Now my moogs are in the loft (again)

After a flurry of activity when I re-launched the Saloon website as this blog, it has been fairly quiet on here for a while. The reason has really been because of too much musical activity in our lives rather than too little.

Matt and Alison’s projects go from strength to strength. Matt’s band The Leaf Library have released three albums in two years and Alison and her husband mark, as well as a flood of activity with The Left Outsides, have also a new band The Trimdon Grange Explosion. Make sure to look them up on social media.

I am going to talk about myself now though (Matt, Alison – as ever, do send me stuff and I will post it up).

It has been just over two years since I released the Rodney Cromwell album ‘Age of Anxiety’ on Happy Robots Records. When I last posted about it in April 2015, I was pretty downhearted. Although at that stage it had received some radio play I was struggling to get anyone to write about it. But, following its very slow start, with barely a tweet from anyone on the day it came out, the album ended up being surprisingly well received.

In the end I took on a press agent Shameless Promotion (PR) from Canada and between us we were able to get great coverage in NME, Huffington Post, the Electricity Club, Electronic Sounds Magazine, Record Collector, Louder Thank War, Impose Magazine, SoundsXP, Overblown and loads more. It also had a lot of ‘grassroots’ coverage and I ended up doing more interviews than I had ever done in my career. It was particularly great to get positive feedback from a few synth ‘legends’ with Mal Holmes from OMD saying nice words and Rusty Egan from Visage / Rich Kids saying great things and playing the record loads on his shows.

I also got a load of terrific radio play from the likes of Gideon Coe and Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music and on several shows on RNE3 in Spain. And it hasn’t stopped; the album and its singles are still getting constant play on specialist indie and synthpop shows and stations. I did a few radio sessions too – the highlight perhaps being a session with Julio Ruiz on RNE3 in Madrid. Julio previously interviewed Saloon back in 2002 when we played in Contempopranea Festival, so it was lovely to meet him again and play some songs on the show. 

If I posted links to all the radio sessions, interviews and reviews is would take me all day, but – if you care – all the links are available on the Happy Robots Records website. 

I also never thought I would play live again – in fact I sold much of my gear in 2014 at a boot fair. But by Summer 2015 I was playing my first shows for five years. Almost every gig we played was great. There were almost too many highlights to mention but clearly playing with the bands Marsheaux, Death and Vanilla, and Snookerstar DJ Steve Davis, plus the festivals Indietracks and Madrid Popfest, have to be near top of the list.  It was great organising another Happy Robots gig in November 2016 and really great that some of the old faces who used to come and watch Saloon came out to show their support.  The call of the Travelodge, terrible service stations and tiny back room venues will always be there for me. I can’t ever see that going away. 

It is impossible to thank everyone who has helped me out, but many thanks must go out to those who played in the heavily rotating Rodney Cromwell band over the last year and half – Adrian Taylor (from Controllers) and Matt Saloon / Leaf Library all deserve a massive thank you! A slightly bigger thank you should also go out to Alice (Martha of Arthur & Martha fame plus Cosines, Mass Datura and more) and Richard Salt (also Controllers) who played the lion's-share of gigs. We spent many enjoyable hours in our rehearsal rooms talking about guitar pedals, synths and how shit Brexit is, as well as practicing occasionally. 

And to the point of this lengthy post, well after a most enjoyable trip to Spain, where Matt from Saloon joined us on guitar, I feel things have come full circle and I’ve achieved  all I wanted to accomplish in terms of promoting ‘Age of Anxiety’. It's time to put the synths back in the metaphorical loft and let my ears recover. It feels like a good time to think about future projects but also to spend a bit more time with my incredibly supportive wife Alison and our two kids, who have had to endure me being away for many weekends.

This is not to say there won’t be any gigs or releases in the future. Rod Cromwell will be appearing on a couple of great compilations soon, and in terms of gigs I am always up for offers. I just won’t be actively looking for opportunities. I do hope to play at least one more London gig in 2017 (and you know where I am if you need me.)

