Thursday 29 April 2010

Help Us Pick LaFaro's Next Single

Hey Team STA,

We need your help at the office - we can't decide what the next LaFaro single should be - so can you help us decide please? We've narrowed it down to five tracks (see the player)... helpful I know, but honestly we've all got our different favourites. Our system is one of proportional representation - so you can pick more than one candidate.

If you could tweet this link please and spread the word on this to your mates - that would be wonderful. Go on, put your Radio DJ Hat on for a couple of minutes and help a brother out. Cheers Ears!


Burnt Clip by Laura Campbell  
Download now or listen on posterous
burnt clip.mp3 (677 KB)

Chopper Clip by Laura Campbell  
Download now or listen on posterous
Chopper Clip.mp3 (755 KB)

Girl Clip by Laura Campbell  
Download now or listen on posterous
Girl Clip.mp3 (458 KB)

Not Clip by Laura Campbell  
Download now or listen on posterous
Not Clip.mp3 (637 KB)

Party Clip by Laura Campbell  
Download now or listen on posterous
party clip.mp3 (864 KB)

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

Rock Sound's New Band of the Month - LaFaro

Three sold out nights at Belfast's Menagerie Club to launch the debut record, even Mark Lanegan's band came down to rock it out on Wednesday night. LaFaro are certainly kicking in doors at the minute - so it's no surprise that they are Rock Sound's May centrefolds. What's this about naked wrestling back at JB's house after Tuesday night's show with Fighting With Wire... boys...!


Saturday 24 April 2010

Illness Are Source Magazine's New Favourite Band

Read why and find out about their next Brighton show here

New LaFaro Remix by Skibunny

We’ve just finished our second remix for old friends and label mates LAFARO. Our version of Great Conversations Remembered No.36: Jeff Hinton will be featured on the BONUS CD that accompanies pre-orders of Lafaro’s AMAZING debut LP, released 10th May on Smalltown America Records.

Tuesday 20 April 2010

FWW Announced for LaFaro Album Launch Bill

Yes - you better believe it. Fighting With Wire will be the support act for the second LaFaro album launch show. To celebrate - we've just released thirty additional tickets for those tweet-reading, NI FWW fans - get them now or they're gone!

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

'LaFaro' - The Album Thread

apparently it's so heavy that:

Stephen McCauley
It's a masterpiece! Album of the year!
Yesterday at 1:26pm
Herb Magee
Herb Magee
aw shucks...........
Yesterday at 1:43pm
Aaron Connolly
Aaron Connolly
can't wait for it to drop on my doorstep!
Yesterday at 2:14pm
Mik O'Connell
Mik O'Connell
Apparently it's so loud you can hear it thru the packaging.
Yesterday at 8:17pm
Mark McAllister
Mark McAllister
Apparently its so loud it comes with earplugs
Yesterday at 8:18pm
Francis McEldowney
Francis McEldowney
I heard it was so loud, it cause that Volcano in Iceland to erupt!
Yesterday at 8:19pm
Mik O'Connell
Mik O'Connell
Apparently it's so heavy you need a reinforced CD player.
Yesterday at 8:23pm
Francis McEldowney
Francis McEldowney
you need Manowars Full P.A just to handle herbs bass!
Yesterday at 8:24pm
Mark McAllister
Mark McAllister
Apparently its so heavy it has to be delivered by freight
Yesterday at 8:25pm
Mik O'Connell
Mik O'Connell
Pah. LaFaro drop icecubes down Joey's loincloth.
Yesterday at 8:25pm

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

ROAR E-ZINE - Translators Required!

Roar e-zine have reviewed every ASIWYFA show in Holland so far:They are all very good I am assured - anyone care to attempt a translation?

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

'Tupenny Nudger' On Bruce Dickinson 6Music

Give the iPlayer a spin at around 2'50" ish to hear LaFaro rubbing shoulders with Opeth et al. This has officially made Alan LaFaro's life...

