8th November sees the release of the second single this year from The Harveys.
Previously known as Harveys Rabbit the band reconvened a few years back after success in the 1990s. With that name change and a new line up the core members Tim Lyons and Mick Pullen have brought back the melodic charm and crossover Manchester pop stylings for which they are rightly remembered, and currently appreciated.
The new single couples a remake of an old Harvey’s Rabbit number “Frank Got Married” with a newer song “Shadow of Wind”. It will be available in digital download and CD formats and accessible from all of the main streaming platforms.
Embracing the Brel/Brecht elements of the bands work this exciting new double A side will be launched on 14th November at The Castle Hotel, Oldham Street, Manchester with support from Vee VV and Four Candles.
The band have also produced a podcast for the German Shepherd Mixcloud Select Channel to support the release of the new single.
Further gigs for The Harveys have been booked:
14th December 2019 – The Peer Hat, Manchester supporting TV Smith – with Matthew Hopkins
1st February 2020 – Jimmy’s, Liverpool supporting The Monochrome Set
Legendary Manchester band Harveys Rabbit are now The Harveys and launch their debut single at The Peer Hat in Manchester on Friday 20th September. They are joined by German Shepherd recording artists Matthew Hopkins and another legendary Manchester band Dislocation Dance. Details below….
The new single will be available in digital and CD format – CDs are limited to 75 copies and will be available from the German Shepherd Bandcamp Page.
Hello and welcome to this weeks edition of the German Shepherd Newsletter.
In this issue:
Matthew Hopkins release first single – with a special deal for subscribers
Ian Moss teams up with Mark Corrin for a new Mistletoe Release
Sam Smith launches new single on Sunday
Cambridge band Lizard Brain join German Shepherd for their new album
Bouquet Dead release a new video from forthcoming album
Special subscriber offer for new m.t.scott single
Some new gig announcements!
MATTHEW HOPKINS
As trailed last week North West Trio of Julia Nelson and Anne & Max Calderbank release their first single on German Shepherd Records on November 2nd. General distribution via the usual digital outlets will be provided for lead track “Something” – two additional tracks “Hey Joe” and “Lachrymose” will be subscriber only releases via Bandcamp.
MISTLETOE RELEASE NEW EP
Ian Moss is back with a brand new EP called “Made To Break” this time in partnership with famed Manchester area musician and DJ Mark Corrin. Ian says “Accidents will happen and plans go awry , a Moss/Corrin live summit had been bubbling and then evaporated but from the plume of steam signifying the end of that project the idea of a recorded project was trapped in a bottle and given a shake. Unscrew the top carefully and see what is released back into the air”.
Corrin backing tracks and Moss vocals were glued together by the Auster Boys to produce three pieces where Moss’s intriguing spoken word is coupled with atmospheric sounds.
The EP is released on November 2nd.
Moss and Corrin’s previous collaboration “Ali Baba” was a bit special….
SAM SMITH LAUNCHES NEW SINGLE ON SUNDAY
The much trailed new single from Sam Smith – formerly of the Parish Church Fire and alter ego of Franco Bandini – gets released on Sunday 29th October complete with video. A special newsletter will be released on the day to celebrate this event.
LIZARD BRAIN JOIN GERMAN SHEPHERD
Increasing our Cambridge band count to five we are pleased to announce we will be releasing the new album from Lizard Brain in the new year. The melodic quartet have had two album releases to date and are recognised as one of the most exciting bands coming out of Cambridge. The band appeared on Cambridge Calling Volume 1.
Watch this space for more news.
DEAD CROWS LAUNCH ANOTHER VIDEO
In preparation for the release of new album “Motus Octo” Bouquet of Dead Crows have launched another video from the album with track 2 “The Devil’s in the Detail” – also featuring guest miming from Stewart of The Scissors and Garry from Umbrella Assassins it’s a strong indicator of the quality of the forthcoming album.
SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL
The new single “Don’t Mention The War” from m.t. scott is released on 9th November. In a one-off special gift our first ten subscribers will receive a unique signed print of one of ten images created by Michael. With subscription places going fast signing up to the service is strongly recommended if fans want to claim their free gift. Here is an example of one of the prints.
