Stephen Fretwell / Last Shadow Puppets

Worth checking out Later with Jools Holland tonight - Last Shadow Puppets will be on (I think the Age of the Understatement sounds great) with long time friend of Elbow Stephen Fretwell playing bass.

I've been reading about this band recently, reviews and so on. Looking forward to tonights Later to finally hear them.

noisebox wrote:

...Stephen Fretwell...

Has he just given up promoting Man on the Roof? Apart from a short run of small shows in London and Manchester it's had almost no promotion. Shame really cause it's a great album.

Yeah i know, hadn't really heard about the guy before listening to one of his songs on the finest hour. Really likeing his newest album....too bad about the promo shit though....elbow should take him with them to one of their venues as the warm-up band or something

Robeman wrote:

elbow should take him with them to one of their venues as the warm-up band or something

His live band includes two fifths of Elbow anyway: Pete and Richard regularly play with him.

Anyway, in better Fretwell news, his latest album - Man on the Roof - has been nominated for the best album award at the Ivor Novellos. It's up against Radiohead and Cherry Ghost.

Misspelt Yoof wrote:

His live band includes two fifths of Elbow anyway: Pete and Richard regularly play with him.

Oh really?!? wicked

Stephen Fretwell is playing an acoustic show at Night & Day in Manchester on 28th November as part of the venue's 17th Birthday celebrations. You should check him out if you've got nothing better to do.

I love Stephen Fretwell, not entirely sure when i heard about him... it was a while ago, it might have had a bit to do with the recomedations on the front of his first album!

you have to be a decent guitarist with a name like Stephen Fretwell, luckily my name is Gary Bumnote

bluefield wrote:

you have to be a decent guitarist with a name like Stephen Fretwell, luckily my name is Gary Bumnote

Thats a Garvey quote isn't it!
I now remeber where i heard him! Support elbow... must have been the leaders tour! *sigh*

is it hey hey

My mum's got into LSP after watching this show

Fretwell is on a solo acoustic tour throughout November. You really, really should check him out.

Quote :

8 Nov - Night & Day, Manchester
9 - Cluny, Newcastle
10 - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
11 - Captains Rest, Glasgow
13 - Korova, Liverpool
14 - The Gate (Swimm Festival Acoustic Stage), Cardiff
15 - Thekla, Bristol
16 - Jericho Tavern, Oxford
18 - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
19 - Roadmenders, Northampton
20 - Brudenell, Leeds
22 - Fibbers, York
23 - Bodega, Nottingham
24 - Glee Club, Birmingham
26 - Komedia, Brighton
27 - Luminaire, London
28 - Night & Day, Manchester (Sold Out)

Fretwell was wonderful last night. He had to contend with a pissed bloke (called Daniel - let's name and shame) at the front and handled it with aplomb. Can't wait to do it all again on November 28th.

Ah, man. I was umming and ahhing all week about spending the weekend in Manchester for Fretwell last night and Spurs today. I decided against it in the end. Wish I didn't. Looking forward to the 27th a lot tho.

That woulda been a perfect weekend. A sublime gig AND an away win! Fretwell was so good that I've now booked for his Nottingham gig on 23rd November, so that'll be three gigs on the current tour and I still want more!

takemeanywhere wrote:

I still want more!

Well you can always watch his set at the Electic Proms supporting The Last Shadow Puppets on the BBC website here.

Everyone should in fact.

Wow. Thank you, that is superb.

Oh, I only looked at it for the first time in a couple of weeks. There's only 33 seconds now, there was the entire 30 minute set last time I saw. Bugger.

Now I feel like it's not so wonderful. I was happy with the 33 seconds!

I've just had a rush of blood to the head and decided to go to Oxford on Sunday.

Can't wait.

Misspelt Yoof wrote:

I've just had a rush of blood to the head and decided to go to Oxford on Sunday.

Can't wait.

Blimey! How good does his new stuff sound?! Alabaster (sp?) and "Hotel" both sound superb, especially the latter.

He only played Alabaster at the Manchester gig. Of the new songs I mean. He didn't just turn up and play one song. That would have been ridiculous

New album "by Spring"? Yes please. Good to see him bigging up the Elbow boys too.

