Mike Peters recalls his experiences on the Bob Dylan Tour
www.uncut.co.uk
ON THE ROAD WITH DYLAN!
frontman with The Alarm, recalls his experiences on the Never-Ending Tour

ARTIST INFO Bob Dylan

SPECIAL FEATURE Life On The Road with Bob Dylan

HOW THE ALARM CAME TO TOUR WITH BOB…

“We played the whole of that summer, about 30 dates. We were being managed by Elliott Roberts – who’s managed Neil Young and Bob Dylan – and Jeff Kramer, Elliott’s assistant. At the end of the tour Jeff became Bob’s manager. We were invited on the tour cos Elliott and Jeff had been telling Bob about The Alarm, that we came from Wales and played acoustic guitars and had this element of folk rock which was buried in there somewhere, and he liked what he was told about us and what he heard, and he invited us on the tour. There was no real fee – our fee was negotiable. There was definitely haggling over the fees, especially as we were managed by the same guy. We took what we got. But we would’ve played for nothing because to play with Dylan was such a great honour for us.”

THE FIRST NIGHT…

“The first night of the tour was in California, in the Concord Pavilion not too far from San Francisco, on Tuesday, June 7 1988. Neil Young came onstage. I can’t remember what he played, maybe ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ or ‘All Along The Watchtower’. I’d never seen Bob Dylan before, but the reason I played the acoustic guitar and the harmonica in The Alarm was because of Dylan. To be on tour with him was beyond fantasy for me. I was so awed to be at the gig, and I had a backstage pass, but just to make sure I experienced it in the way I wanted to do as a Bob Dylan fanatic, I bought tickets too and I sat in the front row and watched the gig. It was brilliant to be there. I remember being quite awed going onstage for the first time because we’d never really played to an audience that was that sort of analytical. They weren’t going to be standing up and pogoing up and down like they’d done when we played with U2 and Simple Minds and Big Country. Our reaction had always been very physical. This was the first tour we’d played where the audience were sitting down throughout the show. It changed us as a band. We started bringing out more of the folk element, which took us on to the Change album. I like do think he was coming on and we’d shaken the audience up a bit, appealed to their baser instincts.”

MAKING FRIENDS WITH DYLAN…

“We put an acoustic section in the set, and he started coming out to the side of the stage to watch us. I think he was digging it. He was enjoying the contrasts. I think he liked having these young bands. He started to become a bit intrigued by us. He probably thought we were like young pups with lots of enthusiasm. I got to know him. He liked to converse about the culture of Wales and to talk about poets he was aware of from Wales, the obvious one being Dylan Thomas. Because our tour was being run by the same people running Bob’s, we were all booked into the same hotel. It was quite a funky tour. It wasn’t what you’d imagine. He didn’t like staying in fancy hotels. He’s got an aversion to air conditioning. He prefers to stay in hotels where he can open the windows. There’s those classic 60s pictures of him diving into swimming pools – well, he was definitely in the swimming phase. We were often staying in those 1970s American motels that had the swimming pool outside and the little reception and the sort of rooms his vehicle could be driven up to so we could walk up to his room and no one would see him. We’d be swimming in the pool and the next minute he’d come out and dive in and do a few lengths and that’s where some of our conversations took place, just in the pool. He’s quite a secretive person and doesn’t really open up, but he’s a very pleasant man when you do have the time of day with him and when his guard is down a little bit. He became more relaxed with us. He was great, a really nice guy. He didn’t do soundchecks at that time. If he came in while we were playing, he’d come up on the side of the desk and have a look.”

DYLAN’S SECRECY…

“There was this guy Victor Malmudes who was just Bob’s mate. We never were quite sure what he did. One day Bob didn’t come down for his usual swim. Victor said, ‘He’s got a bit of a cold.’ The next day we were by the pool and Bob comes down for a swim and Nigel Twist [Alarm drummer] said, ‘How are you feeling today, Bob?’ He goes, ‘What do you mean?’ Twist said, ‘Victor said you had a cold.’ Bob said, ‘Did he?’ and that was it. He carried on swimming. That evening Victor was sent home off the tour for giving away personal information. He was banished for three days, and then he came back.”

ON THE ROAD…

“All sorts of people were coming to the shows. Jack Nicholson came to the Greek Theatre in LA. President Carter turned up at the gig in Atlanta. He was sat in the front of the gig. Behind him were all the executive people of Atlanta, and they all brought their dinner to the show. We [Alarm and Dylan camps] all got on fantastically well on the tour. It was a summer tour, most of the shows were outdoors and we were having barbeques and playing soccer in the field behind the stage, and I think Bob Dylan just enjoyed the carnival atmosphere we brought to proceedings. We did treat it as a holiday. It rubbed off on the crew and the people around him.”

SINGING ONSTAGE WITH DYLAN…

“One night Elliott comes into the dressing room before our show in Santa Barbara and said, ‘Bob wants you to come up onstage and play guitar on “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”.’ GE Smith, who was playing guitar for him on that tour, said to me, ‘Bob won’t introduce you, but you’ll hear the chords and that’s your cue to come onstage.’ I was stood at the side of the stage terrified. I heard the opening chords, walked out and then a couple of seconds later the drums have kicked in and there I am onstage. In the second verse Dylan calls me forward and asks me to take the second verse, pushing me forward – ‘Get on the microphone, start singing.’ Then he came on the microphone beside me and there I am cheek to cheek with Bob Dylan. It was pretty amazing duetting the song with him. It was a great climax to the show. The next night in San Diego, which was the last night for us, he said how much he’d really enjoyed having us and he said, ‘I really enjoyed singing with you last night. Why don’t you do “Heaven’s Door” with me tonight?’ GE said it was the same deal. I was stood in the wings waiting to come on and I thought, ‘This is something else – it’s in a minor key.’ And then he sang the first line and he’d totally rewritten the song, and it was in D minor. The first night I’d played it, it was the classic G, D, A minor, G, D, C. Now we’re playing D Minor, F and C, some really weird version that was almost unrecognisable. I think he likes to challenge everybody that he meets, to see whether you can stay with him or collapse under the pressure.”

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The Alarm in Edinburgh, Sat Nov 25th

To all those attending this Saturday's Alarm show at the Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh, please take note of the following information.

Have a great sellout show!

TV SMITH : 7.25pm-8.05
The Alarm:8.15pm-10.00pm
End/Strict curfew:10.00pm



MPO Team

Alarm Information Service

Tel:     011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax:    011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com 

MIKE PETERS on BBC Radio 5 today at 3pm on Simon Mayo show discussing the new Jo Strummer biography, Redemption Song.

Cancer declared war – I refused to surrender:Times Online
Peters the rock:IC Wales
Star Peters tells of cancer struggle:IC Wales

(Alarm fan, Doug Sparkes sent MPO the following email…)

Just a quick note to make sure you're aware of the Alarm name check in the the Ray Wylie Hubbard song Snake Farm.
He was in session on the Bob Harris show last night. Just in case you're not aware the lyrics to fourth verse are

Well Ramona likes the Shiner Rock Beer
And the band from England That's called The Alarm
She said she cried when they broke up
She still plays their records at the Snake Farm


Interestingly last night in the session version he sang 'the band from Wales that's called the Alarm'

I think it's the title track from his new album, you can hear it on line until next Thursday through the Bob Harris page on the BBC web site (click on listen again button)

Message from Alarm fan, Tom…

I stumbled upon a great little piece of podcasting on iTunes. On the newly posted Rhinocast music podcast on iTunes, there is an episode (#38) about our favorite band, The Alarm. It is done by Bob Lefsetz and based on that letter he wrote a few months back about The Alarm.

You can download the Rhinocast here:
http://www.rhino.com/RZine/rhinocasts/podcastkeeper.lasso?shownum=38

Mike and the boys take the stage at 9.40pm for a one hour performance.
The concert is free and takes place in front of the Museum and City Hall Lawn.
Other artists appearing over the weekend include Catatonia's Cerys Matthews.

"It's been a long time since I saw a band or artist for the first time and was utterly blown away. But that happened on Sunday.

I walked out of that tent yesterday after Mike Peters' set, feeling like I'd just been hit by a truck. Absolutely brilliant. I don't know what else to say
except that I had tears running down my face during Spirit of 76, and I'd never heard to song before. Oh and just to clarify - I was stone cold sober too!

At the end of the set, while we applauded wildly, my friend said, "Well, that knocks Ian McNabb into a cocked hat! Twice!" and she was right.
Thank you for knocking my socks off. I haven't been moved like that at a gig for a long time. "

Clair x -South Cheshire (New Alarm Fan).

The Alarm is being featured and prominently displayed on Wal-Mart.com/music with a Free Download of "Without A fight"

You can go see the page and download the free track at http://www.walmart.com/music

Check out this great interview with Mike Peters over at Babble And Beat

Click to read an IC Wales News Story about Mike Peters beating cancer…

The very popular Christian Rock band Audio Adrenaline has chosen The Alarm's "Blaze Of Glory" as one of two "new" songs on their final album, a best-of collection named "Adios".

You can hear a short bit of the song at the band's website, http://www.audioa.com/default.aspx.
To hear the song, you must click on the down arrow on the audio player in the upper left-hand corner of the site, and find track #12 "Blaze Of Glory"

For those people interested in such things, "Blaze Of Glory" was one of a very few Alarm songs that were written as a collaboration between Mike Peters, Eddie MacDonald and Dave Sharp. "The Stand" and "The Chant" examples other songs written this way.

"Live with Regis & Kelly" - the big syndicated US morning breakfast chat show - usually airs 9-10AM in most US markets - has a summer feature called "Rescue Me" makeovers. And when they introduce the segment, they air 5 seconds of the chorus of a copycat version (with another vocalist) of The Alarm's "Rescue Me."
http://tvplex.go.com/buenavista/regisandkelly/ - look in the upper right hand corner

Mike Peters on Talk Sport in the morning

Mike Peters will be interviewed tomorrow morning (Tuesday) on TALK SPORT ON AIR at 8.15am WITH ALAN BRAZIL

2006 is the 25th Anniversary of the release of The Alarm's first single, the
double A-side Up For Murder / Unsafe Building.

To mark this event, Dave Sharp, presents a unique souvenir piece which would
enhance the home of any Alarm fan.

Unsafe Building/Up For Murder was The Alarm's first independent single,
released on their own 'White Cross' record label. It was recorded at Pluto
Studios, Manchester before the band moved to London in the early 1980's.

Many of the 1000 copies were distributed to record companies and the press,
bringing the band to the attention of John Peel and was reviewed in Zig-Zag
magazine by Mick Mercer, gaining the band some much needed profile at the
outset of their career.

The rest of the singles were sold at The Alarm's early gigs at venues around
England, Scotland and Wales. These days, copies of the original single are
much sought after collectors items, the 'holy grail' for Alarm fans, and
exchange hands for hundreds of pounds. Even bootleg copies that appeared
after the band gained international popularity after 1983 fetch more than
most Alarm singles.

The sleeve for the single was specially designed by a close friend of the
band, Simon Shaw, who was an undergraduate art student at the St Martins
College of Art. Simon originated an illustration loosely based on Picasso's
'The Gurneka' which included impressions of the four band members. Both the
disc itself and sleeve were assembled at the band's legendary Emu Road flat
in Battersea, London by the band members themselves.

>From the original print run of the Unsafe Building/Up For Murder record
sleeves, there was an over-run of sleeves. Packed away & forgotten for many
years, Dave Sharp has recently unearthed the left over sleeves and designed
around them what has been described by some fans as "the classiest piece of
Alarm memorabilia ever".
----------------------------------------------------------
----
The original Unsafe Building / Up For Murder single cover is presented
professionally mounted in behind glass in a stylish & high quality black ash
frame.

Mounted with the cover are the lyrics to Up For Murder, hand written and
autographed by Dave Sharp himself, making each piece unique.
Each presentation frame in this limited edition issue is individually
numbered.
----------------------------------------------------------
----
The Unsafe Building / Up For Murder 25th Anniversary Presentation Frame is
available to order at a cost of £48 plus £10 to cover postage, packing &
insurance (to UK addresses).

Due to the weight and fragile nature of each glass framed piece,
unfortunately secure shipping to addresses outside of the United Kingdom is
extremely expensive. Dave appreciates that fans from overseas will not wish
to miss out on the opportunity to own this unique piece. If you are outside
the UK, please contact store@davesharp.org to register your interest,
obtain a personnel delivery quote and/or discuss alternative delivery
options (e.g. frame held for personnel collection at a future date).

To order your own copy of this very special item visit Http://www.davesharp.org.Payment can be made by credit/debit card, Paypal or cheque/postal order.

DEAD MEN WALKING
OCTOBER 2006

Wednesday 4 Liverpool Carling Academy 0870 771 2000

Thursday 5 Bristol Fleece and Firkin 0117 9299 088

Friday 6 Edmonton Millfield Arts Centre 020 88076680

Saturday 7 London Islington Academy 0870 771 2000

Sunday 8 Norwich Waterfront 01603 508050

Monday 9 Hereford Courtyard 0870 11 22 330


Wednesday 11 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 02392863911


Thursday 12 Wolverhampton Robin2 01902 401 211

Friday 13 Accrington Town Hall 01254 380 293

Saturday 14 Manchester Academy III 0161 832 1111

Sunday 15 Nuneaton Crew Queens Hall 02476 347 402

Tuesday 17 Leeds City Varieties Music Hall 0113 2430808

Wednesday 18 Glasgow King Tutts Wah Wah Hut 0870 1690 100

Thursday 19 Warrington Parr Hall 01925 442 345

Friday 20 Darwen Library Theatre 01254 706 006

Saturday 21 Whitehaven Civic Centre 01946852821

Sunday 22 Croydon The Ashcroft Theatre 0208 688 9291

Tuesday 24 Cardiff St Davids Hall 029 2087 8444

Weds 25 Worksop The Circle 01909 474458

Noon ET
Mike Peters and the newly revived Alarm stop by XM 44 Fred in New York City for a very special Surface Noise, with host Bill Kates. Hear fresh, exclusive acoustic versions of the best of The Alarm, brand new Alarm music from their most recent album Under Attack, and some deep Fred favorites hand picked by the band just for Fred on 44.

Fred XM 44

Alarmcast 4 Now Available
You can see it here http://www.thealarm.com

Alarmcast Special Request For The Wickerman Festival

If you are thinking of going to the Wickerman Festival in Scotland this weekend could you take a video camera along with you and shoot the Alarm MMVI set. If you can, could you then send the tapes into MPO, P.O. Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL18 9YR as soon as possible after the show.

We are going to try and put together a film of the concert from a fans point of view and if we can get as many video tapes from your perspective we thought it might make a very interesting view of the band and we could show it next week on www.thealarm.com

If you can get along and film the set it would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

MPO Team

P.S. We haven't cleared this with the festival yet but I'm sure it will be O.K. just don't be too obvious... you know what I mean!!!!



Mike Peters Answers Alarmcast Queations

Mike has answers a bunch of questions from the Alarmcast Bulletin Board. You can read them here: http://thealarm.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3541091691/m/6691069791

Hello Everybody,

In the history of rock and roll disasters, this one isn't the worst, but on a scale of one to ten it's pretty high up there. Today we have been forced to withdraw the 'Raindown' single from general release. Please do not attempt to buy 'Raindown' by The Alarm MMVI at the iTunes store.

Somewhere along the line, there has been an almighty cock up at iTunes and anyone who purchases the single actually gets delivered the Placebo track 'Infra-red' by mistake. Ironically, the Placebo track contains the lyric "Someone call the ambulance, there's going to be an accident", Apt or what!!!!

Obviously, this is not good and we can only offer our sincere apologies to everyone affected by this. We are currently trying to get to the bottom of the problem and EMI have informed us that this may take "weeks rather than days" to resolve. We are therefore advising all Alarm fans not to visit the iTunes music store with the intention of buying 'Raindown' at this point in time.

Alarm bells first started ringing as early as 7.00 a.m. BST yesterday when Alarm fan Keith Clark alerted us to the problem in the first place. At first we thought this would be a problem that could and should be resolvable within minutes. You can imagine our surprise when we found out otherwise. Keith did contact iTunes directly only to receive a generic reply with the offer of a credit to buy any other song by any other artist in the iTunes store.

As you will have already seen on www.thealarm.com Mike has been hosting the Alarmcast week in support of the single and we are pleased to announce that the Alarmcast broadcasts will be going ahead as usual. Mike Peters is currently in discussion with EMI about the possibility of making a version of 'Raindown' available as a free download from www.thealarm.com.

Mike and the crew have been working on Alarmcast all day (following on from his eventful trip to London last night to appear on the Tom Robinson show!). The webcast may run slightly behind schedule this evening due to the chaotic events of the day so please bear with Mike and the team.

