News
Christmas Compilation & 2012 Year RoundUp!
We're about to hang-up our PR hats for the year as we reflect on a successful 2012 year here at ABoF HQ. We started the year event managing a party for HP and Last.fm featuring David Guetta on the decks, we then found ourselves managing Doug Stanhope's campaign for his latest DVD - Before Turning the Gun on Himself - and spent the rest of the year working on an array of brilliant bands and labels.
To get you into the festive spirit, we asked some of our roster to cover their favourite Christmas songs. The 405 featured the compilation exclusively on their site but each track is now available to download via our Soundcloud page.
Many of our bands also released some fantastic videos this year, we've condensed them into this playlist below.
The playlist includes:
- Me And My Drummer - "You're A Runner"
- Pipers - "Ask Me For A Cigarette"
- Hiva Oa - "Badger"
- The Birthday Suit - "Less Worthless Years"
- The Murder Barn - "Harvest"
- Three Blind Wolves - "Parade"
- Turnpike Glow - "1986"
- Vigo Thieves - "Heartbeats"
- Death Rattle - "The Dig"
- Algernon Doll - "Spiral Sounds"
- Fat Goth - "Creepy Lounge"
- Humphrey Milles - "Not Enough"
- Jo Mango - "The Black Sun"
- Knifeworld - "Clairvoyant Fortnight"
- State Broadcasters - "Trespassers"
- The Maginot Band - "Slow Down Sundial"
- The Unkindness of Ravens - "The Spaces In Between"
- The Jar Family - "Broken Minded"
- Shirock - "New Solution"
- Daniel Inouwa - "Lay Now"
If you'd like to hear our most recent free downloads, always check our Soundcloud page. Recently, The Maginot Band, Johnny & The Giros and Algernon Doll have released brilliant free tracks available to download now.
So, now you've seen and heard with your eyes and ears what we've been up to in 2012, what's in store for next year we hear you ask! You know us, we're going to be busy as ever. We're planning on relaunching ABoF TV at some point next year as well as taking on board some exciting new bands - Homework, The Caulfield Beats and Artifacts. Scottish based label Olive Grove and our favourite German label dudes Sinnbus will be releasing more brilliant records as well as some of the current acts on our roster.
We'll have more news for you all in 2013 but for now, we'd like to say a massive thank you to the magazines, websites, freelancers, bloggers, radio producers and DJs who've supported us and our bands this year.
If there are any bands, musicians or comedians out there wanting to find out more about what we do, please get in touch with us at info@abadgeoffriendship.com.
Merry Christmas everyone - Claire & Paul, A Badge of Friendship xxx
A Badge of Friendship Update: Music, Comedy and More!
Now we're officially striding through the last half of 2012, we thought it was about time we sent out an update. 2012 has been our busiest year yet working on a variety of wonderful clients from Last.fm to comedian Doug Stanhope and an array of wonderful bands and labels.
If you'd like to read more about our PR and event management services, please check out our ABoF case studies pdf which you can download online. If you'd prefer to get in touch personally, please drop us an email here: info@abadgeoffriendship.com.
Coming up...
We're about to add an array of wonderful new clients and projects to the ABoF roster - we've not announced all of the bands, comedians and new projects we're working on just yet but we're not ones for holding back the good stuff so we thought, why not just announce them here? Don't say we don't spoil you!
We're very excited to be working on comedian Dave Hill's forthcoming book Tasteful Nudes. The multi-talented Mr. Hill has appeared on the US TV show The King of Miami, currently appears as on-air talent for HBO and Cinemax and currently fronts the band Valley Lodge and plays guitar with Walter Schreifels' (Rival Schools, Quicksand) solo band and Diamondsnake, a hard rock band also featuring Moby. Tasteful Nudes will be released in October, we'll have more information on this release and Dave very shortly.
Continuing on from last year's pop-up sessions, we're working with Last.fm on their Originals sessions. These sessions are an intimate an exclusive look at new and established artists featuring interviews and exclusive live performances.
Berlin based duo Me And My Drummer have already released two tracks from their forthcoming debut album The Hawk, The Beak, The Prey and the anticipation is building. Hailed as a cross between Florence + The Machine, Bat For Lashes and Delphic, they've already got John Kennedy and Mary Anne Hobbs (XFM), Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1) and Tom Ravenscroft and Chris Hawkins (BBC 6Music) signing them praises. The Hawk, The Beak, The Prey is out on September 24th via German label Sinnbus.
Scottish band State Broadcasters release their second album Ghosts We Must Carry via Olive Grove Records on September 24th. They just released a free download of the album track "Trespassers" with another to follow in August just before the album's release.
Another fantastic Olive Grove release coming up is Jo Mango’s album Murmuration. Having already collaborated with Vashti Bunyan and Devendra Banhart, this much anticipated album will showcase Jo’s brilliant songwriting talents as a solo performer.
Also watch out for new artists Cara Mitchell, The Maginot Band, Verse Metrics, Jonny & The Giros, Shirock, Damian Cox, Humphrey Milles, The Jar Family plus more releases from ABoF favourites Atom Eye, Turnpike Glow, The Birthday Suit and The Murder Barn. We'll be posting out information on all of these very soon!
2012 so far...
It's been a year of great releases so far here at ABoF towers. However, not only have we been working with some of the finest new bands around, we also had the chance to work with controversial comedian Doug Stanhope and top music sharing platform Last.fm.
Doug Stanhope released his latest DVD Before Turning The Gun On Himself back in March and completed another successful UK tour, which ended on a high to a packed out audience at the Hammersmith Apollo. The DVD was released to rapturous reviews with Doug appearing in the Shortlist, Rock Sound, MOJO, Nuts and Front on the run up to its release.
After the success of their pop-up sessions with HP last year, Last.fm asked ABoF to event manage their media party with HP earlier this year. The party was to celebrate the activity their activity in 2011 with David Guetta headlining the event.
We've been working with even more brilliant new bands this year, we’re very proud of the quality of our roster this year. We would love to list all the amazing bands we've worked with this year but instead we've put them all on this handy Soundcloud set and you can also read about some of our highlights below!
Knifeworld returned with their strongest release to date - Clairvoyant Fortnight. The EP followed 2011's critically acclaimed EP Dear Lord, No Deal and their 2009 debut album Buried Alone: Tales of Crushing Defeat. Prog Magazine and Rock A Rolla heralded the EP a success and special praise went to their brilliant (and slightly mental!) video for 'Clairvoyant Fortnight', which featured snooker legend Steve Davis.
Scots boys Vigo Thieves have gone from strength to strength providing T in the Park with this year's 2012 theme tune, playing the BBC Introducing stage, packing out shows in Scotland and appearing on Classic Rock, Drowned in Sound, Spinner and NME.com to name but a few.
French Wives have also been flying the flag for talent in Scotland. They released their album Dream of the Inbetween this year with everyone from BBC 6Music, The Line of Best Fit, The Herald, The Fly and The Skinny Magazine singing them praise.
If you'd like more information on anything you've read here or our PR services, please email info@abadgeoffriendship.com.
Hello February!
After a very hard working January, scurrying behind the scenes and setting up lots of lovely new bands, we’re happy to say hello to February. We had a fantastic 2011 with ABoF being featured in several magazines (NME and Live UK), plus our bands did terrifically well, hitting all major magazines and websites last year.
So here’s a little rundown of what’s been going down here at ABoF towers since the start of the year and what’s coming up in the next month or two! If you make it to the end, there are lots of free tracks to download and stream in this newsletter, if you've any questions about anything you read here, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and remember to keep checking our official website for all the latest news!
