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PUGWASH GO APE.....!!
AN IRISH AND ENGLISH SETTLEMENT…..
Hello all…..!!
First off we would like to wish all our wonderful fans and friends a very happy new year for 2009. Here’s to a memorable one.
Which leads us to our very special new year news which has been
promised for a while now (a 1000 apologies for the delay folks) but because good things come to those who wait we are eXsTatiCally proud to announce that Thomas, on behalf of Pugwash, has inked a 5 year deal with Andy Partridge’s APE label in England…..!!
HERE WE GO…..!!
The deal, which will incorporate all manner of poppy goodness could never have been reached without the tireless work of Daragh Bohan (on behalf of Thomas and 1969 Records) and Steve Young (On behalf of Andy and APE). The undoubted communicative and legal skills of these two men kept the deal afloat through some rough seas last year and for that they should be applauded!!
DARAGH BOHAN & TOSH FLOOD…..
A little history now : The friendship between Thomas and Andy has been a very strong one for a number of years now and initially, musically, bore fruit on the 2005 Jollity album closer Anchor, which also featured respected songwriter and Pugwash band member of the time Duncan Maitland on the song credits.
THOMAS & NEIL HANNON…..
At that time the first signs of a possible Pugwash/APE link up were mooted and the negotiations got pretty far down the Swindon Old Town hill…..but unfortunately, for reasons all too…..RIGHT, the deal stalled. We say ‘right’ because the friendship and connection that Thomas and Andy
have now established was only forming back then and the feeling all around was let’s wait a while. Come 2008 and Thomas and the band release, what most fans and critics alike say is their greatest album to date in Eleven Modern Antiquities but Ireland still taps it’s feet whilst a baying U.S, Europe and Far East all want to see the band play and buy the music.
NOW IT FEELS RIGHT…..!!
Thomas and Andy tentavtively re-opened negotiations in the late summer of 2008 and as we’ve already said Daragh and Steve got to work thrashing out a deal that would see Pugwash proudly on the APE roster for the next 5 years with the U.S, U.K, Europe and the Far East all the major targets now as regards Pugwash releases. We couldn’t be happier or more proud.
Then in seperate signing sessions Thomas and Andy put pen to paper. The Dublin signing was done in the familiar and warm surroundings of The Lower Deck public house on the banks of the royal canal, Portobello. In attendance was Thomas and 1969 legend and label boss Daragh Bohan. Also there in their capacity as witnesses to the deal were close friends Tosh Flood and Neil Hannon. Andy’s signing session was performed in his beautiful home in Swindon and memorialised by his partner Erica. (See pics)
ANDY IN SWISHBACK BROOMSTICK RHYTHM…..
And so…..as rubber faced animal slaughtering failed footballing food warmer Gordon Ramsay would say – Pugwash/APE deal.....DONE!!
The very latest news we can bring you is that the first release of The Pugs on APE will be a career spanning retrospective entitled Giddy. The final track-listing (compiled by Andy) will pull tracks from the long deleted and much sought after Almond Tea…as served by and Almanac albums, as well
as 2005’s Jollity and last years Eleven Modern Antiquities. The artwork is being prepared at present and as soon as a possible release date is scheduled you will of course be the first to know Pug-People!!
Andy has described Thomas in the past as a “saviour of modern pop” and “Better than McCartney, fatter than Lennon” (which we think must be up there with other classic Partsy-Quotes) but Andy adopted a more serious head on his shoulders recently and stated that Giddy runs “like a modern day ‘White Album’....”,
which is undoubtably huge praise, but hey…..we here at Pug Towers won’t contradict the new boss, especially in these times of recession!! Thomas on the other hand has been unable to function let alone speak since the deal was finally…..FINALISED. But he has since blurted out “Andy Partridge, songwriter of the God’s, bona-fide 100% cotton pickin’ life-long influence and role model to me…..can someone pinch me, WITH A HAMMER.”
