Anyone going to Truck Festival….?

Well you better get some facial hair! I’m alright (thank god) having diligently prepared for this eventuality since the Summer of 2007, but it seems like every good kid who’s going on a rocking stroll through Steventon this July (and if you’re not, why not) has a whole new problem to deal with.

You see, incredible as it might sound – according to thisistruck.com, Queen singer Freddy Mercury has, from beyond the grave, instructed the festival organisers ONLY to admit moustachioed patrons! Eek… Not only does this arguably rule out most females from attending the festival, but will mean that the prime cuts of indie-pop lain on for the handsome indie types may have to make way for a whole swathe of hair metal acts, and twee bearded hippy sorts.

Fear not though – we all have a month so grow, Grow, GROW – Here, just take a look at Tom Selleck – and sort out your faces

Jack Will(s) play Alcopop

Now – although this post is far from an endorsement, or an expression of any real love for a brand I must confess I’ve never actually bought anything from, Alcopop hats are neverthelss suitably tipped to the uiversity outfitters Jack WIlls. You see, the popular retailer (they have one in Oxford doncha know) recently decided that they dug Alcopop enough to come a-calling with empty CD case in hand, to snaffle some of the best loved pop hits from the label.

4 or 5 Magicians, Family Machine, goFASTER>>, Lucy and the Caterpillar and several more were all seized upon by the brand, who are keen to be more of a lifestyle choice (I know this as they say so on their website) promoting hip young things – and streaming them into their shops across the country.

Unfortunatly this han’t meant that myself and Kev have been able to replace our tired old threads with fresh new ones at old uncie Jack’s expense, oh no (if you’re reading Jack’s relatives – please send some natty gear to Jack c/o Alcopop Records) – although it does mean that anyone who shops at Jack Wills is likely to have a nice Alcopop-related surprise next time they’re browsing through pants and jeans and things, which can only be good.

Oh – ad changing the subject totally, if anyone would like to see a summer summation of just some of what Alopop are getting up to this summer without perusing back through many pages of this blog, it’s all nicely summed up in a guest post on the BSM blog for you. Observe here…

Badger bristles at the thought of Hush the Many (Heed the Few)

It’s been a great day, of which my most momentus achievment was to take some clothes to the laundrette, dry them and come back again. Ahh, the life of an indie label record exec… Never short of controversy. Therefore, in light of the first 12 hour period spent doing sweet FA since I pretended to shiver, was pronounced ‘ill’ and sent home from a particularly tedious maths lesson aged 12, I shall celebrate by basking in the glory of someone elses work. That someone… Bristling Badger, who has painstakingly created a list of 7 ace songs he’s into at the moment.

Good idea – and if I understand rightly, something that, if he tags you, you have to do as well… I’m not entirely sure. But anyway… His number 3 in his list is none other than Alcopop’s very own Hush the Many (Heed the Few), with their 7″ single released just a couple of months back – Revolve.

For see what he says… Cheers badger!

DSP better than Metallica!?!

We love DSP – You love DSP! Now it seems that Kerrang! also loves them too… Yup, just take a look at the image below and you’ll see that ‘No Girls Allowed’, their new single (on the ace Smalltown Records), has just pipped some band called er… I forget now… Metallica into number 2! In internet speak… WTF!

Awesome work from DSP, and without meaning to sound like a used car salesman, we’ve still got some of the original 3″ CD single in hand stamped, hand-numbered limited edition cases hangning around the Alcopop office (or available digitally on iTunes). May i suggest that they won’t be there for long?

Nathaniel Green in new gigs shocker…

Wakefield’s produced some pretty fine bands over the past few years… Alcopop’s very newest pals Pavilion to name but one – The Cribs, The Research are two great others. But who can forget our very own Nathaniel Green, who nestled all sorts of comfortably as the fourth release of our singles club way back in 2007 with the quite magnificent Old Folks/Young Folk single which can be purchased from the shop over b’yere, or seen in video format by following this link.

