Abbo talks in some depth in an interview with Andy from the Fear And Loathing Fanzine about the songs and inspirations behind some of the tracks from UK Decay’s recent album, New Hope For The Dead
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UK Decay live at O2 Academy
Islington, London. This Saturday 16th November, doors open 6pm
SHOW TIMES
> Doors: 6.00pm
FREEDOM FACTION: 6.30 – 7.00
FRANKO B: 7.10 – 7.40
STEVE IGNORANT’s Slice Of Life: 7.55 – 8.35
UK DECAY: 8.50 – 10.00
>Curfew – 10.00pm strict!
Do you fancy getting your hands on a vinyl test pressing of New Hope for the Dead signed by the band?
If so we’ll be handing out raffle tickets to everyone attending Saturday’s Islington 02 show, with the winner announced by Franko B on the night.
Franko not only created the artwork, but will be appearing with his band At Night We cry.
This will be Decay’s last ‘Night of Celebration’ in London and the south for the foreseeable future. We promise a choice mix of our new songs and our old classics supported by an excellent line-up with a few surprises during the evening. Doors open 6pm – performances timed to enable the catching of as many last trains as possible – This is unmissable – Saturday’s show is fast filling up, but we still have some friends and family tickets available on the night at a concessionary rate. If you’d like one then email us at contact@ukdecay.co.uk and we’ll put your name down. You can then pay for the conc tickets on arrival at the door.
Also T Shirt-wise, we will have some brand new design’s based on New Hope For The Dead white and red text on a black shirt. This is a limited screen printed run and if there is anything left after the O2 gig, we will duly place on our website here. The will also be a selection of stickers buttons, badges, posters, some vinyl, CD’s and hopefully more, all available on our merchandise stall at O2 – Look out for us.
Many thanks and hopefully see you on Saturday
Abbo, Ed, Ray and Spon
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live in London UK Decay, Steve Ignorant and Franko B – just two weeks to go
UK Decay live in London..
So not long now until we’re joined at the O2 Academy Islington on Saturday 16 November by Steve Ignorant’s Slice of Life and at Night We Cry with FrankoB.
There’s a big connection with Steve, with Decay playing one of its first gigs with Crass and recording regularly at Southern Studios. Werewolf was also released with the help of Crass on the Corpus Christi label.
Also on the bill is Cambridge’s Freedom Faction. Doors are at 6pm and tickets are £14. available here
Hope to see as many of you there that can make it.
Cheers
Decay get arty
As gigs go this wasn’t really the usual UK Decay experience. When Franko asked if we could step in at the last minute to replace the mysterious Revelator, we asked what sort of night he was planning.
‘Art!’ He shot back, ‘lot’s of art. And loud music too.’
Simples we think, and load up Jon’s Volvo for the fairly short trip from the blessed holy lands of Lutonia to South East London. Ed was making his own way down and Abbo was hightailing it in from Chester. Jon was in his usual mad driver mode, and so Spon and me spent the majority of the trip with our eyes shut and praying we’d make it in one piece.
The venue was an old pub in Camberwell that’s been converted into a swish bar. The landlord is well in with the art crew and hosts lots of leftfield events there, including regular fetish nights apparently. We bowl in and find Chairman Che and Marsha already there and doing the business. Today Che’s smoking small, thin cigars, rather than the Zeppelins he usually prefers. We set up and sound check. Things are sounding good. We’re just playing through the backline and a vocal PA, today but there’s a lovely crisp urgency to the sound.
Franko and his crew are already in attendance – as are a selection of London’s finest performance artists. To be fair, some of it went over our heads. In fact, most of what was going on went over our heads – a great deal of which seemed to involve nakedness and gaffer tape. But everyone there was engaged and respectful; the ideas well executed.
As well as being a great artist Franko was singing in the first band due on that evening: At Night We Cry. While they sound checked we cleared off to a nearby café to drink beer, eat food and talk about next moves – possibly another record. Che reported back on gigs booked or being planned: which at the moment include a big London show later this year, then jaunts into Spain, Poland, Germany and more. We’re adding shows by the day and once everything is signed off will be putting up the dates. The sun was hot and the beer was cold and it was the first time in ages we’d been able to just sit around and hang out – which was great.
So back to the venue in time to see Franko do his thing. At Night We Cry are a three piece: drums, bass and Franko on vocals and FX. Considering there are just three of them they make a great racket, lots of heavy, monstrous grooving between the rhythm section and Franko doing his nut through effects laden vocals. Hopefully we’ll be playing with them again in Italy later this year.
