Charles Latham and The Left Outsides: free gig November 24

Charles Latham is the star of our split 7" picture disc with Withered Hand. On Sunday November 24 he's joining us with Ellie Brooks, who sang on Hard On.

You might know Withered Hand's brilliant cover. What it misses is Ellie's vocals. Charles says:

I don't think anyone's been able to recapture my friend Ellie Brooks' second vocal. She came up with the part while singing along when I played the song at a friend's house in Brighton shortly after having written it. I used to spend most evenings at the flat of my friends Jimmy and Eleanor, who were at the time a duo (now a full band) called The Bobby McGees. They were and still are my favorite band. Anyway, I would go to their flat and we'd take turns sharing songs. Ellie was living with them at the time, and she was sitting around with us and started singing along with the tune. I'd either brought my recording machine or brought it the next time, and we sang it a couple more times and just went upstairs and recorded it. The noise at the beginning is a false start because the phone started ringing.

We've been asking The Left Outsides to play for the past 4 years. Good things come to those who wait.


This is an especially early gig. The Left Outisdes start at 2.45 with Charles at 3.15. Entrance is free.

Bob Stanley book signing 3 November

Bob Stanley will be signing copies of his book Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. It's an informative, amusing and passionate appraisal of the late-20th century's greatest art form, written with the warmth of a fan's beating heart and the insight of a critic's sharp eye.

You can buy the book on the day for the knockdown price of £17. And Bob will be DJing. Given his previous DJ sets, that alone is enough of a reason to come down.

Words and Music at the Hangover Lounge

4 authors are DJing at the Hangover Lounge on consecutive Sundays in November.

Volume 1, November 3: Bob Stanley
Bob Stanley’s Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop is a thorough – and thoroughly enjoyable – tour of popular music’s rich tapestry. Bob launched Words and Music by Saint Etienne at the Lounge last year with an exclusive Q&A. He’s DJed for us a few times before, always with excellent results. This time will be just as entertaining and engaging.

Volume 2, November 10: Sam Knee
A Scene In Between: Tripping Through the Fashions of UK Indie Music 1980-1988 is Sam Knee’s fascinating journey through the then-unheralded anoraks, oversized jumpers, leather trousers, bowlcut hairdos, blouse shirts and stripy t-shirts of 80s indie. Sam will be playing records by those now-heralded indie musicians.

Volume 3, November 17: Travis Elborough
Travis Elborough returns to the Lounge following publication of A London Year: 365 Days of City Life in Diaries, Journals and Letters.

A London Year vividly evokes moments in the lives of Londoners in the past, providing snapshots of the city’s inhabitants at work, at play, in pursuit of money, sex, entertainment, pleasure and power.

Travis’s bibliography includes The Long-player Goodbye: How Vinyl Changed the World, so he knows his records. His previous Hangover Lounge DJ sets have proved he’s capable of playing a relaxing set of high-quality refinement.

Volume 4: Richard King
Richard King has spent 20 years in the independent music business during which time he has worked at Domino Records as an A&R and world-class envelope stuffer.

He’s also the author of the acclaimed How Soon Is Now? the Madmen & Mavericks Who Made Independent Music.

The Sunday Times made it their music book of the year 2012:

“Beautifully researched, and unafraid to display a deep love of its subject on every page. Exhaustive and reflective, this is the definitive work on one of Briain's great artistic booms.”

Coming Down This October

We've begun October already with a rootin' tootin' rock 'n' roll show with Rozi and Emma and some very special guests but you've already seen and enjoyed it or missed it and regretted it. Never fear, though, we've a ton of good stuff coming up. 

OCTOBER THE THIRTEENTH! Lucky for some, those some being the people who are there to enjoy Dan Mayfield's marvellous handmade record players which are incredibly cool. Accompanying music will be provided by our pals the legendary David Tattersall and the equally-but-differently legendary "Prog" Rob. This will all be great. 

OCTOBER THE TWENTIETH! Guest DJing today will be members of Talulah Gosh, The Dentists, The Would-be-goods, Armitage Shanks, Heavenly, The Claim Ft Vic Templar and Scarlet's Well, also a published poet and author and a publisher. WHAT??? We're delighted to be hosting a double header guest DJ slot featuring perennial pop dons Ian Greensmith and Peter Momtchiloff.  

OCTOBER THE TWENTY SEVENTH! while the delightful Karren and Sandy of the Stolen Wine Social Club play excellent records, Greg (who in this company has the role of chum, husband or brother-in-law depending on who he's sitting next to) will be rocking out his collection of fascinating and strange board games. Come along and sit in on a game, you'll be very welcome. 

All of the above comes with a side order of the usual mixture of good company, good music and sore heads. 

Keep your eyes out and your reading specs on for advance warning of a decidedly literary Hangover Lounge November, with a string of published authors coming to play records and another live show on Nov 24th (diarise THAT, suckers), but more of all that soon enough. 

Emma Kupa and Rozi Plain live October 6

Emma Kupa is a long-time Hangover Lounge favourite. We loved her old band Standard Fare so much that we released (Acoustic) Darth Vader .

We were so excited by her solo career that we saw her first gig in March .
And promptly begged booked her to play at the Lounge as soon as she could. Which is Sunday October 6.

We're equally delighted to welcome back Rozi Plain. You'll surely remember her fantastic When Are You Coming? COME ON! from the second Hangover Lounge 10" EP.

You surely won't have forgotten her Hangover Lounge gig in 2010. If you weren't there, do yourself a favour and come along this time. We start at 2pm, the live music starts at 3pm.

My Love Is Your Love (Forever) by The Isley Brothers

Motown barely bothered with The Isley Brothers. Big mistake. When they returned to their own T-Neck label in 1969 the American public knew what Berry Gordy didn’t – The Isley Brothers' records were so great that they would sell by the million.