Once again, sincere apologies to anyone affected by all of this and we hope that you all stay tuned to www.thealarm.com for further developments. Looking at the amount of hits to the webcast last night, it seems that you are all as excited as we are about the digital future at www.thealarm.com

Yours sincerely,

MPO Team

While you are waiting for the Alarmcast, there is more to listen to today!

Mike Peters has a very busy Raindown schedule. Not only does his first Raindown webcast air today but Mike is also live on air in London this evening on BBC Radio 6's Tom Robinson's Evening.

The producers of the show have informed us that Mike will be performing live:

On air 8 - 8.30pm this evening

Here is a link to the show for the website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinson/

Happy listening and enjoy the webcast - a taste of things to come!


Best wishes,


MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

UNDER ATTACK is the VH1Classic News Flash segment today!! They inform the US market they can buy the new release as a domestic and save from expensive imports. They talk about the great show at the Bowery this week, and the fact Mike is beating his "10 year" fight with leukemia. Also, they mention 'average Joe's in the Midwest will probably see The Alarm this year as a 'massive US tour' will soon be announced.

A review ofd The Alarm @ Manchester Academy, 24.06.06 is now up here:

http://www.link2wales.co.uk/gig06/alarm.htm

Hello Everyone,

This is the letter I have been wanting? to write to you all since I was diagnosed with Leukaemia (CLL) last December 8th 2005. After an incredible six months, I am now in a position to share with you the news that I am in complete remission.

As some of you may already be aware, I was able to release this news publicly? during the Manchester Academy concert. The reaction to the news was and has been overwhelming. Obviously, I wanted to post this news on the website a.s.a.p. but held back for a few days because of other 'siginificant' news that I will share with you later in this letter!!!

I did have a good idea that remission was coming while I was in the USA for the Joey Ramone Lymphoma Research Benefit Concert last month, but was unable to go public because I was waiting on the results of a bone marrow biopsy to be confirmed by the All Wales Lymphoma Board. This confirmation came through last week.

In the words of my Haemotologist Dr. Edwards, I had the "worst blood diagnosis he had ever seen", when he first looked at me in December with a white blood count of over 500,000. Now, he says I have "the best blood result he has ever achieved in a cancer patient", with a very normal white blood count of 7.5.!!!

I have to put this amazing recovery down to the skill of Dr. Edwards and his prescription of exactly the right drug / chemotherapy regime for me as an individual and the complete love and support of my wife Jules, who designed and supervised an amazing change of diet for me that has also played a huge part in my recovery. I was also encouraged and inspired by the thoughts and affection of fans from all over the globe who kept in almost daily contact via emails with messages of support, goodwill, advice and hope.

Of course, I am hoping that this will be the end of Leukaemia for me and my family but although I am now in remission, I cannot say that I have been cured. The history of this disease says that it will come back. Only last week in the days leading up to the Manchester show, I was in hospital having a Stem Cell Harvest as a safeguard for the future just in case the disease returns and I build up a resistance to the Rituximab / Cyclophosphomide drugs that have worked so well for me this time. Over the next few months my brother and sister will be having their blood typed just in case I need to have a Stem Cell Transplant from a donor and who knows, at some point in the future I may need to look for a donor from outside of my immediate family......

From now on, I will be working to maintain my remission for as long as possible, hopefully forever. To do that, I am going to have to protect my health as a first priority and although there will be more shows and new music I am going to have to be selective about the work I undertake. I think I have shown throughout the last six months how important my music is to me and I believe it has also played a significant part in my recovery. The 'Saturday Gigs' gave me a focus while I was undergoing chemotherapy and each of them was memorable for a variety of reasons. As a result we are all set to continue the theme and in the coming days more shows for the remainder of the year will be announced via www.thealarm.com?? ?

When I wrote that initial letter to you all back in December I honestly did not know how things would turn out. Of course I was hopeful / positive that things would turn out well in the end, but not even I could have dreamt up a better 'happy ending' than this. Last night, Jules and I had it confirmed that we are expecting a new baby to arrive in January 2007.

On Wednesday July 12th, don't miss out on joining The Alarm at Virgin Records Union Square at 1pm for an intimate acoustic performance

Visit The Alarm's page and watch the video for "Raindown". Share it with your friends, and get the word out!

The Alarm on YouTube.com

News From Uber Alarm Fan Lily:

Based on the #1Position of Superchannel on Reddragon365.com the guys over there are running a contest through through Amazon.com to give away 5 copies of Under Attack.

They will also be featuring the Alarm for the month of July on the station.
Please see details on link below.
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=41133562&blogID=139835351&MyToken=0fcacd75-5bba-41d6-a476-2d01d121934b

Cardiff Big Weekend


Information: 029 2087 2087
Two days and three nights of rock, pop and entertainment to round off the Cardiff Festival. Featuring The Alarm, Cerys Matthews, The Automatic, Katrina and the Waves, Kubb, Paul Young, Stereo MCs and more.
City Hall Lawn, Cathays Park, Cardiff
dates: Friday 4th August - Sunday 6th August
times: Fri 7-11pm; Sat-Sun 1-11pm • cost: Free

This year the Big Weekend has strong Welsh Connections starting on Friday with The Alarm headlining along with Katrina Leskanich (formerly of Katrina and The Waves) and The Selecter. On Saturday Kubb headline with local NME favourites The Automatic alongside The Infadels and Crimea. Sunday features an eclectic musical mix with TexMex band Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young, driving Transylvanian rhythms from Mukka and the whole weekend will be topped off in style by the fabulous Cerys Matthews.

This week, Mike Peters is joined in the studio by Dead Men Walking to continue work on a brand new album. Next Saturday, a one off special concert will culminate a week of recording. Expect a full UK tour later this year!

Featuring Mike Peters, Slim Jim Phantom, Kirk Brandon, and Captain Sensible
"A One Off Special"
SATURDAY 8TH JULY 2006
THE MARRS BAR
2 Pierpoint Street,
Worcester, WR1 1TA
01905 613336 - www.marrsbar.co.uk
Doors 8pm
£13adv - £15 door
www.deadmenwalking.co.uk
www.myspace.com/deadmenwalkinguk




MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Thanks for another good night - manchester - i saw you in brum aswell. I brought my son and his friend this time it was their first ever gig they loved it .They are both 12. Glad to hear the good news i must admite i had a tear in my eye when you told us the news. B fraser


Had to e-mail to say how fantastic it was in Manchester last night...and hearing the great news from the man himself!!! I filled up when Mike said he was in remision and I am sure I was not alone.
There was an unbelievable buzz last night and it was created immediately by the energy coming from the band and especially Mike...it really was like old times,as Dave S rightly said.
I could almost have been back at The International on Plymouth Grove! The Acadamy was absolutely packed and not just people out for a Saturday night but true Alarm fans...fantastic!
My only reservation is that Mike looked about 20 years younger than me and i'm 40!!!! Thanks for a top night...one of the best Alarm gigs ever.
See you soon Tim


Hey all,FANTASTIC gig last night,loved every minute of it and so did all the friends i took,more fans for The Alarm family!!!Great crowd and i can just about speak today,you cant put a price on nights like those!! Hope maybe theres a Leeds gig for the next group of Saturday gigs or somewhere close by then i can bring some more friends as for me will be there wherever it is!! Mike looked great and its great news that the illness is in full remission -Mick

The Gig was BLOODY AWESOME, there was definately something buzzing in the crowd you could feel it as soon as we arrived. The Band were brilliant and the New album just sounds better and better every time I here it live and there was a great blend of old and new on the song list. Great to see Sharpy as well. Quite simply once again thankyou all in the MPO for making a great night, in years to come when people say "how do you know that gig in Manchester on the 24/06/06 was so good?" I can reply " I know because I was there" D. Spragg

Hi all at MPO Just a quick note about the Saturday show. Not sure how many times I have seen original alarm, MP solo, new alarm over the years.............probably 70 plus by a rough count. Saturday was honestly one of the best. Took four friends along, three who had never seen the alarm before. All thought the show was awesome and were struck by the energy that MP put in to the show. Nice to see Mr Sharp looking so healthy as well which was a bonus.


Dear all, Thanks for sorting the ticket out, as usual a fantastic night, well worth the road trip, Brilliant News from Mike, to see him so well compared to February in Cardiff, is just amazing,
He is a truly inspirational and courageous human being.... This Band just gets better and better, a brilliant Gig, definitely the best of the tour....Roll on the next set of dates, I'm already excited about Cardiff and Chepstow.....Thanks Again Simon


Hi I,ve been an Alarm fan since "Declaration" but had never seen them live.That was until Saturday night at the Manchester Academy ,WOW! was it worth the wait ,what a gig. What I'm asking is how can I get hold of a t-shirt for the current tour ? We were in a bit of a rush on the night so didn't get chance to buy one on the way out. many thanks K Webster


Just wanted to say what absolutely fabulous news it was to hear Mike say on Saturday he was in remission.
It’s staggering and honestly incredibly inspirational for us ‘mere mortals’ the way he has fought this fight. As you could hear on Saturday the raw from the fans was awesome in response. As for the gig itself…well where to start. The best ever …. Really I think it was that good – The Lomax in 2000 was damn pretty good – I recall Mike saying how fans thought at the time it was the best since the ‘old days’ but hey Saturday was just incredible. I think as time passes Saturdays gig will go down in peoples minds as THE Alarm gig ‘hey and I was there!’ Please pass on my sincere thanks to Mike (and the band!) – I hope he gets to read this. Best Regards, Steve.


We went to your manchester gig on saturday, thank you for a fantastic night.one of the best weve had in years.glad everything has turn out well for you. good luck for the future you really deserve it.any chance of a signed photograph it alright if you cant, but if you can it for angie. once again thank you and good luck


I went to the Manchester gig with my dad. I've been bugging him for ages to let me come and I finally went and it was the best concert i've ever been to. I was sitting on the stage at the front and I got a plectrum, a card that Mike through during Where Were You Hiding and I actually got to touch him. I'm now bugging my dad to take me again!!!
Leah - Chesterfield


MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

To support the July 17th release of the "Raindown" single on iTunes, and just in time for the American Independence Day on July 4th, www.thealarm.com brings you the latest in our series of interactive games based on the work of The Alarm. This newest entry is named “Raindown Fireworks Show”. It’s an “interactive toy” designed to be played, enjoyed and emailed the friends so that they can see the fireworks, and also hear the new song by The Alarm.

Why “Raindown” and why “Fireworks”. Well, I have had this fireworks simulation kicking around for about 2 years, but I wanted something really solid to attach it to. In the past I was sure the “Fireworks” would be accompanied by “Spirt Of ‘76” or “Blaze Of Glory”. However, since the point of these types of “viral” internet activities is to get new people to hear/see new stuff, I thought I should find a new song to attach to it. Curiously, the only new song that had anything even remotely to do with fireworks was “Raindown”, and that was only if you thought of the “showers of sparks” raining down on you. I know, it’s a stretch, but it’s the best I’ve got.

So, why not try it now here:
http://www.thealarm.com/games/raindown_fireworks/raindown_fireworks.asp

It’s pretty easy to control. It’s more like a simulation than a game. When you first start, the fireworks are set on automatic. By pressing the [Spacebar] you can bring-up the control panel. This will allows you to change the amount of fireworks, color mix, height, launch fireworks manually (by clicking the weird little arrow buttons under the launch pads ), toggle the automatic fireworks on and off, and toggle the music on and off for better performance.

Also available are desktop versions that can be installed on a PC or Mac. These allow for full-screen display. You can download these here:

PC: PC Version
Mac:Mac Version

There is no installer. It’s just one file. Unzip it and run it from the pace you unzip it.

By the way, I don’t have a Mac, so I have not tested the Mac version yet. If anyone has one and can test it, please tell me how it works. Feel free to send any other comments, and especially suggestions of ways to use this program in the future, or other ideas for fun internet games and activities that are based on the music of The Alarm.

Have fun,

Steve Fulton
Web Master, http://www.thealarm.com
Email stevefulton@adelphia.net

The Western Mail from 23rd June.
(From "Singled Out" as the best of the 3 singles reviewed & given 3 stars)
"Taken from The Alarm's excellent new album Under Attack, Raindown is driven by spiky and very current sounding electric guitar riffs that give way to Mike Peters' impassioned voice and a chorus that's both anthemic and rich in harmony."

Where do our values come from? Are they taught or caught? Do the values and beliefs we have at seven carry through to adulthood? Phil George talks to people from all walks of Welsh life about how they developed their values, whether they have changed, and how they have influenced the way they live their life.


In the last series, Phil George spoke to a range of people in Welsh life, including, Leo Abse, MP for Pontypool; Matthew Rhys, actor and Robert Croft, cricketer.

To listen to Mike Peters' interview live, key in http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales and tune in accordingly. If you miss it live and want to hear it after its last repeat then? go to the same web page and log on to the box at the bottom which says listen again and select it by the programme title Value Judgements.? The dates of Mike Peters' live transmission are as follows

Friday 30th June 9.30pm
Sunday 2nd July 12.30pm (lunchtime)
Monday 3rd July 6.30pm.

Everyone knows what a gig is like, right.

A few crowd pleasers at the beginning (you know, a couple of hits that made the charts). An acoustic bit in the middle where the drummer can stick his hands in liquid nitrogen to cool down for a bit (and for the guitarist to readjust his mullet). Then throw in a couple of new ones that no-one is bothered about, and gives them time to nip off to the bar as well. Probably costs £20 (and the rest) and you go home thinking it was a pretty good night out.

Well, that might be the case on planet earth, but tonight, the Academy 2 in Manchester is transported to another galaxy, because this gig broke all the rules of gigging.

£15. A result in itself.

Missed the first support act. Not a surprise (sorry first support act), but we were in the Las O’Gowrie downing a pint of their finest.

We make the venue in time for The Salford Jets who in my eyes were a good booking, I used to be a fan in the early eighties, and they played all the songs I remember, Gina, Looking at The Squares, Who You Looking At. Don’t think there were too many Jets fans in tonight, but Alarm fans being a decent sort, gave them a favourable reception. Good on ya Sweeney.

As the stage was reset for The Alarm, the fans started pouring in from the various bars in the university and a hint of expectation rippled throughout the venue. This was good turnout, the best Manchester turnout for many a year. As soon as the lights dimmed the tension racked up two or three notches and didn’t loosen for the next two hours.

The set opened with Superchannel and Absolute Reality. I’m tempted to say new and old sat side by side comfortably, but it was even more seamless than that. There is a seam of talent running through the Alarm 2006 which the band mine with gusto and the resulting outpouring of rock ‘n’ roll leaves me thinking they could have done 2 hours of Postman Pat’s greatest hits and still gone down a storm.

Mike then dropped a big bomb by announcing he was in remission from his Leukaemia which had we been seated would have prompted a standing ovation. As it was, it was one of the few times Mike couldn’t get a word in. It would be real easy to make some cheesy sentimental mush out of that fact and milk it till you can’t punch the air any longer, but in the case of MP you just know that the fans are part of his treatment (yeah, OK it is a bit mushy) and tonight was another dose of Alarmotherapy. Enough of the mush.

The band careered relentlessly through…

Superchannel
Absolute Reality
Without A Fight
Where were you hiding...
Somethings Gotta Give
Right Back...
I Never Left
Raindown
Coming Home
Its Alright-Its Ok
Rain in the Summertime
This is the Way We Are
Deeside
Be Still
Sold Me Down The River
Cease And Desist
Drunk And Disorderly
My Town
Rescue Me
45 RPM
68 Guns
Unsafe Building
Spirit of '76
Marching On
Blaze of Glory


As if it couldn’t get any better (and like we didn’t know that Sharpy was going to pop into a local Alarm gig), Dave Sharp joined the band for Marching and Blaze.

Nice moment. But it says something about The Alarm today that although the Nostalgia was like a Mars Bar after 5 minutes in the oven, ‘soft and warm’, he didn’t actually bring anything to the gig other than that (he should have been the support act).

Anyway, what was I saying about what you expect gigs to be like.

Stuff the convention, none of the safe stuff tonight.

The band didn’t let up for a moment. All credit to the Manchester crowd, there wasn’t a song they didn’t know every word of. New or old, each song was greeted with equal gusto.

The band tore up the gig rulebook and jammed 140 minutes with pure adrenalin filled, full on, no prisoners, nail it to the floor, jam it in yer ear, relentless, raw, 100% authentic Rock ‘n Roll.

If you haven’t been to an Alarm gig, you haven’t been to a proper gig.

Beer. The Alarm. What could possibly make a better night? Ah yes, a kebab on the way home!

Andy Labrow.

For all of you attending this Saturday's show in Manchester, be warned it's going to be a packed out house!
Here is the schedule:
Doors:7.30pm
Support 1 (Acoustic): Darren Poyzer: 7.50 - 8.10pm
Support 2 Salford Jets: 8.15pm - 8.45pm
The Alarm MMVI: 9.00pm
Curfew: 11pm

Have a great show!

