German Shepherd Newsletter #32 – Adventures of Salvador, Issac Navaro and Manchester Meltdown

Hello and welcome to the last edition of the German Shepherd Newsletter for 2018 and our first two releases for 2019

ADVENTURES OF SALVADOR – RETROMAN

Urban Punk-Surf-Rock from the heart of the north west of England. Adventures of Salvador release the first single from their second album “Welcome To Our Village” with “Retroman”, a bass driven riff monster of a tune. Produced and recorded at Big City Jacks Recording Studio in Bury, Greater Manchester by Tony Long the band have hit a new creative peak with their intense and hypnotic sounds. This is enhanced with stunning artwork from Jack Jerz. The single will be launched as part of the Manchester Meltdown Festival (see below) at The Peer Hat, Faraday Street, Manchester on 9th January 2019. This is a digital download release vIa Bandcamp and distributed to the major online stores via AWAL later in January. Pre-release is available from today.

Adventures of Salvador comprise Nigel Beck – Bass and Vocals, Dave “Loop-aznavour” – Vocal, Keyboards and Theremin, Mark Berry – Guitar and Mike Smith – Drums. They have built a growing reputation as a must see live band across Greater Manchester and beyond.

The single is already getting lavish praise:

“An outrageously confident slice of modern Rock & Roll. The best thing I have heard in a very long time” – Stephen Doyle, Salford City Radio

“Are you sure this isn’t some long-lost collaboration when Mark E Smith jammed with the Cramps and the B-52’s??? It sounds ace – Grim Up North Sea Surf Punk!” Ged Babey, Louder Than War

“The Salvadors reach new heights with an audacious blues soaked rumble through the urban hills above the Manchester Conurbation” Aural Delights Blog

“Fuzzy surf rock riffs slapped in the face by a punk in a ginnel! Northern to the core, it’s retro…man”. The Rock Fairy

“Where retro and modern collide . A catchy, infectious, ear worm that I couldn’t wait to listen to a 2nd and 3rd time.” Tarzan Dan Q107FM

LINKS AND CONTACT

WEBSITE – http://www.adventuresofsalvador.com

FACEBOOK – @adventuresofsalvador

INSTAGRAM – @advofsalvador

TWITTER – @AdvofSalvador

ISSAC NAVARO – OUTER RINGS

Issac Navaro returns with a brand new album of electronica infused ambient, post-rock, and blue eyed soul-pop. Dumfries based musician Issac Navaro (aka Drew McLatchie) is back with his trademark mix of post-rock, electronica, and pop but this time with a little sprinkle of blue-eyed soul. Presaging a forthcoming shift in direction the new album shifts a little more into a populist direction with more accessible structures and some singing! However long time Navaro admirers will not be disappointed as the trademark epic ambient post-rock statements are still in play with further examples of the type of music that gained critical acclaim on his previous releases #Forensics, Terminals, and Paths to the Shore, as well as his groundbreaking work with Mark Thomson on aA and the Stereopod album Cinematopeia. The album is a digital download only release via Bandcamp and most of the leading other digital portals. The Bandcamp edition comes with additional artwork – a series of photographs depicting each of the individual tracks. Release date is 11th January 2019.with pre-release being available from today.

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MANCHESTER MELTDOWN

Manchester’s premier grass roots music series returns every Wednesday in January at The Peer Hat, Faraday Street, Manchester. Curated by Ian Moss this run of gigs is the best place to see some of the most exciting new bands and artists on the circuit. Each gig commences at 8pm and will conclude by 11pm – the entrance fee is £3. There are some excellent examples of the best in North West bands and artists with Whitney Bluzma from Ill with a new band, the return of the legendary Vee VV, and Aidan Cross & Johann Kloos new band Weimar being some of the fantastic music on show.

The line ups are as follows with Four Candles being the opening act on each night

3rd – Transcendental Equation / Nick Alexander / Weimar

9th – Emily Oldfield / St Lucifer / Adventures of Salvador

16th – Vee VV / Model / Poppycock

23rd – Rose and the Diamond Hand / Bang Up To The Elephant / Matthew Hopkins

30th – Elastikbande / Springfield Elementary / Bobbie Peru

New Issac Navaro album “#Forensics” released

Two new tracks in #Forensics and Velvet Transmission and the remaining demo type things from the last 5 years. 22 tracks in all.

