The Travelling Band – Hands Up EP and new video

Impact Date: 6th May 2013 

Label: Sideways Saloon

 

The Travelling Band return with a new EP, ‘Hands Up’ and it serves up a taste of what’s to come. Original ingredients are maintained, intricate guitar lines and infectious rhythms interact with expansive chord structures and subtle tempo changes.

The EP is available on a ‘pay what you want’ basis here: http://thetravellingband.bandcamp.com

Having spent the first half of 2012 writing followed by a summer of UK and European festival dates, the group successfully crowd-funded their new album  ‘The Big Defreeze’ via Pledge Music, and quickly hit their target thanks to their enthusiastic fan-base. The new album, was produced by multi platinum selling producer Iestyn Polson (David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie, Simple Kid), recorded at the turn of the year at The Church Studios in Crouch End, London.

The video is directed by Rudy Riveron Sanchez from AlmostFilm Productions. He said “The character is interacting with the natural elements each, fire, air, water and responding to the song…visually poetic and atmospheric”

The guys are in the middle of a successful 24-date UK tour, which was preceded by a live session on Marc Riley’s BBC 6 Music show on Monday February 25th.

 

The Travelling Band are:
Jo Dudderidge (Vocals, Guitars, Keys)
Adam Gorman (Vocals, Guitars, Keys)
Steve Mullen (Lead Guitar, Vocals)
Chris Spencer (Bass)
Nick Vaal (Drums)

TOUR DATES – MARCH 2013

Wed 20: Oxford, Jericho Tavern
Thurs 21: Southampton, Cellar
Fri 22: Brighton, Green Door Store
Sat 23: Guildford, Boileroom
Sun 24: Tunbridge Wells, Forum
Tue 26: London, Lexington
Wed 27: Norwich, Arts Centre
Thurs 28: Cambridge, Portland Arms
Fri 29: Crewe, Box*
Sat 30: Hull, Adelphi

Support from Ellen & The Escapades except where indicated.
*THE TRAVELLING BAND ONLY

thetravellingband.co.uk
facebook.com/thetravellingband
twitter.com/travellingband

The Smiths – unearthed, rare recording of preproduction/rehearsal for debut album

Rumours have been flying around for years about a possible Smiths reunion, but Morrissey isn’t budging and Johnny Marr is doing his own thing. I was lucky enough to see The Smiths a few times and I am a huge fan.

So when I discovered this early, extremely rare cassette tape recording of a rehearsal on Youtube I thought I would share it. Before I knew it Mike Joyce had tweeted it via original Oasis guitarist Bonehead and the NME were on the phone.

‘The Pablo Cuckoo Tape’ as told by bellapintura c/o http://smithstorrents.co.uk.

Unearthed, Very Rare Rehearsal Recording
{Awash with Unusual idiosyncrasies & early lyrics}
Recorded at Crazy Face, 13~15 Chapel Walks, Manchester.
~
You’ve Got Everything Now
Accept Yourself 04:26
What Difference Does It Make 08:46
Reel Around The Fountain 12:52
These Things Take Time 19:28
I Don’t Owe You Anything 22:37
Hand In Glove 28:06
Handsome Devil 31:04
Miserable Lie 34:11

In May 1983 (exact date unknown), while preparing to record their debut album, The band ran through & recorded a selection of songs at a rehearsal in band manager, Joe Moss‘ jeans warehouse (Crazy Face).
The cassette tape was recorded for Troy Tate in order to give him something to work with before going into the studio
It’s pretty rough, but considering it was recorded on cassette with a stereo Mic pointing into the room, the quality isn’t too bad.
Morrissey‘s vocals are a bit distorted – maybe singing too close to the mic or maybe the cassette Mic was too close to the PA but everything else is surprisingly clear.
There is some tape flutter at various points.
I was lent the master cassette by a source close to the band who made the recording, let’s call him Pablo Cuckoo in 1997 with a view of trying to put it out as a semi-official release.
As it was recorded before the band had signed to Rough Trade, technically he had the rights to the recording.
But a combination of poor sound quality & threats from Warner Bros meant that the idea was shelved.
~
Free & Safe HQ lossless audio download available at the ever excellent Smiths Torrents http://www.smithstorrents.co.uk/forum…Courtesy of the very generous bellapintura.
~
The Moz & Joe Moss picture is sourced from, The Arcane Old Wardrobe http://foreverill.com/gallery/details… A Morrissey & The Smiths Photo cornucopia lovingly maintained by the indispensable Comtesse DeSpair

BIMM MANCHESTER OFFERS £120,000 WORTH OF FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY AT THEIR BRAND NEW CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COLLEGE

‘OFFERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALENTED MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS STATE OF THE ART EDUCATION’

BIMM Manchester is offering budding musicians and music industry professionals a life-changing opportunity to pursue their musical ambitions.

As the newest college in the award winning BIMM Group, BIMM Manchester is offering £120,000 worth of Foundation Scholarships when it opens its building in the heart of the city centre in September 2013.

BIMM Manchester will be offering one full Foundation Scholarship (valued at £18,000) for each of its seven BA (Hons) courses – meaning prospective students can study a degree level course in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Songwriting, Vocals, Music Business and Music Event Management, to cover all tuition fees.

BIMM Manchester Principal Vaseema Hamilton adds, “Since we launched BIMM Manchester earlier this year, we have been thrilled by the number of  applicants to all our courses and astonished by the level of talent and dedication that has been presented to our assessment and audition teams.

‘We also recognise that the current financial climate is immensely  challenging for many families and we have created these Foundation Scholarships in order to support members of the next generation of Manchester Music Industry creatives  who might otherwise not have been able to gain a BA (Hons).”

All BIMM Manchester BA (Hons) degrees are validated by the University of Sussex (currently ranked 21^st in the UK) and studied on a full time basis, for three years.

BIMM Manchester is open for applications now, and due to continued demand is hosting its fourth Open Day on Saturday 16th March, starting at 12 noon at the Gorilla music bar.

More Open Days are planned for April and May.

Talking at the last BIMM Manchester Open Day in January, Mike Joyce said, “I wish we had something like [BIMM Manchester] when The Smiths were starting out. Nobody told us about the pitfalls of the music business. We might have avoided the problems we encountered.”

After visiting the BIMM Brighton college, Roger Daltrey CBE said, “Really impressed with what you have here, you’re very lucky.”

Today it was announced that Roger Daltrey is to be a Patron for BIMM.

For more information on the courses available, click here.

Straw Bear Continue To Pick Up Rave Reviews

As if recieving plays from BBC Radio 2‘s Whispering Bob Harris, Dermot O’Leary, and 6 Music‘s Tom Robinson, Absolute Radio’s Geoff Lloyd, Xfm’s John Kennedy…  wasn’t enough, Straw Bear continue to attract breathless praise.

This time, it’s from the respected Rock ‘n’ Reel magazine, who gave their new album, Black Bank, a five star review:

The first single from the album, “Kitty,” is released on March 11th 2013. 

The Travelling Band Play BBC 6 Music Marc Riley Session

The Travelling Band marked their return by performing three new tracks from their forthcoming new album on Marc Riley’s BBC 6 Music show last night, showcasing their evolved sound.

Marc, inevitably, shouted “Judas!”, in reference to the infamous response to Bob Dylan‘s switch from acoustic to electric guitars.

The Travelling Band are about to embark on a huge UK tour.

Their new EP, also titled Hands Up, is available now: http://thetravellingband.bandcamp.com