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

ASIWYFA - Festival Appearance Announcements

August 19th - Pukkelpop
Hasselt, Belgium

19th July - Festival de-Affaired
Nijmegen, Netherlands

Sunday 18 April 2010

Illness Support Health - Brighton, Monday

Illness will be supporting the fantastic Health alongside Cold Pumas at Audio on Brighton's seafront tomorrow (Monday 19th) night. Tickets still on sale. Sounds like a good argument for skiving off work and heading to the seaside to me.

Ice, Sea, Dead People Do Van/Status-Representation

Remember that famous Ronnie Barker/John Cleese/Ronnie Corbett comedy sketch from The Frost Report about class? Here's Ice, Sea, Dead People's interpretation from Kingston last Thursday where they opened for Friendship and the Futureheads.

Friday 16 April 2010

Ice, Sea, Dead People Play Cellar, Oxford - Saturday

And So I Watch You From Afar: Tour & Banter

Me and one of the Glasgow troops

Hi all

ASIWYFA checking in. Hope everyone is fighting fit and not covered in volcanic ash. It woulod seem strange that something that happens so far away could effect what goes on for a group of Irish fellas in Paris, or a group of gig goers in Glasgow, BUT, due to the ash cloud which was making its way to the UK our flights to Glasgow to play our Radio 1 show got cancelled and so we didnt make it. Huge apologies to everyone who had got a ticket for the event, i know we'd been getting a lot of corespondence from all you guys coming to see us, so again massive apologoes but lets face it, a volcano is the best excuse we've ever had.

So suprise suprise we're still touring, it all started on the 9th of March when we flew to Toronto for Canadian Music Week, on that trip we made our way south through NY and finished with a week at SXSW festival in Austin TX which was incredible. Then back to Ireland for our Dublin and Derry EP launches before heading out straight away for our debut Maida Vale session with Radio 1 after which we had a wonderful 11 days in the UK with out support and heroes LaFaro. As always it was a trip filled with bromance, debotchery and a very sad goodbye at the end, we love you boys. It was also the tour which we had our first pre gig sell out! thanks London, and thanks to everyone who came out to see us, its by far and away the most people we've ever seen coming out to support us, we've very grateful.

NY
Brussells

So we're currently on mainland Europe, a little bummed we didnt get over to Glasgow last night but im making the most of it at the mo, im being very continental with coffee and croissants at a cafe while the boys sleep in the van. I think it was a late one for a few of the band and crew last night?? and for the first time ever im up before our tour manager Graham, maybe im sick?? maybe Grahams sick!! maybe im still asleep??

anyway..
Hasselt

its our first headline tour of europe and we're a little speachless really, the audiences in Brussles and Paris blew us away, we couldnt believe how many tshirts were in the crowd and how many people had come out to see us, the energy we got off you guys was incredible, very good times, thank you.

Me at the Arc

we've another 5 weeks to go i think, if the rest of the shows are half as good as the first two we'll be grinning.

in other exciting news, we've been put ASIWYFA tshirts have been spotted on Gok Wans How to Look Good Naked and, probably the most exciting of all, on WWE Raw!!!

Andy
The Lads, Domino Festival

Thursday 15 April 2010

Class Of 2010

I've been teaching this lovely lot (motley crew) for the last twelve weeks at the University Of Ulster (School Of Creative Arts) - as we are drawing near to the course, I thought it would be nice to post a picture up. So here they all are!

It's been decided unanimously that this is one of the greatest songs of the last 25 years:

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Carrie Davenport Exhibition - Launch Night - 19/04/2010

Friend of STA Carrie Davenport opens a photography exhibition showing the best of her recent work on April 19th at Alternative Ink Tattoo Studio Holywood.

Carrie Davenport Official

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

LaFaro Album Launch - Night Three Now Onsale

Tickets are now on sale for a third night at The Menagerie - the first two nights are now completely sold out.

LaFaro
Wed 28th April 2010
Belfast - The Menagerie
Doors: 9PM
Price: £5.00

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

Tick... Tick... Boom!

No it's not The Fresh Prince - it's LaFaro on the Big Boi Hype Night with Zane Lowe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00ry9dn

Listen to it all brothers and sisters - but our boys kick it at the thirty five minute mark.

