Dearest Internet

Once again, our velvet shoed, crown wearing pop stars need your help!

As you may well be aware, Art Brut’s 10 year, career spanning Best Of ‘Top of the Pops’ is now available for you to enjoy. However, as if a complete retrospective plus 20 tracks of b-sides and rarities was not enough, these selfless gentlemen and lady also generously recorded and included 2 brand new (amazing) songs as an extra incentive. This all sounds like a lot of hard work, doesn’t it? It’s not all tiaras and private jets, you know. And whilst they managed to syphon the last vestiges of their creative juices into the excellent video montage to accompany ‘We Make Pop Music’

we are left with a glaring hole. We need a video for new earthquake riddled track ‘Arizona Bay’!

Therefore, as it is the 10 year anniversary, we at Art Brut HQ thought it only apt to give you, the loyal fan mass, a chance to contribute to the video pot. We require a film and video prodigy to create something, anything that you think will not only successfully compliment the ear juggernaut of a track but will also win the band a VMA. Not too much to ask we think?

So, if you’re in, simply record the video, upload to youtube and post the link to the Art Brut Facebook wall. The band will then pick the best (VMA optional) and the winner will not only be the official video for the song but the proto-Gondry will also win an Eddie Argos original painting, plus signed CD and Top of the Pops tshirt. All opuses must be posted by 1st June. Any questions?

So, here’s the song (if you need the mp3, sling me an email at delightfullyfudge@gmail.com. I’ll expect a video in return, mind!) -

Now get to work!!

Kind regards

Barnaby Fudge

Dearest Internet

News from the steaming Press Mill! Art Brut’s double disc Best Of, cleverly monikered ‘Top of the Pops’, will be released through The End Records on April 16th! Agreeably exciting as this is, what’s a Best Of without a retrospective live show? Not much. So the first bastards to get announced are -

03/05/2013 Cologne, Luxor

04/05/2013 Hamburg, Molotow

06/05/2013 Berlin, Lido

07/05/2013 Stuttgart, Schoken

08/05/2013 Munich, Atomic Cafe

29/05/2013 London, Scala

Ticket links to your right.

Also, yours and my best friend Eddie Argos has kindly penned the following with regard to the forthcoming release -

Art Brut have been called many things over the course of our career, not all of them polite. The thing we get called most often is an ‘art band’, which I accept is totally our fault for putting the word Art in our name. However, Art Brut have never seen ourselves as an art band, we have been adamant since we began that we are, in fact, a classic rock band.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to begin your career as a classic rock band, no matter how often you persist in referring to yourself as one.

Over the last ten years, however, Art Brut have been tirelessly working towards the moment we could finally call ourselves a classic rock band and know in our heart of hearts that it was true. Our mission is finally complete.

Thanks, Eddie.

And finally, in case you were umming and ahhing and whinging ‘but Mum, I have all the albums, what do I need a Best Of for..?’. Well, my dear, check out this tracklisting. Have you got the unreleased ‘It’s A Bit Complicated’ tracks as recorded by Pulp’s Russell Senior? Or a Frank Black arranged Beatles cover? Or We Are Scientists morphing into Lynyrd Skynyrd? I thought not.

Top of the Pops:

Disc 1:

01 Formed a Band
02 My Little Brother
03 Emily Kane
04 Modern Art
05 Good Weekend
06 Direct Hit
07 Nag Nag Nag Nag
08 St Pauli
09 Pump Up The Volume
10 DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
11 Alcoholics Unanimous
12 Summer Job
13 Demons Out!
14 Axl Rose
15 Sexy Sometimes
16 Lost Weekend
17 Sealand
18 Arizona Bay (new song)
19 We Make Pop Music (new song)

Disc 2:

01 Formed a Band (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
02 Bad Weekend (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
03 These Animal Menswear (B-side)
04 Modern Art (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
05 Maternity Ward (B-side)
06 Blame It on the Trains (produced by Russell Senior)
07 Post Soothing Out (produced by Russell Senior)
08 St Pauli (produced by Russell Senior)
09 About Time (B-side)
10 Ignorance Is Bliss (B-side)
11 Catch (the Cure cover)
12 Modern Art (recorded for Berlin Live)
13 Just Desserts (alt. version of B-Side to “Alcoholics Unanimous”)
14 Moved to L.A. (Art Brut vs. Satan iTunes exclusive)
15 Weird Science (B-side)
16 Positively 5th Street (B-side)
17 Unprofessional Wrestling (download only)
18 The Great Escape (We Are Scientists/Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
19 Her Majesty (Beatles cover, arranged by Black Francis)
20 Post Soothing Out (recorded for Berlin Live)

Kindly buy it.

