You know we love Adam Ficek's Roses Kings & Castles project... so it's exciting to hear some new material out of him... Enjoy this while waiting for the pics and videos from the Major Lazer & Bassnectar show :) One Born Every Minute by Roses Kings Castles by 360degreemusic DIGITAL RELEASE DATE: 2/5/10
CAT NO: 360dgmD(CDS)0013
a. ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE b. SIT DOWN (CASSETTE DEMO VERSION)
Originally conceived as a creative outlet whilst Babyshambles were on holiday, Roses Kings Castles have grown these past two years into a name that is synonymous with smart, witty, acerbic pop. Definitely not indie, yet proudly, defiantly and genuinely independent.
Eschewing the traditional album/tour/single route, RKC have established an identity that is often quirky yet never annoying, and in the process made some stunning music. Comparisons with Belle & Sebastian’s pastoral warmth and the acidic outsider pop of Syd Barrett, have now dissolved as RKC have moved into a sound that is comfortably their own.
The eponymus debut album has sold more than 3,000 copies since its release in September 2008 and an ever growing army of new fans across the globe have enabled a lengthy spell in the studio, which has produced a wealth of new material. The album Suburban Time Bombs was recorded in the second half of last year, and the first single from the album, One Born Every Minute will be issued on 2nd May, followed by the album later in the year.
RKC are currently deep into rehearsals with new band members to be revealed shortly, and to coincide with the release of the album, they will be playing selected live dates in the UK and across Europe.
While you wouldn't know it, as he tends to behind the scenes (as opposed to on the front of the tabloid), without Adam Ficek Babyshambles probably wouldn't exist today. After replacing Gemma Clarke on drums (after a shambolic but destructive Babyshambles Christmas tour) Adam Ficek took his place behind the drum kit... but also helped keep the band from falling apart.
Were it not for him stepping in, along with Drew McConnell, there are many times that shows would not have happened, tensions would not have been soothed, and over all the band may not have made it. If you want to get a better feel for just how important Adam (and Drew) has been pick up Beg, Steal, or Borrow: The Official Babyshambles Story... After reading it I personally went from thinking "he seems like a cool guy" to "thank the Lord for Adam Ficek because otherwise my favourite band would be long gone"...
As I recently mentioned in a post, Babyshambles, The Libertines, and all their side projects are the reasons I started this blog. So, to get to interview Adam Ficek about his Roses Kings & Castles album is a serious delight.
Not only is the Roses Kings & Castles album a refreshing slice of fried gold but it's also an honest and personal journey through melody; it's not pretentious in the slightest, it's never over produced or trying too hard, it's an album that's so well crafted you feel like you know the songwriter on an almost personal level (something Adam's bandmate Mr. Doherty is also well known for). After trying to go through the normal media channels, and waiting 6 months, I was just about ready to give up on this interview when Adam actually contacted me about something unrelated?!?! Thanks to random chatter about "Gang Of Gin", Twitter, and Mr. Ficek's gentlemanly demeanor I now have this interview for you guys... enjoy! Please check out the info below for a couple free downloads and info about how to get RKC's debut album!
INTERVIEW WITH ADAM FICEK OF Roses Kings & Castles and Babyshambles
ISoA: How's it feel to perform/record material that's all yours? I imagine it's a different feeling than a group project as your wrote it all yourself...
it's quite an honest and sincere performance, there's nowhere to hide. It's all laid very bare, no one to look at if it's all going wrong..
ISoA: You have to have creativity pouring out of your ears to do the output you've been doing! Obviously Babyshambles had some downtime, was Roses Kings Castles something that came from that, or had you been writing songs for quite some time before?
Yeah, we have lots of time in babyshambles, and more so recently as peter has been doing his solo thing. I really enjoy writing so it's a pleasure to be able to have the chance to release my musical ideas. I've always written so releasing music was just an extension of that, I have co written with Babyshambles but people forget that.
ISoA: No doubt with your range of musical capabilities this album could have been a million different things. Was there anything that lead you in this direction for Roses Kings Castles (i.e. influences, albums, artists, life experience)?
