Bad Friday / Love Letters / Firestations

Not sure how this is the first blog post of the year but that's where we're at. 

Our Bad Friday all-dayer has been announced and this year features an incredible mix of bands from Bristol, Belfast, Brighton, Liverpool, Cambridge and Hastings - details below, be a part of it! 

I also played some viola on James Pickering's new band Love Letters' new EP which is out now! It's full of life.

Firestations have a new album on the way but it's not the album that we recorded at Otterhead in January it's actually a Mike solo record, something he craftily crafted on his own whilst away in Scotland last Summer and it was made with half broken instruments and field recordings and is quite a beautiful thing. 

Bad Friday is a bbq all-dayer featuring eight electrifying bands - from Belfast's garage punk trio Jock, channeling the energy of riot grrrl icons, to the feminist garage-rock of The Baby Seals, and the math-rock-made-sexy sounds of Brighton's SLAG. Also joining the bill are the alt-rock energy of alright (okay), the raucous alt-rock of Bristol’s Deadheading, the gothic darkwave pop of Border Widow (featuring ex-members of Big Joanie), the powerful storytelling of Dogviolet, and the fuzzy, nostalgic indie rock of woon.

18 April, Windmill Brixton

Dice or WeGotTickets

Wild Winter 10 year anniversary gigs

I'm not usually a fan of the looming irritant that is the festive period, however when it involves gigs (like the Slow Club Xmas gigs I was lucky enough to be a part of way back) it lightens the load and this year there are gigs! Smoke Fairies Xmas gigs. 

Firestations have been added to the Jill Lorean gig at the Old Library which is cool, Jill's new album is incredible, you should listen to it right now, and come along to the gigs.

And here's a playlist of some hot new tunes

TOUR(S)!

 As ever, I've been incredibly slack at updating this blog. 

I forgot to mention that Firestations were supporting legendary New York musician come comic book artist come all-round genius Jeffrey Lewis at Bedford Esquires who was brilliant as ever and Bedford is so lucky to have such a fabulous venue in the Bedford Esquires, thanks to all at Esquires for being friendly, professional and all-round excellent people.

I've probably forgotten some other things too but I wanted to come here and mention two upcoming tours I'm playing, one of which is a tour split into manageable portions, certainly one way of prolonging a tour and there are fewer things worse than the end of  a tour; the passing of a pet rabbit maybe? you should come to some shows 'cos god knows how long any of us will be able to keep doing this stuff! We would appreciate you being there. 

///  FIRESTATIONS TICKETS   ///  SMOKE FAIRIES TICKETS  /// 

If you're looking for some other stuff to listen to, I'd recommend Sweeping Promises' new(ish) album, which is bursting full of energy and more hooks than a fisherman's bag. In a similar vein, but even more bonkers is Snooper's album, it makes you feel alive and even 6Music have picked up on it! Pale Blue Eyes's new album This House has also just landed and is unbelievably great.

See you on tour!

Thick Terrain by Firestations OUT NOW

I am one of the apparently dwindling numbers of people who still really value the album as a format for expressing the thing(s) you want to express. 

Today is an exciting day because our album Thick Terrain is out via Lost Map records, it's an eclectic mix of dream-pop, indie-rock and electronica, it's an album that imho flows beautifully, and an album I'm proud to be a part of with the good people of Firestations. 

The album is out now via all the usual streaming places.

We're also playing a show at the Shacklewell on Saturday. 

Thanks for listening.

Firestations at the Shacklewell Arms

 

Thick Terrain is released on Friday (more on that later) and we're doing this show to mark the occasion! we've done a ton of rehearsals in prep for this, involving me navigating pretty much the entire TFL network, so it would be great to see some faces. Tickets here.

Firestations recording

I recently had the fortune of being asked to join Firestations in the studio to play bass on a collection of songs that may form a part of some sort of release further down The Line, be it a Fishing Line, Shopping Line, Line of Duty, Line of Best Fit...  all I know is the songs are a real step on, and a good time was had. Ah, the studio, Otterhead Studios, a beautiful place tucked away next to a farm not too far from Rugby station and only a couple of hours drive from that London (thanks for the lift Tom). 

Here's a photo of me doing my best Carol Kaye impression. 

Follow them on Twitter for updates...

Firestations - Protection Spells

...from the Hash & Brew article:

With trademark intertwined vocals from Mike and Laura, it also features special guest Neil Walsh (Smoke Fairies, Videocean, Shattercones) on viola, as well as a rare, scorched-earth guitar solo (like a frustrated dad going epic in a guitar shop) from the band’s lead guitarist Martin (who is not a dad).

For fans of emotional alt-country - think Sparklehorse, John Cale, Wilco, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Neil Young, Herman Dune, Sharon Van Etten - albeit selectively filtered through refined (repressed) British sensibilities.

Firestations & The Leaf Library at Paper Dress Vintage - 21st Jan

Tickets: bit.ly/sonictonictickets

Pleased to be joining forces with Joyzine for a couple of shows at Paper Dress Vintage, the first being Firestations, who have a sparkly new tune on the way, and support from The Leaf Library and some special guests to be revealed soon!

 

 

 

BAD FRIDAY MUSIC FESTIVAL

Tickets are now on sale for Bad Friday!