James David Martin and Thomas Richard Martin (twins

TWINS

Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers are a pair of NASA instruments aboard two United States National Reconnaissance Office satellites in Molniya orbits. TWINS was designed to provide stereo images of the Earth's ring current. The first instrument, TWINS-1, was launched aboard USA-184...

 born December 2, 1977 in York

York

York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...

, UK), are English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

s and songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

s. Thomas (Tom) plays guitar and James plays keyboards. As well as playing in several bands, they have co-written songs which have charted for other recording artists such as Do

Dominique van Hulst

Dominique Rijpma van Hulst is a Dutch singer known by her stage name Do . She is best known for singing the vocals of DJ Sammy's worldwide top 10 hit in 2002-2003, "Heaven", a cover of the 1980s hit by Bryan Adams....

 and Khymera

Musical career

Identical twins Tom and James started learning the guitar at 15 after playing truant from school and watching Van Halen

Van Halen

Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...

 videos on MTV. Fascinated by Pop Culture and the escape from real life, an obsession with music began. With Tom favouring the guitar, James took up the keyboard as it would be more ideal for a band situation.

Sugartown

"Sugartown" was the first real band the twins put together. It was named after the large number of chocolate factories in York at that time. (i.e. Nestle, Terrys, Cravens) In 1998 the initial line up included ex Big Guns guitarist, Phil O'Dea and Betty Curse drummer, Chris Prendergast. Two E.Ps were recorded, S/T and 4TUNE, both of which received great reviews. The band were offered a record deal with German record label AOR Heaven, but negotiations collapsed and the band disbanded shortly afterwards.

Having also worked as postmen and bingo callers, at the turn of the millennium James and Tom re-formed Sugartown with new members, and with a new, poppier sound. They recorded a new EP titled "The Next Big Thing". The band gained management in America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and were showcased and filtered through Universal

Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...

. Again, with no joy, the band disbanded.

In April 2001 the band recorded a 3 track CD with a new vocalist, singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin

Alistair Griffin

Alistair Richard Griffin is an English singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC television show Fame Academy 2 in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees...

. They would sometimes play under alias names, mainly "Luxury" and played strongly in the York

York

York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...

/Harrogate

Harrogate

Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...

 area, performing cover songs along with original material. Among the high points in this era was an opening appearance at Party in the Park

Party in the Park

Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...

,Temple Newsham Leeds.

In 2003 Griffin left the band to enter BBC'S

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 Fame Academy

Fame Academy

Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...

 and came runner up to Alex Parks

Alex Parks

Alex Parks is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for winning Fame Academy in 2003, for her singles, and for the albums, Introduction and Honesty.-Biography:...

.

Kryah

In 2004 the twins assembled a new band named Kryah with long term friend Pete Lauda, Nottingham drummer Daniel Chantrey and Birmingham vocalist Scott Dean. The band toured the country through 2004/05 with a high point playing The London Astoria

London Astoria

The London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...

. A 3 track EP was recorded, (March 15 / Going blind / No warning) at the Dairy Studios in Brixton and mastered at Abbey Road

Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...

. The EP was co-produced by Ian Brown

Ian Brown

Ian George Brown is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Stone Roses, which broke up in 1996 but are confirmed to reunite in 2012. Since the break-up of the Stone Roses he has pursued a solo career...

 songwriter Marc Lane. The band broke up in 2006 with vocalist Scott Dean leaving to pursue a solo career.

Shortly after the demise of Kryah, Tom and James hooked up again in 2006 with Alistair Griffin

Alistair Griffin

Alistair Richard Griffin is an English singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC television show Fame Academy 2 in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees...

,as the founding members of Alistair's new band "Albion",( both leaving after the initial few months to form The Station Club), and also began writing songs for his follow up album to 2004'S "Bring It On

Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer

"Bring It On" is the self-penned debut single from British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, and is also the title track and first release from his debut album, Bring It On...

". Some of these songs featured with the second line-up of "Albion" until "Albion" Split in 2007.

The Station Club

In September 2006 The Station Club was formed. The band was originally a 3 piece and featured singer/songwriter Mike Wilson,Tom on bass and James on keys with Adam Swales joining the trio on drums for their first 3 live performances. In June 2007 Adam left the band and was quickly replaced by ex-Kryah drummer Daniel Chantrey.
The style is Electropop/Rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 akin to The Killers, U2

U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

 and New Order

New Order

New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...

. The band performed their first gig on the 16th of March 2007 at Fibbers in York.After three years together, singer Mike Wilson decided to leave the band citing personal reasons for his shock departure and without a singer the rest of the band decided to take an indefinite sabbatical, however Mike still occasionally write songs with the twins.

Vega

The twins current studio project is the band Vega. Formed in 2009,the bands style is Melodic Rock and features vocalist Nick Workman,(ex Kick, Eden),and close friend of the twins,former Kryah and The Station Club drummer, Dan Chantrey.The band were signed to Frontiers records in September 2010 and will release their debut album entitled Kiss Of Life, written by James,Tom and Nick,produced by John Greatwood(engineer for Tom Lord-Alge of Queen fame)and mastered by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69),on December 3 across Europe.
The first single from the album will be Kiss of Life and the band have already made a video to go along with it.