Adam Ficek: I'm a hug fan of melody so I wanted to make an album with unashamed melodic content, it's odd how once I recorded and released I quickly moved on stylistically, it's as if that's one thing acomplished now I want this! the new stuff is darker and heavier. Althought the ep (released today) is a bridge between the two. The new album out in Oct has progressed even more. I'm no in the head space of RKCIII and it's getting more heavy still. The influences are drawn form people I know and meet and personal views. Musically I suppose like every starting artisst I initially looked to try and remake my favourite albums, but I'm not giving the game away.
ISoA: Unlike Babyshambles (with the exception of the Mains Ignition "Blinding" remix) your projects have been subject to remixing and electronics we wouldn't expect in your other band. What was the initial spark that made your love for electronic sounds blossom?
Adam Ficek: I enjoy music of every genre and ilk. There was actually a synth on the blinding but it got lost somewhere between the studio and the mixing desk! I used to do lots of djing of dance music and still listen to the more electronic side of things. I see music as being good or bad nothing else.
ISoA: Your DJing career has flourished... For those of us who are an ocean away what does a DJ set from you sound like? Any particular releases you've been into recently?
Adam Ficek: It depends entirely on the crowd, I'm paid to entertain the majority so it depends on the majority. I do occasionally do special sets of my personal loves, so loads of 60's soul and other obscurities.
ISoA: You've probably been asked a variation of this question a million times but... do you feel that people will be able one day to judge Babyshambles based on the music and not Pete's actions? Because as a member of a band I'd think that would be something that would be hard to come to terms with...
Adam Ficek: Probably not, most people are not able to see through the media haze. The media needs to create and invent that's why it's there, it's not bad or good just...is
ISoA: This is a pretty standard question but what bands are you listening to/keeping your eye on?
Adam Ficek: fake blood. Deadmaus. Golden Silvers perhaps. to be honest there's not that many bands who are exciting me at the moment. please send me some, I really want to know some exciting bands.
ISoA: Lastly... the music industry has changed a lot in the last two years. Both you and Babyshambles have kept access to your music very close to the fans (SASE for singles, free downloads, announcing shows via forums and Myspace) as opposed to the typical monolithic industry disconnect that's standard for most big bands... do you think music will become more DIY with the recording industry tanking?
Adam Ficek: I think the majors will always have a grasp on the industry as they are very powerful, it would be very naive to think the whole DIY thing will change that but now we can create our own niches for the right reasons. the majors have already taped into the DIY thing by swallowing small 'Indie' labels and essentially using them as extended A & R depts. I don't blame the small indies as it's hard making money from a small niche market but it gets me when they pretend to be indie. At least have the balls to say your floated by a major. Why not stand up and be counted.
Here are some remixes that from when the album first came out. They are both so good I frankly would like to hear the whole album remixed! But that's just the DJ geek in me... the first remix would fit in along with that IMISSMYJUNO remix of Franz I like so much, while the second remix is more in the vein of Hot Chip.
You can buy RKC songs and merch right here. And you can keep tabs on what is happening here!
Check out the man in action...
Here's a little press from Adam's website about his most recent release... "As you're all aware the ep 'Apples and Engines' is finished and ready to go. I'll be releasing it on August 10th on 7" vinyl and CD, initially to my mailing list so get signed up to the monthly RKC newsletter. The past few months have been manic as usual, loads of gigs, loads of writing free songs for you lot, and my second album is underway. The follow up to 'Roses Kings Castles' is going to be slightly bigger sounding and a little less twee in places, I've also persuaded a few of my mates to come and have a tinkle so watch this space. As always a big thanks to all you followers and supporters. "
Here's some upcoming dates: Wed 16th Sep 2009 - Portsmouth - UK @ The Cellers - Portsmouth Thu 17th Sep 2009 - Brighton - UK @ Prince Albert. Sun 20th Sep 2009 - Birmingham - UK @ The Victoria Thu 8th Oct 2009 - Dublin @ Whelans accoustic
Well that's that for now. I again would like to thank Adam for being such a great musician... sharing such a great album with us... helping steer the good ship Albion... and for doing this interview. Check this space for future info about Adam and Roses Kings & Castles, because, as of today I'm going to add him to Arcadian Family. I'm down for life! Be back soon, hope you enjoyed this as much as I did!
P.s. You gotta get one of these! That is when they're in stock again here lol...
I frequently feel like throwing in the towel nowadays. As Veronica from Cream Team said, it's not that I need to stop blogging, it's that I need to leave Blogger. And I hate to admit it but she's probably right.
