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..
― buhlogna mindstate (Pillbox), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 16:50 (2 years ago) Permalink
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/
― yugi ex, Thursday, 26 April 2012 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink
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?
Now what to call the thing and in what format to release it?
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 16 September 2012 16:08 (9 months ago) Permalink
Wow.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Sunday, 16 September 2012 16:11 (9 months ago) Permalink
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 :)
― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Sunday, 16 September 2012 16:44 (9 months ago) Permalink
Reformation-ah! Dan Goodwin joins.
― Supposed Former ILM Lurker (WeWantMiles), Monday, 19 November 2012 10:08 (7 months ago) Permalink
Great news... I don't expect it to completely sound like the Kitchens, but this is very promising..
― Talcum Mucker, Monday, 19 November 2012 10:29 (7 months ago) Permalink
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.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 22 April 2013 19:07 (1 month ago) Permalink
very excited about this....
― Stop the tape I got spittle all over my moustache. (Talcum Mucker), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 08:34 (1 month ago) Permalink
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.
― Vinnie, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 13:04 (1 month ago) Permalink
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.
― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Thursday, 2 May 2013 07:27 (1 month ago) Permalink
What's wrong with Patrick?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 2 May 2013 11:19 (1 month ago) Permalink