HP and Last.fm presents David Guetta
A few weeks ago, the culmination of many months of hard work and planning with Last.fm finally happened - David Guetta and 2ManyDJs DJ-ed exclusively for HP and Last.fm at The Rose Club - an event for HP and Last.fm’s media partners.
The club was packed, there were lots of happy faces and the music was terrific. This was the largest event we’ve had to organise and manage since we started and we’ve promted our fair share of events in the past (sold out shows with Hell Is For Heroes and Jeffrey Lewis to name but a few).
Super photographer Lee Allen was on the scene to capture the good vibes on the night, as you can see, we all had a great time!
The Crowd
Team ABoF and Last.fm
New Year, New Bands, New Music!
As you can see from our website, Facebook and Twitter activity, we’ve been announcing new bands and releases left right and centre. As always, you can stream and download free tracks from the artist pages on our website or our official Soundcloud page.
Access Royale, an alternative indie band from Washington DC, are brand new to our roster and with a sound akin to The Dismemberment Plan. We are very excited to see what happens with these guys in the next few months as they prepare to release their debut album City of Paradigm on 17th May. The track "Hide" is available to download now from our Soundcloud page.
If you prefer your music a little more on the filmic, post-rock edge of alternative then Atom Eye will be right up your street. This is Elsie Martins’ side project whilst she steps aside from Phantom for the moment to create gorgeous, experimental, cinematic soundscapes. The single Trilogy Part I is available to download from Atom Eye's official website from 6th February 2012.
Our very own electro rockers, The Unkindness of Ravens, return with the single Last Call For The River (out 5th March). The single is taken from their eagerly awaited debut album Virus out 7th May on Sonic Fire Records. Last Call For The River is available to stream no via the band's Soundcloud page.
Turnpike Glow released their first free download before Christmas and now start the year with their heads held high with the planned release of the single 1986, a track that’s been remixed by Broken Social Scene’s producer, Dave Newfeld. The track is available to stream now but will be available to download free from 5th March.
Finally, Saturday Night Gym Club, a band that site M83 and Ólafur Arnalds as a few of their influences, prepare to release their EP How To Build A Life Raft on 5th March. You can download the title track of the EP now and also watch the video for “I Know featuring Ellie Walker” on their YouTube channel.
Scotland Rocks!
When it comes to new music, Scotland prove more than ever before that they're pushing boundaries and stretching imaginations. We’ve got lots of new Scottish bands on our roster and each are as different and exciting as the next.
In case you missed them, The Birthday Suit (Rod Jones from Idlewild) released their debut album Sing It Alone in November. Now they’re ready to hit the road, about to embark upon a UK tour from February 10th, full dates are on our website.
French Wives are set to release their debut album Dream of the Inbetween, out 7th May. Having only just announced our involvement with the band last week, the free track from their album - "Younger" - has already had around a thousand listens and is getting folk buzzing with excitement online. If you're a fan of indie greats like Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub, these guys are for you.
Tango in the Attic return. The Glenthrothes four-piece are set to release their much anticipated second album on April 12th (so fresh from the studio, it’s yet to be named!). The album is the follow-up to their fantastic 2010 debut Bank Place Locomotive Society. The live session video for the track “Swimming Pool” is available to watch on their YouTube channel.
Vigo Thieves also make a comeback after a short break, writing and recording new songs. They’re about to release their EP Heart and Soul Part 1 on 5th March, the first EP of a two-part release. Their new sound harks back to those epic 80s greats like Simple Minds and U2, real sing a long stuff. "Heartbeats" is available to download from our Soundcloud page now.
Join us at Geek Out
After a short break, we’re back DJ-ing at Geek Out!
The night is run by Mark Beaumont (NME, Guardian) and Dan Martin (NME, Guardian) and we’ve been DJ-ing there for the last year. It runs the first Thursday of every month, the next Geek Out will feature Turnpike Glow’s single launch for 1986.
It’s free entry on Thursday March 1st 2012 at The Wheelbarrow, Camden. Hope to see you there!
If you'd like more information about anything you've read here or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
We Are Augustines confirmed for Last.fm’s final Pop-Up Session of 2011!
December has finally arrived! But before you kick-off your gigging shoes, Last.fm and HP have announced their final pop-up session for the year.
Brooklyn based New Yorkers We Are Augustines are set to perform an intimate set at The Book Club in London on Monday 12th December. This is a free show; no tickets are required so just pop by for the pop-up!
Emotionally charged, stadium-ready indie rock outfit We Are Augustines was formed in 2009 by Billy McCarthy, Eric Sanderson, and Rob Allen after the dissolution of the similarly themed Pela. After Pela's breakup, McCarthy and Sanderson decided to pursue the batch of songs that were intended to appear on the ousted group's sophomore outing, and put them toward a new project. The resulting album Rise Ye Sunken Ships, which tows the line between the spirited expansiveness of early U2, the lit-heavy heartache of The Hold Steady, and the introspective alt-rock of The National.
HP and Last.fm announced a partnership earlier this year, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
After a successful summer of secret pop-up sessions from bands like Slow Club, The Boxer Rebellion and Ghostpoet, Last.fm and HP are back announced three more pop-up sessions to bookmark the end of the year as part of their Everybody On global campaign - DELS, The Leisure Society and We Are Augustines
Alongside the live music activations, HP gave its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP interviewed these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and also took questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drove their passion to write and perform.
Keep up to date on HP's "Artists' Lounge" and for the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
The Leisure Society Last.fm pop-up session online!
A few weeks ago, The Leisure Society performed an intimate set for Last.fm and HP at Tamesis Dock.
The band's pop-up session is online now. As well as being able to watch their set, the band chatted to Last.fm about their music, the recording process and what "the power of sound" means to them.
HP and Last.fm announced a partnership earlier this year, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
After a successful summer of secret pop-up sessions from bands like Slow Club, The Boxer Rebellion and Ghostpoet, Last.fm and HP are back with three more pop-up sessions to bookmark the end of the year as part of their Everybody On global campaign. The first of the planned late 2011 sessions was DELS who played a captivating set at The Lock Tavern, wowing the crowd at this packed out venue with his own unique brand of hip-hop.
Brooklyn based New Yorkers, We Are Augustines, are lined-up for the last free pop-up session of the year. They're due to play The Book Club on December 12th. More information about that very soon!
Keep up to date on HP's "Artists' Lounge" and for the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
ABoF Friday News Round-Up!
It's exactly 30 days till Christmas and we're counting down the minutes till we can kick-off our ABoF shoes, kick back, relax and kick-start the Christmas break!We're not slowing down though, oh no… As you can see from this week's Friday News Round-Up, we're busy as ever.
Enjoy the weekend folks!
The Birthday Suit making more noise!
Whilst Idlewild have been on hiatus, guitarist Rod Jones has been busying himself with his new band. The Birthday Suit have been making a big impression this month after the release of their debut album The Eleventh Hour. Artrocker were the latest to review the band's debut in this month's issue. Subba-Cultcha also gave the album a brilliant 8/10, whilst The Skinny likened the record to Idlewild's critically acclaimed albums 100 Broken Windows and The Remote Part.
The band's free download track "Do You Ever?" was also played on various programs across Amazing Radio. To ensure the the band hit the Amazing Radio chart, please go vote for the track, like it and download it from the Amazing Radio website.
A lotta love for The Moth & The Mirror!
The Moth & The Mirror have also been making waves on Amazing Radio. You can vote for them via the Audition page on Amazing Radio's site.
