Free picture disc launch gig, January 6

This Sunday we're giving away a picture disc. On one side there's the massively influential US indie legends Black Tambourine covering the much-loved Ramones classic "I Want You Around" (from BT's recent OneTwoThreeFour" double EP of Ramones covers) dubbed into submission by our good friend DJ Downfall. It's the first official remix of a Black Tambourine track ever, and we are very happy to have commissioned it, and proud to be releasing it.

On the other side we're delighted to present the first vinyl release by the excellent Owl & Mouse. If you pay attention to the Hangover Lounge then you know all about them, but they are attracting a lot of attention in the wider world at the moment, and it's well deserved. "Canvas Bags" was produced by Darren Hayman and sounds like a million dreamy bucks.

To mark the Hangover Lounge's first 7", we've got Pam Berry of Black Tambourine DJing and we've got Owl & Mouse playing a free gig.

Not just that, but there's also Enderby's Room, a project of Dan Mayfield who you may have noticed playing with Darren Hayman at Hangover Lounges in the past, playing a rare gig and Yushimi, who share some personnel and some style with our Argentine heroes and muses Hacia dos Veranos.

To whet your appetite, have a gander at Yushimi's I got trapped in a waiting room with my head against a Turner. The song is every bit as intriguing and seductive as the title suggests.

We open our doors at 2pm. The live music starts at 3pm sharp. See you there.

Coming Down in January

New Year, new danger, same old hangover. We're all going to be feeling a bit sorry for ourselves. We have therefore done what we can to line up a dirty great humdinger of a January for you. YOU! Isn't that nice?

JANUARY 6th: LAUNCH PARTY! LAUNCH PARTY! We'll be launching our giveaway picture disc, which I told you all about in the post-before-last in this blog. Come along and ask for a copy of the record, featuring Black Tambourine in dub AND newly minted stars of 6Music Owl & Mouse. Guest DJ set from none other than Pam Berry herself, AND AND AND live music upstairs featuring the aforementioned Owl & Mouse, plus rare sets from Enderby's Room, a project of Dan Mayfield who you may have noticed paying with Darren Hayman when Darren played with us PLUS PLUS PLUS Yushimi, who share some personnel and some style with our Argentine heroes and muses Hacia dos Veranos. We're going to be going on a lot more about HdV over the next month or two so watch out. This is going to be a very special day!

JANUARY 13th: we'll be enjoying a guest DJ set from our chum (and yours) sound man and sound man Mike Winship. Mike always plays a blinder.

JANUARY 20th: very special preview of the new show by legend of indie (TM) MJ HIBBETT (featuring Carsmile Steve, lest we forget), called TOTAL HERO TEAM. We don't know what to expect, except fun.

JANUARY 27th: we're delighted to welcome gentleman, connoisseur, journalist and all-round good guy Pete Paphides for a guest dj set. He's ace and we're stoked.

It's beginning to look a lot like GREAT STUFF TO BUY

Christmas presents, you say? All sorted? No? NO??

Here are some ideas for you.

1) Buy the beloved who has everything a copy of the new CHICKFACTOR. It's great, and the chance to buy a brand new Chickfactor after all these years shouldn't be missed. What's more the excellent Gaylord Fields has written this about the third Hangover Lounge EP:

"various artists: the third hangover lounge EP (hangover lounge)

if you live in or near london and you don't frequent the hangover lounge at the lexington on any given sunday, i hate you. even if you do, i still hate you, for a different reason, that being that I don't live anywhere near london. my emnity fades when I'm playing the six acoustic-insistent songs by artists who have graced that stage. the honor roll for hangover lounge compilation number three comprises standard fare (six strings and gentle persuasion); nat johnson and the figurines (catty and country pretty); would-be-goods (sultry and supper-club soulful); rachael dadd (heart-massaging folkiness without a grain of corn; louis philippe (domesticating a pet sounds classic; and fox (courting you slowly, like a good swain should). upon further listening, I've changed my mind. i love you all."

Thanks, Gaylord! We love you too.  

2) Buy yourself a copy of HLEP3, as reviewed above by Gaylord Fields. We still have some of these left and they are bleddy brilliant, honest. HLEP1 has gone now, I'm afraid, and we are having trouble finding the few copies of HLEP2 which we thought we had left. So grab HLEP3 while you can. To you, a fiver.

3) If you or your loved one is desperate for copies of HLEPs 1 & 2 then we still have a small handful of the HANGOVER LOUNGE: THE THREE EPs box sets available. I can see them from where I'm sitting. There are four of them. £20 and worth every handprinted penny. 

Coming Down In (what's left of) December

I know, I know, I'm supposed to o this before the month starts, but I was DRUNK and so were you, most likely. I hope so. Here's what we have coming along for your delectation for the rest of this month.

DECEMBER THE SIXTEENTH: double header on the guests today: you can enjoy the sweet sounds selected by David Arnold, who has taken on guitar duties with mod pop heroes THE CLAIM and THE JASMINE MINKS amongst others. Not only that but HEY! Remember the glory days of Track and Field? Ben sitting in the main bar of the Betsey sinking bottles of wine, while all around the KIDS of various ages were getting on with the kind of upstairs downstairs we can get behind? Yes? No? It doesn't really matter because Paul from T&F will be playing records with us and it will be GREAT. Not only that but he will be giving out a limited number of his legendary Xmas CDs to early arrivers. That is to ay, people who arrive soon after he arrives. When will he arrive? Who knows? It's a giant puzzle, like the Guardian giant cryptic crossword but sounding better.

