Linus the band

Look what swisstone wrote

2006-02-21T12:35:52Z

Tammy,

I've posted up a couple of tracks from the new albums
on the Audiography community:

http://community.livejournal.com/audiography/1101066.html

So we shall see what comes of that.

Current music: Linus - 'Going Under'

Off topic - Andy Roberts

This post has nothing to do with the Andy Roberts who has worked with Iain Matthews, Neil Innes, and various other luminaries of the UK folk/comedy scene.

The Andy Roberts I'm talking about here was songwriter, guitarist and vocalist for the London based indie/alternative band Linus, as far as I know the first band to take that name, in 1992, but far from the last. Linus were one of those bands that never quite made it, despite good press, a Radio One session and prestigious support slots for the likes of Hole in 1994/95. Nevertheless, they continued to write, perform and record. Anyone who was lucky enough to hear their stuff or see them will tell you that they were really good. You can read about the band's history on the Linus website.

Last June, Andy was in a road accident, and died of his injuries. Last Saturday, his friends put on a special show to celebrate his life, with readings, bands, and displays. At that show two records were launched, a singles compilation, The Course of True Linus Never Did Run Smooth, and a collection of the best of Andy's 4-track demos.

'Don't Forget', from the compilation, was the lead track on a 1998 vinyl EP. It's a lovely, poignant song about the importance of friendship and the silly little things that make up life's rich pageant. A lot of the stuff on The Course of True Linus ... is just as good as this. The rest is even better.

'Another Girl' is from the demos album. This charming song was later worked up by Linus, acquiring a counter-melody and an elegiac end section that made it even more beautiful than it is here. Sadly, a proper band version was never recorded.

You can buy both these records, and other Linus releases (I particularly recommend the Good Listener album from 2000), from Mole In The Ground Records - the website is still being developed, but an e-mail to moleintheground@ntlworld.com will get a response. You can get more downloads of Linus music and Andy's demos at the Linus website.

I should declare an interest - Andy was my mate, and I was even Linus' drummer for a short time (though I'm not on anything recorded). But I am posting these songs because I passionately believe that Linus' and Andy's songs are great pop tunes, as good as anything you'll hear on the likes of 6Music and better than most, and that there are people on this community who would love Andy's music as much as I do, if only they got the chance to hear it. And if that isn't the purpose of audiography, I don't know what is.

The Andy Roberts celebration event

2006-02-12T22:06:54Z

Hello-
I am writing to invite you to the Andy Roberts celebration event. The event takes place on Saturday February 18th, at the Spitz in London. Please let me know if you need a flyer.

The event will have a collection of Andy's art on display, and there will be performances from some of Andy's favourite people, including Charlotte Cooper, Spy 51, The Raincoats, Sidi Bou Said, Eugene Wolstenholme, and Ricky Spontane. The remaining members of Linus will perform one song, at 8:40.

There will be two cds available for sale on the night:
Andy's 4-Track Demos will be £5.00. The cd contains 22 pristine pop ditties, and if you're missing him, it's good to hear his voice again. This cd will convince you that Andy was a genuine musical genius.

The Course of True Linus Never Did Run Smooth, the final Linus compilation, will be available for £10.00. The 16-song cd includes remastered versions of the PE ep and the Don't Forget ep, as well as the lost Supercool single and BBC Radio One session.

The Linus website will continue to be developed, so check back every now and then if you want to hear more demos, see some art and photos, and read more stuff.

Thank you for all your support, and I hope to see you on Saturday-
xoTammy

Sad news

2005-07-18T23:32:38Z

It is with enormous sadness that we announce the end of Linus, due to the loss of founder member Andy Roberts - talented guitarist, singer, songwriter and best friend.

As a mark of respect, we will be maintaining the Linus website, adding all the music, photos, and artwork that we had originally planned. A guestbook has been created.

A cd collection of Andy's 4-track demos is currently being compiled- please email us if you would like a copy. The cd will be available for £1.50, just to cover postage and costs.

Finally, a compilation of singles and rare recordings (including 'lost' single Supercool) will be released later this year.

The remaining members of the band would like to thank all Linus friends and listeners everywhere for their support and enthusiasm these past 13 years.

linusland @ 2005-05-01T15:33:00

2005-05-01T13:47:16Z

On Friday night, we played with the great Pantsuit, Major Matt Mason, and others at the Windmill in Brixton - a lovely show, with lots of friends (hi Charley, Jenni, Sarah, Emily, Tony, Stephen & Siouxsie, Rosie, Katherine, Bridget!) and friendly strangers there. There's some photos at Underexposed.org.uk.