Beyond that I've got some amazing interviews? And I can't be arsed to transcribe them because I'm so fucking sick of the "work really hard, get nothing" aspects of blogging. I mean I appreciate you all reading but my passion for a lot of this music has slowly been drained outta me. There are still producers, like Toddla T, that make this exciting but... sometimes I can't even remember why I started this.
And then I remember it was Babyshambles. Before this somehow morphed into a predominantly dance music oriented blog... it was that spirit, that dedication to romance and melody, that made me want to write about music... and do a radio show... and all the other things that have suddenly felt less important since I lost my job.
I recently read an official book about the 'Shambles, and showed some friends a Libertines DVD, and was reminded by the extremely personal nature of these bands and how you could really feel like you were close to them (even if you were an ocean away).
I'll admit I didn't really pay attention during the first album... I was sort of busy trying to even spell my name... but by the 2nd album I was a total convert and followed the trials and tribulations on a daily basis because it was all something I could intimately understand. During that time my (now deceased) ex-girlfriend and I spend whole days looking around the internet for studio tracks (or even little acoustic scraps) that hadn't made it onto records yet.
Of those songs the one that probably sticks out the most as being a brilliant track (that is too libelous to see the light of day) is "Gang Of Gin". I thought I'd go ahead and post it just to remind myself why I started this... and hopefully get of some you excited in the process!
Truly, give the drummer some. Give Adam Ficek from Babyshambles all you've got!
This man has not only works in one of the best bands ever (ok, I'm totally biased, look at the site name and the radio show name), but he's worked in two other groups that fucking rock... those groups being Mains Ignition and the currently featured Roses Kings Castles!
Roses Kings Castles first popped up on Myspace with some demo songs and a Babyshambles assited track. Attention grew and grew and grew... now we have an awesome single called "Entroubled", an album that came out this week, and two fantastic remixes for you guys!
Here's some info... The track 'Entroubled' and is, by its authors own admission, a quirky little summer alcopop of a song certain to wrap listeners around its nimble fingers. Would be great to get these up on the site as downloads. The remixes come from both Boy+Girl and Geek Chic Soundsystem, both fittingly transforming the track for the dancelfoor.
Entroubled is being released via Mr Ficeks own label, The Sycamore Club, which takes its name from the community centre of the council estate that he grew up on in Bletchley, Milton Keynes. You could go there on Friday night to meet girls or Saturday morning to fight boys.
Check out the animated video of 'Entroubled' here...
They Boy+Girl remix is 8 bit electro dancefloor gold. I really like how stripped down the track is but still has loads going on. The Geek Chic remix is more for minimal, whereas the other is maximal even in it's low-fi sound, and will be a bigger hit with the techno listeners. Roses Kings Castles debut album was just released on the 6th Oct.
Here's a little more info on the whole album... "Pete's not the only 'Shambler with a swish line in solo material - through his Roses, Kings, Castles project sticksman Adam Ficek shows an ear for melody that the likes of Belle And Sebastian would smash up a tea party for." NME
"A wistful soup of lo-fi English pop, peppered with sparkling shards of summer and a pinch of Shambles to make things exciting." Clash
"Roses Kings Castles shows Ficek is as sweet and starry-eyed on the quiet, as he is strutting and swaggery in Babyshambles. A lovely, lo-fi treat." Daily Star
"Roses, Kings, Castles is blessed with the type of insatiable charm that people fall in love with. In fact, don't be surprised if you're married with kids by the end of it." Gigwise.com
"Sounding reminiscent of Graham Coxon's solo material, Adam proves there's more to him than just a beat for Pete." Future Music
Babyshambles drummer, fast-rising DJ and deft multi-instrumentalist Adam Ficek, who records barbed and bittersweet solo material under the moniker Roses Kings Castles, is releasing his eponymous debut album.
Recorded in Adam’s own bedroom over a two-week period that presented itself when Pete Doherty took time out from Babyshambles to work on his own non-band material, Roses Kings Castles is a short, sharp and savvy burst of sorrow-pop perfection, shot through with jingling melodies, toe-tapping acoustics and a wry lyrical nous.
