The Black Lamps are an alternative post-rock and ambient guitar band from Barnsley, South Yorkshire with a deep and diverse history. Members Greg Firth (bass), Dean Ormston (drums), Lyndon Scarfe (guitars and keyboards) and Liam Stewart (vocals and guitars) have played their part in many a celebrated band throughout the previous three decades including Creatures of Habit, The Danse Society, Party Day, The Second Coming, Silent Scream and This Colossal Youth. January the 12th 2015 will see the band release their self-titled debut album through independent label Of National Importance Records.

The Black Lamps released the single ‘Scissors, Paper, Stone’ on a split 7” with the now defunct Imoko Set through Stereomatic Records in 2011. Self described “perfectionists”, the four piece spent the following years recording the ten tracks that make the album with Steve Ellis (Hey Sholay, Cavorts, Steel Trees) of Orion Studios in Rotherham before mixing the records themselves. Tom Woodhead (Hookworms, Post War Glamour Girls) mastered the final product at Hippocratic in Leeds. Additional backing vocals are provided by Amber Scarfe and Anna Firth, the daughter and neice of the respective band members.

The artwork for the album was createdby Jamie Briggs from a painting by drummer Dean Ormston – also a comic book artist noted for his work with with many publishers including DC Vertigo, Judge Dredd Megazine, 2000AD and Dark Horse. Elsewhere outside of the band, Liam Stewart and Lyndon Scarfe’s prolific solo work has racked up a combined total of over 100,000 downloads through Maine based netlabel BlocSonic.

The Black Lamps is available to pre-order now from ofnationalimportancerecords.co.uk on CD, digital and 12” red vinyl formats. Track four, The Smoking Party, can be downloaded for free from theblacklamps.co.uk.

Of National Importance Records is Barnsley’s longest named record label. Formed in 2009 it has released music by Alvarez Kings, McCarthy Vigil, The Exhibition and Aztec Doll.

THE BLACK LAMPS - Planets

THE BLACK LAMPS - Low Hanging Fruit

THE BLACK LAMPS - Gene Pool

Written by McCarthy Vigil. Recorded at Studio 24. Mixed and mastered by McCarthy Vigil 
www.facebook.com/mccarthyvigil | www.soundcloud.com/mccarthyvigil | www.24-live.co.uk
Taken from the compilation album: Misophonic Minds.

Misophonic Minds: Another Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture is a digital compilation of music from Barnsley-based musicians, curated by local label Of National Importance Records and released on the 27th of April 2015. A celebration of a blooming music scene in a town huddled between the Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Sheffield, all profits from sales of the 19 tracks will be donated to the charity Willow Foundation. 

Included are first ever tracks released by Tender Firs, Film and Peter Dand; brand new and unheard recordings from Aztec Doll, McCarthy Vigil, Charlie North,  rama zu, Lyndon Scarfe, Liam Stewart and Diskettes Fore Minor; Exclusive premiers of songs from forthcoming releases by Garforth & Myers, Explorers Society and Del Scott Miller; an alternate mix of a track from The Black Lamps debut record; a likely last ever recording from The Exhibition and more from Bruja, Heavy Suns, Richard Kitson and Sarah-Jane. Artwork for the record was created by Tender Firs guitarist and vocalist Jamie Briggs from an illustration by Hattie Lockwood who also created the artwork for 2010's prequel to this release; Things That Aren't There: A Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture.

Willow Foundation is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfill uplifting and unforgettable Special Days: www.willowfoundation.org.uk

Misophonic Minds is Of National Importance Records 23rd and final release before the label goes on a lengthy sabbatical - for the remainder of 2015 at least. Download price is just £3.

Download

McCARTHY VIGIL - Queen Second, Money First

Words by Roxanna Mitchell. Music by Aztec Doll. Recorded and Produced by Aztec Doll.
www.facebook.com/aztecdoll | https://soundcloud.com/aztec-doll
Taken from the compilation album: Misophonic Minds.

Misophonic Minds: Another Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture is a digital compilation of music from Barnsley-based musicians, curated by local label Of National Importance Records and released on the 27th of April 2015. A celebration of a blooming music scene in a town huddled between the Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Sheffield, all profits from sales of the 19 tracks will be donated to the charity Willow Foundation. 