MPO Team
Alarm Information Service
Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571
Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577
Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk
www.thealarm.com
PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Podcast

Superchannel was featured on this week's The Trip Wire podcast. Visit the link to give it a listen. It comes at the very end of the show.

College Radio

We also received the following reports from College Radio playing tracks from "Under Attack"

Click on the link below and read journalist Mick Mercer's breathtakingly detailed and honest reviews of the history of Mike Peters and The Alarm:
Makes fantastic reading...

http://www.mickmercer.com/themick.html

Alarm songs from Under Attack beginning to pop up on various US radio stations... please email MPO (mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk with your listenings...

KROQ, Lo\s Angeles
4 New Songs From "Under Attack" were played on the Rodney On To Roq show, on June 11. The 4 songs were:

It's All Right, It's OK
Be Still
Cease And Decist
Something's Got To Give

X103 Indianapolis
Alarm songs to be played the week of 6/18

(Posted by: "Jay Montgomery")

Check out Dave Dugan on X103 if you are in Indianapolis, Sunday morning nine to noon (eastern). Or listen on the web at X103.com if you're not. Last week he said that he would be featuring the new Alarm album this week (6-18). It is a good show for fans of music other than Slipknot and Disturbed (which is what the station plays the rest of the time). Check out the X103.com web site and follow the DJ links to Dave Dugan and/or Hangover Cafe to see some of his past playlists. Or e-mail ddugan@wrzx.com and get your Alarm requests in - he actually plays them.

From Rolling Stone Online (June 14th, 2006)

The Alarm End Fifteen-Year Hiatus

Ending a fifteen-year hiatus, U.K. post-punks the ALARM drop their new album stateside on June 13th and perform a one-off gig on July 12th at New York's Bowery Ballroom. The band hopes to embark on a full U.S. tour in support of Under Attack -- which refers in part to frontman MIKE PETERS' decade-long battle with leukemia -- after his final chemo session this month.

Vidocity has a really great video of Mike Peters and the band playing live on Q104 FM. You can check it out here:
http://vidocity.com/player.asp?ID=270

Uptown Magazine
The Alarm has been around for more than two decades. Second, on this alb these guys serve up an enjoyable, slab of uplifting rock ’n’ roll that could be compared to the work of many great artists…(B+)
more…

Youth Ink
“Under Attack,” their newest release, is yet another achievement for the veteran rock band. It’s beautifully presented and as fresh and lively as their first. Each of the band’s past albums have been phenomenal hits. “Under Attack” is no exception!... (5 Stars)
more…


Babble And Beat
The Alarm's new album, 'Under Attack' will be released in the U.S. on June 13th. Hallelujah! Their new single, 'Be Still' is just one small example, of countless examples, that this band still "has-it"! You can listen to the full song on their website. In case you need a refresher course, we've listed some of the best-known Alarm songs:
'Sixty Eight Guns', 'Rain In The Summertime', Spirit Of '76', 'Sold Me Down The River, 'Blaze Of Glory', 'Strength', and 'The Stand'-Stacy's personal favorite.

Lincoln Today
As usual, the album swells with national pride while tracks like Without a Fight and Few and Far Between are made even more poignant by Peters' current battle with cancer. Great stuff….
more...

Well, reports from USA fans trying to find the new Alarm album "Under Attack" at stores across the USA have been spotty on day 1 of the release. You can read all of the first day reports here: http://thealarm.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2411014361/m/1471038981 (add your own if you would like), however, the gist of them all is as follows:

1. The album seems to be "in the system" of Tower, Best Buy, and Barnes And Noble, but is not in every store.
2. Big retailers like Target, Wal-Mark, etc. do not have it (not surprising at all).
3. Prices range from $13.99-$19.99
4. Most stores have less than 5 copies.

Some tips for finding the album:

1. Search for the album under "The Alarm", "Alarm MMVI" and "The Alarm MMVI"
2. Ask someone at the store. Many people (including myself) had to ask someone who founf the album in box that had not yet been shelved.
3. It might be easier to ask for the album by the title "Under Attack" than the band name.

The album itself sounds awesome. As well as the 13 original videos (one for each song), the DVD included in every CD is very good. It contains "Superchannel SE", which is a really great new video for "Superchannel". It's one of the best Alarm-rlated videos in at least 16 years. It also contains a short documentary about the creation of the videos.

The new album by The Alarm MMV, "Under Attack", will be released today in the USA.
We'd like to know where you found it, and how you liked it.
Please visit the forums and tell us all about it!

http://thealarm.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2411014361/m/1471038981

To read the Music Connection Artist Profile of The Alarm, go here:
http://www.musicconnection.com/currentissue/artistprofile1/artistprofile1.lcgi

To read an excellent review of the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, go here:
http://www.popmatters.com/music/concerts/r/ramone-joey-bday-060519.shtml

The Alarm MMVI release Under Attack in the USA this Tuesday 13th of June 2006 on Eleven Thirty Records.?

Prior to Tuesday's release, THE ALARM'S "SUPERCHANNEL" had it's USA debut ON THE NYC AIRWAVE AT 9:00 PM. Those who tuned in to Q104.3 (NYC) this Sunday at 9:00 PM to heard "Superchannel", the first single from The Alarm's "Under Attack" CD, when it was featured on the immensely popular, Jonathan Clarke's "Out of the Box" Radio Show. Listeners also got a chance to win tickets to The Alarm's triumphant return to NYC, for their July 12th Concert at The legendary Bowery Ballroom.

The "Under Attack" CD/DVD on Eleven Thirty Records will be in stores on Tuesday, June 13th.

'Superchannel' was also feature in Little Steven's Underground Garage this weekend.

The USA version of 'Under Attack' will be released in a double CD / DVD format and feature thirteen brand new tracks as well as a full colour 12 page booklet with?complete lyrics. The DVD contains videos for all thirteen tracks and also features an exclusive to the USA on location documentary with the band including?footage of the making of the videos. The DVD also features a special edition video edit of 'Superchannel'.

Read A cool interview with Mike Peters @
http://www.swizzle-stick.com

This Sunday night at 9PM on New York City's Q1043 (104.3 FM in NYC and streamed via q1043.com), it's "Out Of The Box", New York's top-rated new music show, hosted by Jonathan Clarke, featuring the best in new music and local undiscovered artists.

This Sunday night at 9, The Alarm will join me live in the studio to play live, with your shots at tickets to their July 12th Bowery Ballroom show and free copies of their new album. Cheap trick’s new album, Rockford, will also be featured with your free copies and tickets to see them live at Liberty Jam June 25th. Plus, your shots at tickets to see Widespread Panic this coming Tuesday night at Irving Plaza and free copies of their new album too.

The Complete Out Of the Box Playlist for 6/11/06

Cheap Trick-“Perfect Stranger”, “O’Claire”, “This Time You Got It” and “Give It Away”-Big3

The Alarm-some live songs and “Superchannel”-Eleven Thirty/Redeye

The Flaming Lips-“The W.A.N.D.”-WB

Theo Eastwind-“Set-up”-Undiscovered NYC Subway artist

The IO’s-“Neveright”-Undiscovered Gowanus, Brooklyn band

Riverboat Gamblers-“Don’t Bury Me…I’m Still Not Dead”-East West/Volcom

Widespread Panic-“Solid Rock”-Sanctuary



To Podcast some cool Out Of The Box interviews, go here:

http://www.q1043.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=outofthebox.xml

The Main Out Of The Box site is here:

http://www.q1043.com/pages/outofbox/index.html

The Alarm MMVI return to New York City on July 12th to play the Bowery Ballroom

James Stevenson plays guitar on three tracks on Scott Walker's new album The Drift. The album was produced by Peter Walsh who mixed Without A Fight and Something's Got To Give on Under Attack.

THE SATURDAY GIGS

THE ALARM MMVI AT BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY

WHAT THE FANS SAY...

Click on Photo to read review.

If you visit the online radio station Red Dragon 365 you can see that "Superchannel" by The Alarm is #3 on their chart (voted on by listeners). You can see the chart here:
http://www.redragon365.com/RedragonChart.html.

(reported by MPO Member, Tim Leonard)

Press Conference
On Friday May 19th, Mike Peters attended the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash Press Conference, prior to the concert that night. Alarm fan and MPO member, Tim Leonard was there to capture the moment.

From Joey?Ramone?s?brother:

"Mike has been going through a similar ordeal as my brother went through. It?s kind of fitting that he?s here helping us out and helping everybody else out."

Mike addressing the assembled media"
"I wanted to be here because Joey meant a lot to me as a musician and a performer. I actually saw him play in 1977 at Erics in?Liverpool. It was a life-changing experience for a young guy from Wales to see the Sex Pistols in 76 and the Ramones in 77. You had to be there in that era, but it was amazing.

I wanted to apologize to Joey for actually spitting on him in 1977. That?s why I came all this way.

Also, in the same year as Joey in 1995, I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I was lucky enough to fight off the cancer then. I went into remission not long after, by the grace of God. Recently, in December, I was back in hospital and diagnosed with leukemia.

I remember being in hospital the first day and listening to the IPod and The Ramones came on and that gave me a lot of inspiration to stay alive. I?m here and I?ve got the clearance from doctors to come out. I just had my sixth round of chemo two weeks ago, but I wanted to be here really bad and help out the family and do something for lymphoma. I?m looking forward to playing tonight for all you people and playing for Joey and the memory of the Ramones. Thank you."

The Interview

Tim Leonard: How did it happen that you wound up here for this show? Did you reach out to them or did they reach out to you because of the news about your recent diagnosis?

Mike Peters: We were on tour in the UK last time. We had an acoustic tour that I couldn?t get out of, actually, last April or May so we couldn?t do it. So we said if we had the chance to come next year that would be great. So we kept a dialogue going and then ? irony of ironies ? I got diagnosed with leukemia in December. Mickey called our agent and asked if we?re still able to come and play. They said they?d keep a slot open, no matter what. So I was able to come and play, which is something I felt very strongly I wanted to do.

TL: How do you compare this episode with 10 years ago?
MP: The main difference is I was so far gone with it, the diagnosis. I obviously had to have treatment immediately. I couldn?t get out of it like last time (chuckles). And I had no tour booked for the next day, no America to escape to. I could tell things were heavy just by the looks on everybody?s faces. I couldn?t get out of treatment this time. My life was at risk, basically.

My doctor couldn?t believe I?d walked in to see him. They told me that if I?d carried on much longer my brain would have stopped working, my blood would have stopped circulating. I was in danger of thrombosa. The next day I was in treatment.

TL: You just said you?ve completed your sixth round of chemotherapy. How does that affect you and how are you still able to perform?
MP: Two things, really. A. I?ve always stayed healthy. I decided not to cancel anything until I saw how the chemo reacted on me. At first I was advised to shave my hair and all that kind of stuff to get ready. I just thought ?Well, I?ll do that when things happen.? I thought maybe I could be one of the lucky people that the chemo doesn?t affect too much and I am one of those. I kept my hair, kept my body shape. It hasn?t made me bed-bound or anything like that.

[B.] I do realize that chemo, it does affect my voice. I was only able to play one show a month. As soon as I?d have the chemo, I?d have to start reconstructing my voice to play once a month. So I?d have to go and sing every day and rebuild it because I?d lose my voice very quickly from the chemo because it strips the lining of your throat.

The doctor didn?t know it was going to do that, but I found out the first evening. Not that many people go singing off chemotherapy, if any.

TL: From being at The Gathering in January and seeing what an emotional time that was, does being here compare to that day?
MP: This is my first experience just stepping here, but it feels like The Gathering. It feels like The Gathering event, especially when you hear this is the event where Ramones fans come from all over the world. I?ve heard that said somewhere before in relation to The Alarm and The Gathering. (Smiling)

I?m reminded seeing Joey?s Mom, just like when my Mom stands in The Gathering. The difference is I?m still alive and the band will appear. This is a festival of The Ramones, but without The Ramones. That?s where it differs from The Gathering. Hopefully, The Gathering will continue when I?m not on this planet anymore and The Gathering will continue in the same way. Somebody from the family will be organizing it and fans will come to pay tribute to The Alarm. That?s what you hope.

TL: Talk about the album. I know you didn?t want to release it in the States until you were healthy enough to support it. Is it almost like doing it all over again?
MP: We really believe in this record. We wanted to give it as good a send-off as we could. I knew that since I was diagnosed, my workload would be limited. I?m really glad that it?s been a staged release because this record?s been gathering momentum every week. It comes out in America soon. That will help it keep going in the UK. It?s just come out in Germany and it?s doing really well there. This is a record that?s had the best reviews we?ve ever had for a record, so we want to keep it going for quite some time.

TL: What was it that inspired you with this album? There are some songs that are ?traditional Alarm? and others that branch out.
MP: We wanted to utilize the energy of the band today, instead of like in traditional Alarm albums where I finished all the songs and the lyrics before the band had seen or heard them. This time I just went in with beginnings of ideas and then allowed everyone to join in and help shape and finish the work. Lyrically, I was writing lyrics on top of the music we were creating. Sometimes you can write a song only to start, but you?re not sure how fast or slow it will be until you start playing it with a band. Sometimes, you have a lyric that was maybe set to a slower song that comes out faster when you play it with a band. This time I was writing lyrics once I knew where the music was going to be and I was building the songs up from words that came out within the rehearsal room and making sense of them.

This album is the first Alarm album ever that doesn?t have a title song on the record. The title of the album came out from just an instinctive thing. I didn?t know why it was going to be called ?Under Attack,? but it felt like it was the right words. The biggest point for us was to ask as many questions as possible and raise many debates and get people questioning everything around them. Unlike other albums, when we were looking for answers or looking to create situations for people to find answers, this one?s all about asking questions. From my point of view, it was a great album to make because it was very instinctive.

It was only when I was diagnosed with leukemia and was lying in the hospital and heard Without a Fight come on my IPod, I thought ?Now I know what this album is all about.?

TL: You?ve spoken before about ironies and how the songs have changed meaning for you since they were recorded. One thing I?ve noticed is that a lot of people are looking at this and viewing it and saying ?He wrote this song Without a Fight because he?s going through this cancer thing? and it?s kind of gotten lost in the shuffle that the song came before the diagnosis, not after.
MP: It?s funny how history weighs itself that way. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn?t it? I think ?I?ll never give it up without a fight? was something that was probably lurking in my mind from when I was diagnosed in 1995. It was something that was part of me. I?m the sort of guy, if I want to win at something, I don?t give up easily. That came out just spontaneously. I?m not thinking ?Why am I writing that song now?? I?ve written a lot of those songs over the years. In my life I?ve always had to fight for something ? my health, my family or for the band and a career. When you do something for as long as I have, it?s not all going to be going in one direction. Things go up and down in life. I?ve had to fight for a lot of things and keep them alive. Health is the thing I?ve been having to fight to keep alive the most. I?m glad, while we?re touring for this album, that I?ve got a song like that to sing by my side, rather than some love song where I?m singing about the moon and the stars. Instead I?m singing about something that acts as a bit of a soundtrack and as an anthem for inspiring the shows.

TL: In terms of where you are now health-wise, how much are you going to be able to tour or is that still wait-and-see?
MP: I?m doing great on my treatment. I?m making massive strides, surprising the doctors and myself in the speed of my recovery. Obviously, I?ve got a disease that isn?t going to go away .It is going to come back at some point in time. I?m just waiting to find out if I?m going to have to have any more chemotherapy or not and we can take things from there.

I?ve enjoyed the fact that we haven?t played a traditional tour on this album. Every time we?ve played a show, it?s been really special. It?s played at a heightened sense of anticipation amongst the audience when we play because it?s that little bit more rare than it has been in the past. That?s been a good thing, it?s been a positive. Good things have come because we?ve been forced to change things and we?ve learned a lot of good things from them.

I don?t know if I?d want to go back to playing those massive tours where you?re just endlessly on the road. I?ve got a family. First, I want to play rock and roll. Then, I think playing one-offs, like when we do The Gathering, it?s amazingly emotional. There?s something to be said for playing on a Monday night when you?ve done six nights on the run and maybe your voice is a little bit tired because of it. I don?t know if we need to do that anymore, not with the internet and means of communication we have today. I think we can find better ways to tour for albums and keep the band exciting and fresh.

TL: I know there?s at least one person who keeps asking for you to play Dallas.
MP: Yeah, there?s lots of people there. Hopefully we?ll get there. When we do it, it will be special.

TL: Do you have specific cities in mind that you want to target?
MP: Not really, no. We?ll just see what comes up and play. Keep it meaningful. That?s the thing.

I?ve got to work to protect my health first. By doing that, the band will stay longer and I?ll stay longer and the shows will last longer and that will be a good thing. That has to be the driver in all of this.