DECEMBER THE TWENTY THIRD: admit to yourself that you're going to be buying some last minute Xmas presents, and then admit to yourself that once you're done with all that you fancy kicking back with some booze and hanging out with us. Mike Andrews used to run one of our favourite ever record shops and has developed an exquisite taste in music, which he will be sharing to ease your path to pre-Xmas relaxation. Mmmmm.

DECEMBER THE THIRTIETH: we'll be getting into practice for the big one the night after with the perennial treat of Harvey Williams playing records from his meticulously-assembled collection. It's likely to be smooooth and we are looking forward to it enormously. We love HArvey and we love his DJ sets.

See you there, then, then.

HL004: Black Tambourine / Owl & Mouse 7" picture disc - and it's free!

Since it's now been on real actual 6Music, it's probably time to tell you - wth some pride - about Hangover Lounge Records HL004, due out in January. It's a split single featuring Black Tambourine and Owl & Mouse, and it's free!

Hangover Lounge Records HL004: 
Black Tambourine: I Want You Around (DJ Downfall Redub)
Owl & Mouse: Canvas Bags

A RECORD YOU CAN'T BUY

It's not just a split single, not just our first 7" release, it's also the Hangover Lounge's first picture disc record - and it's not for sale. We've made this to the highest production values we can come up with, and we are giving it away. We think it's brilliant. 

Just in case you weren't sure, the Hangover Lounge happens every Sunday afternoon at The Lexington on London's attractive Pentonville Road, and anyone who wants a copy of the record just has to come along - it's free to get in - and ask for a copy. 

WHY? 

It seemed like a good idea.

WHAT'S ON THE RECORD?

One side - we have massively influential US indie legends Black Tambourine covering the much-loved Ramones classic "I Want You Around" (from BT's recent OneTwoThreeFour" double EP of Ramones covers) dubbed into submission by our good friend DJ Downfall. It's the first official remix of a Black Tambourine track ever, and we are very happy to have commissioned it, and proud to be releasing it. 

Other side - hot off the press we are delighted to present the first vinyl release by the excellent Owl &Mouse. If you pay attention to the Hangover Lounge then you know all about them, but they are attracting a lot of attention in the wider world at the moment, and it's well deserved. "Canvas Bags" was produced by Darren Hayman and sounds like a million dreamy bucks. 

HOW DO PEOPLE GET THIS THING AGAIN?

We're having a launch party on January 6th at The Lexington, with a handful of live-and-unamplified bands including Owl & Mouse playing upstairs, and the legendary Pam Berry from Black Tambourine DJing downstairs. The record will be available for nothing that day, and every Sunday after that until copies run out. You just have to come to the DJ booth and ask for a copy. That's it.

WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT THE RADIO?

Steve Lamacq played "Canvas Bags" on Friday, and you can hear it after 11 minutes or so here.  It sounds fab on the radio!

All-ages gig this Sunday, 25 November

No ID, no problem. This Sunday between 2 and 6pm, upstairs at the Lexington features The School, The Werewandas, Mi Mye and Alphabet Backwards live and amplified.

The Hangover Lounge will be operating as usual - refined and elegantly rakish - downstairs from 2pm. While you're here, whet your appetite with this splendid new video from The School for their bubblegum smash Why Do You Have To Break My Heart Again?

Name That Tune: "Weather Report" by The Tennors

"Hey", at least two people asked me yesterday, "what was that reggae version of "Only Living Boy In New York" ?" It was this, produced by Duke Reid in the late 60s. "Weather Report" by The Tennors. 

 

 

I've probably played this one more than any other record at the Lounge. I've definitely been asked about it more than any other. What a treat.

Coming Down In November

Well we've already cashed in our bonus hour of clock-going-forward sleep and the nights are drawing in and it's cold and it's rainy but HOT DAMN we're excited about what's coming up in November. Seriously, it's gonna be great.

NOVEMBER THE FOURTH! Two eminent friends of ours popping along to drop some exquisitely-tooled DJ sets for us: not only Tom Cox, music journalist and cat tickler but also Lounge favourite Darren Hayman, who promises us a set of English folk tunes to celebrate the release of his "The Violence" LP, which is, frankly, effing brilliant and utterly unique. There'll be a jumble sale upstairs as well. What a bargain.

NOVEMBER THE ELEVENTH: The excellent Robert Rotifer will be our guest DJ this afternoon, and there might be more special guests that day too, so keep 'em peeled for more news.

NOVEMBER THE EIGHTEENTH: it's the big one! The Chickfactor All-Dayer, part two of the London leg of our favourite fanzine's twenty-year celebrations. A proper galaxy of stars will be performing upstairs through the afternoon. The bad news is that it's a ticketed event and is all sold out. So we're sorry about that but it's not like we didn't warn you. Downstairs will be open as usual - though it'll likely be a bit busy - and some key figures in the celebrations will be playing records, so if you don't have a ticket but you fancy mingling please drop in and have a beer downstairs. 

NOVEMBER THE TWENTY FIFTH: DJ Downfall's birthday. There's nothing more to be said. It could get messy. It'll sound brilliant along the way. 

P.P. Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest

It's always a real joy to play this classic. That joy was amplified on Sunday when a punter thanked us for playing his favourite song. I suggested that the fan seek out P.P. Arnold's debut album, The First Lady Of Immediate; it's not easy to find but the reward is worth the hunt.

