Steve Trafford: Vocals/Guitars/Piano/Synths Brian Edwards: Drums French Tom: Bass/Charisma
and...
Raz: Moogs and Spaceships
all songs by S.R.Trafford, copyright
Strings on 'Now That We've Come This Far' by The Watahiki quartet - arranged by Brian Edwards and Steve Trafford.
Melinda Gourlay: Cello,
Jun-Ichiro Watahiki: Violin,
Alexandra Gilbert: Violin,
Clare Martindale: Viola
Produced by Deets and Steve
contacts: stevetrafford@btopenworld.com
Influences
Kate Bush, Dylan Thomas,The Beach Boys,Pinocchio, The La's ,The Damned, Syd Barrett,The Kinks, Beck, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Michael Nesmith,The Monkees, Butthole Surfers, Shack, Love,Pixies, David Bowie, Derek Griffiths, John Barry, Ennio Morriccone, Motherlight, Left Bankke, Robin Askwith,Baxter and Ollie.
Tycoons Follies are a Manchester based band rain soaked in the psychedelic muse that has served the northwest so well for years
This is classic English song writing in a rootsy pop outfit blending elements of folk, psychedelia, old film scores, skewed wonder and rock n roll and a northern psychedelic.
And its that psychedelic twist that has flavoured all the best bands from up here, a tradition that starts when the Beatles went all fantastically wonky with ‘Strawberry Fields’ and ‘Penny Lane’, - perhaps the greatest pop single ever released, it was revived with the post punk musings of the Bunnymen and the Fall and has been refined by the godlike genius of the Las and more recently Shack this is 3D music drenched in the atmosphere of the Victorian gothic and the mystic psychic skylines of Liverpool and Manchester but still retaining the tough down to earth grittiness of its birth and served up with a classic English song writing nous.
This is music born of a reverence for the genius mavericks of Arthur Lee and Syd Barret, people who could write genius pop songs but took them on a little trip. Band vocalist Steve Trafford was the first person to put together a tribute night for Saint Syd when the gnome like one floated away last summer.
Trafford is an indestructible front man who survived The Mighty Fall with Mark E Smith. He put the current line-up of the band together after he notoriously left the Fall last summer after one frustrating tour too many with the Fall vocalist, Trafford quit with the rest of the Fall in Arizona and bounced back to the UK to continue with the band he had been talking about in the city’s gritty pubs. With long-term Manc drummer Brian Edwards and bassplayer French Tom they had the core of the band.
The demo he gave me within weeks of starting the band blew my mind, pristine melodies, great playing and a tight economical sound twisted with the whiff of the psychic spliff of Arthur Lee they sounded like a band fully formed and brilliant new addition to the maverick spirit of the real music of the north west, that obstinate twisted pop soundtracks the real city. Their first 'So Long' EP is brilliant proof of this and a stunning riposte to the Fall who will seriously miss Trafford’s songwriting nous. The release and the second EP received much interest and the band was asked to do numerous live radio sessions (BBC6 music, BBC, XFM, ALLFM), a new 3-track EP is out shortly
Tycoons Follies are a pretty big tip for 2007, not only the sound of purple but the sound of now, get there early an check them out now.
JOHN ROBB 2006
* Steve is currently playing guitar and writing with Paul Heaton (Beautiful South/Housemartins) with Tom on bass and Brian on drums.
Great stuff man. Hope you get a chance to do some of this material in-between the equally great Heaton stuff you're doing at the moment. Any chance of this going up on i-tunes anytime soon, I'd love to buy it, can't seem to find it for sale anywhere online.
Ey up steve
Good to see you today mate!As I mentioned we are doin a freebie at the Scholar on Thursday night if your about!We are on about 9.30!
Laters
Adam
Little Neemo and Tom Barnes (of the Balladeers and Bonebox) play the Ladybarn (Ladybarn Lane, Fallowfield) next Friday, 9th March 2007. There’ll be pretty songs about ugly things, beauty and bile in equal measure. It'll cost you nowt, and the bands are on from nine or so. Free sympathy with every drink.
Here's tom's myspace for those of you who don't know him:
http://www.myspace.com/tombarnesmusic
OK, so we didn't make it to No1 for february on Popworld Promotes but we have a REALLY good chance of making it there this month as we are currently at NO.5! Lets do it friends!
If you buy the song we get 1000 votes, if you send an email from our popworld promotes page we get votes and if you Listen and then rate the track we get points, so lets do it! Spread the word like wildfire.
Ey up!
Check out Juno Ashes TV debut appearance this Monday night at 10pm on Channel M!(SKY 203, NTL 878). We're doing 2 songs and an interview!
Let us know what ya reckon!!
Cheers
Juno Ashes
HELLO!! CHEERS FOR ADDING ME!! SEEN U A FEW TIMES, GONA COME AND C U IN MARCH, HOUSE WARMING PARTY YR BEST TUNE. COMMENT ON MY ART IF U GOT TIME.
aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRHHHH!
Sophie's Pigeons are playing Songs for the Bathtub tonight at Fuel, Withington - an easy-to-find spot on Wilmslow Road. It's FREE and starts around 8.30 so pop in out the cold.
"Sophie’s Pigeons both intrigue and enchant the audience. In a marvellously quirky way they show us how good it is not to be mainstream. With well crafted songs and a laid back ambiance the edges of the band and the audience blur into a fuzzy togetherness that warm the heart. I was sad to go home…"
Mark Newman, LEVFest, www.listentomanchester.co.uk
Hello. The Beep Seals are doing 2 shows this weekend as part of something called In The City. Well done! The first is on Sunday 29th October at Big Hands on Oxford Road. Your host Lee Gorton presents us (The mighty Beep Seals) The Junipers, The Monks Kitchen, John Stammers and Lazy Bones. A very psychedelic time will be had by all.
The second is on Monday 30th (school night people) at Night & Day with The Answering Machine, Mr Hudson & The Library. We're on at 9.30ish. Be there or be not there.
Hi Steve,
Tis Sam from Sophie's Pigeons.
wanted to message this but MySpace is being rubbish..
Hope you're well.
Just wanted to check about Thursday -
we're on at 8?
Are there sound checks and if so, what time from/do you need us there?
Our line up is:
2x vocals
1x piano
1x melodian
1x glockenspiel
1x violin - all need mics except the piano
Is all that ok?
Thanks again for putting us on, we're really looking forward to playing!