Classic Rock Society Interview

The Lowdown on the Download

The rationale behind the band’s decision to offer their new album as a free download -  as revealed to Peter Needham.

It’s not often you get something for nothing. I remember, in the late 70’s, receiving a free, compilation LP from ‘Sounds’ magazine. Yes, I had to post some tokens but it was free – mine, all mine! A valued addition to my record collection which helped widen my musical appreciation whilst encouraging record sales of the artists featured.

Since then, the availability of free music has expanded, but has caused some concerns. When ‘The Mail on Sunday’ gave away CDs of Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield wasn’t too pleased. This was not something he envisaged would happen - a devaluing of his artistry, composition and sheer hard work that went into the original venture.

Regarding the ease of internet access and the popularity of mp3 files, illegitimate downloads rob artists of revenue and undermine the control of their material. Pendragon’s Nick Barrett issued a dramatic plea inside their ‘Pure’ CD: “PLEASE DO NOT upload this album onto the internet……..”   

But what if the artist or band decides to make the decision, “Here, you can have this for nothing!”? Well, one group has done just that. Dead Like Harry made available their new album, ‘Know the Joy of Good Living’, as a free download – the whole album, the whole works. That’s a step further than Radiohead asking fans to pay whatever they wanted.

I bought ‘Know the Joy of Good Living’ as a limited special signed edition, in CD format, in December 2009. The official release occurred in February 2010 and, to my surprise, the download version was, and is, free. Did I feel cheated? Did other fans feel aggrieved? The consensus of opinion indicated that, although it was quite puzzling, it didn’t really cause any angst. I’m a CD man (natural evolution from LP man) and want to ‘see and hold’ my album collection, but was curious about the free download. My quest for information led me to the back room of a Sheffield pub, meeting up with half of the band, Sam and Matt Taylor and John Redgrave. The other half obviously trusted these three wise heads to enlighten me.

Sam agreed with my view. “There are many music lovers who much prefer to hold the CD, see the CD and read the sleeve notes. These are the fans who build up their collections and are regular attendees at gigs and buy the merchandise.”

John calls these fans, ‘superfans’. “For every ‘superfan’ there are a hundred other fans on the periphery –having a listen and giving a fleeting nod. The ‘superfans’ are the messengers who put out the word - they share a belief.” John proceeded to ask the question, “How do we develop these ‘superfans’?” I was happy to accept this as a rhetorical question but he dived straight into an answer. “It takes a while, but one way is to offer something free as a present, something which is ‘quite good’, then it helps open the door.”

And that is what Dead Like Harry have done, although the ‘quite good’ bit is a modest description. Those who have taken up the offer of the free download, through the band’s newly constructed website, are now welcome additions to the fan database. It is important to state that these downloads do not register in any charts – that was never the intention. This is about developing connections with the fans.

Sam performed a rough calculation. “Our email database increased dramatically – doubling over the first two weeks of the album’s release.” Matt added how the download acts as a ‘flyer’: “It’s all business studies really. Although we have been writing songs for quite a number of years now, it’s still early days within our career. If a record company does happen upon us then it will readily appreciate our increased database and the accompanied controlled means of distribution that have evolved.” 

The reasons were coming at me from all three corners, very fluent and assured - but actually this was their first formal opportunity to put across the thinking and agreements that led to this venture.

The idea of the free download originated from Sam. It’s a long story which he conveyed very succinctly, the main theme centring around a visit to Krakow and a dentist friend  under the influence of Seth Godin - an author of books and blogs conveying, amongst reams of varying strategies, the concept of ‘permission marketing’. Upon his return, Sam duly shared this with his fellow band members and the agreement was made.

There has to be a business plan and, in the absence of a record company, that plan is formulated by the band which, in a way, has allowed all this to happen. What might seem as a very un-businesslike venture to offer the freebie and lose out on additional revenue is balanced against the time and effort gone into producing it in the first place and the desire to reach a wider audience. “We’re very proud of this album and we want it heard. We didn’t do it for it to gather dust in archived files in hard drives around the country. Younger ones nowadays don’t appreciate the costs of making an album.” I had to smile. Younger ones? I guess it’s all relative.

It’s difficult to measure the impact of the download on the sales of the CD. The recent tour in Scotland instigated about 500 CD sales. I’m not a businessman but that sounds good to me, not forgetting that to help pay for the recording and production, they became painters and decorators for Alan Smyth (producer of the Arctic Monkeys).  

It is envisaged that the download remains free until circumstances prove otherwise, i.e. an even greater database of ‘superfans’ and fans. The band are already preparing their next album (all the songs are written). Similarly, any decision on offering this as a free download will be dictated using the same criteria. Irrespective of the download, what they are budgeting for is the fact that sales of CDs will help fund their first DVD – it all starts to create a cumulative effect.

John made a very astute comment. “Hold tight to strong beliefs – you don’t know when you have to lay them down.” Throughout our meeting I sensed the strength of these beliefs – thoughtful and considered.

By the way, I still cherish my Sounds LP. The title? ‘Good for Nothing’. Thirty years on, the download of ‘Know the Joy of Good Living’ reaffirms that, sometimes, the best things in life are free.

The Sun

Album Review

With a guitar sound even bigger than their choruses, Dead Like Harry deliver blue-collar rock that makes you want to roll up your shirt sleeves and learn a lot more about classic cars.

Brothers Matthew and Samuel Taylor know how to put a song together.

From the fist-pumping Streets and Satellite, to the more introspective Driving to Nowhere and Cross The Water each track is a wonderfully crafted love letter to a romanticised reality somewhere between Sheffield and Arizona.

Gaslight what? Bruce who? It seems the real cowboys live just south of Barnsley.

Street Voice UK

Album Review

It's been ages since I've heard anything from this Sheffield pop band so this twelve track album was a welcome sight in the mail. From the moment I put this disc in the player I knew I onto a winner as Dead Like Harry write really great songs. Songs that are full of passion and more importantly they make you feel good. Aside from the catchy music throughout this album you just have to listen to vocalists 'Samuel J Taylor' and 'Alice Faraday'. What a duo they are! Those two folks are really hot front people who really compliment each other. Having said all that it's fair to say they have a strong band behind them who in their own right are the nuts. My favourite song on this release is 'Streets' as it got inside my head and stayed there for ages. What a song! Then there's other wicked numbers such as 'You're Not Alone', 'Sarah', 'What A Bloody Shame' and 'When We Were 17'. Dead Like Harry rock and 'Know The Joy Of Good Living' should certainly be checked out! 9/10

CRS magazine

Album Review

This has been a long time coming and well worth the wait. Three of the songs appeared on their ‘When we were Seventeen’ four song EP in 2008 and, in a way, that heightened the anticipation of the arrival of this full album. Many of the other songs have been road tested at their gigs and the resulting collection is a powerfully balanced portrayal of where they are now – gaining momentum whilst acquiring a wider appreciation of their pedigree.

Each song has its own strengths - the tapestry of the lead vocals from Sam Taylor and Alice Faraday and the crafted musical arrangements emerging from piano, guitars and drums and backing vocals all confirm that this band can write not just good songs but excellent ones. Is it pop? Is it rock? Either way, it’s classic.

Huddersfield Examiner

Album Review

DEAD LIKE HARRY: Know The Joy Of Good Living.Close your eyes and think of the likes of Deacon Blue meeting the Eagles on a dusty US highway while listening to this – although scratch that advice if you have it on in the car and you’re driving. They may hail from just south of Barnsley, but their hearts and the roots of their sound are on the other side of The Pond. They had the album written, rehearsed and ready to record, but with no money struck a deal with producer Alan Smyth (Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley, Pulp) and downed instruments for two months to help to construct and renovate his 2-Fly Studios. This is payback time – and it could prove priceless as it’s hard not to see the USA falling hook, line and sinker for them.

Sunday Mercury

Album Review

Winning a Glasto spot placed Sheffield roots rockers Dead Like Harry on the same bill as a certain Mr Springsteen. And the Boss would surely have loved songs such as I Couldn’t Love You Anymore and Streets, both of which are Bruce by way of Deacon Blue, with Sam Taylor and Alice Faraday’s vocals trading off on top. When they turn the amps down, Driving To Nowhere, simply backed by acoustic guitar, all but steals the show, followed by Sarah, a song which all but borrows the intro to Springsteen’s Promised Land. This is an undiscovered gem. PC

Selby Times

Album Review

REMARKABLY young Sheffield sextet Dead Like Harry offer up a somewhat unusual but remarkably mature sound, considering their age and location.