The record runs from taut, heart-rending balladry to punchy smashes to orchestral pop. Arnold wrote three of the tracks herself. Everything Is Gonna Be Alright is in Kev Roberts' Northern Soul Top 500. The producers include Mick Jagger, Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane and Andrew Loog Oldham. It's an album that must be reissued. You'll love it.

The First Cut Is The Deepest has been covered with greater commercial success, but Arnold's remains the definitive cut. There is a superb reggae version by Norma Fraser and that too gets spun at the club. But nothing else comes close.

Book Swap for Book Lovers, Sunday 21 October

This Sunday we’ve got a book swap happening. It’s simple: bring a book you’re finished with, someone takes it; you take a book someone else has finished with. Everyone’s happy.

You can bring more than one book, if you like. Any books left over will be taken to the local charity shop the next day by the lovely staff at the Lexington.

Coming Up In October!

Season of misty mellow tunefulness. Yes. It's already bloody October and it's time we told you all the good reasons for coming to visit the Lounge this month.

ONE! October 7th. It's Tim's birthday Hangover Lounge and he'd love you to join us for a drink or two. I am not sure why I am talking about myself in the third person but it's my birthday and I'll do what I bleeding well want thank you very much. There might be a special treat lined up for this afternoon. But it might not happen. Eyes peeled.
TWO! October 14th:  we have the privilege to welcome Ben Haggar as a guest DJ! Ben writes this ace blog on the underground, the leftfield, grarge, psych, weird and out there. He also plays in the mighty Give It Ups  who are sadly playing their last ever gig at the George Tavern on Sat Oct 20.
THREE! October 21st: we're still waiting on confirmation from a guest DJ on this Sunday but we'll let you know when we know. But you'll surely be needing some HL care and attention after the Give It Ups last show the night before.
FOUR! October 28th we'll be welcoming our friend Helen McCookerybook who'll be running her Club Artyfartle at the Lounge. Helen's set earlier this year was absolutely amazing, and Artyfartle sounds fab too http://www.thelexington.co.uk/event?id=1764
FIVE! It'll be November soon. Talking of November, there are only a small handful of Chickfactor show tickets left. Grab them while you can!

Believe the Hype!

Coming up this Sunday, we not only have a guest DJ set from the excellent Colm McCrory of Help Stamp Out Loneliness / Language of Flowers fame, but we're planning another of our board game afternoons, this time hosted by the lovely Karren from the Stolen Wine Social.

We are particularly excited at the prospect of getting stuck into a recent charity shop board game find: HYPE!

On the box it says "HYPE: The Only Boardgame with all the slime and grime of the Music Industry" (1983)".

Obviously, our experience with the HLEPs has made us experts on the music industry, but the rules were probably different in 1983. The game comes with it's own 12 inch single, which we promise not to play on Sunday. See you there, we hope.

Making Marks - Ticket Machine

Ahead of Making Marks' first UK tour [FEATURINNG AN UNMISSABLE ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE AT LONDON'S TRENDY HANGOVER LOUNGE THIS SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER AT 3PM) in preparation for their debut 7" single due in October, Fika Recordings has released the video for Ticket Machine. It features the four-piece performing at an Oslo bus stop, waiting for their regular 07:38 bus to work in the morning, delicately intertwined with archive footage from the 1946 informational short film, The Bus Driver, exploring the tension between optimism and realism.

Lead singer Ola Innset explains more: "The song is kind of dark. About as dark as an Oslo street in January, windy and cold, full of people waiting for the 07.38 bus to take them to work. A lot of people both lonely and nervous, who do their best - go to work and do all the things they're told to do. And we could have something better, maybe, but even hoping for it costs a lot, because it can be quite painful to hope for something better when it seems so inprobable that you'll get it, so somehow it's almost better not to hope, and just do your best and try to be content with the shit card life has dealt you. I guess this could be both on a personal level, as a hope for a more meaningful life, and on a more collective level as a hope for a less idiotic and unfair way of organizing society. And then there's a tiny love story in there, that didn't go well, and a middle 8 (is that what it's called) implying that we're so used to darkness/shit/misery/capitalism that anything else would seem so strange that we might not even be able to like it, the light would be to bright or something."

Design brilliance sale

Artist and graphic designer Tom Humberstone, who created this wonderful poster for us, is having a sketch sale. He's got some time on his hands so is "offering everyone with access to the internet and £30 the opportunity to commission me to draw them a sketch…

"The drawing will be produced in a one or two hour period using Indian ink on Bristol board. Black and white. And then posted at no extra cost. I’ll also scan and clean up the drawing so I can email a digital file of the image as well. The more complicated and ambitious concepts will most likely take longer and thus I’ll have to charge a little extra – but no more than £20. I will also do a one/two tone colour version of the digital image for those who would like it and are happy to pay an extra £10."

Yes, Team Hangover Lounge has put in an order. We'd have been fools not to.

Read all about it and see some of Tom's art

White Town and Making Marks free gig September 16

We're lucky to have White Town for the third time. The man himself is never hungover - the big-hearted fella comes all the way down from his East Midlands homestead to lay his healing hands on the hungover folk of London. We're delighted to have him back.

Fans will remember that at his revious Hangover Lounge gigs, Jyoti has had a guest chanteuse on Your Woman. First there was Elizabeth Morris, then there was Nat Johnson. This time round? Get your applications in now.



