Witness was a British alternative rock group formed in 1997 in Wigan, Greater Manchester, comprising singer‑songwriter Gerard Starkie and guitarist Ray Chan, who met at Wigan & Leigh College and later joined bassist Dylan Keeton, drummer John Langley, and guitarist Julian Pransky‑Poole. The band’s first public breakthrough came in 1997 when they played under the names Siren and High Mountain Jag before signing a three‑album deal with Island Records after a demo was forwarded by a friend of Nick McCabe of The Verve; the contract referred to them as the “Wigan Band.” Witness released the Audition EP in 1999, followed by the single "Scars" on 1 March 1999, which entered the UK Singles Chart at number 71. Their debut album, Before The Calm, was released on 12 July 1999, and their second album, Under A Sun, followed on 23 July 2001 and received positive reviews, while singles "You Are All My Own Invention" (9 July 2001) and "Here's One For You" (5 November 2001) were issued but did not enter the Top 75. After Julian Pransky‑Poole’s departure in December 2001, the group was dropped by Island in March 2002, performed a headline set at the Americana One festival in August 2002, and recorded an unreleased EP. Witness officially split in February 2004, after which Gerard Starkie pursued a solo career.
