horse Guards Parade

2011-09-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

Hull Kingston Rovers got a stuffing from the Catalans last night. Not to worry though, Hull City won; that's four out of seven now. England won the final ODI too. Not a single loss to India all summer.

2011-09-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

We're playing at the Headstock festival this coming weekend. Should be good.

2011-09-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying the latest albums by Vetiver and My Morning Jacket. There's some great tunes and 70's sounds on both albums.

2011-08-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hull City lost their first match of the new season against Blackpool last night.

There is a great Jaume Plensa exhibition at The Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Our next gig is on Sunday August 14th. It's a charity thing at Dane Park on the way to Beverley.

2011-08-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

Posh kids go on an expensive holiday and get killed. Big deal. Polar bear minding his own business sees posh kids invading his space and gets shot. No one cares.

2011-05-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hi,
I'm enquiring about getting one of your retired horses when they finish service with yourself or if you can refer me to the organisation who you sell them to? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

2011-05-03T23:05:00.001-07:00

This is a performance I did a few years ago with David McSherry of Fila Brazillia

2011-04-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

An email we recieved yesterday evening:

Well done on a wonderful show for the Royal Wedding. I was concerned to see one of the horses without his rider and hope that horse and rider are alright. It was certainly a real test for the horses with all the noise and waving - they all did very well and I hope they had a good reward of something extra special to eat later! I hope the riders managed to celebrate well too.
All good wishes to you all

P.S. I came to a practice of Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade when I was a child with my mother and ever since have been a big fan you all.

2011-04-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

For anyone who isn't aware - I.e. Everyone in the world - Chris (bass player) has created a Horse Guards Twitter @hgpuk.
His entry at 3am last night was:

"Forest Hill, Oxfordshire,1991.
The beginning of the second summer of love. Peace x"

No idea what brought that on.

2011-04-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

Our next gig is at Gullivers in Manchester on Friday 6th of May.
We will be unveiling our seventh drummer on that night!
Getting a steady drummer has always been a problem for us but I think we've sorted it. Our sixth drummer, Grant, is the one we're sticking with. He's great but already had this date booked before he joined us so our friend Andy will be steadying the ship on this occasion.
In the past we've had Sheik, Stu, Gideon, a couple of others who's names I can't remember and there have also been others who have never even made it to a practice.

2011-04-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

shoutformusic.com

2011-04-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

A gentleman's trip to London. A good time was had by all.

2011-04-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

We're playing at the Enterprise in Camden tonight - 16/04/11.

You can read another review of our album on Dischord Music.

2011-04-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

There was a good review in Artrocker magazine over the weekend and a really good review on The line of best fit which which you can read here. There was also a good review on The Music Fix.

2011-04-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

a couple more reviews which you can read here and here.

2011-04-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm really enjoying Mazes, the new album by Moon Duo.

2011-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

We got another review. I think he likes the album. You can see it here

2011-04-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

We were played by Marc Riley on BBC 6 music last Thursday. What a nice man!

2011-04-03T04:09:00.000-07:00

Another review of the album. I think it's good, not entirely sure.
You can view the website here

2011-04-03T04:07:00.000-07:00

Had a good night on Friday. Paul Smith of Maximo Park did his thing and Chris, our bass player, did his thing.

2011-03-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

The Nicolas Jaar really is as good as all the praise it's getting. There's a new (old) Orchestra Poly-Rhythmo de Cotonou album out too, which is always a good thing. I've also been listening to the new Radiohead album a lot. It's really good once you get in to it. Lotus Flower is amazing.

2011-03-23T05:07:00.001-07:00

I've had a backlog of films to get developed, but i'm getting through them now. The results are on
flickr.com/photos/horseguardsparade

2011-03-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

2011-03-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

2011-03-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

2011-03-14T02:03:00.000-07:00

This album is wild. Psychedelic Thai rock filtered through as many styles as you can throw a toad at. It's on Andy Votel's Finders Keepers label. Votel also turns up on Gruff Rhys's new album, Hotel shampoo, which is a very catchy little pop nugget.

2011-03-12T02:19:00.000-08:00

Chris, our bass player, has sorted out this night at the Lamp.
Paul smith of Maximo Park is doing a DJ set and Chris is doing a set as Horse Guards Parade Sound System!
I think he'll be playing everything from Aphex twin to Hendrix.