We're just as pleased to have Making Marks on the bill. Their debut 7", Ticket Machine, is out on the fine Fika label this autumn. It goes something like this: Making Marks - Ticket Machine by Fika Recordings

Just to prove how fine a label they are, Fika have issued a free MP3, Hard To Be Good.

The Lounge opens at 2pm. Live music starts at about 3pm.

Darren Hayman DJ set, new album and free single

Phew! In order, then:

1. Darren Hayman will be DJing at the Hangover Lounge this Sunday, 26 August. Like dub reggae but prefer a pint of ale to a strawberry daiquiri? You're in luck. Darren will be "dropping" the dub sounds in the relaxing environs of The Lexington, away from the hurly burly of the Notting Hill Carnival.

2. Darren's excellent new instrumental album about open-air swimming pools, Lido, will be available to purchase on the day. The packaging of both the swimming-pool-blue vinyl and the CD are sights to behold. The music, too, is terrific.

3. There's a free single from Lido to dip your toes in right now:

Coming Down in August

August: season of pissed and fruitful mellowness, yes it is.

 

Here's what we have coming around (again) this coming month.

 

AUGUST THE FIFTH: you already know about the Sir Mark Flunder-based shenanigans, at least you do if you have read the previous post on this blog. I won't insult you by repeating it, or by suggesting you are thinking about being elsewhere.

 

AUGUST THE TWELFTH: guest DJ slot from our friend Ian Watson, head honcho of beloved night out How Does It Feel To Be Loved. Bonzer times guaranteed.

 

AUGUST THE NINETEENTH: It's Steve's birthday! Expect bad bahaviour, and guest DJ slots from Ben Phillipson and *very likely some additional guest star DJs tba. I tried to count how many different bands I'd seen Ben play in just now, but I ran out of fingers and toes, and that's how I do my counting.

 

AUGUST THE TWENTY-SIXTH: Bank Holiday! Bank Holiday! We're still working on our Holiday offering to you but the sensible thing to do is to plan to come and mooch through the Sunday afternoon with us. You'll have the next day off, for goodness sake. We'll update you on plans soon.

 

Watch out! Back to school soon!

The McTells live on Sunday 5 August

The legendary McTells are playing at the Lexington this Sunday, 5 August. This is in all likelihood their last ever gig. You'd be mad to miss it. TICKETS A MERE FIVE POUNDS.

The McTells' Sir Mark Flunder makes the gig a triple whammy as he's also playing with Cee Bee Beaumont and The Fenestration (featuring Gina Davidson of The Marine Girls, no less).

Doors open at 7pm. The Hangover Lounge starts downstairs as usual at 2pm with soothing sounds and pre-gig drinking, dining and mingling opportunities.

Coming Down in July - Update special

I told you I'd be back to finish off the "coming up in June" post, and here I am. Here's what we'll be doing for the rest of the month:

JULY 22: it's Helen McCookerybook and Let's Wrestle doing one of our afternoon unamplified shows. Time Out says one or the other of them will be "amping up the volume" or somesuch: not if we can help it they won't.

(JULY 28: Quick reminder of the Saturday lunchtime Daylight Music / WIAIWYA / ITTPTC fandango. It's going to be amazing, yes it is.)

JULY 29: to coincide with the start of some sporting event down the road, but in no way connected with same, we'll be rocking out a selection of board games for the afternoon, and we'll be joined on the decks by our chum and yours Rob Brennan.

And that, my dears, takes us up to the end of July. Back for one of these relating to August before long. I can tell you're excited.

[edit yes yes July I meant July. You knew that.]

Tennis

The Wimbledon men's final will be shown at the Lexington tomorrow. And you can bet we'll be playing Petition by Tennis. Not because of any theme, but because it's one of the year's best singles.

Coming Up in July

Yeah yeah I know I've already missed one Hangover Lounge in July but the month played a dirty trick on my by springing a Sunday on the first of the month, and whats more it was a first of the month when we had a show on which had its own blog post so you already knew about that anyway. So just leave it out, alright?

It's July! It's summertime! It's time to rock out all those records about the sunshine and stuff! We have things happening. And here's what those things are:

July 8th: we have a pair of guest DJs on the 8th, one is our old friend Rob "Robster" Brennan, who's DJed for us lots of times and who we always ask back because he always ace and we love having him around. We'll also be joined by the marvellous ROZI PLAIN! We love Rozi enough to have been proud to include one of her songs on a Hangover Lounge EP but we've never heard her play records. But we reckon she'll bring her exquisite taste to bear, and she'll be great. She has a new LP coming out, which we haven't heard yet, but we're dead excited about it.

(It's not a Hangover Lounge, but if you miss the opportunity to see Go Sailor, GoldBears and The Pines play live upstairs at the Lexington on the night of Tuesday 10th you're crazier than you look.)

July 15th: Harvey Williams doesn't have a new LP coming out, more's the pity, but that doesn't mean we're not excited that he's coming to play a guest DJ set. Was Harvey the very first Hangover Lounge guest DJ? That is lost to history and our frankly flaky record-keeping, but he always plays effing brilliant records, and he's a proper chap too.

July 22nd: live music! With people playing live instruments and singing live and unamplified upstairs! Excellent. If you're reading the blog the details are down below. If you're using some fancy reader apparatus or somesuch then the details are here.  In short: the legendary Helen McCookerybook from The Chefs and Helen and the Horns and Helen McCookerybook! I saw her on Pebble Mill at One once, when I was off sick from school. And - AND - Let's Wrestle doing their thing in an acoustical way. This is going to rule.

