PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE:

Forming in 2018 – Guitarist Pete Greenway, drummer Keiron Melling and bassist Dave Spurr, formerly known as the last and longest serving line up of The Fall, were invited by Damo Sazuki to join him as “Sound Carriers” for a one-off performance at the White hotel in Salford. Rekindling their necessity for music, they set about searching for a vocalist. After a chance encounter at a pub in Colne and a lengthy conversation about the future of Imperial Wax, they decided to team up with Sam Curran, guitarist and vocalist from Leeds based punk band Black Pudding. Once Dave decided to leave the band in 2019 the obvious choice was to recruit another former black puddinger Shane Standrill on Bass

As the pandemic ground the country to a halt, Keiron and Sam set about brewing the beginnings of the follow up to their 2019 debut, ‘Gastwerk Saboteurs’. In stark contrast to the writing style of their debut, where the songs were created all together, written and recorded in the same day. The bare skeleton of ‘Tranquilliser’ was written mainly as a two piece amidst the lockdown. Pete and Dave eventually adding their own parts later but overall allowing the band much more time to craft the songs into a cohesive, well-rehearsed, studio budget friendly collection of tracks.

The forced contemplation of excess time gave an approach which was totally unfamiliar to what they were used to and naturally cultivated a more complex style of song, meaning more parts, more changes and less playing off of other band members. After Dave’s departure former Black Pudding bass player Shane Standrill stepped up to the oche, bringing with him a different playing style and thus changing the sound of the band even further.

Dave had already laid the groundwork for the whole album, but after the failed first lot of recordings at their own practice space in Lancashire and with Shane’s new take on Dave’s parts, the band decided to go and re-record the whole thing properly at HOHM Studios in Bradford.

Sam found himself working in a chateau in the south of France, who was also in the midst of a lockdown. Allowing him a plethora of time and solitude to begin writing lyrics. There wasn’t much else to do in the evenings except read and write. Not many opportunities can provide such an uninterrupted environment to immerse yourself in the writing process, which was something Sam took full advantage of. Inspired by the works of Joseph Conrad, William Burroughs, Herni Cherrier, Mashima, Olga Tokarschuk and many more.

The main problem for any small band always boils down to money and that was certainly the case with Imperial Wax, so after a few failed label offers the band looked into releasing the album themselves. Upon realising the potential of having total control over your own release, the only problem was that no one had a clue what they were doing, hence the name Guesswork Records. It was a venture Keiron had long been keen on since his time in the Fall, after he and Mark had planned their own label which ultimately never came into fruition with MES’s untimely demise.

Another unexpected blow was finding out that Pete had contracted the dreaded long covid. The band held out for a long time hoping that Pete would start showing signs of improvement which unfortunately never came and is still up in the air to this day. No doubt he will back in the saddle eventually but for now Imperial Wax have enlisted former Cabbage guitarist Joe Martin. After the fairly public collapse of cabbage along with his own personal struggles it was a case of right place and right time when Keiron bumped into Joe in Colne. They needed a guitarist and Joe filled that requirement. Along with the very recent addition of former the Fall/PJ Harvey bassist Ding, who has taken up the role of synth, Imperial Wax are well armed to take on many more year’s future musical ventures.

FOLLOW IMPERIAL WAXSPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

Forming in 2018 – Guitarist Pete Greenway, drummer Keiron Melling and bassist Dave Spurr, formerly known as the last and longest serving line up of The Fall, were invited by Damo Sazuki to join him as “Sound Carriers” for a one-off performance at the White hotel in Salford. Rekindling their necessity for music, they set about searching for a vocalist. After a chance encounter at a pub in Colne and a lengthy conversation about the future of Imperial Wax, they decided to team up with Sam Curran, guitarist and vocalist from Leeds based punk band Black Pudding. Once Dave decided to leave the band in 2019 the obvious choice was to recruit another former black puddinger Shane Standrill on Bass

‘Less I Need’ is the first single from Imperial Wax’s forthcoming second album ‘Tranquilliser’. It’s a 4-minute post punk garage barrage, constantly changing keys and charging up into a furious krautrock barnstormer.

