Catch up 2008

So, here we are, a quarter way through 2008, and probably a good time to catch up with a couple of my choice bands of last year. Time enough for something to happen: a new tune on MySpace, a new set of pics or at the very least a new fan or two.

DAGGERS

This Manchester band should be at the same stage as The Whip: great album out, much acclaim and a national tour booked. But unless something major is going on behind the scenes, all is quiet in Camp Daggers. Theo Hutchcraft, the vocalist and band feuhrer is determined for Daggers to be "the biggest pop band from Manchester since Take That". And that steely ambition was recognised by The Courteeners' Liam Fray here in the NME. Apparently, after a particularly vicious beating, the hospitalized Theo read Simon Reynolds' comprehensive Rip It Up and Start Again about the post-punk music scene in the early 80s, a time when pop came from the ethos of punk. It spurred him on and gave him ideas for a total Daggers concept. You can hear the influences of the bands of that time: Human League, Heaven 17, Simple Minds, but Daggers also have a totally modern pop sound. Stardom is but a global record deal away. There are no new tunes on MySpace but the pic above was placed there in January. You can catch up with them on tour with Robots in Disguise in York, Manchester and Leeds in May. The details are on TheirSpace.

Go here for my previous post and here the band are at Number 11 of my Top 20 of '07.

Magazine (Zombie Disco Squad Remix) - Daggers (zShare)


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THE MILLIONERS

NEW PRODUCT ALERT!!!! The Finnish wonders have a new track out, er, soon (the vague date of 'spring' is the only tentative timeline). Body Into Use has been up for a a week or two on TheirSpace, go listen! It's a fab slice of chunky melodic disco, vare wow, vare now! I could imagine Donna Summer doing some trademark warbling on this.

Go to my previous post here and here for their Number 3 (!!) placing in my Top 20 of '07.

And go here to to Discodust for more Millioners love and brilliant remixes of Body Into Use. I particularly love the Russ Chimes mix.

And here is a live version of My Great Regret from the Most Sexiest Music album launch last year.

My Great Regret Live @ Kuudes Linja