the managua line

In the summer of 1998, as the Britpop scene diminished into darkness, the aftermath was the equivalent to that of the Fall of Rome..at least that's what it felt like for the music fans of Northern England. Brighton Beach in Leeds was still packing in the crowds on a Friday night, attracting a confusing but adorable mix of Mods, Madcunians, Bagsters, Britpopsters and New Wave Punks to celebrate the recent yet rich history of their respective, beloved genres. The future looked bleak however; Urban Hymns and OK Computer had been released the previous year providing a beautiful but tragic finale to a celebrated musical decade.

It was at this time that Edwards and Henderson started a musical collaboration that continues today with THE MANAGUA LINE. Their first venture together, six-piece indie-rock outfit, Indiqa, was likened to The Verve...on speed. Edwards on lead vox provided rugged, powerful vocal contrast to Henderson's driving and danceable drum patterns at the back; the two led the band to a series of well-remembered and well-attended gigs throughout the North. The sound was described as "quaintly old-fashioned rock and kitchen sink pop" which yielded critical acclaim. The big deal never came though and Indiqa went out with a bang in 2001, literally a bang. During their farewell concert, a white Ford Transit van was set on fire outside the venue and the place had to be evacuated.

Perhaps it was a disgruntled fan, reacting to the news of the band's breakup in a pyromaniacal frenzy? We will never know...

Roll on to 2003, Henderson contacted Edwards to reveal his new project. Los Guys, an eclectic, sometimes virtual collective with a jazzy, funky and very original sound, described as "Pure party electronica, plenty of raw funk and the odd dashing of vocal beauty". Their first track, "Getting down with the Fungus Mungus", was very popular on several music websites of the time, usually holding the #1 spot for weeks. The band won mp3unsigned band of the year in 2004, hot on the heels of a triumphant tour including dates in Amsterdam and London. In 2005 they funked-out the crowd at Glastonbury and won a 2nd band of the year title. The sound was catching on and their 2006 long-player, "La Noche de San Juan" received critical acclaim.

Los Guys are currently inactive but ready to pounce back into the fray at any given moment.

At the end of 2011, Edwards formed THE MANAGUA LINE with the sole purpose of writing music for listening to in the best and worst of times. Henderson's production company was drafted into the project, bringing his considerable talent and experience to the table. The songwriting reflects a mature, experienced commentary with observations on the human condition. The sound, recently and succinctly described as "Tears for Fears meets Ben Folds at the Hacienda".