Included are first ever tracks released by Tender Firs, Film and Peter Dand; brand new and unheard recordings from Aztec Doll, McCarthy Vigil, Charlie North, Pusher, rama zu, Lyndon Scarfe, Liam Stewart and Diskettes Fore Minor; Exclusive premiers of songs from forthcoming releases by Garforth & Myers, Explorers Society and Del Scott Miller; an alternate mix of a track from The Black Lamps debut record; a likely last ever recording from The Exhibition and more from Bruja, Heavy Suns, Richard Kitson and Sarah-Jane. Artwork for the record was created by Tender Firs guitarist and vocalist Jamie Briggs from an illustration by Hattie Lockwood who also created the artwork for 2010's prequel to this release; Things That Aren't There: A Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture.

Willow Foundation is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfill uplifting and unforgettable Special Days: www.willowfoundation.org.uk

Misophonic Minds is Of National Importance Records 23rd and final release before the label goes on a lengthy sabbatical - for the remainder of 2015 at least. Download price is just £3.

Download 27.04.15

AZTEC DOLL - Through Our Veins

Written by The Exhibition. Recorded by The Exhibition
www.the-exhibition.co.uk | https://soundcloud.com/the-exhibition
Taken from the compilation album: Misophonic Minds.

Misophonic Minds: Another Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture is a digital compilation of music from Barnsley-based musicians, curated by local label Of National Importance Records and released on the 27th of April 2015. A celebration of a blooming music scene in a town huddled between the Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Sheffield, all profits from sales of the 19 tracks will be donated to the charity Willow Foundation.

Included are first ever tracks released by Tender Firs, Film and Peter Dand; brand new and unheard recordings from Aztec Doll, McCarthy Vigil, Charlie North, rama zu, Lyndon Scarfe, Liam Stewart and Diskettes Fore Minor; Exclusive premiers of songs from forthcoming releases by Garforth & Myers, Explorers Society and Del Scott Miller; an alternate mix of a track from The Black Lamps debut record; a likely last ever recording from The Exhibition and more from Bruja, Heavy Suns, Richard Kitson and Sarah-Jane. Artwork for the record was created by Tender Firs guitarist and vocalist Jamie Briggs from an illustration by Hattie Lockwood who also created the artwork for 2010's prequel to this release; Things That Aren't There: A Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture.

Willow Foundation is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days: www.willowfoundation.org.uk

Misophonic Minds is Of National Importance Records 23rd and final release before the label goes on a lengthy sabbatical - for the remainder of 2015 at least. Download price is just £3.

THE EXHIBITION - As the Sea

Written by Firth, Ormston, Scarfe, Stewart. Recorded and Engineered by Steve Ellis at Orion Studio. Produced and Mixed by Lyndon Scarfe and The Black Lamps. 
www.theblacklamps.co.uk | https://soundcloud.com/theblacklamps-1 | www.orionstudio.co.uk

Taken from the compilation album: Misophonic Minds.

Misophonic Minds: Another Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture is a digital compilation of music from Barnsley-based musicians, curated by local label Of National Importance Records and released on the 27th of April 2015. A celebration of a blooming music scene in a town huddled between the Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Sheffield, all profits from sales of the 19 tracks will be donated to the charity Willow Foundation.

Included are first ever tracks released by Tender Firs, Film and Peter Dand; brand new and unheard recordings from Aztec Doll, McCarthy Vigil, Charlie North, rama zu, Lyndon Scarfe, Liam Stewart and Diskettes Fore Minor; Exclusive premiers of songs from forthcoming releases by Garforth & Myers, Explorers Society and Del Scott Miller; an alternate mix of a track from The Black Lamps debut record; a likely last ever recording from The Exhibition and more from Bruja, Heavy Suns, Richard Kitson and Sarah-Jane. Artwork for the record was created by Tender Firs guitarist and vocalist Jamie Briggs from an illustration by Hattie Lockwood who also created the artwork for 2010's prequel to this release; Things That Aren't There: A Corner of Barnsley Counter Culture.