Well anyway, good news for any fans of the lushly lyrical two-piece is that the boys are back (if briefly) and playing gigs in Glasgow, Leeds and Kingstone Upon Thames. As they themselves put it, “I don’t know how this has happened, but we will be on tour in July for three nights with the lovely boys that are Stapleton. The dates are -

TUE 08.07.08 GLASGOW Nice ‘n’ Sleazy
WED 09.07.08 LEEDS The Packhorse
THU 10.07.08 KINGSTON New Slang

We’re really looking forward to this because Stapleton were our first ever tour partners in 2001.”

Great news for all concerned, as not only Stapleton really damn good – but for anyone who is a Nat Green fan, or has the 3″ green-cased EP sitting well-worn upon their ‘favourite music’ shelf, these dates really are a must.

However, this happy news is tinged with some serious sadness too – as they continue on the blog… “These dates feel like we’ve gone full cycle and so it seems apt that they will probably be our last. We’re not sure yet if it will be the complete end of Nathaniel Green but they are likely to be our last dates for the foreseeable future.” So I suggest that everyone and their mothers follows the tour and lets show them that they can’t possibly stop now! I heart NG!

goFASTER>> rock Bristol till it crumbles + win signed vinyl!

Another day, another gig – and sandwiched tastily inbetween watching Rival Schools at some university in London, and Darren Hayman kick out Hefner hits in the 100 CLub, Alcopop’s very own (and greatest pals) goFASTER>> turned up to The Louisiana in Bristol – and ripped out a set that none of the 50-odd strong crowd will forget in a hurry!

Starring Geoff (Bristol folk will know who i mean) as stirling rock of er.. rock at the front of the stage throughout, single Flammable Leisurewear (available now on 7″ from our shop for just £3 with free CD) prompted a mssive stage invasion that went on for 3 songs, and involved pretty much everyone there. Unable to make out the band in amongst the mass of excited onlookers (see if you can find em in this pic) they continued to rock the now heaving stage – and have made some new fans for life in Brizzel methinks.

Then it was onto the Thekla, Alcopop HQ – shots from the Drambuie bottle… and well, god knows what else!

However, in amongst the drunken haze, i did think to get Liverpool’s hottest indie-pop property (fresh from selling several 1000 albums in Japan by the by) to stick some signatures onto copies of ‘Flammable Leisurewear’ – of which are now ready to fly…

So to celebrate all things scouse, for a (very) limited time only – like, really limited as there’s only 5 signed ones here – we’re offering the vinyl for it’s 3 quid cover price, not only with the tracks on CD – but also penned and fully signed. Top eh… Also, in the spirit of summer, we’re offering one fully signed 7″ (and free BSM 50 not out album) to the person who can most accurately describe goFASTERS>> charming faces in 9 words or less.

Just scribe your answer in the comment box below – and we’ll announce the winner next Wednesday 25th June. Top do$$ar…

And for those who have already bought the viny, if you fancy buying a new one signed, let me know and we’ll include a gift too cos we don’t want you to be sad…

Alcopop to release next Sam Isaac EP in August

You might remember his awesome ‘Sideways’ single from last December? You know the one, that had 30 Radio One plays and Jo Whiley basically wet herself over. Well, the good news is that Sam has reaffirmed his love for every Alcopopper across this great nation/world, and has agreed to put out his brand new EP on Alcopop!

Sticker Star and Tape, the 5 track CDEP from the brilliant singer-songwriter, who will be seen at pretty much every festival this summer, is to be released on the 4th August, and can be preordered now in our online shop. You’ll be able to catch him live on one of his many momentous tours, and if you haven’t yet been introduced to the lovely Mr. Isaac, pop over to his MySpace page about now!

This is going to be such a very exciting release, not least because we love Sam so much – and we think it will sit in rather nicely (if eclectically) with the rest of Alcopop’s summer plans which thus far include the powerful pop-punk perfection of Cut the Blue Wire, opulent oral output of Pavilion, and wonderful wistful wailings of This City… See what I did – alliteration (kinda’) spelling out POW, which should help you remember to furnish your summer with red hot hits all the way through from Alcopop .

Back to Sam – and he’s currently on the road with Luke Leighfield, and favorites’ of Alcopop My First Tooth – go catch a show…! And pre-order the EP…

Rival schools were amazing!! As is Kev’s cameo

Hail, thunder nor football could get in the way of last night’s shenanigans as I witnessed what has to be the best gig I’ve seen in 2008, at least half of 2007 – and will long live on in the memory!