And then to us. We only had to play for 30 minutes so did the same set as we had outside Rough Trade West a few weeks ago:
- Shake ‘em up
- Heavy Metal Jews
- Killer
- City is a Cage
- UK Decay
- For My Country
- I Feel Good
It’s probably the first time the band has played in front of an audience who has never heard them before. Although Steve and Lee did manage to get down to see the show. It was a good show: tight, energetic and powerful – the usual Decay ingredients minus the swinging belts. Before we knew it, the night was done. A few beers and then a face from the past: Phil Keefe from Luton who made the short journey from his new home in SE London, but arrived 30 minutes after we’d played.
Time to head back. Spon and me looked at the Volvo with trepidation. As I was navigating from the map on my phone, I drew the short straw and had to sit in the front. I shut my eyes and prayed!
STOP PRESS – UK DECAY TO STAND IN FOR REVELATOR AND PLAY AT UNTOUCHABLE IN LONDON ON SATURDAY 8 JUNE 2013
UK DECAY will replace REVELATOR and play in June’s edition of UNTOUCHABLE at The Flying Dutchman, Camberwell, London on Saturday 8 June 2013.
There was only one answer when Franko contacted the band to fill the gap left by mystery band REVELATOR, who pulled out of the show at the last minute without explanation.
Indeed, Franko will be spreading his own hot sauce fronting his band At Night We Cry in-between curating the event for performance s p a c e [, which concludes their I ♥ ]ps[ fundraising campaign.
Performance/ Live Art will start at 2pm sharp and run until approximately 8pm.
The live music will start at 6 pm with At Night We Cry, followed by UK Decay at 730pm
DJ sets by Franko B, Abbo’s alter ego, DJ Lovechild and DJ MU to finish the night..
Artists: Dani Ploeger, Kimberley Emeny, DUG (Ross Oliver, Joana Cifre-Cerdà and Kate Buckley), Season Butler, Verity Combe, Laura Dee Milnes, Elenor Hellis, Lorena Lo Pena,Valeria, Tello Giusti, Bruno Humberto & Abraham Winterstein, Fabiola Paz & Annalaura Alifuoco, Samuel Kennedy, Liz Sandford Richardson, E-SCIENCE
When: Saturday 8th June, 2pm – 1am
Where: The Flying Dutchman, 156 Wells Ways, Camberwell, London SE5 7SY
Transport: Burgess Park stop bus 343/N43 or nearby Wyndham Road stop 12, 35, 40, 45, 68, 148, 171, 176 or Vestry Road stop 36, 345, 436
Website:
Twitter: @Fly_Dutch_Lon @aplaceofaction @Franko_B_artist
]performance s p a c e[ aims to cultivate live work that critically and physically pushes the boundaries of body and space. It is a place where work can unfold without restraints of censorship, duration or space; committed to supporting challenging and difficult work that embraces performance art as an ever-evolving medium.
Entry: suggested donation.
All the money raised will go to ]performance s p a c e [ to support the continued delivery of ]performance 1 0 1 [. This part of the ]performance s p a c e [ programme runs across 2013 offering artists open platforms to present live work, discuss & develop their work and participate in dynamic research events. ]performance 1 0 1 [ is open to all and free of charge. It does not receive financial support or funding.
Franko b man-handles New Hope For The Dead!
UK DECAY – FRANKO B COLLABORATION
It has been a month now since the album release, and thank you to everyone for their support and feedback; the band are humbled and appreciative and we do try to respond to all who tap the boards onto the various social network sites and forums. Keep spreading the Hot Sauce please!!
And now perhaps timely to introduce Franko B, whose stunning artwork adorns the album.
On the eve of the band’s new release New Hope For The Dead, Uk Decay are privileged and humbled to announce the collaboration with artist Franko B, whose stunning artwork adorns the album sleeve and the Killer/Heavy Metal Jews single.
Several themes run through the songs of the album and the band’s efforts to find artwork which would encapsulate these themes and be worthy of the new material and sound, the Decay legacy, the support of the Pledgers, justice to the UK Decay communities old and new was proving very, very difficult, until contact was made with Franko that is!
Che knew Franko through a mutual friend, art dealer Guy Hilton, and had actually missed out on purchasing Franko’s Black Stars and Stripes at the British Art Fair a few years back; and they say life has no regrets! Anyway, Che did a deal on one of Luton artist Clive Barker’s “Heart” sculptors from Franko around the same time.
When Che showed the band Franko’s art, it resonated with them immediately and here’s what the guys had to say.
Raymondo: ” There’s a horrible reality in those black flags; an end of the road feel to them. If you’re strapped to a chair in Bagram airforce base they’ll make a lot of sense.”