GIGS
A number of new gigs have been announced since our last newsletter and these are highlighted in bold in the list below
2018
October
24th – Umbrella Assassins play Pim Jam Festival Fundraiser at the Haverhill Arts Centre
25th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Pepys, Huntingdon – acoustic gig 27th – Pearl Divers play Red Wall, New Victoria Mills, Bury
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
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
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
March 2nd – Four Candles play the Peer Hat, Manchester, a benefit for Macmillan nurses as a memorial for Modal Roberts
AND FINALLY WE HAVE JUST HIT 750 LIKES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. CHECK US OUT HERE
Welcome to the latest German Shepherd Records Newsletter. This week:
Sam Smith returns
Mistletoe Charity Single supports NSPCC
An introduction to Matthew Hopkins
Gig News
SAM SMITH RETURNS
Ex Sam Smith & Company, and, The Parish Church Fire front man, Sam Smith returns on October 29th just after the equinox. Watch this space for exciting news.
Sam’s last single was the memorable “Bad Water”
MISTLETOE SUPPORTS NSPCC WITH NEW SINGLE
Ian Moss returns as Mistletoe with a new single called “Children’s Home” on 26th October. On this release he is accompanied by Foghorn Leghorn.
A harrowing spoken word performance attacks the institutions who are complicit in allowing children to be abused and in that context all proceeds from the sale of this single will donated to the NSPCC.
This a deliberately lo-fi and stripped back recording in which Ian paints a vivid picture. A further EP featuring three new pieces in partnership with Marc Corrin follows next week
INTRODUCING MATTHEW HOPKINS
In 1974, two Catholic schoolgirls met at the age of 5 over a scabby knee and sang together in praise of the lord, ‘til they discovered Salvation in the form of Hex Enduction Hour. An explosion of hair spray, eyeliner and ideas ensued.
Julia moved to Blackpool and joined the band The Tingletones as singer before moving to Manchester, when she became singer for the short lived Arthur Badfrown Band. A move to London at the turn of the century saw her finally pick up a guitar. Upon returning to Manchester, she joined Government Death Epidemic as guitarist. She has recorded with Craig Scanlon and Steve & Paul Hanley (ex The Fall).
Anne has sang, go-go danced and played tambourine in 60’s- garage outfit The Stags since 2001. They are stalwarts of the garage scene playing around the UK and Europe and worked closely with Frank Sidebottom.
Max, Anne’s son, has been playing drums and guitar with bands since the age of 13. He is currently playing his own material in punk outfit Bang Up To The Elephant.
A hiatus in both womens’ musical projects gave them the chance to get together and get creative – Matthew Hopkins was born in 2016. Max completes the team, bringing exceptional musicality and skill to the band.
Their debut single “Something” will be released on November 2nd. Two further tracks “Lachrymose” and “Hey Joe” will be released at the same time but as Subscriber Only specials via our Bandcamp page. More information next week – pending that here is the link to the video of “Something”.
GIG NEWS
Weimar are playing The Peer Hat, Manchester on Monday 5th November, supporting Madmoizel. Jan Doyle Band are also supporting.
Keltrix play The Crown & Pipes, Fenstanton on Saturday 24th November
The Mind Sweepers The Riverside Dumfries on Saturday 17th November
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the German Shepherd Records newsletter.
This week:
– The new album from Dominic Carlton Jones
– Previewing the new album from Bouquet of Dead Crows
– Looking forward to the Salford Music Festival
– Moff Skellington update
– Welcome Matthew Hopkins
– New gig announcements
DOMINIC CARLTON JONES – DEBUT ALBUM
As trailed last week Salford singer-songwriter Dominic Carlton Jones returns with his debut album “Salford Punk Poetry Sadness Death New Life”. This nine song collection includes a dizzying array of genres and sounds, including spoken word, instrumentals and Dominic’s trade-mark clear and direct ballads; there are also dips into experimental and ambient sounds. The themes of the album centre around the recent death of Dominic’s father from cancer, and in that context there is a heartfelt tribute to legendary Fall front-man and Salfordian Mark E. Smith who also battled the disease. The new release serves also as a perfect follow on from Dominic’s debut release “1”.
The album releases on October 5th in digital form only via Bandcamp and a range of other digital outlets.
Here is a sample track with the emotional “Fall Over Into Something New”
Commenting on the album and his experience with German Shepherd Dominic said:
” 8 months from being welcomed by German Shepherd I’m pleased to say I’m enjoying life on the label.Getting to know the music of the artists. Meeting those concerned and still feeling a genuine thrill to be a part of this movement and scene.
In that time space my EP was well received and achieved some comparative success in terms of sales and genuine appreciation from those connected. I went on to contribute the song “Cats front door “ to the 200 compilation album and The music for “like a poet dies “with Ian Moss and once again genuinely thrilled to be involved here.
My new music is the album:’Salford Punk Poetry Sadness Death New Life” ,which hinges around my fathers death from bowel cancer in January of this year and goes on to explore themes of belonging,spirituality loss,.geographical connection and life after death.It’s a challenging and thought provoking album bringing together an eclectic style of musical forms which I’ve always striven to as an ethic.”