The band have received an overwhelming amount of love online with some great reviews from Drowned in Sound, The Line of Best Fit and Subba-Cultcha.
Spinner are going to feature the track "Fire" as their MP3 of the Day next month, watch this space for more details!
New band alert - Turnpike Glow!
We announced we are now working with Turnpike Glow this week. The band are giving away the fantastic "The Turn, The Pike And The Glow" via our Soundcloud page as a little taster of what's to come in 2012.
Turnpike Glow - The Turn, The Pike And The Glow by abadgeoffriendship
The Leisure Society Last.fm pop-up session!
Last night, The Leisure Society played a stunning set at Tamesis Dock. It was a fitting venue for the quirky folk band, with everyone enjoying this free intimate set on the water.
Last.fm's last pop-up session of the year will be with the fantastic We Are Augustines on December 12th at The Book Club. More details about that in the coming weeks!
Coming up…
Next week we're DJ-ing Geek Out at The Wheelbarrow (Camden) for the last time this year! Do come along and join the fun. The Unkindness of Ravens and Turnpike Glow are playing plus it's absolutely free - no excuses!
For more information about any of the bands mentioned here or our PR services, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
The Leisure Society free Last.fm pop-up session tomorrow!
The Leisure Society are set to play a FREE pop-up session for Last.fm and HP tomorrow at (24th November) Tamesis Dock. No tickets are required - anyone can turn-up at 8.30pm to watch the band perform!
HP and Last.fm announced a partnership earlier this year, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
After a successful summer of secret pop-up sessions from bands like Slow Club, The Boxer Rebellion and Ghostpoet, Last.fm and HP are back with three more pop-up sessions to bookmark the end of the year as part of their Everybody On global campaign. The first of the planned late 2011 sessions was DELS who recently played a captivating set at The Lock Tavern, wowing the crowd at this packed out venue with his own unique brand of hip-hop.
The Leisure Society’s free pop-up session at Tamesis Dock seems fitting for the folk-pop band, with their poetic lyrics and rustic folk melodies perfectly matching the floating venue's warm, inviting vibrations on the water.
The band’s songwriter Nick Hemming first started his musical journey ten years ago when he became close friends with actor Paddy Considine and award winning director Shane Meadows (This Is England). This lead to a number of projects, most notably penning the scores for two of Meadows' most outstanding films, A Room For Romeo Brass and Dead Man's Shoes.
Everything changed with the arrival of Christian Hardy, who convinced Nick to reinvigorate his love affair with singing, and make the all-important move to London, where they found likeminded souls in Brighton’s Willkommen Collective. They've gone from strength to strength since releasing their debut album The Sleeper in 2009 and, their second offering Into The Murky Water in May this year.
Keep up to date on HP's "Artists' Lounge" and for the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
ABoF Friday News Round-Up!
Once again, the little bundle of joy that is Friday has landed on the ABoF doorstep, heralding another much deserved weekend. We've been absolutely run off our feet this week, which is fantastic news for the bands on our roster.The Moth & The Mirror's album, Honestly, This World did extremely well this week, with track "Fire" picking up the much coveted "Track Of The Day" from Classic Rock Magazine, as well as being given a spin by Paul Lester on his Amazing Radio show.
They also took some time out of their hectic schedule to have a quick chat with us over on the ABoF blog.
You can listen to "Fire", a track taken from the album, over on the ABoF SoundCloud page.
The Moth & The Mirror - Fire by abadgeoffriendship
Honestly, This World is out now on Olive Grove Records and available to buy on the band's Bandcamp page or alternatively you can get it on Amazon or iTunes.
The Birthday Suit have also had another great week, with Rock Sound Magazine awarding their album, The Eleventh Hour an amazing 8/10, while Subba-Cultcha took some time to get up close and personal with the man behind the 'suit, Rod Jones. Be sure to check out the full interview over on their site.
The Birthday Suit - Do You Ever? by abadgeoffriendship
The Eleventh Hour is available to buy now for £7.99 via The Birthday Suit's official website.
The Birthday Suit are currently rescheduling their recently postponed UK tour. Keep checking Rod's Facebook and Twitter page for official updates.
We can, however, announce that he'll be playing the following three dates before the end of the year. Check out the details below:
You may have heard us going on about cutting edge, underground rapper DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) recently on the ABoF news feed. He performed an exclusive set for Last.fm and HP at The Lock Tavern as part of HP's Everybody On global campaign, celebrating how people around the world are using HP technology to pursue their personal and professional passions.
Well, now you can watch clips taken from the session, including DELS' performing the fantastic single "Shapeshift".
Next Week
ABoF will be heading down to Tamesis Dock on Thursday to catch The Leisure Society perform their pop-up session for HP and Last.fm. It's free entry, and the doors open at 8.30, so make sure you turn up on time to make sure you get in!
Until next week, ABoF out!
The Leisure Society “pop-up” for Last.fm!
Ahoy there! The Leisure Society are the next band lined up to play a free pop-up session for Last.fm and HP. The band sail into Tamesis Dock on Thursday 24th November 2011 to play a very special, intimate set. No tickets are required - anyone can turn-up at 8.30pm to watch the band perform!
HP and Last.fm announced a partnership earlier this year, celebrating the Beats audio™ technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
After a successful summer of secret pop-up sessions from bands like Slow Club, The Boxer Rebellion and Ghostpoet, Last.fm and HP are back with three more pop-up sessions to bookmark the end of the year as part of their Everybody On global campaign. The first of the planned late 2011 sessions was DELS who recently played a captivating set at The Lock Tavern, wowing the crowd at this packed out venue with his own unique brand of hip-hop.
The Leisure Society’s free pop-up session at Tamesis Dock seems fitting for the folk-pop band, with their poetic lyrics and rustic folk melodies perfectly matching the floating venue’s warm, inviting vibrations on the water.
The band’s songwriter Nick Hemming first started his musical journey ten years ago when he became close friends with actor Paddy Considine and award winning director Shane Meadows (This Is England). This lead to a number of projects, most notably penning the scores for two of Meadows’ most outstanding films, A Room For Romeo Brass and Dead Man's Shoes.
Everything changed with the arrival of Christian Hardy, who convinced Nick to reinvigorate his love affair with singing, and make the all-important move to London, where they found likeminded souls in Brighton’s Willkommen Collective. They’ve gone from strength to strength since releasing their debut album The Sleeper in 2009 and, their second offering Into The Murky Water in May this year.
Keep up to date on HP's "Artists' Lounge" and for the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
DELS Last.fm pop-up session online now!
Cutting edge, underground rapper DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) recently performed an exclusive set for Last.fm and HP at The Lock Tavern. The session was part of HP's Everybody On global campaign, celebrating how people around the world are using HP technology to pursue their personal and professional passions.
Kieran talks about his album, playing in front of his family for the first time and how he wants fans to hear his music. You can also watch clips of the session, including DELS' performing the fantastic single "Shapeshift".
The next band to get Last.fm's "pop-up treatment" will be quirky pop-folk outfit The Leisure Society. The band will play Tamesis Dock on 27th November 2011. More news about that next week!
The partnership between Last.fm and HP already seen secret pop-up acoustic sessions from Sheffield duo Slow Club in Soho Square, London based quartet The Boxer Rebellion on Carnaby Street, and Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) at The Vibe Bar.
Alongside the live music activations, HP gave its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer's most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP interviewed these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and also took questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drove their passion to write and perform.
Keep up to date on HP's "Artists' Lounge" and for the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
ABoF Friday News Round-Up!
