World-class producer to work with up-and-coming rockers

The roll call of top acts the Grammy-nominated producer has worked with is impressive – Depeche Mode, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Tom Jones, Concrete Blonde and Gary Moore.

Guitarist Luke Ashby, vocalist and bassist Ben Comley and drummer Damon Marshall, all 15, toured the States in 2013 and last year the Witney band was signed by Philadelphia-based Toil Records.

Jim Ashby, who is Luke’s dad, and co-manager Eric Marshall, said Mr Tsangarides has agreed to work with the band on their first album. Mr Ashby, 46, from Witney, said he and Mr Marshall visited Mr Tsangarides at his studio in Dover, Kent, before agreeing the boys should work with him.

Mr Ashby added: “It’s fantastic news – Chris has been watching the boys’ progress for a number of years and is happy that now is the right time to work with them on their first album.

“When we met Chris it was clear that he really wanted to do this album with the boys and said ‘if you go anywhere else I will be very upset’.

“The boys are due to go into the studio in August to start recording the album and Chris will get paid an advance from the record company for his work in the studio and then have a financial interest in the album sales.

“There’s no working title yet for the album but recording dates have been agreed.

“The lads have built up some great experience over the past few years, and have done 40 or 50 gigs a year and toured the States.”

• Chris Tsangarides

Luke said: “We are all really excited about working with Chris – it’s amazing that he wants to work with us.”

Mr Marshall, from Witney, added: “This is insane for the lads. Chris feels the boys have something special and wants to work with them.”

“Chris has an incredible record - he co-produced Parisienne Walkways with Gary Moore.

“I got in touch through Facebook about three years ago and he has been following the band ever since.

“After the deal was signed with the record label I asked him if he would work with the boys on the album and he agreed.”

Mr Tsangarides said: “I’m really looking forward to it. They are a talented bunch of lads and I think they could be a big name in years to come.

“They are very dedicated and I think it helps that their dads have a passion for music too.”

Earlier this month the band recorded a single, Forever, in memory of their friend Liberty Baker, 14, who was killed on June 30 last year when she was hit by a car as she walked to Henry Box School in Witney.

Twisted State of Mind started in 2011 when Wood Green students Luke and Damon began songwriting.

They then met Henry Box student Ben at lessons at Witchwood School of Rock.

The group has been compared to Rage Against the Machine and played their first gig at Fat Lil’s nightclub in Witney in 2011.

Since then they have performed more than 120 gigs throughout the UK.