France

The next dates

November 26, 2013

Thank you Thank you Thank you all for making our tour in November a wonderful experience.  So many kilometers and concerts and good times, we loved every single one.

But it’s not over yet folks! Here are our dates for the rest of this year:

dec 05 BASEL (CH), Sääli Zum Goldenen Fass
dec 06 LENZBURG (CH), Met Bar
dec 07 USTER (CH), Star Club

dec 11 CHAMBERY (FR), Brin de Zinc
dec 12 LYON (FR), Cafe-Concert Trokson
dec 13 VALENCE (FR), Mistral Palace
dec 14 REIGNIER (FR), le poulp

And a few (ok, quite a few, it was a long tour!) postcards from our travels in November:

Tour Dates November

October 31, 2013

We’re hitting the road, again! This time we’ll be taking in lots more France, the Pais Vasco, Belgium & the Netherlands. It’s going to be a long run of 16 dates and I hate to think how many kilometers … ok, I had to work it out, 5,200 km. Yep.  We love driving.  But more importantly we love getting the chance to play in front of new & old crowds.  Look forward to seeing you somewhere along the way. bises.

nov 05 PERPIGNAN (FR), L’ubu
nov 06 ZARAGOSA (ES), Pub Eccos
nov 07 SOPELANA (ES), La Triangu
nov 08 BILBAO (ES), UMORE ONA
nov 09 VITORIA (ES), Hell Dorado
nov 10 TOULOUSE (FR), Dis Pensary
nov 12 ANGOULEME (FR), Le KaRma
nov 13 RENNES (FR), Mondo Bizarro (with Dead Horse Problem)
nov 14 LANNION (FR), café les valseuses
nov 15 SAINT BRIEUC (FR), La Citrouille (with Don Cavalli)
nov 16 LORIENT (FR), Le Galion
nov 17 NANTES (FR), Le Remorqueur
nov 20 PARIS (FR), Le Gibus Café (with Tulla Larsen)
nov 21 LILLE (FR), Monk’s café
nov 22 MIDDELBURG (NL), Kaffee ‘t Hof
nov 23 BRUSSELS (BE), L’Os à Moelle

tour dates Nov

Down to the woods video release

September 12, 2013

We have never played this song live, and in fact it was written just the week before we went into the studio to record, so this video is the first time anyone has heard the song.  The song ‘Mockingbird’ uses traditional American lullaby lyrics, and so to make a beautiful marriage for our single we decided to write our own ‘rockaby’ for the second song, with a PR&TS noir twist of course.  We filmed the recording session in the SAE Milan studio, where we were pleased to work again with Ivan A Rossi, and the forest scenes came together in the Luberon region of Provence, with the help of director Zahim Albakri.

We hope you enjoy the clip, and look out for the release of the ‘Mockingbird’ video to follow next week.

You can buy your own copy now to receive an exclusive, limited signed edition.

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Backstage at the Beast Records Birthday

June 16, 2013

We have just about recovered from last night.  Alessio has gone home to Milan on the train, and we have two days off before we play again.

Here are our dates for this week:

19/06 : Fougere @ Le Saloon (duo show)
20/06 : Dinan @ Cafe Du Theatre (duo show)
21/06 : Saint-Hilaire Du Harcouet @ La Guimbarde (duo show)

And here are some wonderful memories from last night.  Congratulations Beast Records on making 10 years.

Tour Dates France

June 2, 2013

Wow June has come round super quick.  Tomorrow we’re heading in to the School of Audio Engineering (S.A.E) to record another two tracks with Mr Ivan Antonio Rossi as “house band” for his students.  We’re doing a song that is currently in our live set, and another completely new song that we’ve more or less written in the last week.  We’re really excited about it, and have Manuele from The Three Blind Mice coming in to put down some guitars.  Straight after our three studio days we’re heading to France, for 10 dates with Alessio, some studio time with Head On, and a few duo shows to get us home.  It’s going to be a busy and very fun month.  I’m looking forward to catching up with friends old and new on this round.  A big highlight will be playing at Ubu for the 10 year anniversary of Beast Records.  Come down and say hello!

06/06 : Nimes @ Bada bing
07/06 : Montpellier @ Mojomatic
08/06 : Miramont de Guyenne @ Lac du saut du loup
09/06 : La Sauvetat-de-Savères @ Cafe Des Voyaguers
10/06 : Toulouse @ The Dispensary
11/06 : Perpignan @ Ubu
12/06 : Angoulème @ le Karma
13/06 : Tulle @ Opus café
14/06 : Albi @ jour de fête
15/06 : Rennes @ Ubu (10ans de Beast Records)
19/06 : Fougere @ Le Saloon (duo show)
20/06 : Dinan @ Cafe Du Theatre (duo show)
21/06 : Saint-Hilaire Du Harcouet @ La Guimbarde (duo show)
25/06 : Caen @ tba (duo show)
26/06 : Paris @ La Feline (duo show)
28/06 : Bourges @ Caf & Rouge (duo show with Silver Moon)

beast-records-concertget-rollin-june

Postcards from France, March 2013

March 27, 2013 — Leave a comment

Wow, I’ve been back in Milan for two days and I’m still on a high from our tour in France.  Both completely buzzing, and also about ready to collapse from exhaustion after the long days at work since I got back, so I think I’m going to spend Easter on the sofa eating cake and trying to do as little as possible.  Well maybe I will work on a new song that I wrote in my head during the drive back from Chambery on Monday morning.