It's Friday, so that can only mean two things - the weekend is making its final preparations for launch, and it's time for another ABoF Friday News Round-Up!This week saw two fantastic releases, as well as a mind-blowing pop-up session from DELS at The Lock Tavern, as part of HP and Last.fm's Everybody On global campaign.
Following it's release on Monday, our news feed has been awash with press about The Moth & The Mirror's debut album, Honestly, This World. Drowned In Sound gave the album 8/10 in their review, calling the album "a phenomonally fluent debut".Artrocker Magazine (online) commemorated the release by giving away the album track "Fire" on their site for their readers to download, while Music-News.com organised a competition offering three of their readers a chance to win a copy of the album, absolutely free!
You can listen to "Fire", a track taken from the album, over on the ABoF SoundCloud page.
The Moth & The Mirror - Fire by abadgeoffriendship
Honestly, This World is out now on Olive Grove Records and available to buy on the band's Bandcamp page or alternatively you can get it on Amazon or iTunes.
The Birthday Suit's debut album, The Eleventh Hour also picked up some amazing reviews this week, ahead of it's release this morning."...with material this good, Idlewild's hiatus could be rather long." - Kerrang!
Kerrang! reviewed them in this week's mag, awarding the album an impressive 4 Ks, along with Big Cheese Magazine who hailed the album as "... a rewarding listen and the welcome return of a gifted British Musician".
With last week's fantastic review from This Is Fake DIY, the album couldn't have received a better reception!
If you'd like a taster of the the album, you can stream tracks on The Birthday Suit's official website or download the free album track "Do You Ever?" from the A Badge of Friendship Soundcloud page.
The Birthday Suit - Do you ever? by abadgeoffriendship
The Eleventh Hour is available to buy now for £7.99 via The Birthday Suit's official website.
The Birthday Suit are currently rescheduling their recently postponed UK tour. Keep checking Rod's Facebook and Twitter page for official updates.
We can, however, announce that he'll be playing the following three dates before the end of the year. Check out the details below:
The Lowriders has received some more great press for their debut album Fury."... ‘Killer Day’ is a stunning rocker that features some particularly good tribal drumming and current single ‘Who’s Gonna Save Your Soul’ a heart-pumping, headbanger of a song." - Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot
Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot gave the album an excellent review, and the Colchester rockers were also featured on Mad Mackerel, where you can listen to the track 'Big Moustache' and read a little about the history of the band.
Music-News.com, also gave their readers a chance to win a copy of the album, by giving away three copies in their latest competition! Click the link for full details on how to enter.
Fury is out now via Adrenalin Records. You can buy the record from iTunes and from Amazon.
A Genuine Freakshow saw their previous single, Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness given a spin on the latest episode of the 90 Minutes Of New Music Podcast. We'd forgotten just how amazing the track is, so head over there and check it out!
The band are also giving away a four track sampler, taken from their album, Oftentimes. You can download it by visiting their official site and submitting your details.
Tonight is the last chance you'll have for a while to check out their impressive live show at the final date of their UK tour:
- 11 November – South Street – Reading
Their single is available to download now on iTunes, Amazon, 7Digital and Play.com.
Next Week. . .
We've got two new bands joining the ABoF family next week - the fantastic Turnpike Glow, and Oxford based 4-piece Secret Rivals. Keep your eyes peeled for our official announcements next week.
Until then, ABoF out!
DELS performs Last.fm pop-up session at The Lock Tavern - 8pm tonight!
DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) will be performing live tonight from 8pm at The Lock Tavern, so if you're around Camden this evening, make sure you pop down - it's going to be amazing! Entry is free, but on a first come/first served basis, so make sure you get there on time.
This event kicks off the next three pop-up sessions planned by HP and Last.fm. The Leisure Society are next to be lined-up for the pop-up session treatment on 24th November at Tamesis Dock.
For all the latest information keep up to date on HP's "Artists Lounge".
If you'd like more information about this, our PR services or anything else, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
ABoF Friday News Round-Up!
It's finally Friday, which means two things - the weekend is so close you can practically taste it, and it's time for another ABoF Friday News round up!Press for The Birthday Suit's debut album once again featured prominently in our news feed this week, with an article penned by Idlewild guitarist and songwriter appearing in The Skinny, explaining why one of his heroes is the immortal Thurston Moore.
Rod also took the time to chat to the folks over at GaydarNation, giving one of the funniest interviews we've read all month, and the band's debut album, The Eleventh Hour, picked up a great review on This Is Fake DIY, and had one of its tracks featured on the Best In British Music Show With Tara O., as well as Bethan's Rock n Roll Book Club on Amazing Radio and Magnet Magazine (online).
Although The Eleventh Hour is due for release on 11th of November 2011 (that's 11.11.11) via Sing It Alone Records, the band have made the album available to download from their official website today at a special early bird price for fans - £5!
The Moth & The Mirror picked up a fantastic review from our friends at Geeks.co.uk, hailing Honestly, This World as "...a great record for the inevitable dark, moody evenings".
The Scottish super-group also saw one of their tracks given a spin by Ally McCrae on his BBC Introducing. . . in Scotland show on Radio 1, as well as having the Headron remix of album track "Germany" featured on FAMEmagazine
Honestly, This World will be released on November 7th via Olive Grove Records as a download and limited edition CD.
The Lowriders released their debut album at the beginning of the week, picking up a great 3 out 5 star review from Panic Dots, as well as seeing album track "Big Moustache" featured on Echoes And Dust, Extreme Listening Mode and AAA Music.
Catch their impressive live show at one of the dates listed below:
Fury was released via Adrenalin Records on 31st October 2011. You can buy it for £7.99 from iTunes and £6.99 from Amazon.
ABoF were also very pleased to announce that HP and Last.fm have plans for three more pop-up sessions, starting this coming Monday at 8pm at The Lock Tavern. DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) will be performing a live set, so if you're around Camden on Monday, make sure you pop down.
The Leisure Society are also lined-up for the pop-up session treatment on 24th November at Tamesis Dock. For all the latest information keep up to date on HP's "Artists Lounge".
This week also saw our very own Paul and Claire ABoF grace the pages of the legendary NME Magazine, where they had a chat about the financial aspects of running an independent company, and how they cope on a day-to-day basis. Make sure you grab a copy of the November 5th issue of the NME (out now).
Coming Up
Next week sees debut album releases from two of our amazing Scottish artists - The Moth & The Mirror's Honestly, This World, and The Birthday Suit's The Eleventh Hour. Both already feature prominently in our weekly news feed, and we're sure the press is going to go crazy for them when they're released next week.
Until then, ABoF out!
If you'd like more information about this, our PR services or anything else, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
ABoF Friday News Round Up
Another week gone by, another week closer to Christmas! It's been another busy one at ABoF HQ, with the news flowing in thick and fast and our DJ set at the Q Awards Aftershow Party going down a storm, before we retired to the free bar to enjoy some medicinal whisky. This week also saw Paul post on the blog for the first time, and what a great debut! He took on the DIY scene, and how alternative culture, and indeed any form of individuality, is cheapened once a hardcore set of rules is put in place. It's a great piece, and we highly recommend you check it out.The news has been non-stop for The Moth & The Mirror's divine debut album, Honestly, This World, with reviews pouring in from 17 Seconds, Subba-Cultcha and Who's Jack. They've also seen the Headron remix of their album track, "Germany", posted all over the web. Not a bad week at all for the Scottish supergroup.Honestly, This World will be released on November 7th via Olive Grove Records as a download and limited edition CD.