TL: I think a lot of people look at the progress that you?ve made -- and it?s been just remarkable ? and they almost think ?Well, Mike?s better now.? And things are back to normal.
MP: To some degree I am (better). But it?s going to come back. I have a chronic illness, which means it?s not curable. I?ve never felt ill, that?s the thing. I suppose because I?ve played the one show a month that they?ve been seeing me at my best. They haven?t seen me in the hospitals or the times where I?ve had reactions.

When I went to see my doctor, I had the worst blood count he?s ever seen in his life and now today I?ve probably have the best blood count he?s ever seen.

TL: What was the blood count?
MP: 500,000 [Note: A normal range is between 5 and 10]. My wife has been amazing in that sense. She put me on a really strict diet, which I think has been contributory to the healing process. She found that through sharing my news with the fans. People who had the same illness in their families and had worked out with things, they were passing tips on and we?ve embraced a lot of them and that?s been contributory. I shared that with my own doctor in Wales. He sat down and said to me ?Look, Mike, there?s some people medically who don?t agree this is bad for you. They?re not into the diet thing. The hardest thing I have to do with cancer patients is get them off the McDonald?s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. He said one thing science can?t do is to take 200 people and put 100 people on a diet and give 100 people chemotherapy when they?re diagnosed with cancer ?Science hasn?t got the balls to run that sort of test on humanity. I?ve learned a lot from 10 years ago, when I had the spontaneous remission. I?m a great believer that supplementing the traditional treatments has been contributory. I?m absolutely at normal levels now, which is amazing. I have a great medical team behind me. My wife?s been amazing. Everything is contributory to my good health. And I?m playing rock and roll. It keeps you young and alive.

In fact, my doctor is thinking of getting every cancer patient who comes in to start a band and learn the guitar. That will help your recovery.

TL: What did it mean for you to be at The Gathering this year, especially so close after your diagnosis? And were you certain you were going to be able to perform?
MP: No, I didn?t know. The Gathering this year, I took the risk. Actually, I was on the chemotherapy before I took the big step -- which everyone wanted me to do -- of canceling the whole year and the album and everything. I thought that was again like last time was, a negative. I thought that with the situation, even if I have to cancel 10 minutes before I come on stage, everyone will understand. I wanted to give myself the best chance to be there and if I could play I would play, even if it just meant just playing three songs. In the weeks leading up to it I was doing a lot of rehearsing. I wanted to test my voice and make sure it was ok. I built it and worked on it.

When I came out Friday night on my own with all the fans, it was extremely emotional. It was probably the most emotional moment I?ve ever experienced in my history with rock and roll. To see what the music and my life means to so many other people was inspiring to me. It gave me even more incentive to stay alive and beat this thing. The Gathering was a very important step in my road to recovery.

(Mike and the band stormed the show later that night with a blistering set)

To all Alarm fans everywhere...

We were all saddened here at Dave Sharp.org to hear that Eddies former wife Sharron passed away peacefully in London yesterday evening. She and Eddie were very close and our hearts and prayers are with Eddie and Sharron's family at this difficult time. She had recently been diagnosed with cancer. Sharron was a wonderful, joyful person and in the Alarm family could always be relied upon the be a voice of reason and common sense. She had a very giving heart and nature which found expression in her work in the field of anti-vivisection. We are all very saddened and will miss greatly a very dear friend and sweet person.

Sharron's spirit will remain forever in our hearts and minds.

Dave Sharp

(Message received from info@davesharp.org
Dave Sharp's official web site is: http://www.davesharp.org

This has not been fully confirmed yet, but it looks like the next Alarm single in the UK will be "Raindown". There will be no physical single (except for the promotional CD below). It will be released to radio, and as a digital download on June 26, 2006.

To all those attending the Birmingham Academy Show this Saturday, please remember that this is an early show. Mike and the band will be on stage at 8.15pm


Have a great night!


Regards,


MPO team

Mike Peters Freecast will be broadcast at in New York City on 93.2 (Free FM) at noon on Saturday May 20th

Mike Peters has been busy since his arrival in NYC earlier this week!

On Sunday, Mike performed a stunning impromptu acoustic performance at WMFU:

45 rpm
Where Were You Hiding
Without a Fight
It's Alright, It's Ok
Cease and Desist
My Town
The Rock and Roll/Unbreak The Promise
All the Young Dudes
I Never Left I Only Went Away
This is The Way we Are





Mike is also managing to squeeze some sightseeing in with wife Jules
and son, Dylan!





On Tuesday, Mike was DJ for an hour at Free FM, spinning his fave
tracks. Details of when this show will be aired to follow.



Mike's promotional schedule continues this week. Further information
to follow.

Wednesday , May 17:
Mike Peters on Free FM and Krock 2
This show will be featured as a one hour segment on the weekend on Free FM as well as Krock 2.
Mike will be including a list of his 15 favorite rock songs for the "freecast."

Thursday, May 18:
OUTLET: PREMEIRE RADIO NETWORKS
ACTIVITY: Mike will interviewed about Under Attack.

OUTLET: XM SATELLITE
ACTIVITY: Channel Takeover for FRED Channel. The Alarm MMVI will pick out songs for Channel takeover as well as perform some new tracks from Under Attack (along with an interview).

OUTLET: BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
ACTIVITY: The Alarm MMVI will perform songs (acoustically) from Under Attack.

OUTLET: Q104* please note time change
ACTIVITY: The Alarm will perform songs (acoustically) from Under Attack, Interview....This will also be on camera for videocity.com.

* All transmission information will be posted separately

Mike will be appearing in a live performance, as well as guest dj'g and on-air interview on the Glen Jones Programme Sunday May 14th 1-3 p.m. EST on 91.1 WFMU in the NJ/NY Metro area.
The programme will be aired live via stream at:

http://www.wfmu.org/

Mike's previous performance on the Jones show can also be heard now at:
http://www.wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=13188

The Gathering has now sold out. This has been the fastest selling Gathering yet. A big thank you to all of you for your continued support in making the Gathering the ultimate rock and roll weekend for Alarm fans all over the world.

This year, we have a lot of new Alarm fans attending who have only recently discovered the MPO Office and www.thealarm.com We have Alarm fans travelling from all over the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Africa…

Following on from the success of this year’s emotional weekend, we are all looking forward to next year’s Gathering and all that it has in store. The contents of the weekend are worked upon meticulously by Mike Peters and it is this personal touch which makes the weekend, in the home country of The Alarm, such a unique event.

Closer to the event, there will be an intinerary made available. The general plan includes a Friday acoustic concert, Saturday lunchtime event and Saturday evening electric concert.

For Hotel/Travel queries please call N Wales Tourist Board on 01492 876413

If you would like to be added to the Gathering Waiting List for tickets, this worked well at the last Gathering where people who were forced to cancel reluctantly were able to return their tickets and sold on to people on the waiting list. Please email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

The rest of the year continues to be busy, with another single planned, a return to the USA and a clutch of festival appearances…

As ever, please stay in contact with MPO on 01745 571571 and www.thealarm.com for latest news.

The brand new range of merchandise will be unveiled in May via www.thealarm.com, featuring the very popular green ‘Love Hope Strength’ Mike Peters T shirt

Please find to follow The Alarm/Mike Peters Touring Diary:

Fri May 19 - The Alarm MMVI perform at Joey Ramone Birthday Bash SOLD OUT

Sat May 20 - Hoboken, NJ Maxwells www.maxwellsnj.com SOLD OUT

Fri 26th May - Mike Peters Acoustic Pontypridd Tickets £11 SOLD OUT

Sat May 27th - Birmingham Academy The Alarm

Sat June 24th - Manchester Academy The Alarm

Sat 22nd July - Wickerman Festival Scotland The Alarm

Sun 30th July - Acoustic Festival of Britain, Nantwich Mike Peters

Fri Aug 4th - Big Weekend Cardiff (Free) The Alarm

Sat Aug 26th - Chepstow Castle 01291 621050 The Alarm

Jan 26/27 2007 - The Gathering Llandudno SOLD OUT



Thanks for your support and see you down the road in 2006!

MPO Team 01745 571571 mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk www.thealarm.com

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash Poster

Mike and the band really look forward to being reunited with US Alarm fans at the Under Attack preview show at Maxwell's. The gig is sold out and promises to be a very special occasion!

May MPO Newsletter

The Alarm Live in NYC

MPO is pleased to announce the return of The Alarm to NYC in May to perform 2 very special shows. This is extra special news as Mike was not expected to be able to return to the USA to perform so soon, so celebrations all round!

The Alarm will appear at the 'Joey Ramone Birthday Bash and Lymphoma Research Foundation Concert' at Irving Plaza, Manhattan on Friday May 19th.

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash
Friday May 19, 2006 New York, NY Irving Plaza
www.joeyramone.com
Tickets available via joeyramone.com website or via irvingplaza.com


On Saturday May 20th, The Alarm MMVI will be performing a very special "Under Attack" 'preview' show at Maxwells's in Hoboken New Jersey. This show has been organised by Eleven Thirty Records as part of the US media presentation of 'Under Attack'. MPO has managed to secure 100 tickets for sale through www.thealarm.com.


The Alarm Under Attack Preview Show
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM MPO


Saturday May 20 2006
Hoboken, NJ
Maxwells
www.maxwellsnj.com
1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ (201)653-1703.
Tickets are $20.00+$2 booking

Mike Peters/The Alarm MMVI Dates for your Diary

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash
Friday May 19, 2006 Tickets available via joeyramone.com website or via irvingplaza.com

The Alarm Under Attack Preview Show
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM MPO
Saturday May 20 2006 Hoboken, NJ Maxwells www.maxwellsnj.com
1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ (201)653-1703. Tickets are $20.00+$2 booking

Fri 26th May - Mike Peters Acoustic Pontypridd Mike Peters (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MPO)
7.30pm, £11.00adv, Pontypridd Clwb Y Bont
50 tickets available direct from MPO

Sat May 27th Birmingham Academy The Alarm (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MPO)
7.00pm Stage time 8pm - 9.45pm

Mon 29th May - Mike Peters Pontypridd Festival Mike Peters (TICKETS FREE ON APPLICATION)
The event will be free, and the entire weekend will be filmed for a highlights program for BBC Wales. The tent holds 7500.

Sat June 24th Manchester Academy The Alarm (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MPO)

Sat 22nd July - Wickerman Festival Scotland The Alarm http://www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/

Sun 30th July - Acoustic Festival of Britain Mike Peters (www.ticketline.co.uk)
The Nantwich Showground (Mike Peters stage time approx 4pm)
www.acousticfestival.co.uk Credit card Hotline 0870 44 22 101
The Stranglers, Ian Mcnabb, Glenn Tilbrook, Steve Harley, Elkie Brooks, Chumbawamba, Bruce Foxton..... and many more...

August 4th - Big Weekend Cardiff The Alarm (FREE FESTIVAL)
Bananarama, Selector

Sat Aug 26th - Chepstow Castle The Alarm
Tickets available from 01291 621050 or www.ticketline.co.uk
All info on www.hmponline.co.uk
Chepstow Castle Dell, South Wales. Also playing is Dave Edmonds and The Spenser Davis Group.
Gates open 5pm Tickets £20

The Gathering
Jan 26/27 2007
N Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno
Weekend ticket £38 +£1 booking
Few tickets remaining

Personal Message from Mike Peters

Hello Everyone,

I have good news to share with you.

As you know, prior to my adventures at SXSW in Austin Texas, I flew to Dallas and had consultations with Dr. Bob Collins at UT Southwestern and Dr. Fay at the Baylor Institute.

Both Doctors have given me a very good outlook for the future. Dr. Collins and Dr. Fay were able to deliver the results of my prognostic marker tests which all came back negative. This means that subject to me achieving remission (hopefully sometime soon), my leukaemia may not resurface for some time, possibly for many years. It is the best news I could have hoped for. It means that I don't need to have a transplant in the near future, and it opens up the possibility that by the time the leukaemia rises, new and even better treatments (that are currently being developed) may be available to me.

They also confirmed that my own Dr Edwards (who I have now followed to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor), has done an amazing job in arresting my illness and they have reassured me (not that I needed any) that I am in very good hands. I have since received my fifth round of chemotherapy and my blood counts keep on improving.

The 'Saturday Gigs' have proved to be an important lifeline for me whilst I have been receiving treatment and last month's show at Glasgow Academy was amongst some of the very best Alarm performances ever. I am already preparing myself for the London show at the Carling Academy Islington on April 29th and myself and the band will be giving everything to make it another very special night.

The new album 'Under Attack' is making headway all around the world. Great reviews have been forthcoming from all over Europe where the album is due for release this Monday April 24th. In the USA, anticipation for the June 13th release is already building, especially following the two great shows at SXSW and the publication of the amazing comments in the 'Lefsetz Letters' (which is read by the entire US music industry and available to read at www.thealarm.com).

In light of all this, I am also pleased to report that after further consultation with Dr. Edwards (and on the understanding that I suffer no adverse reaction to the chemotherapy I am scheduled to have after the London show), I will be coming to New York in May with The Alarm to preview the US release of 'Under Attack'.

The main event is an Alarm performance at the 'Joey Ramone Birthday Bash and Lymphoma Research Foundation Concert' at Irving Plaza, Manhattan on Friday May 19th. I am particularly pleased and honoured to be a part of this show especially in the light of my own leukaemia battle (and having once been diagnosed with lymphoma back in 1995). I'll never forget being on stage at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan in the late 1980's and seeing Joey Ramone stood at the back of the stalls (You could see him from the stage because he was so tall and stood out with his jet black hair and dark sunglasses). He never wanted to come back stage-he just wanted to see the show and leave, but even now I remember being (and still feel) 'honoured' that a member of the Ramones had come to see my band, The Alarm.

On Saturday May 20th, myself and The Alarm will be performing a very special "Under Attack" 'preview' show at Maxwells's in Hoboken New Jersey. This show has been organised by Eleven Thirty Records as part of the US media presentation of 'Under Attack'. The good news is that we have managed to secure 100 tickets for sale through www.thealarm.com. It would be great see you there!!!!

The month of May is going to be a landmark month for me as upon my return from New York I will be having a CT scan and Bone Marrow Biopsy to determine what (if any) levels of leukaemia remain in my blood system. If I still show 'signs' of being leukaemic then I may have to consider some more chemotherapy treatments but if the findings are clear, then I will be hoping to celebrate going into remission at the forthcoming concert at Birmingham Academy on Saturday May 27th. What a night that could be..........

Once again, thanks for all the messages of support and for keeping me in your thoughts.

Love and life,

Mike Peters

If you require further information please contact:

MPO Team
Alarm Information Service
Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571
Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577
Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk
www.thealarm.com
PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

A review by Alarm fan and MPO member, Dave Chinery

Probably one of the best Alarm gigs I have seen outside a "Gathering" , MIke and the boys were really on form and put on another amazing performance in front of a near sell out crowd. A near two hour long set with the "Unter Attack" songs showing very strongly , for me "Without a fight" was by far the best song ,played with every once of passion and energy Mike had to give.The Alarm in 2006 can come up with a jaw dropping performance every time.
A great crowd with loads of frantic moshing going on down the front , lots of familiar faces and as usual a great atmosphere.

SETLIST

SUPERCHANNEL
ABSOLUTE REALITY
CEASE AND DESIST
WHERE WERE YOU HIDING...?
RAINDOWN
RIGHT BACK WHERE I STARTED FROM
IT'S ALRIGHT IT'S OK
RAIN IN THE SUMMERTIME
BE STILL
SOLD ME DOWN THE RIVER
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY
UNSAFE BUILDING
COMING HOME


REASON 41(ACOUSTIC)
UNBREAK THE PROMISE(ACOUSTIC)
WALK FORVER BY MY SIDE (SOLO)


THIS IS THE WAY WE ARE
RESCUE ME
I NEVER LEFT I ONLY WENT AWAY
MARCHING ON
MY TOWN
68 GUNS


WITHOUT A FIGHT
45 RPM
SPIRIT OF 76


BLAZE OF GLORY(SUNG BY CROWD ONLY CUT SHORT BY VENUE CURFEW!!)

The Alarm MMIV to appear at the Wickerman Festival
Saturday 22nd July 2006
http://www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/
Scotland's Alternative Music Festival

Message from the Wickerman Festival:
The Alarm

For the last three years people have been asking us to book the 80's Welsh rock supremos the Alarm.

The band are well remembered for 68 Guns in their heyday, but have somehow also managed the impossible by returning to the music scene with the very credible album entitiled Under Attack.

The Alarm featuring ex-Cult, Generation X, The Mission and Stiff Little Fingers members, manages to sound fresh and retro at the same time. For younger 'punk and roll' fans these guys did it first, but far from going through the motion of past glories, they have worked exceptionally hard to polish a sound that remains relevant to 2006.

