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Such Fun/Can't You See 7"

'Such Fun/Can't You See' is the first release from Manchester's Milk Maid and the forth release on Suffering Jukebox Records. Milk Maid is a band built around the songwriting talents of Martin Cohen, the bassist from Nine Black Alps and the two jams on this single represent his first ever attempts at songwriting... attempts that in our opinion are a bit like someone attempting to play for Manchester United, scoring a hat-trick and ending the night making out with Winona Ryder on the Heathers set... that said; we think he rules.

No-one really sounds like Guided By Voices, but Milk Maid have a similarly laissez faire approach to recording solid gold melodies; throwing away songs most bands would kill for with a kinda swoony arrogance. This single wouldn't sound out of place on the Woodsist label, home of Kurt Vile, Woods and Real Estate...but y'know Suffering Jukebox got in first. Maybe they'll steal Milk Maid of us and we'd end up all bitter and broken.

'Such Fun/Can't You See' is out on October 18th on 7" Vinyl and Cassingle

BLOG FOLK & PRESS PEOPLE

Please feel to post up the MP3 I've attached to this email. It's not on the single but it does rule. If you want to do an interview with Milk Maid or just chat, you can contact Martin from Milk Maid at martinjamescohen@hotmail.com

RECORD STORES & DISTRO

Gimme a shout if you want to order the vinyl and/or cassette. Prices, delivery etc blah de blah

PROMOTERS

If you want to book Milk Maid you can either shout me or the band... they like getting enough money to cover petrol, drinking beers and being treated well

Expo$ure

Martin from Milk Maid was interviewed for the Manchester Evening News; he talks about how awesome Milk Maid are and what a rad dude he is. Not really... the MEN mainly focuses on the fact Martin used to be in Nine Black Alps, who are still one of the best bands I ever saw in Manchester.

The Milk Maid single has been delayed slightly thanks to incompetence from me and our pressing plant. That said, 'Such Fun/Can't You See' will be out on 18th October. Pre-orders up soon!

Suffering Jukecast #3

1. Cartoon Beginning - Eat Skull

2. The Kids Are Alright - Les Calamites

3. I'm Gone - The Bat Caves

4. Disguises - Of Montreal

5. Violet Execution - Sebadoh

6. Beach Comber - Real Estate (Radio Session)

7. Shock Town - The Sun Electric Band

8. Hammond Song - The Roches

A decidedly more autumnal feel to the latest installment; I think that's the theme. Autumn is alot of people's favourite season, hippies mainly...personally I prefer summer to getting drenched and everything dying. Saying that, there's definitely something brilliant about being bunked down and hearing rain on the window; it's like mocking God. So there's a couple of brand new bands; The Bat Caves & The Sun Electric Band and a couple of Who covers, which can't be bad. Stay tuned

Suffering Jukecast 3 by Suffering Jukebox

Milk Maid 6Music

Milk Maid killed it on Sunday night at The Deaf Institute label launch bash. I took some photos over the weekend which you can see HERE . Marc Riley at 6Music struck while the iron was hot and invited them in for a session last night. Marc's show is consistently great, he's a wonderful dude, has been in two of the best Manchester bands ever and has played host to a remarkable number of underground bands doing sessions. You can listen to the three Milk Maid tracks and a short interview with them HERE

Gun Outfit

Just got around to picking up the Gun Outfit album and I've finally stopped listening to REM who've soundtracked the last couple of months for me. Dean from No Age has just put out the album on his PPM label and they're heading over to the UK in November. I'm not gonna try and describe the album cos I haven't figured it out yet. You can get the original demos for their website HERE

Lilys

I'm mourning the loss of TOTP after a lunchtime trawling the YouTube archives. Obviously it was predominantly rubbish, especially in the 2000's, but the BBC/major label machine would occasionally drop it's guard and a band like Lilys would be on. Admittedly 'Nanny In Manhattan' was all over a Levis ad (I think it was for Silver Tabs, which my mum bought me in Fort Lauderdale that summer) but seeing them on TOTP seemed strangely subversive at the time. Looking back you have to admire a band that went on prime time TV and went out of their way to play their hit song absolutely nothing like the recorded version. Kurt Heasley's a totally underrated songwriter and this is just total magic imho.