But I want to spend a bit more time with the family while concentrating on the label, probably arguing with strangers about politics on twitter and, maybe even, writing some new songs.  I also have a couple of great new releases out this year on Happy Robots Records, so do stick with us, follow us on Facebook and sign up to the Happy Robots Mailng List if you haven’t done so already.

Right – off to write that new album I keep promising you.

Adam

Interview for Hybrid Magazine (October 2000)

While clearing out my computer I found this Saloon interview with Hybrid Magazine from the States from way-back in October 2000 before we recorded the first album. It doesn't seem to be on the web any more so I thought I would post it here. Enjoy, as they say.

1. How long has saloon been around?

Amanda: We’ve been together for about two and a half years now, which is quite a long time for five people to stay together when you think about it. We've known each other for so long it seems weird looking back on the early days when we were all so different (some of us were a lot shier then!). Yet, as a band we haven't really changed that much at all. Although our musical tastes and influences have developed, our jobs, hobbies, friends and where we live have changed; we have never lost the reason why we are in the band or why we enjoy making- music together. That's my excuse for making an absolute racket anyway!

Ubiquitous Moog

2. How did you guys form, meet up, start the band?

Amanda: The idea for the band was born in late 1997, but the line up wasn't officially completed until early 1998. Originally, Adam and Mike had the idea to start a band. They knew of Alison who was playing viola in another band and did a bit of what Adam calls "inspired poaching"! They advertised for a female singer (having as many girls in the band as possible was definitely their main priority!), And this is how I met them. Matt joined a couple of months later, similarly through an advert. We did our first gig a month or so after Matt joined and we haven't stopped since.

Adam: One of the things I’m most proud of is that our sound arrived fully formed and we’ve literally just been nurturing and feeding it. I’d written a handful of songs that were too good to play in my old band, so Mike and myself put together a group that could do them justice. Some of those songs like “Spacer” and “I am the cheese” we still play now.

Matt: I stumbled in one day with my guitar, unable to play a note, but pretty handy with a bit of feedback. I got the job.

3. I hear Stereolab, Velvet Underground and Tindersticks in your singles, what are the actual influences that produced your sound?

Adam: Well we like all three of those bands, we’ve played with Stereolab which was great because we definitely share the same sort of audience. In fact live we must even look quite a bit like them (girls, guitars, moogs) although according to one magazine we look like The Corrs!

I have a really fond memories of us in our first year sitting around the kitchen table with a bottle of red wine listening to the likes of Etienne deCrecy, Spiritualized, Fairport Convention, Graham Coxon while stuffing envelopes. I think evenings like that, listening to loads of different music, really helped to give us our voice.

Matt: All of the above and more. Adam’s choice proves that we’re influenced in equal parts by electronic and guitar music. Most of it resides in the leftfield, my influences at the moment include stuff like Tarwater, Plaid, Yo La Tengo, DJ Shadow and Broadcast.

4. What's a typical audience at one of your shows?

Adam: Sad old men, weedy indie boys, shy indie girls with plastic hair-clips. People like us really.

Mike: A few of my mates who’ve come straight from work propping up the bar and heckling.

Matt: People on the fringes of music (and good taste).

5. How helpful is it to be played on John Peel's show?

Amanda: We've been very lucky because John has now played three (or is it four?) of our singles. It's a dream come true actually. It really gives me confidence that all the hard work does eventually pay off sometimes and that people are finally able to hear our records. It is a brilliant way of getting your music heard by people who are on the same wavelength as us. It's a great way of attracting attention and gaining fans (we have had lovely responses from people all over, even in America who heard the songs via the Internet). Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have the same effect on the industry as it has on the fans.

Matt: It’s really fantastic and it gives us loads of confidence. When I was at college I used to tape the John Peel show each night and listen to each tape for weeks after. I couldn’t even tell you the amount of bands that I’ve got into through his show, and if someone gets into Saloon in the same way then that’s amazing.

6. Has the Internet benefited the band at all?

Mike: We set up virtually all of our tour with Mahogany and Curtis Newton on e-mail, we met Alan (Bearos) through the web, and we’ve been visited in the UK by Dan from Germany who met me on the Broadcast website, and has recently set up a Saloon chatroom for other fans.

Matt: It’s easier to have an argument via email than on the telephone. There are generally less recriminations.

Adam: Email is a godsend. It means I don’t have to talk to anyone all day. Fantastic!

7. Is Saloon destined for stardom?

Adam: It’s strange because occasionally now we get recognised, people shouting at us on the tube or coming up to us at gigs. I think our music has got quite a crossover appeal; indie kids like it, some dance fans like it (probably because it’s electronic with no pretence at being indie-dance urgh!) Because 90% of the stuff has got a good pop tune that you can sing in the shower, I’m sure there is more appeal for the man on the street than say Add N to (X) or Spiritualized (i.e. the stuff we listen to when we go home.

But stardom is not our aim, we’re too proud of our integrity. At the moment we’re into making pop music but if the urge arises to make something in another form – say a double album of feedback and ringing power-drill noises- then we will and we could still call it a Saloon record. Despite how hard-working and reliable we are, it would have to be a brave record label to sign us but I know we’ve more than enough faith and ambition to make it worth their while.

8. Are there any plans for a debut album?

Amanda: Plans for the album are currently in the pipeline. I think that we are hoping to have a finished recording in about six months time. We are negotiating with Andrew from Mahogany about helping to produce it with us, which would be great fun. But we are very eager and very inspired to get something done, it is merely a matter of sorting out studios etc

Mike: It’s going to happen.

9. Are you a better live band or studio band?

Amanda: I think that our music has developed so that it does work very well live. We do have the usual and occasional problems that every band experiences, such as bad sound, bad engineers, quiet vocals and loud guitars, but as far as performance goes we gel a lot better when we are on stage together. We are getting better, but in the past we have found the studio more of a challenge, probably because we have more experience on the stage than in the studio. That is not to say that we have given up on recording though. It is very important to us. Playing live is great fun, but the best way of getting yourself heard is getting your records out there. The album is definitely of precedence to us all and we are all determined to crack the recording process.

Mike: I think we’re a better rehearsing band.

10. Any last thoughts for the interview

Mike: Look after yourselves, and each other.

Matt: If you see a new band, or hear a new band then buy one of their records, email them, let them know that you’re into them. This is the way that unique and individual music survives.

Adam: You only live once, so make it worth your while. It’s human nature for someone to fuck you over for their own gain, just keep your head down, stay resolute, keep pushing at it and your time will come. Most importantly, get an alarm clock.

Recording Artist Rod Cromwell

 Other Projects

It has been a busy few weeks. My new album has been out for over a month now and I have still not officially announced the release on here. I tried writing a lengthy blog post about it, but just can't find the time to finish it, so here is the quick version.

So you know, the album is out in the shops, called RODNEY CROMWELL 'Age of Anxiety' released on the Happy Robots label on CD and digitally:

The limited CD is distributed by Cargo Records http://www.cargorecords.co.uk
AMAZON http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T4V5HT0
Also download on iTunes https://itun.es/gb/bspm5

Buy direct and receive bonus goodies:
http://www.happyrobots.co.uk

It has been favourably compared to early-OMD, Giorgio Moroder and Krafwerk (I think in terms of its sound rather than its cultural impact). The record has had really good airplay, with plays on the Gideon Coe show on BBC 6 Music, multiple plays on several Radio 3 in Spain and on loads of synthpop shows and other radio shows (all of whom I will thank again properly at a later date). Oh and somehow two songs are on heavy rotation on Croydon FM. So muchos respect there.  

