Chris Difford (Squeeze) and Norman Lovett (Red Dwarf) join forces to tour the UK in May & June for their not to be missed 'It's All About Tea' music and comedy shows.  
Double Ivor Novello Award-winning lyricist and enigma Chris Difford has brought us characters and sketches from every day life, turning the mundane into the beautiful, the urbane into the exquisite, for over 30 years.  

While Norman Lovett is arguably best know for playing Holly throughout the shows' 1st & 2nd series of Red Dwarf, before returning at the end of series 7 & featuring throughout series 8. His stand-up work has a quiet, almost dead-pan feel to it, which occasionally spills into surrealism.  
The Show promises to be a must see master class of song writing and stand up.  
For more info visit www.chrisdifford.com

Ian Prowse (Pele / Amsterdam) releases Doe's This Train Stop on Merseyside (The very Best of Ian Prowse) on April 9th via Universal.  
It’s no surprise to discover links to two long time Prowse heroes on this compilation; famous fan Elvis Costello saddles up with Amsterdam on a vibrant cover of The Searchers’ hit Don’t Throw Your Love Away, and Ian pays tribute to Joe Strummer on the self-explanatory Joe’s Kiss.
The evidence offered by all of the songs here convinces us that Ian Prowse is cut from the same cloth as these men. He’s a poet, a pragmatist and a pop enthusiast to be cherished. This is what he’s been up to these last 20 years, and the next 20 promise to be just as intriguing.  

Fresh from a triumphant sold-out album launch at London’s Bush Hall, which The Independent gave 4 Stars, things are hotting up for the remarkable Jake Morley.
His new single Feet Don't Fail Me Now, released on May 23rd via Red Grape (Hafdis Huld's label) was also played on Dermot O'Leary's Radio 2 show in April and he appears live tonight in session on Janice Long's Radio 2 show and also on Q Radio next month.

Jake has also been added to some high level festivals this summer including City Showcase, Escape Brighton, Isle of Wight Festival and Secret Garden Party “Jake Morley and his impressive band more than have what it takes… an ambitious pop sound that is every bit as bright and sparkly as the main player himself” 4 stars - The Independent
www.jakemorley.com

As part of Creative Scotland’s Year Of Creative Scotland, Glaswegian singer/ songwriter Louise Quinn (A Band Called Quinn) releases an EP featuring a duet with Parisian superstar DJ & producer Kid Loco. The single Oh Jackie from the EP is released on June 18th and the EP / video launch takes place on June 22nd at The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow, G2.

The launch night will feature Louise Quinn & her band plus a duet with French superstar DJ & producer Kid Loco. The night will also feature a DJ set & performance from Kid Loco & the usual frivolity from Club Tromolo Residents. Three of Louise’s songs feature on the soundtrack to the forthcoming second series of Lip Service which airs on BBC 3 this spring.
"A pop-art treat " (Q) "Our favourite Glaswegian music makers" (The Herald)
"...incredible songs..." (Big Issue)
For more info visit www.abandcalledquinn.com

Hailing from the Thames Delta of Southend on Sea The Lucky Strikes channel blues country and gospel into their own brand of cinematic Americana. The first single from the forthcoming album, entitled the Beast Burnt Down, tells the story of Southend Pier burning down on October 9, 2005.

The songwriting vison of Matt Boulter (lead vocals and guitar) and Dave Giles (piano and accordion) focuses on literate ragged alternative country, influenced by the Band, Tom Waits and the spaghetti westerns of Ennio Morricone. Boulter, who also tours with Simone Felice and Duke and the King, posseses an urgent soaring voice, often compared to Mike Scott from the Waterboys.
He's backed by Jim Wilson's flying fiddle and banjo, which gives the band their signature sound. Giles adds accordion, organs and clattering bar room piano. Will Bray's thundering drums and Ambrose P. Ambrose's upright and electric bass give the swing. 
 'The Waterboys on trucker pills.' - Q Magazine
www.theluckystrikes.com

With remixes from New York's finest, Tom Stephan & Honey Dijon plus UK House legend Terry Farley, this release has already been play-listed on Capital FM shows, Gaydar and WDA1’s Top 25, received spot plays on Ministry of Sound, KISS FM, Ibiza Sonica Radio has featured on CD Pool for two consecutive months.
At the time of writing the release stands at No 7 in the UK Buzz Chart, No 1 on the IHOUSEU Chart, No 13 on the Masspool US Dance Chart, the video has achieved over 105,000 YouTube views in just over two weeks.
You can see the club mix on YouTube

Following on from the success of their recent single “Can’t Go Dancing When You’re Gone”, which saw the band receive BBC Introducing support from Tom Robinson - “Great track!” Artrocker and NME Radio, their highly successful “Bayonet” release earlier in 2011, Damn Vandals now release their debut EP – The Beautiful Mind EP in Feb 2012 (Record Of The Week on BBC6 Music Breakfast show with Shaun Keavney in January ‘12) and their debut album is due for release in June 2012.

They are now busy preparing for the highly anticipated release of this their debut EP which showcases all 4 immensely talented band members - it delivers, and certainly doesn’t disappoint. This will be followed by a UK tour, an expected busy summer festival season and their debut album release.   You can see also Damn Vandals video work and guerrilla-style animations on their YouTube page: www.youtube.com/damnvandals

Touring with the likes of Razorlight and Depeche Mode on both sides of the Atlantic and playing every major UK festival, they released their debut album Small Talk in 2006 and experienced first-hand the joys and plaudits that go with playing with a band making waves. The band split in 2008 and Tom is already well down a new road, as he builds his portfolio of talents to embrace writing music for TV, film, theatre and circus, education and… oh yes - and he’s created two solo albums (and two children!) in the last two years! 

Released this month, on his own label Daddy Max Records, “As Luck Would Have It” is his second outing as a solo artist and is an instantly engaging collection of clever, memorable melodies and lyrics that ooze with emotional sophistication. It draws from the more acoustic, folk and Americana end of his record collection as he mixes the influences of Bob Dylan’s lyrical complexity with James Taylor’s flowing gentle tunes, Simon and Garfunkle’s harmonies and Neil Young's gritty realism. The songs are catchy, lyrical, full of hooks but emotionally unusual and sometimes outright funny with clever and sometimes complex plays on words.  www.tombillington.co.uk