You grab your phone and text your mate, asking if he fancies a PINT, but the predictive text throws up in rapid fashion PINT SHOT RIOT.


Do mobile phone manufacturers know more about the state of this country than they’re letting on?…


The names tell it all: Rocket, so called because aged 18 he worked at the infamous Rocket pub where various football hooligan firms spilled into upon arriving at Coventry Railway station. Mini Rocket, simply because he’s slightly less (in)famous than his elder cousin. Baby Dave, well, maybe just because he’s shorter than the rest of them. And Rob, because that's his name.


So how did they get together: Rocket bought a guitar and began to learn to play. Influenced by Oasis for his early years he wanted to write his own songs. He and cousin Mini Rocket had always been thick as thieves, hence Mini diving in at the deep end and learning the drums so they could make this happen together.


Songs were written but were no good without a band. A small studio in Coventry called J10 had loads of musicians through the doors and seemed a perfect place to ask if anyone knew of a bassist. Baby Dave emerged, committed 100% and took everything to a new level. The three members were perfect in their roles.

Now the search was on to find a lead guitar player to complete the band and for the second time a studio would come to the rescue. There was talk of a kid called Rob who was proper class on guitar, he had worked at a studio in Birmingham where Rocket, Mini and Dave had demo'd some early recordings.

Rob lived in Redditch where he had his own little make shift studio at his folks house. After a quick phone call with Rocket they decided to have a jam.


This rehearsal in Jan 2007 was where everything clicked into place and PINT SHOT RIOT became what they are today.


Influenced by the spiky rhythms and even spikier lyrics of The Clash, the working class rock and roll attitude of Oasis, and the melodies and harmonies of The Kinks, Pint Shot Riot’s songs talk not of despair but of hope, not of everyday mundane life but of everydays dreams, not of isolation but of strength in union. Documenting minute detail, a polaroid snap shot, and blowing it up to reveal the bigger picture. Blowing it up is not a metaphor. It’s not a dream. It’s an ambition. A promise.


Support dates with The View, The Enemy, Athlete, We Are Scientists and Dirty Pretty Things so far.


When the band sing “Come On, Sweetheart, Leave This, Shitty City” in Little Hitlers, they aren’t inviting you for a nice drive in the country they’re inviting everyone from Anytown, Anywhere to designate their own riot area!




Photos by Paul Ward