I’ve just prepared a press release for the Fosca album. Thought I might as well post it here. I’ve had to think about all the things that might vaguely pique the curiosity of journalists.
Reading the press quotes again, ancient though they are, cheered me up today.
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FOSCA
The Painted Side Of The Rocket
Fosca is the eccentric UK pop band fronted by Highgate-based dandy and wordsmith Dickon Edwards. Since forming in 1998, they’ve released four singles and three albums, toured several times across Europe, received radio play by John Peel, and found their lyrics quoted in a Swedish novel (Martina Lowden’s Allt).
After leaving the slightly acclaimed group Orlando, Mr Edwards started Fosca with a revolving line-up of London musicians, recruited partly down to their musical prowess, but mostly on what he thought of their dress sense at the time (Mr Edwards still has a strict ‘no trainers’ rule, believing running shoes are for running in, not for playing guitar in). However, some members have managed to stick around for the duration, notably Rachel Stevenson (keyboards / vocals).
From 2000 – 2002, Fosca were signed to Shinkansen Records, recording two albums with Saint Etienne producer Ian Catt. The results won fans all over the world, with NYC label Secret Crush Records taking their name from the Fosca single Secret Crush On Third Trombone. Two unofficial videos were made by separate groups of fans – both from Sweden – for Secret Crush and for the obscure b-side Confused And Proud. Given its curious popularity beyond its status, this latter song has now been reworked and re-recorded for the third album.
For the last five years, Mr Edwards has concentrated on non-Fosca activities, such as appearing on BBC1’s Imagine in his dubious capacity as a pioneer blogger; writing music and film reviews for Plan B Magazine, DJ-ing for dress-up club nights like The Beautiful & Damned (including four nights at the 2007 Latitude Festival); collaborating with the Monochrome Set’s Bid for his group Scarlet’s Well, writing a new Afterword for Jerome K Jerome’s The Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow (Snowbooks) and contributing an article about a trip to Tangier with Shane MacGowan, for The Decadent Handbook (Dedalus Books), where he was described by the Daily Telegraph as possessing a certain ‘wonky charm’.
After much idling, bouts of ill health and general misfortune, the third Fosca album was finally completed in a Hackney basement in summer 2007, with Tom Edwards (guitar / programming) and Kate Dornan (keyboards, recorder, vocals). As Shinkansen had wound down, Sweden’s But Is It Art Records stepped in to release the album. And no, Fosca still have no idea why their most devoted fans tend to be Swedish.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Nervous London: CD EP, Something Velvet Records, 1999
The Agony Without The Ecstasy: CD EP, Shinkansen, 2000
On Earth To Make The Numbers Up: CD album, Shinkansen, 2000
Supine On The Astroturf: CD EP, Shinkansen 2001
Secret Crush On Third Trombone: CD EP, Shinkansen, 2002
Diary Of An Antibody: CD album, Shinkansen 2002
Confused & Live – Fosca In Concert: live CDR, But Is It Art 2007
The Painted Side Of The Rocket: CD album, But Is It Art 2008
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SELECTED MEDIA KINDNESS FOR FOSCA
‘Diary Of An Antibody is Dickon Edwards’s second revenge attack on humanity. His couplets are relentlessly sharp…
– Simon Price, Independent On Sunday
‘Accomplished and muscular whimsy… An attractive noise… 80’s bombast saved and beyond by sharp lyrics and impeccable timing… Secret Crush On Third Trombone is one of those “must have” records.’
– from “Unpeeled”, the paper-only fanzine for the John Peel show.
‘Some of the time, Fosca remind me of the Pet Shop Boys, except you most certainly can’t dance to Dickon’s anguish, and occasionally they sound like the Divine Comedy, only with far more excellence. ‘
– Everett True, New York Press
‘Secret Crush On Third Trombone is the perfect pop song… A gleaming chorus and lyrics about schoolchild angst that glides along wonderfully. It’s sunny, fun, and brilliantly put together. ‘
– UK club Strange Fruit’s newsletter, “Fruitbowl”, issue 35.
‘Wordy and sickly, neurotic pop music’
– Richard Smith, Gay Times (UK)
‘Secret Crush on Third Trombone’ .. the best single of the summer… Simply a marvellous throwaway three minutes of sheer unrepentant Pop, all magnificent chorus hooks and jibes at the shaky nature of growing up and old and away from your youth.’
– Tangents Webzine
‘Calculated to reignite those “New Smiths” tags … The crucial difference is the juxtaposition of bouncy killer keyboards and arch observational narrative… Fosca do disposable pop with a twist… that it isn’t disposable.’
– In Love With These Times webzine
‘Incessant and striped-candy sweet. Imagine Belle and Sebastian had grown up listening only to the insane, gaudy Euro-Pop they have on Eurotrash and you’ll have some idea. Fosca play outsider anthems for those in need of wit and sparkle.’
– Drowned In Sound website
‘This band are winning the crown of “coolest new-wave-ish band in London” award as we speak.’
– Dagger fanzine, Santa Rosa, California
‘On Earth To Make The Numbers Up… is singly the best record to come out of the UK in 2000.”
– Indiespinzone.com (Sweden)
