Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 10:05:52 EST From: "Steven Hipkiss." (sah577@VMS1.BHAM.AC.UK) Subject: Re: novak Susan F Curran wrote >>> the support is Novak, a new Birmingham band following in the tradition set > by Pram and Broadcast. hey, do you have any more info on Novak? any band following in the footsteps of Pram is surely worth watching, though Rosie & co. leave mighty big footprints.<< I'm afraid I do not really know much about them. I saw them for the second time last night and they were as good as I remembered. Six members three blokes (drums,bass and keyboard/assorted percussion) and three women (vocals/toy xylophone, guitar, flute/harmonica + others). Have released one single "Silver Seas" but I think that was on mail order only. Address was in NME when it was generously reviewed there but I don't have it. Also had a live review in Melody Maker when they supported Pram in London. I missed that Birmingham date due to family commitments. The sound is not dissimmilar to Pram, but is different too, if that makes sense. The comment about folowing in the footsteps was meant more in the fact that there seems to be a few local bands who are doing similar things with their music and ignoring the general mainstream sounding music,ie not emulating Oasis or Britpop. Maybe Birmingham will become the spirtual home for this genre, "post-rock" if you prefer, and be knon for something other that Slade, Duran Duran and UB40. Noval will have a new single out soon, the first song of their set although they never mentioned a name for it or a release date. Also cos they are just starting out I don't think they have healined a gig yet or will make it abroad just yet. Steve. s.a.hipkiss@bham.ac.uk Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 19:11:23 +0000 From: Andrew Norman Subject: Re: Laika "Almost Sleeping", Labradford UK tour dates Novak EP on Quickspace's Kitty Kitty label is out now - a bit more "rock & roll" than the previous couple of singles. Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 11:26:30 -0500 From: lucid Subject: Re: new novak Steve Hipkiss wrote: > > Anyone have any details on the new single from Novak? Are they going > to release the singles on a compilation LP? It's called "Boyscouts of America", limited to 1000 copies. Every sleeve is hand done and different than the next (I think I heard they were pasting bits of stuff to the sleeves like leaves, etc.). Because it's on Kitty Kitty and Quickspace released a singles comp., I think Novak will as well (esp. since their first 2 singles are so hard to find now). Haven't heard it yet but it's supposed to be quite different than the last one ("Alpine Assignment")... Greg. Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 06:58:22 +0100 From: Andrew Norman Subject: Re: new novak lucid: > Steve Hipkiss wrote: > > > > Anyone have any details on the new single from Novak? Are they going > > to release the singles on a compilation LP? > > It's called "Boyscouts of America", limited to 1000 copies. Every sleeve > is hand done and different than the next (I think I heard they were > pasting bits of stuff to the sleeves like leaves, etc.). Mine has what I think are dandelion seeds. It isn't the Saint Etienne song (incidentally, I found the line "the boy scouts of America taught him all he knew" - and another one which made me think of "Tiger Bay" but I can't remember now - in one of Richard Brautigan's novels, possibly "A Confederate General from Big Sur"). > Because it's on > Kitty Kitty and Quickspace released a singles comp., I think Novak will > as well (esp. since their first 2 singles are so hard to find now). > Haven't heard it yet but it's supposed to be quite different than the > last one ("Alpine Assignment") It is indeed - the A-side is a lot harder than previous singles, the B-side is a quieter version of "Silver Seas" which was the first single. Quickspace's "Hadid" (like the Novak single 7" only on Kitty Kitty) is utterly mad - sounds wrong at whatever speed you choose to play it, but it's still great, the forthcoming album will have a couple of extra tracks on the vinyl version including "Precious Mountain", apparently.