Rhythm and Booze : blog

Ludwig Amadeus Announces New Single

2011-05-05T17:32:00.000+01:00

LUDWIG AMADEUS ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO

London-based, German-born electro-house alchemist Ludwig Amadeus announces the release of his latest single “I’ve Been Up” on Size 9 Records featuring up-and-coming UK/Nigerian rapper Ikes AND launches sexy new video for the single featuring model Cervena Fox:

You can view the video in full here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixWFOnQ617g

Following up the success of singles “God Only Knows My Shoe Size” and “Don’t Wanna Feel This” - both of which gained airtime on Radio 1, XFM, Kiss, NME Radio and Ministry of Sound as well as a ground-swell of support from regional stations across the country -Ludwig Amadeus returns with another slice of irrepressibly catchy twisted electro-disco funk, set for release on May 30^th.

Ludwig himself admits that “I’ve Been Up” is a personal favourite:

“’I've Been Up’ is my favorite track from my own repertoire; it's been through around 100 versions and 3 different rappers to get to where it is now… What I like most about the track is its lack of a definite genre, it could be classed as disco, funk or pop but none of those tags quite do it justice.”

Ludwig Amadeus sees a definite progression from each single to the next and “I’ve Been Up” - with a dangerously kinky video (featuring uber-babe Cervena Fox) - looks set to propel Ludwig Amadeus to giddy new heights.

Remixes come courtesy of leftfield house guru Justin Harris and French electro/metal DJ Josh Torrent (one half of OBEY).

Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixWFOnQ617g

Ludwig Amadeus Official Site: www.ludwigamadeus.com

Size 9 Records: www.size9records.co.uk

The Voluntary Butler Scheme Release New Album

2011-05-05T17:27:00.002+01:00

THE VOLUNTARY BUTLER SCHEME

NEW ALBUM 'THE GRANDAD GALAXY' OUT ON SPLIT RECORDS ON 18TH JULY 2011

LIVE DATES ANNOUNCED

“Many wonderful things have come out of the West Midlands – the balti, Steve Bull, the uniquely mangled vowel sounds of residents of Dudley – and to that list you can add Rob ‘The Voluntary Butler Scheme’ Jones.” GuardianGuide

When Voluntary Butler Scheme recently declared that the intention behind his latest album was “to blend all the different types of music I've been making together,” it seemed like a fairly insurmountable task – this is an act known for producing everything from Motown soul to J-Pop via Mark Mothersbaugh-style poptronica. But The Grandad Galaxy is truly a musical cabinet of curiosities, bursting at the seams with strange sounds, melodies, effects and songs. Part instrumental, it follows the direction that the ‘Scheme, aka Dudley-based bedroom-pop architect Rob Jones, has been headed in from debut LP At Breakfast, Dinner, Tea via the recent cut-and-paste Chevreul EP.

Watch the video for "Do The Hand Jive", track included on Chevreul EP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OwwdgMNKvM

“I like a lot of music and I always have,” says Jones, 26. “For ages I didn't know how to make a lot of the music I like, so my first album focussed on soul-y pop with ‘70s Nick Lowe inspiration. But I've been nerding out every day for the last 11 years about how to do things, and it’s coming together now.”

The Grandad Galaxy began life with a plan to make a full LP in six weeks. Full of big ideas and armed with a book of lyrics penned in his hometown of Dudley, Rob travelled to a rented basement in London’s Old Street, filled it with gear and recorded 11 songs filled with saxophones, guitars and organs galore. “I got them home and really disliked them so it turned in to a year long process of tinkering with and remixing the tunes I'd done, mashing ‘em up and writing new bits,” says Rob. It’s why the album sounds like it’s been too close to DJ Shadow and a pair of scissors – this is the sound of an artist hacking his own work to create something new and inspired. “Instrumentals made from chopped up stuff feel like they have a bit of a narrative to them to me,” says Rob. “It always turns out more interesting than something I could write about.”

Joining Rob on the album are Welsh singer-songwriter Sweet Baboo on saxophone plus Rob’s girlfriend on sampled vocals for Do The Hand Jive. “I asked her to make up a tune on the spot, a cappella, recorded it on my iPhone and used that as a sample on the chorus,” says Rob, who also enlisted his mum to say random words on the same tune.

The album’s name comes from the influences behind the album. “Some of the influences are grandad heavy, real old things like ‘50s pop music – Buddy Holly and that – with really simple tunes, uncynical lyrics, nice clean guitar, but at that same time I'm really in to stuff that I think would offend Buddy Holly's ears,” says Rob. “The Grandad Galaxy sounded like a meeting of them things in a title.”

Since releasing the first album, The Voluntary Butler Scheme have toured the UK with Adam Green, received personal plaudits from Madness singer Suggs and signed a US deal with influential indie Park The Van. Jones has seen his tracks pop up in such varied places as Grey's Anatomy, a Dell ad, Eastenders and, er, Countryfile. “Living in Dudley, you defo don't imagine your life will ever come in to contact with the telly,” says Jones. “In a small way it has, and I just find it hilarious.”

As well as being an in-demand remixer for Go! Team, Kid Carpet, Colourmusic and more, Jones is making his name as a producer for other artists, producing albums for ex-David Devant man Mr Solo and Sweet Baboo, who is in also in Rob’s side-project, Wickes. 2011 will also see Voluntary Butler Scheme hitting the road with a new live line-up, which will be touring extensively this year. Meanwhile, Rob’s exhausting musical whirl continues: “I've already got a bulk of 60 odd tracks for the next album,” he says.

Live dates in May

Wed 11 May | London – The Social (BBC Introducing)

Tue 17 May | Brighton Komedia w/ Steve Mason

Wed 18 May | London – Barfly w/ The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club

Thu 19 May | Leicester – Sumo w / TVEGC

Fri 20 May | Leeds – Milo w / TVEGC

Mon 23 May | Nottingham – Bodega w/TVEGC

www.myspace.com/thevoluntarybutlerscheme
www.facebook.com/thevoluntarybutlerscheme
www.twitter.com/voluntarybutler
www.soundcloud.com/voluntary-butler-scheme
www.thevoluntarybutlerscheme.bandcamp.com

Dana Jade Releases Debut Single

2011-05-05T17:24:00.000+01:00

Dana Jade releases her debut single Little Sister via Priestess Records.

The single is out now and the video is available at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etmNplRnIWk

Little Sister has already featured on Q Radio's and Rocking Music said of Miss Jade "Dana Jade is the perfect role model for women growing up in these tough times; a bold and beautiful rock siren with her finger firmly on the pulse of modern society, her politically-inspired music will open eyes and rightly so."

When she’s not lending her distinctive, Caribbean-lilted voice to the 22 strong alt-girl choir Gaggle, Dana Jade can be found coaxing out some mean blues-styled rock with her trusty Fender Strat, aided by producer/drummer Ian McKenzie and bassist John McKenzie.

Growing up amongst the soca and reggae of tropical Trinidad, Dana spent her summers soaking up the fuzzed out sounds of riot grrrl and grunge in New York. Having relocated to London a few years back, this raven-haired femme fatale is now putting her sultry vocals - part purr part growl – firmly centre stage with a style born from frustration with some current music currently filling our senses. “I get despondent when I watch music TV.” Dana explains. “I just don’t see or hear anything I can connect to”. Channelling the raucous thrills of 90’s is part of Dana's power, but she’s equally forward thinking, as her first single Galang proves with the force of a freight train.

“Think red Stratocaster, red dress, red lips and an amazing post Punk version of M.I.A’s Galang”

The Girls Are

Expect PJ Harvey style guts and a whole lotta distortion-styled riffing from this up and coming artist, who’s been earning her spurs with her Gaggle sistren on the stages of Reading and Leeds, and carving out growing acclaim for her solo material, supporting the inimitable John Parish in the summer of last year at London’s Monto Water rats. She named one of her first song's 'Priestess', a title she's adopted for her in-progress DIY record label. ‘Priestess’ represented something of a spiritual emancipation for Dana, a growing sense of frustration at how women were made subservient, even vilified, in orthodox religion.

Her debut LP is released later this year, and will be preceded by this (double A side) released via Dana’s own independent label, Priestess Records UK in April. A bright, bold and rhythmic cover of M.I.A’s ‘Galang’ delivered with reverence and suitable respect to the original. A swaggering cover guaranteed to command the attention of any M.I.A’s fan. Little Sister sees Dana Jade at her riffing best. A Placebo-esque pumping tune that is akin to taming a wild dog, snarling and dark but with friendly face to draw you in before bearing it’s teeth.

Whilst the electro-fused sounds toted by today’s female artists are undoubtedly forward thinking, audiences are missing that authentic rock siren who can merge classic, gritty power chords with steal-yr-heart charisma and simmering vocal prowess. Maybe the final word is best left with Dana herself…“Music or death” sums the singer's ethic with a fierce simplicity. “People tend to recoil a little when they hear it, but I really have no interest in doing anything else”.

