After an incredible twenty year
journey through British rock and roll , multi- million
selling OCS are putting the finishing touches to their
new album Blue Sky Drinking (working title), using
esteemed producer Gavin Monaghan (Kings of Leon, Robert
Plant, The Editors, The Twang) at the helm. Using
legendary studio Rockfield (Oasis, The Stone Roses,
Black Sabbath) as their base…. a power packed guitar
driven album awaits as the soundtrack to their 2ist rock
and roll celebrations.
Signing a long-term deal
with newly revitalised Cooking Vinyl Records buzzing
post The Prodigy’s number one album, the boys look set
for chart success all over again. With new management
direction provided by Tim Abbot (Creation Records,
Robbie Williams, Oasis , Fatboy Slim, UB40) the boys are
ready to rock on their 10th studio album to date.
Abbot says “OCS have being making current
contemporary rock music since the acid house days, they
have stood the test of time and it never fails to amaze
me the wide appeal and audience we attract…its great to
see long-haired students discovering the band for the
first time via tracks on their Playstation to bald Stone
Island clad middle- aged men punching the air thinking
that they might have been extra s in Lock, Stock and Two
Smoking Barrels”.
The list of anthems with a
preview of new material will confirm OCS as a true band
of the people when they guarantee a sterling set at
forthcoming festivals this year.
As Noel
Gallagher once said ” apart from Oasis …Ocean Colour
Scene are the only other band that matter then, now and
for the future!” maybe he was right. no definitely!!!
Let the 21st party commence…….keep on keeping
on…OCS.
China Crisis is a British rock group
formed in 1979 in Kirkby on Merseyside, with a core band
of vocalist/keyboardist Garry Daly and guitarist Eddie
Lundon. Their output was pop music similar in style to
that of the new romantics, but with strong similarities
to the post-punk movement of the early 1980s, namely
inclusion of a broader range of musical influences and
occasional flirtation with political commentary.
Sharing an affection for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie,
and Brian Eno, Daly and Lundon had become burned out
from playing with various Knowsley post-punk groups.
Daly quit school and then spent much of his time indoors
tinkering with synthesizers and a drum machine. Along
with Lundon, Daly began writing songs using his
high-tech toys. Feeling creatively stifled by the drum
machine, the pair eventually asked percussionist Dave
Reilly to join them, and in 1982 they released the
single “African & White” as China Crisis on the
independent label Inevitable. Later re-released by
Virgin Records, “African & White” was also China Crisis’
first hit in the U.K…
Throughout their career,
China Crisis has seen moderate success in the United
Kingdom, western Europe, Australia and the Americas.
Adding Gary “Gazza” Johnson and Kevin Wilkinson to the
lineup, they recorded their debut album Difficult Shapes
& Passive Rhythms. Another single, “Christian”, hit U.K.
#12, followed by two singles from second album, Working
with Fire and Steel Possible Pop Songs, Vol. 2.
Orphan Boy are a powerful trio hailing
from the Grimsby but who have since been adopted by
Mancunian folk where they now reside as underground
heroes, even being pitted against The Courteeners by the
Manchester Evening News as ‘arguably, the more
interesting prospect.’ with their dual front man assault
they are hard and fast on the outside whilst retaining a
lickable sing-a-long indie-centric middle. The threat of
a lifestyle forever fi lleting fi sh culminated in their
debut album Shop Local where wryly observed, darkly
relayed tales of seaside wrong doings and grotesque
caricatures came to life.
Reactions
nationally to this recently released album ‘Shop Local’
have included Album of the Week by both Steve Lamacq (In
New Music We Trust) and Huw Stevens (Introducing), eight
out of ten in Rocksound, The Fly “Watch this lot VERRRRY
closely, they should be huge”, Zane Lowe Radio 1 and
MTV2 Gonzo plays, sessions and playlist on XFM, and BBC
6 Music ‘Featured Band Of The Week’ on Shaun Keaveney’s
breakfast show. Leading up to the album Orphan Boy
released a line of amazing singles. Trophies Of Love was
according to Steve Lamacq “the most played thing on my
ipod” and Alderly Edge was Zane Lowe’s favourite both on
Radio One and his MTV2 Gonzo show.
Their
snowballing fan base is that most curious mix of
hardcore roughnecks and genuine early-adopting music lovers.
An initial glance at an Orphan Boy gig and the room is
seething with the seaside masses known in their
home turf as the ‘Bepob Council Pop Orphanite
Anti-Social Brigade’ where home- scratched tattoos pay testament to
living and breathing for the Orphanite cause. But
scratch beyond the surface of this appreciative
audience and you will find an assortment of individuals
together feeding of the intensity of this live
performance. They are truly winning hearts and minds
across the board and you can’t help but feel that
something enormous is lurking in the wings that means
that Orphan Boy are with us for a very long and
exciting haul. Indeed, 2009 sees Orphan Boy heading back
to the studio with a fi stful of tunes and an
animated producer in the form of Gavin Monaghan
following his success with Editors and The Twang.