The Birthday Suit have also enjoyed a great week of press, as not only were they featured on the Sourmash Mixtape Vol.2: Wax And Feathers, but Classic Rock Magazine (online) featured "Do You Ever?", a track from their upcoming debut album, The Eleventh Hour, and made it their "Track Of The Day"!
Although The Eleventh Hour is due for release on 11th of November 2011 (that's 11.11.11) via Sing It Alone Records, the band have made the album available to download from their official website at a special early bird price for fans - £5! This discounted price will expire on the 11th November so get in there quick!
After the success of Last.fm and HP's summer campaign of pop-up sessions, featuring Slow Club, The Boxer Rebellion and Ghostpoet, they've announced three more to wrap up 2011 as part of HP’s Everybody On global campaign, celebrating how people around the world are using HP technology to pursue their personal and professional passions.
The first of these sessions will be a free live performance from DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) on the 7th November at The Lock Tavern - there are no tickets required, so just turn up at 8pm. DELS is a new type of rapper (which is another way of saying that he’s more than just a rapper), applying the kind of attention to detail, micro-management and macro-vision which Jay-Z used to build a business empire. DELS makes art.
Following an exciting summer of music, and the remaining two scheduled pop up-sessions, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow, but for the time being you can keep up to date on HP's "Artists’ Lounge".
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
Coming Up
The Lowriders will be kicking off the week by releasing their debut album, Fury - we really can't wait for everyone to hear it! It's a return to the gritty side of rock and roll, and we're sure people are going to love it.
ABoF will once again be hitting the decks, this time for Geek Out at The Wheelbarrow, Camden. If you're free on Thursday 4th November, head down for a night of cracking live music.
If you'd like more information about this, our PR services or anything else, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
DELS to perform Last.fm pop-up session!
HP and Last.fm announced a partnership earlier this year, celebrating the Beats audio™ technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership has already seen secret pop-up acoustic sessions from Sheffield duo Slow Club in Soho Square, London based quartet The Boxer Rebellion on Carnaby Street, and Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) at The Vibe Bar. These were such an outstanding success that HP and Last.fm have once again joined forces to present three more pop-up sessions as part of HP’s Everybody On global campaign, celebrating how people around the world are using HP technology to pursue their personal and professional passions.
The first of these sessions will be a free live performance from DELS (aka Kieran Dickins) on the 7th November at The Lock Tavern - there are no tickets required, so just turn up at 8pm. DELS is a new type of rapper (which is another way of saying that he’s more than just a rapper), applying the kind of attention to detail, micro-management and macro-vision which Jay-Z used to build a business empire. DELS makes art.
Growing up in Ipswich in East Anglia, Dickins “never set out to be a rapper. It just happened. I was always obsessed with words. I was always cutting out random letterforms from newspapers or books because I liked the way that they sat on the page visually. This lead to me scribbling random thoughts into the back of school books and eventually picking up the mic to record those thoughts on a beat. I loved the freedom of how words can sit together in hip hop.”
Alongside the live music activations, HP gave its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP interviewed these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and also took questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drove their passion to write and perform.
Following an exciting summer of music, and the remaining two scheduled pop up-sessions, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow, but for the time being you can keep up to date on HP's "Artists’ Lounge".
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter.
We love blogs!
With only a few months left till the festive season, we've been reflecting on the last 10-months and are pretty proud of our wonderful roster and the brilliant bands and record labels we've worked with this year. For us, bloggers are just as important as any other member of the press we contact on a daily basis and we love hearing their feedback, which is why we've dedicated this little news story to all the lovely blogs we work with.
Not only have we dedicated a weekly blog post dedicated to our favourite blogs, we're always trying to look for new ways to give away music and videos. Our Soundcloud page is the first place to stream and download the latest tracks from our bands and labels.
Here, we've included some information about our November releases with free MP3s, our new "Autumnal Waves" set on Soundcloud and exciting news about Last.fm's upcoming pop-up sessions with DELS and The Leisure Society!
If you run a blog and would like to be considered for our "blog of the week" or would like digital promo copies of anything you read about below, please get in touch: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
November Goodies
Coming up in November, we've got two brilliant new debut releases from The Birthday Suit (Rod Jones of Idlewild) and The Moth & The Mirror (featuring members of Arab Strap, Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow).
Idlewild guitarist / songwriter Rod Jones, is back with a remarkable new solo project, The Birthday Suit. Their debut album, The Eleventh Hour, is a return to the noisy pop moments that originally established him as a legend in the UK music scene.This debut offering sees him deliver some of the most passionate, fiery and powerful songs he has ever written. It creates a sound that captures the sound of early Idlewild albums, such as 100 Broken Windows - an album that was recently voted the number one Scottish album of the last decade by readers of The Skinny magazine.
The Eleventh Hour is due for release on 11th of November 2011 via Sing It Alone Records. You can stream and download the album track "Do You Ever?" via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
The Birthday Suit - Do You Ever? by abadgeoffriendship
The Moth & The Mirror have been proclaimed as a Scottish supergroup, comprising of members taken from an array of Scottish talent including: Stacey Sievwright from The Reindeer Section and Arab Strap (vocals/guitar), Gordon Skene from Frightened Rabbit (guitar/vocals), Louis Abbott from Admiral Fallow and Song of Return (guitar/vocals) Kevin McCarvel (bass), Iain Sandilands (percussion) and Peter Murch (drums).Honestly, This World is the band's debut album following on from their first official release, the single, Germany. It's a melodic tour de force; the arrangement of the backing track creating deeply textured soundscapes that elevate Stacey's vocals to a transcendental plateau to captivate the listener.
Honestly, This World will be released on November 7th via Olive Grove Records as a download and limited edition CD. You can stream and download the Headron remix of the album track "Germany" via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
The Moth & The Mirror - Germany (Headron Remix) by abadgeoffriendship
Autumnal Waves!
Our "Autumnal Waves" set on the ABoF Soundcloud page celebrates our Autumn releases in 2011. This include the tracks mentioned above and others from Keith Top of the Pops, Mausi, Sweet Baboo and others. These are all completely free to download.
ABoF: Autumnal Waves (Aug-Nov 2011) by abadgeoffriendship
DELS and The Leisure Society free pop-ups!
After a successful summer of Last.fm pop-up sessions, DELS and The Leisure Society have been confirmed for November.
On Monday 7th November, DELS will hit The Lock Tavern at 8pm for a FREE, intimate pop-up session for Last.fm and HP. Then on the 24th November, The Leisure Society will appear at Tamesis Dock for the second free pop-up session that month. These are not ticketed events, you simply turn up and enjoy the music!
More official information will be released this week and next so keep checking our website for details.
Ghostpoet competition on The 405!
Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) turned up at The Big Chill Bar on Brick Lane last month to perform a session for Last.fm and HP. A month later and our friends at The 405 have some exclusive goodies to give away to their readers.
The music and culture website are giving away 2 t-shirts and 2 signed albums. For details on how to enter, check out The 405 website.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
Ghostpoet Last.fm session news extravaganza!
We've just received four more great pieces of press for Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet's session at The Big Chill Bar last month. The Black Cab Session was organised in association with Last.fm and HP, and the whole event was caught on film.
The 405 have posted the video on their site, as well as God Is In The TV Zine, who as well as featuring the video, have provided their readers with a full breakdown of the partnership between Last.fm and HP to promote "The Power Of Sound".
Panic Dots and Glasswerk are also sharing the video for their readers, so if you didn't manage to make it down to the performance, you've more than enough opportunities to watch it online.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
Ghostpoet Last.fm session video featured in Artrocker Magazine (online)!
Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) turned up at The Big Chill Bar on Brick Lane last month to perform a session for Last.fm and HP. The Black Cab Sessions captured his performance on camera, and we're very happy to say that the resulting video is being shared all over the internet.
Artrocker Magazine (online) have just posted the video on their site for all their visitors to enjoy, so if you didn't manage to make it down to the session, be sure to head over there and check out the video.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
Watch Ghostpoet’s Last.fm pop-up session!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership has already seen secret pop-up acoustic sessions from Sheffield duo Slow Club in Soho Square, and London based quartet The Boxer Rebellion on Carnaby Street - both were hosted by the Black Cab Sessions.
Last month Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) performed a session for Last.fm and HP at The Big Chill Bar on Brick Lane. If you weren't able to make it down, you can now watch it on Lastfm's YouTube channel.
Alongside the live music activations, HP is giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer's most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Interviews with bands at festivals such as Sonisphere, Summer Sundae and Liverpool Sound City can be viewed now on Last.fm's YouTube channel.
Following an exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London - more details to follow.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
Hello September: News from ABoF HQ!
Festival season is done and dusted, the wellies are being put away for another year and we're looking forward to a very busy September here at ABoF HQ.
Since it's the start of the month, we thought we'd send a little update about what we've been working on over the summer and what we have to look forward to. If you've any questions about what you read below, please get in touch: info@abadgeoffriendship.
Free MP3s can always be downloaded from our Soundcloud page and any other information you need about the artists, labels and other companies we work with can be found on our official website. Thanks for reading - we hope you have a great month ahead!
Last.fm's Ghostpoet Pop-Session
It's no secret that we've been working with Last.fm this summer to help create online buzz and PR around their partnership with HP, promoting "The Power of Sound". HP and Last.fm’s partnership celebrates the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership kicked-off with a number of pop-up acoustic gigs which took place around London. The first two were a big success; Slow Club enchanted fans and passers by alike in Soho Square and The Boxer Rebellion got the tourists clapping along on Carnaby Street.
Ghostpoet was the latest to get the pop-up session treatment, playing to a packed-out crown at The Big Chill Bar on Brick Lane in August. The video of the session is available to watch now on Last.fm's YouTube channel.
For the latest news on the partnership, special giveaways and unique content, check out HP's Facebook and Twitter pages.
September Releases
We've lots of different releases out this month from post-rock to folk and straight-up indie, check them out below...
Copenhagen post-rockers, The Shaking Sensations, initially formed to escape the confines of their small, desolate and windy town in western Denmark. Little did they know, that in doing so, the five-piece would build a reputation that would see them join a group of up-and-coming post-rock bands following in the footsteps of heavyweights like Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Their debut album East of Youth will make you fall in love with post-rock all over again as they add a new energy and reinvigorate the post-rock genre.East of Youth is out September 12th on Pad & Pen Records. Download the album track "Glass Wings" HERE.
Following on from the success of their UK tour, and their previous single, Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness, Reading-based A Genuine Freakshow are back with the third single - the double A-side Our Bodies / New Houses. Fresh from their Reading and Leeds Festival performances, the guys are also about to embark upon a UK tour to support the release.The band are also giving away a four track sampler taken from their album Oftentimes. Just visit their official website and enter your details.
Our Bodies / New Houses is out on Peartree Records on 26th September 2011.
After building up a stellar reputation among fellow musicians while touring Europe and the US, Keith Top Of The Pops & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band is releasing his debut album - Fuck You! I'm Keith Top Of The Pops. Keith has attracted a fantastic line up of musicians to record alongside him, including Dyan Valdes of The Blood Arm, Fruitbat and Jimbob from Carter USM, Keith Murray and Chris Cain from We Are Scientists and Ian Catstiltskin, Eddie Argos and Jasper Future from Art Brut. As a result, the sound is a collection of wonderfully chaotic freeform rock tunes that sound like a cross between The Fall and Half Man Half Biscuit, with more bitter and twisted undertones.Fuck You! I'm Keith Top Of The Pops is out on Corporate Records on 26th September 2011. The album track "I Hate Your Band" is available to download HERE.
Sweet Baboo is Stephen Black, a native of the North Wales countryside and a single-minded, idiosyncratic, contrary singer-songwriter who possesses an ear for a sparkling melody, a restless soul, and a gift for a deft lyrical turn; from darkly funny to piercingly tender, twinklingly boastful to deliciously self-deprecating. Following the release of his third album, I'm a Dancer/Songs About Sleeping, Black has returned in 2011 with his latest EP - Girl Under A Tree.Black's productivity is all the more remarkable given his extra-curricular activities, which have seen him working with an ever-growing array of musicians. This year alone Black has played on albums by Cate Le Bon, Slow Club and H. Hawkline, and has been a regular part of the touring line-ups for all three bands.
Girl Under A Tree will be released via Shape Records on 19th Sept 2011 on limited 10” white vinyl / download. Download the EP track "The Day I Lost My Voice" HERE.
The summer that was…
Our biggest successes this summer have been two bands that couldn't be more different - The Blood Arm and Knifeworld.
The Blood Arm returned with their second album Turn And Face Me. Although some reviews were mixed, the general vibe from the press was of admiration and respect for the band who clearly wrote their songs with a nod back to greats such as Dexys Midnight Runners, Elvis Costello And The Attractions and Adam And The Ants.Uncut said the band evoked "a classic lineage of ramshackle boho party-rock", whilst WORD called their sound "a good one". Even punk rock magazine Big Cheese picked up on the album saying that the music "will undoubtedly get you out of your seat".
Meanwhile, Knifeworld rocked the alternative press with the release of their EP Dear Lord, No Deal. The band featured in magazines Classic Rock Prog and Rock A Rolla plus alternative music and culture website The Quietus.
The reviews also poured in with Rock Sound picking up on frontman Kavus Torabi's unique songwriting mentioning that "you won't forget him in a hurry". The aforementioned Classic Rock Prog, always big supporters of the band called the EP "a jazzy workout; a rapid metronymic group vocal; a pause for quiet reflection; an ambitious psychedelic wash of melodies…". Quite a description there and we whole heartedly agree!
And the rest…
Congratulations for making it this far and thanks for reading… so what else have we been up to?
Well, for starters we've also been working with vintage recording studio An Endless Room. The studio currently has a competition on MTV UK's website to win free studio time. The busy folks at Endless HQ are also planning a regular podcast which will feature special guests talking about music, the studio, their own projects and also tinkering about on some of An Endless Room's weird and wonderful equipment. We'll have more updates on that soon.
Paul ABoF also wrote an article recently for This Is Fake DIY's blog. The blog had a feature running called "The Beautiful Game" and Paul was asked to write something about Celtic FC.
Claire ABoF is still busy writing and drawing webcomics in her spare time. The webcomic series "Socially Inept" is currently being published by our friends over at The 405, whilst The Cyclopes (an ode to the X-Men) is being published on Beyond Comic Books.
Super assistant Ed has been frustratingly trying to pass his driving test all month. You can read about it on the ABoF blog. Let's wish him the best of luck!
Ghostpoet to perform Last.fm pop-up session tonight!
Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) will perform the final Last.fm pop-up session of the summer tonight at, 8pm, The Big Chill Bar, Brick Lane, London.