The Sun Electric Band

I don't know much about this band except my buddy Paul at Too Cool To Die likes them and Ross from the band got in touch to buy an old 4Track of mine. Whether he buys it or not is still up in the air and I'll keep you informed on this issue obviously... Anyways, this song jumped up and bit me so I'm posting it here. Shock Town reminds me of Real Estate or The Mantles, both fine bands but not from the beautiful North West of England, which is a place close to my heart. Sun Electric Band play the Kings Cross Social Club on 28th October and Rossendale Football Club on 24th September. The Rossendale show sounds awesome

DOWNLOAD

Aias

Maybe soon I'm gonna get sick of reverb drenched sunshine lo-fi. Mike Sniper at Captured Tracks certainly isn't. Aias are the latest in a seemingly endless line of ace bands from the Brooklyn label and probably one of the best so far. According to their MySpace, they hail from Barcelona and they describe themselves as an 'All Girl Summer Fun Band' which is just about the best type of band. Anyways, I have good news and bad news... good news - they're playing London on 11th September... Bad news - it's at the Old Blue Last

DOWNLOAD

Download courtesy of Neu Magazine

Suffering Jukecast #2

Here's the second ever Suffering Jukecast and it's particularly copyright flaunting this time. The lousy British weather has been getting everyone down, so stick this on, close your eyes and imagine you're in California. These are some of my favourites

1. Gardening At Night - R.E.M.

2. Dance The Night Away - Colleen Green

3. Ginger - Lilys

4. Love Athena - Olivia Tremor Control

5. Lady Friend - The Byrds

6. Beyond The Shore - Former Bullies

7. Sparky's Dream (BBC Session) - Teenage Fanclub

8. Rain Of Crystal Spires - Felt

9. Anytime You Want - Eric's Trip

10. Jesus Was Way Cool - King Missile

Suffering Podcast #2 by Suffering Jukebox

Stuff Etc

A few people have written about us in the last few days (no-one from Manchester ha) including a really nice post on the Vice site about the label and all the bands. You can get a load of MP3s on there aswell. Pitchfork have this new Altered Zones blog that's made up of lots of other blogs... 20jazzfunkgreats, Transparent, Gorilla V Bear etc. 20jazzfunkgreats were nice enough to write about Colleen Green here

The Mazes tape that Italian Beach Babes issued last week has been repressed as the original bunch sold out. Couple of reviews on Tapelove and Norman's Records

OK back to work and listening to Sebadoh vs Helmet

Launch Night

We're having a special launch night for the record label at The Deaf Institute on 29th August... Bank Holiday Sunday! All of the bands on the label will play except for Colleen Green because she lives in America. Our friends from Comfortable On A Tightrope and the Pigeon Post blog will be DJing and I'm hoping for the greatest ever merch table.

We're not really gonna have a running order for bands...I guess you just have to get down early

You can attend on Facebook here

Rock Show

Mazes & Brown Brogues played in Manchester on Saturday with our buddies Waiters and Boy or Bison. Folly Of Youth was nice enough to document the show and post a couple of songs up on YouTube.

You Snooze, You Lose

The Brown Brogues tape album is out now from Rough Trade and our Big Cartel. It's warts and all account of their very first recordings but it's all killer. Only 50 copies in total, so don't snooze on it... Buy it HERE

Best Album Ever

So I think this was a pretty 'cool' album to like a few years back when Green Man was all the rage, nonetheless it's still a bit of a lost classic even though it's had a-lot more attention over the last ten years. Anyway for me, if I'm ever asked what my favourite album of all time is, I say 'Wolfking Of LA' cos it is. John Phillips may well have had a long term sexual relationship with his own daughter, but on Wolfking he made one of most beautifully trashy albums ever.

Obviously most people know of John Phillips from The Mamas & The Papas where he made his name as one of the sixties finest songwriters, as well as being a harmony arranger surpassed only by Brian Wilson. John's private life during and after his heyday was one of unparalled excess and debauchery and it's this that informs the album's unhinged romance. It's pretty much the only album that I know ALL the words to and I don't even know the words to our songs... please listen.

Listen to Harlem Tunnel

Girlfriends

I've spent all morning listening to Girlfriends on MySpace and subsequently pondering how great these songs are and how the hell did Tom and Rupert let MySpace get so outdated. Girlfriends are currently touring the US with our sis Colleen Green, probably having a complete blast and blowing minds. Like Jonathan Richman, Girlfriends hail from Boston and the songs have a similar bratty feel; all slurred words, skewed romance, lazy chord changes and those horizontal melody lines I seem to like so much. If you like Nodzzz and Box Elders, then I'm pretty sure you'll like Girlfriends

You can download a digital single HERE

Initials BB

I'm super into Brown Brogues today. Anyhows... Pigeon Post interviewed them and they were kind enough to mention us and talk about the tape which should be back any day now.

