Steve Coogan's famous brother was in one of the biggest indie bands of the 1990s

16 October 2023 , 19:00

809     0

Steve Coogan's famous brother was in one of the biggest indie bands of the 1990s

He is wowing audiences as Jimmy Savile in BBC's The Reckoning but Steve Coogan isn't the only talented star in his family - the actor's brother Martin Coogan is well-known on the indie music scene.

Martin's band The Mock Turtles were formed in 1985 with their debut album Turtle Soup released in 1990. The group's psychedelic '60s sounds with a dance aesthetic personified the "Madchester" scene of the time and they were likened to a softer-edged version of The Stone Roses.

Martin, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, enjoyed several single releases with The Mock Turtles, whose success peaked in the early 1990s. 1991's Can You Dig It? was an instant hit, with the band performing on Top Of The Pops. It was used by Vodafone for an advertising campaign in the early 2000s.

The Mock Turtles enjoyed success in the early '90s (Ian Dickson/REX/Shutterstock)

The brothers were born in Middleton, Greater Manchester, with Martin the oldest, Steve in the middle and a younger brother, 53-year-old TV presenter Brendan. Musical talent runs in the family with Martin's son Will Coogan forming a new wave band with his sister Mary Joanna Coogan.

Will sadly passed away two years ago aged 29 and Martin, now in his early 60s, helped his daughter make a tribute album for charity. Steve, 57, dedicated his Alan Partridge series that year to his nephew.

EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness

Frontman Martin is the oldest of three brothers (Ian Dickson/REX/Shutterstock)

Martin now owns Manchester recording studio VIBE, which formerly belonged to New Order. A host of legendary acts including The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, Doves, Badly Drawn Boy and James have passed through its doors.

The Reckoning continues on BBC One and iPlayer Mondays 9pm

Vikki White