My Love Is Your Love (Forever) is the songwriting genius of the young Stevie Wonder (yearning, desperate, pleading innocence) and Ivy Jo Hunter (dramatic master of soaring strings and thumping piano). Motown shelved it. Had this come out in the summer of 67, it would have stayed at number one all summer.

As it was, the Miracles’ inferior version (what are those drums doing? where is the atmosphere?) came out as an album track. When The Isley Brothers were selling millions worldwide, Motown released their version on a Dutch compilation album in 1972. Big mistake. Even then, a single release would’ve seen them number one all summer long.

Now? Any Sunday we play this, it sounds like one of the greatest records ever.

Advance Warning! Live music on October 6th

We'll tell you more about this shortly but this is a swift note to say HEY! Get October 6th in your diaries! Live and unamplified as usual in the afternoon we'll be welcoming EMMA KUPA, formerly of Standard Fare, and ROZI PLAIN, continuingly of Rozi Plain. It will be excellent. More soon.

A new beermat...

... which we'll be giving away to the first 20 or so people who ask for one this Sunday. Pam Berry and Mike Jones are playing records, too, which is a better reason to come.

Coming up in the remainder of August and also September too!

In the words of the song by Twice As Much which I've been playing quite a lot lately, The Summer's Ending. Minds turn sadly to the long slog through to Christmas, shortening days and coldening weather. Chin up though! For any given misery-drenched Monday morning there's the opportunity to stave off the dread of the week ahead with a Sunday afternoon kicking back at the Hangover Lounge.

Here's what we have in store for us. You. For you. Yes, that's right. Here's what we have in store for you: 

SUNDAY THE TWENTY FIFTH OF AUGUST: Bank Holiday Sunday, no work tomorrow, no need to hold back on that delicious bottle of American beer which you've been eyeing but turning down due to good sense. We have top drawer guest DJs to entertain and beguile you as well, by which I mean Messrs Pete Astor and David Sheppard returning once again to grace the Lexington. Learned, erudite, and as much of a pleasure to hear them DJ as it is to hear them play. Our advice is to come along and get pleasingly drunk. 

SUNDAY THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER: Two of our favourite people in the world, people who've been our regular collaborators and co-conspirators, goodness knows how many times they've DJed for us and yet they never get boring: the two and only PAMELA BERRY and MICHAEL JONES. If I wasn't going to be there anyway I would be saying "I am SO there" right now. 

SUNDAY THE EIGHTH OF SEPTEMBER: Another guest drawn from our friends and regulars. You know Nick Pettigrew? Quite likely you've met him at the Lounge at some point, putting the rest of us to shame with his dapper demeanour and ready wit. He also has exquisite taste in music and is going to demonstrate such for us. 

SUNDAY THE FIFTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER: PHWOAR! First of all we have LIVE and

unamplified music upstairs in the usual style, this time featuring none other than the not-less-than-legendary COMET GAIN! Plus as yet UNANNOUNCED ADDITIONAL LIVE TREAT(S). Which we'll tell you about in due course, of course.

Not only that but we will be welcoming for a first-ever Hangover Lounge guest spot DAVID CALLAHAN of The Wolfhounds (and indeed Moonshake, amongst other good things). I first saw David play live seventeen years ago, give or take six weeks. He's been something of a hero to me ever since and I can't wait to hear him play records.

More on all of these shenanigans sooner rather than later.


SUNDAY THE TWENTY SECOND OF SEPTEMBER: another lead singer of one of our favourite ever bands getting busy with the Lexington dexington, this time Mister Josh Gennet of the band "Holiday" and the quality "Awesome". He's DJing and he will be an absolute wonder, as always.

SUNDAY THE TWENTY NINTH OF SEPTEMBER: he was the bassist in Help Stamp Out Loneliness and Language of Flowers, he's a firecely fine fellow and he hasn't DJed for us in far too long. His name is Colm McCrory and we, collectively, love him. And we know you do too.

Blimey! That was a lot to tell you about. You can stick your summer where the sun don't shine. This month-and-a-bit is going to be fantastic!  

Enderby's Room and very special guests - live on Sunday!

ENDERBY'S ROOM: one of those bands you know you like, and when you hear them you realise you really, really like them, right? That's how it works for me, anyway. Enderby's Room will be playing live and unamplified on Sunday, and Im very pleased about that because I was out of town when they played at the Union Chapel recently and everyone came back raving about how good they were. Are.
Listen:

As well as Enderby's Room we will be genuinely delighted to welcome another live act on Sunday, but we can't tell you who they are. You'll be pleased if you come, that's all we're saying.

And if that isn't excited enough then our friend and all-round top quality human being BILL from the band Allo Darlin will be gracing us with a DJ set.

We'll be there from 2pm as usual. All the live music fun will start somewhere around 3.30pm, depending on the extent to which we have our act together. Come and say hello.

Charles Latham session

Charles Latham, who co-stars with Withered Hand on our new split picture disc, recorded a session for Song, by Toad. It features 4 old favourites, all sounding ace, and there's an interview, too.

Try this for starters and then go and watch all the others over on Song, by Toad.

We're looking forward to meeting the Song, by Toad folk this Saturday at the Independent Label Market, where you can buy the picture disc.

What does it look like? Like this:

What does it sound like? Like this:

Picture disc available at Independent Label Market

We're getting the brand new Withered Hand and Charles Latham picture disc from the pressing plant this week. You can be among the first to have a copy if you come to the Independent Label Market this Saturday 13 July at Spitalfields Market.

Not only that, but there are special wooden badges designed and made by Pam Berry.

Hacia Dos Veranos' Limay album will be for sale, too. You need this record:

We're sharing a stall with Fika (who've just released the Bugbears album by Darren Hayman and the Short Parliament), OddBox (the Tyrannosaurus Dead EP is onee of the year's most exciting releases) and Darren Hayman himself, who's painted some test pressings especially for the occasion.