2011-03-07T14:56:00.001-08:00

2011-03-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

We've been booked to play the Friends of Mine festival in Chester which runs from May 20 to 22. Should be good.
Here is a list of the upcoming gigs we've got booked in aril and May:

Saturday April 9: Hull Adelphi
Saturday April 16: London Enterprise
Friday May 6: Manchester gullivers
May 20/21/22: Friends of mine festival Chester
Friday May 27: Springboard Festival Cottingham (King Billy)

80's Hull

2011-03-05T09:40:00.001-08:00

Saw this picture in the Hull history centre. It reminded me of buying 'Hull 4 London 0' on cassette from Regis Record Centre on Holderness Road in the mid 80's. It was the first album I had bought with my own money, I chose it over the Top Gun soundtrack!

WOW!

2011-03-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

The most amazing video ever!

2011-02-26T08:11:00.001-08:00

recent purchases

2011-02-26T04:12:00.000-08:00

We're busy sorting out gigs for April and May and getting everything ready for the album release on April 11th.

The new album by Marble Valley, the other band I'm in, is finished and sounding good. Should be out later this year.

I recieved the following text earlier today. I've edited it a little, but you should be able to get the gist:

"Radio 4 is just a posh speaking clock.. Surely the disgusting middle class southern ---- listener has a clock on it's spacious kitchen wall and can tell the ------- time!?! The english make me sick. Turn it off. Have a nice day!"

2011-02-22T01:51:00.001-08:00

2011-02-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

Chaos reigns

2011-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Some photos from the gig we did with Howard Marks.
They were taken by Jamie Akrill and Anna Bean.

2011-02-19T02:12:00.000-08:00

Our keyboard player is a freak. Here is a picture of his record collection to prove it.

2011-02-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

The Owl - Ted Hughes
I saw my world again through your eyes
As I would see it again through your children's eyes.
Through your eyes it was foreign.
Plain hedge hawthorns were peculiar aliens,
A mystery of peculiar lore and doings.
Anything wild, on legs, in your eyes
Emerged at a point of exclamation
As if it had appeared to dinner guests
In the middle of the table. Common mallards
Were artefacts of some unearthliness,
Their wooings were a hypnagogic film
Unreeled by the river. Impossible
To comprehend the comfort of their feet
In the freezing water. You were a camera
Recording reflections you could not fathom.
I made my world perform its utmost for you.
You took it all in with an incredulous joy
Like a mother handed her new baby
By the midwife. Your frenzy made me giddy.
It woke up my dumb, ecstatic boyhood
Of fifteen years before. My masterpiece
Came that black night on the Grantchester road.
I sucked the throaty thin woe of a rabbit
Out of my wetted knuckle, by a copse
Where a tawny owl was enquiring.
Suddenly it swooped up, splaying its pinions
Into my face, taking me for a post.

2011-02-16T01:06:00.000-08:00

Howard Marks gig went well and everyone Had a good night.
It was also Archie's birthday, so I got him 'the Electric Cool aid Acid Test' which seemed to fit nicely with the spirit of the evening.

2011-02-03T11:24:00.001-08:00

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

2011-02-03T02:49:00.001-08:00

This morning, between the riots and cyclones, the Today Programme had a piece on Jimmy Webb. He played a stunning solo version of Witchita Lineman and spoke about the death of craft in song writing.
"American idol would have been laughed out of town in 1967 as cornball fluff."

2011-02-02T23:16:00.000-08:00

2011-02-01T15:16:00.001-08:00

Just watched the Andrew Neil program on Public School pupils taking over politics. Really interesting for all sides of the political spectrum. We all know the issues any way, but hopefully this series of programmes will make people take note and do something about it - I can dream.
Of all the coalition government, why is it that Michael Gove annoys me the most? Is it because he is hell bent on ruining education for all working class school pupils, or just that he has the most annoying face in Britain?

