Different Circle 
Merry christmas
Merry christmas
We’re throwing a Christmas party on Saturday at New Hellfire Club Glasgow. It’s kicking off at 4pm, there will be live music (from Dave Hughes and John Mackay), mince pies, and single malt whisky. Come along and celebrate a great 2015 for the record label!
Why are we having a Xmas party? Well, 2015 has been an interesting year for us and one that really kick started the label properly. We started our monthly acoustic night in March at The Blue Chair, and since then have put on many acts including Dog Coffee, She Makes War, San Fran and the Siscos, Harrison Rimmer, Zoe Graham, Courtney Lynn Music, and Tragical History Tour.
We have also put out 4 records this year, starting with ‘Tickling the Dragon’s Tale’ by Ben Farrell, then “Spare change and Drinks” by John Mackay, “Rise, Again!” by Dave Hughes, and “The Wrong Shall Fail” by Roscoe Vacant. If you’ve felt a part of this so far, please come and help us celebrate.
Here’s a free download of a new song from Dave Hughes:
Until we discovered The Blue Chair on High St in GLasgow, we were just a run of the mill online record label which you find ten a penny for on the internet. We put out records by acts that interested us, and hoped that people would listen to our online shouts and eventually we’d gather momentum.
Then we found, via a friend’s birthday party, The Blue Chair and everything changed. Lorrelle (the brilliantly eccentric owner) was more than welcome to our idea of having a monthly acoustic night that could bring a touring act to play a 40 capacity (intimate, said our marketing) show that was Kinda Folk, Kinda Punk, Kinda Not. From here, we established a hub whereby we could direct people towards if they wanted to find out more about being on the Different Circle Record label, or playing one of our shows, or even just hangout for the evening with handpicked, curated live music.
We saw the attendance at our night (2nd Friday of every month) increase steadily, and through that the sales of our records has increased, and we’ve felt like we’ve been making a difference to Glasgow’s music scene. Our scene. Or at least part of it. We’ve used the Chair as a venue for launch nights, meetings and video shoots. It’s part of what Different Circle Records is.
Unfortunately, due to the constraints of an overtly capitalist business mentality of our lovely City’s Council, this is all under threat. An unreasonable demand for a small business to turn a profit in their first year is risking the platform which The Blue Chair provides to us and many other communities that use as a hub.
You can help out by attending events held at The Blue Chair (easily found on their Facebook page), writing to the council and City Property, and contributing to the Save the Blue Chair indiegogo fund. Money doesn’t solve all the problems, but it sure can help.
We are working on our own fundraising idea for the Blue Chair, based on our large archive of live bootlegs recorded at our monthly nights. We should hopefully have an announcement in the coming days.
Let’s not lose a good thing, yeah?
Different Circle Records (Glasgow, Scotland) are pleased to announce the release of “The Wrong Shall Fail”, the final album by disbanded Glaswegian cult-favourites Roscoe Vacant and the Screichs, a band once as being “like Fairport Convention on glue” (Intrepid Anarak punk zine). In their time, the band built a reputation for incendiary live performances that lovingly mashed together power-pop, grunge and good old fashioned punk rock influences.
Prophetically titled The Wrong Shall Fail, the album contains 12 tracks from the final, unfinished, recording and demo sessions before the seminal Glasgow alt-folk-punk band dissolved. It features fuzzy distorted guitars, riotous fiddles, thundering drums and chunky bass. This is a record for, but not limited to, fans of Camper Van Beethoven, Dead Milkmen, Alex Chilton, and Bob Dylan
Roscoe Vacant and the Screichs were formed in 2010 by acoustic punk performer Roscoe Vacant, bassist David Burns, guitarist Ross Gilchrist and drummer Norman Wilson. They released their first album “Reckurdt” – a swaggering alt.punk tubthumper that wore its heart on its sleeve – in 2011 to a wave of positive reviews both in print and online (“A strident effort of intent” – Daily Record, “a very well realised album that feels like a real work of art in its delivery” – Kilmarnock Standard, “a strong core of songs which have the authority, looseness and passion to set a stage on fire” – Is This Music?).
