Kitchens of Distinction

[Nurdled, by Astley]

Not sure of they have a thread of their own round here, but I know a few people on the forum are fans of theirs. So they may be interested to know that a new Kitchens of Distinction CD is creeping towards completion. Live dates seem highly unlikley, but any new music would be very welcome.

Details here: http://stephenheroband.wordpress.com/ and on Patrick's Stephen Hero Facebook page.

[tonight_we_fly]

I saw that a few days ago, and got a bit emotional about the whole thing.

I know Patrick said that they won't be touring because of logistics, personal arrangements and health, but I've still got my fingers crossed for the odd one-off live date here and there. I always found it really saddening that a band of their stature ended up playing their last ever live date at the Dublin Castle; they really deserved much better.

Having said that, the last time I went to see Patrick perform as Stephen Hero he fell ill shortly before, and was actually sitting in a hospital bed at the time he should have been performing.

Anyway, hooray!

[Wicker Man]

I know Patrick said that they won't be touring because of logistics, personal arrangements and health, but I've still got my fingers crossed for the odd one-off live date here and there. I always found it really saddening that a band of their stature ended up playing their last ever live date at the Dublin Castle; they really deserved much better.

Was that the one where David McAlmont turned up to do guest vocals? If so, I was at that, and it was a stupendous night.
I have every confidence they're still capable of making something mindblowing.

[tonight_we_fly]

Was that the one where David McAlmont turned up to do guest vocals? If so, I was at that, and it was a stupendous night.
I have every confidence they're still capable of making something mindblowing.

Indeed, that was the one. He sang Mad As Snow if I remember correctly. Oh, the memories...

[Wicker Man]

I think you do.

What makes that even more brilliant is that DM was supposed to be performing his own headline show somewhere on the other side of town that night - I worked on the periphery of the music industry at the time, and was under orders to go. Obviously, I wasn't going to miss KoD for anything, so I passed my guest list place on to someone else on the understanding they didn't tell anyone, and hot-footed it to Camden.

Imagine my surprise when McAlmont strolled into the Dublin Castle. Turns out he'd cancelled his own gig at the last minute due to 'illness'. He definitely didn't look or sound very ill - feller clearly had his priorities in order.

[wishiwasskinny]

I had a dream last night that David McAlmont was a large, singing teddy bear. It was one of those very real ones where I had to convince myself that it wasn't true when I woke up. I'm pretty sure it's not true.

That is all.

[Wicker Man]

Forgot to mention earlier, but Lancashire Fusileer reminded me on the FarceBook just now: they are back! New album at the end of September, no live stuff as yet (guitarist's not up for it, apparently) but some promising-sounding 30-second clips and a Radio 6 Round Table win for the first single yesterday, apparently.

http://www.3loopmusic.com/kitchens-of-d ... ion-folly/

Edit. Sorry, Nurdled - just realised this thread started as a 'they're back!' announcement. At least we have some concrete details, now.

[tonight_we_fly]

Apparently there has been some discussion about the live thing; Patrick and Dan are definitely up for it, but Julian definitely isn't.

Basically they were talking about either getting in a session musician to make Julianesque noises, or trying something completely different like performing the songs with a string quartet or something acoustic. To date the matter remains unresolved, but it sounds increasingly likely that something might happen.

I'm not sure whether the health problems which Patrick's experienced over previous years could also be a factor discouraging wider touring as well. In fact, the last time I went to see him perform as Stephen Hero he actually didn't make it to the gig, and I later learned that he'd been rushed into hospital that day.

At some point, some years back, it dawned on me that I never ever wear band t-shirts any more apart from BSP ones, and so (given that most of the old ones wouldn't fit me any more anyway) I decided to feee up a considerable amount of wardrobe space by ditching the non-BSP pile. Well, all except two. I hung onto my Throwing Muses "House Tornado" t-shirt, and the "Elephantine" KItchens one; I felt too attached to throw those away.

Throwing Muses are alleged to be about to release a new album too. I'm going to look ridiculous trying to squeeze into those t-shirts again. But I think I'm going to do it anyway...

[Wicker Man]

Apparently there has been some discussion about the live thing; Patrick and Dan are definitely up for it, but Julian definitely isn't.

Basically they were talking about either getting in a session musician to make Julianesque noises, or trying something completely different like performing the songs with a string quartet or something acoustic. To date the matter remains unresolved, but it sounds increasingly likely that something might happen.

I'm not sure whether the health problems which Patrick's experienced over previous years could also be a factor discouraging wider touring as well. In fact, the last time I went to see him perform as Stephen Hero he actually didn't make it to the gig, and I later learned that he'd been rushed into hospital that day.
...

Throwing Muses are alleged to be about to release a new album too. I'm going to look ridiculous trying to squeeze into those t-shirts again. But I think I'm going to do it anyway...

I don't think you can really replace Julian, can you? Maybe if Robin Guthrie was up for it - but just look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcIsN4Lqz0s
Shame, but it would be interesting to see a more off the wall solution. The string quartet idea could work, perhaps coupled with the Kitchens OD male voice choir.

Is Patrick still poorly? I gather he had a kidney transplant a few years ago, and hoped that had perhaps improved things.

Don't talk to me about the Muses... I persuaded the music booker at my local venue to get them to squeeze in an extra date on their last UK tour, then couldn't go. Just made an involuntary anguished cry as I remembered that.

Oh, here's more of Julian being astounding, in broad daylight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPs6RX8pe24

...and an interesting interview with Patrick you may well have seen already: http://www.sicmagazine.net/articles/89/ ... ephen-hero

[tonight_we_fly]

Great interview, thanks for that read.

They look so young in that video! Or maybe I'm just getting old.

With hindsight, I can't believe I used to own the seven inch of Escape (their debut single), but gave it away to a friend who somehow persuaded me that he deserved to have it more than I did. Admittedly it was rubbish, but that's not really the point, is it...

I've also got some demos of the new songs they were playing on their final tour back then (which never made it on to any records) if anybody never got these but should desperately need to hear them. There are only about four or five songs as I remember though. They were all consigned to the annals of history at the time, and apparently the new album is all bona fide new songs.

[Wicker Man]

Oh, I'd like to hear those! Someone was talking about them on the Stephen Hero FaceBook page recently - I may have encountered one or two of them live, but never I've never heard the demos.

[tonight_we_fly]

Oh, I'd like to hear those! Someone was talking about them on the Stephen Hero FaceBook page recently - I may have encountered one or two of them live, but never I've never heard the demos.

Ah, no problem. I'm on holiday at the moment, but when I get home next weekend I'll sort something out and send you a PM with a link.

[Wicker Man]

Much appreciated! Have a great holiday, meanwhile...

[Blackout]

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDrEa0XMs8

[tonight_we_fly]

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDrEa0XMs8

Ah, that was a great gig. I think that was their "reunion" show at the Borderline if I'm remembering correctly, where they included a blistering version of Heroes. It was such a tragedy when the Toilets of Destruction all died in a horrific plane crash; or so Patrick from Kitchens claimed on stage at a later gig...