For more information visit :

www.myspace.com/danajademusic / www.facebook.com/danajademusic

www.twitter.com/Dana_Jade

Paul Carrack Headlines Beverley Folk And Roots Festival

2011-05-05T17:19:00.003+01:00

Beverley Folk and Roots Festival

Fri 17^th – Sun 19^th June 2011

28 Years 1983 - 2011

Patron: John Godber

Shortlisted for ‘The Family Festival Award’ at the 2010 UK Festival Awards

Legendary hit star and singer songwriter Paul Carrack, headlines at Beverley Festival to kick off a packed weekend of entertainment

“One of the finest voices the country possesses” Mojo

“A musician’s musician” Manchester Evening News

Never failing to come up with something a bit special to add to the great Beverley Festival line-up, this year organisers will be welcoming fellow Yorkshireman, the Sheffield born singer, songwriter and former frontman of Ace, Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics, Paul Carrack.

With a career stretching back to the 1980’s and his back catalogue of hits includes “How Long”, “Tempted” and “The Living Years” , Paul’s marvellously soulful voice is known to millions around the world; he is undoubtedly a key figure in British pop history. As well as playing on albums with the likes of Roxy Music, The Undertones, and The Pretenders to name but a few, he has also performed live with Ringo Starr, and Nick Lowe , and in 1985 formed a partnership with Mike Rutherford of Genesis to form Mike and the Mechanics. He later joined forces with Chris Difford in Squeeze and his most recent collaboration has resulted in the production of a single in March of this year entitled “Love Will Keep Us Alive” with Timothy B Schmit of The Eagles.

As well as working with pop, rock and punk bands, he toured in late 2010 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and recently performed for 3 nights with them in London.

A truly versatile and prolific songwriter, and a stunning singer, his visit to Beverley will be his first to the area and is a real coup for the organisers of the festival.

He will be performing on the opening night of the festival on Friday 17^th June at the Beverley Leisure Complex @ 7.30pm.

Tickets £25.00

Available on-line from- www.beverleyfestival.com or 01377 217569

or from the Beverley Tourist Information Centre

For more details about the festival, who’s playing, and to purchase tickets including the Special Weekend deal currently available, visit

www.beverleyfestival.com or call the festival office on 01377 217569

Festival Office, The Stables, Westwood House, Main Street, N. Dalton, Driffield, E Yorkshire, YO25 9XA

Alexander Price To Release Debut EP

2011-05-03T17:21:00.002+01:00

Alexander Price releases his debut EP Kitchen Sink Drama via The Birdman Records in June.

The release by the critically acclaimed electro pop artist follows the success of the hit indie single Rent.

Emerging from Londons thriving mid noughties club scene where fashionistas reigned supreme and the DJs setlist was always one step ahead of the mainstream, Price met musical and performative collaborators.Initially starting out as a performance artist with a backdrop of electronic music he made his debut at Amy Lame`s much loved Duckie night at the legendary Vauxhall Tavern.Eventually developing as a pop artist his stage shows have become one of Londons most talked about gig going experiences.Combining high energy choreography with self made and designed stage attire and a wild female dance troupe the Designer Babies he has thrilled audiences with his audacious spectacles.He has performed with the darlings of the London club scene including one of his own influences the fashion designer/musician Pam Hogg,as well as supporting artists including DJ Larry Tee,nightclub legends Princess Julia,Mark Moore and Scottee and for a wealth of acclaimed ground breaking musical talent including Client,Noblesse Oblige and Oral Oral aswell as supporting Kelis,Beverley Knight,Belinda Carlilse and Chicane at Manchesters Big Weekend and making a sensational appearance at London FIlm Festival in 2010.

He has appeard in the pages of the fashion issue of glossy mens mag reFresh [where his self designed stage attire was profiled] and in London fashion/music publication Fashion Music Style,had his music played on international and national radio incluidng BBC Radio,RTE Pulse and Australias JOY 94 and has recieved support from music industry bible Music Week as well as IDJ [[who gave Price a 9 out of 10 rating for Spend A Little Time] Gaydar Radio,QX and Bent and continued performing at some of the capitals most notorious venues incluidng The Underbelly Hoxton ,333,Queen of Hoxton,93 Feet East,The Lumianire,Madame JoJos,KOKO and Brixton Accademy.The Peoples Music Award 2010 winner Leigh De Vries also cited Price as the lyrical inspiration of the song Dance 4 Me from her acclaimed debut EP.

Born into a suppresive and small South Yorkshire mining town Price was encouraged by a local GP to take dance classes to help overcome motor control disorder Dyspraxia.Price soon developed an extradinary talent for dance and quickly moved to London after gaining a place at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School alongside the like of Eliza Doolittle and Billie Piper and famed for previous past alumini incluidng Emma Bunton and Amy Winehouse amongst others.Though enjoying the training stage school had to offer,Price soon became dissatisfied with the regimented and commercial nature of the work he was recieving and put up for and so turned his attentions to the excitement and vibrancy of the capitals thriving nocturnal club scene.It was on the scene where Price would find employment as a gogo dancer before turning his attention to music leading to a signing with independent label Intense Presence and the subsequent release of Rent last summer and with an on stage persona being compared to aformented multi platinium selling talents such as Scissor Sisters and Lady Gaga.

The drama begins with Love Song a pulsating slice of pure hi NRG disco which Music News declared to be "a treat of a song with a beat and harmony that stands toe to toe with 'Human League'. A great single from a very promising talent".Butterflies meenwhile continues to cast a dark shadow on the nations dancefloor where a womans obsession with a closeted gay boyband star spirals into deadly confrontation.Think Misery set to a pulsating synth pop epic The acclaimed hit cover of the Pet Shop Boys seminal classic Rent which has recieved international support with Indie London declaring Price and the cover to be "reverentential whilst stamping his own identity on procedings and doing enough to suggest he maybe an interesting new act to emerge of the electro pop scene" and exposure from BBC Radio,RTE Pulse and JOY94.Produced in collaboration with producer Ben Dobie of hitmaking production team thrillerjill and whose work as an engineer includes Natalie Imbruglia,Bryan Addams,Sugababes,the recording of this single released on indie lable Intense Presence Records lead to a UK summer tour of 2010 in which Price performed to an excess audience of up to 12,000 per show.The glorious self penend pop classic Spend A Little Time has already earned favorable reviews from critics including allgigs who declared "On the basis of this track Price deserves a big break with his personal touch of mild electronic magic,a track that almost floats along on a celestial wave of soothing elctro synth that calls to mind David Byrne. It is a big name to conjure up in comparison but Price constructs the song so perfectly that it is a comparison that is more than deserving" and Music News who enthused that the song was "addictive,danceable and pure fun".The infectious and anthemic In The City has recieved exposure from BBC Radio and RTE Pulse and was profiled by music industry bible Music Week.An exclusive remix of Rent by critically acclaimed dance/techno legend Diarmaid O Meara rounds off the set.

www.alexanderpricemusic.com

Madam Launch New Album In Lodon

2011-04-28T18:03:00.001+01:00

MADAM

GONE BEFORE MORNING – LIVE LAUNCH IN LONDON

LABEL: Shilling Boy RELEASE DATE: 9 May 2011

MADAM – the group project of singer-songwriter-producer Sukie Smith – announce the first in a series of intimate shows to celebrate the release of their second album Gone Before Morningon Sukie’s own label Shilling Boy, distributed by CARGO.

The band play at The Horatia, 98-102 Holloway Road, London N7 8JE on Saturday 30 April. In a show presented by Ruth Barnes of The Other Woman/6Music, the full six-piece band will be onstage at 9.30pm.

Gone Before Morning was originally given a limited download-only release in April 2009 as part of high-end audio company Bowers & Wilkins’ website-based Music Club, which afforded Sukie and band the opportunity to record at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios. The release was available for one month, and in that time gained considerable praise from Club members and press alike.

But Sukie always believed the work deserved wider exposure and has spent the Autumn of 2010 making final embellishments to the album at Reservoir Studios in North London to makeGone Before Morning what it is now. Sukie has been able to do this thanks to the websitewww.pledgemusic.com which gives fans the opportunity to provide financial support to artists in return for a unique memento of the project.

Gone Before Morning comprises eight original songs, combining elements of trip-hop, Western gothic and Europop with Sukie’s own expressive widescreen vision. It also includes deconstructed takes on Odyssey’s ‘If You’re Looking For A Way Out’ and Al Wilson’s Northern Soul classic, ‘The Snake’.

MADAM’s debut album In Case Of Emergency was released on the Reveal label in February 2008, to universal acclaim. Later that year Sukie provided the score to the British independent film, Hush Your Mouth, featuring her song ‘Ride The Waves’ as the prominent ‘outro’. The film recently won Best Film and Best Director at the Portugal Film Festival. In April 2010 she collaborated with Italian band Hollowblue on the co-write ‘Wild Dogs Run’, appearing with them in the Europe’s first ever 3D music video, which won the award for Best Music Video at Hollywood’s 3D Film Awards 2010.

