First batch will be SIGNED by Steve and a pre-order will most likely guarantee one, so of course giving you chaps the first bite at the cherry. ALSO - am 99% sure I will be able to offer 2 tickets to Steve's gig at York Fibbers on April 17th to one lucky randomly drawn punter. Will 100% confirm this soon.
Pre Order SIGNED copy £11.99
Million selling songwriter, accomplished musician, sharp dresser and all round top bloke, Steve Cradock releases his new album Peace City West” on April 4 . The 14 track Peace City West, features the recent single Last Days Of The Old World, the new single Only Look Up When You’re Down and is released on Steve's own Kundalini Music label.
Steve is familiar to most as the long-serving guitarist in Paul Weller's band and a member of Ocean Colour Scene. What's less well known is his capacity for writing the sort of heart-melting pop songs most bands would give their eye-teeth for. Born in Birmingham and raised on a teenage diet of The Who, the Small Faces and lashings of The Jam, Steve's first band The Boys were a ferocious power-pop outfit. Inspired by The Stone Roses, Steve's next band Ocean Colour Scene rode high on the Brit-pop wave with second album, the 1.3 million selling Moseley Shoals spawning four Top Twenty hits.
Recruited by Paul Weller for his band in 1993, Steve has been alternating between OCS and a role as The Modfather's musical consiglieri ever since, Steve only got round to making his solo debut, the splendid Kundalini Target, two years ago. The follow-up, Peace City West was recorded over a fortnight at Deep Litter Studios - a barn on a farm at the most southern most point in Devon. With a revolving cast of musicians including long-time OCS fan, actor James Buckley (Jay from the Inbetweeners) on guitar and vocals, it's as richly melodic as you'd expect from someone with such an established musical pedigree. If this bucolic 'getting it together in the country' feel can be heard in tender ballad 'Little Girl', Peace City West is also a very personal record, notably 'Only Look Up When You're Down'.
“That was written for my mum because she hasn't been well” the guitarist explains, “but it can be taken in general terms as a way to look at life. I didn't want it to be too maudlin.”
The funky Steppin' Aside' (co written with his wife Sally, who also features on backing vocals) is a Dusty Springfield-ish groove and the stunning 'Finally Found My Way Home' has the feel of a classic; the sort of song which sounds like some dusty 45 you'd find in a second hand record shop and cherish forever. “I was waiting for someone to write words over the top of it. In the end Andy Crofts (Weller's keyboard player / The Moons) rewrote the verse while we were on tour in Melbourne. Andy Crofts ended up writing 5 tracks on the album. While My Scooter Sits Idle boasts one of Steve's finest couplets to date (“My scooter sits idle/Just like my Gideon's bible”), the barnstorming Last Days Of The Old World, meanwhile, will delight long term fans. Boasting a Kinks-ish guitar riff offset by apocalyptic lyrics about “Digital showers over London.” it also features a certain P. Weller.
Regulars send name, first line address and quantity as usual to me
New customers (Reflex virgins) sent request on how to pre-order to same address
Usual postage applies
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