Thanks to everyone who has played, bought and said nice things about it. It has been very much appreciated! I will write some more about it I'm sure. Oh and feel free to follow Happy Robots on the Facebook. You can hear it on Spotify too, although obviously we would prefer you to buy it.



What else to report:

Alison's band 'The Left Outsides' have a new album 'The Shape of Things to Come' out on 8th May which itself is getting some great airplay. Follow all their news too on Facebook. I've not heard it yet but I'm sure it will be really good.

Indietracks 2015

Matt I know is in the studio at the moment with The Leaf Library working on their new album. And both The Leaf Library and Rodney Cromwell will be appearing at the Indietracks festival this 24-26th

July.  It's the first announced gig for Rodney Cromwell so many thanks in advance to Indietracks for taking a punt and booking me.

On the Saloon front, I've renewed the Soundcloud subscription so all the old stuff is available again. Gideon Coe played two songs from the first Peel Session last night (that is the 16th April 2015). Gideon has played that session several times so many thanks for that Gid.

Lastly I've been emailing a chap James who was in the band Postalowa who we played with once in Norwich. As well as having a great Mixcloud show Tall Ships Radio Club, he has a band Broads who Saloon fans may be interested in. Our chat also enabled me to find the details on the 2003 gig in Norfolk which I've added to the Saloon timeline. As keeper of the archives and master of the data this stuff matters OK.

Stock Take Time

After the plays on Gideon Coe and the setting up of the Arthur and Martha bandcamp, there has been a bit of movement with shop sales so I thought it was time to do a stock take.

This is a list of everything we have left.  I'm afraid the prices have gone up a little due to a) extortionate UK postage b) People buying off me at uber-reasonable prices only to then re-sell them for much higher on eBay 

MERCH

Electron T-Shirt: Dark and Light Blue (Medium in dark blue and Large in light blue) (no XS or XL left - sorry) £4.99

7' SINGLES

Girls are the new boys - 7' single (new in box - despite being the Festive 50 smash! I have still got a box of new copies. This was limited to 500)  £0.99

Saloon / Lazer Guided Split Single. (I just unearthed 2 of these - very rare [250??] and unplayed. Saloon's track Futurismo our first 7" release on purple vinyl. Very nice.  £4.99

Arthur and Martha: Autovia 7' single (Despite glowing reviews from likes of NME, I still have a box of these too)  £1.99

CD's

SALOON: (this is) what we call progress. (On Track and Field, new and unplayed. Stock running low now - about 10 copies left)  £4.99

ARTHUR AND MARTHA: Navigation (New and sealed.)   £4.99

SALOON: if we meet in the future. (CD Test pressing. I have 2 copies only.)  £4.99 Only one left

CD COMPILATIONS

Readipop No.1 Includes Pink by Saloon (our very first release!! Still have about 10 of these)  £0.99

Readipop No.2 Includes Nina Says by Saloon (never released anywhere else. Rare. Still have about 10 of these)  £0.99

SALOON: LP Demo (3 tracks from the debut album uber rare blue CD handmade sleeve demo. No idea if it works, but looks nice though - one to show off that you own on Discogs. I have one copy)  £2.99 Gone

LAUDANUM: Remixed. (Includes SALOON's only ever remix the wonderful 'Russian Moon' also never again released. I have two copies of the promo version left. Cover starting to look a bit dog-eared though)  £4.99

Litte Darla has a treat for you no.20. (Includes 'Happy Robots' from second SALOON album. Last 2 copies)  £2.99

Litte Darla has a treat for you no.24 (Includes SALOON 'Suivez La Piste Remix' - I think a slightly different mix from the 'Resonance 7" - certainly the only way to get this song digitally. Last 2 copies)  £2.99

BOTPOP vol 1. Compilation album from the Happy Robots label that I ran with Alice. Lovely sleeve by Andrew. Includes ARTHUR AND MARTHA: Ultra Alliance [perhaps our best track] as well as loads of other great tracks by the likes of Hong King in the 60's, Katsen, Jupiter etc.  
 £4.99

Please email me [adam.cresswell [at] gmail.com] with the stuff you want and I will send you postage details. Payment by Paypal please. First come first served on the limited stuff. Apologies if I do take a day or two posting stuff out - this will be due to me not being an amazon sized multinational conglomerate.