Press

“compellingly gritty and haunting” 4/5 Q

“Contender for the noir niche occupied by Hope Sandoval and Chan Marshall… a real find”

4/5 The Guardian

“Madam is a name which should be written in bright neon outside big venues in the swanky part of town” 4.5/5 The Sun

“…head and shoulders above the singer-songwriter masses ,as individual a voice as Cat Power or Joan As Police Woman” The Independent

“An astonishing album of cruel beauty and emotional honesty, an immense talent” 4/5 R2

“Like an imaginary soundtrack to An American Dream, full of desire, sadness and beauty, In Case Of Emergency is a surrealist masterpiece” Gideon Coe, BBC 6Music

www.madam.org.uk www.myspace.com/madammusic www.facebook.com/madammusic

Madam Launch New Album In Lodon

2011-04-28T18:03:00.000+01:00

MADAM

GONE BEFORE MORNING – LIVE LAUNCH IN LONDON

LABEL: Shilling Boy RELEASE DATE: 9 May 2011

Press

“compellingly gritty and haunting” 4/5 Q

“Contender for the noir niche occupied by Hope Sandoval and Chan Marshall… a real find”

4/5 The Guardian

“Madam is a name which should be written in bright neon outside big venues in the swanky part of town” 4.5/5 The Sun

“…head and shoulders above the singer-songwriter masses ,as individual a voice as Cat Power or Joan As Police Woman” The Independent

“An astonishing album of cruel beauty and emotional honesty, an immense talent” 4/5 R2

“Like an imaginary soundtrack to An American Dream, full of desire, sadness and beauty, In Case Of Emergency is a surrealist masterpiece” Gideon Coe, BBC 6Music

www.madam.org.uk www.myspace.com/madammusic www.facebook.com/madammusic

I Am In Love Release New Single

2011-04-28T17:58:00.002+01:00

Band: I am in Love

Release: I want you (single)

Date: 16^th May

Label: Robot Needs Home

Social Media links: facebook.com/iaminlovemusic

I am in love is a name that derives from a realisation that their singer is indeed in love and not just a boy who doesn't know what love is.

They are four boys and one girl, hailing from Leicestershire, in central England.

Formed just five months ago in late 2010 after their previous band disbanded following two years together, the five members of I am in love locked themselves away and set about perfecting what they do, putting all of their effort and energy into every song, every note, every drum hit, every key and string on the record. They are striving to make music that excites people, music that people can connect with, music that crosses decades and maybe even divides opinion - like the music of their heroes: Prince, Bowie, Adam Ant, Freddie Mercury and bands like The Cure, Bloc Party, OMD, Foals. These influences have shaped the sound of I am in love.

Originally planning to wait until after a summer of festival slots and heavy touring to release any material, the press interest and imminent scheduled Daytime Radio 1 airplay has moved things on apace...

The band are currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album, which will be released across Europe through Velocity Sounds Records on the 27th May, and in the USA through Pirate Ship Records later in 2011.

Their debut single 'I Want You' is released through Robot Needs Home Records on 16^th May.

"We really love them." - Dean Jackson, BBC Introducing.

"I Want You is so fucking catchy, it just wedges itself in your brain. For a new band on the block, it is great to be whacked in the face (not literally, that would hurt) with something fresh and mesmerising." - more from new-reviews.co.uk.

"It really does show a band showing the early stages of greatness" - The Monograph.

"It's a proper little corker with a dark-n-moody vibe that then kicks into a fine chorus and those all important drum styled handclaps." - ireallylovemusic.co.uk.

"For a band so fresh they have developed their sound beyond what anyone could have expected." - FD2D magazine

I am in Love Tour dates:.

09.05 Coventry, Kasbah
20.05 London, Good Ship
26.05 Leicester, Firebug
27.05 Leipzig, Plagbeatz Westival
28.05 Schwabisch Hall, Schwerpunkt Gluck
30.05 Jena, Kassablanca
31.05 Berlin, Lido
01.06 Hamburg, Honigfabrik
02.06 Frankfurt, Das Bett
03.06 Kaiserslautern, Kramladen
04.06 Geldern, Seven
11.06 Theatron Festival (Munich)
29.06 Lancaster, University Students Union
29.07 Hatherleigh Festival (Devon)

Medicine Eight Release New Single

2011-04-28T17:56:00.002+01:00

New Double A Single!

Mercury Injection - (starring Leticia La Bruja)/Rock Music Pays Off (starring Wesley Willis)

Out 9^th May on Trashmouth Records

Mercury Injection/Rock Music Pays Off (Hip-House mix) is Medicine 8's first original release in a while having only been doing the occasional remix (Say Hello - Black Daniel - Buzz chart top 10) and more recently Bombs! by the Helmholtz Resonators (

picking up a lot of love from Eddy Temple Morris (XFM), Alex Metric (BBC Radio 1) and which is

being played daily by Lauren La Verne

(BBC 6 Music)

The Acid House duo have been busy conducting secret underground experiments for some time now and have built up a large body of work which they are now ready to unleash on the unsuspecting and the expectant alike!

This double A leads with "Mercury Injection" which is a thumping Acidisco track

with a drop that feels like an injection of adrenaline to the heart!

The track features the vocals of club promoter and tattoo artist, Leticia La Bruja, who runs the infamous "Bonnie & Clyde's Renagade Rendezvous" club night, consistently championing the weird and the wonderful, from psycho-billy to S&M sailor side shows!

"Rock Music Pays Off" was originally released through Parlophone on Medicine 8's debut album Iron Stylings and was a collaboration with Schizophrenic Rock 'n Roll genius Wesley Willis.

Sadly now departed from this world, Wesley Willis was best Known for his uniquely styled but almost identically formatted rock songs which became cult classics, and gained him a huge underground following.

The track consists of a reworking of an impromptue grammy acceptance speech wesley gave on New York shock jock Howard Stern's radio show.

The guys heard it and thought it was too powerful to be left as a throw away line in an interview so they contacted wesley who thought it was a great idea to put it to better use and revoiced it for them.

Medicine 8 thought it only right and proper to revisit this gem to celebrate their first proper release on their new label, only this time they've it given a baseball bat and a mouthful of gold teeth!

For those of you unfamiliar with medicine 8, they are a maverick alt Acid House duo who have been doing their own thing from the off. They have a diverse range of celebrity fans ranging from Lou Reed (quote below) to Kylie Minogue and spent years living the dream playing the biggest clubs all around the world. They were regulars in Ibiza and the Miami Winter Music Conference as well as appearing at all the major dance music festivals including Glastonbury, Creamfields, Global Gathering, Homelands, a residency at Pacha Argentina and all this in between numerous sessions on Radio 1 and remixing tracks for artists including Orbital, Manic Street Preachers, Nirvana, Tiga and Kylie (who loved their mix so much she asked for it to be played when she walked down the catwalk at Karl Largerfeld’s show). I don’t know why they stopped, they must have got kidnapped or someone got pregnant, but it doesn’t matter now because they’re back with a super fresh sounding double A single that’s kicking the shit out of the summer party season.

PRESS:

"This tune is, in the vernacular of the medium, ttz amaze" - Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music, on Bombs! remix

"`I fucking love the mix, sounds so fresh" - Alex Metric, on Bombs! remix

"One of the best and most worthwhile reprises I’ve heard in ages, it’s gonna be euphoric on dancefloors" - rickLOUDER, on Bombs! remix

“Medicine8 sent me a new version of a track that only a Velvet Underground aficionado would know existed. They did it so much better than I did and I love it when that happens.” - Lou Reed, The Independent

www.trashmouthrecords.com

www.facebook.com/medicine8

www.facebook.com/trashmouthrecs

Bleak Release Long Awaited Debut

2011-04-28T17:54:00.000+01:00

Line Out Records release Bleak’s long awaited debut album For The Good Of The Nation on Saturday 30^th April 2011.

After building up a fearsome reputation on the London live circuit, the Anglo-Afro-Russian death.blues four piece Bleak signed to Line Out Records some time ago but the wait for their debut release has been so long that some wags have even dubbed it ‘Chechen Democracy’. Unlike Axl Rose however, they have emerged from their descent into madness not with an overblown folly but with a gritty debut to match the punch of Rose’s own, which looks set to cause a musical seismic shift of a size equivalent to democracy actually coming to the Chinese.

Rumour has it that voodoo priest and lead singer Anton Shelupanov conducted dark rituals during the protracted recording process in order to gain inspiration for his band, and if that’s true then it’s been the most productive Faustian pact since Robert Johnson’s infamous trip to a crossroads at midnight. This is the most thrilling debut rock record yet this century, and swiftly and brutally silences those critics who have prematurely read the last rites for rock and roll in 2011.

