March 2008
Laurel's on Myspace
The Laurels have a new feature page on Myspace at: 'Lyric L./AmyV. UK Featured Artists LIVE', it's well worth a look, the page features some less known tracks and a new interview.
Laurel webmaster's new website
I've gotten myself a new home, and yes this fact isn't all that Laurels connected but humour me as I did play drums for Yellowbelly for a while, anyway please pay me a visit the new site at: www.flashdrummer.co.uk
Thanks Flash.
December 2007
Swinging Laurels Katrina benefit compilation track
The Swinging Laurels are delighted to have the track 'Chicago' on the Sax on the Web, New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund Compilation which features some of the worlds great sax players, please visit Sax on the Web.
October 2007
A real treat is in store on Saturday 3rd November at the Donkey in Leicester, as ist will be performing with three Laurels, for one night only we'll have Gaz, John and Dean on the same stage, a very rare treat indeed and not something to miss. ist will be performing tracks from throughout their career including new material from their forthcoming album 'Toothpick Bridge' due for release in 2008. Also on the bill will be the very talented M48 featuring the offspring of Gaz and John.
February 2007
Ok another year and more news, Gaz, John and Dean are soon to be recording parts for the new ist album 'Toothpick Bridge', set for release later in the year. Also new/vintage instrumental tracks are now available to download for free on the Laurels myspace site.
November 2006
On Sunday 3rd December you'll get you last chance this year to see the Laurels in action. FLASHDOWN II, this year feature The Nightingales, ist (with the Laurels), The Soar Valley Wayfarers and The Displacements. The night costs a mere £5 to get in and it is expected, as last year to be full, so an early arrival is advised, doors open at 8:00pm.
July 2006
We have some great news for all Laurels fans, the band now have an official Myspace site at myspace.com/theswinginglaurels and for a limited time you can download tracks from the Laurels back catalogue including Lonely Boy featuring Boy George.
Also this month you can catch the Laurels in Leicester with ist at The Charlotte on Saturday 29th.
June 2006
Just made a great find on the YouTube website, it's the video by
The Fun Boy Three for The Telephone Always Rings, featuring the Laurels at the very end, it's a must see for any old Laurels fan.
So here we are again after a short break and sadly some loss of files, but still pretty much where we left off. Since we've been gone Gaz and John have played a very successful gig at DeMontfort University in Leicester and Gaz is currently on tour with The Beautiful South. Ist are back demoing new material for the next album, and both Gaz and John will be helping with the writing and arranging.
The main omission from the site, the MP3 page is currently being updated and will be back very soon.
January 2006
Jules of NAKED RUBY has discovered the original Laurels drum machine, this is what he had to say: 'Hi there, stumbled on your website and thought you might like pic of your original 'drummer'! I too have been in various not quite famous bands over the tears, one of whom KILL UGLY POP purchased this off a mate DAVE HENDERSON of MOJO fame almost 20 years ago. It still has a sticker with 'rodeo' marked on it...was that a rhumba or a bossa nova! and of course it has the original shop label ...the very groovy 'SOUND PAD' of Leicester...are they still going? I doubt it.... all the best with the book'.
The picture of the drum machine is now at the bottom of the images page.
July 2005
Leicester band ist are recording a version of 'Rodeo' as some of you will have heard debuted live at Gaz's birthday party. Gaz is recording the track in his home studio, you will be able to hear it on this, and ist's site later in the year.
Gaz and John are to make a rare live appearance as the Laurels, with ist at this years SUMMER SUNDAE Festival at Demontfort Hall Gardens in Leicester on Sunday 14th August at 2:45pm.
Also this month, in the archive, are some pictures Gaz sent me from 1983/84 including photographs of the Laurels on tour with Culture Club.
June 2005
Firstly, Happy Birthday Gaz Birtles, Gaz has reached his half century, and with some style too at his great birthday bash in Leicester, with sets from Yellowbelly and the Laurels (first time in 22 years), pictures coming soon.
YELLOWBELLY, are playing an acoustic set in Leicester at Firefly on Thursday 14th July, this is the first proper gig for the band in Leicester in many years and it's not to missed.
May 2005
Gaz Birtles 'other' band, YELLOWBELLY, are playing their first gig in several years at THE DEPORTEES CLUB, THE CASTLE THEATRE, WELLINGBOROUGH, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE on SAT 21st MAY.
Yellowbelly have been around for about 10 years in various incarnations and after a 4 year lull they are back in full voice to thrust their infectious Country Pop into the faces of some unsuspecting audience!!
The line up of the band is;
GAZ - Vocals and Sax
WAL - Guitar and B/Vox
JAMES - Bass and B/Vox
FLASH - Drums
The band are looking for a keyboard player to supplement the live sound if anyone is interested!
cheers
Gaz
March 2005
How NOT to Make It in the Pop World - new book by Laurels founder member John Barrow
It was the musical equivalent of a last-minute goal-line clearance in a play-off final.
Back in 1983 Leicester's nearly-men, The Swinging Laurels, had been signed by big-bucks Warner Brothers.
Gaz Birtles and John Barrow were putting the finishing touches to their second single, Lonely Boy, when their producer ushered in the man he had in mind for some backing vocals - Boy George, then one of the biggest names in music.
Surely all they had to do now was crack open the champagne and wait for tabloid hacks to start rummaging through their bins.
Gaz, remembered: "It was stunning. We thought 'we can't fail'."
But then George's record label got wind of his spot of moonlighting and threatened legal action, and just a week before the release date his track was hastily muted.
The story of The Swinging Laurels incredible bad luck is part of music legend, and now, for the first time, the complete visual/aural history of the Laurels can be found here, to accompany the book by founder member John Barrow, How NOT to Make It in the Pop World (diary of an almost has-been).
Click here to read the reviews.
Click here to read the latest articles/interviews with the band about their careers.
NEW Download a Laurels desktop image (1024x768) here
So why a Swinging Laurels website after all these years?
That's easy really, as interest in the band has never completely disappeared, but since John wrote his book, new and old fans alike want to find out more. So here it is, a place to buy the book, buy records and wallow in Laurels nostalgia.
The Laurel Webmaster - email: flashdrums@gmail.com |
website: www.flashdrummer.co.uk
