"Diverse, talented and melodic, the Gorstey boys ensure that you’ll never experience a dull moment in this 8-track album and will likely be thankful for the experience. Thrills sonic pills and heartfelt delivery" ~ Spill Magazine
"Psychedelic delight that will bring you to a state of bliss or trigger flashbacks to brilliant musical offerings of yesteryear... Superb musical mastery, fascinating dynamics and professionalism in production" ~ Big Takeover Magazine
"Pleading, swirling Powerpop that clearly references the heroic Pop of the 80’s with a contemporary bent' ~ Fresh On The Net
"A ridiculously talented duo... sublime" ~ Egg Box Essentials
"Fantastic, creating a landscape of sonic adrenaline-powered dream-rock bliss... somewhere between Ride’s Carnival of Light, Kula Shaker and Ocean Colour Scene. Somewhere we’re happy to be taken" ~ The Record Stache
The Gorstey Lea Street Choir are Michael Clapham and Russ Phillips, two friends whose musical collaboration is rooted in a friendship that blossomed over 35 years ago. Having met in the mid-'80s, it took until 2016 for them to realize their teenage plans - discussed back when both were involved in aspiring Manchester bands - with the birth of this project.
Their music runs with the moods, widely described as dystopian, electric, hopeful, hopeless and thoughtful... The sort of sounds Henry Spencer would have played if he had a Sony Walkman. The album explores such themes as being isolation, lack of communication, escapism and Carpe Diem frustration.
Recorded at the Gorstey Shack and Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton with producer Gavin Monaghan (Robert Plant, Editors, Ocean Colour Scene, Scott Matthews, Squeeze, Goldblade), this album was mastered by RIDE's Mark Gardener at OX4 Sound Studio in Oxford. Tracks 5-8 were mixed by George Shilling and re-imagined by Choque Hosein of Black Star Liner.
'... from Prince's Park to Farsley - Volume I' is a tale of two towns, conceived and mainly recorded in Burntwood with 4 songs re-imagined in Farsley. 'Prince's Park'in Burntwood, Staffordshire (the Gorstey boys' hometown) is the starting point in this journey, registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the UK's smallest park. Farsley, Yorkshire is where Choque Hosein is based... you can hear his genius on 4 tracks here.
‘…from Prince’s Park to Farsley - Volume I’ is the follow up to the duo's ‘extended play one’ album, which was released in December 2020 and received support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, and a whole host of DAB and worldwide radio stations.
In 2018, Russ and Michael entered Wolverhampton's Magic Garden studios to work with old friend and producer legend Gavin Monaghan, resulting in their debut single 'The British Isles' featuring an inspired spoken-word intro from Joe Strummer. Chris Hawkins from BBC Radio 6 Music picked up on the track, kicking things off again after a 35-year hiatus.
'...from Prince's Park to Farsley - Volume I' LP is now available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.
CREDITS
Written and arranged by Michael Clapham and Russ Phillips
Recorded at the Gorstey Shack and Magic Garden Studios with Gavin Monaghan. 'Bluebird' mixed by Gavin Monaghan
'Up With The Larks' 'One Way Ticket' and 'Chitty' mixed by George Shilling
Mastered by Mark Gardener at his OX4 Sound studio in Oxford
Tracks 5-8 remixed by Choque Hosein (Black Star Liner)
Sebastian Beresford (Leftfield/Rodriguez/Edwin Starr) - electronic percussion
Ash Sheehan (The Twang, Dead Sea Skulls, Glen Hughes) - trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
Gary Hill - piano, additional guitar
Paul Newton - bass
Woz Szpalek - bass
Craig Glover - drums
George Shilling - cello on 'Up With The Larks'
Paul Cooper (The Great Divide) - piano on 'Up With The Larks'
Gavin Monaghan - Monatronics
Keep up with The Gorstey Lea Street Choir
Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify | Booking | Press contact
Keep up with Mark Gardener / OX4 Sound
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | OX4Sound Twitter | Mark Gardener Twitter | Instagram | YouTube |