Been a busy few months, playing and painting and general crookedness, during which the pages of these days have turned over to welcome Winter. Strangely I feel glad for the dark light, am ready to bed down in a nest of noise, hibernation and total focus on new material.

However, before I shut my eyes to the world, there is still a fair bit still going on …

A Free Downloadable Album is now available to coincide with the LIVE TRANSMISSION event, my last Medway performance of the year. Over 3 days, a fine selection of Medway’s best bands will grace the beautiful stage at Royal Function Rooms. I’m very pleased to be playing alongside The Flowing, Stuart Turner and The Flat Earth Society and The Singing Loins, on Sunday 27th – that’s next weekend, a line-up not to be missed!

ARTROCKER have been showing their support and run a piece on the album and gig, so if you want to find out more and get the free download album, head over HERE.

Over to Broken Arts, and following the SCHISM exhibition at Bardens Boudoir last month, my first solo exhibition is now also up and running in Medway … 16 pieces, including many previously unseen, are hanging at the Deaf Cat Gallery in Rochester. The Gallery Cafe is open from 10am – 5pm everyday, and the exhibition runs until Sunday 27th – where then I’ll be hot-footing it over play Royal Function Rooms.

If any of you can, I’d love you to come along and check my work out. Seeing these Broken Artworks in the flesh is how they are meant to be seen, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

xxx

Crook.

Hey … do like the little lady says!

Really though, all your support so far this year has meant so much.

This is the last single I’ll be releasing from the album ‘Waiting For The Post-Man’, before starting work on my new record, so I do hope you continue to enjoy the album and this single.

A mini-site has been made containing all the videos, versions and download details … share it around all you want … CHASING DRAGONS / MINI-SITE

xxx

Lupen.

As some of you will know, I’ve got a bunch of gigs booked up, which I’m really excited about. As is the way, the tour dates are evolving – more dates are being added and some minor alterations to the schedule also. Here’s some updates for you …

* Really pleased to have been invited to support Sean Lennon’s project ‘THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER‘ at London’s Bush Hall on 7th October. For tickets to this special evening head over HERE.

* I’ve also been booked to play at INSIDE, an art-music-film-comedy event held in the gorgeous Georgian surroundings of 33 Portland Place, London on the 6th October. Photographer Lee Black Childers is kicking off the evening with his unique photographs of Andy Warhol’s factory characters and the early days of Punk in New York. Screening of short films personally introduced by a fresh crop of up and coming directors follows, before acoustic sets including a performance from Awsa Bergstrom and yours truly. Lenny Beige will be hosting a comedy showcase including Craig Power, Jonni Music and John Daveron. Later on headlining band King Jacks, plus Josh Weller and Regency, will take to the stage on the mansion’s ground floor. Resident DJ Chris Sullivan – founder of the WAG club and regular DJ at the Ivy Club – will then keep the party going until the early hours. Gonna be an interesting evening! To get tickets for this unique event click HERE

* In Folkstone, Kent on 8th October, a great gig deserving of your attention is an OXJAM event at Googies Cafe. The night will see Abdoujaparov (fronted by Carter USM’s Fruitbat) alongside myself, Tim Ten Yen, Unlucky Fried Kitten and Phenomenal Cat. A great cause, a great evening. Find out more HERE.

* The gig that was booked in Cardiff has now changed to a new venue – 10 FEET TALL - and will take place on 4th Oct.

* The forthcoming radio session is being rescheduled, I’ll have more news about that when times and dates are confirmed.

* Sadly the Dirty Acoustic Nights gig at The Drop on 9th Oct has been cancelled… the pesky promoter has gone AWOL… left the country, so I’m told!

Other dates are coming in, so keep an eye on the gig listings on the HOME PAGE, or better still SUBSCRIBE and you’ll receive instant notification when new things are announced.

Many thanks for all the support and sharing that’s been happening with Chasing Dragons and the 2 videos. The 3rd video instalment is due this Monday – it’ll be getting pretty lo-fi, a little nasty and a lot raw!

