Bands & Books 2: Full Line-up revealed!

With Bands & Books 2 happening this Friday from 7PM it's time to reveal the full lineup, we have a packed show crammed full of band & book goodness featuring:


We Used To Make Things

"We Used To Make Things are an 8 piece who delve into the world of sweet pop music mined from the classic canon of Kinks, Zombies, Blur and The Beatles. Powered by brass and a kicking bottom end you are likely to find their uplifting music taking you to a place usually reserved for the likes of The Arcade Fire and The Muppets. At the heart of all of this though, are set simple, catchy and infectious songs that are also rolled out for intimate acoustic sets."


Bruno Vincent

Bruno Vincent is the co-author of several bestselling humour books including Do Ants Have Arseholes, as well as a collection of macabre tales for children called Grisly Tales from Tumblewater. His latest book is called A Christmas Carol II: CONTAGION. 


Tied To The Mast

Tied To The Mast are a multi-faceted vessel which rides the tempest of sounds from North West Seattle (cemented by Pavitt and Poneman at their Sub Pop desk) before swigging the last dregs of José Cuervo tequila from Josh Homme’s Rancho De La Luna studio, and then shaking off the hangover with a bike ride on Brighton seafront with Gaz Coombes. This is a British band with a difference.


Alex Macdonald

Dog Binary author Alex Macdonald (he's the one in the middle) will be reading from his new book, we asked him for a bio and received the following information: 


"Like: Murakami, Kurkov, Houellbecq, Chandler, don't like the Clergy, the Queen of England" 


We assume his dislike of the Clergy is directed at the religious leadership and not the Oregon based alt/punk group of the same name, but this is Bands & Books so we remain open to both interpretations. 


Nikesh Shukla

Nikesh Shukla is the author of the Costa First Novel Award-shortlisted novel, 'Coconut Unlimited' ('...a riot of cringeworthy moments made real by Shukla's beautifully observed characters and talent for teen banter.' Metro) and the Channel 4 Comedy Lab 'Kabadasses' starring Jack Doolan, Josie Long and Shazad Latif. His writing has featured on BBC2, Radio 4, and BBC Asian Network. He has performed at Royal Festival Hall, Book Club Boutique, Soho Theatre, The Big Chill and Latitude. He likes Spider-man comics. A lot.


As well as all of these wonderful acts, we will be listening to music selected by Hatty Ashdown (music "themed around Les Dennis Autobiography 'must the show go on?'  Or The Smiths 'All men have secrets') and Tim Wells ("expect soul, (proper) R&B and a splash of blues") And of course, some Book Themed Mixtapes.  See you Friday!


Times: 7PM-1AM (main performances between 8-11)
Venue: The Victoria Pub, 110 Grove Road Mile End: MAP
TIP: you can order delicious food from the venue or there's a chippy across the road

Reader profile: Bruno Vincent

As we're just days away from the return of Bands & Books, it's time for another lineup announcement!  Joining Nikesh Shukla, Tied To The Mast and We Used To Make Things is the delightful Bruno Vincent:
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Bruno Vincent is the co-author of several bestselling humour books including Do Ants Have Arseholes, as well as a collection of macabre tales for children called Grisly Tales from Tumblewater. His latest book is called A Christmas Carol II: CONTAGION. 

Bruno Vincent's Twitter avatar

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Musically Bruno likes the Leisure Society, Clint Mansell and is reliably informed he'd enjoy the Tiger Lillies too.

Band Profile: Tied To The Mast

Bands & Books October edition takes place on Friday 21st October at the Victoria in Mile End Adding to the existing lineup of Nikesh Shukla and We Used To Make Things will be the fabulous Tied To The Mast:

Tied To The Mast are a multi-faceted vessel which rides the tempest of sounds from North West Seattle (cemented by Pavitt and Poneman at their Sub Pop desk) before swigging the last dregs of José Cuervo tequila from Josh Homme’s Rancho De La Luna studio, and then shaking off the hangover with a bike ride on Brighton seafront with Gaz Coombes. This is a British band with a difference.

 
If anything is evident in the world of music, having a DIY attitude gets things done. The Pixies did it in 1987 with the ‘Purple Tape’ and Sub Pop changed an industry from the ‘inside out’ in the 1990s with the same ’can-do’ attitude. It’s happening all over again with Mostar Records and Tied To The Mast.

Embracing a cacophony of sounds, and melding the DNA strands of Nirvana & Sonic Youth, the haemoglobin ‘Plain Lazy’ debut single brings together the slacker art rock of Beck & Pavement, whilst sitting comfortably alongside the British song-writing of the Kinks and Supergrass. Tied To The Mast create a Frankenstein monster of Alt Rock that submerges influences from both sides of the Atlantic to create a sound that is distinctly their own.

Recorded, produced and mastered in their own studio somewhere in the depths of the South Downs in Sussex, their debut Mostar single begins to hint at the band’s wider sound – one that is explosively evident during their live sets and brings together an organic product of bone crushing riffs, barstool sing-a-longs and sundrenched tunes. Tied to the Mast are setting sail for higher ground, so pull up a chair, a bottle of rum and come on board.

