Fuchsia - See Emily Play / Bike (Ltd. 7")

Barrett re-visited on a very limited 7" single. SOLD OUT!

It feels odd to be posting about a single that's not released until next month but has already sold out fo mail-order on pre-orders alone, but it's such a great single I felt I ought to mention it. The chances of getting hold of a copy may be slim (unless you want to pay over the odds on Ebay or Discogs), but hey, that's market forces for you! Check out the excerpt on the video below and read the FdM statement regarding the single. There's also a link to sign up to the label's mailing list so you won't miss out on any future intstant collectables.

Here's the official word from Fruits de Mer...

"Fuchsia's version of 'See Emily Play' was recorded specifically for the Fruits de Mer 'A Band For All Seasons' set; we got lots of great feedback and it was picked up on BBC 6Music.

Tony and the band were due to fly over from Australia to play the 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus festival in Wales and Tony went back into the studio to record 'Bike' for a festival-exclusive 5" lathe-cut; the lockdown blew that idea out the window so we offered the very limited run of lathe-cuts we'd had produced (about 50 copies) by mail order to FdM club members.

They were massively oversubscribed and a couple of copies have already found their way onto eBay, selling for £150-£250 a time. We decided the recordings deserved to be more than eBay fodder so we're putting them out in November on 7" vinyl with a total run of 400 copes worldwide.

We're sold out at FdM Towers on members club pre-orders alone, but you're welcome to email fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com to join a waiting-list as we might get a few extra from the pressing plant - or please go to Shiny Beast, who are our European distributors and handle non-uk orders as they will get their own supply, direct from the plant."
 

If you're not already on the FdM mailing-list, click HERE

'See Emily Play' b/w 'Bike' is released on November 9th.

Click here for Fruits de Mer Records.

 

 

Fuchsia - Fuchsia

Specially augmented reissue of the classic 1970 debut! Includes 2^nd disc of rarities, DVD, magazine and poster!

Fruits de Mer are not known as a reissue label so as this 2LP set marks their first foray into the reissue market they've pulled out all the stops. Even by FdM standards this bumper package is pretty special. An original copy Fuchsia's 1971 debut on the Pegasus label will set you back a few hundred quid. For a fraction of the cost you can have this newly pressed 180g coloured vinyl reissue which comes complete with a second disc featuring early demos, rarities and new recordings. There's also a 15-minute DVD featuring founder member Tony Durant talking about the album, a 24-page magazine and a fold-out poster. Told you it was special!

A little background info then – Vocalist/guitarist Tony Durant formed Fuchsia at Exeter Univeristy back in the '60s. The band was named after Fuchsia Groan, a princess character in Mervin Peakes' Gormenghast trilogy from the 1940s. Their sole LP came out in 1970. Like many acid-folk albums of the era (by the likes of Forest, Vashti Bunyan etc.) it was drowned out of the cacaphonous marketplace, pushed to the sidelines by big labels, big names and a burgeoning new heavy rock scene. As the years passed the album quietly staked out a life of its own. Slowly picking up converts and fans, and ageing rather well. Listening to it today, it defies its simple acid-folk classification, and contains a unique spirit. There are jazz influences on it, along with baroque instrumentation. At times quirky and playful, other times serious but always engaging and full of warm sentiments and plenty of heart.

The album would go on to inspire subseqent generations of hip-to-the-groove musicians. Most recent and notable being Swedish group Me And My Kites who named themselves after one of Fuchsia's best known tracks. The band actually feature on disc two of this set backing Fuchsia vocalist Tony on a version of 'The Band', a track which was originally issued on a 7” by FdM in 2014. A highly recommended package for fans both old and new.

**The band will be playing at the Sixteenth Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival in Cardigan, August 3^rd to 5^th! **

**Also the Half Moon, Putney on August 10^th!

Click here for Fuchsia on Facebook.

Click here for Fruits de Mer Records.

Latest singles from Fruits De Mer Records

Fruits De Mer Records will be having a busy month. While the rest of the country seemingly take August as their cue to head for some foreign beach, FDM instead opt to take regular trips to the local post office with the release of five 7" singles. All were available at the label's recent all-dayer at London's Borderline. If you weren't in attendance fear not, let mail order work its magic by visiting their website (www.fruitsdemerrecords.com). Read on for the roundup on all five releases.