Soon there'll be additions to the website, and in the Summer, a new EP! We'll keep you posted...

Linus come out of Winter hibernation

2005-03-06T23:15:05Z

Hi! It's been a while, huh? We've been writing songs! In fact, we're still writing 'em! Two of them are even kind of finished! We have shows, and if you can make the first one, this week, you'll be able to hear those two songs. (Along with eight others we've played before, naturally.) The second one is a while away, but forewarned is forearmed:

Friday March 11 - The Cube Cinema, Bristol
In addition, there will be puppets.
Onstage at 10:30.
£5.00

Cube Cinema site

Friday April 29 - The Windmill, Brixton, London
Supporting Pantsuit and Major Matt Mason (alias Schwervon!)
We're probably on around 8:30.
£4.00 - bargain!

Windmill site

Take care, and be warm...

Linus play the Bring Yourself Fest!

2004-08-22T22:05:00Z

We are so thrilled that this event is happening, and even more pleased that we are invited to play!

The Bring Yourself Fest is happening in Bristol on the weekend of September 3rd - 5th. It is being extremely well-organised by the admirable Local Kid gang, who brought us last year's Ladyfest Bristol. It's a free festival, with art, workshops, and some of our favourite bands.

Linus is playing Saturday the 4th, around 10:00, with Hooker, Headfall, The Holy Terror, and Sofia Gradin.

More details:
www.bringyourselffest.com

Apologies if we've already told you about this more than once- can you tell how excited we are?

That London show finally...

2004-06-06T18:37:17Z

Dear Friends,

Remember that London show on the Linus tour that got cancelled? It's been rescheduled, and now doubles as a celebration for the release of our new four-track CD, the 'P.E. ep'.

Those nice Homocrime folks are our hosts. There'll be DJing and other surprising attractions, and it goes on until really quite late. It all happens on:

Saturday June 26th, at:
Needles
5 Clipstone Street
London W1
8pm - 1am
3 pounds, or 2 pounds concessions/with flyer.

Linus onstage 10pm.

As well as the new EP, there will be an EXCLUSIVE Linus item on sale at the show...

It will be invigorating to see you there!

www.linusland.co.uk

Oh no!

2004-04-23T14:04:06Z

The London show is cancelled, due to double-booking. We will re-schedule.

Monday's Bristol show is still on...

Linus on tour

2004-04-12T22:51:48Z

Linus has been closed for Winter, but now we're back in business! We're going around the country to say hello and play a few songs in these specially-chosen towns and cities:

Sunday April 18^th
Leeds
The Cardigan Arms
with Kavolchy

Monday April 19^th
Newcastle
The Cumberland Arms
with We Start Fires
and The Chinatowns

Tuesday April 20^th
Stoke
The Talbot
with The Mostons
and Secret Pop Club

Wednesday April 21^st
Liverpool
Club 24/7
with Zombina and the Skeletones
and Lovecraft
and The Compulsives

Thursday April 22^nd
Manchester
The Roadhouse
with Hooker
and Purgatory State
and Kavolchy

Monday April 26^th
Bristol
The Thekla
with Electrelane
and New Black

Further tour details are available at our website.

The next installment of the Linus saga continues with details of our new record, coming soon...

linusland @ 2003-10-17T00:57:00

2003-10-16T23:54:29Z

Incidentally, we now have mp3s up finally on our new music page. Demos, compilation tracks, and one from each of our albums.

What We Did On Our Summer Holidays

2003-10-16T23:50:12Z

Except we weren't on holiday, this was all crammed in between work days. But it was summer, and the sun was out, as you may have noticed.

In August we played at Ladyfest Bristol, along with a bunch of other great acts like Hooker, Hello Cuca, Flamingo 50, the Gossip, Rita Lynch, and lovely Allison Wolfe (ex-Bratmobile) bouncing around being part-time compere and performer. Also a remarkable band called Mooz who were unfortunaly planning to break up shortly after the festival. There was a fantastic show of comix art, films (including the amazing 'Group'), and more. They'd even got their own shop for the weekend - which is now looking more long-term. More info at the shop's beautiful site.

Straight after Bristol we played a London show at the Archway Tavern. Two weeks later we found ourselves added to the bill at Ladyfest Amsterdam - a flying visit to a beautiful place we'll surely return to. Mere days after that was Ladyfest Manchester. In the space of three weeks, we became Ladyfest veterans.

