The Violet May
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The Violet May

Sheffield, England, United Kingdom | INDIE

Sheffield, England, United Kingdom | INDIE
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"Top Tips For 2010"

The Violet May are an electric and inspiring live act; I saw them at my club night and it was intense. They're from Sheffield and add a violent rush to the hedonistic stoner riffs of Josh Homme. They want to tell the world that their time is now. - The Guardian


"Bright Or Better - Single Review"

On one hand, it's hardly surprising that this band have been making waves far beyond their native Sheffield: this debut single of theirs just oozes classic cool. You can almost hear the legs akimbo guitar stances and feel the crackle of electricity like lightning from the speakers. On the other, such drawing on well-worn rockisms should be tired and tedious by now. But damn, this is ace!

Driving, gritty rhythm guitars (Queens of the Stone Age are their preferred reference point), overlaid with spindly reverby toppy guitar motifs, baritone vocals and propelled by a low, low bass and relentless mechanised drum all contrive to render this something of a linear successor to the old-school goth bands. None of your later darkwave cack, but the greats, like The Sisters of Mercy, The March Violets... yes, the capacity of these bands to rock is immensely underrated, as is the fact that being cool is less about image than being genuinely cool. And 'Brighter or Better' is cool to the core, with a tripwire tension of solid steel at its shiny black heart. It's easy to understand why former Jesus and Mary Chain bassist Douglas Hart got on board to produce the promo video, which is positively brimming with sleazy cool.

'This Crowdis Overcrowded' is more conventional rock 'n' roll, swing a swing and a swagger, the QOTSA comparisons perhaps more appropriate. Did I mention that they rock?

Really, truly, brilliant.: my single of the year so far.

http://www.myspace.com/thevioletmay - Whisperin And Hollerin


"Arctic Monkeys' debut album cover star to release single"

The Violet May – whose frontman Chris McClure was featured on the cover of the Arctic Monkeys' 2006 debut album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I'm Not' – are set to release their debut single.

McClure, who is the brother of Jon McClure of Reverend And The Makers, was pictured in the iconic shot on the 2006 record smoking a cigarette, his mouth partially obscured by his hand (pictured).

The Violet May's single ‘Bright Or Better'/'This Crowd Is Overcrowded' is set for a limited edition of 500 seven-inch vinyl records and a digital download release on May 24 through Oh! Inverted World Records, and will be on iTunes from May 17.

The video for 'Bright Or Better' was directed by The Jesus And Mary Chain’s Douglas Hart – who has also made videos for My Bloody Valentine, The Horrors and The Libertines.

It was shot at London lap-dancing club Stringfellow's and features appearances from dancers who work at the club. Listen to the song by clicking below.
- NME


"Sheffield Band Break America"

The Violet May's front man Chris McClure may look vaguely familiar. If I told you his face appeared on the cover of a certain Sheffield band's debut album, would it jog your memory....?

McClure was just helping out a friend when he agreed to be photographed smoking a cigarette for the Arctic Monkey's iconic album cover 'Whatever People Say, That's What I'm Not,' but one month later and this humble Sheffield lad suddenly found himself elevated to local celebrity status. This taste of fame—however unlikely and unconventional in form--will certainly be good training for McClure's career with The Violet May. Here is a band who will no doubt be skipping to the top of the indie ladder this year faster than you can say 'I Bet You Look Good On the Dance Floor.' Breathing life into a stale old scene, The Violet May make full-throttle, dirty rock and roll a la BRMC, with a stadium-sized stage presence and electrifying live performances to boot.

This Sheffield based group were brought together by a mutual love of The Jesus and Mary Chain and a growing disillusionment with the current dearth of credible British indie bands. Could this explain their predominantly American sound? “I definitely think our music sounds more American because it's loud and dirty,” says McClure. “There are no British bands at the moment who properly inspire me, it's all about Queens Of the Stone Age for us, that's where we're coming from.”

You won't be surprised to hear then that The Violet May's sound has already reached the States and has had multiple airplays on one of its best known radio stations, KROQ. So where some bands spend years tirelessly trying to break through the impenetrable barrier that is the American music industry, so you could say that The Violet May have done things the wrong way round and have already broken the States before even properly making their mark over here.

Their transatlantic success is all down to the band who decided to take promotional matters into their own hands and sent a demo to Rodney Bingenheimer of KROQ fame. The next thing they knew, their single was being played every week by the radio giant and so began their musical journey.

Big riffs, big sounds, and big hearts, Sheffield band The Violet May fearlessly channel a genre of music which has long been in need of a facelift. They prove that a little bit of perserverance goes a long way, even as far as the U S of A. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for their first single 'Bright Or Better/This Crowd is Overcrowded' which is out May 24th on Oh! Inverted World Records! We simply cannot wait to hear more from these lads in the not too distant future.... - Clash Magazine


Discography

Bright Or Better - Single, May 2010 (airplay on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, XFM, NME Radio, K-Roq)

Jennifer Lies - Single, Nov 2010 (airplay on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, XFM)

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Bio

You might not know it yet but you already know the frontman of the band, Chris McClure. He was the iconic disheveled face on the front cover of the Arctic Monkeys debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What Im Not" and the brother of John "Reverenend & The Makers" McClure.

Since forming the band in late 2009, The Violet May have earned a reputation for a wild live show, were tipped by The Guardian as one of their "15 Tips for 2010", went into the 6music studio as Steve Lamacq's "New Favourite Band", headlined London's KOKO for Club NME, and were declared by Clash Magazine as "sent from the heavens to save the fading spirit of rock n' roll". Meanwhile their debut single "Bright Or Better" was played on Radio 1, XFM, BBC 6Music, NME Radio and the guys won festival slots at Leeds Festival, Secret Garden Party and Standon Calling over the summer. The band just played three sold out dates in Rome, Florence and Venice as well as opening for Band Of Skulls and Boxer Rebellion this October.

They've now taken on James Hawkins (ex-Rough Trade, Warp, and Bella Union records) and Tom Gillet (ex-Apartment, AIM and Head Of Digital at Cooking Vinyl) as management and are looking at a huge 2011. In the words of The Guardian "Their time is now..."

“Electric and inspiring... their time is now.” – The Guardian

“Electrifying… Familiarise yourself with these mugshots, for you will definitely be seeing a lot more of them this year” – Clash Magazine

“Really, truly, brilliant… single of the year so far”- Whisperin And Hollerin

“Music so cool, it doesn’t walk – it swaggers” – Music Week

“A stoner-riff-laden, carpet-bombing barrage of musical brilliance” – Artrocker

“World Class… They're from Sheffield and add a violent rush to the hedonistic stoner riffs of Josh Homme” - Alan McGee