UK Tour Dates / Supports Are GO!

They've been up on the site / myspace for a while now, but here's the official announcement of the UK tour for "Love Ire & Song". It's great to be heading out on the road again, with a full (bigger) band and some awesome supports. These would be the wonderful Andy Yorke, Oppenheimer (sharing the main support) and Ciara Haidar (doing the whole tour). I urge everyone to go check them out. I'm personally humbled to have such awesomeness on the road with me. The dates (with main support indicated by O or AY):

• 31st March @ The Brudenell Social, Leeds (tickets) O
  
• 1st April @ Fibbers, York (tickets) O
  
• 2nd April @ The Cluny, Newcastle (tickets) O
  
• 3rd April @ The Corporation, Sheffield (tickets) O
  
• 4th April @ The Sugarmill, Stoke (tickets) O
  
• 5th April @ The Kasbah, Coventry (tickets) O
  
• 6th April @ The Bar Academy, Birmingham (tickets) AY
  
• 7th April @ The Queen Charlotte, Norwich AY
  
• 8th April @ Zodiac @ The Academy, Oxford (tickets) AY
  
• 9th April @ Moles, Bath (tickets) AY
  
• 10th April @ Thekla, Bristol (tickets) AY
  
• 11th April @ Bodega Social, Nottingham (tickets) AY
  
• 12th April @ SiZe @ Old Red House, Workington AY
  
• 13th April @ The Tunnels, Aberdeen AY
  
• 14th April @ King Tut’s, Glasgow (tickets) AY
  
• 15th April @ Joshua Brooks, Manchester (tickets) AY
  
• 16th April @ Central Station, Wrexham AY
  
• 17th April @ Belfast TBC
  
• 18th April @ Galway TBC
  
• 19th April @ Dublin TBC
  
• 21st April @ Hanbury Ballroom, Brighton (tickets) AY
  
• 22nd April @ The Barfly, Cambridge (tickets) AY
  
• 23rd April @ The 100 Club, London (tickets) AY
  
• 24th April @ The Railway Inn, Winchester (tickets) AY
  

I'm also pleased to say that the tour is selling well already, so I'd advise picking up tickets online now if you're planning on coming to a show, where possible.

A short word on the tour - if I'm not coming to your area (particularly the south-west and south Wales) this time round, I do apologize, but never fear, this is just the first of many attacks for this year. Also, the Irish dates and ticket links for other places are on their way.

In other news, I'm heading back to America in February (this time you can just check the gigs page) for a jaunt around California with my old mucker Chris T-T, so if you're American and reading this, then please do spread the word to your friends in the area. Also, I filmed a video last week for new single "Photosynthesis" which should be out and about by the end of next week or so. Eyes on the prize, people...

New Song O'Clock

My friend Sean sent me this email, and it made me laugh:

"I notice Ken Livingstone has started paraphrasing your lyrics for his re-election campaign: 'This is the generation whose parents grew up in the 80s - get your snout in the trough and it doesn't matter a damn about anyone else.'

He did explicitly blame Thatcher for current youth crime during the debate but I cannot be arsed with finding a link to the entire rant. It's probably on the Evening Standard's website, nestled among articles about That black fella over there, yes there, he's looking at you. With his eyes.

If you are to continue influencing outspoken mayoral candidate through song can I suggest your next release features the b-side 'David Cameron Has the Eyes of a Date Rapist (I mean this as a political metaphor for someone who will take you out to dinner, tell you what you want to hear and fuck you in the back of a cab without asking. Although, let's face it, he would do it in reality. Just look at the posh twat - he'd bury you in the woods afterwards without blinking).'

Admittedly it's a cumbersome song title, but could be a right little sing-a-long, maybe to the tune of Betty Davies Eyes: 'He's got a date rapist's eyes...'

If I had a job, I wouldn't think about things like this."

And that's why Sean is great. In other news, I caved into international pressure and put "Photosynthesis" up on my myspace. It will officially be the first single off the new album. Enjoy.

America is GO

Tour dates early next week, my English minions, and support acts too, so hold your breath a few more days, I beg you. But in the meantime... Hello America! Yes, my assault on everywhere American begins here. The US version of Campfire Punkrock is now available...

• On CD from Welcome Home Records ($7 ppd)
  
• On Vinyl from Good Friends Records ($10 ppd)
  
• On US iTunes (do a search)
  

I'm also going to be in LA for most of February, gigging around town and hopefully in the surrounding areas too, doing radio sessions and the like. This is all the start of my assault on your fair country, so as well as ordering records and the like, it'd be great if you could spread the word to all your fellow countrymen. Thanks

Happy New Year

Finally recovered and back in the saddle after a marathon New Year's Eve party that took in Brixton Academy, and then most of North London. Fun and games. This is the time of year when you're supposed to reminisce and reflect on the past 12 months. Well... It's been quite a year, considering that the (first) album came out on January 15th. Lots achieved, many shows played, but I'd rather concentrate on the rosy future than look back. So here's some stuff coming up:

• The new album is now finished! "Love Ire And Song" is set for UK release on March 31st (my little sister's birthday). It also rocks the house.
  
• There will be touring galore to go with the album, the dates to be announced very soon, and also some support slots, so watch this space. Like I'm not going to spend the whole of the next year on the road.
  
• The XFM New Music Awards are on January 16th. I'll be playing, it'll be broadcast, but I'm not expecting to win it, haha...
  
• I'm going back to the West Coast of the USA in February, dates TBC very soon, and we're working on proper US releases for both albums.
  
• This Saturday I'll be rocking Equitruck in Oxford. As it's the anniversary of my first show with a backing band, the boys will be behind me again (calm down). Fun and games for all, details on the gigs page.
  
• This Monday (7th), the boys from Hadouken are taking over Zane's show on BBC Radio 1. To celebrate this anarchy, they'll be playing an exclusive new track, Photosynthesis, off the album. 7-9pm, tune in.
  

That should be enough for everyone to go on for now. Happy new fucking year!