In Manchester, in a large arts complex which housed the whole event (Bristol & London's Ladyfests were spread over several venues), there were workshops (drumming, drag kings), panels (future of Ladyfest), films, lots of bands of course - didn't see many of them this time, but we did catch up with our old friend Rosie from Pussycat Trash, now performing as Ithaca Art Ensemble. We stayed (along with our pals Lesbo Pig) with Valerie's guitarist Vix - thanks Vix!

Now we're planning a new Linus EP, to be recorded this winter & released in the spring. Looking forward to playing at Frock On in Glasgow in December - no London shows scheduled for sure for the time being, though we will be playing before too long...
-Andy

We played in Stoke

2003-06-30T21:13:55Z

We've never been to Stoke before, but we had a very enjoyable weekend travelling to and fro. I'll tell you what, people in Stoke are extremely friendly. It's a strange experience for introverted Londoners.

We were invited up thanks to </a></b></a> and you can read his flattering version of events. We played our longest set in years, all our favourite songs old and new.

And now we're tired.

We Love Gorkys Zygotic Mynci

2003-06-17T20:28:40Z

Would you believe, we have news- big news. July 15th, we’re doing our biggest Bandland yet. Having been asked in the dying days of 2002 by Gary ‘Wiiija’ Walker to curate a show at the ICA, we thought for, ooh, seventeen seconds in the Florida sun (where we were at that juncture) and set our hearts on getting Gorkys Zygotic Mynci to headline. After a bit of toing and froing, they said yes, and we’re massively happy and thrilled.

The line-up is:

Gorkys

The Keys (Welsh popsters on Too Pure)

Your friendly neighbourhood Linus band

Our favourite troubadour, Eugene Wolstenholme

With record playing by Ed, who wants to hear ‘Paris 1919’ and ‘Another Green World’ on giant size speakers.

Tickets and info: www.ica.org.uk - 020 7930 3647
Brought to you by Bandland

Thank you!

2003-05-06T07:29:15Z

Thanks to everyone for coming down to see us on Saturday at Notting Hill. Have we ever told you how much we like you? You're all such nice people.

Sorry if we weren't too chatty on stage- we never have anything to say. We could announce song titles, if all the songs weren't new and titleless.

Ah, Springtime! There's Linus in the air...

2003-04-22T19:28:25Z

Linus is playing a show on Saturday, May 3^rd at the Notting Hill Arts Club.

We're on at 5:00.

It's free.

We exist.

2003-03-09T22:53:35Z

www.linusland.co.uk

At last, you can visit Linus online.
It's still under construction, but come on over and see the work-in-progress. If we have included you on the site, and you'd like something amended, please let us know.
Over 10 years of history, in a handy little website.

A proud announcement...

2002-12-10T00:00:23Z

Gina Birch and Ana da Silva, as founders of the Raincoats, have been pioneers of underground music and culture in the UK since the late 70s. Their experiments with rhythm and space in music, their fragile melodies, and lyrics which blended the poetic and the everyday, have inspired every left-field band from Massive Attack to Nirvana. They mapped out a path particularly for female musicians outside the mainstream.

On January 15th, at the Spitz, Gina Birch presents her acclaimed solo set, as seen at Ladyfest London. Gina is also a film and video director, and her films will show throughout the set. Ana da Silva provides the main support with a rare performance of her own sparse and touching solo material, accompanied by drum machine. Linus open the show, with a short set of new songs in their customary arty/spiky style.

The Spitz is at the Old Spitalfields Market, 109 Commercial Street, London E1 - nearest tubes Liverpool Street or Shoreditch. The show runs from 8pm-11, and entrance is £6.

(From the RRR site)

Shot by both sides

2002-09-19T23:27:12Z

See mzdt's photos from our Bandland night, and cleanskies' slightly hallucinogenic pics from our show in Oxford.

Bandland continued - the DJ's story

2002-09-08T00:42:07Z

Hello, I thought I'd post all the records I played, although I appreciate this is excruciatingly anal. I also appreciate that that might be an unfortunate turn of phrase. We made a fake tape cover on which I was to write all the songs I was playing, but the sound dude kept getting in the way, plus my writing was more illegible than usual.

Oh, and we just worked out that the dude in So Solid Crew who does the chorus of '21 seconds' looks exactly like Will Self. I wonder which of the two has imbibed more drugs.