2011-02-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

The Rolling Stones - Sweet Virginia

Wading through the waste stormy winter
And there's not a friend to help you through
Trying to stop the waves behind your eyeballs
Drop your reds drop your greens and blues

Thank you for your wine, california
Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits
Yes, Ive got the desert in my toenail
And hid the speed inside my shoe

But come on come on down sweet virginia
Come on honey child I beg of you

Come on come on down you got it in you
Got to scrape that shit right off your shoes

For the acoustic gig we're doing on Saturday we've learnt a couple of new covers. Sweet Virginia and Dylans, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

As the gig is supporting Howard Marks, Rainy Day Women is quite an obvious choice but you've got to play to you're audience!

2011-01-31T10:51:00.000-08:00

A couple of amazing reviews of our album came out today. The screen grabs are above, the first two pictures are from the same review. Below are the web addresses.
The top one is from The devil has the best tuna and the bottom one is from Caught in the crossfire.

http://besttuna.blogspot.com/2011/01/power-of-ten.html#links

http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/news/band-of-the-day-horse-guards-parade/

2011-01-29T02:55:00.000-08:00

We finally have the album!
After messing around recording, mastering, pressing, re-mastering and re-pressing. We finally have the finished C.D.
It has been sent out to the press and will be released on April 11.

2011-01-29T02:32:00.001-08:00

30 Century Man from Antony Crook on Vimeo.

2011-01-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

A minority is only thought of as one when it constitutes some kind of threat to the majority. A real threat or an imagined one. And there in lies the fear. And if that minority is, somehow, invisible, then the fear is much greater.

A single man.

2011-01-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

Perfect.

2011-01-28T01:06:00.001-08:00

Just got this Psychedelic Aliens album, it's from 1971. the band were from Ghana and were mates with Fela Kuti.
As with all the 'world' music I buy, it is African music which has been influenced by western music - in this case psychedelic rock. The first thing I thought when hearing this record was how much it reminded me of Sukia, a mid nineties band who were signed to Mo Wax, and it got me thinking how good a label Mo Wax was. They put out some amazing records, Headz, Money Mark, Andrea Parker, Luke Vibert etc and the art work was always brilliant. All my hard earned paper round money went on buying records, mainly on Mo Wax and Domino.
Not sure what happened to Mo Wax though. Guess they just got too big for themselves. After DJ Shadow and Unkle, it all seemed to go wrong. A lot of Indies go that way after they get 'success'. I heard a quote from the guy from XL saying "(he) doesn't want the label to get bigger, just better" seems like a plan.

2011-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Malt of the month.

2011-01-22T05:52:00.000-08:00

2011-01-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

I wanna be like water if I can
'cause water doesn't give a damn

David Berman

2011-01-14T23:31:00.001-08:00

Our next gig is on Saturday February 5th at Fruit in Hull. We are playing an accoustic set as support for a spoken word show by the former international drug dealer Howard Marks.

I was listening to 'Down there', the album by Avey tare, the other day. It really is a great album and the first song, Laughing Hieroglyphic, is amazing. One of the best songs of last year.
I've also been listening to 'Reunion at Newport' by The Woody Herman Orchestra.

A sport to believe in.

2011-01-09T12:19:00.000-08:00

Just watched the Darts final. It was the most exciting thing I've ever seen! Wolfie won after a bit of a shakey start and a scrappy semi final, but yorkshires Dean Winstanley played brilliantly even if he didn't quite manage the win. An amazing week of darts and a brilliant final. Maybe Roy Keane should take up darts.

2011-01-08T00:38:00.000-08:00

I'm not very up to date with what people in Britain are into. I have not seen X factor, I don't know much about football apart from what I hear on the news headlines (apparently Roy Keane was sacked from whatever club he played for) and I don't know what an X box connect is. I only know they exist because someone told me they got one for Christmas.
The reason I'm writing this is because I was in the news agent yesterday and noticed that the front cover of the Sun newspaper had someone from Eastenders on it. I have never watched Eastenders so I didn't pay any attention to it. Then last night I was listening to the news on the BBC World Service and there was a piece on Eastenders, apparently the latest storyline has had more complaints than any other story in the programmes history. When did that become news? The reason I listen to the World Service is so that I can get a more rounded view of the world and so that I don't have To be subjected to the nonsense this country talks about.
Anyway, I now know what the latest storyline on Eastenders is. I wish I didn't.

2011-01-03T02:07:00.000-08:00

This year Romania have decided to recognise Witchcraft as a valid occupation along with such nonsense jobs as embalming and driving instructing. 2011 will be the year of the red neck.