Here's the interview and here's their Flickr

Mazes Mixtape

Our friend Conan at Italian Beach Babes is putting out a Mazes Mixtape album. Keep checking his blog for updates but it should be available to order in a week or so. Here's the tracklist...

1. Huffing NV

2. Church Street

3. Urgh

4. I Don't Wanna Know (Fleetwood Mac)

5. Bowie Knife One

6. Shuffle Board

7. A Metric Tower

8. Athens Song

9. What D'Ya Reckon

10. I Don't Know What's Wrong

11. I'm A Smoker

12. No Way

13. Iz It?

14. Checkers

15. Jarin & Jay Don't Like This

16. Sand On Your Neck

17. Munchkins

18. Temperton Tecker

19. Jump (Van Halen)

20. Illegitimate Love (Ean Eraser)

21. Urgh x 100

22. Shit Priest

23. Don't Worry Baby (The Beach boys)

24. Dire Strait's Brothers In Arms

25. Vampire Jive 1

26. Fingers

27. Amelie

28. Eva

29. Till I'm Dead

30. Danny Elfman

31. Brazil

Monday Free Song

Here's a Colleen Green version of The Mission 120's "Just Like I Do". To my ears, Colleen's version is miles better than the original, but her new song on MySpace is miles better than that. Miles better! She's on tour with Girlfriends at the moment and has promised to write us a tour blog so watch out...

Mission 120's "Just Like I Do"

Grim Fandangle

If you're in Manchester and you're stuck for something to do tonight, you could do a-lot worse than head down to The Grim Fandangle at The Corner. I don't really know what a 'fandangle' is but I'm assuming it's a good thing. The name's irrelevant anyway... there's four bands playing... I've only ever seen Brown Brogues before and I've raved about them enough so I'm gonna leave it to the promoter to sum up BB, Cargo Cult, Rent Boys and The Graveyard Shift. Here goes...

THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT www.myspace.com/itsthegraveyardshift
"I saw these guys at Big Hands. I was sweating so fucking hard, man! I had to shove my arm down my fucking throat just to stop my heart beating so hard! They fucking chewed my ears out, man!" - 50 Cent, Voice Of A Generation.

BROWN BROGUES www.myspace.com/brownbrogues
"I used to go out with Mark from Brown Brogues. He ripped my shit up tough, you dig?" - David Cameron, iz my Daddy.

CARGO CULT www.myspace.com/cargoculteofficial
"Have you seen Fiddy lately? Dude's fucked up, man. He's all fucked up." - Paris Hilton, NTDuh1stWMN2MmmACHE$$$OUTTASEX.

RENT BOYS www.myspace.com/rentboysleeds
"You know that taxi driver? The Cumbrian bloke that shot all those people up? Well, yeah... He was pretty cool. But I like Rent Boys, so..." - Ian, Night & Day (NOT WHERE THIS IS)

*stares at screen*

Not a clue what any of that means, but Sex Is Disgusting are putting out the first Rent Boys single (buy it here) and that's a big thumbs up. I'd be there if I didn't live in London now and I'll let you in on a secret...there's NOTHING happening in London tonight. Manchester 1, London 0

Friday Free Song

Mazes are doing a tape album on the Italian Beach Babes label. 30 songs of demos, unfinished ideas, covers, live jamz, actual songs, musings, field recordings and slam dunks. All killer, all filler. Psyched about it! Here's a song off it to get you going... Don't Worry Baby. It was originally on a tape Matt Benn from Spectrals put out... you can buy Matt's tape here

Don't Worry Baby - Mazes by Suffering Jukebox

A Night Of Living Sickness

Really really pleased to announce that we're going to be doing a tape with Brown Brogues that should be available to order pretty soon. It's called 'A Night Of Living Sickness' and it's 100% all killer. Up north this Friday, Brown Brogues play something at The Corner called Grim Fandangle with Rent Boys... The Corner seems to be establishing itself as the place for these types of shows...it feels a bit like it shouldn't work but it really does. But yeah, you should really go! After I saw Thee Oh Sees earlier this year, I felt a bit like everyone else should just give up playing live, but Brown Brogues restored some faith.