(On Saturday 29th we'll be down at the Union Chapel at lunchtime: WIAIWYA's hosting one of those Saturday lunchtime Daylight Music events, this one to celebrate the release of his amazing It's The Taking Part That Counts release, and featuring Pete Astor, Hong Kong in the 60s and The Leaf Library. We'll be in the bar. I'm not being rude - that's where the music will be happening.)

July 29th: well, hasn't July just flown by? The bad news is I'm going to have to tell you that July 29th is TBC - we're just waiting on a confirmation from a guest DJ, and we'll update you as soon as we know for sure. Also look out for August 5th when we have a loud evening show with ampifiers and everything, by way of celebrating Sir Mark Flunder's birthday. He doesn't look a day older than when we first met him, you'd never believe he was about to turn 21. More of all that soon.

Helen McCookerybook and Let's Wrestle live, July 22

Romantic, indiepop pioneer and PUNK ROCK LEGEND Helen McCookerybook is playing a special acoustic gig on July 22. Helen will be playing classic tunes from her repertoire, including a couple of Chefs numbers.

"To me (Helen) is a national treasure." Martin Stephenson of the Daintees

Let's Wrestle take a break from recording their third album to make a return to the Lounge. Wes's previous gig for us was a treat so we're looking forward to this.

The Hangover Lounge opens at 2pm; live music will start at about 3pm. Yes, kids are welcome and food is available.

The Lobster Boat live at the Lexington, July 1

The Lobster Boat, numbering David Tattersall & Franic Rozycki (The Wave Pictures) + Howard Hughes & Billy Jet Pilot (Coming Soon) + Jean Thevenin, start their UK tour on Sunday July 1 at the Lexington.

You know their album, right? The offbeat hooks of Hefner, the unbridled charm of Jonathan Richman and the ragged noir of Robert Forster? Yes, that's the one. They'll be playing hits from that and more modern classics.

Buy your tickets.

And get a taste of The Lobster Boat live experience now:

Cattle and Cane by the Queensland Station

Let's hear it one more time for the dearly departed. Grant McLennan's Cattle and Cane was the last song played by the Queensland Station at their recent tribute gig (after some strong-arming from the Hangover Lounge management).

Here's the supergroup playing it in rehearsal:

The McTells gig 5 August 2012

The legendary Sir Mark Flunder is celebrating his 50th birthday by gigging with three of his bands, The McTells, Cee Bee Beaumont and The Fenestration, on Sunday August 5, 2012.

Much of the ticket allocation is taken up by the perennially popular Flunder's guest list, so we have just 40 tickets for sale. There may be more for sale later, but at this point we know we've got just the 40.

What else do you need to know? Doors to the upstairs gig open at 7pm. The Hangover Lounge will be downstairs as usual from 2pm. No, Sportique will not be performing. Lord Greg Webster has retired from the music scene and is now an eco warrior in Oxfordshire.

BUY TICKETS

This might be your only chance to see The McTells ever.

Coming down in June!

May may have divided itself into two distinct sections, weather wise, but the Hangover Lounge was pretty much 100% steady-state painful FUN. Well done everybody, especially those who turned out at short notice to see the Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin' be amazing on the hottest day of the year. Onwards, though, and downwards, it's time to look forward to a flaming June of Hangover Lounges, each perfectly-conceived in its own way. 

June 3rd: starting as we mean to go on, at the top o'the shop! We're welcoming our chums from Ellis Island Sound as guest DJs. We know that that could mean anything up to about 1500 different individuals but in this instance we're talking about exercising the exquisite taste of David Sheppard and Peter Astor who between them have a list of musical achievements so long that I'm not going to insult you by listing them here.

June 10th: two guests today - our good pal and Lounge regular Peter "J" Miller, enemy of the stars, will be laying down a set of great stuff before he wends his way out of the country for a bit. Also we're welcoming Robin Turner, who probably knows as much about drinking as the four HL regulars put together (NB this is an Olympian achievement), having recently published his second book about pubs. He's also part of the much-loved Caught By The River, AND a co-conspirator in the world of Heavenly Records. WHAT'S MORE he's a total gent. I once heard him DJ a load of birdsong. There's no doubt that this will be an interesting musical afternoon, albeit at a low volume. 

June 17th - In this little heatwave, it's pleasant to remember those chilly, Januarial times when we had that awesome Saturday afternoon at the Union Chapel with Birdie, the Would-be-goods and David Tattersall. Wasn't that amazing? The mastermind behind those Saturday specials, and member of The Arctic Circle, Ben Eshmade will be our guest DJ. What a delightful fellow. And there's one of those excellent Wills-Moody Jumble Sales taking place upstairs. 

June 24th - Monster Bobby's coming to DJ. MONSTER BOBBY! He's an indie svengali, you know, and we are always dead impressed by anyone who'll come up with the kind of schemes which saw him bring a bleddy orchestra to the Hangover Lounge last time he visited us. We don't really know what he's going to play but we're looking forward to it anyway. 

And that's it, June in a nutshell. I know it's not june but it's worth noting that on July the 1st we are putting on our first ever grown-up evening show on the Sunday evening: we're welcoming The Lobster Boat Band (David Tattersall and Howard Hughes, who the eagle-eyed may have spotted contributing to out 2nd EP, few copies still available etc etc) and I'm willing to bet there'll be some pre-Indietracks shenanigans happening that day as well. 

