Skip This Bit If You Have No Soul

Man, my song titles are so awesome.  It’s like I just think of this shizzle all the time, like I’m made of magic haribo or something.  The way I see it, we should write our album around the following list of song names.  I’ve done the hard work coming up with this list, the other two can do all the recording and I’ll sit at the side and criticise.  ”YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG JIM!  DO IT AGAIN BUT WITH MORE GOOD.”

1. Sidechaining Your Sox Groans To My Station Exx

2. I Don’t Think You Should Have Done That, Reginald (Part II)

3. I Don’t Think You Should Have Done That, Reginald (Part IV)

4. ^ Scat

5. I Didn’t Want Your Stupid Chair Anyway

6. Aerosmith On The Bus

7. I Only Like People Who Laugh At My Jokes

8. Whatever, I’ve Read Books

9. Yeah Politics Man Yeah F**k The Government Man And Stuff (Chair’s Lament)

10. Turned Out It Wasn’t Aerosmith

11. Conversations I Thought I Had But Turned Out To Have Dreamt That They Happened

12. Aerosmith On The Bus (Reprise)

If you’ve got ideas for the title of this future Mercury Music Prize winning affair, click here and add it as a comment.  I’ll send the writer of the best one a copy of our EP.

Leave your house and have a good time

We’re playing 93 Feet East a week Wednesday, as you know.  You don’t need me to tell you it’s gonna be awesome, and we’re playing new material too, so you’ll be all like “Wow, I think this is new material” and you will be right.  A week Friday we’re then heading to Brighton to play at The Hope, so tell everyone you know who lives near Brighton and isn’t a total pillock.  Other than that, we’re confirming a festival appearance in April, a launch party for the Luminescence EP despite the fact that it’s out already and gig + swimming pool in May.

Stuff redux

Bullet points are 2010.

• Our music is to be playlisted in a chain of 200 fashion stores in Italy.
• Luminescence reviews in Rock Sound, RebelRiffs, Subba Cultcha, Easy Music For Difficult Ears & Daily Dischord.  People be loving that shahoozy.
• Neon Blink to be used as theme for currently untitled new Finnish TV program.
• Neon Blink to be released as single on Blue Dove Records with a plethora of sensual remixes on the b-sides.  Release date etc. TBC. FTW.
• Neon Blink used in some mountain biking video.  You are still fat.
• Timetravelling Luminescence launch party currently being finalised.  Shrimp & white wine.

Best bit

Wednesday 17th March 2010

Glasswerk (Artefacts For Space Travel & Neon Highwire & Sir Yes Sir & Double Rainbow)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Facebook; Last.FM; Tickets

Friday 19th March 2010

Synthetiquette (The Kleptones, Neon Highwire & Officer 82)

The Hope, 10-12 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3WA

Facebook; Last.FM

Saturday 29th May 2010

Captain Zapi’s Rollin’ Revue (Neon Highwire & TBC)

The Aquarium, Old Street, Shoreditch, United Kingdom, EC1V 9DD

Facebook; Last.FM

If you’re reading this line and think it’s about you, then it’s about you,

Steve.

http://www.neonhighwire.com

http://www.myspace.com/neonhighwire

http://www.facebook.com/neonhighwire

http://twitter.com/neonhighwire

http://last.fm/music/neon+highwire

Cheers to those who attended our show in Kilburn last Friday.  Was a great night helped by the fact that I didn’t have to drive the Neon (Street)Car, thanks to the generosity of the wonderful Raven Beats Crow meaning I was free to ensure lucidity on stage.

We’re playing in Kilburn tomorrow night with the ultra powered Raven Beats Crow and the captain turbo’d… Us!  From 20:00 till 02:00.   Also, we’re playing at The Hope in Brighton on March 19th.  Our first time outside of London (as a band, not just that sheltered), it’ll be big.

Many people have emailed me lately and said

“Steve, I really want to own a horse, but don’t have the space for it in my London based tower block flat.  Can horses fly?”

The answer is no, horses cannot fly.

THIS FRIDAY!