Crystal Jacqueline - Cousin Jane (Ltd. colour 7")

New signed to Fruits De Mer, Crystal Jacqueline has recorded a three song EP featuring a tasteful selection of covers aided by fellow Honey Pot member Icarus Peel. The Troggs' Cousin Jane is given a stately reading, its simple piano chords, strings and sense of space reminding you what a great song it is. This is followed by a version of Second Hand's A Fairy Tale. More of a rock song than the other two baroque-ish tracks, I wasn't familiar with this track before but this had me heading over to YouTube to check out the original. A fine choice. The EP finishes with a sinister take on the Rolling Stones' Playing With Fire

Me And My Kites (with Tony Durrant of Fuchsia) - The Band (Ltd. colour 7")

Me And My Kites hail from Sweden, which in musical terms always piques my interest. The fact that their name is taken from a song on Fuchsia's eponymous 1971 album makes this 7" an even more appealing prospect. Due to the powers of internet communication Fuchsia's Tony Durrant has ended up guesting on the A-side, a new version of one of his old demos called The Band. Very nice it is too. An old song given a contemporary acid folk vibe. B-side Isis' Adventure is dedicated to Kevin Ayers and has a suitably Canterbury feel. Impressive modern soft-psych with a summery bucolic feel.

White Sails - Laguna Sunrise (Ltd. colour 7")

One thing all these releases have in common is the making you aware of long forgotten nuggets that may or may not be lurking in your record collection (or your mum or dad's). This EP from White Sails is no exception featuring two lesser known Black Sabbath tracks - Laguna Sunrise and Fluff. Both instrumentals are given largely acoustic readings, soft drum shuffles and acoustic guitar motifs. Who's have thought Sabbath could have had just as successful a career had they gone down the folk route! These are backed with two original instrumentals - The Answer and Death On A Pale Horse. The Transatlantic band (members hail from San Francisco and Finland) should be rightly proud of this folksy EP. If I had to pick just one single from the five for the mythical desert island I'd go for this one.

Jack Ellister - Within You, Without You (Ltd. colour 7")

It's a brave move to cover a Beatles track in 2013, especially such an iconic and stylised one as Beatle George's Within You, Without You. Amsterdam's Jack Ellister has come good though. Without losing any of the songs' message or psychedelic splendour, he's made it his own. With less reliance on Indian instrumentation, this is a more strident rock version with a suitably unhinged wig-out towards the end. Nice! There's also a short psych-drenched reprise. Flip the single over and there are also stellar versions of Flaming (Pink Floyd) and Song For Wild by cult acid-folker Mark Fry.

Stay - Mersey Dream (Ltd. colour 7")

Spanish psych band Stay kick off their four song EP with an original tune dedicated to pop music's most favoured river. Mersey Dream is a rocking mod-ish groover which brings to mind Fools Gold-era Roses and early Charlatans and Deep Purple. Its heavy B3 Hammond, funky bassline and choppy guitar lent a sweetness by the song's melody. The other three tracks are all covers - Guess I Was Dreaming (The Fairytales), I See The Rain (Marmalade), and If I Needed Someone (that Beatle George again!) And pretty neat they are too. It's no surprise that the band have supported Beady Eye and Ocean Colour Scene when those bands have toured Spain. The band formed in 2005 and have so far released four albums, so there's plenty more to go at if this single rocks your world.

Fuchsia - The Girl From Kandahar (Free Track Stream!)

Progressive Folk Rockers Fuchsia release their first record for 40 years next month (June 10th) and have just announced a free track stream for the song Girl From Kandahar. Talking of the track, band leader Tony Durrant said;

“I wandered past a news agents and something caught my eye in the window, a photo of a girl. But something about the photo, something I could not quite process, drew my attention to it. Something not quite right. As I got closer I noticed the 'Time Magazine' header, and then I suddenly drew back, as I saw what had caught my attention. It was this beautiful dark haired Afghani girl, who stared out proudly, but there was something strange about her, something I could not put my finger on. I moved closer to the shop window. Then I realised in shock what was wrong... where her nose should have been was a dark crater, a hole, a shadow . She was this poor girl who had defied what parental and tribal convention had decreed, much to the chagrin of her parents. And that was where the Taliban stepped in, slashing off her nose and her ears as a warning to others.

So there it was. The girl from Kandahar. What must life be like for a young girl like that? Where do you go? Who to talk to? What possesses people to do this sort of thing? And so the song tells the story of the innocent girl trapped in a system where there seems little hope of escape. How thin is this veneer of humanity and we all shy at the horrors of what people are capable of..”

Click here to listen to Fuchsia's The Girl From Kandahar.