https://www.youtube.com/@thefranklyns https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556681353253

DESIGN IS NOT A MATTER OF OPINION.
 
The music presented here spans a forty year period and is best accessed via the 'playlists' and 'Albums' options on this page.

This is the SoundCloud page for Steve Betts. 
Music from Vachement Bath, Howard Hughes and the Western Approaches, L. Howard Hughes and The Books.
All tracks written/composed by Steve Betts. 
Video footage of performances with The Franklyns, The Western Approaches, The Associates, Eurythmics and Pete Murphy on the Youtube channel playlist.

All tracks downloadable for free on request.

In 1978 I formed a band called The Books and signed to Logo/RCA records and Virgin Music. 
The band recorded singles and an album, Expertise, all produced by Colin Thurston, and toured the UK supporting The Skids.

In 1982 I adopted the name L. Howard Hughes 
and began working with Billy Mackenzie and The Associates touring the UK, Europe and USA and recording the single 'Breakfast' and the album 'Perhaps'.
Around the same time I met Peter Murphy, from the band Bauhaus, who was beginning a solo career and worked with him co-writing and producing his first solo album, 'Should the World Fail to Fall Apart.'

In 1984 I formed another band, Howard Hughes and the Western Approaches and released singles on Abstract/Polydor and EG records. 

Throughout the 80s and 90s I worked with various artists touring and recording in Europe, the States and Japan as a session player, arranger, producer as well as writing, performing and releasing my own music.

In 2006 I formed a band called Vachement Bath and we played shows in London. I have also contributed to the 60x60 project as well as creating an online catalogue of work.  I led the BA(Hons)Music Performance and Production Programme at the University Of East London from 2014 to 2021 after which I co-formed my current band, The Franklyns. I live and write in the countryside.

Audio from: ATP Recordings releases, archive artists performing at ATP Festivals, or performing at ATP Concerts.

All Tomorrow's Parties  is an organisation based in London that has been promoting festivals, concerts and records throughout the world for ten years. It was founded by Barry Hogan in 1999 in preparation for the first All Tomorrow's Parties festival, the line-up of which was curated by Mogwai and took place in the unusual setting of Pontins Holiday Camp, Camber Sands. Since then the festival has appeared every year, and continues to set itself apart from festivals like Reading or Glastonbury by staying intimate, non-corporate and fan-friendly. Another vital difference is that the line-ups are chosen by significant bands or artists, resulting in unpredictable and exciting events which combine performances by legendary and influential acts with appearances by the latest crop of experimental artists from any (and every) musical genre. The All Tomorrow's Parties festival has become more successful with every passing year, moving in 2006 to a larger holiday camp. It has taken place in the UK, USA and Australia

ATP Recordings is a record label started in 2001 by London concert promoter Barry Hogan, who heads the All Tomorrow's Parties organisation, which has been promoting its world renowned festivals and concerts since 2000. The label was originally created to bring out a compilation CD featuring artists from the line-up of a Tortoise curated All Tomorrow's Parties event. As well as further compilations released to coincide with their festivals, the label soon expanded, signing bands and releasing their records: sometimes for the European market where their records had no distribution, but also on a worldwide basis with artists old and new.

The label has notably released the first album by the reunited Magic Band, and also acclaimed albums from Bardo Pond, Deerhoof and Australia's The Drones. The label develops new home-grown talent such as Alexander Tucker and Fuck Buttons, and has also worked to release records by such varied luminaries as Apse, Autolux, Spiritualized, Built To Spill, Sleepy Sun, Death Vessel, Fursaxa, Jackie-O Motherfucker, The Scientists, Threnody Ensemble and White Out (with Jim O'Rourke). For more info on the ATP Recordings label including information on all new and archive releases, please visit our website at atprecordings.com

Myself, Paul Gray and Anthony Thickett have now completed the album we recorded somewhere in the valleys just outside Cardiff.... which means no more trips down the M4 for me a while. It's been mastered - sounding totally fab and all we need to do is design the sleeve, which will contain a nice little surprise.... something we are busting a gut to make happen.

Being an aficionado of the magnificent Nuggets compilations I was really excited to record an album in a real garage so when Kate, a retired doctor and friend of Mr Gray's said we could use her's it was an offer we simply couldn't refuse. And unlike a posh recording studio a garage adds a lovely live warmth to the sound... if the neighbours can put up with the daily bish bash bosh that is.

I can just imagine them saying... "it doesn't sound TOO bad - but why do they have to keep playing the same song over and over?"

The lovely Kate kept the show going with trays of tea and cakes while the locals in the village didn't utter a single complaint... and everything went splendidly. Result!

Now all we have to do is manufacture a bunch of CDs and some lovely real vinyl records. Watch this space!

Beatrix is a South East London-based four-piece designed to explore the nuances of noisy music. They wander from laid-back funk beats and huge melodic hooks to grating metal riffs and wailing saxophone improvisation, often within the same track. Their live shows are notoriously energetic, with psychedelic textures and free improvisation colliding with walls of distorted guitar sound and intense drumming. Their four-track EP, Planet Head, drops soon.

underthefloor is following