Anyways... here's one of their songs to download - download

Deaf Institute

Suffering Jukebox is going to be every Thursday night at The Deaf Institute... the regular DJs will be Perry and Laetitia from Comfortable On A Tightrope, Matthew from the Pigeon Post blog, Martin from Milk Maid and Nick Ainsworth from Former Bullies/Dinner Party.

Comfortable On A Tightrope kick it all off tonight!

Suffering Jukecast #1

If the sun's pouring through your window and you're feeling a little dozy this afternoon, then hopefully this mix will be the icing on your cake. Some lazy stoned jams from everyone set to do something on the label, plus an extra song from Colleen Green; bringing the female percentage up to 33%. Feel free to download it, put it on your blog or send it to a boy/girl you like...

1. Worship You - Colleen Green

2. Not Me - Milk Maid

3. Cenetaph (Slow Jamz Demo) - Mazes

4. Planeterium - Former Bullies

5. M&Ms - Colleen Green

6. You're Not Mine - Brown Brogues

Listen here or DOWNLOAD

Suffering Jukecast by Suffering Jukebox

Olivia Tremor Control

I have lots of 'favourite bands in the world' and I'm prone to rash statements like "this is the best song ever"... I think everyone's the same. This weekend my favourite band in the world was Fleetwood Mac; I listened to Rumours three or four times, Mirage twice and Tango In The Night once. Tango In The Night's a minefield. My favourite 'favourite band in the world' is rather predictably the Beatles, although I haven't listened to them for about a year. Other regulars are Silver Jews, Times New Viking and today's favourite; Olivia Tremor Control.

Listening to them today got me thinking about All Tomorrow's Parties and the Pavement curated thing a few weeks ago. Holy shit, Pavement have some good taste in bands and some totally appalling taste. I'm pretty much sure Spiral Stairs is to blame for the latter... but anyways, an All Tomorrow's Parties curated by Olivia Tremor Control and the Elephant Six collective would be flawlessly awesome. Can someone make this happen please? I would buy my tickets now, rather than wait for some £20 ones the day before. Olivia Tremor Control, Apples In Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal (early stuff please), Chocolate USA... maybe Beechwood Sparks etc... swooooon.

Love Athena - Olivia Tremor Control

Colleen Comic

We have a handful of Colleen Green tapes left. Make sure you get one for eBay before she blows up and you're all "I should've got one of them"

BUY

Brown Brogues

Excellent. Brown Brogues are a band from Wigan I think, possibly Chorley. My knowledge of northern towns has largely been blocked out thanks to traumatic experiences as a youth. Nothing toooo bad, so don't worry... And you do know the internet has made a band's hometown pretty much irrelevant right? So anyways, Brown Brogues are from earth.

I've seen them a few times over the last 6 months and for me they're the best band currently trawling the minefield that is the Manchester gig circuit. Thankfully they've been taken under the wings of Comfortable On A Tightrope and hopefully the days of playing first at pointless shows are over. Good.

To me, Brown Brogues sound like a northern english take on John Dwyer's Oh Sees. Melody and songs at the forefront and it's refreshing at the moment to see someone who can really shred on guitar. Ben's drumming is like the truck in Spielberg's Duel...relentless and menacing. They're great... Tape on Suffering Jukebox to follow!

Stuff & Junk

Tonight is the last time I'll be DJing at The Deaf Institute for the foreseeable future. It saddens me, but the night continues! Watch this space for guest DJ's who will be far better than me. Tonight I'll be giving away Colleen Green tapes and Mazes/Spectrals vinyl. Awesome

Here's a couple of reviews for the Mazes single... Platform & Pigeon Post

The Vaselines

Oh my... The Deaf Institute have just announced a Vaselines show in September. I'm struggling to think of a band as good as The Vaselines, maybe the Beatles, so it goes without saying this is a must see. And holy shit wow, bucking trends left right and centre, they've only gone and recorded a new album; which I wrongly assumed was illegal for reformed bands?!

AND the song they've released to blogs is good. I know, weird right? The album cover (see above) is truly awful, but you can't have everything.

