Brother James Agnew: Drums (+ Keyboards/ Percussion/ Bass/ Guitar/ Vocals)
Influences
The Arcade Fire
Art Brut
The Beach Boys
Belle & Sebastian
Blur
De Novo Dahl
The Deviants/ Mick Farren
Dexys Midnight Runners
Duran Duran
ELO
Fairport Convention
The Fall
The Features
Fleetwood Mac (mostly Bob Welch-era)
Inspiral Carpets
New Order
Love
The Millennium
Ooberman
The Organ
Pink Floyd
Pulp
Rihanna
Roxy Music
Sparks
Super Furry Animals
Talking Heads
10cc
The The
The Tubes
The United States of America
The Wedding Present
The Who
XTC
The Zombies
Sounds Like
On one hand, pouring a bag full of sherbert into a bottle of lemonade on the first day of the school holidays and consuming the lot.
On the other, putting some meths in a can of Skol just after you've been battered by a tramp, and downing it in one.
Formed in 2005, London-based powerpop misfits The Gresham Flyers started life as a septet of friends brought together by the internet. This proves that despite what The Daily Mail says, it does do some good. Since then, the band have been through three different lineups into their current five-piece configuration in order to realise their manifesto; the firm belief that pop music should be FUN, ENTHUSIASTIC, THOUGHTFUL and GENUINE. With four songwriters and three singers, the sound is diverse, but always exciting.
To say that The Gresham Flyers have a wide breadth of influence is an understatement; they may not agree on what bands to call influences (there is not one band that they all agree on liking), but what they create reflects the best part of their record collections. Initially likened to Belle & Sebastian due to lead singer/ songwriter John Waring's focus on kitchen-sink minutiae and indiepop-based sound (a comparison the band now shun), a closer description would now be somewhere between Pulp's claustrophobic, synthetic sleaze and The Arcade Fire's anthemic histrionics, with a dash of Prolapse's dual vocal approach thrown in for good measure.
Following the release of the Shiftwork 7" in 2006 ("a cracking little single that is sure to announce the band to the wider world" – Rough Trade), and numerous appearances on compilation CDs, the band released debut album Sex With Strangers in July 2008. The album was picked up by Cherryade Records, and has drawn much acclaim as "well crafted indie pop with a bite" and "genuine pop bliss…melding some of the finest indie pop of the last 20 years into their own form".
Live, the band have picked up a devoted following thanks to their outstanding performances with bands such as Bearsuit, Saturday Looks Good To Me, Lucky Luke, Ladybug Transistor, Persil, MJ Hibbett, The Loves and Kristeen Young. The belief that the current configuration is their best yet is borne out by their improved live performances; Martin, Thom and James provide a fearsome backline, while Sharon and John offer dual vocals leading the fray with wit, charm and enthusiasm, adhering to the manifesto of providing pop music with a smile. While the instrument-changing sets of the previous six-piece lineup have settled down, there are still plenty of opportunities for members to swap roles, each being proficient multi-instrumentalists.
The album is available directly from the Cherryade Records website here: http://www.cherryademusic.co.uk/buysws.html and the first 50 buyers will receive a free copy of our debut single Shiftwork!
There is also a song about hitting an elephant with a cricket bat.
The full album tracklisting is:
1. Everyone Has To Meet Somewhere
2. Suits
3. Student Nurse
4. Foolscap
5. Cricket Bat
6. Higher Education
7. Shiftwork
8. Clockwatching
9. Red Nose Day
10. Falling Down
11. Pretty But Not Beautiful
The rapidly-disappearing copies of Shiftwork can be bought in London at Rough Trade (Covent Garden), HMV (Oxford Street) or Sister Ray (Berwick Street), or by sending us a message on Myspace!
The Kids At The Club compilation (featuring Blackpool) can be bought via How Does It Feel Records: http://www.howdoesitfeel.co.uk/hdiflabel.html
A Very Cherry Christmas, Vol. 3 (featuring Diamond White Christmas) is available at the Cherryade Site here: http://www.cherryademusic.co.uk/sales.html
You can buy Sex With Strangers on CD in all good record stores, or digitally:
"THE MAGIC SHOEMAKER - LIVE!" by FIRE - out on Angel Air Records, release date 6th October 2008.
The album features the original members of Fire - Dave Lambert (better-known for his work with Strawbs), Bob Voice, and Dick Dufall, together with Ray Hammond as narrator, performing Fire's highly collectable "rock fairytale" album from 1970 "The Magic Shoemaker" for the first time EVER!
"THE MAGIC SHOEMAKER - LIVE!" was professionally recorded during Fire's reunion concerts in late 2007, and includes Fire classics "FATHER'S NAME IS DAD" and "TREACLE TOFFEE WORLD". Taster track now available for listening on Fire's Myspace.
The album is available for pre-release ordering from Angel Air Records and all major retailers NOW!
This afternoon we are forgoing Sunday lunch to tell some of our top pop friends to come over and take a listen to a pair of songs from our forthcoming pop masterpiece!
THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP WILL RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THE KABEEDIES' EP
Conceited Presents:
The Bobby McGee’s "Domestic Violence with ukuleles." "In my dream world the Bobby McGee's are Number One EVERY DAY!" Huw Stevens http://www.myspace.com/thebobbymcgees
The Kabeedies "Gorgeous, wonky, Candy-pop with boy/girl vocals. You’d have to have a heart of stone not to love this" - Cherryade Records http://www.myspace.com/thekabeedies
Pete Green Performing with his band. His songs will stay with you and will add that little bit of humour and sparkle to your life as if you've been sprinkled with magic dust, and you won't want to brush it off. Atomic Beat Records www.sparklemotion.co.uk
Plus DJs in between and after the bands!
Live @ The Buffalo Bar on Sunday 8th June 2008 8pm – 12am
Entry: £5
To download the flyer, click here www.strangefascination.co.uk If you want to buy tickets in advance, this is the link http://www.wegottickets.com/event/30038
The Buffalo Bar 259 Upper Street London N1 Nearest tube stations: Highbury and Islington and Angel Cheers x
The Bobby McGee’s "Domestic Violence with ukuleles." "In my dream world the Bobby McGee's are Number One EVERY DAY!" Huw Stevens http://www.myspace.com/thebobbymcgees
The Kabeedies "Gorgeous, wonky, Candy-pop with boy/girl vocals. You’d have to have a heart of stone not to love this" - Cherryade Records http://www.myspace.com/thekabeedies
Pete Green Performing with his band. His songs will stay with you and will add that little bit of humour and sparkle to your life as if you've been sprinkled with magic dust, and you won't want to brush it off. Atomic Beat Records www.sparklemotion.co.uk
Plus DJs in between and after the bands!
Live @ The Buffalo Bar on Sunday 8th June 2008 8pm – 12am
Entry: £5
To download the flyer, click here www.strangefascination.co.uk If you want to buy tickets in advance, this is the link http://www.wegottickets.com/event/30038
The Buffalo Bar 259 Upper Street London N1 Nearest tube stations: Highbury and Islington and Angel Cheers x
Hi Guys, Just stopping by to thank you for adding me,It's mean a lot, and to show sum luv and support to your fantastic music! You Rock! Have a fabalous Day! your friend,Elanie