Roscoe Vacant will play a solo headline concert on Friday 11th of September in Glasgow at The Blue Chair (85 High St) to launch the album. Support will be from Jon Zip (from original Glasgow 70′s punks The Zips).
Tracklisting
The EP will be released on 14th of September 2015 on CD and digital formats, available through the Different Circle Website and Bandcamp. The pre-order is open now.
Band Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roscoe-vacant
Band Website: http://www.vacantonline.co.uk
Product Page: http://www.differentcircle.com/?wpsc-product=the-wrong-shall-fail
Label Bandcamp: https://differentcircle.bandcamp.com/album/the-wrong-shall-fail
Label Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/diffcirclerecords
Label Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/differentcirclerecords
All songs written by Roscoe Vacant and the Screichs.
Recorded and Mixed by Tommy Duffin, 16 Ohm Studios, Glasgow.
Additional overdub recording by RV, DB, and JG.
Demo tracks were recorded to cassette in Norry’s Loft between October 2012 and May 2013
Different Circle Records (Glasgow, Scotland) are pleased to announce that the old time Americana sounds of “Spare Change and Drinks”, the debut EP from Glasgow’s John Mackay, will be released on the 27th of July 2015.
Featuring four tracks of love and hard times, a singer-songwriter’s usual tool of acoustic guitar won’t be found on this record, with banjo, stompbox and fiddle in its place. This record will appeal to fans of Charlie Parr, Gillian Welch, And the Devil Makes Three, or Old Crow Medicine Show.
Lead single “16 Times Around” sets the scene of the record with its claw-hammer picked banjo and travelling man lyrics, before the tempo is picked up by the pop sensibilities of “Simple Love“. A harsh but simple re-working of the traditional “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down” plays out before the banjo returns, played like a fiddle, for the stunning EP closing track “Falling Faster“.
John MacKay will be appearing as a special guest for noted bluesmen Dave Arcari and Mick Hargan on the 17th of July at The Glad Cafe in Glasgow, where he will be playing songs from the new EP.
Tracklisting:
1. 16 Times Around (downloadable on pre-ordering)
2. Simple Love
3. Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down (Traditional)
4. Falling Forward
Different Circle Records are pleased to announce that we will be releasing “Tickling The Dragon’s Tail”, the debut EP from Glasgow’s Ben Farrell. Four tracks of bleak subject matter set to melodic folk music featuring progressive fingerpicking and darker thought processes.
Describing the EP, Ben Farrell says “Imagine The Smiths bumping into Syd Barrett at an anti nuclear demo before heading off to an opium den”. Inspiration for this record comes from seldom explored sources, the opening track, “Lament for the liquidator”, is an ode to the liquidators of Chernobyl.
Ben Farrell is an Irish immigrant living and working in the harsher parts of Glasgow. He has strong anarchist politics and a love for folk music. Although, he admits “it’s witchcraft that guides me”.
Track listing
The EP will be released on 11th of May 2015 on CD and digital formats, available through the Different Circle Website and Bandcamp. The pre-order is open now.
There will be an EP Launch at The Blue Chair (HIgh St) in Glasgow on the 8th of May. Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/447482635410554/
The EP was recording in Glasgow at Different Circle’s in house studio, engineered and mixed by Gareth McNicol. It was mastered by Chris Dickinson.
Different Circle Presents is a monthly acoustic night at The Blue Chair in Glasgow, aimed at putting on acoustic acts from around the UK, EU and World with local support slots. The night will also be hosted by Different Circle’s Dave Hughes, and will take place on the Second Friday of each Month.