This summer's partnership between Last.fm and HP, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices, has already seen secret pop-up acoustic sessions from Sheffield duo Slow Club in Soho Square, and London based quartet The Boxer Rebellion on Carnaby Street - both were hosted by the Black Cab Sessions. The live sessions picked up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
Heralded a mighty force to be reckoned with by inspirational figures such as Roots Manuva and Mike Skinner of The Streets, Ghostpoet is no flash in the pan. The softly spoken 24 year-old has already won over BBC Radio 1’s foremost tastemakers via a fistful of off-kilter, loopy electronic ditties blessed with his lazy baritone. With anticipation for his album brewing nicely, Obaro released the aptly titled Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam in February 2011 via Brownswood Recordings. Crammed with his loveably ramshackle homemade productions and instantly recognisable vocal ditties, Peanut Butter Blues… is a neat summation of the MC’s musical journey to date, but also an impressive statement of intent that won him his nomination for the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize.
Ghostpoet's pop-up session is not a ticketed event, anyone can turn up to watch this intimate set for free at 8pm at The Big Chill Bar in East London.
Alongside the live music activations, HP will be giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Following this exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
A Badge of Friendship: News Round-Up!
Another busy week here at ABoF HQ. With a steady stream of press for our bands as ever and Last.fm's last pop-up session set for next week, here's our little round-up of what's been going down before we kick back and enjoy the weekend!Ghostpoet to perform Last.fm pop-up session!
Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominee Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe) is set to play Last.fm's last pop-up session of the summer on Monday, August 22nd at the Big Chill Bar on Brick Lane. Make sure you're there at 8pm to witness this much hyped, intimate set.
Our bands rock!
This month's issue of Rock Sound magazine features both The Blood Arm and Indian Red Lopez.
The Blood Arm were positively compared to not just The Strokes, but also Franz Ferdinand, whilst Indian Red Lopez were hailed for their "understated charm".
A Genuine Freakshow found their forthcoming double A-side single, Our Bodies / New Houses already picking up some good press well ahead of it's September 26th release date. AAA Music and Fame Magazine were the first to get on board and spread the news about the release and the four track sampler from their debut album Oftentimes that the band are currently giving away via their official website.
New to the roster, Keith Top of the Pop & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band have already confirmed a lead album review for their debut Fuck You! I'm Keith Top of the Pops in next month's Artrocker plus Popmatters had already said some great things about it too.
Blog love!
It's also worth keeping an eye on the ABoF blog. This week, Ed had a mini rant about chatty gig goers. We also checked in with Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot", who made our Blog of the Week.
Get in touch!
We're always happy to receive emails about our bands or enquiries about our PR and event management services. If you'd like to get in touch, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
We're also on Facebook and Twitter - make sure you find us and keep up to date with all the latest news and natterings!
Ghostpoet to perform Last.fm pop-up session!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership has already seen secret pop-up acoustic sessions from Sheffield duo Slow Club in Soho Square, and London based quartet The Boxer Rebellion on Carnaby Street - both were hosted by the Black Cab Sessions.
Next up is Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize nominee, Ghostpoet (aka Obaro Ejimiwe). Heralded a mighty force to be reckoned with by inspirational figures such as Roots Manuva and Mike Skinner of The Streets, Ghostpoet is no flash in the pan. The softly spoken 24 year-old has already won over BBC Radio 1’s foremost tastemakers via a fistful of off-kilter, loopy electronic ditties blessed with his lazy baritone. With anticipation for his album brewing nicely, Obaro released the aptly titled Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam in February 2011 via Brownswood Recordings. Crammed with his loveably ramshackle homemade productions and instantly recognisable vocal ditties, Peanut Butter Blues… is a neat summation of the MC’s musical journey to date, but also an impressive statement of intent that won him his nomination for the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize.
Ghostpoet's pop-up session is planned for Monday August 22nd and will take place at 8.00pm at The Big Chill Bar, Brick Lane.
This marks the last of the pop up sessions, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions picked up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
Alongside the live music activations, HP will be giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Following an exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
The Boxer Rebellion: Last.fm secret session competition!
We've been working with Last.fm over the last few months to help promote their secret pop-up acoustic sessions throughout the summer celebrating their partnership with HP.
Music and culture website The 405 are giving away a signed T-shirt and signed album (The Cold Still). The competition runs in conjunction with the release of the secret session video which is available to view now HP's YouTube channel.
Another pop-up session will be take place in London in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm, keep checking HP's Twitter page and Facebook page for the latest updates.
If you would like more information about this or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Boxer Rebellion: Last.fm secret session and interview online!
We've been working with Last.fm over the last few months to help promote their secret pop-up acoustic sessions throughout the summer. These sessions have been organised to help promote the recently announced partnership between HP and Last.fm celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
Last month, on July 14th, The Boxer Rebellion hit Carnaby Street in central London. They amassed a huge crowd on the bustling street under the summer sun. Everyone from fans to school trippers, tourists and curious passers by stopped to watch the band play this very special live set.
The Boxer Rebellion pop-up session is available to view now, it features snippets of the music and an interview with the band.
Another pop-up session will be take place in London in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm, keep checking HP's Twitter page and Facebook page for the latest updates.
If you would like more information about this or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Boxer Rebellion: Last.fm secret session video and interview online!
We've been working with Last.fm over the last few months to help promote their secret pop-up acoustic sessions throughout the summer. These sessions have been organised to help promote the recently announced partnership between HP and Last.fm celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
Last month, on July 14th, The Boxer Rebellion hit Carnaby Street in central London. They amassed a huge crowd on the bustling street under the summer sun. Everyone from fans to school trippers, tourists and curious passers by stopped to watch the band play this very special live set.
The Boxer Rebellion pop-up session is available to view now, it features snippets of the music and an interview with the band.
Another pop-up session will be take place in London in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm, keep checking HP's Twitter page and Facebook page for the latest updates.
If you would like more information about this or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Boxer Rebellion pack in the crowd on Carnaby Street!
The Boxer Rebellion caused quite a stir last Thursday at their secret pop-up session, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm.
The ABoF team, were in amongst the crowd, and we're very pleased to say the session was a resounding success! Carnaby Street was absolutely packed with people hoping to catch the band's two song set, and a passing group of schoolchildren even joined in the festivities by clapping along to the live music. Keep your eyes peeled for the next secret pop-up session.
More pop-up sessions will be taking place in London throughout August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
Alongside the live music activations, HP will be giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Following an exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow.
Twitter: @HPUK
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HPUK
The Boxer Rebellion to perform secret pop-up session today!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership kicked off with a secret pop-up acoustic session in Soho Square last month, hosted by the Black Cab Sessions and featuring Sheffield duo, Slow Club.
Next up are London-based quartet The Boxer Rebellion. The band have made their mark on the world via 3 breathtaking albums and an epic musical journey that is anything but ordinary. Having self-released and virtually self-financed the follow-up to their debut Exits, the band’s Union LP was declared Alternative Album of the Year. 2009 saw The Boxer Rebellion make history by becoming the first unsigned band to enter the US Billboard 100 Albums Chart on digital sales alone. In 2010 they appeared in a major Hollywood movie, and their current album, the Ethan Johns produced The Cold Still, is their most accomplished and celebrated work to date.
The Boxer Rebellion secret pop-up session is planned for Thursday July 14th will take place at 1pm on Carnaby Street.
More pop-up sessions will be taking place in London throughout in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
Alongside the live music activations, HP will be giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Following an exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow.
Twitter: @HPUK
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HPUK
News: Last.fm and HP secret pop-up session location and second clue!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.Their second secret pop-up session is planned for tomorrow (Thursday 14th July), the first was with Sheffield duo Slow Club, last month in Soho Square.