There is also plans to follow up Giddy later in 2009 with a special release of Eleven Modern Antiquities which will include new artwork (we’re very proud of the original artwork but different artwork abroad is a lifelong tradition and one that we’re excited about) and possible very special bonus tracks…..all to come in ‘09.
ANDY BY ERICA…..
Speaking of “Eleven Modern Antiquities”, the band were very proud to feature so prominently in so many ‘End of year’ polls both online and in the printed press. Many U.S online polls had The Pugs in the top ten but Irish website Red Track Music went all the way and gave us ALBUM OF THE YEAR!! Thank you guys.
The much respected and number one Irish rock & pop magazine Hot Press voted the album at number 3 in it’s albums of the year list as well as Take me away being voted in at number 17 in the top 30 singles of 2009…..!! Thank you to all at Hot Press for recognising what the guys achieved last year.
So there you have it…..
We hope the emination of the imminent emminence of the imminent news was worth waiting for…..??!! And we hope that we give you, the wonderful fans, a 2009 to remember.
All around the world every boy and every girl needs the loving….. xxxxx
THE DEAL IS DONE…..
Discuss...
Commenting is closed for this article.
Congratulations to Pugwash and kudos to Andy Partridge for helping to bring this great Irish band to the rest of the world on Ape records!
That’s great news Thomas. Looking forward to your future collaboration…with Andy, Neil and yourself!
Ah, it just HAD to be, really, didn’t it!
Congratuulaaations, Thomas, and I look forward to laying me mitts on all the new issues!
Congratulations Thomas! We’re very proud of you and grateful for your loyalty to and confidence in our AP. Have a great year and keep the music flowing.
Big hugs from OneOfTheMillions and MeltTheGuns.
Congrates on the new contract. Now where’s the party?
Pugwash not on Ape is like AC/DC on 4AD, Kiss on Bella Union, Status Quo on Nonesuch and Britney on Verve…
Great news guys, hope it finally brings the success you deserve!!!
It feels like something has come full circle. I am so happy for you Wally.
YAHAY!!!! GREAT NEWS!!! WHEN YOU COMING TO WALES?
This is great news!! Absolutely delighted for the Pugs!
Much congratulations to you and the band Thomas. I hope your business dealings and partnership with APE go swimmingly well!
`happy for you; happy for me. :-) xo, h, sc, usa
Congratulations, Thomas! This sounds really great. Exciting times to come. Sometimes it’s really thrilling to be one of your Pugpeople. Way to go!
Humm. Ape and Pug in the Southeast US maybe? Fantastic!
All your dear kind messages both here on MySpace, Facebook and off-line have meant SO much to me. I so want to succeed if not for me but for pop music and all you wonderful people.
Sorry for sounding like fucking Bono but thanks, thank you all for the love…..xxxxx
Thomas.
I am so happy and proud of Pugwash and Thomas. Daragh and Tosh and Neil…all of you. Just great news. Andy has good taste in music and people. What an incredible team!! I love you Thomas!! See you soon! Please toss one back for moi at The deck!! Nelson
Congratulations, Thomas! Get out your shades because your future’s looking bright!
Wonderful news, Thomas. Looking forward to great things to come.
Congrats, Thomas…I’m positively “Giddy” about the news. So, any chance in addition to putting out more fine Pug sounds, that you could convince Andy to rekindle the XTC flame or if not, put out a new solo album?
Here’s to an outstanding start to 2009 (now if only the economy would rebound)
—Matt
i gotta say i’m super psyched that you have decided to make your YES Tribute CD the first endeavor. What? I’ve been misinformed? Well, i got a feeling, a feeling deep inside oh yeah. This is all so fine news and yes Brave Brave Sir Thomas, worth the weight. Giddy Up! Fan for life, My Life and anyone who knows me, Marc.
welcome to the ape house fellas! glad to have a bit of company… liking what i’m hearing lots.. many congrats and let’s launch the ‘live ape review’ right now…
all the best
bobfromthemilks
lots of love from Greece!
It’s a bit of a shame though that we didn’t know a thing about Pugwash till the Ape deal…
correction over-welcome
the L/B’s