“Gimme The Sweet And Lowdown” hits the streets July 4th, followed by headline show at London’s Shepherds Bush on the July 7th

 

Iconic rock ‘n' roll band Social Distortion will release their new single “Gimme The Sweet And Lowdown” on July 4th , just a few days prior to the band’s exclusive UK show in London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on July 7th.

 

The new single is taken from the band’s latest album “Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes”: the follow-up to their acclaimed album Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll’ album, and the band’s seventh studio album and first release in over six years. “Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes” has reached the highest chart position in the band's 32 year recording career, both in Europe and the US, and has received worldwide critical acclaim.

 

Mojo Magazine stated that "Mike Ness and his men still have those rock'n'roll blues", while Uncut Magazine declared that "amassing influences from Stones/Skynyrd gospel raunch (Diamond in the Rough), through Clash meets Springsteen broadsides (Writing On the Wall), Ness’ songs tackle his experience with hard unforgiving honesty...". MSN.com called the record a “knockout” and said that it’s a “great reminder that punk is a state of mind, not just a hairstyle", while USA Today added that "Mike Ness and his band of punks are as intense as ever".

 

The show on Thursday July 7th marks the band’s first UK appearance in over 2 years. The doors at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire open at 7PM. For information on tickets, visit: http://bit.ly/mMvZJg  

 

For more Information:

www.socialdistortion.com   

www.epitaph.com    

 

YELLOWCARD announce one-off full-band acoustic date

at Bush Hall in London on Tuesday 6^th September

Tickets on general sale this Friday at 9am 

New album ‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ in stores now

 

 

“An aching yet catchy anti-pop that tugs at the heartstrings while simultaneously making you want to dance.” – Kerrang! (KKKK)

“Their seventh album marks their integrity being upheld far further than naysayers could ever have imagined.” – Rock Sound (8/10)

“‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ captures the sound of summer, seeing the band back with a spring in their collective step and smiles on their faces.” – Big Cheese (4/5)

 “‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ pleasingly confirms that all is not in fact over – much rather an entirely more exciting chapter in their legacy has just begun.” – Punktastic.com (4/5)

 

Following the rapturous response to Yellowcard’s live set on their tour supporting All Time Low in the UK earlier this year, the band have announced a special one-off acoustic show in London on September 6^th. Vocalist / guitarist Ryan Key had the following to say about the prospect of the band’s first headline date on these shores in some years –

 

"We have always loved playing our music in an acoustic setting. Having the opportunity to travel to London and play an intimate acoustic set for only 350 fans is going to be amazing for us and for them. We are all really looking forward to it." 

 

Yellowcard have sold over 3 million records worldwide and their music has been the soundtrack to feel good days across the globe for over a decade. This new chapter in the band’s career sees them partner with renowned indie label Hopeless Records (All Time Low, The Wonder Years). Yellowcard’s latest album ‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ was released in March to widespread critical acclaim, putting the band firmly back on the radar following the break they had taken prior to making this record.

 

You will be able to purchase tickets from Friday at 9am via this link –http://www.gigsandtours.com/?a=yellowcard&site=yellowcard

 

www.myspace.com/yellowcard  |  www.yellowcardrock.com  |www.HopelessRecords.com

 

 

We are happy to announce Birmingham band Templeton Pek as main headliners for our All Day Gig on the 6th August 2011 at the The Venue Hall, Corby. 

 

2011 seen the release of the band's second full length album 'Scratches & Scars' to critical acclaim. TP already released a 30 second single 'Thirty Seconds Too Far' for Teenage Cancer Trust garnering media support with the likes of Radio 1, Xfm, BBC wm & Kerrang Radio. Also supporting Sum 41 and the band has just completed their first headline european tour. Slam Dunk festival, Spack festival, The Descendents  support and Sugarcult support as well as Rise Against also confirmed this year. This year also saw the inclusion of ‘Red_Lights_Flash’ on the soundtrack to the No 2 charting COLIN McCRAE: THE DIRT 2 console game on Xbox360, PS3 and Wii. Alongside the likes of Biffy Clyro, Rise Against, Queens of the Stone Age, Scars on Broadway and You Me At Six. The band were also selected to participate in a campaign to promote legal downloading by drinks giant Coco-Cola.

 

 

http://www.templetonpekofficial.com

http://www.myspace.com/templetonpek

http://www.twitter.com/templetonpek

http://www.thirtysecondstoofar.co.uk

 

 

 

 

A small dwelling above an antique store on a main road near Bondi Beach is not the ideal studio space. Add to that a main bus line and a few microphones and you’ve got yourself a very unlikely recording sanctuary. Yet, this is where Guineafowl chose to record his first ideas. With merely his laptop, its in-built microphone and a soda water at his side, the beginning ideas of his debut EP “Hello Anxiety” began to take shape.

