THE GENERAL STORE LIVE****NOW WITH ADDED CELINE!!!****
Influences
Neil Young, The Byrds, The Beatles, The Flaming Lips, Beach Boys, early '70's Elton John, Grandaddy, Teenage Fanclub...
Sounds Like
"Wayne Coyne singing druggy, country-based AM pop songs after listening to After The Gold Rush" - Space City Rock
"The best West Coast pop record in decades" - Popmatters
"These are compositions that sound so terrific, you'll be racking your brain trying to figure out if the songs have appeared somewhere before. It's that good, folks" - Fufkin
“Bursting with highlights” – Amplifier
“Very highly recommended” – Rolling Stone
“The General Store make ‘70’s-scented noises to colossal effect” – Fierce Panda
“Traces of The Byrds, The Beatles and Neil Young permeate the songs without dominating them” – Metroland NY
“Local Honey signals the arrival of a formidable British talent” – Comes With A Smile
“An excellent, charming disc of which the major labels ought to take quick note” – Bucketful Of Brains
"Tape recorder" were the first words spoken by Tam Johnstone, AKA The General Store. How apt. Born to singer, Diana and musician, Davey - full-time guitarist with Elton John since 1972 - Tam was born into music, grew up on music, and now continues as seemingly destined from the off - by making his own. And how.
Starting by playing drums at the age of five when growing up in London, George Martin's AIR studios offered the teenage Tam gainful employment, where he passed the days making tea for rock legends, and discovering that £200 in sushi is best not heated in a microwave. By age 17, he was on the road for the first time in support to '80's Norwegian megastars Aha. Drumming for a succession of pure pop outfits followed, including mini cult the Green Tambourines and Warner Bros signings, Jaguar.
In April 2000, the doors opened at The General Store. Inspired by Neil Young, The Byrds and The Beatles, the acclaimed debut album, ‘Local Honey’ (released by revered American power pop label, Not Lame in 2002) was recorded at home on a 4-track machine. Live shows in England and America followed, boasting an impressive band line-up featuring members of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, the Elton John band, and Badfinger.
The new album, 'Mountain Rescue' (released by California’s Brewery records) was recorded with producer, Paul Reeve (Supergrass, Beta Band, Ruarri Joseph) and a host of guest musicians including Nick Zala (Mojave 3, The Loose Salute), singer/songwriter, Mike Silver and Jo Partridge (David Essex, The Who, Kiki Dee.) This time around, the Beach Boys and early ‘70’s Elton John join the list of The General Store’s musical inspirations.
Tam also fronts up and coming disco-punk power trio, Glass Shark and has worked with a wide range of artists from French rock star, David Hallyday to Eagles singer, Don Henley
By Tom Sheriff (updated by TGS, February 2008)
THE GENERAL STORE "MOUNTAIN RESCUE" AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW ON iTUNES. UK CD RELEASED ON JUNE 2ND. CLICK ON THE ALBUM COVER FOR MORE.
"Every song here is a winner. Easy pick for the Top Ten Album of 2008. Don't miss it" - Powerpopaholic
"A monster of full-blooded guitar-and-harmony rock glory. Highly recommended" - Pop Culture Press
"If you're a fan of the naïve yet otherworldly sounds of those early 70s guys or you simply love music I implore you to pick up a copy of Mountain Rescue" - Cornish Guardian
"This is a very special record – not just because it’s a true-gem, but it articulates a ‘soul-spirit’ few records are able to tap into. The wait for this one is well, well worth it" - Not Lame recordings
"A Modern Day Masterpiece! Any fan of West Coast rock 'n' roll will LOVE this record from start to finish...guaranteed!" - CD Baby
Hello, hope all is good just dropping by to say our album is now only £2+postage, for 12 tracks on limited edition cd our shop is http://d67. bigcartel. com, thanks and take care, Absent.
The General Store are featured on this week’s Gilded Palace radio show online at Totally Radio. The show streams on demand, and will be available until Friday 11th April.
Tam I saw you online so I wanted to say hi and to let you know that I am thinking of you and to tell you that I really love your music and I hope I get to hear you play live! Deb
Hi,
hope you're having a good new year :) only 50 more
weeks till 2009 I guess ;) anyway, just wanted to
wish you well and say hello :)
:) indiana gregg
(this is a video of a suicidal bunny rabbit below....it's not
animal abuse or anything...) click on the banner
to watch
Soundsurface says Thanks for your Friendship!!! I like the Music in your Player. By the way a little Information for you, if you like. My Mini-Album "Who Wants To Feel Has To Listen" with 6 Tracks is available for download on 1st December 2007 in over 200 Shops worldwide. You can Listen to 3 Tracks of it on my Myspace-Profile. Enjoy it! Have a nice day. Greetings from Hilden in Germany :-)
LUXURY CONDO SINGLE LAUNCH Come on down to Condominium Club At The Bircage , 58 Stamford Hill N16 Fri 9th Nov. 1st 15 get free single. FREE ENTRY Come and Dig the vibe!!!!!!!!!! Hear it now on Luxury Condo Page
Hia thanks for the addition-hope all is well with you-I'll check your profile for new stuff from time to time. I am rotating my songs (still the 1992 selections!!!!) every month or so...so tune in for some Power Pop 3 minute Blasters. Hey I might even record some new stuff soon-in fact I am recording later on!!! Cheers Markus Holler
I see your online. I just want to say hi and I want to tell you that I put you in my top friends and that I thhink this music here is really nice music and I really enjoy it. Hope your having a great week. Write soon. Hope someday that we'll meet. Deb
I need to see that minidisk footage... and any other shots you have, maybe send me some if you have a sec! Yeah, you can link me to Babies on Fire, that would be great.
We Start Fires play The Clapham Grand in London on Wednesday 6th June. For tickets go to
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=220573
The 7" single “Magazine” is available now in all good record shops as well as online.
The band will be supporting Good Shoes at:-
Sheffield Fuzz Club - 7th June
Liverpool Academy - 8th June
Hull Welly Club - 9th June
"Debut album from the incendiary new wavers. It sounds like Blondie doing
Elastica doing Weezer. Ace, obviously." NME
"Sludge-sleek pop songs with spiky guitars and ear splitting noise
freakouts. Ones to watch." The Guardian
"Like one of the Deal sisters in a cosmic deathray fight with Be Your Own
Pets Jemina." NME
The incredible 8 piece winners of Glastonbury Unsigned funkin’ hip hoppers ‘The Bellagios’ play Camden Green Fair on Sunday 3rd June in Regents Park at 5.30pm. Come down for the day…it’s all free!