“Less I need was the first song written for the new album,” explains guitarist and vocalist Sam Curran. “The initial intention for the song was to simplify our writing format and concentrate more on one solid foundational groove and build upon that, rather than overloading the song with different parts, which in the end evidently went out the window. It was (drummer) Keiron’s idea to constantly change keys, which worked really well. It gave the song much more drive and purpose. The key changes were not planned out and probably technically incorrect to a trained musical ear. Wherever the hand landed on the guitar neck was where the key change went, which helped create that jarring unpredictable nature to the song. 

“The actual chorus and eventual title of the song came as a total accident. I couldn’t come up anything good for the chorus, so while playing song with the band I just sang gobbledygook whenever it got to that part. That gobbledygook eventually refined itself and started sounding like words but was never anything proper. When recording the demos and listening back someone asked ‘what do you say during the chorus? Is it less I need?’ I said, It is now.”

And the pre-order link for the ‘Tranquilliser’ album is here: Tranquilliser | Imperial Wax (bandcamp.com)

As the pandemic ground the country to a halt, Keiron and Sam set about brewing the beginnings of the follow up to their 2019 debut, ‘Gastwerk Saboteurs’. In stark contrast to the writing style of their debut, where the songs were created all together, written and recorded in the same day. The bare skeleton of ‘Tranquilliser’ was written mainly as a two piece amidst the lockdown. Pete and Dave eventually adding their own parts later but overall allowing the band much more time to craft the songs into a cohesive, well-rehearsed, studio budget friendly collection of tracks.
The forced contemplation of excess time gave an approach which was totally unfamiliar to what they were used to and naturally cultivated a more complex style of song, meaning more parts, more changes and less playing off of other band members. After Dave’s departure former Black Pudding bass player Shane Standrill stepped up to the oche, bringing with him a different playing style and thus changing the sound of the band even further.
Dave had already laid the groundwork for the whole album, but after the failed first lot of recordings at their own practice space in Lancashire and with Shane’s new take on Dave’s parts, the band decided to go and re-record the whole thing properly at HOHM Studios in Bradford.
Sam found himself working in a chateau in the south of France, who was also in the midst of a lockdown. Allowing him a plethora of time and solitude to begin writing lyrics. There wasn’t much else to do in the evenings except read and write. Not many opportunities can provide such an uninterrupted environment to immerse yourself in the writing process, which was something Sam took full advantage of. Inspired by the works of Joseph Conrad, William Burroughs, Herni Cherrier, Mashima, Olga Tokarschuk and many more.
The main problem for any small band always boils down to money and that was certainly the case with Imperial Wax, so after a few failed label offers the band looked into releasing the album themselves. Upon realising the potential of having total control over your own release, the only problem was that no one had a clue what they were doing, hence the name Guesswork Records. It was a venture Keiron had long been keen on since his time in the Fall, after he and Mark had planned their own label which ultimately never came into fruition with MES’s untimely demise.
Another unexpected blow was finding out that Pete had contracted the dreaded long covid. The band held out for a long time hoping that Pete would start showing signs of improvement which unfortunately never came and is still up in the air to this day. No doubt he will back in the saddle eventually but for now Imperial Wax have enlisted former Cabbage guitarist Joe Martin. After the fairly public collapse of cabbage along with his own personal struggles it was a case of right place and right time when Keiron bumped into Joe in Colne. They needed a guitarist and Joe filled that requirement. Along with the very recent addition of former the Fall/PJ Harvey bassist Ding, who has taken up the role of synth, Imperial Wax are well armed to take on many more year’s future musical ventures.
FOLLOW IMPERIAL WAX
SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

THE RETURN OF THE FUTURAMA FESTIVAL EASTER 2021 – A UTOPIAN FESTIVAL FOR DYSTOPIAN TIMES

THE LEGENDARY 2-DAY POST-PUNK FESTIVAL RETURNS TO LIVERPOOL APRIL 3-4, 2021

SECOND WAVE OF BANDS ANNOUNCED!

HEAVEN 17 ARE SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINERS WHEN THEY PRESENT ‘THE FUTURAMA YEARS 1979 -1983’

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM SEE TICKETS HERE:

www.futuramafestival.com

Futurama, the legendary post-punk festival is back after 40 years and takes place at the Invisible Wind factory / Make Arts Centre and Ten Streets Social in Liverpool over two days, 3rd and 4th of April 2021.

With promising news on the horizon regarding the vaccine roll out this week, the Futurama Festival’ has announced a second wave of bands to play the influential festival in Liverpool next Easter.

