It’s an exciting Olympic themed Monday here at Numbskull HQ Towers…with news that our very own gold-medalists SPARROW have just released the summer anthem ‘MOVE’ as a strictly limited edition 7″ single through Numbskull HQ/TCF.

You can own a signed copy simply by visiting RESIDENT RECORDS of Brighton, where there are some copies still available. Don’t forget that our good friends YOUR EXPLOSION MY MIND feature on the other A-Side with their brilliant track ‘EYEBALL KICK’.

For those more digitally minded, here’s a link to the I-Tunes page. This includes a non-album Sparrow track as the B-Side.

Sparrow will be playing a special live and acoustic night at the excellent ‘STOP, LOOK LISTEN’ night at the Royal George in Soho on THURSDAY 2 AUGUST. Copies of the 7″ will be available to buy.

Until next time…we salute you!

Go on the Engerland !!!! After last nights nail-biting game, its time to update one and all about Numbskull activity over the summer.

Firstly, we have our first 7″ single release on July 30th! Yes, that’s right, the gorgeous black plastic! Anyone who has visited Numbskull HQ over the years will have seen my collection of 3000+ singles (and loads of albums) that threaten to topple over and bury me beneath a lifetimes collection of vinyl. So 30/7/12 is a momentous day as we release SPARROW’S uber-catchy ‘Move‘ with YOUR EXPLOSION MY MIND’S ‘Eyeball Kick’ on one hell of a split 7″! There will be 300 numbered copies, contact us asap for YOURS. More info soon as this release will be available all over the UK via out friends at TOTAL CREATIVE FREEDOM and PROPER DISTRIBUTION.

Next up, we are VERY excited to to announce that Numbskull HQ will be releasing WHITE STAR LINERS ‘The Year’s That Slid’ album on Oct 30 2012! Preceded by the brilliant ‘Tent vs. Blizzard” single on Oct 14, we’ll be bringing you regular updates over the coming months. The album is a kaleidoscopic mix of great pop songs. There will be several videos going live very soon…

Don’t forget to listen to (and purchase) LIGHTNING DEPT’S ‘Things Keep Blowing Up’ album on Bandcamp. Just click the link for 32 minutes of hyper guitar pop music. Lovers of bands such as the Lemonheads ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ will ADORE this one!

Lastly, thanks to everyone who attended our SPARROW instore show at RESIDENT RECORDS when we launched the bands second album ‘However did the wolf get in’ a couple of weeks ago. The store was packed and Sparrow made number 7 in the shops end of week chart!

SEE YOU AT THE PAVILION THEATRE ON THURSDAY 21ST JUNE FOR SPARROW’S HEADLINE SET AT THE SOURCE NEW MUSIC NIGHT

Things are extra crazy round these parts as we here at Numbskull HQ gear up for the release of Sparrow’s brilliant second album ‘However did the wolf get in’. You can hear exclusive tracks here. Go on, leave a cheeky comment or two. I dare you…

On Sunday 6 May you will be able to download “Beautiful” the first single from the new album-for FREE! Watch the gorgeous video for the song here. Yes, we’re feeling super generous-and also wanting to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all those people who have repeatedly come to shows, bought the albums and worn the T-shirt. Not just the one T-shirt mind, that wouldn’t be very hygienic , would it? So download until your heart is content from 6th May. And tell all your friends to do it as well. This insane gesture is for a limited period only and will magically disappear on May 19…

Following the free single, the band will embark on a selection of choice live dates, beginning with a hometown show at the Prince Albert for the alternative Great Escape on Weds 9 May. Here’s the Facebook wall link, you can get in for £3 if you sign up (or for FREE if you already have tickets/wristbands for the 3 day event!). Sparrow will be onstage at 9.45pm, but do arrive early as all 4 bands are great!

Just 9 evenings after this and we’re all off to London to celebrate the official release of the new album. And we want to spent the evening with YOU! So we booked the very swish PROUD GALLERIES in CAMDEN for a launch party to remember (or have trouble remembering depending on what you get up to…) FRIDAY 18 MAY is the date, and once again it’s FREE entry so long as you arrive early. We advise arrival around 7.30-8.15pm (Brighton has an excellent fast train service to the capital with trains leaving every 19 and 49 mins past the hour) , but you can still arrive later (band on at 10pm) should this be too early. Remember, Sparrow are not playing in Brighton until June 21, so please make the effort to join us up in the big smoke. It would be great to see you!