New picture disc starring Withered Hand & Charles Latham

Stepping out with a new band, and joined by Pam Berry of seminal DC noisepopsters Black Tambourine, Withered Hand return to the fray with 'King Of Hollywood', a storming statement of intent from Edinburgh's DIY urban worriers.

Even more riotously melodic than Withered Hand’s last 7”, 2012’s 'Heart Heart' on Fence Records, 'King Of Hollywood' channels Neil Young’s Rust Never Sleeps, The Animals’ gutsy grit and the urgency of America’s classic alternative rock underground. Dan Willson pens a delightful elegy to his mentor, King Creosote, with a typically delicious sardonic lyric:

“I fell asleep watching a buzz band, I peeked out under my hood, some of the people there were losing their shit, please let me be misunderstood.”

'King of Hollywood' is a true garage version of a song that will feature on Withered Hand’s second album in more polished form, due for release in early 2014.

Tennessee’s Charles Latham has been self-releasing music digitally for 10+ years. “Hard On”, from Latham’s first full-length album, 2006’s “Pretty Mouth”, has been covered by many artists, including Withered Hand. “Next To Nothing Blues” is the first of his songs to appear on vinyl, a split 7” picture disc with, yes, Withered Hand.

“Next To Nothing Blues” is a 2:45-in-the-morning tune, aching with bittersweet late-summer malaise. It could be a cut from the musical version of a John Cheever novella set at a formerly grand country estate in the early 1970s, the score co-written by Ray Davies, Rufus Wainwright and the ghosts of Elliott Smith and Vic Chestnutt, performed by an Appalachian chamber quartet.

Want! How can I buy this record?
Mail order from the bandcamp, or direct from either of the artists, or from a few record shops and mail order outlets. We're sorting that out now.

Released: 5 August 2013

Scott & Charlene's Wedding free gig July 14

Craig Dermody from Scott & Charlene's Wedding is playing an acoustic gig for us on Sunday July 14. This is particularly exciting for me as they're one of my favourite bands. Fakin' NYC from their second album, Any Port In A Storm, is in the same vein as last year's essential EP - the nagging insistence of Teenage Fanclub, the languid tunes of Real Estate (Alex Bleeker's songs, to be precise) and the trebly rebellion of The Modern Lovers’ Longbranch Saloon sound.


Craig came to the Lounge today. He's a top bloke and really looking forward to playing an acoustic gig. So are we. You can buy the new album at the gig. There might even be some Scott & Charlene's Wedding t-shirts, all painted by Craig, left.

Mathew Sawyer is playing a special acoustic set, too. Just imagine how good the already amazing I Got Lost In Hammersmith, for example, is going to sound.

Mathew - at last! - has a new album out in October.

The Lounge starts at 2pm. The live music starts at 3pm.

Coming down in the dregs of June

Yeah yeah, I'm late with this this month, stop your nagging, you're not my mother (unless you are actually my mother reading this, which is not impossible, in which case sorry Mum, I'll try harder next month).

June's half gone already! We've been drawing breath and taking it a bit easy after the travails of May. We're working on shows AND a brand new record in the next month or two, but more of that when it's time to tell you more of that. For now, here's what's coming up in the remainder of June.

JUNE THE SIXTEENTH - It's the Hangover Lounge's first ever DORIS DAY - all four of the HL chaps' partners are gong to be rocking the decks on one glorious afternoon. This will be FUN, probably MORE FUN THAN USUAL, especially since Carlie, Gwen, Jenn and Sue are well known for having more exquisite taste than their respective worse halves.
What's more, there will be celebration tinged with sadness as we say ta-ra to Robyn - it'll be her last Hangover Lounge behind the bar, as she's leaving the Lexington to start running her own alehouse in WATFORD. We love Robyn and if you've been to the Hangover Lounge half as much as you should have, we bet you love her too. Come and buy her a drink and say cheerio. Buy us one while you're at it, and say cheers.


JUNE THE TWENTY THIRD - our Canadian Chum Michael White, who's busy writing a book about Sarah Records, will be playing some records, if he manages to survive the excitement of the Scared To Get Happy shows the night before. There may be another guest this afternoon, we'll let you know.

JUNE THE THIRTIETH - it's not an HL event, but upstairs in the evening there's a benefit show in tribute to the late Jason Molina, ranged by our great friends at Scared To Dance, and featuring our great friends The Wave Pictures and Rotifer, plus additional very secret very special guests who are also great friends of ours, even if we're not allowed to tell you who they are. It'll be a great night and you should probably just buy yourself a ticket or two. Yes Mum, that includes you.
We haven't confirmed any actual guest DJs for the afternoon yet, but we're working on something appropriate, and appropriately awesome.

Until July,  chums. Keep out of the sun. It burns.

Now We Are FIVE!

Please be good enough to allow us a brief moment of self-indulgence: we had a delightful birthday party and here is the evidence, in alphabetical order:

Amor De Dias looking relaxed in rehearsal: 

and sounding inspired in performance:

Birdie reminding us all how much we have been missing them: 

Ignacio from Hacia dos Veranos sitting in the sunshine:

and later with Gwen and Harvey on stage:

Massive thanks to everyone who played so well, including the musicians and our ace DJ Andy Lewis; plus all our chums at the Lexington who work so hard while we're farting around; also Ed from Five Points Brewery who made our delicious birthday beer and helped it to be provided at a hangover-inducing special price, and to Celine for bringing crumble. CRUMBLE!

And to the bunch of awesome nutters who gave us this (especially Bill, thanks for making the effort):

And to everyone who bothered to come along, thanks a lot and see you soon!

Five Reasons to come to our birthday party on Sunday part FIVE!