BOUQUET OF DEAD CROWS – TEASER PREVIEW
We are gearing up for the release of the second album from Cambridge band Bouquet of Dead Crows in November with a preview of their track “Cold Inside”.
The band are touring extensively over the new few months please see the gig list below for details (although the band seem to think it’s above!).
Manchester and Salford German Shepherd chums are encouraged to visit Eccles next Saturday for the second night of the Salford Musical Festival. Four Candles will be playing as part of packed evening of fine music including Bobbie Peru, Plexus, Garsoons, Jess Kemp, Surreal Kinnock and Blaney. There will also be a tribute to Mark E. Smith at the start of the evening from 6:30pm. There is a late bar and all of those artists can be watched for just £6. The venue is the Gilda Brook Club (the old Liberal Club) on Wellington Road, which is ten minute walk from Eccles Interchange. Fans can secure their ticket now by visiting the Salford Music Festival site . A full weekend ticket is just £10 which gets you two nights of entertainment and we highly recommend both nights.
MOFF SKELLINGTON UPDATE
Moff has a second EP under the Uncle Roy’s Utopian Vision Saga released on October 12th which coincides with his gig in Manchester the day before at The Peer Hat. Recorded in a morning at the legendary Uterus Cottage studios Moff explores his post-punk side with fervour. The lantern show at the Peer Hat promises to deliver an evening of Moff wonderment with his trademark wit and sideways look at the world. The event is not ticketed and is a mere £3.50. More details on the EP next week.
MATTHEW HOPKINS JOIN GERMAN SHEPHERD
Melodic avant rock trio Matthew Hopkins have joined the German Shepherd family – more details next week but pending that here’s a sample of their excellent song-craft with the track “Something”
GIGS
Poppycock follow up their excellent set at The Peer Hat last week with a new outing on October 13th at new Manchester Venue Yes supporting Virginia Wing. The promoters have listed it as a Fates gig but it will be the Poppycock line-up playing Fates material. – Facebook event link here –
Here is the full gig list
SEPTEMBER
27th – Inferior Complex play Ferndown RBL
27th – Electric Cheese support Tom Hingley at Preston Guildhall
28th – Inferior Complex play The Shooting Star, Southampton
28th – The Strays play Park Hotel, Wigan – Musicians Against Homelessness gig
29th – Four Candles play Salford Music Festival at The Gilda Brook Social Club, Weliington Road, Monton, Eccles
29th – Boz Hayward plays Levenshulme Market (afternoon gig)
29th – The Strays play The Jolly Collier, Heanor
29th – Bouquet of Dead Crows Play Deepdale Festival, Norwich
30th – Keltrix play Camboaters River Festival, Jesus Green, Cambridge, 6pm
OCTOBER
5th – Electric Cheese play The Railway as part of Chorley Live
5th – The Scissors are at Oxford Wheatsheaf (Klub Kakofanney).
6th – Taser Puppets play Lost Bar and Club as part of Chorley Live
6th – Electric Cheese play Cunliffe Hall as part of Chorley Live
6th – Toska Wilde plays Saks Southend on Sea as part of Cult 13 Showcase
6th – Inferior Complex play Liberties, Southampton
11th – An Evening with Moff Skellington at The Peer Hat, Manchester
13th – Poppycock playing a Fates set at Yes, Manchester supporting Virginia Wing
14th – Taser Puppets play TNT Punk Fest at The Peer Hat, Manchester
14th – Positronik and The Strays are at Fab Cafe, Portland Street, Manchester
17th – The Strays play West Street Live, Sheffield
19th – Taser Puppets play Old Courts, Wigan
19th – The Strays play A.M.P. Music Bar, Buxton
25th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Pepys, Huntingdon – acoustic gig
25th – Ian Moss appears at El Manisero, Innside, Manchester
NOVEMBER
1st – Bouquet of Dead Crows play The Dublin Castle, London
2nd – German Shepherd Records Fundraiser at The Peer Hat, Manchester – with Drink and Drive, Taser Puppets, The Strays and Flea
15th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Esquires, Bedford
17th – Drink and Drive and Four Candles play The Railway, Greenfield
22nd – Inferior Complex play The King Charles, Poole
24th – Bouquet of Dead Crows launch new album Motus Octo at The Blue Moon, Cambridge
29th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Gringos, Norwich
29th – Four Candles play “Free Rock & Roll” at Sound, Duke Street, Liverpool
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
6th – Bouquet of Dead Crows play Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge, Stamford
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/