Mike Peters has been fighting leukaemia which makes the comeback all the more incredible, and our best wishes go out to him as he continues the battle. Oh, forgot to say they will be added to the saturday line up with the headline slot still to be filled.

www.thealarm.com

Please note that the Saturday night London Islington Academy show is an early show:

Doors 7 pm
The Alarm MMVI Onstage 8pm approx
Venue closes 10pm

For those of you attending the show, have a great night!

Travel Information

Nearest Car Park
N1 Centre Car Park
Sunday-Thursday 7.30am - 12.30am
Friday-Saturday 7.30am - 2.30am

Special Discount Rate 6pm-12.30am £2.50

Up to 1 hr: £2.00
Up to 2 hours: £4.00
Up to 3 hours: £6.00
Up to 4 hours: £9.00
And £3.00 per hour thereafter
After 6.30pm Monday-Friday, after 1.30pm on Saturday and all day Sunday, £2.00 flat rate applies regardless of length of stay. Flat rates also apply on Bank Holidays.
£50 charge each night for vehicles left overnight. Tariff rates are subject to change.

Nearest Tube
Angel (Northern Line Bank Branch)

Nearest Train
Kings Cross St Pancras or Highbury & Islington

Nearest Buses To Venue
38 / 73 / 341 / 4 / 274 / 153 / 56 / 19 / 30 / 43 / 214
N38 / N73 / N19 / N43

Tourist Information
Tel: 0207 370 7744

Mike Peters/The Alarm MMVI Dates for your Diary

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash
Friday May 19, 2006 Tickets available via joeyramone.com website or via irvingplaza.com

The Alarm Under Attack Preview Show
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM MPO
Saturday May 20 2006 Hoboken, NJ Maxwells www.maxwellsnj.com
1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ (201)653-1703. Tickets are $20.00+$2 booking

Fri 26th May - Mike Peters Acoustic Pontypridd Mike Peters (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM www.thealarm.com)
Doors 7.30pm, £11.00adv, Pontypridd, Clwb Y Bont
50 tickets available direct from MPO

Sat May 27th Birmingham Academy The Alarm (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM www.thealarm.com)
7.00pm Stage time 8pm - 9.45pm
Tickets £15 + £1 booking fee direct from MPO/www.thealarm.com

Sat June 24th Manchester Academy The Alarm (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MPO)
Awaiting stagetime
Tickets £15 + £1 booking fee direct from MPO/www.thealarm.com

Sun 30th July - Acoustic Festival of Britain Mike Peters (www.ticketline.co.uk)
The Nantwich Showground (Mike Peters stage time approx 4pm)
www.acousticfestival.co.uk Credit card Hotline 0870 44 22 101
The Stranglers, Ian Mcnabb, Glenn Tilbrook, Steve Harley, Elkie Brooks, Chumbawamba, Bruce Foxton..... and many more...

Sat Aug 26th - Chepstow Castle The Alarm Tickets available from 01291 621050 or www.ticketline.co.uk
All info on www.hmponline.co.uk
Chepstow Castle Dell, South Wales
Also playing is Dave Edmonds and The Spenser Davis Group.
Gates open 5pm Tickets £20

MPO is pleased to announce the return of The Alarm to NYC in May to perform 2 very special shows. This is extra special news as Mike was not expected to be able to return to the USA to perform so soon, so celebrations all round!

The Alarm will appear at the 'Joey Ramone Birthday Bash and Lymphoma Research Foundation Concert' at Irving Plaza, Manhattan on Friday May 19th. As Mike Peters says, 'I am particularly pleased and honoured to be a part of this show especially in the light of my own leukaemia battle (and having once been diagnosed with lymphoma back in 1995). I'll never forget being on stage at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan in the late 1980's and seeing Joey Ramone stood at the back of the stalls (You could see him from the stage because he was so tall and stood out with his jet black hair and dark sunglasses). He never wanted to come back stage -he just wanted to see the show and leave, but even now I remember being (and still feel) 'honoured' that a member of the Ramones had come to see my band, The Alarm.'

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash
Friday May 19, 2006
New York, NY
Irving Plaza

www.joeyramone.com
Tickets for the 2006 JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY BASH are $25.
Admission to the show is 16 years of age and up; doors open at 8PM and the festivities will begin at 9PM.
Irving Plaza is located at 17 Irving Place, on the corner of 15th Street and Irving Place. The club can easily be reached by subway (trains 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, and W to Union Square, also referred to as 14th Street). Tickets available via joeyramone.com website or via irvingplaza.com

On Saturday May 20th, The Alarm MMVI will be performing a very special "Under Attack" 'preview' show at Maxwells's in Hoboken New Jersey. This show has been organised by Eleven Thirty Records as part of the US media presentation of 'Under Attack'. MPO has managed to secure 100 tickets for sale through www.thealarm.com.

The Alarm Under Attack Preview Show
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM MPO Buy Now!
Saturday May 20 2006
Hoboken, NJ
Maxwells
www.maxwellsnj.com
1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ (201)653-1703.
Tickets are $20.00+$2 booking

Hello Everyone,

I have good news to share with you.

As you know, prior to my adventures at SXSW in Austin Texas, I flew to Dallas and had consultations with Dr. Bob Collins at UT Southwestern and Dr. Fay at the Baylor Institute.

Both Doctors have given me a very good outlook for the future. Dr.
Collins and Dr. Fay were able to deliver the results of my prognostic marker tests which all came back negative. This means that subject to me achieving remission (hopefully sometime soon), my leukaemia may not resurface for some time, possibly for many years. It is the best news I could have hoped for. It means that I don't need to have a transplant in the near future, and it opens up the possibility that by the time the leukaemia rises, new and even better treatments (that are currently being developed) may be available to me.

They also confirmed that my own Dr Edwards (who I have now followed to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor), has done an amazing job in arresting my illness and they have reassured me (not that I needed any) that I am in very good hands. I have since received my fifth round of chemotherapy and my blood counts keep on improving.

The 'Saturday Gigs' have proved to be an important lifeline for me whilst I have been receiving treatment and last month's show at Glasgow Academy was amongst some of the very best Alarm performances ever. I am already preparing myself for the London show at the Carling Academy Islington on April 29th and myself and the band will be giving everything to make it another very special night.

The new album 'Under Attack' is making headway all around the world.
Great reviews have been forthcoming from all over Europe where the album is due for release this Monday April 24th. In the USA, anticipation for the June 13th release is already building, especially following the two great shows at SXSW and the publication of the amazing comments in the 'Lefsetz Letters' (which is read by the entire US music industry and available to read at www.thealarm.com).

In light of all this, I am also pleased to report that after further consultation with Dr. Edwards (and on the understanding that I suffer no adverse reaction to the chemotherapy I am scheduled to have after the London show), I will be coming to New York in May with The Alarm to preview the US release of 'Under Attack'.

The main event is an Alarm performance at the 'Joey Ramone Birthday Bash and Lymphoma Research Foundation Concert' at Irving Plaza, Manhattan on Friday May 19th. I am particularly pleased and honoured to be a part of this show especially in the light of my own leukaemia battle (and having once been diagnosed with lymphoma back in 1995).
I'll never forget being on stage at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan in the late 1980's and seeing Joey Ramone stood at the back of the stalls (You could see him from the stage because he was so tall and stood out with his jet black hair and dark sunglasses). He never wanted to come back stage-he just wanted to see the show and leave, but even now I remember being (and still feel) 'honoured' that a member of the Ramones had come to see my band, The Alarm.

On Saturday May 20th, myself and The Alarm will be performing a very special "Under Attack" 'preview' show at Maxwells's in Hoboken New Jersey. This show has been organised by Eleven Thirty Records as part of the US media presentation of 'Under Attack'. The good news is that we have managed to secure 100 tickets for sale through www.thealarm.com. It would be great see you there!!!!

The month of May is going to be a landmark month for me as upon my return from New York I will be having a CT scan and Bone Marrow Biopsy to determine what (if any) levels of leukaemia remain in my blood system. If I still show 'signs' of being leukaemic then I may have to consider some more chemotherapy treatments but if the findings are clear, then I will be hoping to celebrate going into remission at the forthcoming concert at Birmingham Academy on Saturday May 27th. What a night that could be..........

Once again, thanks for all the messages of support and for keeping me in your thoughts.

Love and life,

Mike Peters

Whisperin & Hollerin
“Under Attack” really is a credible rock record from a re-energised band, who – to these jaundiced ears – have rarely sounded better. It’s not supposed to happen like this, but it’s difficult not to belatedly embrace The Alarm for sticking this out and pulling off the seemingly impossible by coming back with fire and dignity intact. Respect is due, Mr. Peters.


Tourdates.com
Takes a seasoned pro to bring freshness back to the world of Punk n Roll and that's what Mike Peters has achieved here with his latest incarnation of the ALaRM

Tuesday Morning 3:00 AM
Part of my determination here is that Under Attack is absolutely awesome. I paid import price for it (it doesn’t come out here until May 30) because it’s the Alarm, and I couldn’t wait for it. It was worth every penny, the most furious and committed album Peters has made in many years. For all its sprawl and stylistic breadth, In the Poppy Fields now stands as the timid first step of this new incarnation. Under Attack makes it sound like a James Taylor album, so wonderfully loud and bracing is this new music.

The shiny disc stops spinning and the only thing that is left is to press play once more; once will never be enough, for the great albums it never is. If you have never heard of this band, do yourself a favour and give it a go...

The disc is being delayed to accommodate Peters' final round of chemotherapy treatments in his fight against leukemia. He happily credits "all that Aquanet I used in the '80s" for the full head of hair he's been able to maintain through the therapy. "You can't ask for more than that."

The Alarm / Bob Lefsetz Letters

The hugely influential American columnist Bob Lefsetz has written this piece about The Alarm in his latest email rant to the American Music Industry which is read by thousands of people everyday.

Mike Peters has already written back to him (see further below) prompting Bob Lefsetz to forward Mike's reply to his subscribers. If you feel like responding, I'm sure Bob would love to hear your views on the subject.

MPO Team

THE ALARM’S NEW ALBUM, UNDER ATTACK, DELAYED UNTIL JUNE 13
Welsh rockers’ Eleven Thirty Records/Redeye bow, first new U.S. release in 15 years, highlights leader Mike Peters’ struggle with leukemia

LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2005—The Alarm’s new album, Under Attack, its first U.S. release in 15 years and debut under the Eleven Thirty Records/Redeye Distribution banner, has been moved back to June 13 from its previously scheduled May 30 date.

“We are excited and honored to have this album come out here because it’s been a long time since we had new music available in America,” says the band’s leader Mike Peters. “It’s a chance for us to reconnect with our fans, an audience we used to have a relationship with on a regular basis, and make our presence felt here in a way we’ve been aiming at for some time.”

The delay is due, in part, to the Alarm’s busy schedule, which included a pair of rapturously received performances at the prestigious SXSW conference in Austin, and Peters’ current chemo sessions, a result of his bout with leukemia. “Without a Fight,” a song on the new album written prior to Peters discovering he had contracted the disease, now serves as his anthem in battling its debilitating effects, almost 10 years to the day from when he first contracted lymphoma, which he successfully defeated. Peters is confident that he’ll have a clean bill of health after his final chemo session later this month and be able to commence a U.S. tour.

“I was listening to the song on my iPod while in the hospital,” says Peters. “’I’ll never give up without a fight.” I realized my body must have been telling me subconsciously that I was ill again and I should be prepared.”

Formed in Wales in 1981 by Peters, The Alarm were one of the most successful post-punk bands of their era, selling more than 5 million albums worldwide, with 16 Top 50 U.K. singles, including “Spirit of ’76,” “68 Guns” and “Blaze of Glory,” opening for the likes of Bob Dylan and U2 on U.S. tours. Their 1985 album, Strength, was a Top 40 hit on the U.S. album chart.

The band made a remarkable 2004 comeback that featured them scoring a British hit single under the fictitious name The Poppy Fields with “45 RPM.” Peters’ new Alarm, dubbed MMVI for 2006, is a punk-rock super-group that features ex-Gene Loves Jezebel guitarist James Stevenson, former The Cult and Mission UK bassist Craig Adams and Stiff Little Fingers drummer Steve Grantley, who made up the line-up of The Poppy Fields.

Under Attack, released in Britain on Liberty/EMI, has already spawned the Top 25 U.K. single, “Superchannel.” With the U.S. release of the album now slated for June 13, Peters maintains a busy schedule. He is working with Shrek producer John H. Williams, who is overseeing the development of a major motion picture based on The Poppy Fields’ unlikely tale of deception.

“I’m getting a second chance at life, and a second chance at rock and roll with The Alarm,” says Peters, who adds, “all that Aquanet I used in the ‘80s” has helped him retain his hair through the current chemo treatments. “You can’t ask for more than that.” And neither can U.S. Alarm fans.

For more information, contact Jonathan Wolfson (wolfsonpr@hotmail.com) or Aaron Meza (aaron@wolfson-pr.com) at Wolfson Public Relations (323) 466-0499.



Jonathan Wolfson
Wolfson Public Relations
http://www.wolfson-pr.com
6464 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 1040
LA, CA 90028
p: 323-466-0499
f: 323-466-2176

Hope you are all keeping well.

Blue skies here in sunny North Wales! The office is as busy as ever dealing with the calls and emails after the rocking Glasgow show and now preparing for the London show which looks set to match Glasgow in terms of attendance. Read on for what's happening in Mike Peters/Alarm world...

The Alarm in Glasgow
Last week's Glasgow show was a huge triumph, straight on the back of Mike's successful trip to Austin, Texas. This is what the Scottish fans had to say...

Just a quick mail to say that I was at the Glasgow gig on the 25th and the boys. Mike's strength and enthusiasm was as good as ever if not better. Mike seemed to be getting a buzz from the show and he was truly on top form. James O

Wow, the gig last night in Glasgow was quite possibly one of the best rock gigs I have ever seen in my life, the songs were turbo charged and Mike's voice sounded utterly amazing! the energy from Mike is something else, utterly fantastic and brilliant!!!!!! M Ramsey

I just had to write to tell you that Saturdays gig at the Glasgow Academy will go down in history as one of the best Alarm gigs I've ever seen. I have a young family and for that reason my wife has been unable to attend the Gathering with me. I took her to the gig on Saturday and she was blown away and now understands my obsession with Mike's music. R Burns

Have been following the Alarm for nigh on 23 years. Saturday's gig was one of the best ever that I have seen and I've seen a few. Your an inspiration to us all. There's only one Mike Peters! All the best, Graham B

Just had to send a quick email to congratulate you (and thank you) and the band for the awesome show you played in Glasgow on Saturday. I've seen The Alarm and yourself several times and I can honestly say this was the best performance I have ever seen you give. The new songs sound even better live than on CD (which takes some beating) and the old songs were played with such energy they sounded as fresh as the day you first wrote them. This gig will go down as one of my all time favourite and memorable concerts. Oh, and the dedication to us fans was also really special, the lyrics to "Walk Forever By My Side" have a whole new meaning now. S Macpherson

I was at the Glasgow gig on Saturday night and I thought Mike was fantastic. It was the best concert I have ever been to. Mike looked great and he had so much energy. He is such an inspiration to people, his strength and attitude to his illness is amazing. Come back to Glasgow soon Mike. Love Karen D

Cheers mike and the guys for an amazin concert at the academy,well worth the travel and the rain all the way down from aberdeen.I would put it dowm as one of the best concerts ive ever been to was so superb and what a bounce,lost voice etc lol.great set list just cant praise highly enough and great to know you'l be around for a lot longer after you great news regarding your ilness keep on rocking yours S. boylan


The Saturday Shows
Please note that there has been one change - to the Wolverhampton show - which has now been moved to Birmingham Academy (same date)

The rest of the Saturday shows are as follows:

Sat 29th April London Islington Academy
Sat 27th May Birmingham Academy
Sat 24 June Manchester Academy


The Gathering 15
January 26th and 27th 2007
N Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno
Weekend Ticket £38 +£1 booking fee.
Only few tickets remaining.


Under Attack in the USA
MPO is excited to announce that Under Attack will be released on the 13th June this year in the USA on Eleven Thirty Records (part of Redeye Distribution)


Under Attack in Germany
Another exciting development in Alarm history, especially for German fans. EMI will release Under Attack on April 21st. Mike has conducted many interviews for German publications.


Mike at the BAFTAS
Mike Peters has been invited to present an award at the Welsh BAFTAS ceremony at the CIA in Cardiff on Sat April 22nd.


Festivals and NYC
There are several festivals and a possible show in NYC coming over the next few months. All to be confirmed asap.

Last but not least!