Their shameless wall-of-sound rock bombast, which looks firmly across the ocean (New Jersey to be specific) for it's source, is combined with a distinctly English posture, and then sweetened with a definite pop sheen.

Lead vocalist Samuel J Taylor has lightness in his voice, which is sometimes reminiscent of a younger Tom McRae, and his singing is shadowed closely throughout by dual vocals from Alice Faraday. His tales of lost and longed-for love are well written, symbolic and attractive (When We Were 17, Cherry Street, What a Bloody Shame).

At their best, they're something like a Yorkshire E Street Band juggernaut. It's curious that they have managed somehow to summon up not just Springsteen and the Gaslight Anthem, but somehow also Keane and Colplay in parts.

Know the Joy Of Good Living is produced by Alan Smyth, who has done wonderful things on the works of other Sheffield luminaries, such as Pulp, Richard Hawley and Arctic Monkeys.

He has done a fine job here of capturing not only Dead Like Harry's energy, but more tellingly their ambition.

Americana UK

Album Review

Remarkably young Sheffield sextet Dead Like Harry offer up a somewhat unusual but remarkably mature sound, considering their age and location. Their shameless wall-of-sound rock bombast which looks firmly across the ocean (New Jersey to be specific) for it’s source is combined with a distinctly English posture, and then sweetened with a definite pop sheen which seems to sometimes wilfully blunt its forceful but more attractive edges.

Lead vocalist Samuel J Taylor has lightness in his voice which is sometimes reminiscent of a young(er) Tom McRae, and his singing is shadowed closely throughout by dual vocals from Alice Faraday which prove a help and hindrance. His tales of lost and longed-for love are well written, symbolic and attractive (‘When We Were 17’, ‘Cherry Street’, What a Bloody Shame’).

At their best they are something like a Yorkshire E Street Band juggernaut; High on fizzy pop and racing at 90mph down the M67. This works to tremendously bombastic effect on superb opener ‘Streets’, which can’t quite wait to reveal itself to be a delightfully exciting blast of building rock dynamics, and stirs to life with some delightful force. ‘I Couldn’t Love You Anymore’ is more of the same and better for it. It’s curious that they have managed somehow to summon up not just Springsteen and the Gaslight Anthem, but somehow also Keane and Colplay in parts.

Previous single ‘When We Were 17’ gains its strength from restraint from the blustering pop onslaught and its sense of space, also an intriguing lyric (“My girl she stands outside, screaming for her life...we were sure when we were 17”) and proves to be one of the set’s strongest songs.

It all works to a less pleasing conclusion on some of the other songs here, particularly on ‘You’re not Alone’ where the more pop orientated production and performances sweeten the sonic mixture a little too transparently, and the sheen of Faraday’s vocals grate, threaten to take over, and heave everything a little too close to daytime Radio 2 for these particular ears.

‘Know the Joy…’ is produced by Alan Smyth who has done wonderful things on the works of other Sheffield luminaries such as Pulp, Richard Hawley and Arctic Monkeys. He has done a fine job here of capturing not only Dead Like Harry’s energy, but more tellingly their ambition. No grimy Camden bars for this lot, these are songs that are written and presented in a manner by which Glastonbury is headlined!

They have made an impressive record, even if not all of it is theirs.

Bearded magazine

Album Review

I’m not going to lie, this is truly music to make most music fans grate their teeth together at first hearing. With sickly pop melodies these bashful bards from the steel city have enough love songs and catchy melodies to class them as a band not worth listening to within the first ten seconds of one of their tracks. However, if they don’t creep up on you and infect you with those deadly pop pheromones on prolonged listening then you are strong indeed.

Matt and Sam Taylor have been writing tunes together since their early teens (that’s right – it’s a family band) and have obviously learnt all the tricks of the trade whilst inventing some of their own. On listening to a track such as ‘1000 Miles’ the intro immediately suggests Hanson and other such teeny-bop bands but don’t let this put you off as the chorus is uplifting in a much more soul inspired way and, on top of all this, the harmonies provided by Alice Faraday really add a lot of depth to the main vocal line.

The album also throws up a lot of quite surprising guitar solos. Take ‘Satellite’ for example and a bluesy and almost guttural line is ripped out of the guitar not unlike the one heard in ‘When We Were 17’. Experimenting with melody and repeating sequences, these lines show us the true knowledge of their art that these people have.

It almost feels like this is exactly what the British public needs right now - twelve cheery, summery tracks to keep you in a state of mildly happy soporific indifference until the sun really comes out and we don’t have to emulate these emotions anymore. The Taylor brothers are master craftsmen in this trade and whilst you might turn your nose up and spurn it for being throwaway pop, it’s definitely the best pop you’re going to get your hands on this year.

Dead Like Harry, Plug

Sean Bruce

SHEFFIELD'S own Dead Like Harry closed their national tour in the intimate surroundings of Plug Neutral, a Soundclash-promoted gig packed to the rafters to welcome them home.

After winning a magazine competition to play at Glastonbury last year, then touring with Scouting For Girls and selling 5,000 copies of their debut ep, DLH are now launching their debut album Know The Joy Of Good Living.

Formed by brothers, frontman Sam and keys player Matt Taylor in 2007, they gradually built up DLH to its current sextet and with it their fanbase which is out in large numbers tonight, all loving their blend of folk and rock with at times a country tinge.

A special mention too for the opening act, 17-year-old Emily Ireland who, in her guise as See Emily Play, delivered some excellent original songs via keyboard and a jazz-influenced voice that kept the healthy early crowd enraptured.

When DLH took to the stage the place erupted, and the level of audience commitment never wavered throughout. Sam and female vocalist Alice Faraday stood out with some excellent leads and harmonies, particularly on I Couldn't Love You Anymore and highlight When We Were 17. We were even treated to duelling guitars from Sam and John Redgrave and a manic head-banging bassist in Robin Baker, not to mention a feel of Fleetwood Mac in the encored Shapes, which closed a first class 45-minute set.

Dunfermline Press - February, 2010

Dead Like Harry building album success

SHEFFIELD band Dead Like Harry, who are appearing at the Fifestock festival on Monday, are an example of how putting in the hard graft can bring results.

They were desperate to get their new album out but without a label had to use a moment's ingenuity and three months of honest toil to reach their goal.

They knew producer Alan Smyth, who has worked with Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys, was planning to turn an old building into a state-of-the-art studio and so offered their labouring services in return for him producing the album. "Know the Joys of Good Living" is now out and the band are on tour promoting it, calling it in the Inn at Lathones on Monday.

Singer Sam Taylor, who has been playing on his local music circuit since the age of 14, said, "I can tell you it was hard work and also a real learning experience. I wouldn't have known what goes in to building a studio.

"There's no point in worrying about not having a label. We had an album we wanted to put out there and we had people who wanted to listen to. "You've got to be innovative and find a way around the problem."

The band won a competition run by Q magazine for the best emerging band earning a place performing at Glastonbury last year. "It was fantastic to play there and especially so when I heard that Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young were going to be there," said Sam.

The Sheffield Star

Just keep calm and Harry on

The simple fact is sometimes you have to get knocked down to get back up again.

For Dead Like Harry - the Sheffield band with big musical ideas - the turning point came during a difficult two-week period at the start of 2008.

Once the fog had cleared they decided to hit the road, in particular the summer festivals, and found themselves re-capturing the thrill of the live chase and stoking up enthusiasm for a new era.

"It could have been a year of endings but 2008 turned into a year of new beginnings and we came out of it strong and ready to take our music to more people around the country," Matt recalls as the band release their long-awaited debut album, Know The Joy Of Good Living.

"We wrote these songs while driving around to these festivals and towns. They kind of tell the story of what happened - Streets is about setting off and the album finishes on Cherry Street with us coming back to Sheffield and realising all the people we need are here, all our friends.

"We are not trying to be famous, we like playing music so this is about wanting to carry on. "Around the time of this "epiphany", original guitarist John Redgrave re-joined along with drummer Adam Crofts to complement sibling founders Sam (vocals/guitars) and Matt Taylor, singer Alice Faraday and Robin Baker (bass). "We formed a band before we knew how to be in a band. We learned together and two years ago we wanted to take it a bit more seriously. So we went about writing an album - a lot of bands put out albums that are a collection of songs - we wanted a beginning and an end." And they achieved just that. Across 12 tracks the sextet exhibit drama, exhuberance, gentle attention to detail and the odd Springsteen-eseque arrangement (Sarah) alongside moments that remind what made Fleetwood Mac and 1980s chart-botherers Deacon Blue so universally appealing without necessarily copying their style.