 

“The recording process was a little frustrating. I would often have to stop what I was doing every ten minutes to let a bus pass. The antique store below would also be moving heavy furniture each day that added to the loud outside sound.  I chose to do it there though as I had ideas bursting out of me and I wanted to get them down by any means possible,” the songwriter explains.

 

Take a quick look at Guineafowl’s creative family and it’s no surprise he is bursting with inspiration. His mother, stepfather and brothers are all visual artists, living successfully off their paintings and artworks. His sister is a film producer, and his father an ambitious fashion designer that owns his own boutique. Although this artist does not follow the line of visual art, he does take on the philosophy that his family has taught him.

 

“My family, particularly my brother showed me that art is about capturing stories.  Although I’m not a painter, that’s how I’ve always seen my songwriting – another way to translate a story.”

 

Debut EP “Hello Anxiety” is just that, a translation of Guineafowl’s life stories; a scrapbook collection of fuck-ups, frustrations and elation. From the stomping ‘Botanist’ to the harsh ‘My Lonely Arms’ to the grateful ‘Little Fingers’, this talented lyricist is translating his take on the world, assessing circumstance and critiquing every move.

 

Guineafowl’s peers have always been supportive of his creativity. Once his trusty laptop and in-built mic had recorded the loops and melodies that he was satisfied with he showed it to a friend who urged him to put it online. From there his fanbase grew, and after a playing a few solo shows, he realised these tracks could not make the impact he wanted them to if it was only him on stage.

 

He again called upon those friends, as well as a few other stragglers to help him with his live show. “In choosing my band there was only one rule: they had to be better players than me.  As a result I’m surrounded by some genius players, that makes the on-stage work feel playful and easy.”

 

Next came the more serious work of getting their hands dirty in the studio. Soon they transferred to BJB studios, laying down what the motley crew had formed together.  The band worked hard over a short 48 hours, tracking two songs and mixing four. “We took it all very seriously, making sure we got things right and got things done quickly,” he grins.

 

The result was “Hello Anxiety”, an EP which Guineafowl sees as a melding of his sounds from the small room above the antique store with the melodies of the in-studio time with his band. ‘Botanist’ still contains his original vocal takes from the humble beginnings with his in-built microphone, whilst ‘My Lonely Arms’ delivers to you Guineafowl as a band through a large mixing desk.  Each track brings its own colour to the palette, and although it’s not in his family’s tradition of visual art, he has succeeded in putting together a canvas of stories in “Hello Anxiety”.

 

Guineafowl’s debut EP “Hello Anxiety” will be released on Dew Process via itunes on June 20th and UK tour dates will be announced soon.

 

 

www.facebook.com/guineafowl

www.myspace.com/guineafowl

www.dew-process.com

Back in the summer of 2007 was the beginning of a new era for this group of strong and passionate musicians from Northamptonshire, England. Playing their first show one month after creation, a monster with cause was born. “Delivering a fast-paced set of metal-tinged hardcore with an urgency that hadn’t been matched by any band seen in the area for a long time” , Lost Children of the Khmer Rouge fought their way into the crumbling society and corrupt music industry to bring you honest Hardcore/Punk that comes straight from the heart.

 

From that unforgettable first show, they never let up, vomiting thunderous tracks like “Plausible Deniability” and the unrelenting “Shenanigans”. The band topped off an incredible first 6 months by sweeping the board at the annual RockSchool awards, winning Best Band, Best Frontman, Best Bassist and Best Drummer and going on to win Best Frontman and Best Guitarist again in 2008. They've gone on to having the honour of supporting the likes of Fei Comodo, Devil Sold His Soul, Defenestration at their one off reunion show in 2008, Mirimar Disaster and Raging Speedhorn at their last ever UK show in October 2008. 

Sadly the band went their separate ways later that year, and in May 2010 got back together for a one off reunion show of their own. Before they called it a day they put together a 7track CD which is now being given away as a free download so enjoy and share the music and the message of the band. Get in touch with your views and opinions. 

 

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?2udbafned2on7

Future Boy is the solo project of English singer-songwriter James Bourne who was co creator of hit bands Busted and Son of Dork. Now James is looking to move away from his pop youth and develop into a more serious artist. Recently we got the chance to chat to the man himself while taking time out from recording in the studio with Pixie Lott.

 

Whats the name of the album and why did you choose the title name?

Space Travellers, because its a concept album about a Space Traveller called Future Boy. 