OK, just to re-cap:

1. Free handprinted Hangover Lounge Beermats
2. Free hangover Lounge fanzine featuring contributions from: Berry, Pam; Hayman, Darren; Latham, Charles, Hand, Withered; US.
3. Special awesome Five Points Hangover Lounge birthday beer at a special price
4. Free giveaway HL favourite tunes CD

Not bad, right? RIGHT? Right.

Now, the fifth and best reason is that the show will really be particularly amazing. Sorry to go on about this, but :

 - Hacia Dos Veranos: a rare appearance and also some special guests (you may or may not know who they are but you should know by now that our special guests are worth looking out for)
 - Birdie: if HDV are making a rare appearance, this is like finding yourself face to face with a red-rumped swallow somewhere north of the Wash. Twitcher friends, this is worth turning out for.
 - Amor de Dias: we released their first recording, we love them beyond all reason, and we are very proud to be hosting their first ever full-band show. There's no guarantee you'll see such a thing happening again and I promise it'll be a thrill.

Still a few tickets left for this one, you'll be sorry to miss it.

Five reasons to come to our birthday party on Sunday part 4: FREE MUSIC!

Goodness knows the last thing we expect people to come to the Hangover Lounge on a Sunday for is for a live-action display of the exquisite taste in music of the regular DJs. Sure, the tunes are good but we're not going on about it.

Every now and again, though, we burn a bunch of favourites onto CD, and hand it out to anyone who wants one. Funnily enough, its something which we've wound up hearing more about than the various other bits of tomfoolery we've come up with. People seem to find songs they like on there. There's a thing, eh?

We'll be giving another comp, freshly burned and ready to rip - gently - on Sunday. The track listing is a secret. But it'll be bloody good. Come and ask for one at the DJ booth. We're not doing very many, and when it's gone it's gone. Even if you get there too late for a freebie CD there'll still be a ton of good music, not least the proper actual, amplified show upstairs in the evening featuring - you know this already, right?  - Amor De Dias, Birdie and Hacia Dos Veranos. Tickets still available!

Five Reasons to come to our birthday party on Sunday Part 3: SPECIAL BEER SPECIAL!

Sometimes, you know, that perfect combination of music and beer hits the spot in a way that nothing else can. It's the very rock* upon which The Hangover Lounge is built. And in honour of that magical combination we have got together with our chums at Hackney's hot new brewery, 5 Points, to generate a Hangover Lounge Birthday Beer! It's based on their lovely Red Rye ale and, better still, it will be available at a special reduced price at The Lexington on Sunday in celebration of our birthday. Something special to rest on your celebratory beermat.

The way Sunday will work, in case you were wondering, will be as a normal Hangover Lounge downstairs through Sunday afternoon, and then the live acts will be playing, amplified and breathtaking, upstairs in the evening. The evening show's a paying gig, and you can buy your tickets by clicking here.

*Yes yes we're busily opposing all rock and roll, of course we are.

Five Reasons to Come To Our Birthday Celebration on Sunday, Part 2: FREE FANZINE

Wait, what is that goodness I see before me?
It's the Hangover Lounge's 5th birthday fanzine.

I want to open it up right now and devour its contents!
You sure do. It's got drawings by Dan Willson and Darren Hayman. It's got a full colour craft page on how to make a t-shirt by Pam Berry. Andy Lewis writes about the finest musical salves for a hangover. There's an article by Ignacio from Hacia Dos Veranos and an interview with Charles Latham. And much more, including a centrefold.

A centre what?
Relax, like London's award-winning Hangover Lounge, it's family-friendly.

Jeepers creepers! I want me one of those
You may have one. They're free to all attendees of this Sunday's birthday gig.

Curses. It's not like there's anything better to do, but I can't make it. How can I get one?
The British Library or Sotheby's. If there are any left over, we'll put them in mail orders for our records.

Five Reasons to Come To Our Birthday Celebration on Sunday, Part 1

THE FIRST of our five* reasons to come to our birthday celebrations on Sunday is that it will be your opportunity to pick up your FREE, entirely EXCLUSIVE, hand-letterpressed Hangover Lounge 5th Birthday beermat.

The beermats look like this: 

and they'll be available for the asking, for as long as they last until they run out. Oh and of you never got round to picking up a free copy of our beautiful Black Tambouring In Dub / Owl and Mouse picture disc, you can get one of those too. But that's not one of the five reasons, the beermat is. I only just finished printing the mats but they'll definitely be dry by Sunday. 

The way Sunday will work, in case you were wondering, will be as a normal Hangover Lounge downstairs through Sunday afternoon, and then the live acts will be playing, amplified and breathtaking, upstairs in the evening. The evening show's a paying gig, and you can buy your tickets by clicking here.  

*There are more than five reasons to come but we've just picked five, OK? Because we ARE five. OR will be.

Amor de Dias gig

Amor de Dias are playing a very special gig on Sunday May 26. It's their first full-band gig, featuring no less a rhythm section than The Clientele's James Hornsey and Howard Monk.

It's also their only UK gig. You need to see this.

Here's a song from Amor de Dias' album, The House At Sea. We've played a song from it every week this year at the club. The Mercury Music Prize awaits.


And here's The Clientele playing Bonfires on the Heath in a park:

Birdie

They were the Velvet Underground for the mod generation. They were big in Japan. They were popular pretty much everywhere outside of the UK. Which was odd, as after Britpop's bluster when people were trying anything - the new acoustic movement, anyone? - to find some sweet relief they'd have found salvation in Birdie.

Birdie's two albums, 1999's Some Dusty and 2001's Triple Echo, are masterpieces of Left Banke psych and Laura Nyro pop. It's no surprise they were so popular; when they played the Union Chapel for us last year, 500 people turned up.

That was Birdie's first full-band gig in over a decade. This is their second.