Alright then - here it is:

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

Monday 12 April 2010

If you buy...

...one record this week - make it, 'Lifeguard' by Friendship. It's out on the class Too Pure Singles Club next Monday (19th April) but you can pre-order it now.

This is a properly great single: ambitious, catchy and a what a class groove. I heard it on 6music the other day and it made me stop what I was doing, which is always lovely.

The band are on a short tour in May and play with career survivalists The Futureheads in Kingston with our own Ice, Sea, Dead People too later this week - which sounds like it will be an awesome gig.

Upload Courtesy of SuperAce:
Lifeguard - Friendship by superaceblog

Myspace | Buy It | Follow Friendship

Fighting With Wire Bones Of The Twilight Update

Hey everyone, sorry for keeping you all waiting but we want to make sure we have everything right and in place for this new record as the first one kind of took us by surprise. I can confirm that most of the album is recorded working title Bones of the Twilight we have 4 tracks left to do which we'll be starting first week of May in Nashville (shouldn't take too long) the whole thing should be mixed mastered and ready by the end of may start of June though we still have to set a release date.

SXSW was great we played mostly new material and loved it so did Rolling Stone I think: "FIGHTING WITH WIRE: Gnashing Irish crunch-pop terrorizes a pub. Like Foo Fighters for ugly people (and that’s a compliment)."

We're excited about touring again and can't wait to play these songs for you guys. In the meantime go and lend your support to our good friends Lafaro and ASIWYFA who will be touring like dirty beasts through May and into the summer festival madness.

Oh and check out this band American Fangs they kick ass and have a 7song EP on iTunes which I strongly recommend you go and buy.

Thanks for your patients

Cahir
x

Sunday 11 April 2010

New Illness Live Video - Hail! Kitty



Watch Illness performing Hail! Kitty live at the Prince Albert in Brighton last month. This track will be featured on their forthcoming Gifts From God EP, out in the summer from this here label.

Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea Introduced By Tom Robinson

Friends of STA Crooked Moutain, Crooked Sea were the guests of Tom Robinson on last night's BBC 6Music Introducing show, listen again here.

Friday 9 April 2010

Skibunny 7" Vinyl Nearly Sold Out

While having a clear-out, we just found 18 copies of our debut 7" vinyl "Aah Ooh" which we thought was completely sold out! Head to our SHOP to snap them up! Both 7" singles, "Aah Ooh" and "Remote Control" are now only £2.99 and include a free download card so you get the mp3s too. Both singles are backed with kick-ass remixes, from Japan's Handsomeboy Technique and Germany's DJ Supermarkt respectively.

Awesome new merchandise coming soon!