Willow Foundation is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfill uplifting and unforgettable Special Days: www.willowfoundation.org.uk

Misophonic Minds is Of National Importance Records 23rd and final release before the label goes on a lengthy sabbatical - for the remainder of 2015 at least. Download price is just £3.

THE BLACK LAMPS - Colour 8.1

Cat No: ONI18

Written, recorded and mixed by Lyndon Scarfe in January 2017 

www.blocsonic.com/artist/lyndon-scarfe
www.soundcloud.com/lyndonscarfe
www.ofnationalimportancerecords.co.uk

More formats

LYNDON SCARFE - Layers i

Cat No: ONI09
Recorded by Alan Smyth at 2fly Studios
Artwork by Aztec Doll

www.facebook.com/pages/Aztec-Doll/413817128657952
www.2flystudios.com
www.ofnationalimportancerecords.co.uk

Suddenly I'm Outside Myself - by Aztec Doll

www.facebook.com/mccarthyvigil
Recorded by McCarthy Vigil and Ben Davey
Mastered by Jason Sanderson www.jasonsanderson.co.uk

The 29th of July 2013 will see the release of Of National Importance Records' tenth record 'proper' in the form of Pariedolia, a compilation of Barnsley-based artists. The six track release features bands new and old to the label and is the follow up to 2010s Things That Aren't There; another release intended to showcase music local to the South Yorkshire town. The featured bands are Aztec Doll, The Black Lamps, The Exhibition, Imoko Set, McCarthy Vigil and Toba Caldera.

Sheffield based Alan Smyth (65 Days of Static, The Long Blondes, The Lodger) produced The Exhibition track 'Memento Mori' at 2fly Studios whilst Steve Ellis (Hey Sholay, Skeletons, Alvarez Kings) of Orion Studio recorded the Black Lamps' 'Low Hanging Fruit' and Imoko Set's 'Crying in the Temple'. Aztec Doll, Toba Caldera and McCarthy Vigil all self-produced their respective tracks before the compilation was mastered by Jason Sanderson (Hawk Eyes, Rolo Tomassi).

The release will be available across all digital platforms aswell as in the formats of both a limited edition hand stamped CD and a screen-printed t-shirt. Artwork was designed by Imoko Set vocalist Jamie Briggs.

McCARTHY VIGIL - Chinese Candle

www.facebook.com/tobacalderauk
Recorded by Toba Caldera
Mastered by Jason Sanderson www.jasonsanderson.co.uk

The 29th of July 2013 will see the release of Of National Importance Records' tenth record 'proper' in the form of Pariedolia, a compilation of Barnsley-based artists. The six track release features bands new and old to the label and is the follow up to 2010s Things That Aren't There; another release intended to showcase music local to the South Yorkshire town. The featured bands are Aztec Doll, The Black Lamps, The Exhibition, Imoko Set, McCarthy Vigil and Toba Caldera.

Sheffield based Alan Smyth (65 Days of Static, The Long Blondes, The Lodger) produced The Exhibition track 'Memento Mori' at 2fly Studios whilst Steve Ellis (Hey Sholay, Skeletons, Alvarez Kings) of Orion Studio recorded the Black Lamps' 'Low Hanging Fruit' and Imoko Set's 'Crying in the Temple'. Aztec Doll, Toba Caldera and McCarthy Vigil all self-produced their respective tracks before the compilation was mastered by Jason Sanderson (Hawk Eyes, Rolo Tomassi).

The release will be available across all digital platforms aswell as in the formats of both a limited edition hand stamped CD and a screen-printed t-shirt. Artwork was designed by Imoko Set vocalist Jamie Briggs.

Fade Along with Me - by Toba Caldera

Independent recordings since 2009. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, North of England.

“Of National Importance Records are starting to show that they’re worthy of their name. While focusing on acts in their Barnsley locale, they’ve already managed to seek out bands of an extremely high calibre. There’s also something of a house style emerging, with a leaning toward darker indie with a post-punk edge.” Christopher Nosnibor, Whisperin and Hollerin

Of National Importance

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