 

Who is Future Boy?

I'm Future Boy, when I do Future Boy, like when Clark Kent puts on the cape he is Superman.

 

What do you put on to become Future Boy?

I put on my red hoodie 

 

Did you enjoy your time in the studio?

My time in the studio was time I don't remember to well. I made the album in 12 days… its a  blur. I wrote and recorded a song every day and on the 11th day I listened back and added parts. On the 12th day I was handed a CD of mixes.

 

Are you happy with it or is there anything you wish you could of took more time on?

There's always things I would change after I listened back a few times, but I'd never finish albums if I didn't discipline myself.

 

I guess as an artist your never totally happy…?

I guess, I just think you have to get on with it and commit. Sometimes I'll go months not writing stuff cause I don't think its good enough. I think everything I come up with is shit but when I forget about that then I realise I set standards for myself that are too high and get on with it, when I just write stuff its good enough to be number 1 and it makes my fans happy. It seems to work anyway. If people saw how I make these Future Boy albums were made they'd be shocked. I play every part and i wing the arrangement without even thinking about it, yet it sounds very thought out. i think music writes itself.

 

Although your not in the public eye so much you still have a following.

Its not public eye at all! It's through sheer belief on the fans part. Every penny I've made is through music and its the reason I get to do it everyday. I don't feel anything anymore when I read reviews or comments. I just know I'm connecting with fans who still care and they can tell I care when they listen to the new songs. I think they believe I'm going to come back….and so do I. Just has to happen in its own time. When the music floats to the top without me looking like I'm trying, its not about money for me anymore, that why I have this attitude. Im not going on Big Brother. I hate that show!

Who is producing the album?

I co produced it with Tommy Henriksen. He is one of my favourite collaborators. We met in LA and I know he was who I wanted to make Future Boy with. Tommy is the one who forces me to behave the way I do when I make Future Boy. He is always rushed for time and has zero patience, so I'm scared he will shout at me if I don't hurry up and play a cool part. Like if I sit there for 10 seconds silent he gets angry, without Tommy Future Boy albums would take years.

 

What inspired you to write this album?

The inspiration for this album was how its being released. It's being released on Facebook in a never been done before way, as a computer game. So knowing I was scoring a computer game was very inspiring, also being in a long distance relationship with my girlfriend added to the lyrics. 

 

You must of been eager when the chance came along, like Explosions In The Sky doing the entire soundtrack for Friday Night Lights?

I was pumped yeah, this is a huge opportunity to do something different. Now don't fuck it up.

 

Is there any key tracks you can tell us about or personal favourites?

I'd rather not give tracks away as you have to progress them in the game. It would take away the point of the game, sorry. The album is a journey that you go on with many obstacles. Your going to get attacked in this album. 

 

When is it out?

I don't wanna say an exact date. I don't want the computer game people to shout at me but we are hoping June, well optimistic about June but cant give an exact date. 

 

The album is a change in direction for you and what people are used to from you, whats the reception been like?

No one heard this album yet but the first Future Boy album many people were like 'wheres the guitars???'  but some people  were digging it at shows people's faces were mainly looking really into it, like a little curious about it all. I'm going do all kinds of music, Busted is the music I made when I was 17 to 21. Future Boy is my 20's, and when I hit 30 Im changing it up again. I don't want to be judged on my music until I die. You shouldn't judge anyone on a first single or album but Son of Dork and Busted were both fun. Id like to make another Son of Dork album soon. 

 

Why should people check you out?

People should check me out cause my music is my life so it cant not be good. All I do is listen and make music. I think I tend to make music thats easy on the ears. I also work with tons of artists and producers. No one knows that I do it but its across the board. I've had cuts with grammy award winning rock stars. No one knows about it.

 

Any you wanna name?

Nope. Its all on the internet somewhere. Although, Gabriella Cilmi was fun she's one of my favourite female artists I ever worked with. She is a really great singer and writer too. I have a bunch of songs with artists that never came out that I wish they'd brought out!

 

For more information and news: 

http://www.myspace.com/futureboy

http://twitter.com/JamesBourne

http://www.facebook.com/officialfutureboy

 

To buy Future Boy Volume 1 - http://www.futureboy.com or http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/volume-1/id398651948

 

 

The industrial landscape of West-Yorkshire’s cultural capital, Leeds, is the unlikely birth-place of a truly exciting live music scene, giving rise to the likes of That Fucking Tank, Vessels, Quack Quack, These Monsters and Forward Russia to name but a few. When starting out amongst this cacophony of talent, it can be hard to get people’s attention, especially when the masses of brutally critical, stoic, beard-stroking fans of experimental music infrequently support the live scene unless it’s OK’d by Huw-ever or Zane-in-the-know.