The back-to-basics dynamic that drove the recording process and inspires the RKC concept as a whole has produced a ten-track LP at once pared-down and multi-layered, comprised of sonorous, chiming highs and whispered, spaced-out lows.
From the dirge-laden bluster of ‘Entroubled’ to the lush, flute-embalmed instrumentation of ‘Brass Winter’, the ragtime swagger of ‘Horses’, the smoky accordion flourishes and pan-clatter percussion of ‘Never Certain’, and haunted, lovelorn lull of ‘Folk Song’, the album combines delicate moments of genuine intimacy with splattered pallets of soaring melodic romanticism.
“I always wanted it to be slightly DIY in the music and artwork,” says Adam of his hands-on approach to all things RKC-related. “It’s far too easy to become clean and glossy in today’s world of assumed perfection.” This philosophy has seen him successfully self-release limited edition versions of singles to fans via PO Box. “I want people to feel they are becoming part of my process and me of theirs,” he continues.
Roses Kings Castles is being put out by Mr. Ficek’s own label, The Sycamore Club, and will be available in all good record stores. Buoyed by the success of his previous releases, Adam intends to insure that the personal and uncompromised relationship he has built-up with his audience goes from strength to strength. “The main ethos behind the music is that it exists in a community between artist and fan. I’ve never been into the ‘look at me’ school of music. I want the music and concept to exist in a two-way, all-encompassing community workshop.”
In this candidly imagined and skillfully executed album – indebted to a vision of England that would make Ray Davies proud – the swelling ranks of the Roses Kings Castles community have undoubtedly found a voice fit for the task of uniting them.
Adam Ficek’s track-by-track guide to Roses Kings Castles:
‘Entroubled’: “A poptastic narrative on the troubles of the world. It has grit, spit, polish and glitter all wrapped up in a melodic gobstopper.”
‘Horses’: “It's nothing at all to do with horses! One of my earliest songs, a slightly shamblesque swing with a brooding chorus.”
‘Sparkling Bootz’: “A swaggered pop song with Steptoe undertones.”
‘Broken Homes’: “It reminds me of living in Essex. It's all very suburban, sullen and melancholic, with a silver lining.”
‘Burn Your Town Down’: “An ever-changing chameleon of a song. It’s a miniature classical sonata.”
‘Brass Winter’: “It's about a dream I had of someone involved in a car accident at Christmas.”
‘Run and Hide’: “Motown meets the Housemartins – a pop jive shuffle. It's about liars.”
‘Never Certain’: “[Singer-songwriter] Catherine Feeny makes this punkier song exist in the place where it was destined. A Smiths-esque stomper.”
‘Folk Song’: “This was directly influenced by the English folk scene of the late fifties; Davey Graham, Bert Jansch. Thanks for the lessons, Bert.”
‘Fool's Revenge’: “My psychedelic parting shot, lots of big choruses, big verses, and a drum-laden outro.”
I'm really excited to be posting these because I'm a huge fan... I need to order the album asap... as do YOU! Tell me what you think! I'm hoping to be in contact with Mr Ficek soon so perhaps we'll have more goodies or information for you :) Keep checking in!
Just in case you hadn't guessed... the blog is sort of floating in space... I have no internet access really so I can't really write. Work is insane. I'm having massive family turmoil that is threatening to ruin everything on both sides. There's always a silver lining but... in the meantime I sort of out of the loop and don't have the hookup on much. Hot Chip leak? You've already got it... anything else? I dunno. Somebody send me something and get me back in the saddle! Parlophone or Southern Frieds or somebody hook me up! Until then... I guess chew on this... wish me luck... and thanks to you loyal readers who keep coming back...
Well my friends the time is upon us... for the greatest release of the year (next to Klaxons, M.I.A., and well lots of albums but lets ignore that for now!) BABYSHAMBLES- Shotter's Nation to come out... and Albion has a track from it just for you! Sadly, it didn't come from the source as it usually does BUT I think the source will be o.k. with it seeing as I heard they're sending it out to other people before me (boo).
All you damn Brits make sure you get out to your news stand and get your NME before the 7" single sells out... I bet you this one gives the White Stripes one a run for the money... there are so many of us Doherty obsessives that there is no way this won't be huge! Someone want to ship me one? I think my news guy is going to fuck me out of mine and buy up all the copies because we are feuding since me snubbed me about a DJing gig... prick... (Why? Why would you do that when I'm trying to be kind turn down my offer to play a dubstep set for your hippie friends? Why? Because you're fucking rude that's why!)
Here's an awesome vid for "Delivery" you've probably already seen but why not watch it again!
EDIT: Parlophone sent me the email with the track... I just hadn't gotten it yet. Even my email says they had sent it out earlier... must be connection issues. Anyway their email had more video info I thought you might be interested it!
I cannot fucking wait until the album comes out. I think I'm just going to put on headphones and walk until I have heard the whole album front to back because this is such an important album to me... can't just listen to it at work, or in the car, or what the fuck ever... kind of like a Bjork album... just too close to my heart. I'm sure it will be awesome.
Hope you all enjoyed! Check back for updates! Leave comments! Join eMusic from here!
This is the greatest day for Libertines fans since the Janie Jones single... I don't even know what to say... other than... I'm a dork... VIVE L'ALBION! I don't think we'll ever hear another album from the Libs but who cares... DPT and Babyshambles are great on their own.. and this song is quite fun... so lets just enjoy this nugget and praise the lord they're both alive!
WOO HOO!!! Charles and I are at the WIDR meeting right now and let me tell you... LET ME TELL YOU... there are big exciting things coming! Live playlists, new soundboard for live music, WIDR week... all sorts of shit! ALSO on the heels of that great news, Charles and I are going to be pimping out the show/website/blog/myspace during 2007 to make your listening experience even better. How you ask? Well how about with podcasts, t-shirts, and other fancy new things? You like... I know you like!
So... a few days back I posted Blur's "Eine Kleine Lift Musik" from the epic Help! charity compilation that came out in the mid-90's during the Britpop era... and today I went back to take a look at it, and the newer Help! comp that came out about a year ago, and decided it was going to do another post with some of the songs.
DO NOT GET ME WRONG! I am not saying "here you go, ignore the fact that these are supposed to be for charity and download to your hearts content"... I posting these songs because a) we American's have probably (for the most part) not heard these songs and b) because of that it's easy to forget they exist at all! I thought I would get this out here and HOPEFULLY it will convince you to pick the album up and also remind you how awesome these comps (and their charities) actually are!
On the first one Radiohead put "Lucky" (from Ok Computer) out to rave reviews... then they went and put this one on the new one... Radiohead- "I Want None Of This"
So I hope you guys dig that... PLEASE go out and actually purchase these... both albums have shitloads of tracks (20 on the original and 22 on the follow up) and lots of your favourite bands! I mean if you frequent this site then most of them probably are your favs... I mean probably not Keane but you know what I mean! Which ones do you guys think is better? I'm not sure because I haven't listened to both all the way through but... I'm interested to see what you guys think...
Anyway... make sure you come back and check for new posts! Now that I've got this new computer the posts are going to be more frequent... speaking of new computer....
Here's the 2nd half of the Babyshambles post I promised you... apparantly you guys DUG the last one because my traffic was way awesome... I think it was close to 600 or something for Thursday (which is crazy because my weekend numbers are usually SO much better)... and the numbers we also way high for the random post from WIDR studios! Hope y'all enjoyed that as well...
So back to Babyshambles... What do I think of the new songs? WELL LET ME TELL YOU! I think they are fucking faboo. FABOO! Obviously the older ones (last post) have gotten little tweaking and still work as well as they used to, but these new ones are just as good....... they seem full of an energy that seemed to pop up when Pete wrote 'Sedative'... or at least they all piggyback on that vibe (I mean that in a good way)...
BTW... I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT ALL OF THESE SONGS CAME FROM ALBION ARKS which is the first and foremost place to pick up rare and unreleased Babyshambles material. I just am jacking them and throwing them up here... so if all the downloads are out and you still want these tracks then you should probably head over there! (They were originally posted on href="http://www.frenchdogblues.com">French Dog Blues which is the official homebase for Babyshambles fanatics!)
Here is a song titled "18d" which ended up being 'Delivery' from the sounds of it... or maybe it's the other way around... I can't tell!
I would really like you know what you all think of this stuff... it's been pretty comment lite here for a while... if you guys want 'Shambles tracks before anyone else gets them you gotta comment or Parlophone won't give em to me lol (only half serious)...
