Hi Christian. The most important year of my life was in 2004. The first half was horrific - heartbreak and bereavement, and the soundtrack to it for me was Hope Of The States’ “The Lost Riots”. Totally cathartic.
But then, I got a life-changing job and never looked back. And “These Were The Earlies” was the soundtrack. It was that 10/10 NME review that alerted me. They were spot on. Even now, when I listen to it (and I listen often), it brings me back to the second, better half of 2004 when things got better for me.
Both albums are in my all-time Top 10, and I hope you don’t think of it as an insult if I say that yours is probably the least well-known in that list - it feels like my own personal, precious thing, always linked to a happy time in my life.
Mind you, a few years ago I was delighted to speak to the guy who runs a second hand shop in Edinburgh called Elvis Shakespeare (that’s the name of the shop, not the name of the guy, which would have been sensational) and find a few of your 10-inches for sale, including the 10min version of “Morning Wonder”. He was a confirmed fan of yours too. He got it!
I saw you play in Aberdeen in… maybe 2005? In a venue called The Caves. You were all incredible. I will never know how you and your band mates managed to make such a gorgeous album the way you did, but to see you all together playing live made it look right. I remember you also did a very cheerful cover as part of your encore, but I don’t know what it was. Loved it though!
And I spoke to one or two of the Lancashire members of the band after, perhaps yourself included? All the articles I’d read about you said you were Texas / Manchester, but I found that you were actually from Burnley. As an exiled Accringtonian, that made me even happier. I’ve still got the old “One Of Us Is Dead” t-shirt, though it’s a bit tighter these days. I often sing it to my girls when they’re going to sleep. I tried explaining the whole “they made this music by post and email!” thing but they didn’t get it. Never mind.
It doesn’t surprise me that you’d write such a beautiful piece about such a beautiful album. I’m forever grateful to you and your bandmates for your music (“The Enemy Chorus” is great too). I had to let you know just how special “These Were The Earlies” is to me.
Thank you very much Neil, your message is as perfect an anniversary gift as the Earlies could wish for. It's lovely to hear how much it meant to you on the way out of a difficult time and I'm flattered that it's still a part of your life. I remember that Aberdeen gig well, a club under some railway arches. It was part of the Tryptych festival and we'd been driving round Scotland in a minibus with warm cans of Tennants everywhere. I bought a copy of the George Duke Billy Cobham band Live in Europe in the record shop next door to that venue. It was a weekend of discomfort and poor dietary choices. For a cover around then we were probably either doing Ride My See Saw by the Moody Blues or I Must Have Been Blind by Tim Buckley. Anyway, lovely to hear from you, thanks for getting in touch!
Hey Christian. Thankfully I was in the right place at the right time to come across The Earlies. It started with buying the 10" version of Wayward Song as I really liked the way it was packaged in the flip back cover. Then seeing you at The Greenman Festival 2004 along with KC, Adem, etc You all climbing out of the audience to go and help Adem. . What a great weekend. Still ranks as my favourite festival that I've ever been to and you were part of that so I thank you. I was playing Morning Wonder this morning before I even read this post........ so there you go. Its still appriciated. I was even at The Shackwell Arms gig back in 2015. Now off to play the whole album again. Thanks again. Matt
Thanks very much Matt, those early Green Man festivals at Baskerville Hall are definitely some of my fondest memories as a gigging musician. Can't fault you for coming to that Shakleton Arms one as well!
I give my ears the benefit of TWTE (as I like to call it) a few times a year. I will do so with extra anniversary inspired relish today. And Kelly's right: you write really really well.
Thank you Rob, as always your thorough reading is massively appreciated! I gave it a full listen yesterday, I felt like I could've bought it again at the end
Hi Christian. The most important year of my life was in 2004. The first half was horrific - heartbreak and bereavement, and the soundtrack to it for me was Hope Of The States’ “The Lost Riots”. Totally cathartic.
But then, I got a life-changing job and never looked back. And “These Were The Earlies” was the soundtrack. It was that 10/10 NME review that alerted me. They were spot on. Even now, when I listen to it (and I listen often), it brings me back to the second, better half of 2004 when things got better for me.
Both albums are in my all-time Top 10, and I hope you don’t think of it as an insult if I say that yours is probably the least well-known in that list - it feels like my own personal, precious thing, always linked to a happy time in my life.
Mind you, a few years ago I was delighted to speak to the guy who runs a second hand shop in Edinburgh called Elvis Shakespeare (that’s the name of the shop, not the name of the guy, which would have been sensational) and find a few of your 10-inches for sale, including the 10min version of “Morning Wonder”. He was a confirmed fan of yours too. He got it!
I saw you play in Aberdeen in… maybe 2005? In a venue called The Caves. You were all incredible. I will never know how you and your band mates managed to make such a gorgeous album the way you did, but to see you all together playing live made it look right. I remember you also did a very cheerful cover as part of your encore, but I don’t know what it was. Loved it though!
And I spoke to one or two of the Lancashire members of the band after, perhaps yourself included? All the articles I’d read about you said you were Texas / Manchester, but I found that you were actually from Burnley. As an exiled Accringtonian, that made me even happier. I’ve still got the old “One Of Us Is Dead” t-shirt, though it’s a bit tighter these days. I often sing it to my girls when they’re going to sleep. I tried explaining the whole “they made this music by post and email!” thing but they didn’t get it. Never mind.
It doesn’t surprise me that you’d write such a beautiful piece about such a beautiful album. I’m forever grateful to you and your bandmates for your music (“The Enemy Chorus” is great too). I had to let you know just how special “These Were The Earlies” is to me.
Thank you.
Neil
Thank you very much Neil, your message is as perfect an anniversary gift as the Earlies could wish for. It's lovely to hear how much it meant to you on the way out of a difficult time and I'm flattered that it's still a part of your life. I remember that Aberdeen gig well, a club under some railway arches. It was part of the Tryptych festival and we'd been driving round Scotland in a minibus with warm cans of Tennants everywhere. I bought a copy of the George Duke Billy Cobham band Live in Europe in the record shop next door to that venue. It was a weekend of discomfort and poor dietary choices. For a cover around then we were probably either doing Ride My See Saw by the Moody Blues or I Must Have Been Blind by Tim Buckley. Anyway, lovely to hear from you, thanks for getting in touch!
Hey Christian. Thankfully I was in the right place at the right time to come across The Earlies. It started with buying the 10" version of Wayward Song as I really liked the way it was packaged in the flip back cover. Then seeing you at The Greenman Festival 2004 along with KC, Adem, etc You all climbing out of the audience to go and help Adem. . What a great weekend. Still ranks as my favourite festival that I've ever been to and you were part of that so I thank you. I was playing Morning Wonder this morning before I even read this post........ so there you go. Its still appriciated. I was even at The Shackwell Arms gig back in 2015. Now off to play the whole album again. Thanks again. Matt
Thanks very much Matt, those early Green Man festivals at Baskerville Hall are definitely some of my fondest memories as a gigging musician. Can't fault you for coming to that Shakleton Arms one as well!
They were magical, magical times. If I had me a time machine, that's where I'd go.
Forget ancient Rome.
I frigging love this album!
Thank you Emma. It so fucking old, it's like loving Fleetwood Mac. Which is fine.
I give my ears the benefit of TWTE (as I like to call it) a few times a year. I will do so with extra anniversary inspired relish today. And Kelly's right: you write really really well.
Thank you Rob, as always your thorough reading is massively appreciated! I gave it a full listen yesterday, I felt like I could've bought it again at the end
Your attention is warmly received Kelly!