Kitchens Of Distinction -- S&D//POO/C or D?

And then there were the Toilets of Destruction:

http://www.dailymotion.com/playlist/xxnh0_RileyELFuk_toilets-of-destruction-12oct-91

The Ride cover/parody = roffles.

There's a funny version of 'Prize' there too. WHat was this gig all about then?

They did random shows in this vein under the Toilets of Destruction name in London every so often -- I remember hearing about them at the time. What's nice is hearing how clearly they all become Kitchens songs thanks to the tone of Julian's guitars in particular!

Yeah, very true, and there's always that voice too. I'd normally hate "wacky" stuff like this, but those are pretty endearing clips.

That cover of "Heroes" is great - as you say, Ned, it's unmistakeably Kitchens once Swales gets his guitar all over it.

So I knew absolutely nothing about these guys, had only heard the name a couple times before and, for some reason, had a vague notion that they were most post-punk than shoegaze. Anyway, happened across a $1.99 copy of The Death of Cool and, remembering it being on Ned's 90s list, grabbed it without another thought. OH MY GOD. Fantastic discovery, must find more.

They kind of are more postpunk etc but it's in how you define it. And glad you liked it!

Yeah I can see the influence, but in my mind I was picturing something closer to Josef K (I have no idea where this came from!).

Another great gig from '92, rare *daytime* footage on this occasion. Wish they could have played Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens in such a manner...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYOkZZMy-Eg&feature=channel

remembering it being on Ned's 90s list, grabbed it without another thought. OH MY GOD. Fantastic discovery, must find more.

This seriously happened to me at least a dozen times from 2005-2007 era.

Ha, well, glad to help!

Wow that live clip sounds even better than the record!

I had the same Ned's 90s experiences between about 2000 & 2002.

Tempted to start a "best album from Ned's 136 that I don't already have & love" poll...

listening to the shimmer in the outro of 'blue pedal' just now, it's like a second sun. i only saw them live twice. i still remember the first show most with kingmaker and bleach and they played shiver, mad as the snow and polaroids consecutively and it was the most beautiful thing ever. what an amazing band.

"Strange Free World" is just utterly epic - I played it driving home from a music festival and I was pushing 90 before I knew it. "Drive That Fast" indeed!

my wife refers to this excellent band as "kitchens of destruction"

Well there's Toilets of Destruction and all.

And...I happen to be wearing my Strange Free World shirt this very minute.

a/s/l?

tell me what else u are wearing ;)

Lord.

you started it ;_;

"kitchens of destruction" - reading this, the first thing that popped into my head was the phrase being sung to the tune of "symphony of destruction" by megadeth

Via his Facebook account, Patrick F. has linked this:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2577831/Kitchens%20Of%20Distinction-Manchester%20Roadhouse%2012%20May%2096.zip

To quote him:

A rare audience recording, courtesy of the Tarquin Live! website, of the last ever Kitchens of Distinction UK tour in 1996. Converted to mp3 by 'Teenage Kitchenette' Jubby on this link so it should just open straight up in your iTunes library - ENJOY

Awesome, thanks! Oddly enough, someone recently posted a YT clip of theirs on my FB wall out of the blue & I've spent several hours revisiting their records in the last two days. Sadly, I never got to see them live, which is really too bad b/c I think Julian Swales is brilliant guitarist (& overlooked!) - maybe not quite on par w/ Kev, but certainly in keeping w/ the best the second-tier of 90s stompbox dudes like Nick McCabe, Adam Franklin & the Ride guys. Friends who saw them have confirmed that Swales had such masterful control of his reverb/delay that you'd swear there were three or four guitarists playing at any given time.

Death of Cool & Strange Free World are both stone cold classics imo & on my shortlist for best albums of the 90s. Cowboys and Aliens was not quite on that level, but is underrated, I feel. Sand on Fire is a total jam & must have sounded FANTASTIC when performed. Could they maybe get back together and slog it around for those of us who missed them the first time around? I honestly know nothing of how they ended up parting ways..

Strange Free World sound as good, if not better, today than it did 22 years ago. A brilliant and hugely underrated band.

http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/kitchens-of-distinction-strange-free-world-round-26-toms-selection/

Well now this is interesting -- according to recent posts on Patrick Fitzgerald's website:

http://stephenheroband.wordpress.com/

He and Julian Swales are working on a new album, and it looks like they're thinking about reviving the Kitchens of Distinction name for it if a Facebook comment was any indication. Perhaps not, we'll have to see. Here's the most recent blogpost:

Very close to mixing now. 10 new songs recorded with Julian playing guitar and me playing guitar and singing and there’s bass and strings and drums and flutes and oboes and trumpets and tambourines and weird samples and swearing and not swearing and songs that sound old and songs that sound nothing like what we’ve done before and a soprano’s ahhs and the kitchen sink.

Now what to call the thing and in what format to release it?

Wow.

God, what it would be to have some of that old Kitchens magic back; was listening to them on the long drive back from Cromer to Manchester yesterday, with the sun shining and distant wind farms spinning they sounded better than ever. I don't remember enough about the original split to know if there was any acrimony which might have prevented Dan's involvement with this? From the blog it looks like it's been a slow germination of work with Julian again anyway. Pretty exciting tbh :)

Reformation-ah! Dan Goodwin joins.

Great news... I don't expect it to completely sound like the Kitchens, but this is very promising..

We have some news:

https://www.facebook.com/events/444166695621895/permalink/534977803207450/

we are delighted to announce that the fifth KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION recording will be released later this year through the 3 LOOP MUSIC label so please head over to their Facebook page to hear all the latest about the band's new home. If you have any questions about the release - the format/s, the release date, merchandise, etc - then please direct them to the lovely folks over there from now on. It's hoped to be a Digital/CD/Vinyl release, with a possible September/October release date, and a full merchandise range but you'll hear all the finer details from the record label as and when they have them. Julian has expressed a desire to not play live and the health of yours truly is, as most of you know, often too fragile to make any firm commitments so no more questions about live shows please but if we are lucky enough to get any radio sessions then you will be the first to know.

very excited about this....

I've been playing them a ton the past month; in fact, I sometimes find myself in a mood where they are the only band I want to listen to. Can't wait to get new material from them. Too bad no live shows, but it's unlikely they would have come stateside anyway I'm guessing.

Roll on the autumn! Shame that they won't be touring, but clearly very good reasons for them not to be out on the road; I'd be surprised if they don't get some radio session offers, can imagine at least a couple of shows on 6 Music would snap them up for these.

What's wrong with Patrick?

Release date for album September 30

...and still no title for it?

no live trio tho

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/07/22/kitchens-of-distinction-new-album-stream-sample/

Yeah, Julian's been saying for a while touring ain't his thing anymore. Patrick and Dan are up for it, though, and there's been talk of getting in a replacement guitarist with Julian's blessing. Still, though...

So Lamacq's about to play a new track, I think:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072lb2

BTW, new album cover:

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1004501_10151765594030733_25070520_n.jpg

ew, what the heck is that font

God that Arctic Monkeys song just now was a dirge.

Okay, about to be broadcast.

Very Bowie-esque, comes off a bit Suede-ish really

Indeed! Reminded me of "Sand on Fire." And apparently intentionally Bowieish given the lyrics and the paraphrase from Patrick that Lamacq gave.

I heard that, just as I was typing that post!

Given it a few listens since yesterday, it feels so good to just have them back together again. Def feeling the Bowie/Suede vibe and especially love the final "staring at the record sleeves..." part. CD preordered :)