Dirty Three
The Kinks
South San Gabriel
Trespassers William
Nina Nastasia
Sufjan Stevens
M Ward
Nino Ricardo
Jeff
Quickspace
Richard D. James
-ziq
Mogwai
Leadbelly
Radiohead
Nick Cave
Mike
Radiohead
Mogwai
Smog
Red House Painters
Richard Buckner
Godspeed You Black Emperor
Iron & Wine
Calexico
Ron
Elbow
Calexico
Deus
Tool
Chris Cornell
The Beatles
Jeff Buckley
Sounds Like
We are our own sound. If you need help, this is what reviewers have said we sound like: Smog, early Smith's, The Cure, Radiohead, Wilco, Joy Division, Red House Painters, Bonny Prince Billy, Badly Drawn Boy, Nirvana, Jesus and Mary Chain, Sigor Ros, Nick Cave, early Mercury Rev, Low, and Sonic Youth. But really, have a listen and decide for yourself!
The germination of the band starts with Stephen Bland, from the graveyard suburb of Enfield, North London. As a teenager, he organized and performed with several group incarnations in Canterbury, while serving time at the university, booking bands and promoting clubs. Younger brother by seven years, Michael would join him for illicit drinking sprees. To make his scrawny younger brother look older, Steve would ensconce Mike's frame in many jumpers.
After many false starts with music and his degree, Steve finally graduated five years later none the wiser and decided on a whim to see the world and write a book of poetry.
In 1998, Steve returned to London, suffered post travel depression and pottered around organizing clubs. Directionless, he reluctantly turned to the city to fund another long journey and buy time to write a novel. Michael Bland is at this time living with Steve and is encouraged to pick up the guitar and sing.
By 2000, Steve has enough and leaves the UK, writing his poetic novel while journeying through nineteen countries, Mike sporadically joining him. But by 2002, the money runs out and London beckons Steve back to the city, doing an odious office job to clamber out of debt.
Mike returned, and Steve found his brother could now sing and play. Weekly meetings in a small flat with two guitars, bass and computer/keyboards ensued. Live gigs occurred, but there was reluctance to perform without a drummer.
2003/4 finds a shakeup of the lineup. Steve, Michael, and childhood friend to both, Jeff Baskett continued to forge a unique sound, dark, intense pieces fixed with beautifully melodious song-writing. Mike took the lead vocals, Steve harmonies, both brothers dueling on guitar while Jeff played bass, sorted computer samples, and ate sugary plastic on the side.
In 2005 the band honed their performance skills in live gigs with a new drummer. The songs developed in complexity and with a harder rythmic drive. An acoustic version of their song Valley of Salt was featured on BBC TV's Hustle. Orginally the lyrics came from Stephen's poetic prose, both brothers editing and splicing from this source, until Michael delved into his life experiences to create succinct emotional portraits, offsetting Steve's detached, literary style. Despite the differences, the brothers have a harmonious songwriting collaboration that forms the bulk of The Playing Fields catalogue.
2006 After reaching the glass ceiling of the music industry in Israel with the bands Music of Coincidence and The Following, Ron Rosenblum migrated to the UK. He joined The Playing Fields on drums and provided the missing link to solidify their sound. With the completion of their line up, The Playing Fields defy comparison, and have invented a new genre for their sound: Urban Desert.
The band recorded their debut LP, Hello New World at SickRoom Studios with Owen Turner, mastered by Kramer (from Second Shimmy Label/Galaxie 500/Lou Reed/Yo La Tengo fame).
In 2007 the album hit the shops through CactiShed...Records, disrtibuted by Shellshock/Backs, receiving near unanimous fantastic reviews (see press for the LP blog). You can get it direct from the record label @: www.myspace.com/cactished (in our top friends) for only £9.99 inc. postage and packing, or from the Corporation Records, link below and download from numerous sources from itunes to www.pulserated.com & www.xiie.net. 2007 gig highlights included a UK tour, the Camden Crawl, Dingwalls & a successful stint @ the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A single from the LP hit the shops on November 5th 2007 & is also available as above. Please visit the bands official new site @: http://theplayingfields.info where you can hear the whole album!
Having moved to Firefly Records the band are curretly hunkered down in their shiny new Soho based recording studio working on the follow up LP, provisionally titled "Hungry Ghosts" and due for release in 2009. Demo tracks from these sessions will be appearing on this very page for a limited time only.
Enjoy.
Mariola Fiedorczuk
If you like our sound please vote for us on UK Bands.Net
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The Playing Fields-
debut LP "Hello New World"
Order now from www.myspace.com/CactiShed
Track Listing: 1) Nonesuch Nameless 2) Sylvia Thompson 3) The Girl in the Machine 4) Drawings 5) Valley of Salt 6) Lights Out 7) Protect the Humans 8) Glass & Concrete 9) Simply Confused 10) Hello, New World...
Glass & Concrete/ Protect the Humans Double A-side Handmade numbered 7" single. Only £2.99 inc. Postage and packing. Order now from www.myspace.com/CactiShed
We are finally ready to start promoting my 'I Surrender' single with my album, 'Ella Trip' coming right after -yey!! What d'ya think to the video teaser?
THE PLAYGROUND is proud to host the OFFICIAL WHITE LIES AFTER PARTY on 20th November with a DJ set from WHITE LIES and live performances from White Rose Movement// Post War Years// Danny Valentine & the Meditations// Hektor Red// Dangerous Heresy// Divine Incest DJ’s// DJ Darkorse and Burlesqueshow.
Greetings. I just wanted to thank you for your continued support and invite you to have a first listen on myspace to the tracks off the new EP "Monster & Minstrel" due out later this month. Bright stars to you! Ahmond
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 162 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): TEES TO TYNE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS - SUMMER 2001
Where traditions are not so rare; Sea, country and works scent the air; A multitude of monuments, Planted tubs and patterned pavements.
The longish pedestrian malls; The remnants of defensive walls; Historic buildings are a gauge Of the respect for heritage.
Wheat, rape and pines in the fields; Estuaries guarded by shields; Long sandy beaches and wide scenes; Romantic-ruin go-betweens.
Rivers in parts licked by trees, Or fringed by boat clubs, wharfs, gantries, And crossed by practical delights - Varied spans, forming pleasing sights.
Fine churches headed at Durham; Football kits ad infinitum; Kept castles - one for study; Masonry behind masonry.
And, with moulding-works out that way, It’s somewhere for a longer stay..?
Hits of the Near Future's debut podcast is out now featuring the best
new and unsigned music from the UK. Episode 1 includes Black Poets,
Adventures of Loki, Hot Beds and more + an interview with the newly
reformed Rachel Stamp. Get in touch if you'd like to be on the next one!
THE PLAYGROUND presents Filthy Electro Trash on Saturday 14th Novmber. Come along and celebrate with:
Punks Jump Up (KITSUNE)// Punx Soundcheck (KITSUNE)// Steed Lord// Gobsausage// Glass Diamond// TOY TOY// The Education// Mr. Beasley// Ben Osborne// DJ Darkorse// Circa Burlesque- Little Bo Freak// Chrys Columbine// Slinky Sparkles and Straightola (VJ Set)
Online Now!