I think all three of us left a little part of our hearts in France this March.  We were received with such enthusiasm and hospitality everywhere we went, the shows were brilliant, and after 3,700 kilometers of driving we left already excited to come back in June for another round.  Special thanks to Beast Records, Seb & Alex, Slim Mitch, Franck, Headsucker & Emma, Dimi & Sof, Gui and all the venues and the bands we played with, Head On, Bed Bunker, Tulla Larsen, The Strong Come-ons, The Mythomans, Aurelien Blues Band & the Denyals.  Merci à vous !!

Snow?!
Purple Bar
the guys with Michel
Le Baraka, Clermont-Ferrand
Headsucker & Emma, Le Magellan
Headsucker & Emma, Le Magellan with the Queen of self portraits.
in Headsucker’s fabulous bunker
Backstage at Mondo Bizarro
Backstage at Mondo Bizarro
Backstage at Mondo Bizarro
Backstage at Mondo Bizarro
Backstage at Mondo Bizarro. BEAST RECORDS!
Mondo Bizarro. Day 2
Mondo Bizarro. Day 2.
Mondo Bizarro. Slim Mitch
Mondo Bizarro. with HEAD ON
The most famous window mirror in Paris.
Dimi
TULLA LARSEN @ Le Mechanique Ondulatoire
Le Mechanique Ondulatoire.
L’Imposture, Lille
L’Imposture, Lille
THE STRONG COME-ONS @ Infrared, Orleans
Awesome people!
Awesome people!
My new friend, keeping an eye on the car.
With super Gui
Mistral Palace, Valence
Mistral Palace, Valence
Mistral Palace, Valence
552 km of our 3,700 km journey.
Valence
We are beyond tired at this point. Fast food in dire need.
Sound check at Le Brin de Zinc, Chambery.
Welcome to Italy.

a tour update quickie

March 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

We’re almost halfway done with our tour.  So far we’ve been battling against snow, rain, sore throats and illness, but the show must go on, as they say.  It has been amazing catching up with so many wonderful people along the way.  We had a fantastic night at Mondo Bizarro on Saturday with Bed Bunker and Head On.  Here are a couple of pics of us with the boss:

beast records

 

And not forgetting the awesome show at Ernee on Friday night, put together by the one and only Headsucker, and his beautiful wife Emma, who made sure that we left their town at least 3 kilos heavier than we arrived.  Here’s a video of a song we just recorded at SAE with Ivan Rossi, a cover of the JC classic, Give my love to Rose.  Keep your eyes and ears peeled for a new Beast Records release coming out soon in tribute to the man in black.  This video is courtesy of Phil LaCleck, (merci Phil).

Pete had an unintentional night off last night to rest his voice, sorry Caen, but we’ll be back next time I promise.  He has slept and dosed up on everything under the sun to try and recover for the rest of the tour.  Thanks so much to Alex for all the help and honey.  Tonight we head to Le Mans, tomorrow Paris.  Hope to see you on the road.

Santé!

These Boots …

March 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

.. are made for walking!  Great work Lee Hazlewood on writing this brilliant song.  Pete did a cover version what seems like a million years ago, way back in January 2010 in the kitchen studio of Mr Orville Brody in Rennes.  At the same time, over a 2 day recording session he put down acoustic guitar and vocal to 10 songs in fact, and it was planned to become the album Midnight Show.  When we got back to Milan for various reasons we decided to re-write the album and re-record the whole session with some the new and reworked songs.  So this recording got put on the shelf, and Midnight Show as you know it was recorded in an ugly ground-floor apartment in Milan, with me looking out the window to warn Pete when the gate was about to get slammed and ruin the track.

The good news is that we have decided to release this song, along with two others as part of the Devil Inside single, available at present in digital download only.  I added some vocals to the track as well, and joined Nancy Sinatra in spirit to Pete’s Lee.  The single is online and listenable here:

Now I’m a bit concerned about the weather in France this week as I’m seeing a lot of talk about snow flurries floating around the interweb.  I was hoping not to have to pack all my heavy duty winter clothing, but looks like I’ll be taking it, just to be sure.  We’ve got just one and a half days left here, and last minute preparations are underway.  I think this may be the most well prepared tour we’ve ever undertaken, and I hope it’s going to be the best yet.  12 concerts in 12 days, here we come.

PS My Ampeg Mini (code-named Ms Amy) has grown since the last time you saw her.  She’s nearly as tall as me now!

amy ampgeg stack

Last Rehearsal

March 7, 2013 — Leave a comment

Hello! Here we are at our last rehearsal in the studio just outside Milan this morning.  We are sure going to miss our morning coffee at the best coffee machine in the city.  It’s more like coffee flavoured water than coffee actually, but for some reason it has become an integral part of our rehearsal routine.

thebandshot

I think we are pretty much ready.  We’ve bought some new stuff to make us even louder than before (much), attempted to pack it tetris-style into the car (it fits, just), and written and re-written the set list.  We’ve had a run through of the Beasts of Bourbon song that we’re going to play with Head On next Saturday at Mondo Bizarro (that’s the 16th), and run through the song that we think Headsucker is going to ask us to play.

This weekend I’m going to stock up on car snacks and neurofen, get all the merch sorted out and packed up, and decide how many different outfits I can possibly fit into my bag.  Writing new songs has taken a back seat for the moment because there just hasn’t been the free time to concentrate on them.  Nonetheless, we have a couple already added to the set.  We’ll be playing the entire album in our show, all 10 songs.  I’m rather pleased about that.

Looking forward to seeing you on the road next week if you are in France!  Come and say hello, or bon soir as the case may be.

Bisous from us