These are not in the order in which they were played. My comments are in the square brackets:

Sly and the Family Stone: Stand! [Which Sly Song to play? It's like Sophie's Choice]

Built to Spill: The Plan

Joe Tex: I Gotcha

Jay-Z: I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) [Didn't expect to see people dancing to this, mouthing the words - but there they were. The sound of great parties you never knew about]

John Holt: Ali Baba

The Velvet Underground: She's My Best Friend [This inspired outbreaks of air guitar]
I'm Sticking With You
[Not the version in the Ad, the other one]

Ghostface Killah: Daytona 500

The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night [The Kinks are always better than you remember them being]

The Impressions: You A Winner [I might have the name wrong of this one]

The Monkees: Listen to the Band [dang]

Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way [Zombina were rocking out to this - anyone who disses the Mac ain't got no soul]

The Honeys: He's A Doll [A Brian Wilson penned tune, sung by his missus and her sisters - everyone should hear it]

The Steve Miller Band: Take the Money and Run [aawwwwwwwwwwooooooggaaah]

Weezer: In the Garage [You know, 'cause we WERE]
Keep Fishin' [Kermit was with us in spirit]

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Mrs William

Air: Remember (d.whitaker version)[Strings. Utterly gorgeous. Two minutes long]

Paul Simon: Can't Run But [Like the Crash Bandicoot music]

Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor: Moses [A request- one I was more than happy to take.]

Norman Blake: I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow [Finger pickin' good]

Jane's Addiction: Ocean Size [A boy came up and asked me 'Have you got any nu-metal? This was the best I could do. He was unsatisfied. Ah, youth]

Bob Dylan and the Band: Million Dollar Bash [Oooh baby, oooh wee]

David Bowie: Sound & Vision

Outkast: Bombs Over Baghdad [Prescient. Visionary. This should have been number one for a year]

the White Stripes: You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl) [For Jennifer]

Dream: He Loves You Not [For Tammy]

The Jimmy Castor Bunch: Troglodyte [For Bertha]

Destiny's Child: Say My Name [Who'd have thought the best girl band ever would be discovered by Wyclef Jean?]

Curtis Mayfield: Keep on Keepin' On [Goodness, this is lovely]

N*E*R*D: Stay Together [What if the Beatles and Timbaland and Ric Ocasek had two little babies, and one of 'em had a cap, and went out with Kelis?]

Wire: Outdoor Miner

John Cale: Paris 1919 [That middle eight...]

Brian Eno: St. Elmo's Fire

Jim O'Rourke: Prelude to 110 or 200/Women of the World [...take over, cause if you don't, the world, will come, to an end]

Smokey Robinson: Hey Jude

Sam and Dave: I Thank You [For all]

Stevie Wonder: Uptight (Everything's Alright)

The Webb Brothers: Low Grade Fever

The La's: Knock Me Down

Vince Guaraldi Trio: Linus & Lucy [Joy]

Missy Elliot and Timbaland: Watcha Gon' Do

The Dungeon Family: Crooked Booty

the Apples in Stereo: Seems So

the Magnetic Fields: I Think I Need A New Heart
Washington D.C. [SO hard to just play two]

Kingsbury Manx: Piss Dairy [I prefer to think of it as 'Sweet Autumn Leaves' - the title doesn't exactly communicate the wide eyed joy and loveliness of this]

The Modern Lovers: Someone I Care About

The Partridge Family: I Can Hear Your Heartbeat [Minimalist genius - the obvious inspiration for 'Dreamless Sleep']
Point me in the direction of Albequerque

Prince: When You Were Mine [Three different people felt moved to congratulate me on playing this - congratulate Mr Rogers Nelson, he wrote it, the cuddly little genius]

Young Marble Giants: The Man Amplifier [covered to great effect by the Magnetic Fields, y'know]

There you go.
Ed.

Bandland approaches...

2002-08-29T19:08:44Z

Yep, in two days' time (Thursday Sept 5th), it's the very first Bandland, with Zombina & the Skeletones, Linus, and Eugene Wostenholme, DJs, zines, haikus, cartoons, exotic balloons, and more. Bring a zine for the stall. Come at 8.00 for the show, stay till 2 for dancing. Yay!

Currently in the works: a small show for our mailing list members in November; then Gina Birch (the Raincoats) is playing with Linus, and a very special guest, in January. Gina's show, including films, was a highlight of Ladyfest. Watch this space.

The most important Linus event, ever!

2002-08-18T21:02:07Z

We can't believe it- we finally managed to pin down the fantabulous Zombina and the Skeletones for our very first club nite! The first Bandland night will take place Thursday September 5th, Upstairs at the Garage, Highbury and Islington tube, from 8:00 onwards. With Zombina! And Linus, of course. As a special treat/favour for us, Eugene from Long Good Luck has agreed to play the very first set of the inaugural Bandland. He's great. So, it's like a Liverpool extravaganza, with the exception of Linus.