Robert Forster

"I'm honoured to be here today," Robert Forster told the audience at our third Grant McLennan tribute gig. We were honoured that Robert played two songs. He stayed for several hours afterwards, chatting to fans and old friends. It was a very special day.

Coming Down In May

It's already May! It's nearly time to start dusting off those old Razorcuts records about the summertime! It's an unusual May in that it is a month of only four Sundays, but notwithstanding that, the question we were musing on the other day was whether this is the single most exciting month of Hangover Lounges EVER? I mean, ever? That's, like, FIVE YEARS! 

Here's what we've got: 

SUNDAY THE FIFTH OF MAY: our Third Annual Tribute To Grant McLennan day, hats off to the memory of the great man himself.  You can read about the line-up here: http://hangoverlounge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-third-annual-grant-mclennan-tribute.html The previous two Annual Tribute To Grant McLennan days have been brilliant and have also seen some unexpected special guests and we see no reason to think this will be any different. Also, as of the time I am posting this, it's TODAY!

SUNDAY THE TWELFTH OF MAY: we have three special guest DJs this afternoon: 

ONE: the delightful and enigmatic Celine, who can often be seen being delightful and slightly enigmatic at the Hangover Lounge

TWO: the similarly delightful Emily from the popular group Tender Trap, and also formerly of the popular group Betty and The Werewolves

THREE: the dissimilarly delightful Sean Price, self-appointed El Presidente, dispenser of uniquely gruff Pricean good vibes, and it'll be his birthday so feel free to buy him a drink. 

Or us. You can buy us a drink too, if you like. It'l be our birthday soon too. 

SUNDAY THE NINETEENTH OF MAY: THIS ENTRY DELETED PENDING CONFIRMATION OF VERY SPECIAL THE-WEEK-BEFORE-OUR-BIRTHDAY GUEST DJS who we'll let you know about as soon as we can.

SUNDAY THE TWENTY-SIXTH OF MAY: it's our fifth birthday party!! HOORAY! We have a proper actual amplified ticketed evening gig upstairs featuring three - THREE - of the best groups in the word at the moment. AND there will be special Hangover Lounge fifth birthday party beer! AND there will be special Hangover Lounge Five Years beermats. AND we have been writing an actual FANZINE to give to you, and Ben has been editing it and he's actually competent so it might be worth reading. And you will be able to watch us get DRUNKED. And it's a bank holiday the next day and everything is going to be great. 

I can't see any good reason for missing any of that. Can you?

Love Goes On! And on

What your favourite Grant McLennan song?
"I really like 'Love Goes On'. There's nine chords in a row, which he doesn't repeat. It's so him. A lot of his best songs are on '16 Lovers Lane'. And 'Cattle & Cane' is a really good song. It was like 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' or something — a quantum leap, a break-through song."
Robert Forster

This Sunday, at least two of our guests for our third annual Grant McLennan tribute gig will be covering Love Goes On!

As a taster, here's The Go-Betweens playing it at an acoustic gig at Tower Records on 25 August 1994.


And here again they're playing it at McCabe's guitar shop on 11 November 1988

Returning heroes and a debut

You should've seen our returning heroes and deubtant last Sunday. Robert Rotifer got a band this time (including Ralegh Long, who made a fine solo debut, and the TVPs' Mike Stone on bass) and it was fantastic. Owl & Mouse were, predictably, rather special.

What's that? You did see them? Well, you didn't see these performances, because we filmed these behind closed doors. For you, now, see these for the first time:

Coming Down In April

I know, I know, it's cold. Every last stupid joke it's possible to make about unseasonal weather has been made. What's that fiery ball in the sky? HAHAHA. I am writing this with cold fingers and cold toes in the full expectation that by the end of this stupid month we will be wearing t-shirts and flip flops and looking forward to a glorious summer of sunny and nice, but not such sunny and nice that it seems like a better idea to go to the park than come to the Hangover Lounge. Is that too much to ask?

It's April and we have got an EXCELLENT month lined up for YOU. Here's how it's looking: 

SUNDAY APRIL THE SEVENTH: we are delighted to welcome our good friend Amos, formerly of the band Fanfarlo, amongst other good things, as guest DJ. He's got amazing taste and an amazing record collection, but we have no idea what he'll play. Just the way we like it. 

SUNDAY APRIL THE FOURTEENTH: we've already told you about that, down there. We have a live and acoustic and free show upstairs featuring our friends Rotifer, Owl & Mouse and Ralegh Long. You know its going to be a good one.

SUNDAY APRIL THE TWENTY-FIRST. This one, too, will be a bit special! For starters there's regular guest DJ Mike Harrison from "You Set The Scene", a York thing which we like to think of as a sister club. But additionally we have something special upstairs, courtesy of In The Dark Radio, who are also kindred spirits, we reckon. Here's what they have to say: 

"On Sunday 21st April In The Dark brings their pop-up cinema of sound to the Hangover Lounge. 

Described by The Londonist as "the next big thing in nights out", In The Dark bring together the best creative radio, podcasts and sound art from around the world and tailors them into specially curated programmes for live audiences. It's a bit like a film club ... but without the pictures. 

What better way to spend a lazy Sunday - you can even close your eyes if you want to!

In The Dark is a collaborative project between radio producers, podcasters and sound artists. They aim to create a mini-revolution in the way we think about the art of spoken-word radio by lifting it out of its traditional settings and curating it in new and unusual ways. You can find out more about them at www.inthedarkradio.org"

We've never hosted anything like this before and we're rather excited. Some of the In The Dark folks will be doing the guest DJ thing also. We think they are GREAT.

SUNDAY APRIL THE TWENTY EIGHTH: It'll be a lovely day for sure, and we are THIS CLOSE to having a guest DJ lined up, but not quite. We'll let you know once we do. Oh, there'll be a jumble sale upstairs that day, so bring your shopping bags. 