Spon: ” Is the ideology represented behind those flags, deserving of colour, given the acquisition of oil at the cost of truth?”
Eduardo: ” When I saw both the white and black Union Jacks and Stars and Stripes it left me speechless with such powerful imagery.”
Back to the story. Che writes Franko a short note, leaving a number for Franko to contact him on. Within a short space of time, Franko responds and listens to what Che has to say. Franko was familiar with the band back in the day, having moved to London from Italy in 1979. Abbo sends Franko a copy of the TDL mix of the album to listen to on his return from taking care of art matters in the North East. A meeting is arranged at the steps of St Johns Church in Waterloo. It is a bright, clear January. The espresso is ordered and the collaboration begins.
As Franko explains, “I always love the opportunity to work with other artists. I don’t separate art forms and I am not precious about my own work. This collaboration is a good thing that allows each other’s work – Decay’s and mine – to reach out to each other’s audience. I still believe in the spirit of punk and there is a common thread of our core ideals, but most importantly I love the new songs – Killer and Woman With The Black Heart especially, and the new material has made me listen to the old Decay too. I love it!”
The band are indebted to Franko for his love and generosity. Yes, its UK Decay as art critics!, and we leave you all with the continuing eloquence from Abbo,
“Franko B had made a statement so simple yet so profound and most importantly the most singular representation in my mind of the acknowledgement that the concept of the symbol of a nation now rests sadly in mourning in Britain and in the USA today, caused by the irresponsible, corrupt and immoral actions of those elected and empowered to represent it.”
One day we may claim it back!
Announcement: release date confirmed
The voice of chairman Che
UK Decay are proud to announce that Monday 22nd May 2013 is the release date of their long awaited new album New Hope For the Dead, with pre-release copies available in record shops across the UK participating in Record Store Day tomorrow (Saturday 20th April).
In fact the band will be playing a short set outside Rough Trade West at around 3pm. Get yourselves down there and join the party with the band. Copies of the album will be available in the Rough Trade Shop on Talbot Road London W11.
A bit about the album: produced by rock legend Chris ‘The Dark Lord’ Tsangerides, the new songs cover a wealth of subjects, from the fracturing nature of society and the twin evils of extremism and bigotry, to the lack of engagement by today’s generation and the attraction of things that ultimately harm us. It’s’ quite literally a sonic assault on the senses – You have been warned!!!!
Photo of the vinyl front cover, in shrinkwrap with sticker
The album is available on deluxe cd booklet with lyric sheet poster and heavyweight vinyl. A very limited pressing of the vinyl and CD will be in “oil painting varnish” and gives a real textured feel to the cover replicating artist Franko B’s striking paintings. This print effect is a world first for any record sleeve.
Get the album through ukdecay.co.uk, at any good record shop, Amazon and it is also available on I Tunes download.
UK Decay will be be spreading their hot sauce throughout Europe and the UK with live shows very soon.
Louder Than War review of NHFTD album
With one crashing blow, UK Decay have rewritten the rules of engagement for supposed ‘comeback’ albums and redefined the term ‘Punk’ for the modern age. Make no mistake about it, this is no sentimental rehash of a sound from over 30 years ago, this is a seismic explosion of anger unleashed in a sound that emanates from both Heaven and Hell depending on your current stand-point. Louder Than War
Album launch and live performance at Rough Trade West!
UK Decay live at Record-Store-Day 2013
We are launching our new album New Hope For The Dead with a short live performance at this years “Record Store Day 2013” at the Rough Trade West Stage, Talbot Road, Ladbroke Grove, London on Saturday 20th April at 2.30pm. This is an outdoor all day family event to celebrate the culture of independent record stores.
Further info here
Our new album to premier a world first print technique
New Hope For The Dead album cover (front)
Our new album New Hope For The Dead is to premier a brand new printing technique on limited pressings of the CD and Vinyl cover artwork. The covers of both formats will feature a 3D “oil painting varnish” effect which will give a real textured feel to the sleeve replicating artist Franko B’s striking paintings. This print effect is a world first for a CD or Vinyl LP.
Both formats of the limited edition will be personally signed by the band. The special limited editions are available now to pre-order from our store and the album will be officially launched in April. A special album launch performance is under wraps and will be announced shortly. Details to follow.
To order the CD version click here
To order the Vinyl version click here
Spon blogs the lo-down
UK Decay recording their second album ‘New Hope For The Dead’
Guitarist Steve Sponblogs the lo-down
Part 1: Blue skies over, the White Cliffs of Dover!