Shelupanov’s demonic presence translates perfectly from the band’s live shows, and as one critic observed he does not so much hit notes as threaten them. He sings the blues with the intensity of death metal, complemented perfectly by bassist Rachel Woodworth’s ethereal backing vocals. This is what the blues used to be when it inspired rock and roll, not the polite excuse it has become. It is an angry howl of loss, despair and fury that drags the cornerstone of pretty much all contemporary rock music kicking and screaming into the modern world. Even Howlin’ Wolf offers his approval from beyond the grave, as he explains the meaning of the blues over the opening bars of ‘Credit Crunch Blues’ before Bleak give another masterclass in playing them.

Yvonne Okoduwa turns in some of the most primally furious drumming heard on record since the death of John Bonham, while guitarist Tim Clark’s riffs are an effortless modern take on classical blues playing that would leave Jack White weeping with jealousy.

From ‘Shake’, the swaggering statement of intent that opens both this album and their blistering live shows, to the heartbreaking whisper of ‘Melt’ this is a classic record of the sort that is next to extinct to the download generation. The album takes you on a journey and every song deserves its place. Live favourites such as the brutally riff heavy ‘Wash My Hands’ and the anthemically boastful ‘Not The Last’ fit perfectly with softer numbers which subtly and beautifully evoke lost love such as ‘It’s A Shame About Mary’ and the sublime ‘Absinthe’.

This is the sort of band that will punch you viciously in the gut with their music while at the same time making you fall in love with them so that you can’t stop coming back to let them hurt you all over again, and for a generation who’ve been spoonfed homogenised pop stars from a reality TV production line while being sold down the river by politicians it’s some long overdue good news.

Welcome to the Bleak House.

Live At Leeds 2011 Update

2011-04-28T17:53:00.001+01:00

LIVE AT LEEDS 2011

VILLAGERS, DINOSAUR PILE UP, THE TWILIGHT SAD PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

Friday April 29th - Sunday May 1st

Live At Leeds is almost here! There have been some last minute changes to the line-up with the most upto date timetable located here. Those with a keen eye may also notice the addition of the "special guests" who will be headlining the Cockpit at 10pm on Saturday. Feel free to guess who they might be.

As part of the build up to Live at Leeds we have also put together a collection of exclusive live videos featuring some of the artists playing. Enjoy!

Villagers - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFGBJNYgsB4

The Chapman Family - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7hYx8PguZ0
Futureheads - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE-IIJA-8Oc
Young Liars - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubZGg3_HCs8
Sam Airey - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THmunfOz1Kk
Castrovalva - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZaW3mMuJIA

Paul Thomas Saunders - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWrsaYbrvcU

There are more available on the I Like Press Channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/ILIKEPRESS

Live At Leeds current line-up:

Friday

The Unconference - Music Industry Seminars.

Villagers - Brudenell Social Club, Tickets £11 plus booking fees

Saturday

Multi-Venues : One Wristband, £17.50 plus booking fees.

James Blake, Frightened Rabbit, Pulled Apart By Horses, The Futureheads, Anna Calvi, The Duke Spirit, Young Knives, Special Guests, Aloe Blacc.

Catherine AD, CocknBullKid, Dutch Uncles, Fight Like Apes, Fixers, Kassidy, Kong, Slow Club, Spark, Swimming, The Chapman Family, The Whip, Tribes, Trophy Wife.

02:54, All The Young, Cloud Control, Cosmo Jarvis, Films, Findlay, Foreign Office, Gabrielle Aplin, Katzenjammer, Lanterns on the Lake, Lets Buy Happiness, Marcus Foster, Paper Crows, Polarsets, Saint Saviour, Sissy and the Blisters, Starlings, Star Slinger, Still Corners, Tall Ships, The Kill Van Kulls, The Lines, Yaaks, Young Legionnaire.

Adult Jazz, Arthur Rigby and the Baskervilles, Aviaries, Bear Mask, Blacklisters, Blood Oranges, Castrovalva, Circles, Club Smith, Double Muscle, Escort Knights, Hail Animator, Honour Before Glory, Insect Guide, Just Handshake’s We’re British, Little Parades, Loose Talk Costs Lives, Love at Death Beach, Maggie8, Marmozets, Milk White White Teeth, Post War Glamour Girls, Runaround Kids, Sam Airey, Soul Circus, Stalking Horse, The ABC Club, These Monsters, Various Cruelties, Wot Gorilla?, Yonderboy.

Sunday

Glasvegas and Guests - Leeds Metropolitan University £16 plus booking fees

Join the official Live at Leeds facebook group
Live at Leeds Twitter
Please use the hashtag #liveatleeds2011 in all of your tweets about Live At Leeds!
Multi-venue all day event from 12 midday // wristbands are £17.50 for the event.

Official box office: http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/LIVE-AT-LEEDS
Website: www.liveatleeds.com

Introducing....Katrina Blue

2011-04-28T17:38:00.005+01:00

‘The Day After’ is the hotly-anticipated new Album from 25 -year-old Nottingham-based singer-songwriter Katrina Blue.

A classically trained pianist from the age of 6 who also studied at the British Academy of New Music in London, Katrina uses her musical talent to blend piano and pop with infusions of soul and jazz into this eclectic debut EP.

Her gigs have seen her perform to fans around the UK where she has captivated audiences with her exuberant piano style and caught the attention of independent label Flourish Records to whom she is now signed.

Katrina’s music boasts catchy piano lead melodies and a unique voice that has been likened to established acts such as Kate Nash. With a loyal legion of fans and regular airplay on the introducing shows on BBC Nottingham, Katrina Blue is tipped to be a hit for 2011.

‘The Day After’ is set for release in autumn 2011 and showcases Katrina’s impressive musical talent. The debut Album is a must have for every playlist and has something that will appeal to all tastes, from catchy pop track ‘Hypnotized’, to the soulful ‘Don’t Change me’, it is a real statement of intent for this new artist. Watch this space.

Jimmy And The Sounds To Release New Single

2011-04-28T17:35:00.003+01:00

Jimmy and the Sounds

Single: Little Victories

Released: 30^th May

Label: New Blood

Available via i-Tunes all major

download sites

www.facebook.com/pages/Jimmy-The-Sounds/111797495541135

www.sonicbids.com/jimmythesounds3

“Little Victories…ready-made to soundtrack the festival season…..it's exactly the kind of track to inject some much needed passion and pop sensibility

into the tired indie market”

Totally Vivid

“Little Victories”, the follow up to their recent successful track “Heart For Rent”, is the new single from North East Indie/Pop/Rock band Jimmy and the Sounds – a track that defines Indie Rock and is sure to be a festival favourite over the summer.

“There are a plethora of guitar driven bands in the market place right now, but what keeps this Middlesbrough 4-piece’s head above the parapet is confidence…a great deal to savour: swaggering vocals and punchy playing…4/5”

All Gigs

“Catchy, energetic and fresh….Jimmy and the Sounds have a certain je ne sais quoi. They look the part without being manufactured, they sound the part without being pretentious and they could carry the standard for Indie Rock with pride.”

Woho Music – Live review

Their sound is that of a radio airplay dream with razor sharp indie-pop sounds that live, catch their audiences in a euphoric state with their hook laden and catchy sing back choruses all performed with a strong belief and a spring in their step!

Together with their matter of factness North East attitude, they have an enviable ability of writing indie pop hits that provoke emotion and the band believe solely in living in that musical moment.

Having garnered recent support and airplay from BFBS, Q and Kerrang Radio, BBC6 Music Introducing Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens “Sounds cute! Reminds me of Scouting For Girls…however they aren’t half as cheesy”, Zane Lowe “This sounds sweet, I like his voice and there is a place for this music” and a BBC Tees Introducing live session with their radio friendly and mainstream sounds, their recent single’s video also featured in the Top Man stores across the UK.

The band is made up of James and Anthony on vocals and guitar, Alistair on drums and Marc on bass, the 4 piece have been performing together since 2009, travelling across the UK playing at respected venues such as 02 Academy, Newcastle, supporting Frankie and The Heartstrings, Reverend and the Makers and also playing at numerous UK festivals including supporting Maximo Park at Spear Live and British Sea Power and Mercury Rev at Stockton Riverside Festival 2010. February 2011 saw the band undertake a European single release tour that took in Germany, Serbia, Romania, France and Bulgaria.

“If you’re into the kind of wistful, defiant rock n roll anthems written by the likes of The Gaslight Anthem only with a distinctively North Eastern twist then you should check (them) out.”

The Generator Magazine

“Jimmy and the Sounds mix both the styling of Gaslight’s Tom driven sparse verses with passionate vocals breaking into epic catchy choruses giving me immediate nostalgia of when I got Jimmy Eat World’s first album. It’s a great energetic track”

Amazing Tunes - Heart for Rent review

Catch them live with more TBC:

30^th April @ Camden Crawl, London / Single launch night - 28^th May @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

For more info and up to date gigs please visit www.facebook.com/pages/Jimmy-The-Sounds/111797495541135 andwww.sonicbids.com/jimmythesounds3

Introducing....Kamp david

2011-04-28T17:33:00.002+01:00

Kamp David release their debut album Red Hotel via Zube Records on June 27th.

