Under the bonnet at the Occultation Shop

Just a word of warning... As we've got a number of new releases coming up and the Occultation is growing rapidly, we're trying to set up a new Shop system so that links to MP3s (for both MP3 and physical purchases) can be sent out immediately and automatically. We started off doing this manually and that was fine to start with but it's starting to get a bit complicated and taking up a lot of time, so we felt we should invest in setting something up to do the work for us. We've purchased a system that should help with this and give you your MP3s within minutes even if it's 3 a.m. in the UK when you purchase but please bear with us over the next few days as we set all this up and test it. I'll post more info on this as we go.

Thanks for bearing with us and rest assured that whatever happens if you pay for something you will get it. If you have any problems just drop us a line.

Interview with Paul Simpson

The excellent Swedish website Throw Me Away has just published an interview with Wild Swans leader Paul Simpson. It's in Swedish but you can always use Google or another automated translation service to get a flavour - not to mention some rather amusing pieces of computerese; though we must stress that this is down to the shortcomings of automatic translation software not the quality of the writing which looks to be top class and shines through some of the rather gnomic utterances spat out by the software - I'm particularly fond of the last paragraph about No Bleeding, which reveals that: "In "No bleeding" is heard only the echo of the champagne glass bowl that was during the party. The piano player for those who have never been awarded any promises, just because they never had any - not even a single - to give in return. For those who are stuck where they were born. It is for them - not for me - like The Wild Swans there." I've written at length about The Wild Swans but I don't think I've ever managed anything as insightful as that. Again, I really, really must stress that this is what you get when machines attempt to translate human language, and especially when that language is well-written and on the poetic side; machines are much better at translating texts about machines...

Anyway, the website itself is highly recommended, they did a piece on the label late last year which you can still read here (again, in Swedish or with comedy software translation).

Wild Swans on Janice Long show on BBC Radio 2

Last night (13/5/10) The Wild Swans performed a live acoustic session on Janice Long's radio show on BBC Radio 2. Janice is a long-time supporter of the band and her enthusiasm was palpable.

Those of you in the UK can still hear the show (for a week) on the BBC iPlayer. A stripped-down band performed acoustic versions of the recent single Liquid Mercury, a track from the forthcoming album called My Town and the title track of their first Sire album Bringing Home The Ashes and Janice chatted with Paul - the two are old friends, of course as the DJ is a native of Liverpool herself.

Janice has also recently been playing Underwater, another track from The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years.

Paul Simpson: Man In A Burning Anorak Vols. 1 and 2

Just a note to let you know that if you head over to The Wild Swans' own website you can purchase two download-only collections of recordings by Paul Simpson.

Man In A Burning Anorak Vol. 1 This was originally available a few years back and comprises studio recordings, demos and curios from various stages of Mr Simpson's storied career.

Man In A Burning Anorak Vol. 2 This is the long-lost, never-completed and certainly never-before-released Paul Simpson solo album, originally entitled The Wickedest Man In The World (whence the track which became the Wild Swans 'b' side of that name), recording at Henry Priestman's Gossamer Dome studio on Anglesey in late summer 2004 with former Wild Swan Ged Quinn on keyboards and Nick Halliwell of The Granite Shore on guitar. Although never completed this is one of those rare cases of a "great lost album" that's actually worth the wait/its weight in gold dust.

Albums are available for a very reasonable £4.99 each, all proceeds will go towards completing the Wild Swans album (and we're reliably informed that it's in the final furlong now...)

Forthcoming releases

Over the last few months things may have seemed quiet but I can assure you that behind the scenes it's been anything but. We have a number of projects now approaching fruition so here's a little preview:

IO7DA005 - Jonathan Beckett: She's A Vampire digital EP
This will be a digital download-only EP, three songs, led off by the stunning title track, which really is one hell of a song. Paul Simpson brought Jonathan to our attention because the second song on the EP, 1989, references The Wild Swans. The EP is completed by Between Two Worlds. Full release will be in June but we'll be pre-releasing it via the Occultation shop in May.

RHEA7DA006 - The Granite Shore: Flood of fortune 7" vinyl single
Following on from their debut, Tomorrow morning, 3 a.m., which we released last year, this one is also vast albeit in a very different way. It's a huge, huge pop record, 3 minutes and 40 seconds of grandeur, featuring full (real) string and brass sections and a lyric full of marvels. Release: early June.

[Catalogue no. TBC] - The Distractions: Black Velvet digital EP
Another digital EP, this time from one of Manchester's greatest pop groups. You'll know their classic Factory single Time Goes By So Slow and we hope to be releasing a compilation featuring that and their other earlier recordings later in the year. In the meantime we're putting out 3 tracks recorded by a reformed version of the band featuring both singer Mike Finney (one of THE great pop voices) and guitarist/songwriter Steve Perrin from 1995. Many fans who've heard it feel that lead track Black Velvet is among the finest work they ever recorded and the EP will also feature a new version of Still It Doesn't Ring, which appeared on their 1980 album Nobody's Perfect, plus If You Were Mine, featuring a truly astonishing vocal performance by Mr Finney. Release: summer 2010.

Although the formats are strictly as stated above, there is a possibility that we may have a limited quantity of promo CDs of one or more of these releases and, as we know that some of you like these, we'll try to make some available, keep an eye on the website for details.

Before you ask, work on the Wild Swans album continues apace - you would not believe the amount of work that's going into this. Some snippets of rough mixes from a couple of songs have been posted on the band's MySpace page just to keep you going. We'll be gearing up to release this classic the moment Mr Simpson can be persuaded that his work is done. It's going to be well worth the wait, from what we've heard of it so far.

There are a number of other projects in the pipeline but we'll let you know about those as and when... More details will follow over the next few weeks.

For One Stormy Night Only... Live Wild Swans tracks

Anyone looking for a souvenir - although surely nobody who was there can need much reminding - of The Wild Swans' triumphant return to the stage in 2009 should head over to the band's own website where five tracks recorded at Static Gallery on 11th December last year can be downloaded for £4.99. All proceeds will go towards completing the forthcoming album, to be released on Occultation as soon as it's done.

Click here to go to the For One Stormy Night Only page on Wild Swans' shop.

The Fisherman's Friends

Last Friday (11/12/09) saw the Wild Swans stage another triumphant performance at Static Gallery in Liverpool. This time the event had a nautical theme, with nets, lifebelts (including one reading "Revolutionary Spirit - Liverpool") and other maritime paraphernalia strewn around the venue. Capt. Simpson, P. issued rum rations and led his crew (First Mate Maymi, R, Able Seamen Mooney, M and Turvey, R with Pattinson, L. and Beswick, S in the engine room) through a set of classics old, older and new. At the end the stage was boarded by Mr Midshipman Sergeant, W. for the encores. The Wild Swans are currently in the studio completing work on their new album which we at Occultation look forward to releasing in 2010. There are a number of other projects in the pipeline but that one is going to be our number one priority for the next couple of months or so.