Alcopop’s magnificent This City, who came saw and battered an initially frosty crowd with their achingly ace brand of perfect punk pop, the spiky The Computers, who metaphorically punched me in the face with their Mclusky-stylings and elegant white apparel – and then, none other than fuckin’ Rival Schools. Oh yes! As good as I’d hope they’d be, the set was only heightened by being introduced to the very small (surprisingly) Zane Lowe, and seeing Sam Get Cape sing along with quite some vocal ferocity that belied his cheeky face.

Already a massive fan of Walter Schreifels, having played one of our Alcopop nights in London a while back (for more tales of his heroic late arrival and incredible set see the BSM blog over b’yere) it is with interest that I noted this video yesterday, taken at that very Alcopop show almost a year ago – which has only now surfaced.

Take a look at the rather odd appearance of our very own Kev – looking every inch that idiot who appears, gurning in all your photos… If this was facebook he’d be tagged ‘random guy’. But it isn’t – so he isn’t. Taken from BSM again “This is the power of Alcopop. It unites fans and their heroes, it creates life-long memories, and it gives me wonderful and unknown cameo opportunities.”

More roster news: Alcopop sign This City for next single

So just days after our last exciting announcement – namely that Wakefield-based Pavilion have signed up to the Alcopop rosta, it is with more joy that we can announce –ahem- that Brighton rockers This City will be releasing their next record, ‘We Move’ on Alcopop on the 1st September!

This City have “been already been described in review as “like The Travelling Wilburys if it was made of members of Bloc Party and At The Drive In”. Maybe if you throw in the eyeball-popping nuances of Blood Brothers, the same turn-on-a-sixpence disco-jerk rhythms of the more danceable end of punk (think Les Savy Fav or !Forward Russia!), the impassioned cacophony of mid 80s Dischord Records-led emotional hardcore, the pop sensibility of tykes such as The Automatic and subtract the reference to Tom Petty and co, we might just be inclined to agree…”

In their short career, they’ve already performed a Radio 1 session for Huw Stephens, supported the likes of Biffy Clyro, Future Of The Left, Sparta, CapDown and As I Lay Dying and been lauded by everyone from Fierce Panda’s Simon Williams to Radio 1’s dream trio of Lowe, Lamacq and Stephens to NME to The Guardian. And what’s more they’re playing 4 shows (in Birmingham, Exeter, Portsmouth and London) with the legendary Rival Schools.

Pop over to their MySpace page to hear their quite frankly awesome stuff – or pop down to Rival Schools early if you’ve lucked out with a ticket tomorrow!

AQA does not care much for Alcopop. Pimms is delicious – Sampler artwork!

Ahhh – nothing quite like being in blustery Doncaster of a bleak June Thursday – and nothing similarly like not being able to drink very much at all because despite the fact you’re getting a lift almost home, you’re still ten miles away from your gaff and you have to drive anyway. *sigh* Also, I hear (via smug text) that my home town has shoved an overenthusiastic bint into the Big Brother household determined to let the watching world know “she’s doing it for Coventry” .

Yeah – thanks… Who needs Lady Godiva eh…?

Still, all else in the garden of POP is rosy, and while Kev and I prepare for perhaps the busiest summer two starry –eyed, yet handsome, mortals have ever faced – I thought I would drop a petite blog post about the first Alcopop sampler, that will be being issued soon – first as a free download, gosh don’t we spoil you, and also as a very limited edition, hand-crafted CD with a million fruity extras (ooh, we’re getting all DIY again) and digital download.

I’m not prepared to reveal much about it just yet, but believe me when I tell you, it’s bloody great! One of the best 6 track CDs I’ve listened too in a long while. However, what is perhaps even better is its artwork… Now, you will probably either love this, or think it’s the nastiest piece of work since Bernard Manning and Maggie Thatcher’s secret lovechild… (comments very much welcomed) so *deep breath* here it is – the artwork for ‘AQA does not care much for Alcopop. Pimms is delicious’.

See what you think…. And meet Alcocroc and boozy Alcodog, who stand either side of me as a lobster, ad Kev as a beaver. It was an interesting photoshoot…