ANY AND ALL PROCEEDS ACCRUED FROM THE SALE OF THIS ALBUM ARE BEING DONATED DIRECTLY TO WATER AID SO THE POOREST KIDS ON EARTH AIN’T QUENCHING THEIR THIRST WITH PISS AND SHIT ON TOP OF EVERY OTHER MISERY THEY ENDURE,

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Our 200th release

After two and a half years of operation Greater Manchester based not for profit label German Shepherd Records has reached the milestone of a 200th release.

To celebrate this auspicious occasion label owners Ian and Bob asked the artists on the roster to contribute material for a compilation album. As with previous milestone releases from the label all proceeds will be directed towards a charity, in this case the Salford based homelessness charity Coffee4Craig which is based in Weaste which is close to the German Shepherd kennel in Eccles.

The compilation contains seventeen tracks and consists of a wide variety of musical genres reflecting the eclectic release policy of the label. From the proto punk of The Get through the psychedelic disco punk grooves of the Screaming Collective, a massive piece of post-rock ambience from Issac Navaro, the alt folk of Keltrix, and the rock styliings of Berllin’s PrunX, amongst many others there is fascinating musical variety from all over the UK, and all the way from Berlin. We are very grateful to JD Meatyard for contributing a track from his new album “Collectivise”. There are brand new tracks, new versions of previously released tracks, and remixes!

The artists contributing to the release are

The Get
JD Meatyard
The Screaming Love Collective
m.t. scott
Issac Navaro
Moff Skellingon
The Junta
Space Mueum
House Mouse
Toska Wilde
Keltrix
Pearl Divers
Night Operations
The Electric Cheese
Bouquet of Dead Crows
PrunX
Dominic Carlton Jones

The stunning artwork for the release was contributed by Andy Quayle (Moff Skellington).

Sample track “Come On” from The Screaming Love Collective :

The compilation is released on August 11th and people are asked to pay £3 or more via Bandcamp. There will be wider distribution via Amazon, I Tunes, Spotify and many other digital platforms but the album will be priced higher through those platforms.

All profits net of distribution costs will be directed towards Coffee4Craig.

July 7th releases from Boz Hayward and Issac Navaro

We are pleased to announce two releases for July 7th, 2017

Firstly we have a new EP from Issac Navaro called “Terminals”. This five track release follows from the highly successful “Paths to the Shore” album from earlier in the year.

Melding state of the art electronica with a post-rock vibe Issac has created an ambient and reflective soundscape which reflects the geography of his native Scotland.

Comparable with the ground breaking mid 70s Tangerine Dream releases on Virgin Records but also incorporating the epic elements of Mogwai or Sigur Ros this delightful collection is a worthy successor to the debut album.

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Secondly we have the brand new album from Manchester musician Boz Hayward. We have previously worked with Boz on distribution of his material but this time he has taken the plunge and given us the honour of releasing his music.

Boz returns with a deeply personal album which combines his particular take on modern folk, and adds a a vibrant slice of country music, together with his trademark whimsical pop elements. Entitled “Tennessee Ten” it consists of, naturally, ten new songs which were written during and around two visits with his mother in 2014 and 2015 to care for his aunt in Tennessee. whose health was failing, and, who passed away during the second visit. There is a narrative that runs through the album creating a delightful and sometimes poignant atmosphere

Exceptional musicianship is a key component of the success of the album. Boz’s self deprecating comment that he writes “simple songs” with a “limited style” doesn’t quite fit with the quality of the album. It is beautifully arranged with well known musical elements being evident but not obvious.

Haywards work generally splits into three broad areas – his more strident punky work, the cinematic soundtrack vignettes, and this more song based approach. One can find excellence in all three strands of his output but this perhaps the place where hopefully he will get the attention and recognition he deserves.

Both releases will be available on Bandcamp and the usual digital outlets. We aim to have a CD version of the Boz Hayward album available on our Merch page in due course.

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Limited number of Paths to the Shore CD now available for purchase

In anticipation of the release of the new EP “Terminals” we have made available the remaining 20 copies of the limited edition CD of Issac Navaro‘s debut album “Paths to the Shore” on our Bandcamp page. Issac’s unique mix of ambient post-rock, dance and electronica has proved highly popular and is one of our best selling releases to date.

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The album has received widespread critical acclaim and significant airplay from a range of radio stations and podcasters. Competitively priced at £6 with free p&p for UK purchasers you can secure a copy from our Bandcamp Page linked below.

Any and all money accrued through sales of this album go towards the First Base food bank in Dumfries.