2010-12-31T10:56:00.000-08:00

We've had a great year. Played some amazing gigs and finally have the album ready to go. After two attempts at mastering and two pressings, we now have the album done and will be starting the promotion next week. It looks and sounds great.

My other band Marble Valley also have a new album out next year so looks like it's going to be busy!

To celebrate the new year here is a video of the last Pavement gig ever in Argentina. They finished by playing a Marble Valley song and got all the crew (who happen to be Marble Valley members - Andy, Beige and Remko) on stage to play. Thanks to pavement for asking Horse Guards Parade to support them in Glasgow and at ATP and let's hope for a bigger and better 2011!

2010-12-29T02:31:00.001-08:00

The albums above show what I have been listening to the most this year. There have been some amazing releases and these only show a small selection of the great and varied delights from the past twelve months.
Caribou, Best Coast, Beach House and Tame Impala probably made the greatest impression on me. All stunning, exciting and beautiful records. I don't think I would have guessed that any of those bands would feature so highly on this list if I would have had to guess at the end of last year.
Gonja Sufi, and Flying Lotus showed great invention while Panthe du Prince made a great album for the snow. The Gyangs album is amazing, Field Music is very well done and Isobel Campbell surprised me with a beautiful album that is very listenable.
there have been so many other good albums this year as well. I really liked Lindstrom and Christabelle, Vampire Weekend, Sun Araw, Avey Tare, Shangaan Electro, Deerhunter and there have been great compilations from Woodsist, Brownswood and Soundway. What more can you ask for?

2010-12-29T02:30:00.001-08:00

2010-12-20T06:59:00.000-08:00

Had to cancel last Saturdays gig at the Enterprise in Camden after a blizzard marooned us on the M1 for 12 hours. It will be rearranged for the new year.
As it's the end of the year here is a list of the gigs we've done so far from 2008 to 2010.

25/05/08 Springboard Festival @ The King Billy Cottingham (acoustic)
18/02/09 The lamp Hull
28/02/09 Playtime The Royal Oak Chorlton Manchester
17/03/09 The Adelphi Hull supporting Skeletons and the kings of all Cities
24/03/09 The Sesh @ Linnet and Lark Hull
25/04/09 Club NME@ The Welly Hull
22/05/09 Buffalo Bar London
31/05/09 Springboard Festival @ The King Billy cottingham
18/06/09 Alexanders Chester
11/07/09 DIY High 5 @ Adelphi hull
18/07/09 The Crescent Pub Salford
26/07/09 Raw Talent session BBC radio Humberside
09/08/09 The Big Chill Festival Eastnor Castle Ledbury
28/08/09 Leeds festival
29/08/09 Reading festival
13/09/09 Freedom Festival Hull
25/09/09 Acoustic Session gardenofearthlydelights.com
26/09/09 acoustic support to Howe Gelb Adelphi hull
15/10/09 acoustic support to Gravenhurst Adelphi hull
19/10/09 Adelphi hull (acoustic)
20/10/09 acoustic support to Jarvis Cocker Adelphi hull
22/10/09 acoustic session Simon Mayo show BBC radio 5 live
31/10/09 Idioteque @ the subculture Leeds
21/11/09 The Cluny Newcastle
28/11/09 The Shakespeare Sheffield
06/12/09 Camden rock london
01/05/10 lamp Hull with Marble Valley
02//05/10 Stereo York with Marble Valley
5/05/10 Barrowland Glasgow supporting Pavement
14/05/10 All Tomorrows Parties curated by Pavement
30/05/10 Springboard Festival @ The Railway Cottingham
10/06/10 Adelphi Hull
12/07/10 acoustic session BBC Leeds
15/07/10 Adelphi Hull (acoustic)
05/08/10 Night and Day Manchester
09/08/10 History Centre hull (acoustic)
27/08/10 Lamp Hull
15/09/10 Pozition Hull (acoustic)
01/10/10 Windsor
09/10/10 Night and Day Manchester
15/10/10 Bay Horse Hull (acoustic)
25/11/10 Adelphi Hull (acoustic)
12/12/10 Ringside Hull

2010-12-13T07:51:00.000-08:00

Field Notes is a great brand who make notebooks. They seem to be getting more popular, and have just released a new colour.