We're not allowed to reveal the name of the band just yet but we released our first clue yesterday. We have two, yes that's right, two clues for you today. The first is a picture clue, below:
Our second clue is this: Their name relates to an oriental uprising...
We can also reveal today that the session tomorrow will be on Carnaby Street at 1pm. Get down there and look for the red Last.fm banner. In the event of rain this will move across the road to one floor up on Kingly Court.
More pop-up sessions will be taking place in London throughout in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
For more information about or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
News: Last.fm and HP secret pop-up session planned this Thursday!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.The partnership kicked off with a secret pop-up acoustic session in Soho Square last month, hosted by the Black Cab Sessions and featuring Sheffield duo, Slow Club.
This Thursday, pop-up session number two is planned! We can't announce who the band are yet or the exact location but we can tell you it'll be in a central London location, around lunch time. We've also got a little clue as to who could be playing:
More pop-up sessions will be taking place in London throughout in August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
Alongside the live music activations, HP will be giving its Facebook community access to exclusive content captured by Last.fm at some of the summer’s most popular music events. With access to some of the most hyped musicians of the moment, Last.fm and HP will interview these artists around the Power of Sound in their lives and will also be taking questions from the HP Facebook community to discover the influences behind their music and what drives their passion to write and perform.
Following an exciting summer of music, the partnership culminates with a large-scale live music event hosted in London – more details to follow.
For the latest information on the pop-up sessions, exclusive content and artist interviews follow HP on Twitter and Facebook.
Exclusive Slow Club competition on The 405!
In conjunction with Last.fm and HP, music website The 405 are giving away not one, not two but three signed Slow Club goodies to help promote the recent secret pop-up session the Sheffield duo played in Soho Square a few weeks back.
All you have to do is answer one simple question and you'll win a signed copy of the band's debut album Yeah So, a tote bag and a t-shirt.
The partnership between Last.fm and HP celebrates the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
More pop-up sessions are planned in London throughout July and August, all to be hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The next session is planned for Thursday 14th July in a central London location and promises to be a very special one indeed. We'll be posting out clues on our Facebook and Twitter next week.
All exclusive content and artist interviews will appear on the HP Facebook page.
For more information about this or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
ABoF News: Last.fm, Jeffrey Lewis and releases galore!
It's been a while since we've done a big proper news update from ABoF HQ but that's only because we've been unbelievably busy, working like mad on some excellent campaigns these last 6-months. So sit back, grab a cuppa and have a wee read at what's been going down here at ABoF!As always, if you've got any questions about anything you read here or our PR services in general, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Last.fm
We are very proud to announce that we are working with Last.fm to create online buzz and PR around their partnership with HP, promoting “The Power of Sound”.
HP and Last.fm's partnership celebrates the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership kicks off with a number of pop-up acoustic gigs taking place around London throughout July and August, hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The first secret session took place on June 16th in Soho Square with Sheffield duo Slow Club making a surprise appearance. The rain stopped just in time for the fans and curious passers by to enjoy their soulful sounds.
For the latest updates on these secret pop-up sessions, artist interviews and anything else please keep checking the HP Facebook page for news and exclusive content.
Jeffery Lewis & The Junkyard live at The Lexington!
We have joined forces with NYC’s Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard to organise a very special show at The Lexington, London on Tuesday 2nd August 2011.
The band will be joined by a very special guest, Scotland's velvet voiced multi-instrumentalist - Esperi, who will be playing an intimate acoustic set to showcase his new self-titled EP, due for release 4th August.
This show is now sold out but if you are a member of the press and would like to cover this show for your website or publication, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Out now!
Knifeworld return with their EP Dear Lord, No Deal, out on Believers Roast. The EP is the follow-up to their 2008 debut album Buried Alone: Tales of Crushing Defeat. The release of the EP has stirred the alternative music press into a frenzy – everyone from Rock A Rolla magazine to Classic Rock Prog are saying good things about Knifeworld.
The Blood Arm return to the UK with brand new album, Turn And Face Me. With rave reviews from Loud & Quiet, a track confirmed on WORD Magazine’s August covermount CD and a multitude of reviews confirmed from The Fly to Uncut magazine, you'd be silly not to go check them out now.
The Angel Pop is Marina's third solo album, and sees her collaborating with the legendary Terry Hall (The Specials, Fun Boy Three). She originally met Terry while duetting with him on the Nouvelle Vague track “Our Lips Are Sealed”, which led the pair to reunite in Paris to record another four tracks together for this release.
Roxanne de Bastion is unleashing her debut self-titled EP on the UK this summer after a flurry of gigs with saw her touring with Nik Kershaw. This self-titled EP is characterised by its laid back, minimalist guitar and intelligent lyrics shaped by Roxanne's enchanting voice, creating a whimsical landscape littered with video game references, introspection and an underlying current of innocence that allows her to deliver some incredible lyrical barbs.
Pad & Pen Records
We at ABoF like to think of ourselves as diverse and open to new cultures. So much so, that we have taken Danish super label Pad & Pen Records under our wing.
Pad & Pen Records are a two-man indie record label, distribution and management company based in Copenhagen, Denmark. They’ve released some brilliant records over there from our very own Talons and Mimas to King's Light Infantry, The Shaking Sensations and many more.
A free online sampler is available from our Soundcloud page. If you’d like more information about the label, make sure you visit their official website and contact us on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Pad & Pen are also on Twitter and Facebook – please support them!
Pad & Pen Records Compilation Vol.1 by abadgeoffriendship
Thanks for making it this far through this bumper summer edition of the ABoF newsletter. If you'd like any information about what you've read above or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Slow Club Last.fm secret session video and interview now online!
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership kicked off with a secret pop-up acoustic session in Soho Square on June 16th, hosted by the Black Cab Sessions. Sheffield duo, Slow Club performed a couple of tracks from their forthcoming second album Paradise, which will be released in September. A crowd of fans and curious lunchtime workers gathered to watch this rare and intimate set, which can be viewed now on HP’s Facebook page.
Yesterday, FAMEmagazine and The 405 both featured follow-up stories on this first pop-up session. Today, top music blogger Sourmash Music and music websites The Music Fix and AAA Music have all done their own stories on this special, intimate set.
More pop-up sessions are planned in London throughout July and August, all to be hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
The next pop-up session is set to be another special one indeed. It will take place on July 14th in a central London location. We can't say much at the moment but be sure to follow HP on Twitter for the latest updates.
FAMEmagazine and The 405 Slow Club secret session look back…
HP and Last.fm recently announced a partnership, celebrating the Beats audio technology that comes with HP Premium PC, laptop and tablet devices through a series of live music events and artist interviews, curated by Last.fm.
The partnership kicked off with a secret pop-up acoustic session in Soho Square on June 16th, hosted by the Black Cab Sessions. Sheffield duo, Slow Club performed a couple of tracks from their forthcoming second album Paradise, which will be released in September. A crowd of fans and curious lunchtime workers gathered to watch this rare and intimate set, which can be viewed now on HP’s Facebook page.
FAMEmagazine and The 405 both featured follow-up stories on the first pop-up session over the weekend. You can view images and watch the session and interview with Slow Club and see what you were missing!
More pop-up sessions are planned in London throughout July and August, all to be hosted by Black Cab Sessions in association with Last.fm. The live sessions pick up on the essence of HP’s Beats technology by giving fans the chance to hear music exactly as the artist intended from artists handpicked by Last.fm, the leading music discovery service.
The next pop-up session is set to be another special one indeed. It will take place on July 14th in a central London location. We can't say much at the moment but be sure to follow HP on Twitter for the latest updates.