A sleazy, moody collection of rock and pop. Would a music news feature on the album release be possible please?

In the beginning:

Greg Radcliffe (guitar) from London got together with Murray Golding (vocals) from Melbourne to explore the possibilities of becoming a song writing team. Having fun and finding a rapport with their collaboration, they decided that they would record and perform these songs themselves,

On the second day:

Recruiting Murray’s friend, singer and dancer Kirsty Wone (vocals, guitar) and the 'Power Duo from Poland' in the form of Daniel Sakowski (bass) and Oskar Starski (drums) the line up was complete, so they rehearsed, played and recorded for four days until,

On the sixth day:

Zube created KAMP DAVID. Think Bolan, Bowie, B52’s, Alice Cooper and Electric 6 throw in some Queen, Roxy Music and Elton John and you'll be close. You may have caught them in London of late and you can hear their first album ‘Red Hotel’ out on Zube Records in June. So,

On the seventh day:
There was No Rest!

www.myspace.com/kampdavid

Stephen Dale Petit To Release A Cover Of 2PAC

2011-04-28T17:30:00.002+01:00

Stephen Dale Petit returns to the UK music scene with his brilliant take on 2Pac's California track. (Jun 13 / 333 Records)

The track is a stunning version showing Stephen Dale Petit's guitar wizardry mixed with a Blues vocal. The result? A summer smash that will have everyone reaching for their air guitars!

'Petit occupies a stunning middle ground between the fire of Freddie King, the instinct of Jimmy Page and the soul of Eric Clapton'
(Classic Rock magazine)

Stephen Dale Petit's amazing blues guitar odyssey started at a very young age indeed. His almost obsessive passion (and, arguably, God-given talent) has been with him through drug addiction, alcoholism and, ultimately, salvation and recovery. His journey has seen him homeless, busking for food on street corners and pennies on London Underground. It has taken him, in a matter of months, from much-admired tube platform performer to star of UK Festival stages; from object of passing traveler interest to inspirational University lecturer and all-round guitar icon. It is a journey which has witnessed him playing, as a teen, with several of Blues music's most revered crusaders and, as an adult, with many of electric blues' most stellar guitar gods. Little wonder, then, that one of the most outstanding songs on his astonishing second album 'The Crave' is titled 'Soul Survivor'.

Interviewed recently on BBC TV News about the release of his album, Petit summed up his raison d'etre perfectly:
'The reason I'm on the planet is to play Blues Guitar. I'm on a mission to spread the word about the blues and about the guitar – especially to young music lovers'

In a life often seemingly influenced by invisible and mysterious 'Gods of the Blues', Petit was born on a scorching hot, late 60s summer day, on a road somewhere near the Californian desert village and musical mecca of Joshua Tree. Baby Stephen was safely delivered by a passing black man who just happened to be both a Doctor and an enthusiastic Blues musician.

Stephen's childhood and formative years were spent in Orange County, California. Far too young to have experienced the Blues-influenced rock delights of The Beatles, Yardbirds, Cream, Hendrix and Zeppelin, these very soon found their way into his consciousness and he was playing his first Gibson Guitar (an SG Junior) aged 7. By his mid teens (still way too young to even be allowed in such places) he was gigging in clubs across California five nights a week - with bands comprised of men 10 years his senior, including legendary Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads.

Discovering the works of BB, Freddie and Albert King (the first and last of whom he met and briefly, but memorably, jammed with) Petit grew to adore early twentieth century blues pioneers Charley Patton, Tampa Red, Son House, Elmore James and, of course, Robert Johnson.

A 90s relocation to London led to chance (and hugely beneficial) meetings and musical collaborations with the likes of The Clash's Mick Jones and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, a support slot for Eric Clapton and new acquaintances with longtime heroes Phil May and Dick Taylor of The Pretty Things and Keith Richards and Ian Stewart of the Rolling Stones, all of which upped Stephen's game and musical currency considerably. However, It wasn't all to be plain sailing as Petit subsequently put in a few years receiving a well-researched 'University of Life' degree which resulted in a change of fortunes - leading to homelessness and a brush with, and recovery from, alcoholism and drug addiction.

When, in the early new millennium, Transport for London introduced the London Underground busking scheme, Stephen was encouraged to take part in the initiative and (figuring that almost all of his early Blues heroes had used busking as an organic marketing and promotion tool) he enthusiastically welcomed the chance to broaden the Blues' appeal to a much wider potential audience. It was an inspired decision. Encouraged by London Underground travellers' enthusiasm – Petit set about writing songs which would appeal to both the mature, Arts-appreciative and younger, inquisitive ends of the guitar music market. Thus was Petit's first album – 'Guitararama' - created.

Most reviewers and pundits agreed that 'Guitararama' was an album which tastefully managed both to pay homage to blues guitar greats and to strike a sufficiently appealing chord with a younger guitar-friendly market. Unsurprisingly, his music became described as New Blues and 'Guitararama' received sufficient critical praise, enthusiastic coverage and media support to encourage the sell-out of its initial 5,000 pressing and prompt a high profile album makeover, repressing and distribution deal with the mighty Universal Music.

As a result, Petit's media profile has now gone stellar, with him featuring heavily on national radio and press… in session for BBC Radio 2's 'Paul Jones Show' (twice) and the tastemaking Bob Harris Show ('…fantastic, truly great guitar playing…'); on BBC TV News; BBC Radio 4 'Midweek', BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio London's 'Breakfast Show'. He's raved about in the Sunday Times Culture section this month (October 2010), the Independent newspaper, News of the World, Sunday Express and Sunday Mirror as well as in the latest issue of MOJO, two major 6 page features in the UK's top Blues publication Blues Matters and Classic Rock, Guitar & Bass (who voted 'Guitararama' their Album of the Year for 2008), Guitarist, R2 and Blues In Britain magazines.

Propelled from busking on London Underground, he's taken major London and UK national stages by storm and built up a big following on the live music circuit. He's sold out London's World-famous (and currently threatened with closure) 100 Club a record seven times. Tens of thousands of Blues, Rock and Guitar fans have been mesmerized by his live performance abilities at many major UK Blues Festivals. He's a major University attraction - lecturing at dozens of the country's top colleges, talking about the history of the Blues, the guitar and performing live, solo, in lecture halls everywhere. The challengingly-named BLUnivErSity Tour continues to win Petit thousands of new, young fans. A hugely successful UK tour, accompanied by legendary Bluesbreaker/Rolling Stones guitarist (many say the power behind the greatest Stones incarnation) Mick Taylor, was followed by high profile rock/blues festival appearances: a prestigious Friday night-headlining appearance at Glastonbury 2010's new Bourbon Street Blues & Jazz Stage, an amazingly well-received High Voltage Festival stormer (soon to be released on a limited edition vinyl pressing); a triumphant International Stage headline slot at the Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival in Colne, Lancs.

The much-anticipated release of Petit's second album 'The Crave' is currently garnering rave reviews in the best, most influential, taste-making magazines. It contains some ferocious, rocking New Blues monsters alongside updated classics by the likes of Robert Johnson, Fleetwood Mac, Little Willie John and Albert King ('updates of classic blues songs often don't work but this one certainly does' - Paul Jones, BBC Radio 2).

Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Mick Taylor, Dick Taylor, Max Middleton and Pete Brown, 'The Crave' was recorded in Lincoln's hit factory Chapel Studios with the production team behind recent Arctic Monkeys, Editors, Johnny Marr & Liam Gallagher and Kaiser Chiefs albums and with Ian Grimble (Travis, Mumford & Sons, Clash, Manics, Fall, RHCP) overseeing operations. Released through Universal Music's Absolute arm, and also planned as a double, vinyl, 12', gatefold release, this eagerly awaited magnum opus is a key musical yardstick for a new generation of Blues fans and musicians alike.

And so Stephen Dale Petit's amazing Blues guitar odyssey continues. If current music industry and media opinion regards him very much at the vanguard of an ongoing New Blues Revolution, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of The White Stripes, Joe Bonamassa, Seasick Steve and The Black Keys (if not head and shoulders above them), Petit is, quite honestly, not too concerned because he is, let nobody forget, first and foremost on a mission to spread the word about the blues and about the guitar.

www.guitararama.co.uk

Fortieth Anniversary Of Caravan

2011-04-28T17:28:00.001+01:00

Caravan

In The Land Of Grey & Pink

(Deluxe Edition)

Cat No: 5333161

Release Date: 30.05.2011

To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the release of Caravan’s In The Land Of Grey And Pink, Universal is pleased to announce a special three-disc, deluxe edition of the album. The original multi-track session and album masters have been revisited by Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree and Blackfield) who has prepared new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes.