More live gigs to be announced next blog, including shows in Reading, Bristol and at Meadowlands festival.

Hope to see you on the 9th and 18th….xx

Limited edition hand numbered copies of the album will be on sale at the show. The artwork was created by James Marsh. He did all those lovely Talk Talk sleeves back in the 80/90′s.

In other news we are gearing up for the release of the second album by Sparrow.

More about that in the next exciting installment in early April!

It’s a busy time at Numbskull HQ as we have just taken delivery of Lightning Dept’s ‘Things Keep Blowing Up’ CD and also Sparrow’s extended ‘Rose Garden” EP. Sparrow are gearing up for UK dates in APRIL and MAY 2012 (details of a couple of exclusive shows will be posted very soon!), whilst Lightning Dept are planning their first ever show as an album launch at Brighton’s Prince Albert venue on Thurs 29 MARCH. Support for this show comes from PAPER PLAYGROUND who are another Numbskull fave!

Add a couple of guest DJ slots to the equation and you have yourself a mighty fine evening…

Both are available to buy from these sources:

SPARROW

LIGHTNING DEPT.

NUMBSKULL HQ

In other news, WHITE STAR LINERS are now officially at the mixing stages of their second album and from what we’ve heard its going to be an absolute classic! Touches of The Beatles, Eels and the more laid back side of Smashing Pumpkins are discernible, but the album remains, as ever,  a very WSL record. Now, it’s nearly time to start arguing about which tracks should be released as singles (I know boys, ALL of them are good enough!!!)

Look out for their return to the live arena (well, maybe not arena’s but you know what we mean) soon.

Look out too for the NUMBSKULL EXPLORER which is our very own radio show on Brighton’s Radio Reverb. Now sponsored by our good friends at Offspring Sneaker Emporium (locally at 32 Duke st Brighton), we’re due to record the next installment on Friday for live transmission at 9-10pm on SAT 11 MARCH (97.2fm for those of you in the catchment area) and we’ll have great signed and unsigned bands for your aural delectation…

Until next time partners…

So then, Numbskull HQ’s favourite minimal popsters SPARROW are back with a VERY limited edition 11-track EP! ‘ The Rose Garden’ is released through the bands website and simultaneously via a special gig supporting RAMS POCKET RADIO at Brighton’s Green Door Store on Mon Feb 20th 2012. Sparrow will be onstage around 8.45pm. RPR are a great band who we saw at Glastonbury last summer. You really should check them out!

And the best bit? It’s completely FREE to get in, which means you’ll have enough money to buy one of Sparrows soon-to-be ultra rare cd’s available at the merch stand!!

Friends and fans in London will also get their chance to grab an EP and catch the band live when Sparrow play a rare big city gig at The Enterprise in Camden on Friday 2 March. Onstage around 9.30pm, with 3 other quality bands also performing. Sparrow are on third out of 4 so there’s plenty of time to stagger off to the Tube/railway station afterwards…

If you can’t make the gigs, log onto the bands website now and secure yourselves a copy! Apart from a slew of brand new songs, there are aso a number of rare cuts and exclusive versions of tracks from the ‘Playtime’ sessions.

Love it! Have a happy Valentines y’all…

xx

Numbskull HQ are gearing up for a busy few months of releases!

Lightning Dept. are releasing their debut album ‘Things Keep Blowing Up’ on Numbskull (cat no. NS HQ 005) on March 29th 2012. A heady mixture of power pop and adrenalin rushes, this album boasts 15 tracks in a breathtakingly-compact 32 minutes! Lovers of Weezer and Lemonheads (circa ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’) will not be disappointed.

For a FREE download go here.A special debut live show on the evening of release (29 March) at Brighton’s Prince Albert looks very likely to happen. This just happens to be singer/songwriter Simon Parker’s birthday, so it should be quite a night. Special guests are being lined up to support and DJ.

More on this soon!