On a Sunday afternoon in late February 2012, members of UK Decay began arriving for their booking at the recording studio situated above the famous white cliffs of Dover. The recording sessions will be our first since we recorded the ‘Rising From The Dread EP’ almost thirty years ago. Together with the help of the www.pledge.com website and our ‘Pledgers’, we had managed to raise much of the funding required to hire out the services of one the rock-guitar worlds most eminent producers, Chris Tsangarides, better known to many as “The Dark Lord” (“TDL”).
TDL’s studio is perfectly situated, away from the beaten track, overlooking a holiday park with magnificent views across the sea all the way to France on a clear day. As the light faded to dusk we arrived and unloaded our packed vehicles into a ‘Hi de Hi’ type holiday cabin nearby to the studio, that was to be our lodgings for the next ten days or so. Utilising the studios facilities at this quiet time of the year meant that we had the holiday park to ourselves for the duration, which was real cool!
TDL’s studio is perfectly situated, away from the beaten track, overlooking a holiday park with magnificent views across the sea all the way to France on a clear day. As the light faded to dusk we arrived and unloaded our packed vehicles into a ‘Hi de Hi’ type holiday cabin nearby to the studio, that was to be our lodgings for the next ten days or so. Utilising the studios facilities at this quiet time of the year meant that we had the holiday park to ourselves for the duration, which was real cool!
We had a mammoth task ahead, not many bands had left it thirty one years between recording albums! Since the proper reformation of UK Decay in 2008, there has been a lot of talk about new songs and possible recordings. The recent shows have seen us featuring a small number of new tracks in the set. In October 2011, the decision was taken to go ahead with recording a new album.
Abbo suggested that we find a specialist producer, who had mastered the art and understanding of recording a guitar and drum oriented band. It wasn’t long before TDL came to light, although primarily a Heavy Metal producer, Abbo recommended that he might be the right guy for us.
Back in the first era of UK Decay, most of the band were based in Luton with Ed the bassist making a short journey down the M1 from Northampton for rehearsals, we had it easy then! Nowadays, members of UK Decay live and work far apart from each other and even a simple rehearsal can accrue many hundreds of combined travelling miles. Not very good for our carbon footprint, we know! But for us there is no alternative, saving for working across the internet, sending ideas via mp3’s etc. we had done a lot of that but its still necessary to play together in the same room at times.
Over the last few months, ideas and activities have increased as the booked studio dates got closer, culminating in a very active couple weeks before the deadline. Then with one week to go, a serious problem manifested that would affect our plans. Ed the bassist was contending with a serious personal family problem that meant we would not be able to have all the band in the studio in the initial days. He would be arriving later in the session. Initially we tried to change the dates, but this was impossible as TDL had other bands and projects booked after us. So we would have to lay down the drums to a guide and have Ed overdub his bass later on. This is not the usual method of recording bands but then hey! when were we ever a ‘usual’ kind of band!
Luckily we had worked out guide tracks on our song demo’s on computer software, complete with raw bass parts, so by utilising these, it would be possible to get around Ed not being available in the initial stages. So in the evening before the first day of recording, drummer Ray and I set up my PC in the ‘Hi de Hi’ cabin and poured through the songs that were about to be recorded. Additionally, having structured the new songs with this software, this enabled Ray and I to really get our heads around the arrangements and the work we had to do. So with a few beers we sat at the computer writing notes and rehearsing parts until at 2am we hit our bunks for the night, tomorrow would be a big day.
Ray was up bright and early the following morning and he was eager to get the ‘she-bang’ on the road. Personally mornings are not my best time, but with the inspiration of the blue-skied vista outside and the sea air, I soon got my act together. It was a glorious day! Ray phoned TDL who was ready and waiting for us not one hundred metres away in his studio.
Ray had gone ahead, he would be using a kit largely supplied by TDL augmented with his own cymbals and snare. Before I ventured down to meet TDL for the first time, I took a few steps away from the Hi de Hi cabin to take in the magnificent view. I noted the cross channel ferry disappearing into the distant haze, beyond I could just make out a faint impression of distant french cliffs.
I had read up about TDL and his impressive array of achievements of production and had watched youtube videos of interviews with the man. He came across as very experienced and a genuinely interesting chap whom amongst other achievements had invented a revolutionary method for recording guitars, namely “The Vortex Guitar” recording technique. My years since the first era of UK Decay had seen me working and producing music for innumerable others, but now it was my turn to be ‘produced’ by someone else! As a musician it made me very aware of my personal ‘shortcomings’, I had after all abandoned playing the guitar for over twenty five years, only picking it up once again in recent years! I was about to meet the producer-maestro otherwise known as ‘The Dark Lord’.