The Blue Chair (High St, Opposite McChuills) is an intimate venue that is strongly independent and grassroots. The events will be free entry, with a donation bucket to pay the touring act’s costs (ticketed events might occur later). The events will be BYOB, with food from Lorelle’s fantastic kitchen served till late.
The first event is 10th of April with Manchester’s Dog Coffee coming to Glasgow for the first time.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to be first to hear about the upcoming acts.
If you would like to be considered for support slots or, indeed, as the touring act, please email.
Monday 30th of March will see the release of “Rise, Again”, the forthcoming politically charged, punk influenced, folk album from Glasgow’s Dave Hughes (Different Circle Records). It contains ten new tracks across diverse subjects: The title track is a call to arms in the wake of the Scottish Referendum, lead single “Freedom of Something” deals with protecting freedom of speech, and “Joe Strummer’s Black Cars” raises issues with political activism in general. The collection is balanced out with upbeat songs of personal luck, courage and ineptitude at keeping secrets.
Lead single, Freedom of Something, is out now, available on pre-ordering the album. A video for the single has also been released (links below). “I spent sometime in France in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo shootings and I heard a lot of political posturing on both sides of the argument. This helped me to crystallize where I stood on the issue, and before I knew it I had written Freedom of Something”
Youtube video of Freedom of Something Pre-order for Record (with immediate download of Freedom of Something)
With longstanding backing band, the RFPB, on a hiatus, this album is a further exploration of his influences around the riotous ‘folk-punk’ that he is known for around the UK. Explains Dave: “There are some piano driven tracks here, and also quite a few drum machines and synths. Not in a cheesy 80s way, but perhaps more of alt-indie like The Postal Service or Carter USM. I don’t even play an acoustic guitar on the first single – a first for me!”.
Gareth McNicol (Hearing Voices Movement) returns as engineer after 2014’s Doctors and Dates mini-album, but with an expanded producer role. Dave notes: “Gareth is able to experiment with many more ideas of how computers can make music than I am experienced with. He managed to convince me that a drum machine might work here, or a synth there, or to ditch the acoustic guitar altogether”.
Dave Hughes will be promoting the record with select solo UK acoustic shows throughout March/Aprl before heading to Europe at the end of April.
Upcoming Dates:
Monday sees the release of “Doctors and Dates (Acoustic), a new single by Different Circle artist ‘DAVE HUGHES’. This release, digitally through bandcamp, features an acoustic re-working of the title track to the March’s Doctors and Dates mini-album, and two freshly recorded B-sides.
The single and B-sides were recorded in August in Glasgow as part of a project to re-record an early Dave Hughes album with new studio equipment and six years of hindsight. As with the full band Doctors and Dates’s EP, the single was produced and engineered by Gareth McNicol.
Tracklisting: 1. Doctors and Dates 2. Daddy fought the Law 3. Dancing Two-Step
Regarding the song ‘Doctors and Dates’, Dave say’s “Shortly after the In Death Do We Part? Tour, I entered therapy to deal with many, many years of running away from issues that had haunted my personality. The track, written while I was living in Brooklyn (NYC), deals with this ongoing process.”
The single is on-sale on a Pay-What-You-Want-If-You-Want basis now from http://davehughes.bandcamp.com
Website: www.davehughesmusic.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/davehughesrfpb Twitter: www.twitter.com/davehughesrfpb Press Enquries/Appearances/Bookings: differentcirclerecords@gmail.com Label: www.differentcircle.com
Dave Hughes finishes off a busy 2014 with two final shows. Friday 21st November – Canon’s Gait, Royal Mile, Edinburgh Sunday 28th November – Book Yer Ane Fest, Kage Nightclub, Dundee
Celebrating five years as a band, Different Circle Record’s signing DAVE HUGHES & THE RFPB are headlining a charity benefit concert in Glasgow at The Old Hairdressers on Sunday the 26th of October
The concert will feature many stars of the Scottish music scene including Algernon Doll (Struggletown, Badge of Friendship), Chris Devotion (Armellodie Records), and Mark McCabe (Cat’s Aye! Records). The line-up is curated by Dave and the RFPB and brings together many acts that have shared bills and concerts with them over the years.
