Newsletter 42 : The return of The Parish Church Fire, Live Scissors, New Dead Crows Video and gigs!!

Hello and welcome to the weekly newsletter from German Shepherd Records.

This week

– The Parish Church Fire return with a stunning single
– The Scissors live album from Ipswich
– New video from Bouquet of Dead Crows
– Forthcoming gigs

THE PARISH CHURCH FIRE

Released on May 10th 2019, the single “Hunger” represents the rebirth of Manchester alternative rock band The Parish Church Fire. Coupled with b-side “Adam Raised a Cain” this is the first release by the band since Sam Smith (guitar, vocals, keyboards) & Joe Roberts (drums) combined to release Locamente via German Shepherd in 2016.

Joined by new members John Bardsley (bass) and Timothy Hughes (guitar) for the first time, the full on attack and disquieting quality of Hunger is underpinned by its b-side: a hard rock version of Bruce Springsteen’s Adam Raised a Cain from the 1978 album “Darkness on the Edge of Town”. Marking the start of a new era for Sam Smith, “Hunger” is the crystallisation of 6 and half years of work of trying to get The Parish Church Fire established as a live band as opposed to its previous role as a solo studio project.

On “Hunger” you hear the band in its new guise for the first time. The single will be followed by keynote gigs to launch and celebrate the band as a live entity. Recorded in April 2019 by founder of the band Sam Smith in his studio and produced by both Smith & drummer Joe Roberts, the release is as direct as its title and lyrics suggest: The Parish Church Fire are “hungry for more” following years of inactivity.

The b-side Adam Raised a Cain was carefully chosen to be a part of this release as its lyrical content is somewhat paired with Hunger and it will be an integral part of the bands upcoming shows in 2019.

An interview with Sam Smith about the renaissance of the band can be found here

FORTHCOMING GIGS
26th May – Strummercamp, Oldham Rugby Club
7th June – The Eagle, Salford

THE SCISSORS

May 10th also sees the release of a mini live album from Cambridge band The Scissors. Captured at The Smokehouse Ipswich with a selection of music from all three of their studio albums this is the band at their very best – vital, unrestrained and packed with energy.

Here’s a teaser…..

BOUQUET OF DEAD CROWS RELEASE NEW VIDEO

Bouquet of Dead Crows have a new video out today! Warning, It’s not for the faint-hearted – but if you’re brave enough then check out ‘Fragments (Black Hole Eyes) from their new album ‘Motus Octo’ now! Plans for a subscriber special version of the album are being assembled, watch this space for news!

GIGS

Forthcoming gigs featuring German Shepherd Artists:

May
1st to 31st – Moff Skellington has an art exhibition at Canwood Gallery and Sculpture Park, Checkley, Hertfordshire
3rd – The Scissors play The Blue Moon, Cambridge
3rd – Electric Cheese play The Ferret, Preston
4th – Adventures of Salvador, Positronik and Pearl Divers play Music on the Market Place Festival , Buxton
4th – The Mind Sweepers play The Frunge Festival, The Elmerglen Hotel, Thornhill
5th – Keltrix play The Green Man Brew Ballyhoo, Granchester
7th – Ian Moss performs in Unseasonal Beasts project with Simon “Ding” Archer at the Castle Hotel, Manchester as part of the MASS assembly event.
10th – Adventures of Salvador play Ramsbottom Cricket Club
11th – Keltrix play The Haymakers, Cambridge (Acoustic Set)
18th -Weimar play the Eagle, Salford supporting St Lucifer
18th – Pearl Divers and Dominic Carlton Jones play Malaga Drift, Church Street, Eccles
18th – Poppycock play Whalley Range Pride event at The Carlton Club
20th – Stewart Harris from Scissors on Dave Hammonds Smellypot Show on Cambridge 105 talking about the new live album
23rd – Inferior Complex play King Charles, Poole
24th – Inferior Complex play Royal Oak, Basingstoke
24th – Four Candles play Strummercamp at Oldham Rugby Club
25th – Sam Smith plays Strummercamp at Oldham Rugby Club
25th – Four Candles play PsyCo Circus Allday Extravaganza at The Peer Hat
26th – Adventures of Salvador plays Strummercamp at Oldham Rugby Club
June
1st – Bouquet of Dead Crows (Portland Ballroom Stage) and Keltrix play Strawberry Fair, Midsummer Common, Cambridge
2nd – Inferior Complex play Bandstand, Eastleigh
5th – The Junta plays West Street Live, Sheffield
6th – Adventures of Salvador and Matthew Hopkins play Liverpool Fringe Festival
7th – The Parish Church Fire and Four Candles are playing The Eagle, Salford
7th – Inferior Complex play The Alexandra, Southampton
8th – Keltrix play Pride!, Jesus Green, Cambridge
8th – Inferior Complex play The Red House, Yeovil
15th – Paul Winter from The Mind Sweepers is supporting JD Meatyard at Leith Depot Edinburgh tickets are £5 with £1 going to local homeless charity.
20th – Inferior Complex play The King Charles, Poole
21st – Weimar play The Eagle, Salford
22nd – Inferior Complex play King Charles, Poole
24th – The Junta plays The Peer Hat, Manchester with Lucky + Love.
26th – Dominic Carlton Jones plays Cuckoo Calling (Featured Artist) Bury New Road, Prestwich
28th – Adventures of Salvador play The Castle, Oldham Street, Manchester – ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
28th – Inferior Complex play The Alexandra, Southampton
July
5th – Mark Corrin’s Elastikbande play The Railway, Didsbury
5th – Inferior Complex play The Shooting Star, Southampton
6th – The Mind Sweepers play Electric Fields Festival, SWG3, Glasgow
13th – Umbrella Assassins play The Smokehouse, Ipswich
13th – Electric Cheese play Indiefest 2019 at The Boulevard, Wigan
19th – The Scissors with Moonstrips at Blue Moon Cambridge
20th – Keltrix play Whoosh Festival, The Missing Sock, Sto-Cum-Quy
28th – Monkeys In Love celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing at The Klondyke Club, Levenshulme – afternoon show between 1pm and 5pm
31st – The Junta plays The Peer Hat, Manchester
August
9th – Mark Corrin’s Elastikbande play The Railway, Didsbury
10th – Weimar play Scarborough Apollo
16th – Keltrix play The Green Man, Granchester
25th – Toska Wilde plays It Came From The Sea II at The Centre, Margate
October
12th October – Scissors play The Six Bells, Cambridge
26th October – Toska Wilde plays CULT 13 – Underground Alternative Night at The Venue Southend.