Anyway, this news got me thinking... How many 'favourite bands in the world' did Kurt Cobain have and who was his actual favourite? The Vaselines? Teenage Fanclub? Meat Puppets? Daniel Johnston? Beat Happening? Obviously all awesome, but can anyone clarify who his favourite band ACTUALLY was? Courtney Love, Derek Acorah... I'm looking at you

Buy tickets

Colleen Green Tape

I took delivery of the Colleen Green tape yesterday and I'm obviously bias (tape joke), but it's seriously seriously great. These 8 songs and our current spell of glorious weather is making me think; maybe everything's gonna work out Oh Kay. Reading Colleen's blog, I'm slightly concerned her prodigious weed intake might scupper any chance of a quick follow-up...so get it while it's hot. There's only 50 copies and I've sold a bunch already. BUY

If you're in the US, Colleen's selling a version with a free comic... BUY

Here's her blog

DIY Day

Comfortable On A Tightrope and their merry band of friends and like minded spirits rule the Manchester DIY scene. Every band that you'll fall in love with; chances are they've already put them on and let them stay at their house. To celebrate the summer, Comfortable On A Tightrope and The Deaf Institute are presenting a day of music, films and zines THIS Saturday. It all kicks off at noon with a screening of 'The Shield Around The K', a documentary on Olympia's K Records which precedes a who's who of the UK's most interesting bands... Please, Human Hair, Prize Pets and Golden Grrls. There'll be a stall aswell selling records, tapes, artwork, poster and fanzine.

You can find out more about Comfortable On A Tightrope here

You can 'attend' on Facebook here

The Bat Caves

We got speaking to a girl the other night whilst playing a show in London. Anyways she casually drops that she's in a band called The Bat Caves from Seattle. So Jarin remembered and sent me the link and I've listened to the first song on their MySpace about ten times.

I work in The Deaf Institute office in Manchester and Ruth (she books bands) pipes up "who's this?" which is always a good sign. So I'm sat here working away...World Cup on my computer with the commentary off; The Bat Caves soundtracking Slovenia giving Uncle Sam a pounding. Good times

I'm Gone by The Bat Caves

MySpace

Spectrals

I've seen Spectrals a kazillion times and each time I love them and hate them a little bit more. I don't know what they're feeding them out in Dewsbury or whether it's all the coal mining, whippet walking and shit, but Louis Jones (and to a lesser extent everyone else - joke) is criminally talented for one so young. It's Louis' show but seeing the Spectrals band live is another string to the bow...heads nodding, girls swooning. They're great basically. Well done...

This is the latest jam... romantic, ace and beautiful.

Spectrals - 7th Date by neumagazine

Go-Betweens/Cenetaph

Go-Betweens by Mazes by Suffering Jukebox

Cenetaph by Mazes by Suffering Jukebox

Here's the two songs from the Mazes single - BUY

PENS

One of my favourite bands in the world play their last ever show tonight at The Macbeth in London... PENS. Over the last year or so I've been privileged enough to play shows with them, record with them and be friends. I'm convinced it's not the last time we'll hear about PENS and I'm even more convinced that everyone involved will go on to do something even better.

If you're new to the band, then head over to their MySpace and tell me 'Sold To Myself' isn't a stone cold classic. Total shame

Babe, Terror

My friend Paul sent me some songs last year from a Brazilian dude called Claudio, recording under the name Babe, Terror. It's been described as a "tropicalia animal collective" and although I see where they're coming from with that (he's from Brazil and he uses looped vocals) I imagine that particular writer was pretty stumped for reference points. As am I...

To me 'Weekend', Babe Terror's debut album sounds like it could be a sequel to the Vangelis Blade Runner soundtrack. A sequel where Deckard and Rachael flee to a post apocalyptic desert island... Morphine growing on the trees, the sea's laced with lysergic acid diethylamide and everything's pretty laid back.

You could download 'Weekend' off Claudio's Myspace a while back but I don't see it on there nowadays. Buy it though... seriously next level stuff.

Myspace

Hot Spa

This song's brightening up a particularly miserable afternoon in Manchester. As my mind wanders and I imagine myself in a secluded Australian cove, sun beating down, beer in hand...I've got to wonder why the hell my family decided to stay in this country and not flee like the rest of my relatives. But whatever, this rules and I'm looking forward to hearing more from Hot Spa...assuming they're not a bunch of prickteases like Ean Eraser.

Myspace

Summer Jamz

Our first releases are available for pre-order and should be shipped out by the end of the month...hopefully. First up is the third single by Mazes, closely followed by a tape album from Colleen Green. I've written about both on the blog, so I'm not going to bore you with how psyched I am.