Thanks to Roger Barnett for use of the photo above, taken at SOYO during the TRAMLINES Festival.

That’s about it for now. Long may this sunshine soak us through. Speak soon.

Lupen.

x

My next single, Chasing Dragons, goes on general release on Monday 17th October via iTunes and Amazon.  However, cuz we can and we wanna, and by way of a thank-you for your support and interest – whether you’re a long-term reader or newly curious – if you’re reading this, you can download it today!

Download HERE!

You’ll probably recognise this as a track from my recent fourth album, Waiting for the Post-Man.  In addition to the original version, the single is backed with two entirely different versions of the song, plus a great remix. They’ve been getting bits of early radio play, which is splendid news.

• Chasing Dragons (original version)
• Chasing Dragons (acoustic version)
• Chasing Dragons (sunlight version)
• Chasing Dragons (menace remix by Kids Unique)

The acoustic version was recorded by Jim Riley at Ranscombe Studios back in July.  It’s essentially the song as played at gigs. That same day I recorded several other songs … you may have already seen Knives n Pliers (from my first album) and others are in the pipeline.

The sunlight version was recorded by Greg Webster at Sunlight Studios at the end of August.  It features guest appearances from Wolfgang Riot on bass and Chris Garth of Up-C Down-C on drums.  It was pretty much a first take recording, all live in the room, warts and all – much fun. Many thanks to Greg, Wolfgang Riot and Chris Garth for throwing themselves into this.

The menace remix by Kids Unique is like some 5am chemical comedown on a beach in Ibiza, or maybe Margate? Many thanks owed to Dan Lawrence of Kids Unique for this lovely interpretation. If you already haven’t, check out Medway’s Kids Unique, they’re fucking brilliant.

This single is a download, however, because I know some of you like to have and to hold, we’ve got a very limited number of promo CDs available for sale here.  If ya want one, snap it up quick before they go. There are only a handful available, first come first served.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been busy creating individual videos for each track and will be “releasing” one a week up to the general release date, starting tomorrow with the main video for the original version of the song.

I hope you like this little bundle, all and any support you can lend is truly appreciated.

Yours, seeking serpents in the sky,

Lupen Crook  x x x

PS – don’t forget that I’m touring from Wednesday onwards.  London and Guildford this week, full details here on the site.  Be great to see ya.

Hey all, I’m heading down to Canterbury this weekend for the Lounge On The Farm festival. I’m a late addition to the bill, so you might not have seen me on the official listings. However, I am set to perform an acoustic set Sunday morning, around midday, on the Farm Folk Stage.

If you’re about, pop by and I’ll tend to your hangovers with some bitter sweet sing-alongs!

Meanwhile, this week I was featured in the WOW Medway magazine. They reviewed my new album ‘Waiting For The Post-Man‘ and also featured a review I wrote, giving my thoughts on the debut album by Medway’s Hip-Hop quartet Kids Unique.

If you’re not in reach of Medway, you can read WOW Medway online by clicking HERE.

Keep it surreal. CroOK.

xxx

A quick reminder that orders for the hand-crafted versions of the CD digi-pack will stop this Thursday, so get your orders in before then if you want to be the proud owners of part of this very limited edition collection. Standard CDs are now available in Sound and Vision (music emporium) in Chatham. We’ll be dropping some copies into Rough Trade stores in London over the next week or so as well as the Deaf Cat Café in Rochester.

For those of you in reach of London, if you didn’t already know, I’m playing my first headliner of the year, a solo acoustic set at The Slaughtered Lamb this Wednesday night, 29th June. Joined by Jack Cheshire, and Dave Pickett from The Flowing, gonna be a great night – I would love you to join me. If you use Facebook, details can be found here Slaughtered Lamb Gig.  You can purchase tickets here ……www.wegottickets.co.uk.