David Westlake and Queensland Station footage

The music and spirit of Grant McLennan were remembered in fine style on 6 May. David Westlake, whose band The Servants supported The Go-Betweens in 1986, remained a lifelong friend of McLennan.

This was David’s first gig in 11 years. It was an estimable return. If after watching David’s stylish take on Casanova’s Last Words your first thought is “great syncopation” it won’t surprise you to learn that David is a university poetry lecturer.



Queensland Station is a supergroup numbering from left to right David Sheppard, Pete Astor, Ben Phillipson and Phil King. Firstly, you see them in rehearsal:



Secondly, you see them in performance:



Both David Westlake and Pete Astor reminisced about the time they’d spent with Grant and what they’d learned from him as friends and songwriters. It was an afternoon of great music and warm memories. Did anyone say love goes on? It does.

This Sunday, 3 June, we're delighted to welcome back the Queensland Station's Pete Astor and David Sheppard as our guest DJs.

The Three EPs Box Set

In honour of the Independent Label Market which will be held at Spitalfields Market this Saturday (19th May), we have created a special box set of the three Hangover Lounge EPs. It's super-limited, there are 25 of these in the world, of which 20 will be on sale on the day. The other 5, we're keeping.

Here's how it looks:

1. The box itself is a 10" cardboard box with a handprinted postcard, like so:

2. Open up the box and here's what you'll find:

Sitting on top of a hand-printed and numbered piece of felt are a specially handprinted and numbered beermat:

PLUS! a track-listing poster beautifully designed by none other than Pam Berry, who's played such an important part in making the regular EP covers so lovely:

PLUS! a selection of Hangover Lounge badges

Under the felt you'll find three beautiful pieces of vinyl, the three EPs themselves, of which we are all very proud. And, y'know, it's all about the music, man. 

Come and see us at the Fortuna Pop! stall on Saturday. And buy a box set, if you want. To you, £20. Christmas is coming. Yes it is.

Saint Etienne album launch and Q&A Sunday 20 May

Saint Etienne's long-awaited eighth album is out on Monday May 21. You can hear the words and music a day earlier when we have a playback and then a Q&A when you can ask Bob, Pete and Sarah some questions.

You probably already know that Words and Music By Saint Etienne is about:

• how music affects your life

• how it defines the way you see the world as a child

• how it can get you through bad times in unexpected ways

• how songs you’ve known all your life can suddenly develop a new attachment and hurt every time you hear them.

This Sunday you can put your hands in the air and ask them more about their new album, and anything else you fancy.

Playback: 2.30pm

Q&A: 3.30pm

Coming Up in MAY!

This is the first of what will be - If we can summon up the self-discipline and the inclination - a monthly update of what's coming up at the Hangover Lounge month by month, with a side order of Sunday goodies at the Lexington more generally, when we know. You may or may not have noticed but next month is the month of May, so that seems like the correct month to tell you about. 

Here's what's on: 

May 6: it's a big day for us - it's our second Grant McLennan tribute day, with a stellar cast of musicians playing live, plus Djs from Second Language records guesting on the decks. More details about what's going on here. What's more the next day's a very special Bank Holiday - up the workers and up the Fortuna Pop live most-of-the-dayer featuring a ton of good stuff. It'd be rude not to be at both, really.

May 13: A selection of top guests today, including ace music writers Dorian Lynskey and Mark Sinker, plus a special guest to be announced. If we remember. And upstairs there's one of those awesome Wills and Moody jumble sales. 

May 19: It's a Saturday, and Saturdays are days for working up hangovers, not working them off. But at least one, and maybe more than one, HL person will be visible at the Independent Label Market at Spitalfields Market. There's every chance of spotting someone at Mason and Taylor afterwards, too. BEER. You may be interested to hear that we're working on a very special, super-limited edition of the The Hangover Lounge EPs for sale on the day, but there'll be more blogging about that before it all happens. 

May 20: One day we'll all have listings in the IMDB, but our guest on the 20th will be filmmaker and good egg Giles Borg , should be a fascinating listen. Do yourself a favour and watch this: http://wn.com/heavenly__space_manatee

May 27: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!!! It's our fourth birthday, and we are celebrating by having ALL (or possibly NEARLY ALL) of Allo Darlin' and the Wave Pictures plaing DJ sets. I have a feeling this might be carnage but it should be entertaining carnage. Expect the usual freebies, which may or may not include special edition beermats and delicious cakes. Soon it'll be June, but there's a lot of May to enjoy first.

The Go-Betweens demonstration disc

This QUADRUPLE promo box was issued in 2004. 3 CDs contain the music - everything that came out on the final 3 double CD reissues, nothing more - and 1 CD contains all manner of photos, quotes, interviews and a biography.

There were about 200 of these made, I vaguely remember. I stuck the labels on the first 100. That really is my claim to fame.

The fourth disc is corrupted. All I could get from it was one photo. So my award-winning* Go-Betweens biography is now the holy grail for the rock'n'roll hall of fame.**

*I got paid

**let's be honest, they'd be happier to secure Blackout Crew's Donk.

Lawrence of Belgravia at Riverside Studios, May 2

The Hangover Lounge minibus (like The A-Team's van only with more windows and fewer heavy weapons) will be going to the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith to watch (again) the excellent Lawrence of Belgravia film.