Go here to listen to the Mazes songs. they're gonna be up on MySpace for a week - www.myspace.com/mazesmazesmazes

You can listen the Colleen at - http://www.myspace.com/c0lleen1

Both the releases can be ordered from - http://sufferingjukebox.bigcartel.com/

Brilliant Colors

We're thrilled to be putting on Brilliant Colors next week at The Deaf Institute's sister venue Trof NQ. I'm moving to London pretty soon and doing shows with Comfortable On A Tightrope at Trof NQ has been a highlight of my last two years in Manchester. It seems fitting that the bill's absolutely killer.... As I'm writing this on a sunny friday afternoon, I could be forgiven for being a bit lazy and saying "Brilliant Colors sound like Vivian Girls"...which of course would be completely lame of me and borderline misogynist.

La La Vasquez return to Trof for the third time... they sound exactly like Vivian Girls. Then there's Waiters who sound like a male Vivian Girls. First on are Sex Hands, who sound like Vivian Girls and Harry Pussy throwing stuff down the stairs. Come!

http://www.myspace.com/brilliantcolorssanfrancisco

http://www.myspace.com/lalavasquezband

http://www.myspace.com/kuwaiters

http://www.myspace.com/sexhands

Douchefest

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133476853329578&ref=ts

So apart from the slightly dubious name, this is looking pretty ace. If you can't make it down to Sex Is Disgusting's annual Dudefest in Brighton this weekend, then Manchester has come up with it's own alternative... Douchefest. I'm not sure when being a douche became cool, but what the hell do I know? This is the perfect tonic to the plethora of 'festivals' that have happened in Manchester over the last coupla weekends; festivals that have ranged from the 'good' to the 'lazy' to the 'shit your pants awful'. I think it's fair to say that bar a few absentees, every band worth seeing in Manchester is playing...

Dinner Party (Nick from Former Bullies other band), D/R/U/G/S (annoying to type), Mazes (total idiots), Waiters (Droney Malkmusy Jamz), The Yossarians (why has no-one used this name before?), No Womb (psyched for these), Brown Brogues (John Dwyer devotees and awesomely polite lads), Sex Hands (nice), Cargo Cult (weed addled) Hyacinth Girl (Neil from Mazes other band YO)

You get the picture...I've spent too much time in London and whilst I was wasn't looking, a whole new DIY scene happened. One question though...why aren't Milk Maid playing this?

Pigeon Post

Matthew at Pigeon Post wrote about us. We haven't released anything yet, so I feel slightly fraudulent. Pigeon Post is a blog based on the internet but Matthew lives in Manchester. He's one of a tiny minority who seems to know where it's at; his fingers to the ground and his ear's to the pulse... he writes about everything great going on in Manchester and he's nice and polite.

http://thepigeonpost.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/suffering-jukebox/

Italian Beach Babes

Conan from Graffiti Island/Italian Beach babes knows where it's at. He's done a mix for Platform Magazine and I've been listening to it aaaaalll week. Awesome jams from Skrewdriver, Sebadoh, Ean Eraser and The Crowd.

You can read the interview and download the mix here - http://www.readplatform.com/label-profile-4-italian-beach-babes/

Bank Holiday

A whole host of Suffering Jukebox activity this bank holiday... It's the regular Suffering Jukebox night at The Deaf Institute tonight, all the way through 2am. On Saturday, Colleen plays the Silverlake Lounge in LA at a night called Space Boners. Mazes play Eurocultured Festival in Manchester and DJ at 'Spring Break' in the evening. On Tuesday, Milk Maid play White Heat in London with Crocodiles and then Mazes play with Thee Oh Sees at The Deaf Institute.

Good times likely, although everything's slightly tainted by the fact we're not all joining Colleen at Space Boners

Mazes 7"

I just sent off our first release, a seven by my band Mazes. The sleeve is by James Hines from Sex Is Disgusting...totally next level stuff. In the meantime...here's a zip of our first single that was out on Sex Is Disgusting. It's sold out now

http://www.mediafire.com/?ymzfztour3t

Colleen Green

I'm trying to retrace my steps and remember how I found out about Colleen Green. She was in a band called Have Mercys coming out of Oakland CA who I never heard but probably should have. I managed to download a shit-tonne of stuff last week and I've been listening ever since... she's pretty forward about giving awesome songs away for free and should be saluted. For the lazy amongst you, the ones who need a reason before clicking a link... Colleen sounds like a shoegazey Nobunny and not a million miles away from the criminally underrated Joy Zipper... Ah I'm rubbish at this...I just love her and she does an awesome cover of Blink's M&Ms that surpasses the original x 10.