Undoubtedly one of the most famous electronic & synth bands of all time, Heaven 17 had hit after hit back in the 80’s with their incredible albums ‘Penthouse and Pavement’ and ‘The Luxury Gap’. This extraordinary success means their gigs are as popular as ever and they consistently sell out shows in the UK and abroad. The original Human League split in 1980, when Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh left to set up their BEF production company and recruited Glenn Gregory to help create “music of quality and distinction”. Taking their name from the disco in Clockwork Orange, Heaven 17 had immediate success with hits such as ‘At the height of the fighting’, ‘Fascist Groove Thang’ and ‘I’m your money’. ‘Penthouse and Pavement’ would become a landmark album that defined the 1980’s.

For their unique performance at the Futurama, Martyn and Glenn will perform a Heaven 17 set and will also revisit some of those classic early Human League songs. By re-imagining them and keeping the original spirit, they hope to recreate the futuristic ambience and immersive atmosphere of the early days. As Martyn says he ” loved the wider theme of dystopian science fiction that the Futurama touched upon and he always envisaged the Human League growing up in a science fiction noisescape”. Human League were scheduled to play the original Futurama in 1979 but for one reason or another, it sadly never happened.

As well as Heaven 17’s back catalogue, Martyn Ware can call on the astonishing early records of the Human League. The first Human League albums ‘Reproduction’ and ‘Travelogue’ were two of the most influential synth albums of all time. It cannot be underestimated how important the sound of young Sheffield 78 -83 became in post punk Britain with the Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA and Vice Versa (Later ABC) leading the way. They were the first wave of British bands to mix machines and electronic noise. Their music reflected their environments, the urban decay and industrial decline of this period.  A bleak but beautiful soundtrack.

“Heaven 17 are really looking forward to the Futurama show, it holds so many fantastic musical memories for us both as performers and audience, states Glenn Gregory. “It’s fantastic that we have the chance to be a part of the future of Futurama”

“Brothers, sisters don’t just sit there on your ass!” Join us as we fix this historic error and go back to the Futurama with Heaven 17

Peter Hook and The Light are the Sunday night headliners and will be performing the ‘life changing’ Joy Division set from the 1979 Futurama in Leeds for the first time in 40 years. Another world first for the return of the Futurama in 2021. Peter Hook and the Light as well as the historical set will back it up with all the classics that they have delivered across the world in recent years to such acclaim. Two very special headliners for the return of the Futurama. They are joined by legendary Factory band Section 25 and the Expelaires who played the first Futurama in Leeds in 1979.

The AF Gang have confirmed their first acts for their All Is Love / Goth Kitchen stages with up-and-coming London punks Chubby And The Gang who have just signed to Partisan Records (Idles, Fontaines DC, Laura Marling) and TV Priest who have just signed to legendary American label Sub Pop. Other bands they’ve picked are Genn, The Pleasure Dome, Ditz & Frauds who the AF Gang have been championing for some time.

Planet X, Liverpool’s infamous goth and punk club have Balaam & The Angel headlining its stage with Dr Diablo & the Rodent Show, Peter Bentham & The Dinner Ladies, Feather Trade,
the Gentle ScarsThree from Above & The Webb supporting. Also, confirmed are Girls in Synthesis, Ist Ist, Dream Nails, Liines, Gravves, KlampCoughin Vicars & Deh-Yey.  All in all, it’s shaping up to be one of the best line-ups of every year.

As promoter Marc Jones, says ‘fingers crossed, the timing could be perfect, we all desperately need something to look forward to after one of the hardest and most difficult years ever! 2020 has seen the festival and live gig circuit decimated by the pandemic. It could one of the first festivals post Covid restrictions and it would be a real boost to the Liverpool music scene and the independent venues involved and perhaps a real starting point for and hopefully a much better year in 2021″

New Early Bird December from SEE tickets HERE: 1st payment 7th December with subsequent payments in Jan, Feb and March 2021

There will be a last wave of bands to be announced in January when day splits and full stage line ups will be announced.

Other acts confirmed to appear include Theatre Of Hate, Warmduscher, The Chameleons, The Blinders, The Lovely Eggs, Spizz Energi, Imperial Wax, Just Mustard, Membranes, Evil Blizzard, Sink Ya Teeth, John, Heavy Lungs, We Are Not Devo, DSM IV, Bob Vylan, Billy NoMates, Witch Fever, Tokky Horror, Pozi, Crows, St Agnes, LibraLibra, Courting, Crawlers and Joe & Shitboys, with the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll and punk magazine Vive Le Rock and respected website Louder Than War hosting the main stages.

