Raph de Albuquerque - Vocals, Guitar.
David Peacock - Bass, Vocals.
Chris Phillips - Drums.
Will Mercer - Guitar.
Influences
Lou Reed, Bret Easton Ellis, Ryan Adams, Lee Mavers, Mid-60's Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey & Marr, Perry Farrell, Jack Kerouac, Beck, Jimmy Page, Stewart Copeland, Muffy de Albuquerque, Serge Gainsbourg, Robby Krieger, Bruce Botnick, Geezer Butler, Michael Stipe, Ian Brown, Wayne Coyne, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Ringo Starr, Richard Brautigan, Truman Capote, Ennio Morricone, Sergio Leone.
The English Prices are a 4 piece indie rock band based in St. Paul's, Bristol. They have their HQ in a disused old shoe factory where rehearsals are held and private gigs are played. They are named after a fictional band in a short story from Bret Easton Ellis' 'The Informers'.........
The band was formed by Raph de Albuquerque (Vocals, Guitar) and Dave Peacock (Bass, Vocals), who met whilst at college in Nottingham. They bonded over mutual admiration for the records of The Velvet Underground, The La's, and mid-60s era Bob Dylan. With excessive amounts of time on their hands, little money in their pockets, and gun shots going off around their neighbourhood they took to regularly staying in and writing songs with the aid of a 4 track tape machine and looped drum beats. This creative partnership carried on past college days when Raph headed to London and Dave headed to Bristol. The next stage of the plan was to put a band together around the songs........
Chris Phillips (Drums) joined the group after advertizing on a musician's website. He was the first and only drummer to be auditioned. His style immediately suited the songs and edged the band nearer to formation. The final piece of the puzzle was completed when Raph met Will Mercer (Lead Guitar) whilst giving a guitar lesson to a friend. It turned out that the girl in question was already in the process of learning Rolling Stones riffs from Will and so the two abandoned the tuition and instead played around with a couple of Dylan and Ryan Adams tracks as well as new song ideas.......
Together for the first time in August 2005, The English Prices spent each succesive weekend holed up in the factory rehearsal space getting their sound together by day and writing songs on acoustic guitars by night once the 11pm curfew struck. They have been playing gigs in Bristol at The Fleece and The Thekla, as well as private shows in the factory, and most recently in London at The Fly, Covent Garden, Clockwork, Islington and Bush Hall, Shepherd's Bush........
The first and third tracks on the page were recorded at Maison Publique Studios in Oxford by ace producer Muffy de Albuquerque. The second and fourth tracks in place on the site were self-produced in Toybox Studios, Bristol, which is part-owned by guitar-player-for-hire John Parish - a hero of the band's.
Hey! How's the weather over there? I just want to let you know that i'm coming to the UK in late May/early June to play bass with Kevin Montgomery and Tommy Allsup. Tommy played guitar with Buddy Holly, and is THE guy that flipped the coin with Ritchie Valens. I figured that with you being a musician that you would really be able to appreciate this show. Kevin made a little video at my studio last week while we were recording....check it out http://myspacetv. com/index. cfm?fuseaction=vids. individual&videoid=34589518
There are a series of shows in England and Scotland....dates are on my myspace.
We won't be doing my material, but it is a really special show, and Tommy is a true rock'n'roll legend.
Anyway, take care and hope to see you there.
DW
Just to let you know about an extra-special New Root gig on Saturday 31st May @ The Croft, Bristol.
We're doing a headline set featuring Visual Projections from VJ James Bragg and everyone gets a FREE copy of our new 'Sick of Me' EP on the door. Venue Magazine described it as '...an extraordinary sound...a sort of power pop/goth/rock opera hybrid...the most exhilarating thing we've heard all week'.
There also support from Sally-Anne Langton - 'one of Bristol's most promising singer/songwriters' - plus Special Guests. All for £5. You can buy tickets in advance from www. thenewroot. com
Thanks and hopefully see you there on Sat 31st May!
I just re-read "The Informers" on a flight to L.A., because if you're going to L.A., you kind of have to read "The Informers." It's hilarous, beacuse the first time I read the book, before I even knew you guys existed, your sound is exactly what I imagined the fictional English Prices would've sounded like. Goddamn, you guys are my favorite band. "Billion State" has held strong at my favorite song for like the last six months.
Well done on getting your Wolfmother Gold disc, I'm sure it looks mighty fine on your kitchen wall. Tickets for The View would be great, thank you! Would be good to catch up, been a good long while since you let me sit in your office and pester you for a week.
Would you like a copy of the new Damien Rice album by the way?
Cazxx
hey Raph! Long time no speak. How's things? Fancy coming to our moved Kids night on the 15th of November? Should be a chuckle and it's a weekday this time round!
Cazxx
Hey Raph!
Good to hear from you. Things are going well at 14th Floor thanks, how's life at Renegade? A trade of records sounds like an excellent idea! I'll send you some stuff over today. New Beck album sounds pretty cool, I hear they've done some weird stuff with the packaging?
Cheers Raph! Now I'm the ripe old age of 21 there are so many more things I can do, for example teaching people to drive, being able to drink in America (perhaps not combining the two would be wise.) Frankly I don't know how I previously survived...
Xx
Duck walk: a sure fire hit. I've found that a bit of impromptu tap dancing also goes down *very* well.
Well its a lovely venue and I am sure you were great - a bit of post-modern mixing of site/genres is never a bad thing. And indeed, I do remember those scottish vegetarians. They were supporting sufjan who I had not discovered at that point, shame. I now adore that man. Stay gold pony boy, stay gold x
Hey, how did the gig go? Hope it went well. And come play in Birmingham. I will spike you all with hallucinogens so it becomes a wonderful, sparkly place. Actually, it is an ace place..its just takes a while to grow on you tis all x
Hey Raph! Thanks for ur bday message! was a really fun night as i was basically off my face stumbling around manchester dressed up as wonderwoman!!! oh dear. shenanigans eh?! hope u are well keep me posted on all things T.E.P's and Raph-world! lotsa love, Xxx
Good afternoon chaps, likin the sounds. You *are* coming to play for us sometime aren't you?
Trash Bash this Friday at The Croft - themed a la the mediacentric nonsense of Channel 4's Nathan Barley with a whole bunch of dirty dirty rock n roll and filthy electronic musical fun going on.
You just say all the right things!!! Have a great weekend! Oh, by the way, I'll be in London for a couple of days in June! I'd love to see you rock! xxxx
Infact you all are... (impressive - a whole band) can i have ALL your autographs please? on like a tshirt or something... that would be pretty cool. thanks xx
Evening Sir
bothered.
Indi and i need some gigs and its free for us.
Your worth leaving the house for, pluss i enjoy mailing listing and meeting everyone there....
i mite even wear my little white leather boots.
It will be a nice. [In agood way] I told a band they were nice and they went off on one and i was like gooooooooodness laura and i are like the only people in here tonight.
Caroline x
"DICK-LOVEEEETTTTTT"
(see i decided we were seen commenting each other people on my profile will be like ohhhh who is she planning on seeing.......check that)
Love your stuff boys! If you're playing anywhere local when I swing on back to Bath I'll check you out, great band name by the way, LOVE Bret Easton Ellis...and talking of names...
Hi Lads. Thanks for the add and your message. Really enjoyed listening to your tracks - looking forward to hearing some more soon. I will try and get along to one of your gigs when I return to the UK this year.
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes
