Category Archives: Stars and Sons

New Alcopop signing announced: Screaming Maldini!

Happy New Year… And wasn’t 2009 bloody delicious? Dancing and singing in the streets to a riot of super new sounds – but trust me when I tells ya… 2010 is going to be even better. And what better way to kick off than with a brand new signing. So it is with delight, dear poppers, that I’d like to introduce to you the name that will no doubt be a-flirtingly spangling on your lips over the next few months and beyond… Screaming Maldini!

With fresh sparkling eyes, and a myriad of melodic loveliness in their hearts, Screaming Maldini introduce themselves to the world with a 5-track EP out in February via Alcopop Records, accompanied with a UK tour alongside former PoP favourites Stars & Sons! Featuring ex-members of The Situationists, Maldini are nevertheless a very different proposition – ‘somewhere between the likes of Mew and a Muppet Babies Bloc Party (God is in the TV zine).

We like guitars, horns, keys, cowbells, tambourines, choirs, horses, bicycles and excitement” they say… Which goes some way to understanding their breathlessly exciting sound which mixes lush, layered melody with the kind of foot-tapping indie-pop that makes this a particularly compelling prospect. You WILL love…

Tom Robinson, who tends to know his stuff, said “WOW! Assertive, assured, different, free-ranging…it’s an amazingly sure-footed debut record…one of the most exciting things I’ve heard for months,” but why listen to him? A few of the kids may have already heard this, but for those who haven’t, check out the MySpace or click the megaphone below to download Maldini track The Extroadinary… And get excited!

Alcopop instore @Pure Groove

It’s taken me a good few weeks to post this update about Alcopop’s recent Pure Groove jam (waiting for photos which have now arrived and are beautiful) – but I thought I’d relay the events of the eve, which were – in truth – bloody ace.

Somehow it was the first time I’d ever been to Pure Groove and it was lovely. Basically an opulent Faringdon bar with a record shop spread amongst shelves around the shop – it’s the ideal haunt for anyone with a penchant for the limited editions and niche formats.

Putting on a bill of Stagecoach *acoustic set* and Stars and Sons with Paul Steel providing a delectable melodic introduction, we all bonded over a small message in a bottle compilation – the bands entertained, and Kev and I (along with a few of the great and good from the indie music industry and plenty of happy poppers) assaulted the bar.

Highlight of the evening for me, for its unexpected appearance as much as highly polished form, was perhaps a delicate Stagecoach cover of The Lemonheads’ Drug Buddy. Awesome… What followed was an evening at the Ish Bar, a high octane Team Stagecoach Vs Team PoP pool match (we’ll get you next time Stagecoach), phantom tequilas (where do they always spring from) and plenty more hi-jinks…

The next one’s on October 7th for Stagecoach and more… See you there yeah

Alcopop @Pure Groove this Wednesday w/ Stagecoach, Stars & Sons and Paul Steel

popgroove*Excitement*
It’s the first Alcopop Pure Groove instore (I was so excited to see us on the listings :-) ), and coincides with the stocking of Alcopopular 3 ‘map and bottle compilation’ by said emporium… Great times, free entry and 7pm (ish) start to see:

Stars and Sons (full band) play “Big brash intelligent indie pop” – Huw Stephens
New Alcopop signings Stagecoach (acoustic) rock out “a sumptuous slice of Wilco-esque alt.country” (The Fly)
- with Paul Steel provideing a melodic piano ballad interlude with his “veritable masterwork of pop brilliance” – Under the Radar

And we can all get boozed too in London’s finest record shop – winner? Winner! See you there…

instores

The Guardian – a wonderful rag!

The Guardian clearly knows its music… Tis true, tis true – and while I was busy sunning myself in bonny London on a magnificent eve of gigs which included catching the Candle Thieves at London’s Fly Bar at a rather secret show (shhhh) and Unicorn Kids bumping dance classics at The Borderline – this was busily being dropped into my inbox.

You can see the full article of Guardian reader’s un-put-downable tracks, which includes Christy Moore and Little Boots, here – but I’ve carved up the most alcorelevant section below. Jude Rogers and Chris Salmon, consider yourselves hearty friends of Alcopop Records!guardianclip

The AA however can consider themselves mortal enemies (well, whoever writes their procedures anyway) – just found out i’ve spent £180 in renewal costs over the last few years, becuase they were sending letters to my old address. Refund for this year maybe… No, because i didn’t spot it within 14 days.  Stupid AA!