Lawrence and director Paul Kelly will be doing a Q+A afterwards. If you want even more Paul Kelly, then the band he's in, Birdie - with the legendary Debsey Wykes, once of Dolly Mixture - released the excellent Message To The Sun on the second Hangover Lounge ep
Birdie - Message to the Sun by wiaiwya
Buy the ep

the Second Hangover Lounge ep (incl P&P)

UK (incl P&P) £7.00 Europe (incl P&P) £8.00 Americas (incl P&P) £10.00 Aus/NZ/Far East (incl P&P) £11.00

Aug Stone guest DJ April 29

We doff our collective cap to the writer, musician and gentleman Mr Aug Stone, who will be gracing the Hangover Lounge this week.

Writer? You should read his recent excellent interview with underground pop genius Martin Newell of The Cleaners From Venus.

Musician? You should listen to some of his many projects. If you're dipping your toes in the water for the first time, H Bird is a good place to start. There's a list of all Aug's musical projects on his blog, with free songs for your listening pleasure.

Gentleman? The ladies say so and they do not lie.

Record Store Day: the third Hangover Lounge ep

The third Hangover Lounge 10" ep hits the shops on record store day this Saturday. And what a belter it is, featuring no less than:

Standard Fare – Darth Vader

Nat Johnson and the Figureheads - Wifery

Louis Philippe - Don’t Talk

Rachael Dadd featuring ICHI - Window

The Would-Be-Goods - No More Tear-Stained Make Up

Fox - Flowers



Can't get to the shops on Saturday? Relax. You can buy the record online from us.

Grant McLennan tribute gig - May 6

We'll be marking the sixth anniversary of the death of one our favourite songwriters, Grant McLennan, on May 6. After our first McLennan tribute gig last year, a few musicians put their hands in the air and said they'd love to do something next time. Greater interest from others followed.

Queensland Station

Featuring Pete Astor of indie legends The Loft and The Weather Prophets, Phil King (Jesus and Mary Chain, Lush) and Ben Phillipson (Eighteenth Day Of May, Comet Gain).

Pete Astor, who knew Grant in the 1980s when they were both musicians on the London indie scene, said: “Grant McLennan was a lovely person, who also wrote brilliant songs. He always carried himself with dignity and poise and I’m very grateful to have had the chance to have spent time with him, as well as learn about music from a great songwriter. He was also always a pleasure to get drunk with.”

David Westlake

What a coup! David worked with The Go-Betweens in his first band, The Servants. After The Servants supported The Go-Betweens on tour, that band’s Robert Forster, Robert Vickers and Amanda Brown joined David Westlake to record a BBC radio session for the Janice Long show in 1987. Amanda Brown played violin on The Servants’ seminal single The Sun, A Small Star.

Guest DJs

Glen and David from the beautifully boutique Second Language record label will be doing a spot on the decks. David will also be joining Queensland Station to keep the Lindy Morrison beat.

Hangover Lounge 2-9pm

David Westlake 3.30pm

Queensland Station 4.15pm

Darondo - I'm Gonna Love You

Darondo drove a white Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, was a California property magnate and lived well. He also made some fantastic records. His 1974 single I'm Gonna Love You still sounds fresh out of the box. It's got Al Green's soft punch, The Isley Brothers' strut, The O'Jays' jubilance and Marvin's swagger.
The Listen To My Song collection has got more like that, you know:

Amor de Dias, Andy Strickland and Owl + Mouse free gig

Sunday March 18. The Hangover Lounge starts at 2pm, the live music from about 3pm.

Amor de Días (Spanish for “love of days”) the secret supergroup formed by Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele and Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas, are playing a special free gig before they head off on a European tour with The Magnetic Fields.

Andy Strickland, once of Creation Records legends The Loft and fondly remembered indie band The Caretaker Race, is making his solo debut 21 years after The Caretaker Race split. Andy has written a couple of new songs for the occasion. And he'll be joined by Caretaker Race bandmate Andy Deevey on guitar. You've got to come along.

Owl + Mouse is the project of London-based singer/songwriter Hannah Botting. Soon after moving to London from Australia in 2008 she bought a cheap ukulele and taught herself to play by learning as many Magnetic Fields songs as she could. Hannah’s own songs are spare, haunting and richly imaginative.

Clay Pipe Music guest DJs

On Sunday, March 18, we're delighted to welcome Frances and John from Clay Pipe Music as our guest DJs.

They'll be playing soothing songs in the afternoon as well as bringing "units" from their fine catalogue - all hand-crafted and very special - to meet the purchasing requirements of the discerning shopper.

Rachael Dadd with ICHI on steel pan - Window

We’ve been honoured to have Rachael Dadd as a live guest at the Hangover Lounge and even more pleased to be releasing Window, a modern folk classic which finds Rachael at the top of her game.

Brittle guitars tumble, hopes are raised, love is commemorated and the folk tradition burns anew. Did someone mention Shirley Collins? Truly in that league.

In this brand new version of Window, one of the stand out songs from last year's superb Bite The Mountain album, Rachael is joined by ICHI on steel pan. Here's an excerpt so you can try before you buy.

Fox - Flowers

A distinctly odd song given a distinctly atmospheric treatment by fox, aka world of fox, aka lonesome fox (we call him ‘Simon’). Galaxie 500’s early song Flowers sounds just as haunting in fox’s hands, only different.

Ethereal, shifting and built on sand, Flowers sounds like nothing else. The lyrics remain unchanged, of course, and we’re still left scratching our heads at “Feeling a plastic mood/Buildings have got to change/Cos baby you’re a lunatic”.
FLowers is available on the third Hangover Lounge ep alongside exclusive tracks from The Would-Be-Goods, Standard Fare, Nat Johnson and the Figureheads, Louis Philippe and Rachael Dadd.

