Maida Vale Sessions

Where Youth and Laughter Go

Wednesday

Feeded

I Don't Know

Iuvenis

At Night

S/T EP

ALWAYS DOWN

Pick Of The Pops (Vol. 1) features 20 of the most memorable songs in the career of top notch indie band The Hit Parade, and is released on Monday September 24th 2012 on the band's own JSH Records.

Optimistically titled Pick Of The Pops (Vol. 1), the new CD represents the most poignant moments in the colourful life of The Hit Parade, and includes their thoughtful recording for Sarah Records 'In Gunnersbury Park', their tub tumping single for Minty Fresh USA 'Hitomi', as well as other singles, both cheerful and desolate in style, that feature Cath Carroll (Factory Records), Amelia Fletcher (Heavenly and Tallulah Gosh) and Harvey Williams (Another Sunny Day and The Field Mice).

The Hit Parade is the nom de guerre of Julian Henry, who formed this band with his school friends Matt Moffatt and Raymond Watts in 1984. In refusing to acknowledge the passing of time, they have clung to the sensibilities of pure pop with impressive tenacity and have since earned the begrudging respect of the London and Los Angeles indie world. The band has become celebrated for its songs about dead writers, disused swimming pools and failed love affairs.

Their early vinyl singles were lauded by John Peel, the NME and Melody Maker. In the 1990s the band toured alongside Edwyn Collins, The Milkshakes and Sarah Records notables, and signed to Japanese and US labels, releasing a sequence of albums that have since become collectible. More recently, their last two 7” vinyl releases, which were recorded with St Etienne engineer Ian Catt, were declared ‘a bona fide smash’ and ‘one of the best singles of 2010’ by Drowned In Sound.

Today the Hit Parade has a dedicated and almost invisible fan base that stretches from the Far East (where they have toured several times) and across Europe to the west coast of America, and this is their sixth album.

For the last five years the band has been working on a new LP about life in West Cornwall, UK which is expected to be released on vinyl, CD and digital in 2013. “Pick Of The Pops Vol1. ” serves as a perfect introduction to this peculiar and obscure pop group.

For all press enquiries regarding The Hit Parade, please contact Natalie Shaw: nat.musos@gmail.com

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