Two-piece psychedelic prog metal megalodons Khuda are seemingly unfazed by the attentions of domestic musoes however as even before their recent signing to prolific indie label Field Records, they spent their time hauling a mountainous back-line far and wide across East and Western Europe playing gruelling shows to anyone who will listen, earning respect the hard way with honesty and humility.

Khuda’s live show is loud, atmospheric and brooding. Oriental flavours are woven between epic Tool-like grandeur with slabs of riffage seeping out of the mantra that builds and builds and builds. Guitarist Tom Brooke towers (almost as high as his 8x10 bass rig and twin 4x12 guitar rig) like an ancient tree over his pedal board, incense burning at the helm, creating layer upon layer of delicately constructed substance, while drummer Steve Myles expertly flits between passages of colossal weight and texture punctuated by intricate tribal sensibilities.

It is the sheer spectacle of Khuda’s live show that gives first full-length record Lecava a whole lot to live up to. Although the album is technically proficient and expertly executed there is an eerie presence that Khuda manifest in the flesh that could never quite be replicated on this otherwise excellent collection of songs. This is by no means a problem for the uninitiated but perhaps more of like the observation of someone who has grown to love this band by seeing them perform on more than one occasion.

The most striking thing about this unpronounceable debut album is its relative maturity to the preceding EP 'Palingenesia'. The drum production is stronger and heavier and the guitar work is more refined and eclectic. Lecava sounds less like a live recording and more like an articulate studio album adorned in the kind of skill you acquire from relentless practice. 

The brief, vowel-heavy opener Seia warms up with an emotive crescendo momentarily accompanied by a deceptively steady beat that hints at jungle and drum and bass rather than any traditional post-rock saunter. Layered loops drift across the drums ascending into a gorgeous drop that yields seamlessly to the syncopated chug of the following track Boreas.

Title track Lecava encapsulates the brooding intensity of Khuda’s raison d'être while hot on its heels; Haikyo delivers a more subtle and ambient aspect of their being.

Standout track for this reviewer has to be the penultimate Don Benito. Like a thief erasing his presence from a crime scene it is careful and precise. Against the backdrop of a patient melodic rise it shepherds the listener towards the mid-way point where an understated, over-driven guitar lead speaks to you with almost human articulation while the afore mentioned melodic rise reverses with perfect self-reflexivity. 

Lecava is cinematic, ominous, tender at times and ultimately, so very humble. Reminiscent of a sacrificial offering, it is simultaneously violent and reverent.

 

http://www.facebook.com/khudamusic

http://khuda.bandcamp.com/

 

Ashley West-Mullen

 

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

New single ‘Broken Foundation’ set for release 13^th June 2011

Festival appearances including Download and Hevy festivals

(Distiller Records)

 

Hot on the heels of the release of Funeral For A Friend’s critically-acclaimed fifth studio album

‘Welcome Home Armageddon’ earlier this year, the band will be appearing at several UK festivals over the summer, as well as releasing new single ‘Broken Foundation’. FFAF will be headlining the Pepsi Max stage at Download festival and they are also playing Hevy Festival alongside such bands as Dillinger Escape Plan and Four Year Strong. Their continued ability to command significant festival audiences with their ever-evolving live set is testament to the band’s longevity and consistent popularity.

 

Single ‘Broken Foundation’ will be released on 13^th June, following the band’s set at Download festival and the band are looking forward to bringing their new material to the masses. Of the new track, drummer/vocalist Ryan Richards says - “It’s probably the heaviest track we've ever written and, again, a lot of fun to play. This is probably the one I'm most looking forward to playing live. There’s a first on there with Kris doing his first recorded guitar solo! He's been waiting almost ten years to unleash the beast and now it's out for all to feast over!” Anyone who gets to see FFAF over the summer is certainly in for a treat!

 

UK FESTIVAL / LIVE APPEARANCES

Sun 22nd May   Hub Festival, Liverpool  

Sat 28th May      Focus Wales, Llangollen Pavilion

Sun 29th May    Volume Festival, Crewe

Sat 11th June     Download Festival – headlining Pepsi Max Stage

Sun 3rd July        The Rumble Down South, Amersham

Sat 6th Aug         Devon Rox, Powerdam Castle

Sun 7th Aug        Hevy Music Festival, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

 

www.myspace.com/funeralforafriend  | www.facebook.com/funeralforafriend  | www.twitter.com/ffaf

Listen to album ‘Welcome Home Armageddon’ atwww.facebook.com/funeralforafriend

 

On 19th May, just for the sheer hell of it, Enter Shikari release a brand new stand-alone single. This release does not herald the arrival of album #3, nor does it really coincide with any live dates. It was finished, and everyone was so excited by it, that the general consensus was that it was better placed in fans' hands than gathering dust on a disc in the office for the waiting for the 'right' time to release it.