Moving on, we’ve got a STONKER (meow) of a gig coming up Friday at the triple A battery Powers bar in Kilburn run by the super fantastic lake of ice cream No Fiction.  It’s free entry, has AWESOME DJs, two incredible bands known for great music and live shows (HEY, ONE OF THOSE IS US! WODYAKNOW!), and loads of drink offers a n d  t h e  l i k e c==3

Luminescence

Buy it from Amazon, iTunes, Indiestore, Amie Street and a bunch of others like Napster and Myspace Music and Rhapsody too.  Buy multiple copies then come see us live and buy some more.  I’ll sign anything that moves.  Make new friends, buy them the CDs.  Things you can use the CD for:

Playing music.

Yeah, you thought that was gonna be one of my awesome lists, but it wasn’t. Deal.

Video

I bought a video camera, yeah, big deal.  We’re gonna start filming stuff.  Music videos are lame, we have much better ideas than that, what we need now are crowns.  Anyway, we’ve got a Youtube channel at this place which also has a link to us playing our extended edit of Akira! at 93 Feet East.

Other Stuff

There’s a load of other new stuff in the pipeline, but figure rather than just blabbering on about it, we’ll get it all confirmed and fit for consumption first.  So be patient and keep checking www.neonhighwire.com.

Few gigs coming up, but can’t reveal details on all yet till they’re confirmed.  Probably playing in Brighton on March 19th though, which will be nice.

Friday 12th February 2010

No Fiction (Raven Beats Crow & Neon Highwire)

Power’s Acoustic Room, 332 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 2QN

Facebook; Last.FM

Wednesday 17th March 2010

Glasswerk (Artefacts For Space Travel & Neon Highwire & TBC)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Facebook; Last.FM

Saturday 29th May 2010

Captain Zapi’s Rollin’ Revue (Neon Highwire & TBC)

The Aquarium, Old Street, Shoreditch, United Kingdom, EC1V 9DD

Facebook; Last.FM

Sometimes it just works better that way,

Steve.

http://www.neonhighwire.com

http://www.myspace.com/neonhighwire

http://www.facebook.com/neonhighwire

http://twitter.com/neonhighwire

http://last.fm/music/neon+highwire

—

Read this online here.

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an email to unsubscribe@neonhighwire.com with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject.

Happy new year!

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS news

That’s totally like me shouting the word “News” in a cave. Nick Cave. Ouch.

Luminescence

The EP is in the big bad world, so you can stop reading all about how it’s almost finished. Ha! It’s available from more places than I even know, I keep finding new ones. Some of those include Amazon, iTunes, Indiestore, Amie Street and a bunch of others like Napster and Myspace Music and Rhapsody too. If that’s not enough for you then I HATE YOU. If it is then we can still be friends. Those who like their music physically can buy the CD too. It’s well class and has a bunch of thank yous in the liner notes to the people who’ve helped us along the way. If your name is on that list, you can OFFISHULLEE ask for a hug next time you see one of us and not only receive it, but it can last as long as YOU want it to. Amazing. You have to instigate the end of the hug otherwise, we’ll just live our lives like conjoined twins. Sexy conjoined twins. How niche!

Totally Enormous Gig On Saturday @ 93 Feet East

We are so collectively excited about Saturdays gig supporting Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs that we smear ourselves with baby oil hourly in order to distract us from the impending joy. Smooth. It’s gonna be so good, that we thought we’d get some quotes from famous people because you bloodsuckers love celebrities, dunnewe?

Graham Gooch: “Awes”.

Charlie Brooker: “Wick”.

Flavaadit Gambatron: “You don’t even know who I am”.

Get your tickets for cheaperer here at wegottickets.com else you run the risk of not getting in and looking like a total fool. No hug for you. We advise males to turn up topless and buy one of our t-shirts when they arrive so they can look better than their friends. We would advise this to both genders but we made a mistake and didn’t get any female t-shirts printed. Our bad. We will soon though, yeah?