The album comes housed in a specially designed sleeve by the renowned artist James Marsh, famous for his iconic designs for bands such as Talk Talk. This album is limited to just 100 hand numbered physical copies at £6 each (this includes p+p in the UK). To secure yours please email us at:

numbskullhq@hotmail.co.uk (with lightning dept album AND THE NUMBER YOU WOULD LIKE in the header. Numbers 1-5 have already been taken, but anything between 6-100 are up for grabs!

Alternatively, you can email the band direct at lighning_dept@hotmail.co.uk

It’s a great album…so buy it and support new music!

xx

Numbskull HQ is back with plenty of exciting plans for 2012. Album releases, live streaming sessions, a brand new twice-monthly radio show and a stage at this years Great Escape Festival are all top of our New Year’s agenda!

NUMBSKULL EXPLORER-THE RADIO EXPERIENCE!

We begin with news of our brand new musical transmissions from deep in the heart of Radio Reverb. The NUMBSKULL EXPLORER will take place every fortnight and feature the best in indie and alternative pop. There will also be a large number of unsigned and brand new artists, as well as a section of the show dedicated to “lost” singles, albums and artists.The first show has already been recorded and is awaiting a time slot. Tracks from DESTROYER, WE SPIES, BEIRUT, SPARROW, RISE OF THE ZIGGURAT and many others will feature. If you want to send in tracks from YOUR band, email good quality mp3′s (only one or two per band please!) to numbskullhq@hotmail.co.uk.

We’re hoping to bring in guests for acoustic performances and musical discussions over the coming months, so join our Facebook page for details of airing times and upcoming shows.

Nice!!

NUMBSKULL HQ @ THE GREAT ESCAPE 2012?

After enjoying recent Great Escape Festivals in Brighton, here at Numbskull HQ we thought it was about time we attempted to stage our own show over the 3 day event (due to take place 10-12 May 2012). Stay tuned for more details…

2012 ALBUM RELEASES BY NUMBSKULL HQ

Following on from 2011′s successful Sparrow and Turncoat albums, Numbskull HQ is excited to be scheduling releases for White Star Liners, The Valentines and a second Sparrow record. Rumours of a May release for the recently-completed Sparrow album may or may not be true…

NUMBSKULL HQ IN THE USA

Both full album releases by Turncoat and Sparrow are now about to be available to buy in the USA, thanks to our friends A-Train (Digital Distribution) and D-13 (Physical Sales). During the early part of 2012 both bands will finally be available to all our Stateside friends! Props to Pepper and Eugenie at TOTAL CREATIVE FREEDOM for all their help and faith in our choice of music!!

NUMBSKULL HQ ACOUSTIC WEBCAM GIG…COMING SOON!

Sparrow and Turncoat will both be back in action at the end of January (date tbc) with a special double performance which will go then out live on You Tube. New songs promised by both bands…more on this soon!

So, that’s our year sorted…see you soon, right?!

x

Exquisite Noise is a new festival which we plan to run wayyyy into the future. We handpick the best bands for you to enjoy on several high octane bills. And our final show is an absolute stormer!

BLACK BLACK HILLS, CLOWNS, WHITE STAR LINERS and TYRANNOSAURUS DEAD. 4 bands who will grab you by the throat and hurl you round the dancefloor. In a friendly way. We are very excited about this and reckon you will be too…

Here’s what the bands sound like:

BLACK BLACK HILLS

CLOWNS

WHITE STAR LINERS

TYRANNOSAURUS DEAD

We’ll be kicking off at around 8.30pm, and there are still tickets [we kept some back!]

Please join us to see out the first ex noise fest in style! You might even get a free cd that features 1 song from each of the artists who have performed at this years blow out!

See you there!

Beginning at 1.30pm, I guarantee you will not find these 4 brilliant acts playing together on any other local bills this year [maybe ever...]. This really is a one-off and an honour for us to be promoting such great music.

Here’s what the artists sound like:

JENNIFER LEFT

THE HALF SISTERS

MINOR SOUNDS

HELIOPAUSE

So join us at the Prince Albert from 1.30pm. But if you should happen to feel as hungover as we do, take it easy on the sauce, or just kick things off with a bloody mary or two…

And don’t forget we’re back at 8pm with the last of our 4 shows…