Codename Sparrow is a singer songwriter with a full array of the talents. 

Influenced by leading lights such as Television, Wire, Mr. Mister, Deerhunter, REM, The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins... powered by primal urges and primitive recording techniques, Sparrow crafts lo-fi AM gems, lint-covered sadcore classics and scuffed alternative rock music.

This is what other people say....

Engagingly scruffy and lo-fi,deeply personal songcraft with a slight whiff of Sebadoh & classic '80s pop about it -Time Out.

Lashings of ambient delay -Playmusic Pickup.

Sadcore heartbreakers - Drowned in sound

A lo-fi singer songwritery mess of melody -The Run Out Groove

Got that?

www.richardnorris.bandcamp.com
Richard Norris is a musician and producer based in London, currently working on a series of ambient/deep listening/experimental releases on the Group Mind label. He showcased this music at Nile Rodgers' Meltdown Festival on the Southbank, London, on August 7th supporting Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, playing the music from Stranger Things.
His work includes co-producing the 1988 album 'Jack the Tab' one of the first UK acid house records, which resulted in an appearance on the cover of NME. A record deal with Warners as the Grid followed, with Soft Cell's Dave Ball. The Grid produced 10 hit singles and 3 albums, including the million selling 'Swamp Thing'.  Norris subsequently collaborated with a number of artists, including Joe Strummer and Robert Fripp. His work with Erol Alkan as Beyond The Wizards Sleeve resulted in many well regarded edits and remixes. The BTWS album 'The Soft Bounce' was a Rough Trade record of the year.
He has also produced albums and mixes as solo psych project The Time and Space Machine, remixing many artists including Warpaint, Tame Impala, Brian Eno, Noel Gallagher and Erasure. His Group Mind label has regular releases via Bandcamp, streaming and independent record shops, and a Bandcamp subscription service with regular vinyl, CD and download releases.
The Grid have recently signed to BMG and will be releasing new music and playing live dates in 2024. His memoir 'Strange Things Are Happening' is published by White Rabbit on 21st March 2024.

contact - rgtnorris@gmail.com

At the young age of 11 an old family friend handed me down my first guitar. 

‘Music is your destiny’ he told me, ‘take care of this guitar’.  

A week later I broke the guitar over my brothers head in a game of wrestling.

I knew little back then.  I mean I loved music but as far as I was concerned I was going to become a professional footballer.  It wasn’t until years later that I decided to give up football in order to pursue a career in music.

Lessons weren’t for me (as I was never good at being told what to do) so instead I decided to teach myself, discovering the instrument through blind eyes.

Influenced by thrash metal, I wanted nothing more than to be the heaviest and fastest guitar player.  As I got older however I began to discover various artists such as Gary Moore, Jonny Lang and Stevie Ray Vaughn.  My mind was opened up to the art of song writing and that’s where my true passion lies ever since.

I’ve worked in various bands from metal to blues, touring my hometown and Europe. I have decided that it is now time to embark on my solo career where I have the opportunity to write and bring through the different sides of music in me.

For me music is what drives my whole life and emotions, from bringing me up to bringing me down.  There is a song for every feeling.  Music is the one thing you can always rely on to be there for you.


UPSET THE RHYTHM is a live music promoter and record label based in London, which is collectively run with enthusiasm, commitment, a sense for adventure and a desire to have fun in the process. 

The Dark Entries Record Label : Resuscitating the 80s Underground

Desert Island Discs Archive: 1961-1965
Castaways choose eight records, a book and a luxury to take with them to the mythical desert island. Full listings can be found on the Desert Island Discs website. 

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