Disc One features the original album newly remastered by Paschal Byrne at The Audio Archive plus three new Stereo mixes by Steven Wilson. Disc Twofeatures two previously unreleased versions of “It Doesn’t Take A Lot” and “Nigel Blows A Tune” plus four non-album tracks remixed by Wilson Disc two also includes three songs recorded live for BBC radio’s Sounds of the Seventies - “Love To Love You”, “Love Song Without Flute” and “In The Land Of Grey And Pink” plus two songs recorded live for John Peel’s Sunday Concert which included a superb cover version of Soft Machine’s “Feelin’, Reelin’, Squealin’” and Caravan’s own magnum opus, “Nine Feet Underground”. Disc Three is a DVD featuring the brand new 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo mix of the album plus two performances recorded for German TV’s Beat Club in June 1971. “Golf Girl” was broadcast at the time but “Winter Wine” has never been seen.

Like Soft Machine, Caravan was born out of Canterbury based band Wilde Flowers, a group subject to many line-up changes. At various times the outfit featured Kevin Ayers (guitar), Richard Sinclair (guitar), Robert Wyatt (drums), and Hugh Hopper (bass). The band was augmented in 1965 when Hopper invited trainee dental technician and drummer Richard Coughlan to replace Robert Wyatt who had chosen to sing rather than play drums. Shortly afterwards a new guitarist was also recruited, Pye Hastings, born in Banffshire, Scotland but living in Canterbury since the age of twelve. Originally an R&B band, Wilde Flowers were developing towards more of a soul direction when Dave Sinclair joined, originally playing bass, but soon switching to keyboards. Both Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt then departed just a few months apart, both later re-emerging in Soft Machine.

By 1968, changing their name to Caravan, the classic first line-up comprised Pye Hastings, guitar and vocals, Richard Sinclair, bass guitar and vocals, Dave Sinclair, keyboards and Richard Coughlan, drums. Caravan soon developed a unique style having begun to write their own material and began to perform outside of Kent. An appearance at Middle Earth in Covent Garden in June 1968 eventually led to Caravan becoming the first British band to sign to the New York based Verve Records. The album Caravan appeared on Verve Forecast in October 1968 and stands creatively along side classic early British psychedelic recordings like Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Family’s Music in a Doll’s House and Traffic’s Mr. Fantasy. Unfortunately, the album was only in the shops for a matter of months before Verve Records ceased operations in the UK.

Caravan soon found a new home, signing to Decca Records and beginning recording their second album in September 1969. The irreverently titled If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You, was released a year later. By then, Caravan had already written the new material that would make up the bulk of their next vinyl outing. In the Land of Grey & Pink was the result - arguably, their finest hour.

Sessions for the album began at Decca Studios in West Hampstead in September 1970 where Caravan worked on first versions of what would become such legendary songs in their repertoire. On this occasion, Pye Hastings sole song writing contribution was “Love To Love You” explaining his relative lack of material thus; “For the first two albums I wrote most of the material, and Dave Sinclair also wrote a lot. When it came to Grey & Pink the others had a big backlog of material. Dave especially was advancing way ahead of the rest of us in terms of musical development, so he had a lot of say on the album. Richard Sinclair also had a pile of good material. I only contributed one entire track, but offered bits to some others.”

The first song recorded was Richard Sinclair’s “Group Girl”, aka “Golf Girl”. Another Richard Sinclair composition to grace the album was “Winter Wine”, a song of fairy tales and dreams. “We tended to come up with the music first and the lyrics were usually the last thing to be finished,” explained Pye. “I think ‘Winter Wine’ is probably the finest song Richard Sinclair has every written.” The remaining sessions in September 1970 were dedicated to “Dave’s Thing”, a major composition that became “Nine Feet Underground”. The 22 minute opus was recorded in five distinct sections and skilfully edited by David Hitchcock and engineer Dave Grinsted. In December 1970 the band moved to the newly opened Air London studios in Oxford Street. These AIR sessions saw “Golf Girl” re-recorded, with a superb piccolo solo from Pye’s brother, Jimmy Hastings plus the remaining titles, including “Grey and Pink” and Hastings‘ ‘Love To Love You‘. The work at Air also produced Richard Sinclair’s long unreleased “Frozen Rose (I Don’t Know It’s Name Alias The Word)”, now one of the bonus tracks on Disc Two.

The album’s final mixing was completed at Decca studios in January 1971, its initial single, released on February 12th 1971, coupling “Love To Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly)” with “Golf Girl”. In The Land Of Grey And Pink followed in April 1971 on Decca’s progressive rock label Deram. It was the inaugural release in Deram’s “deluxe” series, its gatefold sleeve featuring a striking Tolkien-esque illustration by Anne-Marie Anderson. Both the music within and the album sleeve created a stunning impression but, despite failing to register on the official UK album chart, In The Land Of Grey And Pink has remained on catalogue since its 1971 release and is Caravan’s biggest selling album. It’s splendid fusion of folk, jazz and rock - tinged with the band’s humour - created an album that is still highly regarded. Forty years on, In The Land Of Grey And Pink is, perhaps, Caravan’s defining moment.

The Touch Announce European Tour And Video

2011-04-28T17:25:00.000+01:00

The Touch announce European Tour dates plus new video for ‘Shot’

Australia’s, The Touch have made quite a name for themselves over the last few years, thanks largely to their party-like live shows, fuelled by their frenetic brand of indie. 2011 has already been a big year for the boys down under, and it began with the band playingAdelaide’s Big Day Out Festival, winning the APRA Emily Burrows Award (South Australian band with most potential) and being handpicked by none other than Phoenix as support band for their only Australian headline show.

As the band prepare to touch down on European soil, they are releasing a new video for the fan-favourite, ‘Shot’, ahead of a brand new single release later this summer. The video for Shot, filmed in one continuous take in a derelict building, features singer JoshMoore being covered from head to toe in paint, fake blood and food. Although simple in its concept, it makes for memorable viewing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4-xsk_MO8

Vocalist Josh Moore said;

“We randomly came up with the idea for the clip one day and 24 hours later I was covered in shit and the clip was done, it was that simple! We just needed something that was quick and easy to film and cheap to make but still had visual impact. I still can’t believe how well it turned out.

We have been working really hard on our new single and I’m excited that we will be releasing it to audiences in UK and Europe. Touring overseas is something we have always wanted to do but never really believed it would happen!”

The video is released alongside the announcement of their European tour which sees the band playing cities such as London, Brighton,Glasgow, Edinburgh and Hamburg throughout May / June.

Full tour dates are as follows:

May:

13 – The Great Escape Festival @ Jam, Brighton, England

14 – The Great Escape Festival @ Digital, Brighton, England

15 – The Aussie BBQ @ Cargo, London, England

16 – Club Spangle @ The Bull and Gate, London, England

17 – 93 Feet East, London, England

19 – Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, Scotland

20– Nice n’ Sleazy, Glasgow, Scotland

22 – Club Fandango @ Bull and Gate, London, England

27 – Playtime @ Club 333, London, England

31– Boat Show @ Frau Hedi, Hamburg, Germany

June:

4 – Starmelt @ Café Muffathalle, Munich, Germany

For more information on The Touch please visit:

http://twitter.com/thetouchyew

http://www.myspace.com/thetouchyew

http://www.youtube.com/user/thetouchyew

Facebook - http://listn.to/TheTouchmusic

Tinie Tempah

2011-04-26T12:08:00.003+01:00

TINIE’S TINIEST GIG

UK’s biggest artist plays smallest ever show after O2 ‘flash exit’

Tinie Tempah, one of the UK’s hottest music stars and two-time Brit award winner, has teamed up with O2 to give one lucky ‘superfan’ the experience of her lifetime by performing his smallest show ever in a special one-on-one gig.

Katie Hobbs, 21 from Southampton, received the surprise of her life when the O2 Islington Academy was rapidly transformed by O2 from a packed concert venue to gig for one in the first ever ‘flash exit’.

Katie was picked as the star of the show from 2000 hopefuls who applied on Facebook to participate in what was billed as ‘a live video performance.’ What began as an intimate gig for 400 fans was transformed in a matter of seconds into the most exclusive concert the UK Artist has ever played.

As Tinie delivered a number of his hits to the packed venue, 399 fans – directed by renowned documentary maker Phil Griffin – left the dancefloor, leaving Katie to enjoy a completely dedicated, one-on-one performance of Wonderman, Tinie’s latest single.

This is the first known example of a ‘flash exit’ – the reverse of a flash mob – designed to spontaneously empty busy public spaces in seconds. The flash exit was created by O2 to show the lengths it goes to when thinking about its customers.

Katie Hobbs said: “This has been the most amazing day of my life. Getting an exclusive gig from Tinie was simply incredible. I had absolutely no idea what was happening and before I knew it I was getting a solo performance from my favourite act. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Commenting on his most unusual gig to date, Brit award winner Tinie Tempah said: “I owe my success to my fans, and being able to interact with them when I play live is the greatest feeling. I’ve played all sorts of gigs in all sorts of venues but never one like this before. It’s definitely my tiniest gig ever, but it’s also one of my best.”