Yours

Barnaby Fudge

Dearest Internet

I woke up this morning with a pit in my stomach. A small pocket vacuum in my lower bowel reminding me something had slipped my mind. A panic plant (©). Cooker off? Check. Front door closed? Check. HMV voucher ordered? Double check. Then as I rolled over, I came to eye to eye with the culprit; her doe eyes tightened and thin lips pointed down in a shallow arch of disappointment. Balls. The anniversary.

That’s right, you internet bastards. Thanks for reminding me. It is exactly ten, sweet long years ago that Art Brut first sat down in a room together to raise the musical bar. Ten years of heartache, ten years of beauty, ten years of booze related injuries. So, to celebrate, we’re getting nostalgia-riffic all up in this something something.

I have it on good authority that Monsieur Eddie Argos and gang will be back in May with a ‘Best Of’ rammed full of everything from desserts to weekends. But, in preparation, I thought it best we pave the way with as many embarrassing memories as possible. Therefore, as we live in a digital world, it would be appreciated if you would start digging out as many vintage AB photos and videos as you can and get them up on the Facebook page / Twitter @art_brut_ #topofthepops. We want it all. Every stage, every moustache, every questionable trouser decision. I have no idea what we’ll do with it all but I’m sure they’ll be some pretty sweet before and after shots.

So, come one, come all. Let’s start getting the old hard drives out and remember the good times!

Yours

Barnaby Fudge

Dearest Internet

Long time no see. Where have you been? I have missed these little chats. My pitiful, servile existence has kept me quite busy in 2012. The majority of my time is spent ferrying Eddie Argos’ dirty linen between ‘Pressed to Impress’ in Burnley and Berlin. He says he likes the way the collars smell. I am dubious.

The rest of the band have decided to make use of the small Pacific Island they bought in 2006. It’s just been sitting there. For several years after the purchase, due to some miscommunication, several band members thought they had acquired private houses in Ireland. Confusing and somewhat embarrassing trips to Donegal have now become a minor Art Brut tradition.

If you have the means and inclination to visit ‘The Principality of Awesome’ (official status pending), here are the coordinates - 16°50′00″S 178°16′45″E / 16.8333333°S 178.27917°E. You may or may not be hunted for sport / boredom.

If for some reason Pacific human safaris are not your thing, plans are afoot to release an Art Brut ‘Best Of’ in 2012. Your favourite courses from the four album feast will be made available, along with some added extras. Listen to me for further information. I am the conduit.

In the meantime, come and see us play with The Vaselines in Wakefield. Long Division looks like it might cause some booze misadventures. Come and encourage our idiocy.

Let’s not leave it so long next time. Stay in touch.

Yours busily

Barnaby Fudge

Dearest Internet

It has come to my attention that some in the intersphere consider Art Brut to be less than politically minded. They are considered a party band, letting the events of the day wash over them like a drunk asleep in a sobering gutter. Well, I am here to tell you that our merry band are not so oblivious. The voice of today’s youth has not gone unheard!! Therefore, in the spirit of occupation, Art Brut will be camping out in The Bull and Gate, Kentish Town on the 7th – 8th December…

We refuse to sit idly by and watch Club Fandango celebrate a birthday without a residency-size truckload of Art Brut fans causing chaos and booze fuelled funstruction. The madness has gone on too long!! We will be joined by our comrade in arms Keith TOTP and his Minor UK Indie Celebrity Allstar Backing Band (we’re hoping more friends will show up but they’re yet to reply to our riot inciting bbms…). We will not be moved!!

However, as we are not a bunch of rudderless hippies ‘the man’ is making us charge the Wind of Change a nominal occupation fee. But do not fear!! If you are truly committed to the cause and not some fly by night, latte drinking mummy’s boy then you can get the two night bundle for just £18… Viva la revolution!!!

Yours not doing what you tell me

Barnaby Fudge