Crows on the road

Bouquet of Dead Crows bring in the New Year with a clutch of gigs just announced

-February 15th Hunter Club – Bar & Venue BurySOUND

-March 13th West Street Live Sheffield

-March 16th The Smokehouse Ipswich – Supporting Burning Codes + Kulk

-March 30th The Blue Moon Cambridge + Burning Codes, Basement Strippers & Matt Hammond

OctoFC_3000px

German Shepherd Newsletter#30 – Staggs, Bouquet of Dead Crows, Poppycock Video, Manchester Meltdown and Gigs!

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the German Shepherd Records Newsletter. This week

– Staggs release new single

– Subscriber Special Bouquet of Dead Crows Radio Sessions Collection

– Poppycock launch “Magic Mothers” Video

– Third Manchester Meltdown line-up announced

– Gigs!

STAGGS RETURN AND THEY HAVE ANGER ISSUES

Those fun frolicking STAGGS are back with a brand new single – ‘(Banned from) Anger Management’ and ‘Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner’ form the duo of in your face explosions of ire that make up “Staggs Cock Snooks”. We always want more from Ridley and Scott but they are both very busy doing other things. The usual STAGGS tropes are in play, with tongues firmly in cheeks. The most English of bands they distill the spirit of eccentric and regional into tidy little nuggets of sound.

More about STAGGS here

SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL – BOUQUET OF DEAD CROWS RADIO SESSIONS

We have released yet another subscriber special. A twelve track album of radio sessions from Bouquet of Dead Crows.

Recorded with Stephen Doyle (Salford City Radio) Dave Hammond (Cambridge 105) and Sandy Mill (CAM FM) the band are in full acoustic mode delivering songs with emotion and grace in an entirely new light.

This release is exclusively for our subscribers. It will not be on general release.

If you take out a subscription now you will get 22 back catalogue items plus the next 12 months releases for a mere £40. An absolute bargain!

To subscribe go to this LINK

POPPYCOCK LAUNCH MAGIC MOTHERS VIDEO

In parallel with the release of last weeks new single “Magic Mothers” Poppycock have launched a new video.

The band support Vic Godard at Yes (The Basement) on Charles Street, Manchester with ASBO Derek this coming Saturday 8th

THIRD MANCHESTER MELTDOWN LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

Ian has confirmed the line up of third Manchester Meltdown to be held on Wednesday 16th January at The Peer Hat in Manchester, the aforementioned Poppycock will be joined by Stoke-on-Trent band Model, the dazzling Factory Acts, with Four Candles making up the line-up at the festivals resident house band. It’s a mere £3 to get in and it runs from 8pm to 11pm.