Footage shot during the event is being screened in a special 60 second ad spot running during Britain’s Got Talent, on Saturday 23rd April at 19.58pm. To see Tinie’s performance and Katie’s reaction, visit www.thinkingofkatie.co.uk

The Tinie tie-up was created as part of O2’s Thinking of You campaign, aimed at showing how O2 values its customers. The campaign also follows a long history of O2’s support for live music in the UK with its high profile sponsorship of The O2 and O2 Academy venues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31w1485Ixb0

http://www.tinieurl.co.uk/

Rufus Wainwright To Release Box Set

2011-04-21T20:46:00.001+01:00

Rufus Wainwright - ‘House of Rufus’

The sumptuous 19 disc box set, out July 18^th

Five night residency at the Royal Opera House, July 18^th-23^rd

The beautiful ‘House of Rufus’ box set, a 19-disc collection which spans Rufus Wainwright's entire career, will be unleashed on July 18^th on Universal.

The most complete collection of Rufus Wainwright recordings to date, ‘House Of Rufus’ is housed in a gorgeous, red velvet encased, 90-page hardback book containing rare and unseen photos as well as Rufus' early hand-drawn tour posters, handwritten lyrics, four art prints and other memorabilia.

‘House of Rufus’ will be released on the same day that Rufus starts his eagerly awaited five night residency of the same name at the Royal Opera House (July 18^th-23^rd). This will be the first event of its kind that the prestigious venue has ever hosted.

The set’s extensive and revealing sleeve notes feature interviews with Neil Tennant, Martha Wainwright, Linda Thompson and Lenny Waronker as well as an introduction by Rufus himself.

One of the most talented songwriters and consummate performers of his generation, Rufus is a global sensation. Taking the deft showmanship of the past and melding it with a distinctly modern sensibility, he has been praised by The Telegraph as a “wildly original aesthete [who] brings opera, chamber music, musical theatre and a rampant gay sensibility to the frequently jaded craft of the singer-songwriter”.

‘House Of Rufus’ contains:

Six studio albums: ‘Rufus Wainwright’, ‘Poses’, ‘Want One’, ‘Want Two’, ‘Release The Stars’ and ‘All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu’, all now with additional previously unreleased bonus material.

Two concerts on CD: ‘Milwaukee at Last!!!’ and the legendary ‘Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall’ (two CDs), now with previously unreleased songs from the show.

P.T.O

Four additional CDs

Rufus Rarities:

Featuring previously unreleased songs and rarities.

Rufus at the Movies:

This contains many of the songs Rufus has recorded for soundtracks including ‘Hallelujah’ from the film Shrek.

Friends & Family:

The third disc is drawn from Rufus' collaborations with friends and family members such as Leonard Cohen, Teddy Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III, Martha Wainwright, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, The Pet Shop Boys, and Burt Bacharach.

Original Demos:

The final disc is made up of the demos from the tape which secured Rufus his first record deal.

Six DVDs: ‘Live at Fillmore’, ‘Rufus Does Judy at the London Palladium’,

‘Milwaukee at Last!!!’, ‘Release The Stars’ album commentary and live

performance and two feature-length documentaries, ‘All I Want’ and ‘Prima Donna: The Making of An Opera’.

‘House Of Rufus’ is available for pre-order now at: http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/rufus-wainwright/house-of-rufus/icat/rufuswhouseofrufus/

Rufus Wainwright at the Royal Opera House:

July

Mon 18^thRufus Does Judy! orchestra conducted by Stephen Oremus

Tue 19^thAn Evening with Rufus and Martha Wainwright + band

Thu 21^stAn Evening with Rufus and Loudon Wainwright + band

Fri 22^ndRufus Does Judy!

Sat 23^rd Concert Version of Prima Donna with Janis Kelly, plus Rufus Does Rufus with orchestra

There is also an exclusive competiton for fans to have one their own photos and artwork included in the final boxset. To enter, and for further details, fans can visit the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rufus-Wainwright/26233759320?sk=app_4949752878

www.rufuswainwright.com

Introducing....Axel Loughrey

2011-04-21T20:40:00.003+01:00

With a voice to send shivers down your spine and a performance style impressive beyond all measure, Axel is a naturally fantastic musician!" urMUZIC.com

"Cool name, sexy voice, raw songs, that just about sums up Axel Loughrey" Noize makes Enemies

Born and raised in the backstreets of Paris the artist now known as Axel Loughrey picked up his first guitar at the tender age of 8, completed his first songs at 14 and hasn’t looked back since. He eventually packed up his guitar with a head full of songs and ventured across the North Sea to arrive on these shores and try his luck in the demanding world of the UK music scene.

Championed by the likes of Ms Jo Whiley and interviews and live material aired on Channel 4 Music, Axel Loughrey has certainly raised the eyebrows of music royalty in more ways then one. From being the main man in the now defunct Ruby Red Lips to taking on the heavy traffic of the UK music scene head on with his own solo material, this has proved to be the right decision as he was picked from a staggering 70000 applicants to grace the stage at Orange Unsigned.

With a voice and music style as velvet as Lou Reed’s Underground Axel certainly has the style, the look, and most importantly the songs ready to deliver to the wider audience . With two self released EP’s already in his kit bag the beautiful ‘Small Town, Small People’ and the invoking ‘Galloway Hill’ Axel is already taking the acclaim and plaudits on the live scene and is now ready to step forth with his third and highly anticipated release a darker side of the blues which makes the ‘Love Thing’ EP.

With a myriad of high profile gigs and festival appearances already secured, and a wide range of music industry gurus biting at the bit, Axel could soon well be the next 21st century boy!!

Jake Morley plays festivals all over the summer

2011-04-21T20:35:00.001+01:00

Jake Morley is to play a number of festivals over the summer.

Fresh from a triumphant sold-out album launch at London’s Bush Hall,which The Independent gave 4 Stars, things are hotting up for the remarkable Jake Morley.

His new single Feet Don't Fail Me Now, released in May, was also played on Dermot O'Leary's Radio 2 show in March.

Jake has also been added to the following festival line ups -

5th May City Showcase, 100 Club London

12th May Escape @ Brighton

31st May How The Light Gets In Festival, Hay on Wye

supporting 6 Day Riot

5th June Stowfest, Stowmarket

9-12 June Isle of Wight Festival

10th July Barn on the Farm Festival, Gloucester

23rd July ToneFest, Devon

24th July Secret Garden Party

5th Aug Y Not Festival, Matlock

26-28 Aug Aeon Festival

“Jake Morley and his impressive band more than have what it takes… an ambitious pop sound that is every bit as bright and sparkly as the main player himself” 4 stars - The Independent

Jake’s phenomenal talent as a songwriter and performer have long been recognised by his early fans, but his audience is building quickly and now record labels and publishers are rightly putting Jake Morley firmly on their buzz radar. Dermot O’Leary’s Radio 2 show and Q Radio are 2of the many radio stations around the UK playing his tracks.

Fresh from a triumphant sold-out album launch at London’s Bush Hall, things are hotting up for the remarkable Jake Morley. Jake’s phenomenal talent as a songwriter and performer have long been recognised by his early fans, but his audience is building quickly and now record labels and publishers are rightly putting Jake Morley firmly on their buzz radar. Dermot O’Leary’s Radio 2 show is one of over 40 radio stations around the UK playing his tracks, live acoustic sessions and interviews, with headline shows booked in across the country over the course of 2011.

"Great real life lyrics and superb virtuoso playing. That's extraordinary!”

Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Radio

"Jake Morley is not just your average bloke with guitar, he stunned crowds at this years Outside Inside festival with his unique style and is always a show stealer".

BBC introducing

“It’s phenomenal to watch him but it’s still more daunting to consider that he also sings up a storm and writes cracking songs. Morley is a true original”.

Acoustic Magazine

‘Many Fish To Fry’ is a big, open sounding album, jam-packed full of memorable songs ranging from the poignant ‘This City’ through to the feel-good ‘I Saw Something’, via a full choir on the upbeat debut single ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’. An early EP, boosted by play on Radio 2 and 6 Music, grabbed the attention of renowned producers Phill Brown (Bob Marley / Talk Talk / Faithless) and Calum MacColl (Rokia Traore / Ronan Keating / Eddi Reader) who worked alongside Jake and the band to create an album that overflows with soulful instrumentation, warm vocals and strong lyrics.

“A sound that can’t be ignored. Morley can do no wrong and a wealth of fans can’t get enough.” 9/10 - Virgin.com

“From the moment Jake Morley sets foot on stage and places his guitar across his lap it’s impossible not to be mesmerised. A gripping sound.”

All About London

“A blinding album that both feels instantly familiar but needs a few plays to really delve into every lyrical twist and turn. A Mercury Music Prize nomination in 2011?”

