Going Underground

08 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The ‘Songs For Abandoned Tube Stations’ postcards

We’re getting close with this now. I have received and numbered 90 postcards (above), the music is being mastered and then dubbed onto cassette. We’re aiming for a late September release, but it may creep into early October. Each package will contain a 3-track C30 magnetic tape (plays same both sides), 3 hand-numbered full colour custom RELYCS postcards (A, B & C), a credit sheet, and a digital download of the music. I think the price will be £5 (+ postage), but total costs have not been calculated yet, so I can’t say for sure. What I can say is that this will be a treat for both the eyes and ears.

30 copies only. Yep, 30.

If you’d like to reserve one, let me know via adamleonard@hotmail.com

Thanks!

I saw you makin’ love with him, you forgot to close the garage door

15 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases

modular  clay

My friend Ash Cooke, better known as PULCO is celebrating 10 years of post-Derrero solo work with (a) ‘Modular Pursuits’, a free-to-download collection of covers of his songs by his musical pals, including Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci frontman Euros Childs, James Yuill, H. Hawkline and others, including me, greatly assisted on piano by Our Krypton Son and (b) ‘Clay Cutlery’ – a brand new album !

‘Modular Pursuits’ is released today and you can get it from here. My track is ‘Taking Time To Browse And Shop’ (below), but I’d recommend getting the whole collection.

 

And the new Pulco album ‘Clay Cutlery’ is released next Monday (22nd July) on CD and download (or both) from here: CLAY CUTLERY ON BANDCAMP. You can pre-order this NOW. I suppose I should mention that I’m on this too, but I’m pretty confident you won’t be able to spot it. I’ll give you a prize if you can actually…

A Farewell To Hexes – ‘Sightings’

12 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases, Videos Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

*** SOLD OUT ***

I have a new release on 27th May 2013, the  ‘A Farewell To Hexes‘ (Tectona Grandis, TEAK02) maxi-single. It’s the work of one bearded man and his synth, and purely as a cynical commercial move, I was going for a sort of Human League MK1 / Bowie’s ‘Low’ side 2 / John Carpenter soundtrack feel. Will.i.am and Tom Jones will have their hands poised over the red buttons for this stuff.

Format is limited edition CD (30 copies only) in stickered, hand-numbered mini-gatefold sleeves, with an insert of the mysterious ‘Solway Spaceman‘ photograph / lyric sheet. Tracklisting is:

  1. Sightings
  2. Solway
  3. Norcross

These are £4 + postage to your location (£1 UK, £2 EUROPE, £3 R.O.W). They’re not made up yet, but you can certainly pre-order one – PayPal to adamleonard@hotmail.com Thanks.

Here’s a video of the first track, which is heavily influenced by (i.e. a rip-off of) early Human League, and amazingly British synth pioneer and Human League MK1 founder Martyn Ware approves.

The infrastructure curves like a system of nerves

09 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , ,

*** SOLD OUT ***

Being 11 in 1980, the first records I bought were by artists like The Human League, Depeche Mode, Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Ultravox, Gary Numan and John Foxx. Electronic music was my first love. I like to think I was the only 11 year old who owned Fad Gadget records, and by the time I was a teenager I owned the entire Kraftwerk back catalogue, and even a few D.A.F. imports. My son is 13 now and owns no records at all. He doesn’t know what he’s missing.

Anyway, an album which made a deep impression on me at the time was John Foxx’s ‘Metamatic’. Recorded in 1979 after he left Ultravox and released in the spring of 1980, it stood and still stands alone as a monochrome electronic masterpiece. I’ve long wanted to make music in that vein, but never had the gear or the ability to do it. And then a man called David Ansara approached me to say he’d done a cover of one of my songs he’d heard online. It transpired he was a vintage analogue synthesizer geek, so I asked him “Could we do something which sounds like Metamatic … ?” and the answer was “Yes”. And here are some of the results. We’ve got an album’s worth of material written and recorded, but for now, here’s a 3-track EP.

Echoes In Rows:  ‘Click Click Drone’

01  Zone Zone
02  Shoot Me Like A Scene
03  Brian Aldiss

It should be out on 25th Feb on limited numbered CD (80 copies), the first 19 of which come with a download code for a bonus track. I’m thinking of putting it on Bandcamp too, but I still have a bit of a mental block when it comes to downloads. Cost is £4, plus postage to your location (UK £1, Europe £1.50,Rest of world £2.00).

PayPal to adamleonard@hotmail.com please, or email if you don’t have PayPal and we’ll sort something out.

Here’s a little preview video wot I dun (sorry, I’ve been listening to too much Slade recently).