GIGS

2018

December

6th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge, Stamford

6th – The Scissors (plus Ember Rev and Goddammit Jeremiah) at Cambridge Cornerhouse.

7th – The Mind Sweepers play Coach & Horses, Dumfries

7th -Toska Wilde appearing at Connect With Nothing Event at The Lido, Margate

8th – The Mind Sweepers and Øre playing The Troqueer Arms Dumfries

8th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Horn at the Half Moon, Bishops Stortford

8th – Boz Hayward and Keltrix with Misharlo play The Peer Hat, Manchester

8th – Poppycock support Vic Godard at Yes (The Basement) on Charles Street, Manchester with ASBO Derek

8th – Øre will be playing their debut gig at the TA in Dumfries

22nd – Drink and Drive play Strummercamp Fundraiser and Oldham Rugby Club

28th – Drink and Drive, Four Candles play Whittles, Oldham

2019

January

2nd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Saturn Mansion. Weimar, Trancedental Equations, and Four Candles

6th – The Mind Sweepers play the Big Burns Supper at The Hub, Dumfries

9th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring St Lucifer, Adventures of Salvador, Emily Oldfield and Four Candles

16th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Poppycock, Factory Acts, Mystery Guest, and Four Candles

23rd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Rose and the Diamond Hand, Matthew Hopkins, Bang Up The Elephant and Four Candles

25th – Ian Moss plays The Kings Arms, Salford

30th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Springfield Elementary, Bobbie Peru, Elastikbande and Four Candles

February

1st – Weimar launch their debut single at The Eagle, Salford with support from Dominic Carlton Jones

9th – Scissors play NCI Club Cambridge (Cambridge Central Aid charity fundraiser, Scissors headlining, other acts TBC)

15th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Bury Sound at Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds

March

2nd – Four Candles, Johann Kloos and Rose Niland play the Peer Hat, Manchester, a benefit for Macmillan nurses as a memorial for Modal Roberts

German Shepherd Records Newsletter #27 – Bouquet of Dead Crows Album Release, and Gig Guide

This week we focus on the release of the brand new album from Cambridge alternative rockers Bouquet of Dead Crows.

Their second album “Motus Octo” is released on 23rd November. The title (referring to the fact that there are eight tracks on the album), essentially means ‘eight movements’, or eight emotions.

OctoFC_3000px

This is an altogether harder and more focused set of songs than the debut album “Of The Night” with the band embracing the heavier side of their music but retaining the melodic edge that sets them apart. Expect riffs galore, epic tunes with soaring vocals and a rhythm section which drives the band to new levels.

Pre-release CDs of the album have completely sold out however Limited Edition Colour Vinyl Versions of the album plus T-Shirts and gig tickets are available via this link

45665167_1055622367959549_7780250874936295424_n

The album will be available digitally via Bandcamp and the following sites

I Tunes, Apple Music, I Tunes Match, I Tunes Radio, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play
Napster, Media Play, Pulse Locker, 7 Digital, HMV Digital, Rdio, Pandora, I heart radio
Deezer, Svooq, Slacker Radio, Nokia, 24 / 7 Entertainment, Shazam, Akazoo, Aspiro
Wimp, Tidal, KK Box, Saavn, United Media Agency, AWA Music, Anghami Music
Claro Musica, Yandex, You Tube Music

Bouquet of Dead Crows are:

Antoinette Cooper : Vocals
Neil Bruce : Guitars
Graeme Clarke : Bass
Andrew Coxall : Drums, Percussion, Trumpet, Synths & Keys, & Backing vocals

Jethro Steel of Goldblume is the guest vocalist on track 7 Cold Inside

The album was recorded and Produced By Neil Haynes at the Parlour

Artwork is by Stewart Harris

The band is touring to support the album with the following gigs:

NOVEMBER
15th – Esquires, Bedford
24th – The Blue Moon, Cambridge : ALBUM LAUNCH
29th – Gringos, Norwich
DECEMBER
1st – Smokehouse, Ipswich with label mates Umbrella Assassins
6th –Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge, Stamford
8th – The Horn at the Half Moon, Bishops Stortford

REVIEWS

……the quartet goes from the heavier waves of Alternative Metal to the charm of British Rock and the melancholy of Blues, extracting crisp and vibrant sounds from their instruments throughout the entire album, keeping us hooked on their music and always eager for more. THE HEADBANGING MOOSE