Here's a free song - Worship You

Here's her MySpace with that Blink Cover - http://www.myspace.com/c0lleen1

We're gonna put out her album on tape in the UK

Tree Fort Tape

Matt Benn from Spectrals, Twisted and Hookworms has started his own label and this is the first fruit of his generous loins. The tape seems to have a slant on it; bands from northern britain. Matt who's put this together has taste that's second to none and these are all bands that'll be troubling hipster blogs in the months to come. Probably. Anyway, it comes with a 20 page zine and you get a free download code when you buy it... It's £4.50... Probably more than you losers get paid an hour, but still worthy of a 'bargain' tag. And if that hasn't convinced you, I did a cover of 'Don't Worry Baby' by The Beach Boys

http://treefortrecords.bigcartel.com/product/freak-out-compilation

Former Bullies

Former Bullies have been cowering away in the Manchester shadows for nearly seven years now. In a city that prides itself on former glories and rehashes of crap that was crap in the first place, Nick Ainsworth and his bandmates have found themselves ignored; content to pass on tape after tape of wonderfully melodious pop music to the dozens of people who actually know what's what. I'm pretty convinced that Nick's time is yet to come... for me he's one of the best songwriters to come out of Manchester in years, if not ever.... Songs of brilliantly skewed romance and melody; haphazardly recorded by someone with another hundred or so killer songs swirling around his head.

Here's a taster of the EP we're going to be doing in a coupla months... DOWNLOAD

Friday Free Song

This has been on a couple of blogs... feel free to download and pass it on. It's called 'Not Me' and it's by Milk Maid. I don't know what he's up to in this photo, but good luck to him. Everyone needs a hobby - DOWNLOAD

Stuff On Milk Maid

Milk Maid are threatening to blow up like The Saturdays. We're blessed to be doing their first record, makes me feel like David Geffen n stuff. Here's what a couple of other believers have been saying

http://www.neumagazine.co.uk/bands/article/milk-maid

http://www.pinglewood.com/2010/April/The_Rise_Fall_And_Rise.html

Milk Maid

I don't know much about Milk Maid. I don't who they're influenced by etc blah de blah but I suppose that's not important. What I do know is the 10 songs they sent us are totally awesome. We're doing a single with them that should be out in July (probably) They've somehow made me stop listening to the new Ariel Pink & the Shannon And The Clams albums...which is a staggering achievement

www.myspace.com/milkmaidmilkmaid

Releases

The finishing touches are being put to our first releases. The first, an all killer/no filler seven from Mazes will be out in mid May and the second, a melody rammed EP from Former Bullies will be out in mid June. The chances of this happening are slim but it's good to have time-scales; even if it's just to reinforce my overall disappointed vibe.

In the meantime, Mazes have a split seven out very soon with Spectrals on the wonderfully efficient Sex Is Disgusting. You can pre-order that here - http://sexisdisgusting.bigcartel.com/

Former Bullies can be found here - http://www.myspace.com/formerbullies

The Deaf Institute

Regular patrons of The Deaf Institute in Manchester may have stumbled across our weekly Thursday night. I can't help but feel what we play goes slightly unnoticed, except for the table of lads who turn up every week and ask me to play So Cow, Male Bonding & Pens. Anyways, please come down...we don't have any firm music policy; last week, the final hour was basically the soundtrack from Fast Times At Ridgemont High. You get the idea.

La La Vasquez

We're putting on La La Vasquez, Girls Names, Former Bullies and Waiters on March 31st. Trof in the Northern Quarter is the venue. Our friends Perry and Laetitia from Comfortable On A Tightrope are the real brains behind this, so I feel like I can go on about how great this bill is without coming across as overly self congratulatory. It's a great bill!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=300619542227&ref=ts

Hunx & His Punx

We're putting on this show in Fallowfield (Manchester). Bound to be awesome. The Gay Singles LP and the hen's teeth seven inches that preceeded it were easily some of the best things released last year. Here's the Facebook Group, if you're that way inclined...which you invariably are.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=358682240268&ref=ts