The Cribs Online

Controversy

Gary once told Maximum Ink Music Mag that he would punch out Robbie Williams because of the rude way the ex-Take Thatter treated band pal Edwyn Collins.

Music

Bands which influenced The Cribs include Orange Juice, Slant 6, Huggy Bear, Nirvana, The Beatles and The Sex Pistols

Gary rates label mates Bloc Party as 'nice people'. The band are similarly complimentary about Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab For Cutie.

Gary and Ryan write the band's lyrics.

History

The brothers first started playing music together in 1989 after their computer consoles were stolen in a burglary and they had nothing to do.

Their first 'gig' was a family New Years Eve Party in 1989 where Ross had one drum and a few biscuit tins, and the boys mimed along to a Queen tape.

The band progressed to recording cover versions of The Beatles and The Sex Pistols on a friend's reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Ryan says that the band really got serious in the autumn of 2002.

The band rehearse at a lock up in Wakefield, where they have an original Double Dragon arcade machine.

The band used to hold impromptu gigs in Wakefield but had to stop when the police started to break them up because people were drinking.

Here is the definitive word on Ryan and Gary's early band 'Wrinkle', from official forum poster blahnobandpoopsticks (!)

" Ryan and Gary wrote songs and sang as well as playing their instruments while in Wrinkle.  Wrinkle members have included... Bibbsy : Drums; Alison : Guitar; Brigga : Drums. Gary can also play the Violin and Drums and has drummed in bands called in Kavolchy and Pregnent Porcia and also passed through a few local Wakey bands including (bizarrely) an early version of the highly unlistenable Monster Killed by Laser . Wrinkle self realesed a demo called The Closer the Clearer and later on Mook records put out self titled EP. Gary and Ryan went to Wakefield College (Thornes Park Centre). Select magazine did an interview with them."

Escapades

When Ryan and Ross appeared on Soccer AM he successfully completed their Wembley Challenge which involved kicking a football through a tiny hole. Many ex-professionals have failed in their attempts at this challenge, and Ryan did it all in his gaffer-taped 'Beatles' boots.

Childhood

Ryan and Gary were born by caeserea n

The brothers often went on holiday to caravan parks, where they got a taste for arcade games such as the Double Dragon machine they have at their rehearsal space.

The boys' mother plays guitar and piano and used to play Beatles songs to them. 

The Cribs actually grew up in Netherton, near Wakefield.

Ryan and Gary enrolled on the Music Recording course at Barnsley college but left before acheiveing the qualification.

They also studied for a year at the Leeds College of Music, but again failed to last the distance.

The boys all worked at a paper factory in Horbury Bridge where their father was the MD.

Real Life

One of Ryan's hobbies is writing. His favourite writers are Jack Kerouac and Italo Calvino.