See Amid the Winter’s Snow

12 Dec 2012 2 Comments

by Adam in General, Releases, Videos

The Poseidon Adventure - Tree Erection

The Poseidon Adventure – Tree Erection

…..

Tell me, where did 2012 go?

As the end of the year draws closer, here’s a quick update:

1. The BBC session I did for the Electric Mainline show is now available via SoundCloud for your listening pleasure. There is a new song (‘About Much Else’) on there, with the lovely piano work of Chris McConaghy. Presenter and DJ Stephen McCauley has today described this song as “easily one of my Electric Mainline highlights of 2012”, which is very kind indeed.

2. I have a new track on the The First Active Listener Acid Folk Sampler over here. ‘Stille Nacht II’ evokes (in my mind anyway) a calm and quiet, snowy evening.

3. As promised last time, there are now a few Invaderband live video clips on YouTube – ‘Ringtones From The Coffins’, ‘Not Alan Rickman’ and ‘The Implausible Man’.

4. Next year. There should be a number of releases in 2013 if all goes to plan, all of them quite different in style:

  • Echoes In Rows analogue electronics album – with David Ansara.
  • A Farewell To Hexes analogue electronics EP (solo).
  • RELYCS – ‘Songs For Abandoned Tube Stations’ cassette – with Pulco, Gareth Davies and Unexpected Bowtie.
  • A track on the forthcoming Kitchen Cynics tribute album from Folk Police Recordings.
  • The Poseidon Adventure re-soundtrack (LDC9) – with Gareth Davies.
  • Crossing Over With Gareth Davies & Adam Leonard EP – with Gareth Davies.
  • Waxen Wasps project – with Dom Cooper.

Merry Christmas people. Thanks for your support this year – I appreciate it massively.

[ Raises glass to 2013 ]

News, Reviews and Interview

06 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by Adam in General, Releases

A few bits and bobs:

Firstly, the album will be in shops on Monday 20th August 2012. It will also be available to order from the big name online retailers (Amazon, HMV.com etc), but if you’re buying online please go direct to Northwesternrecordings.com in the first instance.

__

Secondly, reviews are appearing – and all good so far! Here’s a selection:

“An incredibly well-crafted, cohesive release which deftly displays Adam’s particular gift for blending traditional psychedelic-rock and psychedelic-folk elements whilst also maintaining a thoroughly ‘modern’ aesthetic to his work” – Folk Radio UK

“If you don’t have this in your collection you are missing something that’s simultaneously exceptional, intriguing and ground breaking” – Folk Words.

“Very good and accomplished” (5 stars) – Norman Records

“Nature Recordings manages to recall the glories of a British folk rock past whilst sounding wonderfully unique and fresh” – A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“The image of the tower on the cover reminds me of the ruined and overgrown windmills visible when navigating the Norfolk Broads. It’s a resonant image that captures something about Adam Leonard’s haunted music. If you’re a fan of the work of Tyneham House or The Hardy Tree, then do give this a listen” – Hard Format

“A sonic representation of a defiantly regional landscape” – FATEA

“Arresting folk … I’ve missed Leonard’s earlier work and that’s something I’ll be rectifying pronto” – Americana UK

“… and amazing stuff this is too, where the experimentation keeps you on the edge of the seat and well away from any borders with boredom – beyond this eclecticism, are some astute songs and distinctly thoughtful melodies that still remain faithful to some quite folkish roots” – Manchester Music

And finally, the brilliant Folk Radio UK website asked for an interview and here it is.

Whilst you’re over there, have a read of the fascinating interview with one of my heroes, Steve Ashley, who was kind enough to name-check me as an artist who has been influenced by him. Steve’s music can be heard on the Steve Ashley MySpace page.

The Northwestern Series – PENDLE001

04 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The CD version of ‘Nature Recordings’ is now out.

Tracklisting:

1. The Man Who Invented Himself
2. Lillian, I Love You
3. Dawn Rain / Grissom Aloft
4. The Archaeologist
5. The Eighth Tower (part I)
6. The Eighth Tower (part II)
7. The Eighth Tower (part III)
8. The Eighth Tower (part IV)

Most of the record is sang and played by me, but the exasperatingly gifted Steven Collins of The Owl Service helped me out with the music for ‘Lillian’, and drone authority Pat Gubler (aka P.G. Six) helped me out with various parts of The Eighth Tower suite. It’s the most cohesive thing I’ve ever produced and I’m really pleased with it.

Nigel at The Northwestern Series has done an outstanding job with the packaging. It really does look amazing. Thanks so much for everything Nigel.