People writing things about us

I could rewrite all the nice things we’ve had written about us lately here, but I’m not a man that believes in effort duplication. Also, my love has got no money, he’s got his strong beliefs. It’s all on our website at http://www.neonhighwire.com alongside incredible insights into popular culture from everyone but Jim. Not that Jim’s taking some sort of rebellious stance against posting anything up there, it’s just Jim. Jim Jim Jim. Jimmer. Jim.

Top ten albums of the last decade

Those who can’t get enough of lists may have noticed our top ten albums of the decade lists on the website in the run up to NYE. As usual, Steve’s is best. Aaaaah, where’s your comeback now Jim? Exactly, it’s physically impossible for you to come back because I’m typing this on a keyboard. WIN!

Read Jimlist here.

Read Lukelist here.

Read Stevelist (am best) here.

You know your favourite part of the email is the list of upcoming shows, don’t even try to deny it:

Saturday 16th January 2010

THE PLAYGROUND (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Nova, Citadels, Dan Mckie, Andy Boph, Neon Highwire, Fish Don’t Dance DJs, Marc Ustari, Miss Miranda- Burlesque, Adam Analogue, 3 Sh!t DJs & Straightola)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Tickets; Facebook; Last.FM

Friday 12th February 2010

No Fiction (Raven Beats Crow & Neon Highwire)

Power’s Acoustic Room, 332 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 2QN

Facebook; Last.FM

Wednesday 17th March 2010

Glasswerk (Artefacts For Space Travel & Neon Highwire & TBC)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Facebook; Last.FM

Friday 16th April 2010

Glasswerk (Neon Highwire & TBC)

Rhythm Factory, Ground Floor, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1EW

Facebook; Last.FM

I can’t believe no-one saw us,

Steve.

http://www.neonhighwire.com

http://www.myspace.com/neonhighwire

http://www.facebook.com/neonhighwire

http://twitter.com/neonhighwire

http://last.fm/music/neon+highwire

It’s been a motherfreaking long wait, but Luminescence is at the printers RIGHT NOW.  We’ve finalised the artwork, and they’ve declared it officially ready to roll.  Should be in the shops very, very, very soon!  Pre-order your copy on amazon here and who knows – we may even make a follow-up

This email is about two things, they shall fight to the death

Playing 93 Feet East with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs! Buy tickets now!

vs.

Luminescence printing!

FIGHT (to the death)

Detailses followses (to the death)

The Playground

It’s nice to play a gig where I’d absolutely be there in attendance, buying tickets whether we were playing or not.  On Saturday 16th January it’s one of those occasions.  The Playground put on immense nights including filthy electro, incredible bands (us, innit), Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, burlesque, VJ shows AND THE LIKE.  Yeah, it’s gonna be incredible and it’s the perfect solution to your New Years Resolutions which are an absolute waste of time anyway fatty.  The event is likely to sell out so don’t be an IDIOT, buy your tickets in advance here. Anyone who knows me and wants some place to stay afterwards, get in touch.

Luminescence

Luminescence is totally finished.  Finito.  We’re just putting the finishing touches to the artwork then the Red Book is off to the printers.  We’ll be filling you in on details of how you can buy it soon.  It’s been mastered by Simon Davey at The Exchange (click the links to see what he’s previously worked on). It’s an awe-inspiring piece of work.  Check out these reviews I just made up by people who haven’t heard it:

“First was there Beethoven, then there was Neon Highwire.  Everything in the middle was all like ‘wah wah wah’. I’m hungry.” – Graeme Forstidious (Fistmagnetron Magazine)

“When I die I want this played at my funeral so instead of crying, people be all like dancing instead.” – Herby Privaté (BBC 8 Live)

“One time I got in to trouble with the police and it was very much bad news.  He was about to arrest me twice but then I put Isometric View on his CD player and he embraced me into his bosom.  This has happened to me three times now.” – Canaverous Belfield (Freshfieldd FM)

Here’s the list of all our shows:

Saturday 16th January 2010

THE PLAYGROUND (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Nova, Citadels, Dan Mckie, Andy Boph, Neon Highwire, Fish Don’t Dance DJs, Marc Ustari, Miss Miranda- Burlesque, Adam Analogue, 3 Sh!t DJs & Straightola)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Tickets; Facebook; Last.FM