CityLife wrote:

THE last time CityLife caught up with adopted troubadour Stephen Fretwell, all was not well with the world. In fact such was the darkening hue of the gathering clouds in the Scunthorpe ex-pat’s mindset, he was considering giving up music for good.

It is with a little trepidation then that we re-connect with the Chorlton-based singer-songwriter.

After all, despite being lavished with critical acclaim, his second LP, Man On The Roof, has not claimed the commercial breakthrough his label (Polydor sibling Fiction) craved.

Hearteningly, we find the artist in a much sunnier place now though.

After all, he’s currently playing the kind of intimate, cosy venues his beguiling tales work best in on an acoustic tour.

But first CityLife thought it prudent to gauge the reasons for his change in mood.

“I was completely fed up at the time. It wasn’t that the label weren’t getting behind me, but I just never wanted to go on things like Popworld – I just don’t suit that sort of world - that was the only bad blood I had with them.”

With a clutch on new songs penned for a soon-to-be-recorded third album, Fretwell is an invigorated man now.

“I ready to have it really. I think this next one could be the best album I’ve ever done. I’ve been bringing in new songs every night on this tour and I can’t believe how well they’ve gone down, it’s been a lot of fun.”

With plans to get the record out by next spring, Fretwell is pleasingly optimistic about his prospects.

“I’m getting better all the time, so things are going well for us at the moment.”

Far more outward looking than his previous introspective work, the singer has changed tack – lyrically and well as mentally – with his latest offerings too.

“They are kind of about things that happened to people, rather than personal moany songs – I am trying not to be too contemplative for the next one!”

A couple of rather hip and high-profile fans have utilised his services in the shape of The Last Shadow Puppets’ Alex Turner and Miles Kane this year too.

How did the alt-folkster come to infiltrate the Scot Walker-tinged world of the Puppets?

“I kind of met them in New York when I was out there and I ended up playing bass for them for a bit of laugh.

“I did a few TV shows with them and then supported them as part of the Electric Proms in Liverpool too. I’ve got the same manager as the Arctic Monkeys so I met Alex pretty early on when they were just starting out – they’re good guys.”

Moonlighting aside, Fretwell will return to his day job in the north west when he dons a party hat and joins in the festivities for Night & Day’s 17th birthday bash at the end of November.

His spiritual home and alma mater, after all these years he’s quick to espouse his love for the Northern Quarter institution.

“It’s always nice to go back there, I used to work there some of the same people are still there – it’s a lovely place to play and hang around, so I’m to do a date there for the birthday.”

Once a resident on Oldham Street (only a stone’s throw away from the former place of employment), Fretwell has lived in Chorlton for five years now and happy with how the boho suburb has developed.

“Dulcimer’s (folk bar) is cool and I really like Escape – they have a night called 7 and 7 where seven DJs play seven 7in records each.
“It’s a dead cool night, I did it with Badly Drawn Boy last month – I put ABBA’s Mamma Mia on and it went down a treat!”

Next month will see Mercury Music Prize winner Elbow’s Guy Garvey take to the decks and continue his homecoming celebrations.

Like the rest of the city’s music fraternity, the songsmith has watched with a keen eye how 2008 has mapped out for Bury veterans.

“It’s a bit like a sigh of relief really, as it’s been a long time coming.

“It’s kind of like ‘thank God it’s happened at long last!’ – they’re a great band and they’re lovely people.

“For once the nice guys finished first.”

Aside from the changes in Chorlton, Fretwell is also pleased with how the city’s music scene and general landscape has progressed during his eight years in the city – although there is one development on the take away front that does irk him.

“I like the fact there’s a Harvey Nichols and you can buy cooler clothes, but Popolino’s pizzas have shot up in price – they used to be £1.99 for three toppings, now it’s about a fiver!”.

If the price of one of Oxford Street’s finest is all the once troubled singer has to worry about, then Fretwell really is in a better place – let’s just hope his songwriting doesn’t suffer because of it.

According to the tour dates section of his site Fretwell will be playing the Royal Northern College of Music on April 16th. I can't find any more information about this show anywhere tho.

Hopefully he'll be down south soon.