The debut single 'Plain Lazy', released through Mostar Records has also gained some great reviews:

"It has a haunting feel of old Pavement songs, of old Blur vibes and I reckon that this is the start of a beautiful reign for this band... It's another song to make memories to before the sun leaves us for another year" The Indie Swan
"Big mesmerizing guitar sounds and some poppy vocals that compliment each other perfectly" Fake Plastic Tunes
"Less is more and Plain Lazy, is nothing but lethargic, but fantastic" RoomThirteen.com
"Tied To The Mast have managed to encapsulate the slacker-grunge pop made famous by Nirvana.. and are already stamping their authority on the music world"

We Were Promised So Much
"Following in the footsteps of The Pixies" Atomic Sound Magazine

 

"No other band are making music like this at the moment" - AMP Magazine 

Bands & Books Mixtape: Half Blood Blues

Our wonderful friends at Serpent's Tail have made a very special Bands & Books inspired mixtape for the Man Booker Prize nominated Half Blood Blues.  Come down to Bands & Books October  on Friday 21st October at the Victoria (map), from 7:30 to hear this and other book themed mixtapes, as well as hear from 3 incredible writers, 2 bands and DJs until 1AM!

You can’t escape your fate – but some records are worth risking everything for.
A playlist for HALF BLOOD BLUES – a story of jazz, Nazi Europe and betrayal.


‘Chip told us not to go out. Said, don’t you boys tempt the devil. But it been one brawl of a night, I tell you…’ The aftermath of the fall of Paris, 1940. Hieronymus Falk, a rising star on the jazz scene, was arrested in a cafe and never heard from again. At the time he was making a record with Louis Armstrong. He was twenty years old. He was a German citizen. And he was black.

Fifty years later, Sid, Hiero’s bandmate and the only witness that day, is going back to Berlin where he and Hiero met. A mysterious letter, bringing to the surface secrets buried since Hiero’s fate was settled. In Half Blood Blues, Esi Edugyan weaves the horror of betrayal, the burden of loyalty and the possibility that, if you don’t tell your story, someone else might tell it for you. And they just might tell it wrong…

The artists on this playlist inspired HALF BLOOD BLUES – these songs are the musical ghosts of Europe’s dark years.
Author BiographyEsi Edugyan has degrees from the University of Victoria and Johns Hopkins University. Her work has appeared in several anthologies, including Best New American Voices 2003. Her debut novel, written when she was 25, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne, was published internationally. She currently lives in Victoria, British Columbia. 

Reader profile: Nikesh Shukla

Joining the October 21st Bands & Books lineup we are pleased to announce the delightful Nikesh Shukla:
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Nikesh Shukla is the author of the Costa First Novel Award-shortlisted novel, 'Coconut Unlimited' ('...a riot of cringeworthy moments made real by Shukla's beautifully observed characters and talent for teen banter.' Metro) and the Channel 4 Comedy Lab 'Kabadasses' starring Jack Doolan, Josie Long and Shazad Latif. His writing has featured on BBC2, Radio 4, and BBC Asian Network. He has performed at Royal Festival Hall, Book Club Boutique, Soho Theatre, The Big Chill and Latitude. He likes Spider-man comics. A lot.

In true Bands & Books style, we bullied Nikesh into telling us his favourite bands:

TV On the Radio, Public Enemy, Radiohead, Das Racist, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeffrey Lewis, Emmy the Great, Riz MC, Engine Earz Experiment, The Moldy Peaches, Cornershop, Outkast, 
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We made a mixtape of the above for your listening pleasure!
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Nikesh joins the October 21st Bands & Books lineup alongside  We Used To Make Things and several more top drawer acts to be announced shortly!  

Band Profile: We Used To Make Things

Bands & Books II takes place on Friday 21st October we'll be drip feeding our line-up over the next few days, the first act we're delighted to announce is We Used To Make Things:

"We Used To Make Things are an 8 piece who delve into the world of sweet pop music mined from the classic canon of Kinks, Zombies, Blur and The Beatles. Powered by brass and a kicking bottom end you are likely to find their uplifting music taking you to a place usually reserved for the likes of The Arcade Fire and The Muppets. At the heart of all of this though, are set simple, catchy and infectious songs that are also rolled out for intimate acoustic sets."

Currently working on new material and an "exciting collaboration", We Used To Make Things will be performing one of their intimate acoustic sets. As usual we nosed into the band's reading list and were not disappointed:

"The band are currently reading: Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray; Humphrey Jenning's Pandemonium; Dr Seuss' Cat In The Hat"

Well what better way to round out our first blog post about Bands & Books 2 than with a quote from the great man himself:

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” 
― Dr. Seuss

Whatcha reading?

When we decided to launch a night of hybrid hijinks and unite the London live literature scene with the London live band scene in a tryst of lustful depravity, we wondered what sort of people would turn up. Well. we need wonder no more!  Here's a rogue's gallery of Bands & Books 1 alumni: 

Come along to Bands & Books 2 at the Victoria, Mile End on the 21st October 2011 & be sure to bring whichever book you're currently reading!