……with their second full length and a fuller, more aggressive sound emerges, consolidating the tension between the hard rock of the music and Toni Cooper’s melodic vocals. The music takes on a much broader more orchestral sound, the riffs are heavier, the structures are more complex. The band have demonstrated a clear development of their sound with this release. AURAL DELIGHTS

stuart isteed photography-30

GERMAN SHEPHERD ARTISTS GIGS

Gigs are piling up for our artists – here is the current full list

2018

November

14th – The Junta is invading Lock 91, Deansgate Locks, Manchester. Free entry
15th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Esquires, Bedford
17th – Drink and Drive and Four Candles play The Railway, Greenfield
17th – The Mindsweepers play The Riverside, Dumfries
17th – Poppycock and Aidan Cross (The Bacillus, Weimar) playing The Waldorf, Manchester as part of a Benefit gig for the NUJ Exiled Journalists Network
18th – Four Candles and Matthew Hopkins play The Eagle, Salford
22nd – Inferior Complex play The King Charles, Poole
23rd – Electric Cheese play Zombie Shack, Manchester
24th – Bouquet of Dead Crows launch new album Motus Octo at The Blue Moon, Cambridge
24th- Keltrix play The Crown & Pipes, Fenstanton
27th – Rose & The Diamond Hand plays The Kings Arms, Salford
29th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Gringos, Norwich
29th – Four Candles play “Free Rock & Roll” at Sound, Duke Street, Liverpool
29th – Loop Aznavour plays El Manisero at Eva, Sackville Street, Manchester

December

1st – Toska Wilde plays Saks Southend on Sea as part of Cult 13 Showcase
1st – Bouquet of Dead Crows and Umbrella Assassins play Smokehouse, Ipswich
1st – Moet the Poet is back on the Independents Tour with JD Meatyard and others as MC at Bar 39 in Darwen.
2nd – Moet the Poet is back on the Independents Tour with JD Meatyard and others as MC at Sound, Liverpool
6th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge, Stamford
6th – The Scissors at Cambridge Cornerhouse.
7th – The Mind Sweepers play Coach & Horses, Dumfries
7th -Toska Wilde appearing at Connect With Nothing Event at The Lido, Margate
8th – The Mind Sweepers and Øre playing The Troqueer Arms Dumfries
8th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Horn at the Half Moon, Bishops Stortford
8th – Boz Hayward and Keltrix with Misharlo play The Peer Hat, Manchester
8th – Sam Smith and The Ombudsmen play The Castle, Manchester
8th – Poppycock support Vic Godard at Yes (The Basement) on Charles Street, Manchester with ASBO Derek
8th – Øre will be playing their debut gig at the TA in Dumfries
22nd – Drink and Drive play Strummercamp Fundraiser and Oldham Rugby Club
28th – Drink and Drive and Four Candles play Whittles, Oldham

2019

January

2nd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Saturn Mansion. Weimar, Trancedental Equations, and Four Candles
6th – The Mind Sweepers play the Big Burns Supper at The Hub, Dumfries
9th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring St Lucifer, Adventures of Salvador, Emily Oldfield and Four Candles
16th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Poppycock, Factory Acts, Mystery Guest, and Four Candles
23rd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Rose and the Diamond Hand, Matthew Hopkins, Bang Up The Elephant and Four Candles
25th – Dominic Carlton Jones, Ian Moss and Toska Wilde play The Kings Arms, Salford
30th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Springfield Elementary, Bobbie Peru, Elastikbande and Four Candles

February

9th – Scissors play NCI Club Cambridge (Cambridge Central Aid charity fundraiser, Scissors headlining, other acts TBC)

March

2nd – Four Candles, Johann Kloos and Rose Niland play the Peer Hat, Manchester, a benefit for Macmillan nurses as a memorial for Modal Roberts

German Shepherd Records Newsletter #25 – m.t. scott, Bouquet of Dead Crows, The Ombudsmen, Manchester Meltdown, Subscribers Update and Gigs

Hello and welcome to our weekly update.

This week:

m.t. scott returns with a stunning single
Bouquet of Dead Crows radio interview
Introducing The Ombudsmen
Manchester Meltdown returns
Subscribers update
Gigs!!

m.t. scott launches new single “Don’t Mention The War”

Taciturn North Easterner and all round renaissance man m.t. scott is back, in partnership with Josephine Dechamp, with a just over six minute tune of epic grandeur.”Don’t Mention The War” which releases digitally on November 9th.

Scott says:

On holiday against nature, Basil Fawlty meets Marlene Dietrich in a nazi death camp. They examine British heavy metal graffiti and take photographs. True story.

Alternatively we say:

Noir…..a piano lost in a soundscape of menace…..bitter sweet melodies dance across a blackened landscape…..the perfect lullaby for Brexit times…..Scott and Dechamp interlock in a post-referendum slow dance echoing Christopher Isherwood, or Truman Capote or Dagmar Krause…..nothing seems real but conversely this is all true….only your own solipsism can lead you astray. Watch out for the falling Moose..

smaller war

Our first ten subscribers will be getting their own signed print of scott’s art alongside this release (see below)

He is now working on the next Staggs release with Ridley which we anticipate will arrive just before Christmas.

Bouquet of Dead Crows Podcast Interview

Anticipating the release of the Dead Crows sophomore album “Motus Octo” a fulsome appearance on Local Distortion Podcast offers an opportunity to listen to the band talking about the new album amongst other things.

Copies of the CD version of the album are nearly sold out – there are literally a handful left

See below for tour dates.

Introducing The Ombudsmen

We are pleased to introduce you to Stockport based instrumentalists The Ombudsmen. Coming across like the mutant offspring of Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and John Zorn but with added Greater Manchester vibes and an in your face your attitude they are definitely one to note for the future. With a handful of gigs under their collective belts and a growing reputation we thank Sam Smith for bringing them to our attention.

Whilst we are not, as yet, releasing anything by the band, we are taking the opportunity to assist with promotion and introduce them to the wider world with a selection of demo tracks. The band aim to get into the studio sometime in 2019 to get some material down.

Pending that say hello to them on Facebook and listen to them on Bob’s Aural Delights show over coming weeks.

Manchester Meltdown Returns

Ian Moss’s weekly residency at The Peer Hat returns in January next year with five consecutive Wednesday with four bands each night. Starting at 8pm each night the entrance is ridiculously cheap at £3

Details below:

MM2E

Subscribers Update

Having reached our first target of ten subscribers we are introducing a special gift for the next ten new subscribers who will receive a CD from our back catalogue when they sign up.

Sign up here – for £40 you get all our releases for 12 months, ten selected items from our back catalogue, subscriber only specials, and everything we have released since we launched the service!

Gigs

2018
November

1st – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Dublin Castle, London
2nd – The Strays play Zombie Shack, Manchester
5th – Weimar are playing The Peer Hat supporting Madmoizel.
14th – The Junta is invading Lock 91, Deansgate Locks, Manchester
15th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Esquires, Bedford
17th – Drink and Drive and Four Candles play The Railway, Greenfield
17th – The Mindsweepers play The Riverside, Dumfries
18th – Four Candles and Matthew Hopkins play The Eagle, Salford
22nd – Inferior Complex play The King Charles, Poole
23rd – Electric Cheese play Zombie Shack, Manchester
24th – Bouquet of Dead Crows launch new album Motus Octo at The Blue Moon, Cambridge
24th- Keltrix play The Crown & Pipes, Fenstanton.
29th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Gringos, Norwich
29th – Four Candles play “Free Rock & Roll” at Sound, Duke Street, Liverpool
29th – Loop Aznavour plays El Manisero at Eva, Sackville Street, Manchester

December

1st – Toska Wilde plays Saks Southend on Sea as part of Cult 13 Showcase
1st – Bouquet of Dead Crows and Umbrella Assassins play Smokehouse, Ipswich
1st – Moet the Poet is back on the Independents Tour with JD Meatyard and others as MC at Bar 39 in Darwen.
2nd – Moet the Poet is back on the Independents Tour with JD Meatyard and others as MC at Sound, Liverpool
6th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge, Stamford
6th – The Scissors (plus Ember Rev and Goddammit Jeremiah) at Cambridge Cornerhouse.
8th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Horn at the Half Moon, Bishops Stortford
8th – Boz Hayward and Keltrix with Misharlo play The Peer Hat, Manchester
8th – Poppycock support Vic Godard at Yes (The Basement) on Charles Street, Manchester with ASBO Derek
8th – Øre will be playing their debut gig at the TA in Dumfries
22nd – Drink and Drive play Strummercamp Fundraiser and Oldham Rugby Club
28th – Drink and Drive play Whittles, Oldham

2019

January

2nd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Saturn Mansion. Weimar, Trancedental Equations, and Four Candles

9th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring St Lucifer, Adventures of Salvador, Emily Oldfield and Four Candles

16th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Poppycock, Factory Acts, Mystery Guest, and Four Candles

23rd – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Rose and the Diamond Hand, Matthew Hopkins, Bang Up The Elephant and Four Candles

25th – Dominic Carlton Jones plays at the Kings Arms, Salford

30th – Manchester Meltdown Series 2 at the Peer Hat. Only £3 featuring Springfield Elementary, Bobbie Peru, Elastikbande and Four Candles

March

2nd – Four Candles play the Peer Hat, Manchester, a benefit for Macmillan nurses as a memorial for Modal Roberts