Guitarist and songwriter in Polly & The Billets Doux. Some of my ramblings and demos that won't make the cut anywhere else. PLUS Genuine juvenilia from my teenage metal band Anal Bleeding, Cumbria's 666th best beat combo OF ALL TIME...

Live: hystericalinjury at gmail dot com
http://thehystericalinjury.co.uk/

"...could well be my favourite band of the year" - Paul Artrocker, Artrocker magazine

“...extraordinary... How two people can kick up a noise that big and that good with nothing but a bass guitar and a drum kit is beyond me” - Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music

"A great rhythmically thrashing pop racket!" – Steve Lamacq

“Stunning” - Bethan Elfyn

“BAD.ASS.” - Drunken Werewolf

“...blew the room apart...” - TheGirlsAre.com

“the noise of Sonic Youth and the power punches of Sleater-Kinney” - VenusZine.com

“...dirty, rock-laced pop with gushing charisma and a kick like a mule” - IwillBeHeard.co.uk

“...raw, menacing, demanding, driving, busy, thundering...” - The Organ

“The fantastic Hysterical Injury were on after us and were AMAZING...” - Violet Violet

“...like Karen O rutting with The Primitives over a broken drum kit... Just brilliant” - Venue magazine

=====

We are a noisy, melodic duo comprising drums, bass and voice. We formed in 2007 as a guitar, bass, drum three piece.

We releases on Crystal Fuzz Music:

November 2008 - The Hysterical Injury EP (band as three piece with guitarist Robert Jackson)

June 2009 - Our Lives Are A Futuristic Nightmare EP (first release as bass and drums duo)

Feb 2012 - Dead Wolf Situation album

May 2012 - Cycle One single with remixes from Antoni Maiovvi

October 2012 Icebreak single with remixes from Klad Hest [MXLX/ Beak>/ Team Brick]

October 2013 - Visions of Trees single with remixes from Visions of Trees  [Moshi Moshi]

Polly and the Billets Doux are something different. The genre-defiant quartet began life in the middle of a smoky Winchester backroom in 2006, performing totally unamplified to a full-capacity audience. Their distinctive sound combines elements of jazz, blues, country, folk, soul and gospel to create a sumptuous and totally unique sound with a quintessentially English twist.

The band are known for their flawless and energy-filled live performances, and over the past couple of years they’ve embarked on headline tours up and down the country – from Ullapool to Brighton, and almost every city in between – and played to critical acclaim at festivals large and small, including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Secret Garden Party and Larmer Tree in 2011.

Polly And The Billets Doux self-released their debut album ‘Fiction, Half-Truths & Downright Lies’ via independent label Bleak Mouse Records in 2009. They charted at number 21 on the BBC Radio 1 Indie Chart and gained recognition from BBC national radio and regional stations throughout the UK, including Bob Harris and Terry Wogan on BBC Radio 2. Over the past year, the band have received regular plays on BBC 6 Music, including through BBC Introducing’s Tom Robinson.

Throughout 2011, Polly and co have continued their relentless UK touring, picking up fans and praise wherever they go. Highlights in recent months have included a feature in The Sunday Times Culture and a support slot with Fun Lovin’ Criminals. The next year looks to be their biggest yet, with a summer of festivals ahead and a second album in the works for release in 2012.


Steve Wheadon is following