Dave says
“We realised that we had been, for better or worse, together as the RFPB longer than most of our other past bands had survived and it would be a good occasion to have a party. And if we can raise some money for a great cause then all the better We’re also well aware that many of the acts who have agreed to play have gone on to greater artistic and critical success than ourselves, so there is a large amount of hubris and ill-advised ego attached to headlining the event, but what the hell, it’s our party and we’ll headline if we want to!”
Profits from the day will go to the Scottish Association for Mental Health.
Tickets are onsale now through Brown paper tickets
Prior to the all day benefit, the RFPB hit the Scottish Highway to play shows in Dundee (Cerberus, 24th October) and Inverness (The Eagle Inn, 25th October).
” With clear shades of The Pogues, The La’s and Springsteen, they are clearly doing plenty right”
-Kerrang
Dave Hughes and the RFPB are an amped up punk rock political folk band from Glasgow, not that dissimiliar to the Dropkick Murphies, The Levellers and The Clash. They have toured all over the UK including high profile shows at the Barrowlands, King Tuts, 2000 Trees Festival, Rebellion Festival and Guilfest. Dave has carried out successful solo tours of the Netherlands, Germany and East Coast of the USA. Their latest album “Doctors and Dates” is out now via Different Circle records and available online through all major stockists.</p>
Dave Hughes - http://www.davehughesmusic.co.uk
We are happy to announce that we are releasing the long lost album by proto-Mischief Brew band “Kettle Rebellion”. The 8 track album will be released on CD-Digipak on 17th of April via our online store. Mischief Brew’s home label of Fistolo are releasing the vinyl run of 250 copies through their website
“Kettle Rebellion formed in late 2001 near the end of the Orphans, Erik Petersen’s punk rock band that played in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. In January 2002, Kettle Rebellion recorded an eight song album and in the meantime, played five shows. After the recording sessions, Petersen was having musicians stay at his house and he showed them the release. Weeks later, he went back to the recording’s case only to find it empty. Soon, he realized that the demos had been stolen. Believing that the recordings were lost forever, Petersen moved onto other projects. Shortly thereafter, Kettle Rebellion re-formed as Mischief Brew.
Later, while at shows, fans would ask Petersen about Mischief Brew songs called “Flesh and Bone,” “Song of the Free,” and other tunes that he could not identify. Usually, he would brush off the requests saying that Mischief Brew had never recorded anything under that name. Still, the requests for these strange songs continued. Eventually, he was clued in to the fact that these mysterious tracks were on Soulseek, an early file sharing network. After searching them out, Petersen realized that these unknown tracks which fans had asked him about were the Kettle Rebellion recordings! But, in many cases, the tracks on Soulseek were incomplete or were later-generation copies of poor sound quality. When Soulseek died, it seemed that these coveted tunes had been buried in the digital ether. Alas, the album was lost not once, but twice!
Years later, the band stumbled upon tapes containing parts of the recordings. Excited by the discovery, they amassed the bits and pieces of the album strewn across various pieces of media. After realizing that they had all the recordings, just in in disassembled form, the band pieced it back together, and once again, in 2014, some twelve years after its death, the Kettle Rebellion album lives once again.”
Today see’s the release of “DOCTORS AND DATES” by Dave Hughes and the RFPB. An explosive 7 track mini-album from the Glaswegian punk rock folk trio.
The influential music-blog Louder Than War states
“this album is a must for fans of early Green Day and the latter days of The Clash”,
whereas Soul of a Clown compares the album to The Levellers and Frank Turner.
Grab your copy on CD from our online store or buy it on digital through the following stores.
Concerts are scheduled around the UK and Europe throughout 2014
*Dave Hughes solo acoustic dates
