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Monday 1 August 2022

An NHS worker from Worcestershire’s hospitals is earning international recognition as a talented musician, after his band signed with a famous record label and booking agency.

By day, Glenn Smyth is Clinical Coding Manager at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, but by night he’s the frontman of ‘psychedelic rock’ band Solar Eyes. Having gained notoriety from radio plays on BBC 6 Music by Steve Lamacq, the band have just signed to booking agency ITB which also represents giants like Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Guns n’ Roses, Kasabian, and Maroon 5.

Following the success of their debut EP ‘Dreaming of the Moon’, Birmingham-based Solar Eyes have now also signed with Fierce Panda Records – the record label that released Coldplay’s debut single, as well as records for Keane, Ash, and Supergrass.

Topping off a busy summer, the band return with their new single ‘Alcatraz’ on 5 August, taken from their upcoming EP of the same name, to be released on 28 October.

Vocalist and guitarist Glenn, is joined by fellow Brummies Tom Ford and Seb Maynard-Francis, who together have just received their biggest booking yet – a slot at next year’s internationally-renowned South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.

Before making their way across the pond for one of the world’s biggest music festivals in Spring, Solar Eyes have a couple of live shows closer to home, playing at Deadwax in Digbeth on 12 August, as well as a slot at the Moseley Folk Festival on 2 September.

The speed that Solar Eyes are gaining attention is a surprise even to frontman, Glenn. “It’s all a bit mad really, we’ve only done one gig so far! I sent our songs to Gavin Maude who has been Coldplay’s long-term music lawyer and he sent it to a couple of people who’ve come on board and it’s just snowballed from there”, explained Glenn.

Watching their music videos on YouTube is quite an experience, as all their tracks are accompanied by masterfully animated videos by Matt Watkins, who made his name doing similar work for the multiple platinum-selling band, Gorillaz.

“In lockdown I started recording some stuff in my loft during that boiling hot period, so the tunes would be sizzling as I recorded them. Then I was just going to car boot sales and buying old vintage pedals and we went from there. It sort of feels like fate a little bit, like we’re on this journey and everyone can come along for the ride”, described Glenn.

If you’d like to listen to Solar Eyes’ tracks or get tickets for their live dates, you can find out more here: http://fiercepanda.co.uk/artists.php?artist=394