While you're here. don't forget to put our two big May events in your effing filofax, or whatever it is you youngsters use these days: our third Annual Grant Mclennan tribute day, with a hefty handful of heroes playing live, plus OUR FIFTH BIRTHDAY PARTY on the 26th, with a proper show and a load of giveaways and stuff. It's all on the blog, you know. This blog.

The third annual Grant McLennan tribute gig

"I know that our dear friend Roddy Frame called his last LP Love, but I maintain that the Go-Betweens write about love better than anybody else in the world."
Grant McLennan

On Sunday May 5, former Go-Betweens collaborator David Westlake returns after a particularly special gig last year. David rarely plays live. Move heaven and earth to catch this.


Given Allo Darlin's Go-Betweens love we've asked them to play every year. This year, the gods are smiling on us as Elizabeth Morris - the Australian Go-Between, if you like - isn't on tour and is playing an exclusive solo set of Grant covers.

The Mexican Postcards, led by Rob Price of Airport Girl, are playing, as they did on our first tribute gig. This time with the lights up.

Live music starts 3pm sharp. Entrance is free.

Rotifer, Owl & Mouse and Ralegh Long gig, 14 April

Robert Rotifer is a journalist, painter, broadcaster and most importantly purveyor of classic pop songs. He’s had a number one indie hit in Austria, he’s got an album out on AED records that was produced by Wreckless Eric, but he has only played at the Hangover Lounge once. His return on 14 April will mark a new high in Robert’s career. And for us, too, as his set last time around was an unmitigated, crowd-pleasing pleasure.


You know all about Owl & Mouse, right? It’s hard to believe you don’t. You’ve probably heard Canvas Bags – their Hangover Lounge picture disc (a few free copies are still available to Lounge attendees) – on the radio. If you’ve seen them live recently, then you’ll know they just keep getting better. If you haven’t seen them live recently (or, indeed, ever) rectify that on 14 April.

Ralegh Long
We know Ralegh Long because he’s been to the Hangover Lounge enough times. It’s about time he got some work done on a Sunday instead of loafing around drinking and chatting, especially given the high quality of his spare, melodic, moody songs.


Live music starts at 3pm.

Owl & Mouse live at the Union Chapel, Easter Saturday

Owl & Mouse, stars of our first picture disc (want one? get to the Hangover Lounge and ask for a copy), are playing at the Union Chapel this Saturday, 30 March.

They're on first, so get there for midday. A reminder of what you've got in store:

Extras! Extras! Read all about it

You can be part of a motion picture this Sunday, 24 March,as a few scenes for a short film, Final Beats, will be filmed upstairs at the Lexington.

Director Mark Minors says:

The scenes we'll be shooting take place in a nightclub. Sammy has taken Vivienne out dancing, so the extras we're after will make up the crowd in the club, and possibly one or two bar staff. People's initial reaction to seeing Vivienne in the nightclub is one of disbelief, but they soon warm to her as she begins to enjoy herself.

We need extras from 3pm-9pm on the day; anyone 18+ is welcome - just point them at the facebook page and join the event to confirm.

The finished film will be submitted to various national festivals, and all extras will be credited accordingly

Here's a synopsis of the film:
Final Beats is a feel-good drama about the criminal youngster Sammy, who's just been released from prison for a violence crime. He is 22 years old and has absolutely nothing to come out to.

On the other side of the story we have an old lady, Vivienne. She is so depressed about spending her seventy-third birthday alone that she puts a contact ad in a newspaper where she tells the world she doesn ́t have any friends nor family left, but that she ́s willing to pay the one that wants to accompany her on her birthday.

By coincidence, Sammy sees the ad and at first he thinks of it as a good opportunity to rob the old woman of her money. But as he gets to Vivienne ́s apartment he realises that they both share the same miserable situation in life. Two totally different worlds collide when Sammy and Vivienne starts forming a bond and make up a bucket list together to take them out of their loneliness. A heartwarming adventure begins as they swirl out in London ́s exciting nightlife for some final beats.

.

5th birthday party starring Birdie, Amor de Dias, Hacia Dos Veranos

We're celebrating our 5th birthday on May 26 with a very special gig and you're all invited. Three of our favourite bands, all of whom we've released records by, are playing upstairs and electric:

Birdie
Only their fourth gig in over ten years, this is going to be very special. The chance to see Debsey Wykes and Paul Kelly on stage as Birdie doesn't come around very often. You can't miss this.

Amor de Dias
The very first Amor de Dias gig with a rhythm section. Not only that, this is Amor de Dias' only UK gig following the release of their wonderful second album, The House At Sea.

Hacia Dos Veranos
Limay is a masterpiece. Don't believe me? Amor de Dias' Alasdair MacLean said: "Their guitarist is a maestro: economical, precise, lyrical. His rolling, arpeggiated style will remind you of Felt’s Maurice Deebank or Vini Reilly, but he also possesses a faint echo of Johnny Marr, in that for all his sense of space and harmony he’s playing tunes first and foremost."

You want to come to this gig. I know it. Well, you can. Buy tickets.

Coming Down in March

We didn't do one of these for February. It wasn't because we are too lazy or disorganised, that would be unthinkable. No! It was because we were SO BUSY making groovy things happen. We're still slapping ourselves on the back (and burping a bit) about the Lost Weekend stuff, it was amazing. But onwards and downwards is the way, and here's what's coming along the rough old road of the Hangover Lounge in March. March hares of the dog, if you will. I hope you will. 

Tell you what: the Hacia Dos Veranos LP has arrived. Come and buy a copy off us. It's so good and it looks beautiful.

Tell you what else: we've still some of those Black Tambourine In Dub / Owl and Mouse picture discs left, and we're giving them away each week, a few at a time. All you have to do to get one of those is to come and ask. 