Mike has just had his 5th round of chemo and is bearing up tremendously well. He has been such a source of inspiration to us here in the office. Mike will be writing to you all via alarm.com over the next week or so to keep you informed of his progress. All your messages of love and support have really helped maintain a positive outlook so thanks to all of you who have been in touch.


Best wishes,

MPO Team
Alarm Information Service
Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571
Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577
Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk
www.thealarm.com
PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/rumormill.cgi
ALARM GOES OFF: The Alarm is set to release its first album since scoring a major 2004 hit single in the U.K., "45 RPM," under the name The Poppy Fields. The Welsh band's first new release in 15 years, Under Attack, will come out May 30 on the Eleven Thirty Records label, distributed by indie RedEye. Leader Mike Peters, who was diagnosed with leukemia last December, says he discovered the song "Without a Fight," from the new album, written before he learned he had the disease, details his determination to battle it out. Meanwhile, Shrek producer John H. Williams is developing a feature film based on the band's unlikely 2004 comeback, which tricked a majority of the media into believing they were a new band. (3/22a)

http://www.upstagemagazine.com


Twenty-five years after first performing as The Alarm, Mike Peters and his band are back with a new release called "Under Attack". They're climbing the UK charts once again with a sound that rocks as hard as the band's first records. We had a chance to talk to Mike Peters about everything from being part of theearly days of punk rock to his battles with cancer and the band's brand new album.

.

A very strong album, and one that seems to be making the press sit up and listen. Lead single Superchannel go to 24 so the signs are all good.

Out now - well worth a listen


.

The Alarm MMVI's "Under Attack" is tentatively scheduled for a May 30 U.S. release via the Redeye Music Group's Eleven Thirty Records label. The set was released Feb. 20 in the U.K. via EMI and features the single "Superchannel," which in February bowed at No. 24 on the U.K. singles chart

.

Ok, back to the 80's. One of my favorite bands in high school (early 1980's) was The Alarm. The band formed in Wales in 1981. They fused the rawness of The Clash with their own brand of folk-rock garnering (nonsensical) comparisons to u2. They toured with u2 in 1983 giving them massive exposure. The band have several hits in the UK in the 1980's and a few minor hits here in the states, mainly at the tail-end of their career. The Alarm's first two offerings, "The Stand" ep and "Declaration" may not stand up production-wise now but their heart-on-the-sleeve emotion and leftists politics definitely do. I was a bit hesitant to catch the band knowing that only lead singer Mike Peters is in the latest lineup. He has surrounded himself with some old pros from the UK who played in bands like Gene Loves Jezebel, The Cult and Stiff Little Fingers. The new Alarm caused quite a stir in the UK when they issued their single "45 r.p.m." last year, an anthemic punk tune. Peters decided to make up a fictitious name to issue the single under and even went as far to have a little known Scottish band lip sync the track for the video. The song landed in the Top 40 before the hoax was revealed. The band has reverted to their early punk roots ala The Clash keeping The Alarm's signature anthemic choruses. Peters' voice is as strong as ever especially considering he's fighting lymphoma. This is my fourth year at SXSW and I had yet to see an encore, mainly due to the tight schedule of the showcases. The Alarm came back for two encores, pleasing the crowd with their classics, "68 Guns" and "Blaze of Glory". Honestly, it's the first show in a long time where I found myself smiling uncontrollably. Their new release "Under Attack" will be released in the States in May.


.

Report from last night's Glasgow gig, from mikeyramsay via the forums:

wow, the gig last night in Glasgow was quite possibly one of the best rock gigs I have ever seen in my life, the songs were turbo charged and Mike's voice sounded utterly amazing! the energy from Mike is something else, utterly fantastic and brilliant!!!!!!

Here's the setlist for anybody interested:

superchannel
absolute reality
cease and desist
where were you hiding when the storm broke
raindown (the version last night blew me away!)
right back where I srarted from
it's alright, it's ok
rain in the summertime
be still
sold me down the river
drunk and disorderly
knife edge
coming home
one step closer to home (acoustic)
walk forever by my side (acoustic)
this is the way we are
rescue me
i never left i only went away
declaration
marching on
my town
68 guns

---
without a fight
spirt of 76
45 rpm
spirit (cont.)
---
should I stay or should I go (clash cover)
blaze of glory

oh, Bruce from Big Country and Kirk Brandon came on for should I stay... great version as well.

..right, I'm now off for a lie down, my ears are still ringing and I'm still knackered!!!

THE ALARM MMVI AT GLASGOW


Mike and the band have just flown back from a highly successful trip to SXSW (Mike will be writing to you shortly with all his good news).

In the meantime here's the info for the Glasgow Academy show.

MPO is pleased to announce that Kirk Brandon and Steve Allen Jones will be supporting in Glasgow.
Please note schedule as follows:


DOORS 7.30PM
KIRK BRANDON 8.10 – 8.50
THE ALARM MMVI 9.15 – 11PM


On Sunday, Mike will be interviewed by Billy Sloane in Glasgow (together with a full band recorded session especially for the show) - more details on this to follow...


Have a great gig - to all of you going to the show - almost a sellout!


Mike Peters and The Alarm MMVI on Radio Clyde
The Billy Sloane Show


Sunday March 26th
You can listen into the show on Radio Clyde's website which is:
www.clyde1.com
The show is on between 7-10pm and the interview/sessions
will be in the middle hour of the show.


Billy Sloane is a very respected journalist/DJ who is very supportive of all things Alarm. Should make
excellent listening!


Enjoy!


MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

The Alarm stormed SXSW with two encores in a festival where bands don't normally get encores! Peters looking fit and well, defied all expectations of a man living with leukaemia as he led his band (James Stevenson, Craig Adams and stand-in drummer, Danny Farrant) through a fast-paced set which took no prisoners, loaded with songs from the forthcoming US release, 'Under Attack' (rumoured to be released at the end of May). As one music journalist in attendance commented 'I can go back home now, musically satisfied'. Come back next year, The Alarm! SXSW needs you!
B.M.


Superchannel
Cease and Desist
Raindown
I never Left I Only Went Away
It's alright, it's ok.
My Town
Without A Fight
Spirit of 76
45 RPM
68 Guns
Blaze of Glory


The Alarm play at the Pecan St, Ale House 310 E 6th St (ALLEY ENTRANCE) tonight at Midnight as unannounced Special Guests

Letter from MPO member, Hefyn Rees and how he uniquely spreads the word of The Alarm through his haulage business!




"We have just won a large (for us ) contract delivering paper from UK ports to paper Stockholders throughout the UK, in December we shipped just short of?2500 tonnes, and the new trailers are to give us some extra capacity on this job.
?

The new trailers bring the total number of "Alarm" trailers to four, with the original Poppyfields, the Thumbprint logo?and now these two Under Attack trailers. We just felt that bringing the name of The Alarm into the public domain isn't being done enough by Radio stations, music press etc, and although I'm not sure that I personally wish to share The Alarm with too many people!! (Sorry that's a bit selfish!) I really do believe that Mike, James, Craig and Steve deserve to have their music?heard in the mainstream, once people hear it, I am convinced they will want more, and hopefully these trailers will at least broadcast the name of The Alarm to the public in general, after all they are quite noticeable! especially when you get stuck in traffic behind one, you can't miss the messsage"
?

I'll try and get a picture of all four trailers together at some stage, it's not often that they are all in the same place, one of the new ones?is going to Dartford today, the other to Bridgnorth, Rhyl and Liverpool, the thumbrint is in Stoke, and Poppyfields is in Aberystwyth. But to date they have covered the whole of the UK from Scotland to Cornwall, and a couple of trips to both the North and the South of Ireland.
?

Hefyn Rees, Alarm fan, MPO member

Mike has been interviewed for a host of UK regional radio stations which will be syndicated over the next few weeks so keep an ear out.

Last week there was a full page feature on Mike in the Daily Mail? (complete with photo of Mike, Jules and Dylan) as well as a feature in Classic Rock (see below). It was also excellent to see that Uncut Magazine printed 2 letters from Alarm fans, complaining about Nick Hasted's 'review' of Under Attack.? Further investigation suggests the shocking truth that Nick Hasted never actually collected his promo copy of Under Attack and hence had never actually listened to the album in the first place. Just goes to show how we can all make a difference by airing our views so thanks to those o\f you who spoke up!

Thursday March 16th, on 93.7 KLBJ- The Official SXSW radio station
Mike/The Band will be on live on the air @ 6:00 p.m.
The on-line link is: http://www.klbjfm.com/

Refresh Daily
_top>
...A very strong album...


This Is Lancashire

Forget that The Alarm have been around since the early '80s, this is a cracker.



Sunday Sentinel, Stafford

THE ALARM MMVI- Under Attack
"Since Alarm Singer Mike Peters is currently undergoing chemotherapy for Leukaemia the title of his band's new album is more than a little personal. After fooling the sheep of the music industry by last year releasing a single, supposedly by a band of 18-year olds, which got into the charts, Peters is still railing, in the manner that pop stars used to, against the inequalitites, deficiencies, and self-serving agendas of the planet's leaders. Sadly for him, only the converted are likely to hear."
(3/5)


glasswerk.co.u

The Alarm have thrown together what I’m guessing is a cracking return to form for aficionados, and a decent album for everyone else besides.






There are some exquisite guitars; drum and bass work on show along with a singer still able to deliver much more than just a line. ‘Under Fire’(sic) is a great album from one of Britain’s most under-rated singer-songwriters.

Message from MPO


Hello again from another snowy North Wales!


Lets hope the Arctic blizzards don't prevent Mike from reaching Manchester Airport to travel to Austin, Texas for the world famous SXSW Festival. As rumoured, we can now confirm that Mike and The Alarm MMVI will be performing in Austin. To celebrate the forthcoming USA release of there will be 2 performances, as follows:


Thursday March 16th - 1.00am
The Alarm
Genre: Rock Hometown: Rhyl Wales?
www.thealarm.com
Thursday, March 16 ? 1:00 a.m.
Elysium ? (705 Red River St)
Add this to your SXSW Calendar









Friday March 17th Midnight - Midnight - Special Guest?at Cordless Records Evening.


Friday, March 17? Midnight
Pecan St. Ale House ? (310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance))




Due to the SXSW trip the MPO will be open for calls on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only (between the hours of 11am and 4pm - 011 44 1745 571571)


Tickets for The Gathering 15 have sold at an incredible speed with almost 1000 tickets sold for the weekend already. There are lots of new people applying for tickets which is exciting. Tickets will be authorised and posted out at the beginning of April. Again, to avoid disappointment, please don't leave it too late to make your booking.? Weekend ticket ?38 + ?1 p and p


Mike has now had 4 rounds of chemotherapy and is continuing to respond incredibly well to treatment, much to the delight of his North Wales doctors.

?so much so that Mike has been allowed to travel to America far sooner than expected.


The Saturday Gigs are attracting a lot of interest and for those of you interested in travelling, please note that next Saturday gig will be on?
Sat 25th March Glasgow Academy.
Tickets are ?15 plus ?1 booking fee and you can order direct from us at MPO or via?www.thealarm.com


Please note that there has been one change to the Wolverhampton show - which has now been moved to Birmingham Academy. (If you already have tickets for Wolves via MPO, then please return your tickets to MPO and new tickets for Birmingham will be issue.


The rest of the Saturday shows are as follows:


Sat 25th March Glasgow Academy.

Sat 29th April London Islington Academy
Sat 27th May Birmingham Academy
Sat 24 June Manchester Academy


The album, 'Under Attack' is selling really well in the UK and will soon be released in Germany, Canada and the USA.?


Mike has been interviewed for a host of UK regional radio stations which will be syndicated over the next few weeks.?


Last week there was a full page feature on Mike in the Daily Mail as well as a feature in Classic Rock. It was also excellent to see that Uncut Magazine printed 2 letters from Alarm fans, complaining about Nick Hasted's 'review' of Under Attack.? Further investigation suggests the shocking truth that Nick Hasted never actually collected his promo copy of Under Attack and hence had never actually listened to the album in the first place. Just goes to show how we can all make a difference by airing our views so thanks to those of you who spoke up!


Mike and The Alarm MMVI have been approached to play several festivals in the UK - details of which will be posted over the next few weeks.?


If you have any queries, or would like a copy of our latest MPO Merchandise and Touring brochure,? please feel free to contact as per the details below.


All the best,


MPO Team
Alarm Information Service
Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571
Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577
Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk
www.thealarm.com?
PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Hello Everybody,


It's Sunday evening and I want to share my latest news with you. I have just been given the go ahead from my Doctor to go to America next week!!!


The principal reason for my journey is to perform with the band at the 2006 South By South West Music Festival in Austin, Texas. We will be playing on Thursday 16th March at Elysium on Red River at 1.00 in the morning. We will also be performing as special guests on Friday 17th March at the Cordless Records showcase in the Pecan St. Ale House on 6th street at Midnight.


The purpose of this visit is to announce the US release of 'Under Attack' which has a provisional street date of May 30th via Eleven Thirty Records. (Eleven Thirty is a part of the Redeye Music group which is also the US home for Paul Weller and Billy Bragg etc.).


The other personal reason for my visit is that I have been lucky enough to secure a consultation with two of the world's leading cancer / bone marrow specialists at the Baylor Institute in Dallas, Texas. (One of the Doctor's was part of the team that looked after cyclist Lance Armstrong. Big thanks to Jim and Richard... ).


With regards to my health, my Chemotherapy treatments have been going really well and my blood counts are all reading as normal. I did have my first 'reaction' to this most recent (fourth) chemo cycle. On the Wednesday before the Cardiff show I was readmitted back into hospital as on the day after the chemo I felt really sick and my body temperature had risen well above normal levels. I was wired up to a drip and it was touch and go whether I should have played at Cardiff but I was determined that the show should go on and what a night it turned out to be. I don't think I could have pulled it off if it wasn't for the loving support of every single person in the Coal Exchange. The atmosphere was amazing and inspired me to keep going right to the last song.


Since then I have been feeling stronger every day. I have been singing at every opportunity to strengthen my voice and build my fitness up and today I feel absolutely great. I know there has been a lot of rumours about these SXSW shows but although we had the dates on hold I couldn't commit until my Doctor gave me the go ahead this week. Since then it's been a whirlwind of activity and I'd like to thank Jules and Liam who have worked so hard to make this trip a reality.


I'm so looking forward to playing America again (especially so soon after my diagnosis) and now that I can see the end of this run of chemoptherapy, there are lot's of exciting things in the pipeline (all to be announced soon....). I have worked it out with my Doctor that I won't have any chemo again before a show. My next two rounds of chemo will be directly after the Glasgow show and straight after London. By the time the May concerts come along I will be having some scans and a Bone Marrow Biopsy to see what levels of cancer (if any) remain in my body. From then on who knows.... I should have the results of my prognostic markers sometime soon and they will hopefully be able to help predict the speed at which my leukaemia will return which will in turn dictate what sort of treatment I will have to undertake in the future. Until then I aim to make the most of every day and keep on rocking and rolling as if my life depends on it......... (it does!!!!!).


See you in Texas if you can make it....... otherwise Glasgow here I come!!!!!


Love and life,


Mike Peters

Monday 17th October 2005


2.00 am and I'm still in the taxi en route to Exeter. Check into the hotel at 3.00 a.m. The 'alarm' goes off (sorry!!!) at 6.15 a.m. and at 6.55 we are on a train bound for London Paddington station. 9.15 a.m. and and a taxi takes us to Abbey Road. The session isn't due to start until 10.00 a.m. so we grab some breakfast in the cafe which is already full of classical musicians who are in for a recording session in studio 1. 10.00 a.m. and we are in the mastering suite with Sean Magee who is going to work on the final sound of our new Alarm album. 'Mastering' is the final piece in the art of making records. It is here that all the levels of the tracks are balanced so that they all sound as loud as each other in the final sequence. A lot can still be done to a record at this stage as EQ and compression can make a big difference to a recorded song's dynamics. Present are myself, James Stevenson, Steve Grantley and Liam Feekery. There are still a few decisions to be made at this point. Sometimes when a record is being mixed there are a few things that you cannot commit to at that point. Sometimes, something is added to a track late on and you need time to live with it, like extra backing vocals or an extra bit of guitar. Today two of the tracks have things in them that we have to make a decision on. Both 'My Town' and 'Without A Fight' have backing vocals that we are not sure whether to include or leave out. We have mixes of the tracks both with and without. After some deliberation it is decided to go with the mixes without backing vocals. Hearing the tracks with Eq and compression makes them sound really exciting and there is no need for these extra vocal parts. Tougher to decide on, is which is the best mix of 'My Town'; the mix done at the Doghouse by George Williams during the recording sessions or the mix commissioned by Pete Walsh. Both mixes are really good but in the event the Doghouse mix wins out as it works best in the context of the final album. The Pete Walsh mix sounds great on it's own and will be used elsewhere in the promotion of the album. By 6.00 p.m. we are all satisfied with the finished record, having decided on the final sequence and also deciding to use all thirteen recorded tracks (There had been some debate about a finished album of only 11 tracks but the final sequence makes all thirteen tracks work together really well). Sean Magee does some final work on the volume of the record while we have a pint in the studio bar. At 7.00 p.m. I am on my way to Euston station with a (white label) finished copy of the album. The train to North Wales leaves on time and I can sit back and listen to the album on my headphones. I listen through to it twice in succession and It sounds great to me. This will probably be the last time I ever listen to this album in full. For me, this is the point where work begins on the next one. It's over to you listeners now. By 10.10 p.m. I am in the car and heading for home.