I headed toward the white painted bungalow, round the back were some run down wooden barns, alongside a heavy duty looking outbuilding also painted white. I proceeded to a semi opened laminate door, knocked politely and entered. Inside Ray sat on a chair working on his drum pedal on a table leant against a wall in a slim room. Above the table on the wall there were several presented gold discs on display. The far end of the room contained a small kitchen and in-between, a door leading to what must be the studio.
Ray took me through the door to the studio control room, nice I thought, plenty of valve technology! It was small and compact compared to what you might expect but I could see it was well equipped and designed. The very large mixing desk faced a window tucked between two very nice looking studio monitors. Through the window you could see the cliffs and sea beyond. I continued following Ray through two smaller rooms containing a plethora of musical instruments and recording studio accessories including an upright piano and Hammond organ with Leslie cabinet. We rounded a corner and entered a larger room and in it was The Dark Lord himself, placing microphones round a drum kit.We entered the room and I shook hands with TDL as Ray introduced us. “Coffee?” TDL offered, “Yes please” I answered and TDL took us back to the kitchen where a pot of freshly brewed coffee was awaiting.
We sat down at the table and after introductions, we discussed the plan of action for the session. Ray had already filled TDL in with the situation with Ed, so we moved on to how we could go about recording the drums for the songs. We worked out a plan for transferring our PC based guide music files onto his Radar/Pro Tools recording system. That would turn out to involve me running back and forth between TDL’s studio and our Hi de Hi cabin armed with a memory stick, transferring files for much of the first day! The system took a little tweeking to get right at first, but improved as the day went on.
TDL’s years of experience and empathy with his vocation shone like a wise beacon, here was a studio seer, a music magus that had worked with the likes of Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, Killing Joke, Depeche Mode and Samantha Fox! To name but a few!
I felt humbled and yet he had a warmth and sense of inclusiveness that immediately made one feel at home. He had a down to earth attitude with a cunning plan to solve our problems! He led us back through the studio, this time with a narrated tour. At the back of the ‘live room’ with the drum kit was a covered rack, TDL pulled back a large cover and exposed the large rack, perhaps three metres long, bristling with guitars of all denominations. “Feel free to utilise any of these if you like” TDL offered, “Hmm” I thought of my trusted Antoria custom, “Thanks very much – perhaps!”.
After a further coffee, I returned to Hi de Hi with memory stick to prepare the first batch of three songs. I needed to export the guide tracks from my software and import the results on to TDL’s system. TDL in the mean time finished the microphone placement and started work on the drum sound in the control room. Ray tweeked the kit and limbered up. Eventually I returned with a working file and we were go for recording the first three songs.
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Ray played along to the prepared guide tracks which were now in sync with TDL’s system. I hung around whilst Ray went through a few takes on the first of the three tracks. With some adjustments of the monitors eventually we were happy to have the first take in the can. The drum sound on its own was absolutely awesome!I headed back to Hi de Hi to prepare the next batch of songs, on return I noticed it was already dusk, “My God! its already six o’clock” I thought. Ray had recorded a second track and was about to start on the third when TDL announced that we were finishing the first day’s recordings. This was ok as we were now set up to steam into everything first thing the following day. We would have the evening to make sure all the guide tracks were prepared for the remaining songs. Abbo would be arriving later that evening so we would be able to discuss the arrangements with him then.
Ray and I drove the car to a local chippy, on return we sat at the large table in the Hi de Hi cabin and ate our nosh. Afterwards we got back to the PC to check over the next bunch of songs and work through some ideas on my guitar. Eventually, Abbo phoned Ray to say he was on his way with Jim. The time was 11.30pm, Ray was knackered, he had a long day Abbo was going to be late. I carried on with my guitar for a bit longer but I too was getting tired. At 1am, Abbo called again to say that he was twenty minutes away. Ray decided to wait up a little longer and eventually at 1.30am, Abbo and Jim arrived.
Complete with 100% Nob Creek Bourbon, Baileys, bottle of Rum and fat cuban cigars, the guys waltzed in. We could have been forgiven for taking a swift nightcap and departing for a well earned slumber, but not this time. Abbo, fresh faced and brimming with ideas, wanted to pour over the songs right away. Out came his mobile ipac, laptop and guitar and before we knew it we were back in the thick of working out songs, this time lashed with Jims cocktail concoctions and cigar smoke. Abbo had two brand new ideas for songs he would like to record, I shuddered as I thought about the technicalities involved in making them happen at this stage of the proceedings. Eventually at 4.30am we finally ground to a halt, we discussed a plan of action for the following day and turned in. Day one over!
Spon, Abbo, Chris Tsangarides (TDL), RayThanks to Pirate Hatter Jim for photos
TO BE CONTINUED…..when I get a chance!
Steve Spon