“This is the Year” has been voted Record of the Week on BBC Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie Show…
“…a rather beautiful record” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 (30th Oct '08)
“Really, really gorgeous” – Stuart Maconie, BBC Radio 2 (4th Nov '08)
"The mixture of McKean's growl and the excellent lyrics evoke a sound reminiscent of Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits... quality songwriting" - Record of the Day 7th July '08
"Live, they're capable of making audiences weak at the knees" - Metro (One to Watch, May '08)
"Tom McKean is in possession of a deep, rich voice and dark, moody songs.
Fantastic" - Time Out, London
One Thing on my Mind is "Plaintive, bleak and beautiful" – Stephen Merchant, BBC 6 Music
"They've been causing a stir and quite rightly too. Certainly one to watch out for in 2008" - Strummerville
"You really get a sense that the Emperors are seasoned veterans of the London music scene and I can't believe they won't be playing much larger venues very soon" - livemusic.fm
“Nick Cave jamming with Tom Waits playing in a Jazz Bar during a Tarantino movie… toe-curlingly good” - livemusic.fm
"Evocative and cinematic, the Emperors explore the darker shadows of rootsy blues and jazz with the moody maturity of experience and stellar musicianship" - Twenty Cell Revolt music blog
"Like a Southern States whisky preacher, McKean is at his best when he takes his listeners on a roller-coaster emotional journey, from the lows to the highs, and from the dark to the light … exorcising the drab and dreary spirits from his congregation, re-invigorating us all for a few precious moments" - livemusic.fm
Tom McKean: vocals/guitars Bobby Williams: guitars/vocals Andy Simms: keyboards/clarinet Iain Ross: drums/vocals John Parker: Double Bass Ed Miller: bass
Many thanks to Fay Walsh (cello and banjo) and Nick Loe (bass)
Influences
Sounds Like
Watch the first instalment of the band's video diary as they record their debut album in Dallas, Texas - Jan/Feb '09
Watch the band play "This is a War" live at The Borderline
Watch the band play "Fever" live
Watch the band play a rollicking version of Jolie Holland's "Old Fashioned Morphine" on the roof of Emperors HQ
"We might be miserable buggers but we still want you to have a good time" - Tom McKean
We’re delighted that you’ve stumbled across our page, dearest reader, and hope the journey here wasn’t too rough. We know all too well that the treacherous waters of MySpace are rich in hazards for the unguarded traveller. At the risk of sounding conceited, we hope you’ve found a little island of reason where you can relax for a while before continuing, refreshed, on your arduous journey. The job of the intrepid explorer in this seemingly infinite musical ocean is not for the faint-hearted, littered as it is with craggy outcrops of rock, pop, experimental folk and nosebleed techno performed on the kazoo with no meaningful signposts to guide you on your way. We applaud you for making it this far, good reader. Now cast off those sodden, tattered rags and enjoy your visit - we’re delighted to have you…
It’s been an interesting year or two for our motley little band. We’ve been playing packed-to-the-rafters shows and had a great time at last summer’s festivals where, most notably, we triumphed through a haze of sunburn and cider at Glastonbury. The triumph was making it to the stage at 1.30 in the morning.
Our debut single came out in October 2008 and became Record of the Week on Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie’s BBC Radio 2 show here in the UK. It was also Record of the Day on influential music industry website Record of the Day (a more appropriate name for it we can’t imagine) and garnered some very kind reviews from the press.
We picked up a manager along the way and in January 2009 found ourselves jetting off to Texas to make our debut album with Grammy nominated producer John Congleton. He’s worked with artists as varied as Modest Mouse, Antony and the Johnsons, The Polyphonic Spree, Explosions in the Sky, Marilyn Manson, Bono, Celine Dion, Erykah Badu and his own band The Paper Chase to name but a few. If we’re honest it was the Celine Dion connection that really swung it for us.
The album was completed in early February and we’re delighted with the results. As soon as it’s been mastered we’ll be posting a few of the tracks here on MySpace for any other intrepid travellers who happen to be passing to enjoy. If you want a sneaky listen then a few of the tracks are featured in our Dallas video diary on this very site.
In short, things are looking pretty interesting. But, dear reader, that means nothing to the fickle lover we find ourselves courting so we will continue to write the best music we can and play the most exciting shows that we’re capable of for the sheer love of it and maybe some of you will be kind enough to listen.
A few of us have had a bit of success in the past with other bands but there’s something different about Tom McKean & the Emperors. Through the vagaries of luck and hard work we’ve found ourselves making the kind of music we always wished we could.
The tracks featured here on MySpace were recorded live - either at Livingstone studios in London or in the front room of Emperors HQ, once home to poet Ted Hughes and his cheerful bride Sylvia Plath. Oh, how they must have laughed the cold nights away, dear reader, and we’d like to think that some of their boundless mirth has made its way into our work. We don’t spend days in the studio building layers and overdubbing. Our music is made by a group of people in a room playing live and recording the results onto tape like they did in the old days. Hopefully this means that our recordings capture something of the moment. We hope you enjoy them.
We wish you every success and hope that one day you might stumble across our page again. Until then, goodbye and good luck negotiating those choppy seas. We’ll be delighted to offer you a little shelter from the storm any time.
All the best,
Tom McKean & the Emperors
Tom McKean & the Emperors are based in the UK. Tom McKean is from Glasgow, Scotland.
Tom McKean & the Emperors’ debut single can be purchased from iTunes and Tesco.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST AND GET FREE DOWNLOADS BY GOING TO www.theemperors.co.uk
FOR ALL ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT richard@autonomymusicgroup.com
Hi.. I just wanted to send you a note and say that you guys have become one of my favorite bands! I've been listening to your mp3s ever since you added me.
I can't wait until you have an album for me to buy, or to have the chance to see you live. I live in LA these days, so I haven't had that chance yet!
Will we be seeing ya at this month's Red Eyed & Blue on Tuesday March 11th? We sure hope so! It's taking place at the Hawley Arms' brand spanking new music venue The Wilmington. We've got a crackin' lineup with Adrian Crowley, Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou, The Snakes and DJ sets from the Truckin' Lauras and DJ James Steel.
Hi Tom McKean-it's Aoede from San Francisco-It's been nice to hear you and read you across the oceans...I'm pleased we're friends and am excited to announce that our new album, Push and Pull, is finally here! Would love it if you could take a listen-posted a bunch of stuff from the album just yesterday! Cheers. Aoede-muse of song www. aoedemuse. com
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