The Scots seem to be lapping up DLH, perhaps because of the strategic resemblence to Glasgow's internationally successful pop band (Deacon Blue).

"That has come up before at a number of festivals," confirms Matt. "I had heard the name but had no idea what they sounded like so I checked them out. And it's good they like us up there as I don't mind driving around Scotland."

All that said, it is hard to believe these mainstays of Sheffield's music scene are only on their debut album, but Matt points out they effectively formed a new band two years ago. They just happened to keep the name.

"We looked at changing it but it is hard to come up with another one. Anyway, people ask us about it. We should really come up with a more exciting story, something random."

The truth is, it came about as a tribute to John's uncle, who liked the band when they were teenagers, and died. As for the reference to The Boss, Matt confirms everybody in the band likes the E Street Band and DHL are inspired by '70s-sounding bands such as Fleetwood Mac and songwriters like Paul Simon.

The album follows a 1970s ethic in terms of its making - in seeking to achieve the feel they were after, Sheffield producer Alan Smyth set up the room so they could play and record as live as possible, something that comes through not least on the record's bigger moments.

Finding themselves without major label backing, however, DLH struck a deal with Alan in which they agreed to put down their instruments and become builders, paying for the album by helping with the construction and renovation of his new 2-Fly Studios.
Recording took place in spring 2009 in time for a slot at Glastonbury as well as over 60 other gigs, shifting 5,000 copies of their debut EP When We Were 17 along the way.

When it comes to releasing the record on Monday, they've got an attitude both modern and traditional. Matt, at least, sees the band's growth through playing live and so people can download the album for free but will have to pay for a finished copy.
As the band prepare for a short tour that begins in Glasgow and ends at Sheffield's Plug on February 27, he admits it's a bit of a gamble.

"People are copying music whatever but people who are not quite sure if we are for them can get it for free, have a listen and come to the gig if they like what they hear. We just want to get people to listen to the music and we'll see if we can make some money touring."

Know The Joy of Good Living is released digitally on Monday via The Label Records and will be available in over 700 online stores. Hard copies of the album will be available exclusively from www.deadlikeharry.co.uk from the same date.

Yorkshire Post

'Cowboy' builders play country in the city

Published Date: 05 February 2010

Some bands will do anything to record their first album. Sheffield's Dead Like Harry built a studio. Singer Sam Taylor tells Mark Butler why he was more than happy to get his hands dirty.

WHEN Sheffield band Dead Like Harry decided to record their debut album with Alan Smyth - renowned producer to the likes of Pulp, Arctic Monkeys and Richard Hawley - they ended up striking a rather unusual deal to finance it.

For three months last year they put down their instruments and slaved away as builders, helping to construct and renovate Smyth's new 2 Fly Studio on John Street.

"We did everything from tearing out all the old factory fittings to making the walls," laughs vocalist and guitarist Sam Taylor. "We were literally on our hands and knees for the bulk of the time, though Alan would pop in and accuse us of sitting around reading the paper."

Clearly this is a band with supreme dedication to their cause. But now that the fruits of Dead Like Harry's labour can be heard, it is clear that there's more to them than a simple willingness to graft for studio time.

They may be good friends with fellow Sheffield bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Reverend and the Makers, but their own sound couldn't be more different from their contemporaries.

Know The Joy of Good Living, released on Feb 15, is a lively pop album that is wholeheartedly infused with American Country vibes. The jangly guitars, rippling piano and male-female vocal harmonies of Taylor and co-vocalist Alice Faraday lead you to conclude that Dead Like Harry have brought the spirit of Nashville to South Yorkshire. It's not a sound you'd typically associate with the Steel City.

"We're not what you'd expect," agrees Taylor, 25. "We don't sing about going out on Friday night and getting drunk. Me and my brother Matt write the songs. We grew up listening to Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac, and what really got me into Country as a teenager was The Eagles and Ryan Adams.

"We've never intentionally set out to do something different but as we've gone on we've realised that we do stand out against the current fashion. We've almost had to forge our own scene."

It may be tempting at this juncture to crack a joke about "Cowboy builders", but the young sextet's unusual approach has been making a real impact on both the local and national consciousness. They've been championed by influential Radio DJ Steve Lamacq, were picked by Q Magazine to play Glastonbury last year and recently played to a crowd of 6,000 at Sheffield Hallam FM Arena.

The band are also fully independent in a way that has been made infinitely more possible by the internet. A lack of major label backing may have necessitated their work-for-studio-time deal with Smyth, but the benefits include greater creative freedom and direct access to their fanbase. Know The Joy of Good Living will be released on the band's own label and made available on the web through 700 online stores.

"Labels have less money now, so bands have to create their own buzz," says Taylor. "You have to take your music out there and play a lot of gigs. With the internet you can build your own fanbase."

Dead Like Harry formed in 2007, when the Taylor brothers and their old school friend Alice Faraday joined forces with bassist Robin Baker, guitarist John Redgrave and drummer Adam Crofts.

The Taylor brothers had been playing music around the pubs and clubs of Sheffield since their mid-teens, going on to perform with an earlier band at venues like The Boardwalk.

The Sheffield music boom has been a story of personal connections and influences, and Taylor's time at The Boardwalk confirms this.

"I was about 20, and there was me, Alex Turner and the lads from Reverend and the Makers all working behind the bar," he recalls. "Little Man Tate were there, too. We all shared ideas and supported each other. That's how a lot of scenes happen."

Just a few years on, The Arctic Monkeys have become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, while Reverend and the Makers and the recently disbanded Little Man Tate have also made their mark.

Other acts, such as acclaimed singer-songwriter Richard Hawley, continue to impress.

It's not exactly a secret that Sheffield is producing some of today's most potent pop music, and Taylor has his own theories on why.

"It's a city with history. It has real heart, and when all the traditional industry shut down, it was artistic industries that moved into the empty spaces.

"Alan Smyth's studio is where the old steelworks was, and it's a great environment to be in."

Know The Joy of Good Living is released digitally on Feb 15. Hard copies of the album will be available from www.deadlikeharry.co.uk. The band play The Plug in Sheffield on Feb 27, 0114 241 3040, 0114 241 3040, www.the-plug.com

The road to success

Dead Like Harry were formed in 2007, but songwriting brothers Matt and Sam Taylor have been performing in Sheffield since they were 14.

Three years ago, they were joined by old school friend and vocalist Alice Faraday and rhythm section Robin Baker, John Redgrave and Adam Crofts.

They have already supported the likes of Scouting for Girls and been placed on the same bill as Paul Simon at the Cornbury festival in Oxford.

Dead Like Harry are currently collaborating with producer Alan Smyth (Richard Hawley, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys) and have been backed by BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq

The Scotsman - 01 February 2010

Up and coming: Dead Like Harry

SOUNDS serious – who's Harry?
Apparently, he is – or was – guitarist John Redgrave's eccentric uncle. The young sextet named in his honour were formed in 2007 by brothers Matt and Sam Taylor, veterans of the Sheffield pub circuit, who have now graduated to supporting Scouting For Girls, playing at last year's Glastonbury Festival as part of their Emerging Talent competition – and serenading a fan's girlfriend for £20.

They drive a hard bargain then…
They paid Arctic Monkeys/Richard Hawley producer Alan Smyth in kind for his services on their forthcoming debut album Know The Joy Of Good Living – by helping him renovate his studio first.

What do they sound like?
Rootsy pop/rock with boy/girl vocal dynamic, courtesy of co-vocalist Alice Faraday, who contributes to the overall Deacon Blue vibe. Their influences include Bruce Springsteen, Vampire Weekend and red wine and extend to "Runrig" and "Scotland".

What others are saying:
"A well-crafted, grown-up and thoroughly enjoyable strain of pop" – The Times
"The Steel City's answer to Fleetwood Mac" – Sandman Magazine

Where can I hear more?
www.myspace.com/deadlikeharrymusic

Dead Like Harry play Fat Sam's, Dundee, 20 February and Capitol, Glasgow, 21 February. Know The Joy Of Good Living is released digitally on 15 February, with physical copies available from www.deadlikeharry.co.uk

Islington Tribune

Published: 28 January 2010

DEAD Like Harry have serenaded a stranger’s girlfriend, played to nothing but the sea when the ill-timed tide came in too fast, and will soon hit Camden’s most celebrated bowling alley.

