Out of all the nine tracks I produced for Ape last year this is my personal favourite.
It’s got this strange dark undercurrent going on- with monks chanting and a lot of dissonance-some people find it quite hard to listen to but it seems absolutely perfect to me—balanced-but just teetering on the edge of disaster.

I played it to someone once in headphones and they said it felt like their head was being pulled apart!! Someone else described it in a blog as sounding like “making filthy love in a railway arch, whilst on acid, in 1940s New York”. Which of course I was thrilled by.

When it was in its early days as a bunch of unconnected noises put together by me and Andy, I played it to some other singers to see if they were interested in contributing to it- the reaction was “no- its shit!!”.- hahah – But Jen took these completely random bits of music and glued them into something completely different. From then on it just needed organizing and arranging. I spent months lovingly tweaking and moving it about in a dark obsessive manner.

The video came about as I was messing about watching old cartoons and simultaneously listening to music. I slowed down a Little Audrey cartoon from 1949 to half speed and it’s as if it was made for it- quite spooky really.

It’s on the Hard Listening EP which of course everyone should buy.

 

 My Dream Sea: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

APES Doctor Doolittle of music mangling, Lighterthief aka Stuart Rowe,has selected,squished and squeezed music and images together to give you a flavour of his latest EP TRICK PICTURE. He’s diced the three very different but very marvelous musical pieces into an odd medley and spliced up footage of Lighterthief the band, live and in rehearsal. The aural and visual equivalent of getting a free piece of cheese from a lovely lady in a supermarket.

Get yourself over and take a peek,and if you havent heard the music of Lighterthief yet we suggest there is no better way than to download the TRICK PICTURE EP{or its pulsing predecessor MAXIMALISM}and then you’ll hear why those already in the know are in the know

 

 trick picture: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen to part 2 of Pugwash’s compelling and amusing insight into the tracks on their new soon to be released compilation Giddy.

Thomas and Keith reveal the XTC connection and how Dave Gregory became involved in arranging one of the songs on the album.

buy Giddy

 

 pugwash pugcast part 2 [9:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This video was shot in the wild open countryside of Sussex.  ‘Incredible Visions’ is taken from The Milk & Honey Bands latest album Dog Eared Moonlight. BUY

The band will be appearing at the Bestival on The Isle Of Wight,  11th September 09 on the bandstand stage at midday.

BBC Radio 1’s Rob da Bank is curating the whole event so catch TMHB live, where they’ll be performing tracks from Dog Eared Moonlight.

 

 Incredible Visions: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Its here the APE RADIO, that is non stop songs by APE artists 24 hours a day brought to you via a custom built desktop player.

Here is a sneak preview of whats instore. You’ll hear a totally random cross section through the ever expanding APE catalogue to delight your ears and who knows, maybe even be as turned on as the funky little player when you hear something you’ve never heard before.

For the techies amongst you just click on the radio share button to get your copy, or for us mere mortals get intallation instructions here.

Giddy is the first Pugwash release on Ape. Out on 21st September, the album is a compilation of classic finely crafted pop songs from Pugwash’s previous albums.

Listen to this the first part of 3 pugcasts where Thomas Walsh and Keith Farrell talk you through the first 4 tracks on the album.

Thomas Walsh is one half of the Duckworth Lewis Method, a project with Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy where they recorded an album of songs inspired totally by the wonderful game of cricket.

You will be able to pre order your copy of Giddy very shortly and get a digital copy of the album FREE when you order.

 

 Pugcast Part 1 [8:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this the final part of our Psychedelic Psoiree between Sir John Johns, also known as our Andy P, and Swami Anand Nagara, or John Leckie they remember all sorts of delights from dirt floor living, to that guest drummer on ‘Pale and Precious’ and woodworking!!.

Buy XTC/Dukes re-issues

 

 John Leckie Podcast pt 4 [20:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Part 2 of Robert Whites podcast, where he talks about the making of the Dog Eared Moonlight album, including how the legendary guitarist B.J Cole came to be on the album. Buy

 

 Dog Eared Moonlight Pt 2 [18:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Andy and John talk about the making of Psonic Psunspot at the Cornish Studio Sawmills; the Abbey Road for the Straw Dogs set.
Situated on a tidal creek this is the same studio where, having achieved the unique Dukes sound,  John subsequently recorded the legendary debut Stone Roses album.

Did you know?  on Psonic Psunspot, the sides were flipped, so the album as you hear it now was not the original running order. Find out why and much more…

 

 J Leckie chat Pt3 [19:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Watch the stunning short film shot in the deepest Sussex countryside for The Milk & Honey Bands forthcoming  single ‘Mary Faith Autumn’.

Classic Rock’s Johnny Dee  reviewed the Dog Eared Moonlight album BUY as -

” An album that shift gears between Crowded House at their most majestic and the authentic melancholly that proved so successful for David Gray.Wonderful.”

 

 mary faith autumn: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this the second fascinating installment, Andy and legendary Dukes producer John Leckie talk about the inspiration behind the 25 O’clock  recordings.  How they were done, and what went into achieving that unique Dukes sound, through the phasing and editing on different tracks and bits of different records being spun in when the songs were mixed.

Also they reveal the truth behind the long held rumour that it was Woody Allens little angry voice at the end of ‘My Love Explodes’.

 

 john leckie interview pt2 [20:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download