 

Entitled 'Quelle Surprise' and recorded in London with Dan Weller (who was also responsible for last year's 'Destabilise' single), the track - if I may be so bold - once again forces Enter Shikari far ahead of their contemporaries in terms of experimentation and blurring the genre boundaries. While so many other artists huddle in the middle ground, following the herd and desperately clawing at stardom, Enter Shikari dig deeper and harder into the path less trodden… striving to forge a sound that is uniquely theirs. To push things even further, mixing duties were placed in the expert hands of mix legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica, Glassjaw, Biffy Clyro, Franz Ferdinand and many many more).

 

'Quelle Surprise' will be initially released as a digital only single on Monday 19th May, as part of an EP that will also include two remixes of 'Destabilise' (one by Rou under his ROUTproduction moniker, and one by new North London artists Creatures Of Love), plus a version of live favourite 'Hectic' recorded at the Enter Shikari Christmas Party show in Hertfordshire back in December. A limited edition, 2x7" (one red vinyl, one white vinyl) pack of the EP will be released on Monday 11th July.

 

ALSO released on Monday 11th July is the long-awaited live document 'Live From Planet Earth':

 

'Live From Planet Earth' is a CD + 2xDVD release consisting of:

CD - 'Live at Hatfield. Christmas 2010'

DVD 1 - 'Live At Hatfield. Christmas 2010' + 'Live At Camden Underworld. August 2010'.

DVD 2 - 'Fizzy Water & Spikey Blankets (A Weekend In Russia. May 2010)' + 'Live At Hammersmith. February 2010' + 'Live At Summersonic, Tokyo. August 2009'.

 

This set constitutes Volume 3 of the band's ongoing 'Bootleg Series' of releases, although 'bootleg' is perhaps doing it a bit of a disservice, as all shows were filmed professionally on multiple cameras and recorded / mixed by people who know what they're doing in that area.

 

The DVD footage touches the furthest opposing edges of the Enter Shikari live experience… from the "packed to the rafters with sweat dripping off the walls and stagedivers kicking the camera" of the band's 'secret' Camden show in summer 2010, to the "retina-frying lightshow and gut-churning sub bass" of their biggest headline show to date at London's Hammersmith Apollo in February of the same year, taking in a 20,000 capacity indoor festival show in Japan along the way.

 

The 'standard' edition of the release will be available from all good stores, online retailers etc.

 

However...A *very* limited edition box-set edition of the release will be made available to pre-order only from the band's own webstore. Alongside the standard version of the 'Live From Planet Earth' set, this box will also contain :

DVD 3 - which compiles archive footage recorded by the band, crew, family & friends next to professionally shot footage from all over the world. Some of this footage dates back as far as 2005 (!!) and includes songs long lost into the mists of time.

 

'Images From Planet Earth' - a 60 page photo scrapbook of shots taken around the world. Backstage, onstage, in the van, drunk, asleep.. no corner of the 'live on the road' experience has been left untouched. PLUS an Enter Shikari laminate that will, over time, occasionally allow special discounts / surprises when presented at the merch desk at shows (we're still figuring out how this will work practically. We're getting there, but aren't 100% on top of it yet).

 

Pre-orders for both the standard edition (from the likes of Play.com / Amazon / HMV.co.uketc) and the limited edition box set (only from www.entershikari.com/store) start on Monday 16th May.

 

The 'Live At Hatfield' audio will also be available as a digital download from all the usual download retailers.

 

AND… finally… as either:

a) some kind of 'warm-up' for the band's Amsterdam party show at the Melkweg on Friday 17th June.

b) a send-off, knees-up with friends & family before heading out on this year’s Vans Warped Tour across North America for two whole months!

c) a celebration of returning home from Thailand with - hopefully. Otherwise there'll be trouble - a finished album #3 'in the can'.

d) a party for Rory's birthday.

e) all of the above.

 

We are pleased to announce a one-off *very* intimate show at Camden Dingwalls on Wednesday 15th June! Tickets are available from MIDDAY on Saturday 14th May, ONLYfrom www.entershikari.com

 

The show is strictly 16+, and tickets will be sold on a '2 per person only' basis only. Special guests and other aspects of the show will be announced in due course. This will be the band's first UK show since Christmas 2010.