Field Notes: Making of Balsam Fir from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

2010-12-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

2010-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

It has been another amazing year for music and everyone seems to be putting out lists of their favorite albums. I'll post a list of mine just before Christmas, but for now, here is a list of this years releases which I have bought.

Vampire Weekend - Contra
Real Estate - Realty
Beach House - Teen Dream
Midlake - Courage of Others
The Knife in collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock - Tomorrow in a year
Tindersticks - Falling down a mountain
Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling
Citay - Dream get together
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise
Nigeria Afrobeat Special: The new explosive sound in 1970's Nigeria
Field Music - Field Music (Measure)
Broadcast and the Focus Group
Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate
Lindstrom and Christobelle - Real Life Is No Cool
Bonobo - Black Sands
John Grant - Queen Of Denmark
Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
Caribou - Swim
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
The National - High Violet
Kurt Vile - Square Shells
Tame Impala - Inner Speaker
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
Delorian - Subiza
The Acorn - No Ghost
Harlem - Hippies
Stornoway - Beachcomber's Windowsill
Matthew Herbert - One One
Gonja Sufi - A Sufi and a Killer
Sleepy Sun - Fever
Actress - Splazsh
Julian Lynch - Mare
Phosphorescent - Here's to Taking it Easy
Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils
Wild Nothing - Gemini
Best Coast - Crazy For You
Gayngs - Relayted
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
The Love Language - Libraries
Menomana - Mines
Lloyd Miller and the Heliocentrics
Alan Moore - Unearthing
Black mountain - Wilderness Heart
Matthew Dear - Black City
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Woodsist - Welcome Home
Shangaan Electro
Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted Peoples EP
Brownswood Electro
Isobel Campbell - Hawk
Wooden Shjips - Vol. 2
Moon Duo - Escape
Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Phantom Band - The Wants
Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
Glasser - Ring
Matthew Herbert - One Club
Sun Araw - On Patrol
Woods - At Echo Lake
Mount Kimbie - Crooks and Lovers
Darkstar - North
Avey Tare - Down There
Girls - Broken Dreams Club
!!! - Strange Weather, Isn't it?
James Blake - Klavierwerke ep
Brandt Brauer Frick - You Make Me Real
The Walkmen - Lisbon
Best Coast - Make You Mine
Best Coast - Something in the Way
Best Coast - When I'm With You / This is Real
James Blake - CMYK EP
James Blake - The Bells Sketch
Soundways Records Presents The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz and Molam from Thailand 1964 - 1975
Oniotrix Point Never - Returnal
The Best Of Farout 2010
Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell Present KORT
Forest Swords - Dagger Paths
Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra

2010-12-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Couple of gigs coming up. Hull Ringside on December 12th and Camden Enterprise on December 18th. Should be good, get yourselves down there.

2010-11-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

We're playing a special semi acoustic show at The Adelphi in Hull this Thursday (Nov 25th).

It's for the monthly 'folk in Hull' night. We're playing Blues covers and are being billed as 'Horse Guards Blues Parade'. Our set list will be:

Little Red Rooster (Howlin' Wolf / Rolling Stones)

Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson)

Howlin' Wolf (Muddy waters)

Prodigal Son (Rolling Stones)

Smokestack Lightning (Howlin' Wolf)

2010-11-22T01:56:00.000-08:00

I've spent the past week finishing off the new Marble Valley album. I've mentioned before that I moonlight in Marble Valley, but for anyone who doesn't know I'll explain. Marble Valley is made up of Steve West - the drummer in Pavement, a Dutch man, a man who isn't Dutch but lives in Amsterdam and four natives of Hull. We have been meeting up once or twice a year for the last ten years to either tour or record. We have played in Britain, Europe and America and are now recording our fifth album which should be out next spring.

We started recording this album in July this year in Amsterdam and this last week everyone has decended on Hull to finish it off. We got loads of work done down at Creyke Lane Studios. I can't wait until it's mixed, it's sounding great already!

2010-11-22T01:41:00.000-08:00

Roy's Jeans - Video by Self Edge from Self Edge on Vimeo.

I have managed to refrain from posting anything about clothes on this blog, but this video is too good. Hand made Roy jeans, a snip at $275 from Self Edge in the U.S. of A.