Any questions, please ask. We got flyers. Do you wanna come? It'll be fun.

Yodel-Lady(fest)-hoo

2002-08-08T00:44:52Z

We're recording demos right now, and we'll be appearing on Friday at The Kashmir Klub, playing two songs (and Andy'll be playing two songs with Tammy's sister & Linus founder Jennifer). You can watch the show online - click on the link for details.

Ladyfest was a blast of fresh air. Read Andy's diary:

Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
further thoughts
snippets

Just a few days to go...

2002-07-28T18:36:27Z

Linus proudly join the collossal line-up at the first-ever Ladyfest London this week. We're playing on the Sunday afternoon (August 4th), Upstairs at the Garage, 20-22 Highbury Corner, London N5; the show's from 1pm till 5pm, then continues downstairs from 6pm to 11pm. More details below.

Five days later, on Friday August 9th, we return to the lovely friendly Kashmir Klub to play two quietish songs, alongside nine or so other acts. It's free! Go here for more details.

Coming up: Thursday September 5th, we launch our new clubnites Bandland/RRR with a joyous rock and roll show, again Upstairs at the Garage, featuring the incredible Zombina and the Skeletones (tbc), Linus of course, the remarkable Haiku Wall, DJs, and other fun stuff. It's also Andy R's birthday clebration. We're promoting this one ourselves, so we implore you to come down, shimmy your booty, shake your brain cells, laugh and lounge, and make the night unforgettable.

Further Autumn shows are planned. More news as we get it. But first, more about Ladyfest:

Ladyfest London runs from Thursday, August 1st, to Sunday, August 4th, at various venues mostly around Islington. Acts featured include Electrelane, Chicks on Speed, The Gossip, Katastrophy Wife (Kat Bjelland from Babes in Toyland), Gina Birch (from the Raincoats), KaitO, Lolita Storm, Bangs, Spy 51, Sarah Dougher, Tendertrap (Amelia Fletcher from Heavenly/Marine Research), Charlotte Cooper, The Actionettes, and of course, Linus. There are films, workshops, panels, an art show, and dancing into the wee hours courtesy of DJs including Lektrogirl, Unskinny Bop, and Irene Youthclubtapeclub (who played at the last Linus show). Full details at the Ladyfest London site.

Not sure it matters, but...

2002-07-13T20:44:45Z

I felt that 'Queensbridge Road' sounded like 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'. I'm not saying I'm Bonnie Tyler. Let's make that clear.

'Say Can You See' reminds me of the American National Anthem for obvious reasons- 'O say can you see, by the dawn's early light...' It has inspired a strange rush of patriotic songs into my mind. Which is why I can't stop singing, 'You're a grand ol' flag, you're a high-flying flag, and forever in peace may you wave. You're the emblem of, the land I love, the home of the free and the brave.'

We forgot to mention that we modestly consider 'My New Life' to be like the Buzzcocks, and 'Long Distance' is our Television homaggge. Are we wrong?

linusland @ 2002-07-12T10:32:00

2002-07-12T09:44:28Z

So here's the setlist from Wednesday, though it's a bit meaningless in some cases since the songs are not finished and will be re-titled. Tammy's theme for the evening was "who does this song sound like?"

Love is the Law (VU) - I (Andy) had to sing the main vocal... everybody liked the vocal harmonies. Phew! We worked hard on them. Finally learned the lyrics, too!!

Somebody Help Her (we couldn't decide who this sounded like, though swisstone swears it reminds him of the Go-Go's. Were they ever this rueful-sounding??)

Gemstore Robbery (Sonic Youth) - also known as Your Last Chance, will probably be re-titled "No".

Sometimes I Do (Spacemen 3)

Queensbridge Road, 3 a.m. (who was this meant to sound like, Tam?) - two slowies in a row, very simple but tuneful songs.

X (so-called because it sounds a bit like X, and also REM - this is the most unfinished of the bunch)

Say Can You See (Tammy sang the song this reminds her of. You'll have to ask her again, sorry. It's got a Ricky Spontane drumbeat, though) - I was listening to X a lot when I wrote this one, too, and Jen & Jenni both spotted that right away.

My New Life - an old favourite.

Long Distance - from our last album.

DJ for the evening was the excellent Irene from Ladyfest - tickets now on sale, we're playing Sunday afternoon, Aug 4th - and Youthclubtapeclub records. Thanks to her & everyone who came along and made it such a fun night.