
It's easy to tell between fools and lies,
It's straightforward to see the difference between foolishness and deceit.
All won't be lost no,
It's not too late or hopeless.
Think, and put out this fire
Reflect and find a way to solve this problem.
Despite what you say,
Regardless of your words or promises.
You can't keep the wolves at bay
You can't avoid or defend against the dangers or consequences that are about to come.
Contributed by Alice B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
walkabout
a classic indeed!