For more info head to: futuramafestival.com

  A UTOPIAN FESTIVAL FOR DYSTOPIAN TIMES

THE LEGENDARY 2-DAY POST-PUNK FESTIVAL RETURNS TO LIVERPOOL APRIL 3-4, 2021

PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT CONFIRMED TO PERFORM JOY DIVISION’S SET FROM FUTURAMA 1979!

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM SEE TICKETS HERE:

Website

Futurama, the legendary post-punk festival is back after 40 years and takes place at the Invisible Wind factory / Make Arts Centre and Ten Streets Social in Liverpool over two days, 3rd and 4th of April 2021.

The Futuramas were a series of ground-breaking and innovative post punk and electronic music festivals in the late 70’s and early 80’s. They were the brainchild of one-man, John Keenan, a legendary Leeds promoter who has put thousands of bands on over 40 years at his famous F Club. In 1979, he decided to do a 2-day festival at the Queens Hall in Leeds and put on all of his favourite up and coming bands and curated the first alternative indoor festival in Britain. Nearly all of Britain’s most important and influential independent bands played these festivals and many of them went onto considerable success in Britain, Europe, and the US. The roll call reads like the greatest who’s who of alternative music and they include Joy Division and New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, PiL, Killing Joke, Teardrop Explodes, Bauhaus, The Fall, The SmithsGang of Four, Sisters of Mercy, Theatre Of Hate, The Psychedelic Furs & even a fledgling U2. The Futurama festivals caught the zeitgeist perfectly and not only put on many female fronted bands, including Siouxsie and the Banshees, Young Marble Giants, Bow Wow Wow & Altered Images, but also many of the new wave of electronic & synthesizer acts including Soft Cell, Cabaret Voltaire, OMD, Simple Minds, Clock DVA & Vice Versa who later became ABC.

The post-punk era still casts an enormous influential shadow over contemporary music, making the timing perfect for the festival to return, combining both legendary acts from the festival’s history with the absolute best in up-and-coming talent.

pic by William Ellis – www.william-ellis.com

Bringing Futurama full circle, Peter Hook & The Light are confirmed to perform Joy Division’s set from Futurama 1979 in full, promising to be an absolute thrill for fans of the iconic band.

“Futurama was one the first festival experiences I ever had,” remembers bassist Peter Hook. “John Keenan the promoter became a lifelong friend. He was one of the first legends. The gig was the first time I’d ever seen caravans used as dressing rooms indoors, but it had a great atmosphere. It really put Joy Division on the map and the groups on the bill were very well matched to the audience. There weren’t many indoor festivals prior to Futurama so it was quite ground-breaking for the genre in the north. Funnily enough it gets talked about a lot even now. John became a legend and, in many ways, so has the festival. Let’s hope we can capture that wonderful atmosphere again.”

Also linking the festival’s history are Kirk Brandon’s Theatre Of Hate who will be celebrating their 40th anniversary of playing Futurama 3 in 1981, returning in 2021.

With a headliner still to be announced, these iconic acts join a host of bands from the many different strains and spectrums of alternative music, with respected website Louder Than War hosting the main stage on one day, and the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll and punk magazine Vive Le Rock the other day, whilst The AF Gang (the IDLES legendary fan club) host the up and coming stage.

There are 4 stages at the Futurama.

Invisible Wind Factory Main Stage: Headline acts and supports

Substation Downstairs in IWF: Electronic, synth and experimental noise

Make Arts Centre: Some of the best new and vintage post punk bands on the circuit

Ten Street Social: The AF Gang hosts the up and coming stage plus DJ sets

Other acts confirmed to appear include Warmduscher, The Chameleons, The Blinders, The Lovely Eggs, Spizz Energi, Imperial Wax, Just Mustard, Membranes, Evil Blizzard, Sink Ya Teeth, John, Heavy Lungs, We Are Not Devo, DSM IV, Bob Vylan, Billy NoMates, Witch Fever, Tokky Horror, Pozi, Crows, St Agnes, LibraLibra, Courting, Crawlers and Joe & Shitboys, with many more to be announced.

Tickets are Early Bird £80 for the weekend from See Tickets HERE:

£20 deposit scheme and four payments scheme in place

For more info head to: futuramafestival.com