Club Smith Unveil Details Of Debut Double A-Side Single 'No Friend Of Mine’/‘Young Defeatists’
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Written by Jon Stickler
Leeds-based four piece Club Smith (Sam Robson: Main Vocals/Guitar, Vijay Mistry: Drums, Lee Clark: Bass/Vocals, Neil Clark: Keys/sampler/vocals) release their debut AA side single ‘No Friend Of Mine’/‘Young Defeatists’ on 6th June via Front Wall Records.
The tracks have been produced by Will Jackson (Pigeon Detectives/The Music) and mixed by James Kenosha (Dinosaur Pile up/Pulled Apart by Horses /Grammatics). The propulsive rhythms, fuzzing bass and rabble-rousing vocals lay the foundations for a dark, dense slice of angry post-punk. Sam, a fearlessly candid and articulate lyricist, carefully negotiates the melodrama of the every day and the timeless struggle of the angry young man, to create impassioned and emotive lyrical content which deals with his growing despair over the state of the country today…a call to arms perhaps?
There was a time, before Club Smith even existed, when Sam Robson’s baby-faced features at 17 meant that he and his cohorts were unable to nip out for a pint in their local public house….a common problem for many of that age, but having experienced this rejection, Sam planted the very first seeds of his future band….
“We used to drink at Smithy’s house when his parents were away. We’d go round all the time, get drunk and then try and emulate Original Pirate Material but writing songs about art foundation courses and papier mache. We used to refer to the place as ‘Club Smith’. The name stuck in my head and I had once wanted to start a club night with Smithy, but he’s well flaky so it never happened. We decided to use Club Smith as the band name in the end anyway.”
Now, with the band very much in existence, they have already picked up radio plays from indie arbiters of taste Steve Lamacq (who came to see them play in London) and Tom Robinson, who had the band in for interview after their shows on the BBC Introducing stages at Leeds/ Reading 2010. They’ve also had plays from Huw Stephens, Frank Skinner (Absolute Radio), Rory McConnell (Radio 1), have supported The Naked and Famous, Iliketrains, The Sunshine Underground, The Mystery Jets, Two Door Cinema Club, The Neat, Hockey and have recently done a full UK tour with The Pigeon Detectives.
Their new video is shot by Danny North (NME photographer) and Tim Blackwell (who between them have previously worked with Frankie and the Heartstrings, The Neat and Underground Heroes). It focuses on a boxing theme which has meant some pretty intense ‘method acting’ techniques from the band. In fact Sam and Lee have both started training 5 days a week and in 5 weeks Sam has lost over a stone in weight….with that kind of dedication they’re bound to go far.
Check out the video below.
UK LIVE SHOWS:
Thurs 5th May: LONDON - The Monarch – 8pm
Fri 20th May: LIVERPOOL - The Masque Ink (Sound City Festival) – 8.35pm
Sat 28th May: NORWICH - Playfest Festival
Fri 10th June: YORK - City Screen Basement (Headline) - 9.30pm
Sat 11th June: LEEDS - Nation of Shopkeepers (Headline) - 9.30pm
Sun 12th June: KEIGHLEY - Rock and Rail Festival – 5pm
Fri 17th June: PRESTON - Mad Ferret
Sat 18th June: SUNDERLAND - Plugged Inn
Fri 29th July: KENDAL - Kendal Calling Festival, New Bands Stage
Sun 28th Aug: YORK - Galtres Festival
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