Well, I've gotta get back to work... I'm really tired today... writing this album is kicking my ass... hold tight until next time!
OH yeah... how you like these apples. I've had a counter up for roughly 2 months (give or take a day) and I broke 20,000 hits this morning. That is totally mental to me... 20,000 hits in such a short period of time! Since I couldn't have done it without you (well I suppose I could have but that would have been pretty crazy) so I'm going to try to give you the BEST British "BEST OF" I can come up with! I haven't quite finished my list so instead it's just going to be a rough overview of the best bands/tracks of the year...
LET'S GET IT STARTED (shoot the imaginary stereo for playing BEP.. cause they suck... and WILL leave wet spots on your couch!)
I would say my favourite song of the year is probably "Boy From School" by Hot Chip... it's perfect mixture of Simon & Garfunkle melancholy and filter house grooves was the most amazing musical combo this year (next to Timberlake/Timbaland but that's another story... here's the Erol Alkan Rework...
Then we have a track from The Streets... it's pretty obvious that "Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living" is going to make a lot of people's lists this year... but this track (which is an improvement on the already great original) will likely be overlooked...
Guillemots (which I STILL do not know how to pronounce) wrote one of the most touching albums this year (in fact 'Trains To Brazil' easily will make it into my ten best songs of the year) and this is a beautiful b-side off their EP...
I wanted to post the video for "Trains To Brazil" as well... it's fucking awesome...
I know I mainly talk about Pete Doherty but his former partner Carl Barat, and his band Dirty Pretty Things, are just as relevant and just as exciting as the Libertines use to be... however without the drama that Babyshambles were surrounded by DPT were largely overlooked this year... and so was this bonus track at the end of their album... (if you buy the limited edition vinyl version this is on the bonus 7 inch.. sweet song)
Ah the Kooks... my friend Lolly, who is mates with them, introduced me to them earlier this year just prior to the "THEY ARE FROM MUSIC SCHOOL" backlash... because of this I have no tainted view about them and really enjoyed their album... this is a wicked cover of Gnarls Barkley...
...and speaking of covers, and speaking of The Kooks, Lily Allen hit both bases this year while taking the piss at the same time... after making a bunch of remarks on how worthless The Kooks were she went ahead and did this at Radio 1's Live Lounge as if to beat them at their own game... then to prove she was still indie friendly she dueted with Alan from The Rakes... game, set, match!
If you've been reading this blog you know I love dance music... and Klaxons were the biggest thing to happen this year in British dance music... this is a demo version of their cover version of the old rave classic 'The Bouncer' (that was a mouthful)!
Here is an AWESOME 2 part Klaxons performance... fucking ace...
This song is about a girl being raped and killed... I think... that's a bit dark for me so instead I just bop around not listening to the words.. works well.. you should try it... anyway.. Larrkin Love's skank funk was so successful they almost beat Babyshambles for the best white reagee influenced band this year! Here's a live rendition of the song from London Calling festival...
Of course no 'best of' comp would be complete without the next Arctic Monkeys The View... they haven't quite taken the world by storm but you can TRUST they will be on my 2007 list as well.. these guys are going to take over the world.. and this song will help them do it! Here's a demo of their biggest track thus far... an homage to their friends the Wasted Little Djs...
The Fratellis are little lad rock-y for me... BUT I generally still dig them just because I like overly masculine bands with insane egos (Kasabian, Oasis)... and these guys have got that one nailed!
Ahhhh... The Pipettes... the prettiest girls you've never met... this track was a refreshing step away from the norm with one of the most catchy choruses in 06... here's a live one from Radio 1's Blue Room...
...and why not just give you their super weird Austin Powers-esque video...
...and last but not least... my favourite midget Lady Sovereign... I think I already posted this but this is one of the songs that didn't make it to the album... I heard her do it live and it's a nice addition to any Sov collection (for all you completists out here)! This is actually from 2005 and got a 4 star review over at Pitchfork...
Actually here is sort of what that sounded like...
So that's that! I will (as I said) still be doing a 'best of list' before Christmas and will keep giving you more tracks from this years best artists until the 1st (if everything goes to plan)... so, thanks again for stopping by and PLEASE feel free to leave comments!
P.s. If we blow through a BUNCH of these YouSendIt links really fast I will throw some other sort of links up if you guys request them!
