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IV Thieves - A Biography
“They'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain. They're pretty special, man..."
Noel Gallagher, Oasis
If We Can't Escape My Pretty is the startling debut, set to be released in Feb 07, by the gang that was originally spearheaded by Nic Armstrong (then billed as Nic Armstrong & The Thieves).
The young band hit the road where they developed quickly into a democracy of four unusually talented songwriters and singers, hence the name change to IV THIEVES. Whereas the first album conjured the halcyon days of British blues and pop in the 60s, this new work zooms toward the future in an explosion of rabble-rousing performances, outrageously versatile vocalizing and bulletproof songwriting.
Nic, Shane Lawlor and Glynn Wedgewood all take turns at the lead vocal mic with poetic tales of crazy dreams, confusion, love, growing up and taking control. Nightmares, stories, and visions are evoked by the four songwriters/singers, through striking voices, killer harmonies, and breathtaking songwriting, from the in-your-fucking-face intense to the melancholic and serene.
“Day Is A Downer”, the title track of the first EP, to be released on Sept 25, is a soaring tale of the twin towers of daytime ennui and night-time revelry; an employers-be-warned slab of defiance nicely wrapped up in sun-kissed 60s harmonies. Second single “Higher” sounds like Kasabian, if they really understood that whole indie-dance thing, whilst the big Thieves single for 07, "You Can't Love What You Don't Understand" is exhilarating, 'girl-be-damned,' rockin' power-pop. "Take This Heart" is a mighty plea for resolution. "The Sound And The Fury" is expert, three-part harmony on a song perhaps about the nightmare that life can sometimes be. The closing track, an epic five minuter called “Chase Me Off/ Out” is an intriguing end to an album that concentrates simply on delivering twelve classic tracks. If We Can't Escape My Pretty is an album that screams to be heard.
The back story of IV THIEVES is not your usual run-of-the-mill tale. Hailing from Nottingham, England’s capital of crime, these four working class lads emerged to take on the world with formidable recordings and combustible live shows.
Thief 1: Nic Armstrong
This Geordie lad was holed up in a room in Nottingham writing songs, and smoking too many cigarettes. He couldn’t be arsed to go to the shop to get some new cassettes, so he dropped his demos onto an old tape of his girlfriend’s. Said girlfriend discovers the tunes, and, unbeknownst to Nic, sends them off to Dazed & Confused. A couple of weeks later the tape falls out of an envelope and Nic falls into a record deal. With the obligation to record an album, he sets about recruiting a band…
Thief 2: Jonny Aitken
Whilst Nic was enjoying his advance at a local bar, he stumbles upon a drummer who seemed possessed by the spirit of Keith Moon, the attitude of Ringo Starr and the power of John Bonham. In a drunken stupor, Nic asks Jonny to record an album with him. He says yes, as it sure beats working in a factory…
Thief 3: Shane Lawlor
The album is nearly finished when Jonny recruits Thief III, old pal Shane Lawlor. Over the years, he and Jonny had played together in various bands and developed as a rhythm section with an almost psychic rapport. Jonny introduced Shane to Nic and they hit it off straight away. Nic asked Shane to join the band without hearing him play and Shane said yes without hearing Nic’s stuff. Shane’s vocals, bass playing, and scissor-kicking stage presence meant the machine now had an engine. With the album finished, The Greatest White Liar was released to critical acclaim, and it was time to play some shows (and enlist Thief IV).
Thief 4: Glynn Wedgewood.
Long of fringe and fast of finger, Glynn is thrown into the back of a black van in the depths of a bleak, English mid-winter. A bemused Glynn is dragged around from town to town and, before long, is accepted as the missing member of this chaotic family of miscreants and infidels.
Travelling under the banner of Nic Armstrong & The Thieves they set about kicking the shit out of the music scene. We’re not sure how much damage was inflicted but some kind of impression must have been made as they played throughout the UK, Europe and the United Roads of America at the invitation of Oasis, Jet, Razorlight, the Raveonettes, the Bravery and Paul Weller, amongst others.
The songs Nic had written for The Greatest White Liar were reshaped, reworked and sometimes rewritten as four individuals merged into one group of IV THIEVES. Discoveries were made: all four could sing, allowing for some great close harmony work. And all four could write: first Shane, then Glynn, and finally Jonny were singing their own songs.
And from behind the cool, laconic, jacket-shrouded Nic, a group of performers emerged. Jonny doesn’t sit still on his stool – he frequently stands up, driving the band on; Shane kicks and thrashes his way into the hearts of the girls in the front rows; while Glynn hunches down over his mic, smiling to himself at the antics and banter of the others.
After many gigs, thousands of miles, mountains of cans, bottles, cigarettes and joints they wind up in Austin, TX, their new home, where the locals have taken this itinerant bunch to their hearts. They get to work writing the remainder of what would be the first IV THIEVES album. Time seems to move twice as slowly during the day in Texas, as it takes twice as long to do anything when you’re sweating more than you can drink. But withstanding the blistering heat of Texas, they wrote nearly 30 songs for the album and, by the end of the year, were ready to go into the studio. The only other thing in the calendar was a December date at The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales where they were once again the guests of those hospitable Gallagher brothers.
Christmas had been replaced by pre-production, so by January they were ready to go. Afraid of what another bleak English winter would do to their minds and souls they decided to record in Austin Texas with Chris “Frenchie” Smith, who had been enamoured with IVTHIEVES ever since he saw them tear up a venue in Austin. After what felt like a lifetime in the studio, they finally emerged with a group of songs that would become the album If We Can’t Escape My Pretty.
Whilst the debate raged about who should mix the record, the IV THIEVES joined The Pretenders on the road in the U.S. and aired a large chunk of what had only just been recorded. The result? One of the most exciting, well-received tours to date. During this time, Chris Sheldon (The Pixies, Foo Fighters. etc.) entered the frame as the mixer to finish the record.
Which brings us to now. So, what have we got? We’ve got an album that is effectively four different snapshots from four different people of highly intense, personalised takes on the sound and the fury that is the 21st Century.
One Little Indian
(Quelle: PR | One Little Indian)
FORMAT: CD
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