Named after an eccentric uncle, the Sheffield six-piece, who place themselves somewhere between Fleetwood Mac and Bruce Springsteen, play Bloomsbury Lanes on February 25.

But the real story is how they managed to cut their debut album Know The Joy of Good Living (released February 15) without spending a cent.

Vocalist Sam Taylor, whose brother Matt is also in the band, says: “Without the backing of a major label it’s hard to finance a professional album. It wasn’t like we could do it in our rooms, we needed that big sound”

They approached Alan Smyth, who produced Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers, Richard Hawley and Pulp, and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“We asked him for a bit of a deal,” says Sam. “We knew he wanted a new studio but also knew he was low on finance. We proposed the six of us would work for free and we’d get an album made at the end of it. For three months we lifted plaster board and made new walls in an old factory space and at the end of that we recorded our album. Alan put his heart and soul into it.”

The end product is something to behold.

“It’s as vinyl as you can get,” says Sam. “We were listening to classic albums and I just got obsessed with making a record sleeve.

“I talked to designers and came up with even the crinkly paper when you take the CD out. When you put the record on you think you’re going to be listening to something which has that earthy feel.”

He describes the band’s sound as being “rooted in traditional genres, blues, rock and coloured by a pop sentiment”, adding: “It has the pop ¬sensibilities like Fleetwood Mac meets the anthemic ideas of Bruce Springsteen or ¬something like that.”

Their moniker is in tribute to lead guitarist John Redgrave’s great uncle, after he neglected to tell his mother Harry had died for some weeks.

They decided to play Bloomsbury Lanes on recommendation from Jamie of Goldheart Assembly, who was full of compliments about the place, only adding to the eclectic venues they’ve played so far.

“In Chester a guy asked if we could play for his girlfriend,” says Sam. “He gave me £20 and said he really wanted me to play next to the canal. It was a bit weird him watching me play his girlfriend a song along the canal.”

Then at the Beached Festival in Scarborough, they soon realised their crowd had disappeared: “We were on stage as the tide was crawling in but increasing quite fast and so there was nobody stood in front of us for a while. We were just ¬playing to the sea, to the lapping waves against the stage.”

by ROISIN GADELRAB

Fatea Magazine

Album Review Jan 2010

Artist: Dead Like Harry
Album: Know The Joy Of Good Living
Tracks: 14
Website: http://www.deadlikeharry.com

When I first heard Dead Like Harry, they reminded me very much of Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks era), and as Fleetwood Mac have always been one of my favourite bands, it was obvious that I was going to like them too.

With the release of Know The Joy Of Good Living, it is clear that they have progressed. Fleetwood Mac were never this good. DLH have become masters of both the soft, dreamy acoustic tracks, and of the heavier, rockier numbers. Even at their most heavy, though, Alice's vocal harmonics, Matt's scintillating keyboards, or Sam's acoustic guitar shine through, so that their songs are always delightfully pretty.

The album goes on general release in February, but they produced an advance run of 100 copies, of which I was lucky enough to get one. The CD itself looks quite unlike any other I have seen, appearing to have been made from vinyl, like an LP, with the cover designed like a fan-fold LP cover.

It opens, with a hissing crackle, so familiar to any of us who remember vinyl, before an onslaught of sound from "Streets". I'm used to hearing their live running order of "Streets" followed by "Cherry Street", but probably owing to the optimistic nature of "Cherry Street", they've bookended the album with the two songs rather than run one into the other. The effect, though, is slightly watered down by the addition of two bonus tracks, "Hope We Meet Again" and "Joanna", which appear after the final song, "Cherry Street".

I defy anyone not to be singing along on a second listen to my favourite track on this album: "You're Not Alone". Somehow, when Alice sings, 'You're not alone, 'cos I am here with you", just before Adam's drums, Robin's bass and John's electric guitar storm in for the crescendo, it feels as if Alice isn't just singing, but as if she has drawn the sound out of the ether.

With their last album, "Red Dress", having been released back in 2006, and with Sam and Matt's phenomenal rate of song writing, they had a wealth of songs that could have been included, and have at least enough material for a further album already. Consequently, of the fourteen tracks on this album, I already knew and loved thirteen of them, and there is only one track, "Driving To Nowhere", (a beautiful acoustic number, in which Sam twists the words into your heart, like knives), that is new to me. If you're new to this band, you'll love all the tracks, instantly.

They are currently editing a live DVD, which will hopefully be released later this year, and are touring in February. Do get to see them if you get the chance.

Pete Bradley

Fatea Magazine

Live Review - Portsmouth Jul 2009

Since last I saw Dead Like Harry, much has happened to them. Amongst other things, they reached the final of the 2009 Emerging Talent competition; they got to play at the Glastonbury festival in front of a huge crowd, they helped renovate a studio, and have recorded a new album, hopefully due for release later this year.

A very busy and exciting year for them, with some very well deserved accolades.

When they played at Glastonbury, to keep the crowd energised, they dropped the quieter numbers from their set. Glad to report a few slower ones have crept back on the set list, most notable was a track new to me called Driving To Nowhere, (will be on their new album). This was truly beautiful, and was probably the highlight of the evening.

Loved the way that they ran one song into another. Have seen them do this with a couple of songs before, but this time they hardly paused between songs at all, apart from a brief gap to allow John, their gutarist, to remove a cardigan.

Really looking forward to seeing them at Cambridge Rock Festival next month, and really looking forward to the new album.

Glastonbury Festival

Website Article 2009

Each of the finalists from our 2009 Emerging Talent Competition will be performing at this year's Festival. Ahead of their trip down to Somerset, we've asked them to write a blog telling us about their experience of the competition and their plans for the Festival. Our second blog is from Sheffield popsters Dead Like Harry.

I'm writing this from the confines of a recording studio in Sheffield. It's raining outside, but in here we are putting the final touches to an album we have spent the last couple of months working on. It seems like we are a long way from the summer and the festival season but as I write this I realise that summer is fast approaching (even if the is rain beating down outside). I have been asked to write a short blog about our Glastonbury experience so far, so here it is...

...I was sat in almost exactly the same place in the studio when in February I got a call telling me Dead Like Harry had been picked as one of the 11 finalists to take part in Glastonbury's Emerging Talent competition. It already felt like we had won when we were also told that whatever happened we would be playing at the Festival and we would all get weekend tickets! The finals approached and the evening went by in a whirlwind. It was a great experience to play in front of all those judges and I felt it was a real success even though we didn't win. All the bands were great and we were just happy to be a part of it.

Now with the finals over our thoughts moved to the summer and the Festival itself. I have never been to Glastonbury before, a Glastonbury virgin I guess. I am sure it will be everything it is said to be and with headliners such as Bruce Springsteen (my musical hero) it is going to be a brilliant weekend. We are playing on the Friday on the Queens Head Stage at 3pm. A great slot. I hope that the Glastonbury gig and the many other great festival slots we are doing this summer lead to an increase in the interest of the band nationally. The band has been growing steadily for a long time now and with the added interest this competition has given us and the radio play and newspaper coverage that followed we feel things have really started to move forward and the ball has started to roll. Hopefully come the end of the summer and the approach of Christmas we will get our album released and continue the push to take the band to the next level!

See you at the Queens Head stage on Friday at 3pm!

Orange Instore Magazine

June 2009

Dead Like Harry were the second-fastest band to get back to me on myspace and have an unusual Glastonbury story. The six-piece from Sheffield won their place at this year’s festival after entering Q Magazine’s Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talents competition, where they performed in front of Michael and Emily Eavis. Sam Taylor, lead vocalist, answered my questions.

How does it feel to be picked as part of Q Magazine's Emerging Talent competition to play at Glastonbury 2009?

It feels great to be picked to play at Glastonbury and especially by such an established magazine. We were thrilled when we got the call and it is amazing to be part of such a massive festival.

Are you excited about the opportunity to play at Glastonbury?

Every year I have watched Glastonbury on TV and dreamt about playing there and being part of it. We work really hard as a band and I knew we would get there, I am just so glad it's this year. There is such an amazing line up with some of our musical hero’s playing. I can't wait to get there and get on stage.