MARCH 3: the month starts with a bang! It's POPFEST 2013 and please to arrive extra early for the highlight of any calendar year, the M J Hibbett and Carsmile Steve pop quiz. Prizes! Laughs! The lot. Then Popfest does its feisty pop thing upstairs (we think there are a small handful of tickets left, though the weekend season tickets are now sold out, bad luck snoozers). We'l be doing our regular Hangover Lounge thing downstairs so fee free to pop in and say hello. It's likely to be a lively one. 

MARCH 10: not one but TWO new special guest DJs! The excellent James William Hindle will be playing records for us, and more importantly for you, and so will the equally but differently excellent Tom Huddleston, who writes for Time Out amongst other things, those other things including playing with the rather listenable The No Sorrows. Rumour has it that there may be a birthday among the HL regulars also. It's possible that beer may be on the agenda. By "agenda" I mean "shirt". Talking of "shirts" there'll be one of those cool jumble sales upstairs that day!

MARCH 17: You know Frances and John from Clay Pipe Music? If you do, you'll know they're delightful people with exquisite taste and you'll be wanting to come along to hear the records they play. If you don't, yet, you should come along and hear the records they play. They're a bit of an inspiration to us and we're looking forward to having them along.

MARCH 24: Our chum KEVIN PICKERING is coming along to play records for us, and that promises to be laughs. Kevin used to be in Saturn V, you know. People with in-a-band pasts! Don't see many of them round here! Because a couple of the HL team are liable to be away that day, we might well have some extra, cherry-on-the-top special guest DJS too, but nothing we can tell you about yet. 

MARCH 31: Two words: BANK HOLIDAY. Sorry, three words: BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY. There are excuses for not coming to the Lounge and hanging out but I can't think what they could be, off the top of my head. Five more words: PETE BARAN and ROB BRENNAN, ace guest DJs, we've probably asked them back more than anyone else because they're always good value and always great company. 

We've got so much more coming up but that's all I can tell you for now. But keep Sunday free. Which Sunday? Every Sunday!

Sunday went a little bit like this

Here's Flowers in rehearsal, which you won't have seen:
And here's Moxham and Halliday in action, which you should have seen:

Me and you could maybe use a lost weekend

What a first day! Withered Hand showing real class by opening with No Cigarettes with its signature salvo "me and you could maybe use a lost weekend".



Hacia Dos Veranos were led by guitarist Ignacio who marshalled a band of ace musicians.



The Understudies featuring A Little Orchestra filled the Union Chapel with classic pop, sumptuous strings, woodwind and horns.


Thanks to all 550 people who came along. Extra marks to The Understudies' new bassist Thom who waved to the crowd as he took the stage (I thought he might shout "hello Wembley"). Afterwards Thom told me, "This band hadn't played a venue this size before I joined". The Understudies and A Little Orchestra are playing the Buffalo Bar on March 28.

It was great meeting Dan Willson's dad, Andy, in the pub afterwards:
Andy: "There's a lot of lines in the songs that I get and I understand the meaning behind."
HL: So, about that futon in Religious Songs, then...
Andy: "Oh, I know all about that futon. But I can assure you that it wasn't in my house."

Amor de Dias join the Lost Weekend

This Sunday Amor de Dias will be assisting Hacia Dos Veranos in the fine art of Latin American instrumentals. They'll be abetted by ace violinist and Lounge regular Gwen Cheeseman.

This is not one you should miss.

Sunday stage times: 3pm Flowers; 3.40pm Hacia Dos Veranos; 4.20pm Moxham & Halliday.

Saturday stage times: 12pm Understudies; 12.40 HDV; 1.20 Withered Hand

Pete Paphides' set list

He came, he played some tunes and we all relaxed. These, people, were good times, and Pete made a list of 12 choice tunes from a flawless set. If you weren't there, Pete will be coming back for another stint. Any week he likes.

For your convenience, have a listen to two of them now. Here's Monsters of Folk - Dear God (Sincerely M.o.F.):



And here's Kim Wilde being sultry about Cambodia:

Owl & Mouse - Canvas Bags

Come and grab your Owl & Mouse picture disc also featuring Black Tambourine's I Want You Around given the dub treatment by DJ Downfall.

For those of you who don't listen to 6Music, you'll want to know how it sounds. And those of you who couldn't make it to the launch gig will want to see it played live. Well, you're in luck.

Withered Hand featuring Pam Berry

Our favourite singer-songwriter is joining our favourite singer at the Union Chapel on February 16. Their first practices went so well last week that they previewed their live spectacular at the Lexington.



Dan's back in London next week ahead of his DJ set at Scared To Dance for more practising. No melodica solos will be missed come the Union Chapel gig.

I filmed the first song. At least I thought I did, but it turns out I screwed up and only turned on the filming button when I put my phone back in my pocket. I had rather considerately pointed the camera at an angle that would have allowed you, dear readers, to hear the music over Dan's trousers.

Dan will be spinning the wheel of golfing slacks in his costume department next month. I only hope that last week wasn't a dress rehearsal. We don't know what to expect sartorially, but the gig is going to be even better than last week's quiet triumph.

Total Hero Team preview Sunday January 20

We’re delighted to welcome back Mark “MJ” Hibbett and Steve “Steve” Hewitt to the Lounge for their latest musical extravaganza.

Total Hero Team features superheroes, robots, sing-a-longs, a way to justify enormous wealth, ukuleles, Boris Johnson, the importance of pubs, and Fufu The Future Kitten.

The boys (or “two drunken dads picking up a guitar at a party!" as Radio 1 described them) have previously performed their acclaimed musicals Dinosaur Planet and Moon Horse Vs The Mars Men Of Jupiter at the Lounge.

We interviewed Mark the first time and Steve the second time. Using the award-winning low-brow editorial skills which have made this blog quite readable sometimes, this time around we got them to interview each other.