Sunday 16th October 2005


On the road again from Morecombe heading to Newquay to play a show with Dead Men Walking. Actually the trip wasn't too painstaking. Watched a film on my laptop and had a listen through the Alarm album as tomorrow I am going to Abbey Road studios in London to master the new record which is coming out on EMI next year on February 20th. Arrived at the Barracuda, a fantastic venue in Newquay, Cornwall. The venue is on a cliff top looking down on the ocean. There are a couple of surfers out on the waves. No hotel for me tonight as myself and Liam will be setting off after the show to Exeter where we will be catching the early train to London in the morning. Who said "Rock and Roll is a glamorous life"? Hung out in the dressing room before the show and we hit the stage at 10.00 p.m. The gig was wild with lots of movement in the audience. When we got to the end of the show, a closing sequence of 'Westworld', '45 R.P.M.', Smash It Up' and 'Runaway Boys' brought the best out of the band and the audience. Encores were demanded and given before everyone disappeared into the rainy night. The band are staying in Newquay for the day off, but Liam and I find ourselves in a taxi for the one hundred mile trip to Exeter.

Day Sixty Three : Saturday 17th September 2005


Pete Walsh remixes 'Raindown' at Ark Studios in Surrey. James Stevenson is the only member of the band in attendance.

Mike Peters mention on Steve Wright
Hi all,
Just checking you heard the impromptu plug for The Alarm & Mike Peters on today's Steve Wright In The Afternoon show? In case you didn't, have a butchers on the BBC listen again site when it appears - about 10 mins before the end of the show they were talking about great Welsh people and ended up talking about The Alarm for a minute or so!
Cheers,
Peter D


The Alarm At World Of Rock
The Alarm are the featured artist this month on the World Of Rock 2002 website!
See it here: http://www.world-of-rock2002.com/home.html

Radio 2 Airplay!
Under Attack is picking up some good plays. As well as being played on many regional radio stations,
Bob Harrris played an album track on Friday ('Something's Got to Give) and on Saturday ('It's alright, it's ok') on Radio 2.

Western Mail
Here is a nice review of Under Attack from the Western Mail

"Theirs is a curious amalgam of punk, credible rock epithets and noble social fortitude, and while it obviously sounds different to the 80’s Alarm it’s lost none of the vibrancy, nor any of the melodic craftiness. Certain moments are more normal than before, but a plethora of unexpected touches are consistently wonderful.
"

Read the full review here.

Message from MPO

Hope you are all keeping well.

Here at the snowy MPO in Wales, we are very busy, dealing with the Saturday gigs, the single, the album and lots of new Alarm fans who are joining up as a result of the Superchannel publicity. Lots of new faces were to be seen in Cardiff at the Coal Exchange.

The Gathering 15 is on sale now. Over 800 tickets sold already. Don't leave it too late as many people were disappointed and missed out on this year's Gathering 14. Weekend ticket 38 pounds plus 1 pound p and p

Thanks to the amazing crowd who were out in force in Cardiff for Mike's birthday!

On Friday 3rd March, Mike Peters will be guest on Phil Jupitis' show on BBC Radio 6. Mike will be on air between 9.30 and 10am

We are happy to report that Mike is responding very well to treatment. Mike will be writing to you personally over the next week or so...

The Saturday Gigs are developing a mini gathering feel so the next Saturday gig will be on
Sat 25th March Glasgow Academy.
Tickets are £15 plus £1 booking fee and you can order direct from us at MPO or via www.thealarm.com

The rest of the Saturday shows are as follows:

Sat 29th April London Islington Academy
Sat 27th May Wolves Wulfrun Hall
Sat 24 June Manchester Academy

Please stay in touch as there are lots of exciting events planned ahead.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact as per the details below.

All the best,


MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Day Sixty Two: Saturday 16th September 2005


This weekend, Pete Walsh is going to remix two more tracks for us 'My Town' and 'Raindown'. James is particularly keen for him to have a go at 'My Town' as it is his favourite track on the record and he thinks there is possibly a better mix to be had. Pete is keen to help out on the record and has offered his services to us. Once again, we have nothing to lose, if the new mixes come out better then great.

Day Fifty Sixty One : Saturday 20th August 2005


Capitol Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles. Once again, while I perform Alarmstock in the live area of studio 2, Charlie Paakkari creates an amazing mix of 'Superchannel'. I got to hear it at the end of the day and it blew me away.

Day Fifty Sixty : Saturday 13th August 2005


Electric Lady Studios, New York. While I perform an extremely emotional Alarmstock in the live are of the studio. Ryan Simms works up a masterful remix of 'It's Alright / It's O.K.' At the end of the evening, we played the track back to the fans in the live room and they all stood up and applauded at the end. I said I was still not sure what to title the song and someone shouted out 'It's Alright / It's O.K.'. I guess that's that track finished.

Mike and the boys Rock the Cardiff Coal Exchange on Mike's birthday Feb 25th 2006!

Read what MPO members who attended the gig had to say...

An absolutely fantastic night !
Mike was on top form - it's hard to believe that this brilliant man was having treatment just a few days before this gig. He is a true showman and has such a strong relationship with his fans that it makes us proud to be a part of his extended family.
Can't wait 'til the next time we see him.
The Rhondda Gang
Yvonne?Emma & Toby
Di and Cez


For Mike - we thought you did excellently yesterday - a real encouragement. Keep up the fight!
Best wishes
Mark and Lorraine Pont




I dont know if this is the place to be sending this but I just got back from Cardiff, What a Night!!
?

Unbelievable, fantastic gig but just overwhelmed by the courage shown by Mike.
?

Thouroughly enjoyed but so emotional, wish i could put in words how i felt.
?

thanks for listening
?

Jeff?


Last night's gig played to a packed Coal Exchange. As expected, there was a fair airing for much of the new album. Superchannel was the opener and looks set to become a favourite. The new songs sound great live and give new energy to the classic oldies.?


Having undergone chemo on Tuesday, Mike said he'd been advised by his doctors not to play the gig so I guess he must have reacted badly to treatment this time around. He was obviously struggling with his voice, although it did get better as the gig went on.?


"Hope you feel better than I do!" he called to the crowd, who immediately responded by singing Happy Birthday, first in English and then, at Mike's request, in Welsh.


Great gig, well worth the 320 mile round trip. Got back to portsmouth at 2am. I have never seen Mike give less than 100% and the boys, and again last night they delivered. Well done and thanks.
?


I would like to wish you well and to say that it was an honour to be there with you on Sat night. You did really well and our hearts went out to you. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and the gig went down well with baby as well. If we have another boy, we are going to give him the middle names of Michael Peter in honour of you.You are always there for us fans. Please come back soon!?Keep fighting the fight!
M and J W




Cardiff was amazing, thanks so much to Mike for doing the show,?GM


Hi MPO,
?

On Saturday I travelled with a friend from a cold Dorchester in Dorset to Cardiff.? Over the last 21 years (yes I did miss out on seeing The Alarm live before 1985!, but have made up for it since then) each gig I have been to has been memorable, some provoke strong memories such as Brixton in 1991.??
Saturday night in Cardiff was the most emotional?experience ever at?a gig. A?truly remarkable performance from Mike and the rest of the band.

?Where Mike drew his Strength from to put on a such an inspirational performance was a privilege for me to witness.

?

Mike is in all fans thoughts and prayers, he is an inspiration to us all. Thanks to Mike and the rest of the band for a gig I will remember forever?
The new album is excellent - and is on almost constant play.??



G

?

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Hi to you all at the M.P.O.
?

I would like to say what a fantastic and emotional night i had on saturday in Cardiff,to see Mike and the boys giving eveything brought back many fond and happy memories,having been a huge fan ever since i first heard "Declaration".Over the the years i have been lucky enough to have seen the alarm on many occasions and can honestly say that saturdays performance was up there with the best of them,an amazing feat considering what Mike had gone through that week. The mans resolve and determination is an inspiration to us all!! I would also like to say that i think "Under Attack" contains some of his best work to date,and cant wait for some new material.I would also like to wish Mike a bealated "Happy Birthday" for saturday and wish him all the very best in his current battle with illness,and look forward to seeing him on the road again soon.I enclose a few photo's i took at Cardiff,i hope you like them.All the very best. J.S?

Scottish Daily Record dated 25/02/06.



Full Frontal Recoedings


There´s 13 tracks in all and if great guitar music is your poison then you really do need to check this out. There´s some brilliant Rock N Roll numbers on here such as ´My Town´, ´This Is The Way We Are´, ´Superchannel´ and ´Cease And Desist´. The other numbers aren´t far behind and I promise once heard you´ll not want to turn this off!

Day Fifty Nine : Sunday 7th August 2005


Pete Walsh mixes 'Something's Got To Give' at Ark studios in Surrey. James Stevenson re-records the guitar solos for the track. On the phone James is very excited about the new re-mixes. I can't wait to hear them. It's great that James cares so much about the record to do something about it.

Day Fifty Eight : Saturday 6th August 2005


Today is Alarmstock Abbey Road. The idea is that while I am performing the shows in the live room downstairs at Studio 2. The engineer Chris Bolster will work on a new mix of 'This Is The Way We Are' upstairs in the control room. I suppose that after James phone call, I decided that we had nothing to lose but to try and remix tracks in all three studios I will be visiting over the next three weeks as Alarmstock takes me to New York and Los Angeles. The mix Chris comes up with for 'This Is The Way We Are' is tremendous and is a big improvement on the Doghouse mix. At the same time, Pete Walsh completes the mix of 'Without A Fight' at Ark studios in Surrey.

Alarm Call Feb 23 2006
Claire Rees, Celtic Newspapers


WHEN Green Day gave an uber-fashionable music programme of their top 10 most influential bands, Mike Peters from Welsh rock outfit The Alarm was convinced they'd have a place on the list. Weeks earlier, lead singer Billy Joe told him he was the reason he picked up a guitar and spent an after-show party with his arms draped around the 46-year-old's neck. They didn't even make number 10, but with a single in the top 40 and a gig this weekend at one of Wales's hippest venues, Mike claims it has never been cool to like The Alarm.

Mike Peters to appear on:
Friday 3rd March - 2006

9.30am – 10.00am - BBC 6Music – Phill Jupitas Breakfast Show. (99 Great Portland St, W1A 1AA)

Dave Owens @ ICWales:


To sum up, Under Attack is both the sound of a band playing on its raw instincts and pushing the parameters of its creativity and experience. In short, it’s a joyous listening experience.



Indie London



Fans of expansive, passionate rock won’t be disappointed.

Day Fifty Seven : Monday 29th July 2005


I get a call from James Stevenson, he has been listening to the album non-stop all weekend and morning. He is not too happy with some of the mixes. I haven't been listening since the sessions finished but my instinct is that he may be right. We are only talking about a couple of songs. He has spoken to Pete Walsh who is a long time friend of James. Pete Walsh is known for his work with Simple Minds / Scott Walker and has also worked with James on Gene Loves Jezebel at various times. He almost worked with The Alarm in the eighties but after a number of meetings, we just couldn't work it out. He has agreed to do two tracks this weekend. I say to James to go for it. We haven't got anything to lose, if the new mixes make the album even better than it is then so be it. Everyone wins. James is going to get Pete Walsh to remix 'Without A Fight' and 'Something's Got To Give'.

Day Fifty Six : Saturday 30th July 2005


We all assembled at the wedding and had a blast, kicking into our favourite glam rock tunes and toasting the health of the album. The dance floor was packed for our 'set' and we had a great time. A fantastic way to finish the album. A good time was had by all.

Have you seen any recent "unfair" reviews of The Alarm's new record? Not just reviews that are critical (at least those are fair), but reviews that read like the reviewer never even listened to the album before they reviewed it? If so, why not remind the reviewer of the following top-1o rules to follow when reviewing records by The Alarm.


Top 10 Things For Journalists To Remember When Reviewing Records By The Alarm

1. Listen To The Music

I know this seems like a no-brainer, but then I am directing this at people from the music press, so one cannot assume anything. Sure, you get a record by “The Alarm” across your desk, and you think “ah, an easy one, I don’t even have to listen to it.” Instead of playing the album, you start thinking about that “hip/tattooed/dyed hair/ultra hip/snarky/venom tongued” associate editor across the hall that you have been pining after. This could be your chance to really impress him/her with your wit and one-liners. But look, here is the truth: you don’t have a chance. He/she will never leave that brutish/slutty boyfriend/girlfriend that you always hear complaints about. . The cruel and nasty review you have been crafting in your head, the one you thought would make a big impression, will do nothing for you. Instead, why not just listen to the record and write something fair.


2. Don't Just Review Their Hair

The Alarm in the 80's had "big" hair for roughly one album's worth of shows and interviews. Everything before 1984, they had "short, spiky, punky" hair, and after 1984 they adopted a shorter, more stylized look. Reviewing their hair in 2006 is about as relevant as starting a 2006 Madonna review by talking about day-glo, ripped t-shirts, and lace undergarments worn outside the clothes.

3. There Is No Need To Compare/Defend The Clash

Many reviewers feel the need to move from "hair" straight to The Clash. You see, many many years ago some misguided record reviewer took a look at the cover from of The Alarm's single "The Stand" and thought "Hey, they kind of look like The Clash from the 'Give 'Em Enough Rope" era (probably while trying to impress some spikey haired/safety-pinned, new wave associate editor), and endless comparisons were born. This must have seemed like an easy way out at the time, but it neglects rule #1 above. Besides having some punk influences The Alarm never sounded much like The Clash. However, if you do sense some similarities in sound, remember this:

-The original members of The Alarm formed many bands from 1976 on through 1981. Almost every band sounded like The Damned/Sex Pistols/The Clash/The Ramones
in some way, because those were the prevailing sounds at the time. However, the original Alarm sound after 1981 (see Unsafe Building/Up For Murder) was nothing like The Clash, or anyone else for matter. This is something obvious that many people seem to miss. Don’t be one of them.

-The current members of The Alarm have a pedigree that includes playing with members of ,or directly with following bands: Generation X, Chelsea, Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission , The Cult, and Stiff Little Fingers, The Damned, Spear Of Destiny, Theater Of Hate, The Stray Cats, and, the Rich Kids and The Sex Pistols and of course, The Alarm. You will hear more sounds from those bands in the music than The Clash.

-If you still feel the need to defend the "honor" of The Clash, then chew on this. A couple years back, while Mike Peters was touring with Dead Men Walking
he met Mick Jones from The Clash (not the first time they have met by the way) backstage. Basically Mick apologized for all the crap The Alarm went through in the 80's, and even mentioned the possibility of playing with DMW some day. If Mick Jones can let it go then you and your 2-bit rag can do the same.


4. Ditto U2

See paragraph 1 from #2 above and replace every mention of “The Clash” with “U2”, replacing "The Stand" with "Strength" then refer to this previous article that covers the
subject in detail: http://www.thealarm.com/dispart.asp?id=1081


5. Please Listen To The Music

Yeah, that’s right, I’m trying to be polite here. Actually listen to the songs. Also, don’t assume that just because you don’t know what a song is about (i.e. “Superchannel), that it is “pointless”, or doesn’t have meaning. I mean, who actually really knew what “Paint It Black” was about when they first heard it for God’s sake! (By the way, that is a reference to The Rolling Stones, they made their last good album before you were born).

6. Some Bands That Are Appropriate For Comparison As Influences Or Contemporaries

The Who, Mott The Hoople, Slade, Rich Kids, Stray Cats, Creation, The Jam, The Damned, Stiff Little Fingers, The Cult, Big Country, Echo And The Bunnymen, Icicle Works, Bob Dylan, Neil Young just to name a few

If you still feel the need to mention U2, then please re-read #4 above because you obviously skipped the link.

7. The Alarm Have More Songs Than Just "68 Guns" And “Rain In The Summertime”

The original Alarm had 5 albums, plus several EPs and singles. It all added up to just over 100 original songs. Mike Peters solo career has included 4 solo albums, a stint with Billy Duffy as Coloursound, and several other projects. This adds up to another 100+ songs. The current version of The Alarm has about 80+ songs under its belt. With nearly 300 songs to pull from, mentioning the same couple tunes, no matter how popular they were in their day, shows a simple lack of imagination.