Each package contains: a compact disc in a recycled kraft card inner sleeve with rubber stamp titling; four seasonal ‘Tower’ inserts designed by Dom Cooper [risograph printed on recycled card with soya ink]; dried Hydrangea petals from my garden; a letterpressed, hand-numbered insert by Phil McMullen of the Ptolemaic Press – all housed in a custom gold text ‘Northwestern Series’ green cardboard carton from Conifer Handmades.

Strictly limited to 300 copies.

It’s available to buy now from The Northwestern Series, Rough Trade, Piccadilly Records, Norman Records, and others – or direct from me (BUY).

Finally, I’d like to thank David A. Jaycock for suggesting I get in touch with Folk Police / Northwestern in the first place about this release. Thanks David.

Pulco album out today!

18 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I am an artist, a musician and poet … but ultimately this will be my undoing”.

‘The Man Of Lists’ (Folkwit, F0079) is out today. I’m so pleased to be involved in this – it’s a lovely, warm and human album, with many fine contributing musicians. I provided the music for 3 of the tracks, and cut up Ash’s spoken words to fit over them. You can listen to an example – ‘Oxbow Lake’ – here.

It’s available on ltd. edition CD with poetry booklet via selected record shops, and as a digital download from bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes etc.

The reviews are coming in:

“This is Cooke’s masterpiece. He’s spent his post-Derrero years making music in Wales, usually by himself. He’s perfected the art of lo-fi indie and the results are always warm and human and charming. Now, he’s taken that form to the next level”.
-A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“Pulco’s new LP, Man of lists, comprises upbeat cheerful electro-acoustic melodies and beautiful, urban spoken word poetry … Lovely”.
-The Miniature Music Press

“Ash Cooke is an artist we should all be very glad exists. The sheer amount of music he puts out turns over every stone of his creative process. It gives you a distinct and unique picture of a distinct and unique musician”.
-North Wales Daily Post

“Once again Pulco has delivered an album that music lovers will instantly embrace and treasure. It is a shame John Peel is no longer with us to give this album the national airplay it deservers”.
-A Musical Priority

For further reading on the colourful and inventive musical world of Ashley Cooke, visit pulcomusic.com

The Man Of Lists

02 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

June will see the release of the brand new and genuinely wonderful PULCO album, ‘The Man Of Lists’ (Folkwit). For this album Ash Cooke enlisted a number of friends to record music as backdrops to his spoken word stories and poetry, and I’m honoured to be one of them. The result is exciting, eclectic, colourful, silly, poignant, elated, smart, grumbling, inventive, sinister, sunny, real and most of all fun. Ash says:

“I’m a firm believer in lists! I can make a list for any occasion. Lists help me organise the mundane and boring bits of my life so that I can clear my mind for better things. In a more colourful and creative way I also love writing lyrics and poems to document and categorise my day to day journey through the ordinary. Played back however, such writing can reveal lot about a person and really give you an insight in to how we tick as people.  It can also be interesting to listen to. From time to time I feel the need to bring all of this written material together, mix it with sound and call it ‘Pulco’!  This is exactly what we’ve done with ‘The Man Of Lists’

In the spirit of collaboration I thought that it would be an interesting exercise to build on the theme that I started with the Dictaphone Home album by inviting more of my musical pals to create tunes for the 25 poems on offer rather than contributing any of  the music myself.

The word went out in Sept ’11 and by the end of the year the album was pretty much in the bag. I love the variety and texture of the music on the album. It all holds together really well whist still sounding like a Pulco record. For that I thank all involved…”

…and those involved are The Unexpected Bowtie, Picturebox, Ratatosk, Butchers Prime Cuts,  Gwildor, Snippet, Ian Thistlethwaite & Dan Carlson (and me).

I recorded the music for 3 tracks, and also provided the ZX Spectrum-inspired cover.

Release date : 18 June 2012
Label : Folkwit Records (cat: F0079)
Distribution : Proper Distribution

For more information and a sneak preview, visit The Man Of Lists page at pulcomusic.com

‘Nature Recordings’ to be issued on CD

09 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Adam in Releases Tags: , ,

I’m delighted to announce that ‘Nature Recordings’ will be issued for the first time on CD by the wonderful new Manchester-based label The Northwestern Series. Northwestern is the sort of ‘non-trad’ arm of Folk Police Recordings. It will be an edition of 300, catalogue number: PENDLE001.

The album will come in a handmade card box, with all new artwork and inserts designed by Dom Cooper and, if all goes to plan, something from my own garden!

Dom also designed the lovely new banner on this blog. Thanks Dom!

More news on the release when I have it.

~

The Northwestern Series have also started a nice blog over here.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries