Graham Swervie to drum w/ The Wild Swans

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The Wild Swans are about to take flight and embark on a short UK tour!

The set will include Wild Swans classics and a selection of songs from the imminent new album ‘The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years’.

The band line up comprises Paul Simpson, Les Pattinson (ex Echo & the Bunnymen), Ricky Maymi (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Mike Mooney (ex Spiritualized/Lupine Howl), Graham Bonnar (Swervedriver) and Richard Turvey.

TOUR DATES

7th June 2011 Glasgow – The Captains Rest

8th June 2011 Manchester – Ruby Lounge

9th June 2011 Bristol – Thekla

10th June 2011 London – Bush Hall

11th June 2011 Liverpool – Stanley Theatre

Paul Simpson formed The Wild Swans in 1980 after leaving The Teardrop Explodes, first recruiting James Weston (bass) and Justin Stavely (drums) ex-Teardrop Ged Quinn (keyboards) and ex-Systems Jerry Kelly (guitar). A year later, with Rolo McGinty now guesting on bass and Bunnyman Pete DeFreitas replacing Stavely on drums, they released the classic single The Revolutionary Spirit on Liverpool’s Zoo label.

When the song was included on the CD retrospective of the label’s output, Bill Drummond singled it out as the best track Zoo ever produced (Drummond later went on to form The KLF). The original Wild Swans recorded two sessions for the BBC, including one of those chosen by John Peel to begin the Strange Fruit releases several years later, and did a few live shows which included supporting The Teardrop Explodes during the infamous “Club Zoo” in Liverpool during March 1981. This was immediately followed by a full UK tour supporting Echo and The Bunnymen. The band split in 1982 but reformed in 1986 with new member Joseph Fearon on bass.

The group recorded a new Radio 1 session for long-time supporter Janice Long before signing a 2 album deal with Seymour Stein’s legendary Sire Records. The first album, “Bringing Home The Ashes”, was recorded in 1987 and, after Kelly’s departure, Simpson and Fearon recorded “Space Flower” in 1989. The early Zoo and BBC material was issued on Renascent Records’ 2003 release “Incandescent” and the 2 Sire albums are now available on Korova/Rhino Records in a 2CD set under the title of “Magnitude”. In the summer of 2007 Paul began writing and demoing a new Wild Swans album.

The Wild Swans released the group’s first single in over 20 years in May 2009, a limited edition 10” vinyl single on the Occultation label entitled “English Electric Lightning”’ with the b-side ‘The Coldest Winter For 100 Years’. The single featured at number four on the Mojo magazine ‘Playlist’ in April 2009, and received favourable reviews in a number of publications. The Wild Swans follow-up single “Liquid Mercury” was released on Occultation on 30 November 2009, and was placed at number 5 in the Mojo Vinyl Countdown and was declared single of the year by Pennyblackmusic and Evil Sponge.

In July 2009 The Wild Swans performed live for the first time since their 1990 demise. The sell out gigs were performed to an audience of 200 each night at Liverpool’s Static gallery. The band line up comprised Paul Simpson, Les Pattinson, Ricky Maymi, Mike Mooney and Steve Beswick with Henry Priestman (It’s Immaterial) sitting in for Ged Quinn on keyboards. Will Sergeant (Echo and the Bunnymen) joined the band for the encores and was DJ each night. The Wild Swans played a third gig at Static Gallery, Liverpool on 11 December 2009 with latest band member Richard Turvey on keyboards.

In February 2010 The Wild Swans released a five track live download (The Wild Swans Live at Static Gallery 2009) featuring the tracks “Archangels”, “The Revolutionary Spirit”, “Tangerine Temple”, “Melting Blue Delicious” and “Bringing Home the Ashes”. The release was briefly available online to help fund recording costs and was withdrawn from sale in March 2010. The latter three tracks feature guest guitarist Will Sergeant and marked the first recording of Will Sergeant and Les Pattinson playing together since

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