Which bands will you be hoping to see at Glastonbury?

There are the headliners, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Blur. All of these artists have had such a massive impact on me over the years and continue to do so. I’m also looking forward to seeing the Fleet Foxes I love their individuality and can’t wait to see them live.

If our readers should download one song that encapsulates your style, what would you recommend?

‘When We Were 17’. It will take you through a musical and lyrical journey and show you what Dead Like Harry are really about.

Americana UK Magazine

When We Were 17 Review

Pin-sharp pop

I’ve no idea who the deceased Harold might be but he’s missing out on this four track party and missing out good style. Perhaps, of course, the joke is that if Harry’s dead and parties this hard then the bloke with the cowl and scythe should pop round more often. There are only four tracks here from the Sheffield song writing Taylor brothers (plus able support, particularly Alice Faraday on harmony vocals) but hopefully this should be a sign of more good things to come. They are tight, proficient, sharp and – in song writing terms – worldly wise. Certainly if songs such as “Couldn’t Love You Anymore” were to get a decent amount of radio play then ‘pop music’ might mean something again and the chart rundown might be relevant. In a parallel universe somewhere this Ep is Number One on the hit parade and the band are planning their European Tour. Great pop-Americana from talented hopefuls. More of this would be nice.

Press Release - April 2009

Sheffield Band Confirmed For Glastonbury

“This could be the year for this Sheffield sextet, with their fine lyrics and musical diversity. This love tale is one to watch.” – The Sun

“A well-crafted, grown-up and thoroughly enjoyable strain of pop and all the better for it” Alan Jackson, The Times

Things continue to snowball for Sheffield band Dead Like Harry. After playing more than 50 gigs in 2008 following the release of their EP ‘When We Were 17’, including a support slot to chart-toppers Scouting For Girls, 2009 has started with a bang. Dead Like Harry have been confirmed for Glastonbury Festival as part of Q Magazine’s ‘Emerging Talent’ competition.

"Dead Like Harry come as a breath of fresh air in market populated by clones of clones. This is tuneful music of high order." – Pat Edison, Radio Caroline

Chosen from over 3000 acts, DLH have landed a slot on the Queen’s Head Stage. In addition to this they automatically go head-to-head with 10 other bands in a live final at the end of March in another competition to win a slot on the legendary Pyramid Stage at the same festival.

The band are currently locked away in 2-Fly Studios with Sheffield producer Alan Smyth (Pulp; Reverend and the Makers; Arctic Monkeys) putting the finishing touches to their new album. With the summer festival slots already flooding in, 2009 looks set to be a busy and exciting year for this dynamic six-piece.

The Sun - March 2009

Hot Track of the week!

Dead Like Harry - When We Were 17

This could be the year for this Sheffield sextet, with their fine lyrics and musical diversity. This love tale is one to watch.

3.5 out of 5

Studio Diary - January 2009

Notes from the album sessions

We’re half-way through the first week of recording for our new album. It was a pretty heavy day yesterday – 12 hours – in which we recorded almost continuously. Adam, our drummer, has blistered hands and I’ve no idea how Alice managed to keep her singing voice for that long. Still, although it was a tough day for everyone we made a great start and the atmosphere seemed a lot more relaxed this morning, knowing that we’d got a lot of drum, bass and piano parts down on tape.

Towards the end of last year, after getting over 50 gigs done between April and October, we’d saved up a bit of a slush fund that hadn’t been spent on accommodation, food, petrol and van hire. It was obvious that we needed to get back into the studio and try and capture the songs we had been writing and performing over that period. When me and Sam, my brother and co-writer of ten years, sat down to have a look through the material we had performed at the 2008 gigs, we noticed that, unintentionally, though probably subconsciously, we had written a narrative of the band’s recent experiences, which reached a low point at the start of the year after a particular project and collaboration we had spent 9 months working at had failed to work out. I think we tried to take a positive slant on the whole experience and decided to spend the whole year taking our songs and our live show to as many people as possible. We managed to bag several big festivals as well as travelling to all corners of the country. We played in sunny fields, under wet marquees, on stormy beaches, in large night clubs, sharing stages with bands as varied as Scouting for Girls and Show of Hands, as well as in numerous darkened city-centre live music venues. On our travels we started to put our experiences down into some sort of musical diary.

50 gigs and nearly 10,000 miles for an unsigned band is a lot of work for one year, especially when trying to contend with: parking in central London; 2 band members crashing their cars into the bass player’s Skoda at the same gig; our equipment being submerged in a muddy field at Glastonbury; a spring-tide stranding our gear on the beach at Scarborough’s ‘Beached’ festival; drunken drummers and grumpy keyboard players; as well as the ever-present loading / unloading hazard of the “bag of death”. After several close shaves with this strangely shaped and extremely heavy container we decided to swap the “bag of death” for two “boxes of mild discomfort”. As recently as last month and at Alice’s request, these boxes were dissolved into four “briefcases of almost mild pleasure”. However, I have digressed and this is a story for another article.

The money we saved was not enough for a full album studio session, but we managed to strike a very interesting and exciting deal with producer Alan Smyth, whom we had worked with before, and who has recorded bands such as Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley and Reverend and the Makers. When you’re recording at his Sheffield – based 2-Fly Studios, hardly a day goes by before some local pop legend pokes their head in the door: “Know where I can borrow a banjo from?” asks Jarvis Cocker. Well, it turns out our old collaborator Alan and his co-producer Dave Sanderson had found an old factory space they wanted to renovate and make into a new studio. It’s what is happening behind the old red-brick walls in Sheffield’s old industrial centres. When I was a kid in the late 1980s, Sheffield wasn’t the prettiest place. With a lot of its industry dead there were many empty shells of buildings with dark interiors and broken windows. Things have changed and are continuing to change with often surprising speed. The arts sector has become a large employer in Sheffield and one of the most exciting things about this is the amount of music now pouring out of this city. In 2009, if you walk through these areas of disappeared-industry you are likely to hear the sounds of bands all day as the old factory spaces start production once more – this time producing music.

We made a deal with Alan that we would renovate and build the studio over autumn 2008 in return for enough studio time at the start of 2009 to get our album recorded. And here we are…

We spent Christmas rehearsing and preparing every part of the album. We wanted it to be the real deal – the best possible album we could make. We wanted a thematic feel to both the lyric and the music. It had to tell our story in both of these mediums without compromise. The next few weeks will tell if we have got it right. After 10 years of practicing for this we are sure we will get it right. I think the events of the last year and a half have brought the six of us together. We have had highs and unfortunately we’ve seen some real lows. We know we’re still on that journey together and that we have a lot to offer. The six of us have become very close friends and with Alan Smyth and Dave Sanderson on board for the project we feel sure that we are going to get back on the road in the summer to promote a special album and tell our own story on our own terms.

We are aware that in the current climate many bands are recording albums that are almost just a collection of singles that, when put together, make a disjointed muddle of songs. Perhaps these are the albums reflective of an I-tunes generation of songwriters? We came into the studio wanting the songs on the album to work as singles – after all, this is a business and we need to make money to survive and progress. The album has to be attractive to record companies. They have to be able to market the album through radio. But at the same time we didn’t want it to be a collection of unconnected short stories. A good album has to be a book, where each song is a chapter, that can stand alone – and be a potential single – while still being part of the whole story. We are sure of one thing – the album ends with a song called Cherry Street, in which the girl voice and the boy voice that went off on their journey at the beginning of the album return home. Cherry Street is the name of a road near to the studio I’m sitting in now. We wanted to name-check a few places we grew up playing gigs in – “At The Boardwalk, down in the city…” The song reaches a false climax in the middle section before dropping away and becoming reflective. For a while we feared we were coming to the end of something. It soon became apparent that by returning to Sheffield and by returning to Cherry Street we had begun a new journey. We wrote the closing lines of the song knowing they would also be the closing lines of the album:

“Down on Cherry Street the lights are shining. The world is waiting there.”

Sandman Magazine - November 2008

Single Launch Gig, Sheffield

Next up, to the crowds delight are Dead Like Harry, celebrating their new single entitled 'Fight'. Great harmonies are again the order of the day with Alice's vocals complementing Sam's almost perfectly, like on 'When We Were Seventeen' and at times they use four vocalists harmonising, Some of their catchy pop sound has quite heavy country influences like 'Walk In Through The Morning' and the audience love every second. Despite sounds problems towards the end of their set they rightly getting a near deafening ovation.