Spotify

It has for a while been an annoyance to someone as anal as me, that the Saloon Spotify profile was such a mess. Our songs and albums were somehow mixed up with those of a French white-rap band also recording under the name Saloon. After just two emails to the nice people at Spotify though, they have set up a new profile for us which includes just songs by the white middle-class indie Saloon from Reading, England.(i.e. us.)

So if you are a Spotify user, you may now listen to our songs free of the taint of French hip-hop. And feel free to share the link and 'follow' the band, God knows where our Spotify royalties go to of course, a big black hole in the sky would probably be most appropriate.

A Short History of the Saloon Web

So this blog now has the www.saloon.co.uk url pointing to it. Which makes it the official Saloon website.

Despite the fact that we were five people, who were incredibly un-savvy in terms of computer use, the internet  (or at least the Saloon website and mailing list) was very important to us. It was the means by which we were able to communicate with our fan-base and operate pretty much autonomously without the need for a big record label. In many respects it was the ultimate punk rock tool; it was something that helped make us as a band and ultimately, its use probably contributed to our split.

We can thank my brother Gideon for our having a site in the first place. He was the person who had the idea, built the site and made us ‘early-adaptors’ of web technologies, whether we realised it or not. We had a website from early in 1998, pretty much as soon as we had done our first photo shoot. Bands at our level just didn’t have websites at the time; and this is years before Web 2.0 and the MySpace / Facebook revolutions. We were certainly the first active band in Reading to have a website, and we promoted it using old-fashioned methods, by giving out photocopied flyers at gigs which had our URL.

The Saloon Web Flyer

Certainly none of the band had their own computer at home, in the early days I didn’t even have access to email at work. If we wanted to do an update, send an email to the mailing list or even respond to an email, I had to fax our message to Gideon who then had to type it up for us. In hindsight I am glad he found the time; luckily he has made a good career in web design for himself now.

Arguably more important than the website was the Saloon mailing list. As soon as the website was running we very quickly had hundreds of names on the list and after every gig we played, in every town, you saw the list go up incrementally in number. We used the mailing list to promote our gigs, new releases and occasionally stuff that friends or bands that we supported were doing. We were very conscious even then of not spamming people.  I am incredibly proud of the fact that, and I can say this with my hand on my heart, we didn’t add a single unsolicited email address name onto that list. Everyone who was on the list had gone to our website and subscribed (and it was just as easy to unsubscribe).   

I will probably say more about the list at a later date if I ever get onto discussing the 2002 Festive 50, which is something I don’t think any of us have ever done. Until then, if you want to see what the old site looked like, try the fantastic wayback machine. Here are some links:

The very early site:

http://wayback.archive.org/web/19991003141406/http://www.saloon.co.uk/

The classic look (with Gideon getting excited by an email from Yahoo):

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20000707004933/http://www.saloon.co.uk/

The split:

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20041129093944/http://www.saloon.co.uk/

(This was) what we called a demo

The most recent upload to Soundcloud is quite a treat for Saloonatics. It is the full 12 track demo recorded for the debut album.

It was recorded onto our 8 track mini-disc recorder with me on mixing duties. After this mixing became a much more shared endeavour, with Amanda taking on more mixing responsibilities.  The final two tracks here were recorded at the same time but we decided not to include them: Free Fall went onto a 7” and Coda we didn't record again, although it did become the opening theme to La Jetee 

Anyway I hope you like these early versions and don’t let them put you off buying the album from our shop. 

(Additional 7.1.13 - I have edited the Soundcloud files so they are now downloadable. Enjoy.)