2010-11-22T01:05:00.000-08:00

Can't say I'm massively bothered about The Beatles joining Itunes, everyone must have the songs by now anyway. One good thing though is that every time I open safari some great pictures come up!

2010-11-10T01:22:00.000-08:00

Great new track and video by David McSherry

David McSherry - U∂+ from Clear Notice on Vimeo.

2010-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

Shangaan Electro
Brownswood Electric

I've had these two albums on my (ever expanding) music list for a while now and finally got round to buying them. They're both very different, but they're both very engaging. I also saw the 60's book Groupie in a shop the other day and bought it. Quite daft.

2010-10-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

2010-10-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

There was another really good article on the Left foot forward blog (www.leftfootforward.org) last Sunday called, 'Should we defend the middle class welfare state?'
The blog is well written and if you haven't already you would benefit from adding it to your daily reading list.
Unless you're a Tory, in which case I wouldn't bother.

2010-10-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

Saw Japanese improviser Yoko Miura playing at the Holy Trinity Church. Her piano playing sounded amazing with the reverb of the church. I also found out that Holy Trinity's piano has been traced back to the factory it was made in, in germany, and it is one of two pianos which were played by Adolf Hitler when he visited the factory!

2010-10-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

we played an acoustic gig at the Bay Horse pub in hull on Friday night (October 15). We played well, but the night was pointless.
Afterwards we went to a Dubstep night at The Lamp which was good. The guys on the door were playing solitaire on a Lap Top.

2010-10-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

2010-10-17T00:02:00.000-07:00

We played at the Night and Day in Manchester last week. Gig went well, Polly and the Billets Doux, who were really nice people, also played. More gigs coming up: Hull on December the 12th and London on Decemember the 18th. We're also in the middle of booking more gigs in London and Manchester. Check the myspace or Facebook for more detailed information.

2010-10-09T03:41:00.000-07:00

Desert Island Discs has been really good over the last couple of weeks. Tom Jones and Johnny Vegas both came across very well.
Thank god for Radio 4. The only thing worth paying the license bill for.

2010-09-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

I first heard about this blog earlier this year on The food program on Radio 4 and have been following the (infrequent) posts. I guess I was just intrigued that someone could care so much about hamburgers, that they would start a blog. www.aintnopicnicburgers.com

We have a gig on Friday the 1st of September in Sunningdale, Berkshire and another one on Friday the 9th of September at Night and Day in Manchester. We have also been booked to headline an all dayer at the Ringside in Hull on sunday December 12th.

2010-09-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

I never expected this to Happen, but I love this album! I bought it when it first came out, and thought it was o.k. but never expected to like it that much. I suppose the hype put me off, but As the weeks went on, I found myself listening to it more until now, where I'm addicted. I listen everyday. Can't help it. It's 50's girl groups, it's surf punk, it's Hole, it's simple, it's poignant, it's very good.

2010-09-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

We played the gig at Pozition (with a zed). It went well, far better than expected. People turned up to see us play, rather than just to go to the club night, which was a surprise. We didn't go on until One, and didn't have to be there until Eleven, so I went to see the Gainsbourg film earlier in the evening which I enjoyed very much.
Listened to the Monocle weekly earlier this week. Very pleased it's back on, the summer series with it's insistence on promoting boring, insipid, hotel Jazz was doing my head in.

2010-09-13T05:47:00.000-07:00

Great piece on us on this blog.

http://besttuna.blogspot.com/2010/09/hold-your-horses.html

2010-09-08T04:03:00.001-07:00

2010-09-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

We have a few gigs coming up. Wednesday 15th of September we have an acoustic show at Pozition in Hull,
Then a gig somewhere near Windsor on October 1st (I'll put more details up when I have them), and on October 9th we're
playing at the Night and Day in Manchester.

2010-09-07T03:55:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading Big Sur. Whenever I read Kerouac or Bukowski or Miller or any of those kind of beat writers/ autobiographical writers, I'm impressed by how they all believe in their own writing so much.
On another note; the other week, I ended up watching three films on my own on consecutive nights which took me to the edge of depression.

A single man.
The road.
Synecdoche, New York.

Generally I prefer bleakness to joyfullness - Lars Von Trier to Disney.
But this was too much, even for me.
I did enjoy the films though and Charlie Kaufman is a genius.