Thursday 8 April 2010

ASIWYFA/LaFaro Tour Diary Part 2

Well hello there. Sorry we haven't spoken in a few days, it seems we've been far too busy living the good life to catch up. I should explain.... When we last spoke, the eight-legged riff machine ( that's LaFaro ) had begun their day in Bradford after a night of sweaty giggage, altercations with the law and poor sleep. The mission was to get to York. So the story continues...... Our intrepid rockers arrived safely in York, met the lovely Andy and the charming Joff of Fibbers fame and swiftly set about finding the nearest guitar shops. Which were all closed. In what seemed like a fair substitute they instead opted for the Cornish Pasty shop. Omnomnomnom. Why doesn't Belfast have one of these?! Biggest and best pasties in the land. As showtime approached we were graced with te presence of one Sam LaFaro ( anyone who regularly checks our myspace will see Sams name about the place ). What a thoroughly lovely chap! The show was awesome, great crowd of folks and some familiar faces. Post-show 90s disco was a must ( Scatman?! Yes, have some ) then Sam and wife Becky were kind enough to put us up for the night and feed us millions of sausages the next morning. From York to Glasgow then where we managed to arrive at exactly the same time as the ASIWYFA lads despite our sat nav doing it's best to get us lost. The legendary John and Bruce of Firestorm always put in a good show and a great spread. Those boys look after us too well... Some lasagne sandwiches and copious amount of Irn Bru later and it was rock o'clock. Gig was great fun and the crowd were up for it (they don't all look like the cast of Trainspotting yknow...). ASIWYFA proceeded to literally rip the place apart with LaFaro thankfully on hand as techs to make sure the PA didn't fall over as Tony and Rory kept off it. Maniacs. We're too old for that shit. A few drinks later and it was back to Kirstys who was putting us up (treat) but not without somehow managing to acquire two fellas at a set of traffic lights. Jonny Black strikes again ("You boys lookin a wee dick?"). Sore heads the next morning for a short trip to Edinburgh where the ever-awesome folks at Bannermans were our hosts this time. Chris, Neil and Rob are a great bunch of lads alrite. Pre show Ghost Tour courtesy of our good chum Nadine combined with John Firestorms enciladas earlier in the evening ensured that the gig was a pure tense one. And if that wasn't enough to shake things up, Chris plied us with Whisky most of the night, what a gent. By the time ASIWYFA had started their set the walls were ACTUALLY dripping! Great show all round. Mucho mucho boozing in the upstairs apartment after a quick trip to Sneaky Petes for Jaegerbomb-ageddon led to the clippers coming out. Pics to follow folks... Complete with hangovers all round and brandishing new haircuts like they were offensive weapons, Belfasts favourite eejits made their way to Newcastle. Home to Jimmy Nail, Chris Rea and many other fmous folk with mockable accents. The O2 Academy was the venue this time and we arrived to see ASIWYFAs name in HUGE letters above the door. Neat! Quick soundcheck then a trip to Burger King complete with what seemed like a live Jeremy Kyle show outside as a group of soapdodgers aired their grievances in the street much to the amusement of the onlooking fast food noshers. Cue blows being dealt and the local rozzers arriving. Great entertainment.... Our good mates Knuckle Dragger were opening the show, great to see them as ever. They ripped the place a new one, we did our best riffage complete with banter including such classics as "Gum us off ya mucky slut" and "Telecaster for sale" then made way for Chris, Johnny, Rory and Tony. Another great show all round then back to Knuckle Dragger HQ for Buckfast all round! Manchester was next on the map so the red rocket made it's way there sharpish filled with some very tired heads. Quick soundcheck and an attempt to type this blog before not saving it and having to do it all again, then doors opened. Some old and new friends managed to make it along ( Ian Mac, The Helsinki lads, Hana, Sat Nav Sam and Sarah, Ben - all legends ). Odd crowd tho who seemed more intent on talking all night rather than listening to us or ASIWYFA. Mind you, this didn't stop either of us from trying to win 'em over. Loudly. After loadout it was back to our TM/Merchdude/Morale Manager DDs good mate Lauras flat for red wine and kip. In that order. Sold out show in London next then. Whatever will happen?! Stay tuned for more folks! LaFaro X

Ice, Sea, Dead People Pulling Teeth Tour Poster

Check out Zach Ellam's incredible poster for Ice, Sea, Dead People's in-progress Pulling Teeth tour!

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Yes Cadets On TV

Recent STA Studio recordees, if that's the term, Yes Cadets were featured on RTE TV and have a free session mp3 available -

Hey Amigos

Check out The 11th Hour broadcast from last Friday on RTE Player. Alan and Lisa chat to Dave Fanning at 00:04:50 and play an acoustic version of Canada at 00:41:00. There's another track on this Friday too.

Also one of our newer tracks, Fall On Your Sword, recorded as part of our Icon K9 Session for Phantom FM, is available for download from Phantom's website at the link below.

K9 Session Download: Yes Cadets - Fall On Your Sword


peace and love

YC x

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Ice, Sea, Dead People Track Declared An Artrocker Greatest

Ice, Sea, Dead People classic Hence Elvis gets an honourable mention in Artrocker's 100 Greatest Ever Artrock Tracks feature in their hundredth issue, out now in only the good newsagents or available as a PDF download.

Hence Elvis is included on ISDP's forthcoming Teeth Union album...pre-order details coming soon!


Monday 5 April 2010

Poised...