As well, here’s a few words from me about the new album and life in general, an interview I gave to DESOLATION MUSIC … Lupen Crook Interview.

Hope you all had a great weekend, Glastonbury bound or not. I had my own festival of sorts, less the mud and presence of U2 … the result was these two lo-fi home music videos that Matilda Kilda kindly assisted with (see below).

Enjoy. Keep in touch. CroOK.

Today sees the release of my new album, Waiting For The Post-Man. Thank you for all your support so far this year, I really hope you enjoy the album.

It’s been a busy year so far, and set to get busier. This week I’ve been hunched over my art table, cutting and crafting the hand-made digi-packs for those of you who pre-ordered these special edition versions. Your pre-ordered albums have now been dispatched and will be with you very soon!

From today, you can purchase the album in a variety of formats, including the hand-crafted version mentioned above …

• Handcrafted CD Digi-pack, only available until the 30th June 2011 (click here to buy)
• Standard CD Digi-pack (click here to buy)
• Download (click here to buy)

The lyrics for all the songs on Waiting For The Post-Man can be found HERE.

And just to remind you, I’m playing my first solo headline slot of the year, next Wednesday, 29th June, at a lovely and intimate London venue called THE SLAUGHTERED LAMB. I’d love to see you there! I’ll be playing material from my new album, plus a selection of songs from my back catalogue.

BUY TICKETS for this gig by CLICKING HERE.

There is also a facebook event page, here.

Love and Luck, Lupen Crook.

I promised a possible treat this afternoon and here it is.  If my crooked fingers serve me right, the pre-order numbers add up, and so here’s the first single from my new album, released a fortnight earlier than planned, plus a few other treats …

LUNACY is a download-only release. The song is based on my encounter with a young runaway girl called Luna, who I met in East London late last year. Like me, she too was at her own set of crossroads. I’m not sure which direction she decided to take, but that our paths crossed was one of many turning points for me, and for that I can only be grateful.

Alongside this track there is a brilliant remix by producer and artist Markomen, an Asbo-Jazz mash-up by yours truly called Street Creeper, and an alternative version of the lead track which I recorded earlier this year. Finishing touches are being made to a video, which will be coming soon, so for now this is a low-key release amongst f(r)iends.

The LUNACY download is available HERE.  I hope you enjoy it.  Thanks for your support.

Yours in sanity, Lupen Crook  x

1. Lunacy
2. Lunacy (remix by Markomen)
3. Street Creeper
4. Lunacy (cold day in hell version)

The actual date of release is 20th June 2011. If we reach fifty pre-orders by 2pm today, there’s an afternoon treat of the crooked musical variety ‘in store’ for you …

I am also working on a related series of ‘Dead Letter’ paintings, based on the album artwork, which will be limited to 20 in number and offered for sale shortly.  Details to follow later in the week.

Waiting curiously, yours, Lupen Crook  x

Standard CD digipack – £10

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Hand-crafted front sleeve CD digipack,  signed and numbered – £20

These are only available until the 30th June 2011. No orders will be taken after this date.

Please note that the above image is an example.  As these are hand-crafted, each one will be individual.

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A3 full colour poster (see below) – £6

Let us know if you have any questions about these items.

Been a busy week here, sorting out the new release with Hg. Went down to Margate for The Brackets first birthday with a load of other Medway musicians. And, off the back of that, just had a call from Wolfgang Riot, who has asked me to play at The Alexandra this Sunday in Chatham.

Its an afternoon event, from 4 -7pm. I’ll be on at 6pm playing material from the forthcoming album (due 20th June). Wolfgang Riot will be playing, and I’ve just heard that the brilliant and beautiful songwriter My Sick Mind is also rumoured to be making an appearance, likely some others as well.

Bit of a lightning strike gig this, late in the day and probably all the better for it. Come on down if you’re about this Sunday. We’ve created a facebook event page, updates on further people confirmed to play will likely appear here over the weekend - SUNDAY GIG.

More info regarding the album will follow next week. Have a good one. x