2010-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

There was an interview/Q&A with Harmony Korine in the Observer over the weekend. It was full of his usual 'shocking' nonsense speak, funny though. He doesn't seem to have grown up at all.
It made me get out my copy of 'A crack up at the race riots', a book he wrote in 98. It's not a novel, it's a thing. Pages of fake suicide notes, nonsense and bits. I bought it after watching Gummo and not being sure if I liked it or not. Looking forward to Trash Humpers.

2010-08-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

the album is finally getting pressed up, above are some of the artwork proofs, and should be out Physically and digitally at the end of October or beginning of November.
It will be called 'Ten songs'. There were other titles knocking around, but everything just sounded a bit pretentious and we wanted the album to just be about the songs.
there are ten songs on the album (as you might expect!), the track listing is as follows:

Everybody's going back to your house.
As the plane lifted its wheels.
It ended in a haze.
She looked like a Henry Moore.
Since you fell off my axis.
The treble clef.
This city's on fire.
The lies.
How can you take me dancing?
There's sunshine on the radio.

All the songs were recorded between October 2009 and april 2010. As the plane.. and This city's on fire are both new recordings from the versions on the e.p.
we have been streaming the album on the myspace for a little while, but the quality isn't that good. I will put up a better version if I get round to it.

2010-08-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

I watched this film last night. It is quite possibly the worst film ever made, but it seems that was the point.
you should watch it.

2010-08-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

2010-07-13T01:46:00.000-07:00

Another good review of the album which is still not out for a few months.

2010-07-13T01:41:00.000-07:00

I'm doing this Folk in Hull night on Thursday, playing about 5 acoustic songs.

2010-07-13T01:35:00.000-07:00

We did an interview and acoustic session on BBC Radio Leeds, the dj was a dick.

2010-06-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

Battle of Branchage from seeper on Vimeo.

2010-06-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

It's the Larkin 25 celebrations this month. The album 'All Night North' whis has 12 bands (including us) who have written music to Phillip Larkin poems is released. Other things going on in the City include Poetry readings, painted toads around the streets, and a gig on June 10th at the Adelphi which We are playing.

above is a film featuring the voice of Hull born actor Tom Courtenay reading the Phillip Larkin poem 'Here'. It also features the music of Hurricane Lulu, a Hull musician who is part of Awash with antleR.

2010-05-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

First review of our album on www.thenorthernline.com

http://thenorthernline.com/2010/05/28/horse-guards-parade-ten-songs/

2010-05-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

"As the plane lifted its wheels" Live at All Tomorrow's Parties curated by Pavement. Butlins Minehead. 15/05/10

2010-05-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Live in soundcheck, Glasgow Barrowland, supporting Pavement. 05/05/10

Note, cameo from our Dutch soundman, Remko.

2010-05-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

"How can you take me dancing?" Live at The Lamp Hull 01/05/10

2010-05-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

ATP was pretty wild. Saw Calexico and Broken Social Scene on the Friday before playing with Marble Valley. Had a great gig. Bob Nastanovich introduced us with Horse Guards guitarist Archie dressed in a yellow jump suit, and Bobs wife Whitney hula hooped at the front of the stage during the show. Everyone gave it loads though Aaron our percusionist seemed to spend the full show pointing and shaking a triangle!
Later saw Wooden Shjips then back to the chalet for the rest of the night.
We played at 1 the next day. Archie had stayed up all night preparing. Gig went well got some great feedback then saw Wax Fang play Prince's Purple Rain, Pavement, who were amazing, and the Monotonics who played the best 15 minutes I've ever seen until the show got stopped by sercurity. The rest of the night merged into the next day back at the Marble Valley chalet.
Felt terrible Sunday. Steve Wests talk on being a stone mason was very entertaining and the Fall were amazing and awful at the same time. Great weekend with some very sketchy memories. Drowned in sound has some good photos of the weekend, here are a couple of us, as well as some other photos to give you the feel of the three days and a video of some of Westys talk.

2010-05-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Jarvis Cocker has Produced this free found sound album from National Trust which you can get from here:
www.uniquefacilities.com/files/nationaltrust.htm

It's great, but i can imagine found sound purists hating it as there is actually something going on and it is actually listenable.

Heading down to Minehead to play at ATP today. Can't wait!