ASIWYFA 27
Originally uploaded by ben_jamie
I found this amazing photo of an ASIWYFA foot (I think it's Rory's - can't be sure) on our Flickr Groupstream this afternoon.

I have to get off the internet now - I've been locked in a Posterous spiral of linking Blog to Flickr to Posterous to Twitter to ... you get me. Anyways - the best things come to those that stumble for long enough in the internet twilight I reckon.

I love this photo: it seems to sum up this band's last eighteen months: expectant, illuminated and loud as fuck.

Illness - 'New Song'

New Song by Illness  
Download now or listen on posterous
19 New Song.mp3 (4569 KB)

This track was recorded by Rory Bratwell (Test Icicles) @ Pallet, London. Check out Rory's Myspace if you want to hear more of the band's he has produced and if you like the sound of our new boys Illness you can communicate with them on Myspace or follow on Twitter.

Posted via email from Smalltown America Records

Sunday 4 April 2010

Cargo Collective April 2010

STA Newsletter - April 2010

Happy Easter from all at STA. Don't eat too much chocolate now, y'hear...

[1] Free MP3: Illness - 'New Song'
Beloved subscribers, last month we gave you a sneak peak at LaFaro's debut album, this month's free MP3 is from STA new boys Illness. For the uninitiated, Illness is an instrumental two-piece from Brighton with a unique line in math-rock guitar/drum jams. This track, entitled 'New Song', is an out-take from the recording sessions for their forthcoming Gifts From God EP. Download it right now and play it loud. Like what you hear? Tweet Spencer and Emilio on @Illnessband. The guys are planning a July tour with Shield Your Eyes, who are awesome too - we're excited!

[2] Free Postage on all UK Orders on New Store

After more than a few trusty years of service, we've finally retired version 2 of the STA site. Our new version is now live, extra features and content will be added steadily over coming months. The webstore is up and running and has had several improvements. Firstly, we can now take direct orders from our international customers. Secondly, we're offering free postage on all orders within the UK (including Northern Ireland). Check out the store and bag yourself a sweet deal.

[3] ASIWYFA/LaFaro Tour Of Power

ASIWYFA
THE Irish rock tour of the year. Currently running riot across the UK. And So I Watch You From Afar tackle their largest headlining run to date, fresh from the release of The Letters EP and ably assisted at all dates by LaFaro. Please note that the London Borderline on April 8th is completely sold out, and some of the others aren't far behind - so buy tickets in advance or get down to those venues early!
ASIWYFA will head solo to mainland Europe after the UK tour wraps up in Cardiff on April 11th:

3 Apr - Stereo GLASGOW
4 Apr - Bannerman’s EDINBURGH
5 Apr - Academy 2 NEWCASTLE
6 Apr - Ruby Lounge MANCHESTER
7 Apr - Rainbow BIRMINGHAM
8 Apr - Borderline LONDON
9 Apr - Cooler BRISTOL
10 Apr - Cavern EXETER
11 Apr - Barfly CARDIFF
12 Apr - Domino Festival BRUSSELS
14 Apr - La Fleche d’Or PARIS
16 Apr - Mod Club HASSELT
17 Apr - Vera GRONINGEN
18 Apr - Merleyn NIJMEGEN
19 Apr - O13 TILBURG
21 Apr - Underground KOLN
22 Apr - Kleine Frieheit OSNABRUCK
23 Apr - Gruner Jager HAMBURG
24 Apr - Paradiso / London Calling AMSTERDAM
25 Apr - Train AARHUS
26 Apr - Bla OSLO
28 Apr - Privat Club BERLIN
29 Apr - Druckluft OBERHAUSEN

[4] LaFaro Album, Tour & Launch Parties


LaFaro's debut album hits shops on May 10th. Can't wait for it? If you preorder the record directly from us (complete with an exclusive bonus CD of rare and unreleased material) you'll get it w/c April 26th - two weeks early.