Louis Philippe - Don't Talk

Gentleman, scholar and multi-instrumentalist Louis Philippe adds to his rich and varied career with this stunning interpretation of The Beach Boys’ classic.

Such is the versatility and adventure of this arrangement, you hardly know it’s a cover; the soft desperation of the vocal, the sturm und drang of the strings, and the subtle increase in sonic and emotional pressure surely demand that Louis gets co-writing credit with Brian Wilson for this version.
Don't Talk is available on the third Hangover Lounge ep alongside exclusive tracks from The Would-Be-Goods, Standard Fare, Nat Johnson and the Figureheads, Fox and Rachael Dadd.

The Would-Be-Goods: No More Tear-Stained Make Up

What a brave choice of cover version! Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ No More Tear-Stained Make Up is one of the key songs from Watchout!, one of the classic albums of Motown’s golden age.

As you might expect from The Would-Be-Goods, they steal a win by stripping the song back to its bare bones, matching Jessica’s raw emotional vocal delivery with Peter’s pared – and spare – electric rhythm guitar. This is a quiet triumph. You’ll love it.

No More Tear-Stained Make Up is available on the third Hangover Lounge ep alongside exclusive tracks from Louis Philippe, Standard Fare, Nat Johnson and the Figureheads, Fox and Rachael Dadd.

The Would-Be-Goods are playing at the Union Chapel shortly after noon on Saturday 21 January on a bill starring Hangover Lounge ep alumni David Tattersall and Birdie. It's a free gig, you know.

Standard Fare - (Acoustic) Darth Vader

Darth Vader is the father of Darth Vader

You what?
This acoustic version of Darth Vader was recorded especially for the third Hangover Lounge ep by Standard Fare before they “cut” their latest (wonderful) album Out Of Sight, Out Of Town which features an electric Darth Vader.

Shouldn’t it have come out first then?
And spoil the reveal that (Acoustic) Darth Vader is actually the father? No.

Excuse my cynicism, but I’m not convinced you’d risk having the worldwide exclusive of a new Standard Fare song and wait until its progenitor had been released before you unleashed it on the world.
You’re right. We were looking at a November release originally, but co-ordinating 6 acts, some of whom ‘forgot’ to submit their songs, quite possibly due to drug-induced delusions, forced us to re-schedule.

Really? Name names.
Nope. The important lesson that all of us can come away with is that (Acoustic) Darth Vader was worth waiting for. We’re delighted to be releasing it.

I'd love to see the mighty Standard Fare play (Acoustic) Darth Vader live.
You're in luck. They're playing a free gig on Sunday 22 January at the Hangover Lounge.

Brilliant! What would be even better is if I could buy (Acoustic) Darth Vader on 10" vinyl with exclusive songs by 5 other top artists.
Today really is your lucky day.

Nat Johnson and the Figureheads - Wifery

Ahead of the release of their second album ‘I’m Across, I’m Ashore’ (14 Feb 2012 on Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation) Nat Johnson and the Figureheads present the exclusive acoustic lullaby of Wifery.

As lovely as it’s lonely, Wifery matches the haunting pastoralism of English folk music with sharp-eyed domestic heartbreak. One of their very best songs? We’re certain of it. You can order the third Hangover Lounge 10" ep which features Wifery and exclusive tracks by Standard Fare, Louis Philippe, fox, Rachael Dadd and the Would-be-goods or buy it when Nat Johnson plays at the Hangover Lounge on Sunday 22 January.

Hacia Dos Veranos

Hacia Dos Veranos remain the world's most enigmatic and charasmatic band by following their Hangover Lounge release The Cat & Cucumber, about a cafe in Bermondsey, with The Way Of The Hand And Foot, a song about tae kwan do. Fans of Michael Head and the Strands, The Clientele and Felt - and everyone who's ever drawn the conclusion that Love's Forever Changes is one of the greatest albums - will love Argentina's Hacia Dos Veranos.

They're making their long-awaited return to the UK stage at the Hangover Lounge on September 22. It's going to be pretty special. In the meantime, have a listen to The Way Of The Hand And Foot.

Birdie return to the stage

For those of you who haven't written marked your diary in red pen, Birdie are returning to the stage. We're delighted to weclome Debsey and Paul back to the stage. And what a stage! It's the main hall of the Union Chapel. Doors open at midday. The Would-be-goods are first on, followed by Birdie with David Tattersall finishing things up. It's free, you know.

You probably don't need further encouragement, but here's Message To The Sun by Birdie from the second Hangover Lounge ep.
Birdie - Message to the Sun by wiaiwya

The Lost Weekend

We're hosting two afternoon gigs on Saturday 21 January and Sunday 22 January featuring David Tattersall, Birdie, The Would-be-goods, Standard Fare, Nat Johnson and Hacia Dos Veranos. Nothing you fancy in that musical feast? Get your lugs checked out.

On the Saturday we're decamping just up the road to the Union Chapel where the live music starts at midday. On the Sunday we're at our usual Hangover Lounge home at the Lexington from 2pm.

This weekend will be your first opportunity to buy the third Hangover Lounge 10" ep which includes exclusive acoustic tracks from Standard Fare, The Would-be-goods, Nat Johnson, Louis Philippe, Rachael Dadd and Fox.

Both gigs are free. Children are welcome at both venues.