Friday 12th February 2010

No Fiction (Raven Beats Crow & Neon Highwire)

Power’s Acoustic Room, 332 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 2QN

Facebook; Last.FM

Seminal trajectories,

Steve.

http://www.neonhighwire.com

http://www.myspace.com/neonhighwire

http://www.facebook.com/neonhighwire

http://twitter.com/neonhighwire

http://last.fm/music/neon+highwire

Now call me old fashioned, but FUCK, we’re playing with TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS at 93 Feet East!  This is god damned monumental!  Clear your diaries!  On Saturday 16th January, courtesy of The Playground, we will be tearing it up at 93 Feet East (E1 6QL).  This is sure to be an incredible night with the dirtiest electro till the wee hours in the morning.  Tickets link and more details to come soon.  Bring your gran.

Although it shames me to say it and although I do my best to hide it, at heart I’m a total fanboy.  Much to the amusement of those who’ve had the opportunity to witness it first hand, when I meet certain people who I have a great respect for words fail me and I often resort to an endless tirade of compliments and obscure references that prove I know more about them than your average Joe.  I’m not proud of it, and keep trying to change my actions on the odd occasion where it becomes an issue, but yet I don’t know what else to say.  To Stephen Malkmus in Cardiff, I’m sorry I chastised you for not playing an obscure b-side to a badly attended gig.  To Ian MacKaye in Newport, I’m sorry for implying that you weren’t voting in the US elections that day by being outside of the US.  Most recently to Kelson Mathias, I’m sorry for trapping you in a conversation discussing why Ted Leo isn’t more successful than he currently is and should be.

Speaking of Ted Leo, an early Xmas present arrived yesterday when I found out that he’s playing in Brixton in less than two weeks time.  I bought myself a ticket without hesitation before checking out the further details on The Windmill Brixton’s website.  Surprisingly, there wasn’t much fanfare about Mr Leo playing the little friendly venue where I’ve had the pleasure to see Clem Snide, The Rumble Strips and Cymbals Eat Guitars amongst others, merely the words “Solo show from the mighty leader of The Pharmacists” and little more.  A scan a couple of lines down the page though and I saw something which sent adrenaline through my body and also let a little wee out.  “*Ted Leo *Gold Future Joy Machine *tbc”.  TBC?  Wait a second.  I’m in a band.  I live in Brixton.  Ted motherfucking Leo?  Before I could stop myself, I began constructing a lengthy email pleading with the venue to allow Neon Highwire to be that TBC.  Sure we sound very little alike, but a brief listen to Gold Future Joy Machine revealed that neither do they (if anything, they sound more like us).  Call it pathetic, call it wishful thinking, call it whatever you want but nothing you could call it stopped me writing to them.  I wish I could say this is the first time I’d done something like this, but I confess that a similar email to Club Fandango about a year ago regarding the incredible Future Of The Left that remained heart-breakingly unanswered (though I had a good time regardless).

I recall the effect Hearts Of Oak had when I was stuck in a rut living in Bridgend working a dead-end job.  When Ted announced a UK tour, I travelled up to London on two consecutive weekends to catch the shows.  It cost more money than I really should have spent, but for Ted Leo, it was worth it.  It was enough to snap me out of my haze and move to London to stay on my brothers floor, regardless of whether I had a job or not.  It was one of the best decisions I made.

With less than two weeks to go, and despite the fact that we’re in dire need of a break following intense recording, writing, gigging and mixing (not to mention our tragic jobs) lately, this wouldn’t just be the greatest Xmas present I’d ever receive.  This would render 2010 a moot point.  What is a boy to do?

In the slightly bastardised words of Steve Albini “Tim Perry, can ya hear me now?”

A massive thankyou to all of you who came along to the gig at the Old Blue Last last night night, we had a great time and hope you did too.  Ignug, Tiny Islands and Cold in Berlin were all fantastic and it was all in all a top drawer evening!

Here’s some trivia for you:  at just 13.76 secs, last night’s sound check was officially the shortest we’ve ever completed.  Damn we’re efficient!

Thanks again and see you next year!