Hailing from Birmingham, England, BEAT UNION--who fuse potent songwriting with an amalgam of influences from The Clash to Elvis Costello and The Jam--are set to release their U.S. debut album DISCONNECTED on April 22 via Science.
BEAT UNION--DAVE WARSOP (vocals/guitar), LUKE JOHNSON (drums), DEAN ASHTON (guitar), ADE PRESTON (bass)--are currently on tour in the U.S. with Bedouin Soundclash throughout February. In March, the group will head to Austin’s SXSW festival for performances at “The Great Escape” showcase highlighting hotly tipped U.K. acts on March 14 at The Wave (rooftop, 406 E 6th Street) and “The Vans Warped Tour & Alternative Press Magazine” international showcase on March 15 at EMO’s (603 Red River). BEAT UNION’s invasion will be complete when they storm across the U.S. all summer long on the Vans Warped Tour, performing on the HURLEY.com stage for the entire trek.
BEAT UNION took a unique path to the successful completion of their debut, aligning with John Feldmann (The Used, Good Charlotte, Story of the Year, The Matches), after a demo for the vibrant, punky, single-worthy “Can’t Stop The Radio” caught the esteemed producer’s attention. “At the time we thought it was one of our best songs, so we sent it around to whoever we could think of,” vocalist DAVE WARSOP says. “Then, one day we’re at rehearsal and John shows up. And he tells us that he loves the song and loves our sound and wants to hear more. It was fucking crazy.”
Crazier still, Feldmann flew BEAT UNION to L.A. at his own expense, financed the demos that led to a deal with Orange County’s burgeoning indie label Science--home to Blessthefall and Greeley Estates. For these four English lads, who first cut their teeth playing in local Birmingham bands like Shooter McGavin, Shortcut To Newark and Farse, their collective efforts as BEAT UNION culminated in successful U.K. tours with Taking Back Sunday and Gym Class Heroes.
The band also pulled down a surprise feat in the summer of 2007, when the irresistibly charged “She is the Gun” fired up to #5 on the BBC Radio 1 Rock chart, giving DAVE, DEAN, LUKE and ADE their first real taste of airplay.
Recorded in November of 2007 with Feldmann at the helm, DISCONNECTED is a seamless yet diverse eleven-track debut that celebrates the past as it looks to the future with serious intent. Sustaining a listener’s interest for an album’s full duration is a rare feat, but its one that Beat Union pulls off by following Feldmann’s lead and wearing its influences proudly on its sleeve. Hence “Johnny Loves Jojo,” which lyrically recalls Squeeze’s beloved “Up The Junction” but musically comes much closer to the likes of Strummer/Jones. “I guess the bottom line is our songs,” WARSOP concludes after pondering the question for a moment. Then he comes back, confident and driven. “I want our songs to stand the test of time.”
Catch BEAT UNION on tour in the following cities:
DATE CITY VENUE
U.S. Tour with Bedouin Soundclash and Westbound Train
Tue 2/5 Santa Barbara, CA Velvet Jones
Wed 2/6 Los Angeles, CA Knitting Factory
Thu 2/7 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
Fri 2/8 San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brewing Co.
Sat 2/9 Olympic Valley, CA (Tahoe) Plaza Bar
Sun 2/10 San Francisco, CA The Rickshaw Stop
Tue 2/12 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
Wed 2/13 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
Sat 2/16 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
Sun 2/17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Tue 2/19 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
Wed 2/20 Chicago, IL Subterranean
Thu 2/21 Detroit, MI Shelter
Fri 2/22 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Sat 2/23 Buffalo, NY Mohawk Place
Sun 2/24 New York, NY Knitting Factory
To hear BEAT UNION, visit: www.myspace.com/beatunion.
For more information visit: www.sciencerecords.net and http://www.beatunion.co.uk/.
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