Designer Magazine

Whether gigging with his 4-piece band (which includes ex-Nizlopi double bass player John Parker), or as a solo performer, the reaction of the crowd is always one of pure delight.

http://www.jakemorley.com / http://www.youtube.com/jakemorley / http://www.myspace.com/jakemorley

Introducing....Juffage

2011-04-21T20:33:00.000+01:00

Band: Juffage

Release: Semicircle (album) – vinyl/mp3

Date: 6^th June 2011

Label: Function Records

Web links: http://www.juffage.com

Social Media links: http://twitter.com/juffage

Juffage is Jeff T. Smith, a solo sound artist and multi-instrumentalist from Leeds, via Chicago, Illinois. He is often seen in bars, art galleries, and basements with a band’s worth of instruments.

A recording enthusiast at heart, he has spent time in some of Chicago’s finest studios including Engine Studios (w/ Brian Deck), and Electrical Audio (w/ Steve Albini). Live shows see him coming up with inventive new ways of bringing his multi-layered recordings to the stage, utilising live looping and multitasking of drums, vocals, basses, guitars, keys, omnichord, clarinet, melodica, and manipulated cassettes. Juffage performances have been compared to a synthesis of Lightning Bolt’s rhythmic ferocity, Radiohead’s lush pop sensibility, King Tubby’s manipulative production, and Andrew Bird’s ability to make a good loop. The result has been described as a “hyperactive and technically accomplished display”, “magical”, and “wildly exuberant yet deceptively delicate”.

His new album, 'Semicircle’, takes his distinctive larger-than-life performance style to an even grander scale, adding even more instruments to the mix. But there’s careful orchestration at work under the surface: couched in a patchwork of sounds and cut-up samples is a plethora of pop sensibilities. ‘Small Fires’ casts layers of whirring keys and erratic, densely-packed drums as the oddball trappings that conceal Juffage’s earworm hooks, and ‘My Weakness’ layers, fuzzes, and distorts its way out of being a straight-forward pop song. ‘Semicircle' and ‘HHV’ combine fragments of layered vocal harmoies, analog synthesizers, and thick slabs of slow-moving melody.

This debut is a perfect distillation of what Juffage is about – both defiantly experimental and unashamedly pop-oriented, with neither feature seeming out of place or at war with the other. Recorded over a six year period in 22 different locations around the U.S.A. and U.K., ‘Semicircle’ is an ambitious record and a bold statement of the Juffage story so far.

'Semicircle' is released on 6^th June via London label Function Records (Maybeshewill, Shield Your Eyes, Cats Cats and Cats, Nitkowski). Juffage will be on tour in UK throughout May. Details and tour dates are on the reverse.

Tracklisting:

1) Semicircle

2) 120/240

3) Small Fires

4) Stop Making Music

5) Under Fanblades

6) My Weakness

7) HHV

8) Drone II

Upcoming Shows:

03 MAY: Sheffield – the Harley
06 MAY: Bradford – Zuu Bar
07 MAY: Leeds – Headingley Methodist
07 MAY: Bolton – the Dog & Partridge
08 MAY: Edinburgh – Sneaky Pete’s

10 MAY: Aberdeen – Cafe Drummond

11 MAY: Glasgow – the Bloc

12 MAY: Inverness - Mad Hatters

13 MAY: Lancaster – Yorkshire House

17 MAY: London - Buffalo Bar

20 MAY: Newcastle – TBA

21 MAY: Manchester – the Castle Hotel

26 MAY: Preston – the Mad Ferret

27 MAY: Nottingham - TBA

28 May: Derby - TBA

29 MAY: Northampton – Labour Club
30 MAY: Brighton – the Druids Arms

01 JUNE: Bristol – Mother’s Ruin
02 JUNE: Southampton – Hampton's Bar
03 JUNE: London – TBA
04 JUNE: Halifax – Bar Up
05 JUNE: Leeds – Brudenell Social Club

02 JULY: Reading – Doubledotdash! Festival

12 AUGUST: Skipton – Beacons Festival

Selected press quotes:

"Crawling around amid a tangled mass of wires he leaps from one instrument to the next with the dexterity of a one man Mogwai." Loud & Quiet

“Dreamy anti-folk with layers of distortion and feedback ... well and truly mind-blowing.” Clash Magazine

“Jeff T. Smith (a.k.a. Juffage) is changing the face of experimental music as we know it.” – Emily Rippe, Toledo City Paper

"You don’t often find a solo artist as original as Chicago-born Juffage.” – Alex Taylor, Vibrations Magazine

Classic Rock Releases the best of NWOBHM compilation

2011-04-20T21:10:00.001+01:00

Various Artists

Classic Rock Presents: New Wave Of British Heavy Metal

That most weighty and patriotic of musical vanguards, the NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL, now over three decades old, continues to inspire and be a cause for celebration of those glorious days of wanton metal abandon. And to acknowledge that great period in heavy music, Universal/Sanctuary Records has teamed-up with those good folk at METAL HAMMER & CLASSIC ROCK magazine to forge this illustrious 20 track array of sheer power and metal ferocity.

The names speak for themselves – Saxon, Venom, Diamond Head, Girlschool, Angel Witch, Tygers Of Pan Tang...the list goes on...and just like the scene that first produced these great names, the NWOBHM continues to capture the imagination of Metal fans both old and new. Much like the way Punk broke down barricades just a few years before it, the NWOBHM is held aloft today as an era where enough self-belief and grim determination could take a band to a voracious audience without the need for industry tastemakers and record company marketers relying on consumer fore-casts to manipulate their next target market.

Well over 200 bands emerged during this period and many released records on their own labels whilst others such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Diamond Head would forge lengthy careers recording for major companies such as, EMI and Mercury. The enthusiasm for Heavy Metal during this period also helped to revitalise the careers of bands from the previous era such as Motörhead and Deep Purple’s departing vocalist, Ian Gillan, whilst across the pond, bands such as Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer built their new styles on the foundation of this U.K. scene.

As we begin the second decade of the 21st Century, Heavy Metal music has never been in a healthier state and it is fitting that the NWOBHM, three decades prior, is acknowledged as a period when fans took the music into their own hands and reinforced Heavy Metal as music to a way of life, and not just a fashion.

Castrovalva have a hot new video for Senorita

2011-04-20T21:06:00.002+01:00

Castrovalva have a hot new video for Senorita in support of the Brew // DTTR split 10" vinyl that is officially released on Monday 22nd April.

View it here.

Senorita recording blog also available here.

After a brilliant 2010 which saw the trio tackle support slots with Israeli noise merchants Monotonix, Health & An Albatross, the band have been locked in the studio perfecting their sound forSenorita which features on the Brew/DTTR Split 10". Further info on the record is located here.

The live launch gig will be on on Friday 22nd April at The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds where you can catch Valva in action. Ticket combos for the event can be ordered below:

http://brewrecords.bigcartel.com/
http://dancetotheradio.bigcartel.com/

Facebook event here: http://on.fb.me/BrewDTTRlaunch

Further Valva dates:

Apr 30th Cockpit w/ Young Legionaire for Live at Leeds
May 1st The Flapper, Birmingham
May 3rd The Well, Leeds
May 5th PRESTON Mad Ferret w/ Maybeshewill Don't just take our northern praise coming from our cakeholes, check out what these fine people have to say:

“Your ear drums have been well and truly dented. A combination of hardcore roaring’s, loops and samples. Not to be missed” - NME

“The unofficial best band in the universe" - Artrocker Magazine

Introducing....The Darlingtons

2011-04-20T21:03:00.002+01:00

The Darlingtons

New Independent- Released 16^th May

New Independent is the debut EP from hotly tipped new indie darlings; The Darlingtons.

This young four piece indie rock outfit from Taunton who have recently signed to independent label Ordered Records (www.orderedrecords.com), find inspiration from guitar bands of the 90’s, rather than their modern day peers. Listening to them play you can hear definite tones of Echo & The Bunnymen, the raw melodies of Sonic Youth, and the atmosphere of The National.

The Darlingtons, who have already appeared on BBC Introducing, are releasing their debut EP New Independent on the 16^th May and it encapsulates the fiercely independent ethos of the band. Tracks such as ‘Sirens’ and ‘Flashing Lights’ both take influence from British shoe gaze and stadium rock and ‘It Hangs’ delivers guitar based melodies that would sit very comfortably in the US west coast garage scene.

Even with huge guitars, big drums and sing along choruses that will stick in your head for days, they have cobbled together an ethereal, melancholic sound that will speak to a nation experiencing difficult times, and this is their thinking, it’s why they signed to a new independent label Ordered Records rather than a major. They just want to make music that moves anyone that wants to listen.

With gigs and festivals around the UK planned for summer, The Darlingtons have the potential to make a real impact on the music scene in 2011. Comparisons will be drawn for this band, but their sound is still beautifully unique.

For more information on The Darlingtons please visit www.orderedrecords.com/thedarlingtons

www.myspace.com/thedarlingtonsmusic