Songwriting

During 2002 the twins formed a prolific songwriting team with Alistair Griffin. Writing and producing for Dutch dance star "Do",(Dominique van Hulst

Dominique van Hulst

Dominique Rijpma van Hulst is a Dutch singer known by her stage name Do . She is best known for singing the vocals of DJ Sammy's worldwide top 10 hit in 2002-2003, "Heaven", a cover of the 1980s hit by Bryan Adams....

), the most notable collaboration was a ballad called Angel By My Side

Angel By My Side

"Angel By My Side" is the third single of Dutch singer Do off her debut album, Do. The song was co-written by English songwriters Alistair Griffin and James and Tom Martin...

 which featured on her 2004 album "Do" which reached #3 spot in the Netherlands album charts. The single charted top 10 in The Dutch National Chart and also featured as the title track for Joan Collins

Joan Collins

Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...

 film "Ellis in Glamourland

Ellis in Glamourland

Alice in Glamourland is a 2004 Dutch comedy film, directed by Pieter Kramer and starring Linda de Mol and Joan Collins. The story is about a poor single mother, who participates in a course about 'How to marry a millionaire'....

". The Twins,again along with Alistair Griffin

Alistair Griffin

Alistair Richard Griffin is an English singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC television show Fame Academy 2 in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees...

 have also co-written the Bel's Boys

Bel's Boys

Bel's Boys refers to a pop/rock band based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and also to a children's television program which the band feature in.-The band:...

 song called Reaching Out with Liverpudlian songwriting duo, Chris and Tony Griffiths (ex Britpop band The Real People

The Real People

The Real People, from Liverpool, England, were one of the very first bands to play what is today known as “Britpop”, and have been quoted by Oasis as being one of their major influences...

).The song features on their debut album People Lets Go released April 24, 2007 under Universal.
James and Tom came runner up in Song Of The Year on Melodic Rock's Melrock Awards 2006 http://www.melodicrock.com/bestof/2006.html#2006review with 'Million Miles" written for House of Lords

House of Lords (band)

House of Lords is a hard rock/AOR band from Los Angeles, California.-History:House of Lords was formed in 1987 by former Angel member and keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from his solo project Giuffria...

.

To date the twins have had nearly 40 of their songs recorded by rock acts around the world including covers by House of Lords

House of Lords (band)

House of Lords is a hard rock/AOR band from Los Angeles, California.-History:House of Lords was formed in 1987 by former Angel member and keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from his solo project Giuffria...

, Danger Danger

Danger Danger

Danger Danger is an American glam metal band, formed in 1987 in Queens, New York. Despite enjoying moderate success in the U.S. with their debut album Danger Danger, the band vanished from the radar due to legal problems and changes in its line-up....

 vocalist Ted Poley

Ted Poley

Ted Harris Poley is a rock singer and drummer most famous for being in the band Danger Danger.-Biography:...

, Tommy Funderburk

Tommy Funderburk

Tommy Funderburk is an American rock and roll singer. He has recorded with artists such as Jon Anderson, Laura Branigan, Coverdale-Page, Melissa Manchester, Magnum, Mötley Crüe, Steve Lukather, Richard Marx, Rick Springfield, Starship, REO Speedwagon, Whitesnake, Yes and many others.Funderburk was...

and have just written all the songs on the 3rd album from Euro rockers Khymera,entitled The Greatest Wonder, released at the end of February 2008.
Their most recently completed songs have just been used on "Visions" by From the Inside, a Frontiers collaboration album featuring Melodic Rock singer Danny Vaughn (ex Tyketto)
On April 17, 2009 Sunstorm and Joe Lynn Turner(former Rainbow, Malmsteen and Deep Purple vocalist) released their second album entitled "House of Dreams" through Frontiers Records.It features four songs written especially for the album by James and Tom.
In April 2010 the twins signed a publishing deal with Chrysalis and are now writing songs for artists signed to the label.

Songs written by James and Tom Martin

• For Bel's Boys debut album People Lets Go (co written with Alistair Griffin and Chris and Tony Griffiths)

Reaching Out

• For Do's album Do (co written with Alistair Griffin)

Angel By My Side

• For Khymera's 2nd album,A New Promise

Alone

Let It Burn

All That I Have

Tomorrow Never comes

Fields Of Fire

Give In to The World

All Is Gone

• For Khymera's 3rd album,The Greatest Wonder

Ablaze (intro)

Beautiful Life

Borderline

Burn Out

Since You Went Away

Love Had Come And Gone

No Sacrifice

The Greatest Wonder

Fight For Yesterday

If I Can't Be

Love Will Find You

Stay Forever

The Other Side

• Tommy Funderburk's album, Anything for You

To Say You Love Me

• House of Lords 5th album, World Upside Down

Million Miles

Ghost Of Time

• Tracks written or co-written for Ted Poley's album, Smile

If I Cant Change Your Heart

Going Blind

Waiting Line

Where It Ends

• From The Inside's album (featuring Danny Vaughn), Visions

If It's Not Love

Listen To Your Heart

21st Century

Days Of Hunger

One More Night In Heaven.

• For Sunstorm and Joe Lyn Turner's album, House of Dreams

Divided

Dont Give Up

The Spirit Inside

House of Dreams

• For Issa's album, Sign of Angels (co written with Nick Workman)

River of Love

As I Live And Breathe

• For First Signal ft Harry Hess's album First Signal

Into The Night

This City

First Signal