Yes, Mark found time in his busy schedule of Googling himself and Steve took a break from listening to his Day V Lately records to think really hard about stuff.

Hello Steve! Between our last show, Moon Horse, and this one, you worked on a slightly different project in East London. How does being part of "Total Hero Team" compare to being in The Olympic Opening Ceremony? And did Danny Boyle ever get you a beer?

Obviously, there's no comparison, what could possibly compare with getting a train to Stockton to play to ten people on a Sunday night then having to (attempt to) sleep on me mam's sofa because "the talent" got the proper spare bed...having said that it was AMAZING being in the Olympics of course but it all seems like a bit of a dream now...

Have you ever read any Superhero Comics, and if so a) what b) did you like them?

when i was a kid yeah, you know, what with comics being for kids and everything. The early 80s UK Marvel reprints that came on newsprint (like proper comics) were the main thing I read, Daredevil and Black Panther and the occasional treat of a Proper American Comic (often "Dial H for Hero" for some reason? or Groo...). I liked them, but never really got into it that much as it was hard to get a decent run of the same comic in a small village...

We've done Dinosaurs, Space Adventure and now Superheroes - what mountains are there left to climb?

Mountain climbers? Still a bit low on ninjas (and obviously we have the skills and physiques to pull that off immaculately), there's yr horror tropes, western gunfighters, restaging the entire mahabharata, in 55 minutes, just the two of us, ALL SORTS! The fun need NEVER END...

You have often professed a desire to use these shows as a springboard into a career in international glamour and fame - how's that going? Have Strictly called yet?

I can exclusively reveal that I shall be replacing Brucie from next season...

AND FINALLY: Apart from the regular access to curries, what are you most looking forward to in this new run of shows?

I'm looking forward to remembering it all and being match fit enough to get through it without feeling like i've been in a tumble dryer for an hour... also there's some cracking new pubs opened in Edinburgh since we were last there!

Hello Mark! What have you learned at SCHOOL FOR DRAMATURGS that you've brought to this year's show?

I have mainly learned that what we do ISN'T technically called "Two Middle-Aged Men Titting About" but is actually EPIC THEATRE in THE BRECHTIAN STYLE! It's a proper thing! As we speak I am waiting for THE ARTS to get in touch and hire us to show them how to do it.

Who is your favourite superhero (NB this has to be a definitive answer and you can only pick one ;))

I have a massive soft spot for Captain Britain, due to growing up with the AMAZING Alan Moore/Alan Davis stories in the aforesaid Proper Black & White Comics, and will thus, sadly, buy any comic the character appears in, however awful it is. My all-time favourite superhero though is THE THING, as he is totally brilliant but also SAD, and has the BEST catchphrases.

What did you do in our year off?

Apart from crying all the time, you mean? I spent most of the time hawking "Dinosar Planet", the album based on our very first rock opera, around various unusual niches of the media. I may not have got it into the NME, but we did have features in The Smithsonian Magazine and The Teacher. Beat THAT, Liam Gallagher!

When are you going to get internationally famous and take me along with you? eh? eh? What am I meant to do, have some sort of talent of my own???

What are you talking about? Someone asked you for your autograph last year, that IS being Internationally Famous! What more do you need?!?

AND FINALLY: Apart from the regular access to curries, what are you most looking forward to in this new run of shows?

Getting the gigs booked, the flat sorted out for Edinburgh, the posters and flyers printed and the admin DONE, then I can concentrate on these Exciting New Pubs you speak of!

We have FREE PICTURE DISCS. Just come to the DJ booth and ask for one. We'll have 20 copies to give away this week and every week until we run out. NO IT DOES NOT COME WITH A DOWNLOAD CODE, MRS UNGRATEFUL. If you don't have a record player, just nail it to your wall. It's a great-looking artefact.

The Hangover Lounge opens at 2pm. Total Hero Team will start at 3pm.

The Lost Weekend 2013

The Lost Weekend - two days of free gigs and indulging in sensual pleasures - is back on February 16 and 17.

Starting at 12pm on Saturday February 16 at the Union Chapel, we bring you an exclusive Withered Hand performance featuring the first lady of indiepop, Miss Pam Berry. This is their first gig together and it's going to be a belter.

Hacia Dos Veranos are launching their third album Limay ("they play many, many beautiful chords and for that I love them," says no less an authority than The Clientele's Alasdair Maclean). This will be a full-on electric set featuring psychedelic madness crashing into pop music's rich majesty. Forever Changes meets Bryter Layter, if you will.

The Understudies have kindly agreed to polish their brogues, press their waistcoats and bring their infectious mix of girl group hooks and Smiths-style grainy grandeur. Their wonderful video for Erika K tells you what to expect:



The Union Chapel gig finishes by 2.30pm, at which time we'll be going to the pub. See off your hangover in style on Sunday February 17 at the Lexington, where the Hangover Lounge starts at 2pm.

The live music starts upstairs at 3pm sharp.

First up is Flowers, formed out of the ashes of the far-too-short-lived The Notes. Want some reference points? OK. How about if The Sundays broke up a fight between The Cocteau Twins and The Mary Chain? Listen to this:

Saturday stage times: 12pm Understudies; 12.40 Hacia Dos Veranos; 1.20 Withered Hand


Hacia Dos Veranos are back, this time for a beguiling trip through the acoustic byways of Limay, featuring added violin. Did we mention that you can buy Limay now? No? Well you can.

Ladies and gentleman, the legend that is Mr Stuart Moxham! Yes, you heard right. Stuart will be playing with Derek Halliday as Moxham & Halliday, splitting a 45- minute set about 60% solo and 40% M&H.



Sunday stage times: 3pm Flowers; 3.40pm Hacia Dos Veranos; 4.20pm Moxham & Halliday


No, you can't buy tickets. YES, BOTH OF THESE GIGS ARE FREE.