A band formed by a Huddersfield-born singer-songwriter and a San Francisco-based musician has released a debut single on vinyl after the pair collaborated while 5,000 miles apart.
Wendy Robinson, formerly of indie band The Popinjays, formed Moth to the Flame earlier this year with Californian Dave Han after the pair met at a one-off Popinjays reunion gig.
Wendy, a former pupil at Colne Valley High School who grew up in Linthwaite and Marsden and now lives in Kent, has now promised a ‘homecoming’ gig in Huddersfield once the band’s debut single has been launched in the United States.
VIDEO: Moth to the Flame's debut single
She is enjoying creating music again following a long break after The Popinjays folded around 20 years ago.
She said: “It may sound a bit difficult managing to be in a band and close relationship with someone who lives 5,000 miles away.
“But I am very experienced at being apart from those I love having left my home town and family more than 30 years ago and still being close to everyone.
“Dave and I couldn’t come from more different places. Huddersfield and San Francisco don’t have much in common! And a Californian and a Northerner couldn’t be more different either.
“I guess we just compliment each other perfectly.”
She is hoping to put on a gig in Huddersfield at some point in the future.
“I’ll soon be flying to California to perform live to kick off the launch of the single in America. We’ll have to sort out a gig in my home town after that to show Dave a northern good time.”
Dave said: “I had been a fan of The Popinjays in my student days and by serendipitous chance, I had the opportunity to catch their one-off reunion gig in London last year.
“I had no idea this would lead to meeting Wendy and then composing and performing together - it has been extraordinary.”
The debut double single, featuring the tracks Snow Train and Tides of Time, is available to download and on 7inch vinyl.
One critic, Phil Newall, said the band had produced an “eclectic, intimate and unique sound world of dream pop” which evoked images of “sun dripping through clouded skies, shimmering ponds, moments or contemplation or indulgence...”