This has been such a confusing thing to figure out... do I keep posting Babyshambles stuff? I mean... both the radioshow and the blog wouldn't exist with out the Libertines/Babyshambles influence. I mean seriously they wouldn't. Charles and I had talked about doing a britrock show for AGES but it kept not happening. And I don't think it would have either had I not heard 'Music When The Lights Go Out' by The Libertines. I mean I've loved British rock forever, and knew who The Libertines were but that song... that song push me over the edge... in a good way. So from that angle it seems to make sense.
HOWEVER... I don't want to just be the 'Babyshambles blog'... my aim is really to be THE Britblog. And, of course, there is some work that needs to be done on this site if that's going to happen...
...But also as the blog gets bigger I am going to be less and less likely to do these posts. I mean, if this thing gets bigger, I am going to have to be accountable for me actions a little more. So I guess while I still can I will probably be doing at least one Babyshambles post a week.
BEFORE I go any further I want to point something out though... YOU CAN GO TO ALBIONARKS.COM and get most if not ALL of the stuff I am posting for free. See, one of the of the reasons The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, and Babyshambles have such a strong following is because they have given their music away for free prior to it's release (ususally in a slightly diminished quality... like a boombox recording, a session outtake, or a live track). It's awesome that they care enough about their fans to do that, but even if you want to be cynical it's still a REALLY smart marketing tool... I own a physical copy of LOADS AND LOADS of Libertines/Babyshambles/DPT albums, and I've got posters and books and blah blah blah... and I probably wouldn't had I not felt like I had a real connection to the band. And giving out free shit is a good way to create that bond lol!
Ok first off we've got the 'original' Radio 1 version of 'Fuck Forever'... this was the first version of the song (that I heard at least) and it is completely SPOT ON... I really hate to say it... but no other version captures the magic of this one... and certainly, at the end of the day you win some you lose some, and this is the version I prefer... of course there are loads of other versions over at ALBIONARKS.COM like the Nellee Hooper remix version, the alternate studio version etc etc... and maybe you will like those better but this one tickles my fancy!
Then there is this version of 'The Whole World Is Our Playground' which is so pretty is almost brings a tear to my eye... the intro (which is absent on many other versions) is really really touching and makes the song that much better... Babyshambles- 'The Whole World Is Our Playground (Long Intro Version) YSI
This track is rather large... about 14mb or so... it's about 12 mins long too... it's an excerpt from a live XFM session with them playing two songs and talking a little bit... Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro/ Radio Talk/ 32nd Of December
Speaking of XFM here is a really interesting performance for XFM that starts out with Pete doing a really cool solo version of the afforementioned 'Music When The Lights Go Out' and then 'Up The Bracket'... apparently based on what he said they wouldn't let the rest of the Shambles play! At one point he suggests they have a sit down protest lol...
And here is the last one... this is the ORIGINAL (and best if you ask me) version of 'Killamangiro'... it was only release on 7" and the b-side was the previously posted 'At The Flophouse' (which was co-written with Dot Allison... HEY DOT WHEN YOU GONNA DO THAT LINER FOR ME SHOW??? :) lol) I am only going to post this as a YSI link BECAUSE this is something you should try to track down... I don't feel right giving this out to loads and loads of people.. however, if the limit has been reached and you HAVE to hear it I will send it to you as a request... but try to get it while the getting is good... and more importantly try to buy yourself a copy of the original version!
I shit you not, I suggest you go out and buy these records and listen to them day in and day out and fall in love with Babyshambles (doesn't this vaguely remind you of people trying to convert you to Christianity 'AND I IMPLORE YOU TO BRING CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AND FEEL WITH THE LOVE THAT HE HAS FOR YOU!' hahahaha). It truly is worth it. I also wanted to let you guys know that Parlophone has been nice enough to let me post this stuff (i.e. they haven't been wankers and said 'take it down...we OWN Babyshambles'), and they actually have even given me a little pat on the back about it. I still think they should let me preview a track off the E.P. (hint hint) BUT they've been so nice I can't bitch!
Hopefully, I will get time over the weekend to post more... well in fact I know I will be back because there is a song that Parlophone gave me (from a band called Tiny Dancers who have an album coming out this next week) that I want to post... so enjoy! Leave comments! And I will be back asap!
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