Sean Bruce

Sandman Magazine

Review of 'Fight' single and 'When We Were 17' ep '08

After a quiet stint on the recording front, Dead Like Harry have begun to once again release consistently excellent examples of their song craft in their latest EP (When We Were Seventeen) and single (Fight/Walk in Through the Morning). Fight is particularly exciting, as the Harrys rock out with a wild-west call to arms, reminiscent of Bon Jovi's Young Guns, except, you know, actually good. This song is intense when played live, and it loses none of this headrush in the studio. Walk in Through the Morning is a beautiful and near-perfect piece of country pop. The EP is strong as well, with the standout track being Streets, with its simple and beautiful guitar figures. Now, a full album would sure hit the spot.

The Cellars Magazine - July 2008

The Cellars - Eastney (Porstmouth)

Next up, to the crowds delight are Dead Like Harry, celebrating their new single entitled 'Fight'. Great harmonies are again the order of the day with Alice's vocals complementing Sam's almost perfectly, like on 'When We Were Seventeen' and at times they use four vocalists harmonising, Some of their catchy pop sound has quite heavy country influences like 'Walk In Through The Morning' and the audience love every second. Despite sounds problems towards the end of their set they rightly getting a near deafening ovation.

Sheffield University Magazine

November 2008

Dead Like Harry – REVIEW 'Dead Like Harry at the Three Merry Lads Pub, Sheffield'. November 21. By Ashley Scrace

REVIEW – RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

The Sheffield music scene seems to just roll out talented artists; what with ex-Longpigs crooner, Richard Hawley, and the Arctic Monkeys being two of the latest exports.

Dead Like Harry are the newest act to try and top the already crowded musical tree.

Formed in spring 2007, this quirkily named sextet claim to be a band which draws influence from rock, blues and even folk.

On paper, it didn't sound like a particularly original formula.

I was prepared for a bunch of un-inspiring teenagers trying to copy the style of their heroes, except with limited musical training or ability.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find this was not the case, for Dead Like Harry were not dead like anyone at all.

Everything was perfectly arranged. The soft acoustic guitar riffs, delicate piano melodies and strong vocals effortlessly floated over the thudding bass and drums below.

And although the venue was small, every song was never too loud.

'Fight', a Travis-esque rock song, and 'When We Were 17' deserve particular praise. A mass of musical talent was always evident from the first songs right through to the bittersweet last songs 'Hope We Meet Again' and 'Joanna'.

It puzzles me how they demand so much attention; the band don't prance around like McFly or use similar amounts of pyrotechnics to bonfire night. They just play instruments and sing, remaining rather still most of the time.

The reason they are so popular is, quite simply, due to their fantastic music.

So many artists nowadays just follow the same 'alternative' or 'indie' formula. Dead Like Harry actually create a style. They are unique.

I could eat a meal with their music on in the background. I could chat with friends and drunkardly jig along to their music. I could drive for hours and hear each track over and over without realising, or caring, that I have just driven to the Moon.

Now that is a style I like.

Imperial College Radio

2008

There is a rawness about Dead Like Harry that we haven't heard for a long time. It's back to basics rock, skillfully put together by talented musicians. Track 2 is a folk classic, bit like a more down to earth Dashboard Confessional; it's simple, and reassuringly, doesn't pile on effects to build up power. The more upbeat tracks are also brilliantly arranged; a perfect combination of Ben Folds Five and country music; a voice as good as Dolly Parton too! Dead Like Harry are one of a kind; they are real, and thats a difficult word to throw around. It's summer music; film music; life music...pretty great music!"

Liverpol Sphinx Magazine

Single Review from Liverpool University Magazine

Sheffield sextet Dead Like Harry are tipped for big things currently and when a band leave you with a nice, warm, glowing feeling all over then why not? Such is the case for me after listening to new single Fight which has just been released on student label Syllabus Music. Brothers Matt and Sam Taylor and their band of merry men (and one woman!) are making waves at the moment with Steve Lamacq, amongst others, championing their refreshingly honest and thoroughly organic blend of folk, country, blues and rock. Fight itself is a great example of this combining as it does a sweet folk melody with dirty wah-wah guitar and a sweeping production courtesy of Alan Smyth whose former credits include Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and Richard Hawley. Elsewhere tracks like When We Were 17 and Walk In Through The Morning display songwriting craft and sound musicianship in spades and there is enough depth here to suggest that Dead Like Harry are set to be around for a while. This is music free of frills and inessential stylistics which delivers on a level that bypasses the head and goes straight to the heart. Let's hope they get up to Liverpool sometime soon!

Shu Life Magazine - November 2008

Interview in Sheffield Hallam University's Union Magazine

Interview by Rik Measures

They’re fresh off the back of supporting the chart-topping Scouting for Girls; they’ve recently come first runners up from thousands of acts in this year’s Rockstar competition to play Glastonbury ’09; they have a freshly released single entitled “Fight” available now on iTunes and they’ve been referred to by BBC Radio One’s Steve Lamacq as the next big thing to come from our Steel City...

...they are none other than Dead Like Harry.

SHU Life had the opportunity to meet the founding members of the melodic pop sextext—graduates of Sheffield Hallam: brothers Matt and Sam Taylor—and here’s what they had to say:

SHU Life: You’ve been compared to the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen and The Kinks. What other artists would you say you’ve been influenced by?

SAM: There’s lot of lyrical content that comes from different sorts of influences like Tom Waites, older pop poets Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. [Then there’s] weird influences—Matt listens to Kate Bush, Arcade Fire, Ryan Adams, Nick Cave and the Bad seeds.

SHU Life: Paul Simon? You played on the same bill as him recently at the Cornbury Festival. Did you get to meet him?

SAM: No we didn’t get to meet him. That would have been amazing.

MATT: We parked next to his bus, though!

SAM: We saw the back of his head when he was playing his guitar! God, it was an awesome concert watching him in the rain. He is a legend and he’s so influential to our song-writing. Simon and Garfunkel is something we listened to as kids. It’s always on my MP3 player. It’s amazing to be on the same bill as someone like that.

SHU Life: What’s on the horizon for Dead Like Harry now that the single has been released?

SAM: We’ve been doing a few interviews on the radio and got on playlists, so that’s going well. Then we’re heading back into the studio to record an album in December with Alan Smyth and Dave Sanderson.

SHU Life: Have you got a title for it?

SAM: Not yet. Not yet.

SHU Life: What is the best compliment the band has received and who said it?

SAM: My mum said we were great! (laughs) We wrote to certain people in the press and sent them a CD, and amongst others, one guy from The Times got back to us and he just loved the music.

MATT: Alan Jackson.

SAM: Yeah, he loved it and said it was a great strain of pop music. He just wrote a lovely letter back and that meant a lot. It’s that kind of contact which we like.

MATT: The owner of a bar called The Cellars in Portsmouth says we’re his favourite band. He goes to the extent that he’ll cover all our costs like petrol and meals and accommodation on top of the band fee just to have us gig there. That kind of treatment for an unsigned band is very flattering. We’re now playing so many different cities. We’ve played at Glasgow, Hull, Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Preston, Huddersfield, London lots of times, Covent Garden. It’s all suddenly happened. It’s exploded. Sheffield’s great. The Boardwalk’s always supported us. It’s a fantastic venue. The Frog and Parrot, you can’t get better than that. There’s even someone paying us to go to Ireland next year for a festival.

SAM: In a castle!

SHU Life: Did you enjoy supporting Scouting for Girls?

SAM: Yeah. They are lovely guys.

MATT: They wrote to us afterwards, which was great.

SAM: They are genuinely one of the nicest bands we’ve met and we’ve met a lot.

SHU Life: What was the Cornbury Festival like to play and how did your nerves hold up?

SAM: Well there’s a great video on YouTube just before we go on so that shows you how the nerves are holding up just seconds before we walked on stage!

MATT: Just type Dead Like Harry and Cornbury Festival into YouTube. There’s one of us on the stage too. [ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mmqUM6id1F8 ]

SHU Life: Was it tempting to jump on the bandwagon when music producers turned their attention on Sheffield following the discovery of Artic Monkeys? And what restrained you?

MATT: I don’t know how to make any other music than what we make. I write songs. I don’t try to make them sound any certain way. They just come out like they do.

SAM: As one great man once said: “Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook.” Well, we were never on the bandwagon. We’ve always been our own entity and we’ll never be anything but that. We’ll never be another indie band on the circuit.

Press Release - October 2008

Debut Single

“Surely fame beckons for this Sheffield based six piece”- BBC Radio Sheffield

“A well-crafted, grown-up and thoroughly enjoyable strain of pop and all the better for it” - Alan Jackson, The Times

First runner’s up in the Rockstar 08’ competition to play the 2009 Glastonbury festival, melodic pop sextet Dead Like Harry are set for big things. Following in the footsteps of the recent string of heavyweight acts to emerge from the Steel City, this Sheffield based group have been tipped as the next big thing by everyone from the local press to Steve Lamacq and well-known indie-rock stars.

“Well crafted pop songs, uplifting harmonies and nifty guitar licks" - Maz, Little Man Tate

Intent on cutting out gimmicks and using their blend of folk, country and blues to produce honest and listenable pop songs Dead Like Harry have been likened to top players in the field of popular music such as Bruce Springsteen and The Kinks. Charismatic live shows (starting at the tender age of 14 for vocalist Sam) have led to a fast-growing fan-base and some brilliant slots, such as wowing 6000 people at Sheffield Hallam FM Arena, a recent support slot with chart-toppers Scouting for Girls and being placed on the same bill as the legendary Paul Simon at the famous Cornbury Festival in Oxford.

Continuing their collaboration with celebrated producer Alan Smyth (Richard Hawley, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers) Dead Like Harry are releasing their debut single ‘Fight’ on iTunes through Syllabus Music on the 13th October. A launch party will also be held at The Boardwalk, Sheffield on October 11th.

Dead Like Harry are preparing to take the nation by storm, but at the centre will always remain an act that produce an honest, from-the-heart collection of songs written and performed by a group of young friends who want nothing more than to make great music.

Quotes

What the press other others say...

“A well-crafted, grown-up and thoroughly enjoyable strain of pop and all the better for it.” - Alan Jackson - The Times

"Strong of melody, rich in lyrical content and bound together by top-notch musicianship, Dead Like Harry's fresh take on traditional influences such as the blues, rock and folk is a real treat to behold. Surely fame beckons for this Sheffield-based six piece." - - BBC Radio Sheffield

"Dead Like Harry come as a breath of fresh air in market populated by clones of clones. This is tuneful music of high order." - Pat Edison - Radio Caroline

“One of the best new bands I have heard in ages, they blend great pop songs with terrific hooks and sweet harmonies. I will be playing them regularly on Glastonbury Radio and expect to see them in the pop charts within a year!" - Ross Hemsworth, Glastonbury Radio

“Rolling keys, fluid guitar melodies, accordion and velvet vocal structures – Dead Like Harry play intricately-crafted pop in which no sound is superfluous.” - Rachael Clegg - Sheffield Telegraph

“Dead Like Harry are the Steel City's answer to Fleetwood Mac” - Sandman Magazine

“Their musicianship and harmonies are a wonder to behold” - www.whatsonsouth.com

“Sheffield country magic” - Sheffield Scene Magazine

"Well crafted pop songs, uplifting harmonies and nifty guitar licks" - Maz -Little Man Tate

CRS Magazine, Aug / Sept 2008

Lantern Theatre Gig Review

I first saw Dead Like Harry supporting Caravan at the Boardwalk earlier this millenium, and I was intriqued and very impressed. Impressed enough to then buy their CD, 'Stories from the Cellar' - which, to this day, remains one of my favourite albums within my collection. I followed their progress from a distance and, in 2006, invested in their second album, 'Red Dress' - a strong album that laid down the direction they were taking. My wife was easily persuaded to venture with me to the Lantern Theatre in Sheffield, where they were launching their new EP, 'When we were 17'. It was a very warm evening and even warmer inside. It's not very big, but very cosy and intimate and all 84 seats were sold - upstairs and downstairs!

All six members of the band played as if they have known each other for years, which is especially true for the songwritng brothers Matt and Sam Taylor, who started writing songs in their early teens at the end of the last millenium.

They obviously performed the four songs from the EP, together with songs which are in their Myspace, but to my knowledge have not yet made it to CD and also some earlier songs from 'Red Dress' and, unless I'm mistaken, just one from 'Stories from the Cellar'. It didn't really matter where the songs came from as they all sounded fresh, energetic and musically crafted. Sam (lead vocal and guitar) dictated the front of the stage with boundless energy and verve, whilst Alice Faraday only had to stand still to provide the perfect complementary vocals. All six members of the band gave their all - the songs were delivered to perfection and each received by the audience with loud excitement and louder applause.

If you haven't yet encountered Dead Like Harry (and I've no idea where the name originates from) then it's best I quote from their website: '.....a sound coloured by rock, blues, American, English, country and even folk influences, but which remained at its centre an honest, from-the-heart collection of songs written and performed by a group of young friends who want nothing more than to make great music.'

They hope to add more gigs to their calendar and I for one (or us for two!) will make sure we see them again soon. Another good feature about the evening were the two support acts. Thee Single Spy began the proceedings. A band that is described as gothic art-folk - all the way from London! I enjoyed them in a gothic art-folk like way - the lead singer having a deep hypnotic voice and it's not often a clarinet is played in a band. The second support was Ely Cattleman - we expected some country and western from Cambridgeshire but fortunately Ely was pronounced 'E-li' and we were overjoyed to be confronted by a lonesome singer songwriter with guitar and harmonica, overtly looking for sympathy through the sob stories which helped introduce his genuine and sensitive songs. He was excellent - so much so that I bought his CD!

A memorable evening - a bit hot, but thanks to all who put on the show. We were fortunate to be two out of the 84.

Pete Needham

Radio Coma Magazine 2008

EP Review - 2008

DEAD LIKE HARRY: When We Were 17
This lot are a bit of a contradiction, having fallen instantly in lust with their song 'Sarah', this EP of four tracks sends me back to a time when Deacon Blue were as cool as their colour and pop songs wove tales and stories that you knew the words to in an instant. The contradiction? They look like they're gonna be a lighter version of the Talking Heads but disarm you with a guitar-picking mixture of Smokie and Fleetwood Mac in melody overdrive.

Sandman Magazine - June 2008

Lantern Theatre Review

Dead Like Harry / Ely Cattleman / Thee Single Spy @ Sheffield Lantern Theatre

The Lantern Theatre made a fantastic venue for Dead Like Harry's recent sold out show celebrating the launch of their new EP. A miniature Victorian theatre seating only 84, the intimacy made for a truly special night of entertainment. The atmosphere was friendly and warm, and everybody was up for a joyous night of good music.

First up on the three-band bill was Thee Single Spy. They describe themselves as a 'gothic art-folk orchestral collective' which is a rubbish tag. Let's just say if you ever need somebody to play your evil Uncle Seamus' Irish wake, hire these guys. A four piece from London, they play an enjoyable but dark type of folk, with texture added by keyboards and, interestingly, clarinet.

Ely Cattleman, a singer-songwriter from Hull, followed. He had a charming stage presence and his music was sweet and pretty, but somewhat indistinguishable from every other sensitive lad that has ever picked up a guitar and a Nick Drake CD. What do I know though, as the rest of the audience, especially the women, seemed to love him.

Dead Like Harry were the main highlight, and they didn't disappoint. The band is refreshingly free of pretension and are embracing their pop sensibilities more and more, creating a beguiling mix of catchy folk. And this isn't the cheap sugar rush joy that seems alright at the time but leaves you empty at closing time. Their music creates a complicated happiness and is all the more real for it, making members of the audience clap along and punch fists. The new material holds up well, with Streets being a standout track, both live and on the new EP. When We Were 17 starts off sounding worryingly like a 70s sitcom theme song, but somehow the band manages to pull it off, turning it into an affirmative and happy little tune. It feels like the band have hit their creative stride and seem much more comfortable and confident up on stage. They played predominantly new and unreleased material, with all of it rightfully received well by the crowd. Who knows when a lot of this material will make it to CD, but keep your fingers crossed.

Dion Curry, pic by Carl Mendel

Freeq Magazine

May 2008

DEAD LIKE HARRY

WHO'S IN THE BAND?
Sam Taylor, Matt Taylor, Alice Faraday, Robin Baker, Adam Crofts, John Redgrave

WHAT OR WHO DO YOU SOUND LIKE?
Like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan are jamming to a Kinks song at summer band camp

WHAT'S THE BAND UP TO AT THE MOMENT?
Just about to head into the studio to record forthcoming EP 'When We Were 17' with legendary Sheffield producer Alan Smyth (Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley, Pulp, Reverend and the Makers, Long Blondes etc...)