Following the conclusion of their support slots with ASIWYFA (see above), the band embarks on a headline tour of the UK and Ireland, including a two-night album launch party in Belfast. The first show sold out so quickly we just had to add a second :)

17 Apr - Cellar Bar (IMRO Showcase) DRAPERSTOWN
26 Apr - Menagerie *SOLD OUT* BELFAST
27 Apr - The Menagerie BELFAST - Buy Tickets Now

[5] Ice, Sea, A Tour

Ice, Sea, Dead People head out on their first headlining tour this month. Their debut album, Teeth Union, will be released in July, catch them now they slay eardrums:
5 Apr - The Freebutt BRIGHTON
8 Apr - The Mother’s Ruin BRISTOL
9 Apr - The Cockpit LEEDS
11 Apr - The Firebug LEICESTER
13 Apr - The 13th Note GLASGOW
14 Apr - The Harley SHEFFIELD
15 Apr - New Slang Rm 2 (w/ Friendship) KINGSTON
17 Apr - The Cellar OXFORD

[6] Calories @ Camden Crawl
Calories head back to London on May 1st & 2nd to play 2010's Camden Crawl, alongside a shedload of other great bands. The full line-up can be found here - STA faves on the bill include: Best Coast; Dead Meadow; Gang of Four; Joe Gideon and The Shark; Pulled Apart By Horses; Slow Club; Teenage Fanclub; Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs; YACHT and about a squillion others.

[7] Let Our Enemies Beware - New Stuff


Let Our Enemies Beware recently unleashed a video of brand-new, lust-ballad '(Who Wants To Ride?) The Gay Horse'. You can check out the video on YouTube. They also got a rather nice live review this month from Rock Sound.
The band have a few dates coming up this month. You can catch them at the following venues:

10 Apr - Command House CHATHAM
24 Apr - The Unicorn LONDON

That's all for April. Thanks for reading and we'll see you next month.

Team STA

And So I Watch You From Afar: Seconds Before Detonation At SXSW

A great behind-the-scenes moment of And So I Watch You From Afar captured by BBC Radio Ulster's Stuart Bailie at SXSW - check out Stuart's blog for more photography and comment.

Friday 2 April 2010

ASIWYFA/LaFaro Tour Diary Part 1

Hiya!

So we're on the road again for a jaunt with our good buddies And So I Watch You From Afar playing England, Scotland AND Wales! it's a short 10 date tour but we'll try to keep you postedwith our shenanigans and hilarious jams as we go...

DAY 1 then.

Ferry was at 7am so we had an early start which for anyone who knows us, does not agree with our well being...). Our good friend DD Ball is tour managing these shows with us so seeing his wee face at 5:30 made it all bearable! Got to the mecca that is larne to be told we had been booked at 10:30. Instant rage due to lost sleep. Got our ferry changed to 8:30 and hung about waiting for it.

A bumpy ferry ride, long drive from Cairnryan and quick stop at the friendliest shop EVER and we arrived in Liverpool. Cue much accent mockery ( Behhhhhrt Bacchhhhhaaaarackkkkkk! ) and load in. Imagine our surprise to find a bottle of Buckfast on the ASIWYFA rider...dirty boys...

The gig itself was great, we won a good few people over I think. After that we proceeded to work our way through our rider with promoter and all round nice guy Chris Wareing before leaving to stay with our friend Rob in Bradford. Which would have been a lot easier if we hadn't been stopped by the police as we left Liverpool......a panicky, sweaty 10 minutes later we were told by a very kind officer to get the people in the back without seatbelts to travel in another vehicle so ASIWYFA cam back to collect Alan, DD and Jonny before we set off again.

It turns out that Dave ,who was driving, should have been fined sixty quid and given 3 points on his licsence but he somehow managed to sweet talk the officer round to the fact that we are a struggling rock band trying to make a name for ourselves in the UK. It seems the officer took pity on this and changed his mind about charging us and decided to warn us instead. Old silver toungue Magee strikes again!

Anyway, we did make it to Bradford in the end and had a good night's sleep and here we are about to set sail for York for tonight's showw in Fibbers, should be fun! So we're all fine for now and we'll be in touch again soon.

Peace out blap

LaFaro