IF YOU WERE RECRUITING FOR JOB OF LEADER OF THE WORLD, WHO WOULD BE ON THE INTERVIEW PANEL AND WHY?
Nick Cave - I think he might be from another world; I feel it's good to have an outside opinion. Aslan the Lion - he's had some experience in politics etc. And our drummer Adam Crofts - That guy is just SO wise. He drums with two sticks at a time!

BEST GIG YOU EVER PLAYED - WHERE, WHEN AND WHY?
I think it would have to be a very recent gig at a small venue called the Frog and Parrot in Sheffield. It was a Friday night, it was so busy you couldn't get in the door. I even saw my brother Matt (the piano player) stuck outside, trying to get in just before we went on! Have you seen Santa Claus the Movie? Poor homeless boy outside MacDonald's, watching everyone else have fun. That was Matt. Outside in the rain and cold, face pressed up against the window, tears rolling down his cheeks as the band began their opening song...

WHO WOULD BE YOUR SUPPORT BAND AT WEMBLEY?
Prince, I know it's aiming high but what a guy... Actually, even better, Prince singing Rolling Stones hits, wow how good would that be, I just fell off my chair!!

WHO'S YOUR BIGGEST FAN?
Harry. RIP.

AND FINALLY THE FAMOUS JAFFA CAKE DEBATE - BISCUIT OR CAKE?
Biscuit without a doubt. Or cake.

Sheffield Telegraph - 'When We Were 17' Review

May 2008

STAMP OF QUALITY MAKES HARRY DEAD GOOD

THERE are four members of Nether Edge's Dead Like Harry on the phone line when they speak to the Sheffield Telegraph about their latest iTunes releases. Following four confusing introductions (two are brothers and sound identical), the band starts to talk about their latest project – internet releases Couldn't Love You Anymore, When We Were 17, Streets and Tilt the Moon, which will be available for download on iTunes from June 2.

Produced by Sheffield's Alan Smyth (Arctic Monkeys, Milburn, Little Man Tate, Reverend and the Makers and Pulp), the tracks have the production stamp of quality.

With guitar, keys, accordion, bass, harmonica, drums and two vocalists, Dead Like Harry possess a lush, dense sound. But rather than overload the listener with an onslaught of over-instrumentation, tracks like When We Were 17 are sensitively mixed. Instrumental subtleties are highlighted, rather than buried, among layers of music.

Dead Like Harry are a world apart from the indie pop of the Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers and Milburn.

DLH's country-tinged songs make them more evocative of Nashville than Sheffield: "We're not a typical Sheffield band at the moment – certain bands like Tiny Dancers have that sort of sound but Sheffield doesn't usually give off the vibe of the Americana region," laughs Sam Taylor, (bass and lead vocals).

Their Americana sound is refreshing. In When We Were 17 the vocals roll in country style with a swinging, melodic quality that drives the song. Alice Faraday's gentle, husky vocals contribute to the band's steel guitar sound.

But while steel guitars and whisky-laden vocals evoke images of American trucks and open dusty highways, Dead Like Harry's appeal goes far beyond the typical alt country audience.

The band's Shallow Grave is featured in the Anglo/Indian Bollywood film Quick, Slip Me a Bride, shot in India and Yorkshire – proving that Americana can spring up in the most unlikely of places, even South Yorkshire!

Dead Like Harry's tracks will be available for download on iTunes from June 2nd. DLH also play at the Frog and Parrot this Saturday

Rachael Clegg

Press Release

May 2008

Sheffield Band Released on iTunes

- Dead Like Harry, the latest band to come out of Sheffield launches on iTunes -

Hot on the heels of Tiny Dancers, Richard Hawley and of course the Arctic Monkeys, Dead Like Harry seem to be riding the wave of young talent coming out of Yorkshire. After playing to over 6000 people at the Sheffield Hallam FM Arena, followed by a couple of shows at the renowned Rock Garden in London, Dead Like Harry are appearing at The Cornbury Music Festival in July playing on the same bill as the legendary Paul Simon.

Working with producer Alan Smyth (Richard Hawley, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers) Dead Like Harry have just released their new EP ‘When We Were 17’. This music will be available to download from iTunes from 2nd June.

With a blend of rock, blues, country and even folk influences, Dead Like Harry look to be the latest Sheffield band to find success through their increasingly high profile live performances.

-Press-

"Strong of melody, rich in lyrical content and bound together by top-notch musicianship, Dead Like Harry's fresh take on traditional influences such as the blues, rock and folk is a real treat to behold. Surely fame beckons for this Sheffield-based six piece". BBC Radio Sheffield

“Dead Like Harry are the Steel City's answer to Fleetwood Mac” Sandman Magazine

“Their musicianship and harmonies are a wonder to behold” www.whatsonsouth.com

“Sheffield country magic” Sheffield Scene Magazine

-Ends-

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Dead Like Harry

Dead Like Harry comprise of songwriting brothers Sam (vocals, guitar) and Matt (piano, vocals, accordian) Taylor, Alice Faraday (vocals), Robin Baker (bass), John Redgrave (guitar, vocals) and Adam Crofts (drums, vocals).

For further information please contact:

PHONE: +44 (0)7921 568188

EMAIL: sam@deadlikeharry.co.uk

Portsmouth Review

www.whatsonsouth.com

They came down to The Cellars last July as a trio and left everyone stunned. Their musicianship and harmonies are a wonder to behold and they write superb songs to boot! Now, due to popular demand they’re back, as a full band. If you read this entry on the web-site and don’t at least check out their music, more fool you, you don’t know what you’re missing. This is one of my personal recommends of the Summer.

Leighton Buzzard Observer

March 2008

LIVE LIKE SIMON AND SPRINGSTEEN

The Wheatsheaf plays host to up-and-coming Sheffield band Dead Like Harry this Friday evening. This six-piece collective are creating quite a stir in the live music scene with their powerful folk-pop sound. These original musicians have been likened to classic songwriters ranging from Shane Macgowan and Paul Simon to Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams.

Sheffield Scene Magazine

March 2008

BAND TO WATCH: DEAD LIKE HARRY

This Sheffield band of six musicians has been writing music and playing since their early teens. They are all friends of a number of years and have a strong calibre of music with a third album on its way very soon. Hidden, but easily found in Sheffield, they show traces of country and blues.

New song “Perfect Disguise” shows a darker distinctive voice from Sam Taylor. The angelic voice of Alice Faraday, which intertwines perfectly into a gorgeous vocal pairing lets the rest of the music fall into place with ease and togetherness (although this is the case with most of their music). Other new songs “Shapes” and “Sarah” show the influences of Fleetwood Mac and Springsteen, but with some Sheffield country magic. The country feel and the strong electric sound on the new track “Shapes” is a fantastic balance.

Sandman Magazine - February 2008

Live Review - Sheffield Grape

Amidst the Monkeys and the Makers, Sheffield has also quietly become a centre for a distinctly English brand of country/folk/rock. This movement has not created the publicity of some better known Sheffield bands, but the signing of Tiny Dancers to EMI was the first sign of something afoot, and the movement of Dead Like Harry from rockier roots to folkier terrain has continued the city's streak of producing talented if underappreciated country rockers.

The upstairs at the Grapes was busy but not crammed as Dead Like Harry, the headliner, took the stage to showcase new songs set to be released on their third album. The band's sound has eveloved greatly from their early days of somewhat bombastic rock into a much more delicate yet still powerful folk-pop sound. Their set concentrated heavily on their new material and largely ignored their back-catalogue. While some more songs off their first two albums would have been welcome, the new music stands up strongly to their previous work. Most importantly, this band really seemed to be enjoying themselves, which might not be cool in indie hipster scenedom, but it was quite refreshing. The play between Sam Taylor and Alice Faraday on vocals on new songs like What A Bloody Shame position Dead Like Harry as the Steel City's answer to Fleetwood Mac, not a bad thing in my books. While their ballads are beautiful it would be good if they chose to rock out a little more, as things got electric the times they chose to put a little more volume into their delivery.

Fife Radio

February 16th

1pm Live interview with Sam.