8. "45 RPM"

The Alarm fooled you with the whole "45 RPM" thing, didn't they? That was their intention. Either that, or they pissed you off. A nice side benefit. It makes you upset that the producer of Shrek is making the story into a movie doesn’t it? Why? Because no one will give any of you’re ”It’s A cross between ‘Pulp Ficrtion’ and ‘The Van’ “ scripts a passing glance, will they? Understandable. However, by mentioning the whole “45 RPM” thing in a negative way, you sound retarded. If you sound ‘upset’ about it, then it proves The Alarm’s point. If you try to compare it to other similar stunts, you miss the point. Look, they got you. Point Alarm Give it up.


9. The Alarm originated from North Wales
The original Alarm formed in Rhyl, North Wales, but ½ the band came from Manchester, England. The current line-up hails from all over the UK, and even has ties to Long Beach, California However, even though they were formed in Rhyl, they spent much of their time in Liverpool at Eric’s, in Manchester, Battersea and playing in nearly every important UK venue including The Marquee club when it still meant something. As well, they have toured the USA countless times, playing in nearly every historic or otherwise venue in existence, something most UK bands will never or could never do. They have been around the block. When they write songs, such “My Town”, don’t assume you know what they are referring to. Just because the song mentions something that happened elsewhere, doesn’t it is not indeed about their home town. It could just be an “allusion” my Grammer 101 friends. Likewise, if the band has a song like, say “A New South Wales”, it doesn’t necessarily mean they come from that location. They could be putting themselves in someone else’s shoes. It’s called “a sympathetic voice”. It’s been done before. Finally, just because The Alarm once were from Wales, and are now based there, does not mean you must write your review based on that fact and your own biases. You’ve liked Welsh bands in the past (Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals), and there is no reason to revert now.

10. Listen To The Damned Music Already

I just thought I’d try to catch you with this one again. I know it is a hard one to understand, but if you have made it all the way through this list, then I think you might just be ready to grasp it…


Steve Fulton
Webmaster for http://www.thealarm.com
steve@21stcenturyradio.tv

The previous comments are those of Steve Fulton and Steve Fulton alone and do not represent those of The Alarm, The MPO, or for that matter, anyone else

A Nice Review Of The Album At Crud Magazine

by the time ‘My Town’ kicks up the dust and comes hurtling down the hairs on the back of our necks like a Harley-Davidson, one thing is certain: The Alarm have certainly arrived.


Another Nice One Here At Remember The 80's

It's incredible to realise that even over 20 years after their first release and with just Mike Peters remaining from the original line-up the new songs sound just as good as the old ones, some even surpassing their predecessors. The sound is crisp and refreshing and how do Mike Peters' vocals still sound so strong and good?


(You must click on Reviews to find it)


Under Attack - a review
Take one Craig Adams (Mission, SoM, Cult) on a driving bass guitar marry that with the driving powerfully melodic drumming of Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers/RTZ) to give you the platform for the varied and intricate guitar work of James Stevenson (Gene Loves Jezebel/Gen X/Chelsea) and finish it off with the vocal and Lyrical skill of Mike Peters and you get The Alarm MMVI ....
This is not a bunch of 80's rockers going through the motions this is rock and roll for 2006, this is going to be one of the albums of 2006. It may not get the airplay and respect it warrants in the crass marketed mainstream media of the UK but this is an album that is going to escape into the underground and be there until the mass media have to stand up and acknowledge it ....
From the opening power pop punk single Superchannel that gave the band a top 25 single through a dexterous mix of songs ... you can hear so many influences from the 1970's Clash comparisons that has always been levelled at the band, but Mike will always say are there as they are in his eyes one of the greatest rock bands ever through to current punk of Foo Fighters and Green Day with nods to all that has been good in rock and roll in the last 30 years rolled into a vibrant album that is here and now and has no influence but every respect to fellow music makers ...
An album that looks in on the band and where they come from whilst looking out at the wider picture post 9/11 and as the album was being worked on during July 2005 observations are there in tracks like My Town and This Is The Way We Are looking back at the people and situations around them.
Stand out tracks damn where do you start all 13 songs have their merit .. when I first heard it on a gig PA at the end of Jan 06 and thought there might have been a couple of weaker songs these have now gone .... Rain Down now has this driving bass riff with a haunting guitar counter melody and a Beach Boy/Queenesque vocal fade out ...It's All Right It's OK has grown from a snippet heard on the website to a powerful full song with a lot of meaning especially now knowing the origins of where the lyric came from as it relates to the birth of Mike's first child 18 months ago ... Cease & Desist is pure 21st punk rock hard and fast and in your face and taking the guys back to their teenage days no doubt .... the title of This Is Life Get Used to It .. just says it all really, starts acoustic before launching into the track proper with a killer melodic bass drone under it ...
And what can you say about Somethings Got To Give - it's an awesome track and deserves to be in every rock / goth / alternatives DJ box, people won't know what it is at first but they soon will want to, it shows the fact that all the band have at some point played with Billy Duffy and his influence can be heard, you can almost hear Billy doing a guest guitar role on it but it's just the work or the 4 with this possibly being Craig's finest moment on the album with James launching into a sonic riff to end it ...
The final track This Is The Way We Are .. you can't describe it, o everyone that will hear it, it will mean different things ... it's about the place you come from, the place that makes you you and I guess like me you'll project your "home" into the song ...
Forget your theories of who The Alarm where this is a new band for the 2006 with an album I think all 4 have wanted to be a part of for many years as they have walked the miles of the gig circuit ....
Oh and there is also the unique feature of a release that has a video for every song recorded specially, what may be a first in the music industry ...
Trashcan
Monday 20th February 2006
We are UNDER ATTACK

Day Fifty Five : Friday 29th July 2005


Midday and a quick check of the mix of 'Be Still' and it is sounding fantastic. It's the final day today and Liam turns up to pick up all the equipment to take it back to Wales. We have agreed to play at my friend Richard's wedding. I have known Richard 'mod' Jones all my adult life and am his 'best man'. The fact that the wedding is local means that all my friends and family will be there and we all know 'mod'. (You readers will know him as he is also the infamous quizmaster at The Gathering). James and I have to record the guitars of 'Few And Far Between'. It takes a lot longer than we thought. I think it is because we are all feeling the pace of the sessions catching up with us. James cuts a great solo for the end which helps to lift the mood. He tries to do a few more which turns into a lot more but still the first take is the best. By late evening the mix is still going on and I'm not too happy with it. It's not the sound it's the arrangement. When Steve and I first talked about recording this song we simplified it and dropped the original middle eight and instead added the end from 'My Defences' which works great. When we were rehearsing with the band we were persuaded by James and Craig to keep the middle eight in as well. I just felt that now, after seeing the album unfold and take shape, the song sounded too long winded. I asked Martin to perform some major surgery to the arrangement. I asked him too take out the middle eight and the third 'chorus' that went with it. I also asked him to take out the fourth chorus that was part of the 'my defences' section of the song so that the guitar solo kicks is as soon as I sing 'You only get one life'. All in all we took about a minute thirty out of the track and it didn't half sound better for it. George was reenergised and go the mix down by about 1:30 am. As far as we and The Doghouse Studios are concerned the album is finished. I decided to drive home through the night rather than wait 'til the morning and have to fight the traffic. It's a good feeling going home. I decide not to take a listening CD, that can wait for another day.

Day Fifty Four : Thursday 28th July 2005


George and Martin have run the vocal comp through to the morning. We are all getting tired now and everything is taking longer. George wants to mix the track during the afternoon. His initial thought that it would be an easy mix is not how it turned out. George and Martin got into the mix big time and even had Steve re-record a tom-tom drum part to the track. As this is the driving force of the songs rhythm it needs to be crystal clear. The original tom-tom recording had a little too much overspill on it so we decided to re-cut it so that George could push it in the mix without affecting the volume of all the other drum components. Steve played it great right from the start and it turned out really well. Sometimes jobs like this can be more difficult than you can imagine. The mix of 'Be Still' ran really late into the night but it was sounding great by the time we called it a night.

I have no idea if they will be positive or not, but JerseY Insight 103.7 FM Review "Under Attack" tonight at 7:30 UK time. You can listen live at the link below:

http://www.jerseyinsight.com/jsyjt/media_player/channel103.htm

Day Fifty Three : Wednesday 27th July 2005


Today followed a similar pattern as yesterday. Vocal comp on 'Something's Got To Give', then some last guitar overdubs and then onto the mix. The main thing to worry about is about having backing vocals or not. 'B.V.'s' as they are known, can make a track sound soft and as this is a hard beast we decided to leave it alone. The mix all came together about 4.30 p.m. James cames back from London after the mix was put down and he wasn't too happy about the mix of the guitars and some of the last minute overdubs. We all thought it sounded great but James was pretty forthright about it so we are going to try and make up some time so that we can revisit the track by the end of Friday. John Leckie called by and regaled us with stories of his sessions with the Stone Roses and recording 'Ernie' (He Drove The Fastest Milk Cart In The West) with Benny Hill! Very funny. We moved onto 'Be Still' in the evening and while George and Martin went for a meal, James and I worked out all the guitar parts and even recorded some while they were away. When they came back from the restaurant, we only had to fix a few little things. I keep pouring over the lyrics. as there has been one line added from the bond version I have been working up an extra line, very difficult. I've got two ideas, one is a blues take on the lyric which means repeating the second line at the fourth phrase. Tthe other is a new line all together. We shall see. When I got to the mic position. I started to sing the song and even on the first run through it all started to come together. I even sang a final line to the verse that just came out of me as I couldn't remember / see what I was supposed to be singing. George encouraged me to sing the high part of the vocal in falsetto. It all started to work really well. We added a few harmonies to the outro of the song and then we had the job of comping the vocals. I leave it to George and Martin, I had sang the song through a number of times and their job is to choose the best lines for phrasing and tuning. It is a job that can take quite a while and is often quite laborious. I like to leave this job to others and then have a listen to a complete take and if there is a line I don't like then I will either re-sing it or choose a line from an earlier take.

Great Review
Read this great review of "Under Attack" at the MusicOMH web site:
http://www.musicomh.com/albums5/alarm-2_0206.htm
Here is an excerpt:

In Under Attack's case there is no dichotomy, for every track is a triumph, with the result that it can be viewed as an album that requires no skip button or else as a ready-made playlist, depending on your playback preference.


Be Still Air Play
'Be Still' , from the brand new album, 'Under Attack' was played on Radio 2 Saturday night's Bob Harris show

Reminder

Reminder: "Under Attack" by The Alarm is out today in the UK!!! Go buy a copy and enjoy one of the best albums ever with the name "The Alarm" attached to it. The albums moves effortlessly from punk to sweeping rock, to grundge and back within the space of 13 stellar tracks, all the while retaining the Alarm trademarks of impassioned vocals, soaring choruses, a mix of acoustic and electric sounds, harmonica, crashing guitars, and uplifting and thought-provoking lyrics. The critics may never "get" what The Alarm is about, but then they are not who music is made for anyway, are they?

No pressure sales this time, no "chart aspirations", or anything else. Just a reminder that great album by The Alarm was released today, and it may be a good day to go the record shop for some great new music by one of the world's most underrated bands.

Day Fifty Two : Tuesday 26th July 2005


In the morning, George and I sorted out the best vocal take for 'This Is Life [Get Used To It]. We added some sparse percussion and close harmonies which took a bit of working out. George and James are both good at understanding the physics of the harmonies whereas I tend to be more instinctive. By the middle of the afternoon we had a mix we were all happy with. Steve had come back to the studio and voiced some concerns about the tambourine and the fact that we have dropped the drums out of the final verse. We run off two mixes one with the drums in all the way through and one with the breakdown. The downside of tracking and mixing at the same time is that you can lose perspective of things. Sometimes the things that get added late on tend to feature more in the mix than they should and also some changes you make take time to to become familiar and understood. The best thing is that everyone says what they think and you search for the way to make everybody happy without compromising the song. Next song up is the song that we worked out the same day as 'My Town' which has no proper title. I managed to get a start on a lyric while I had been in to London to see Bobby. I felt that I had started to unlock the door into the songs meaning but hadn't quite found the word that suggested the title. I kept pouring over and refining the words I had on my laptop. I liked the look of the word 'Give' and for a while I had the word down in the title header. I was looking at it for quite a while turning it over in my head, imagining saying the song title on stage or thinking of it in the running order of the album, even a D.J. announcing it over the airwaves when suddenly it hit me. 'Something's Got To Give'. The title is mine and it fits great in the overall scheme of the album. Once I had the title I soon had the lyric finished off and I had worked a way to incorporate it into the song. James and I recorded our guitar parts together. Both of us played Gibson Les Pauls, mine through a Vox AC30 and James through the Marshall. The track is sounding great. A quick pint for george and Martin in the pub and then I lay the vocals down before midnight. James records some final guitar flourishes before we call it a day.

Day Fifty One : Monday 25th July 2005


Run off the mix of 'Zero' and then Craig records bass on 'Few And Far Between'. We then move onto 'This Is Life [Get Used To It]. I recorded an acoustic track with the microphone at one end of the room which sounded great. I then added another acoustic track with a capo on the second fret so that I could play the song with different inversions of the chords. We then spent a long time trying to find the right guitar part / sound for the song. It wasn't easy and in the end we settled for a variation of parts that would work to colour the lyrics. I sang the song in the control room rather than in the overdub booth using a stage microphone with the backing track blasting out of the big speakers. Great fun. James added some more guitars and I put down a clipped rhythm part using my Telecaster. We decided to do the backing vocals in the morning as we had been at it a long time today. No point in burning ourselves out now.

Hello Everybody,


I am writing to you today because I wanted to share some good news with you. Yesterday, I was informed by my doctors at the hospital that my white blood count and all other blood readings are now back to normal. My white blood count (the important one!) is at 6.5 - the best chart position I have ever had in my whole life!!!!! I still have a huge battle ahead but at this early stage in my cancer fight, it is reassuring for me and my family to know that I have responded to the treatment that was first prescribed by Dr. Edwards back in December.


I will be undertaking my fourth round of chemotherapy on Tuesday and have been advised to expect at least two more sessions before further tests will determine my true position in relation to the cancer. I can't tell you how absolutely great I feel knowing I am in good hands and that the treatment is working. I am well aware that this illness will not go away and can expect it to come back at some point in the future. My aim however, is to push it as far away as possible in the hope that I won't see it for many years to come and who knows they may even find a cure in that time.


I am really excited about the new album 'Under Attack' coming out on Monday. I hope you have enjoyed reading the recording diary and hearing the audio soundbites on the website. Now the day has arrived that you can listen and see the album in the way we hoped when we set about recording it last June. It has been quite a journey getting this far, and once again it has been made all the more rewarding by having you all to share the experience with. Getting 'Superchannel' in the charts at 24 was an amazing achievement in this day and age believe me, and I'm sure it will have helped to draw many new people in to listen to The Alarm once more. This is all down to every single one of you who went out and bought 'Superchannel'. Once again I thank you.


The other good news as far as I'm concerned is that now I have got my blood systems down to normal levels I can begin to think about working abroad again. At present all international plans have been put on hold but in the coming weeks we will have news of release dates for 'Under Attack' across mainland Europe and North America. The only reason we have delayed the releases in other countries outside the U.K. is that I want to be part of the process and be able to play shows when the album gets launched. I know I can't do the kind of touring I once did before my diagnosis but I want to be able to do the shows that I can and give everything to the cause.


On the immediate horizon is the Cardiff Coal Exchange concert for Saturday 25th February. It will be my birthday on that night and it's not often that I have been on stage on to celebrate such a special day. For obvious reasons, this Birthday will be more special than ever. I can't wait to see you there. In the meantime, enjoy the album it's all yours now.


Love and life,


Mike Peters


MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Day Fifty : Sunday 24th July 2005


George is mixing 'Zero' this morning. The track has most of it's information recorded. It only needs a guitar part from James which gets recorded by lunch time. I am going into London to visit Bobby Troman who first started working for The Alarm back in 1983 on the Stand tour. Bobby is only 42 but recently suffered a huge stroke whilst on a U.K. theatre tour and has been paralysed all down the left side of his body. It is the first chance I have had to go and visit him. When I get there he has had some good news and has been able to move his left leg a little during the mornings physio. Although Bobby is extremely ill and has a long way to go to make recovery, I am pleased to see that he is in good spirits and is even cracking jokes with his girlfriend. I drive back to the studio feeling better about Bobby now that I have seen him. Before his illness, Bobby had been working with some of the U.K.'s leading comedians such as Ricky Gervais and Frank Skinner etc. There is talk of me joining them for a benefit concert at Hammersmith Odeon. When I arrive at the studio the track is sounding great. Craig has been adding some distortion to he bass in the verses by using a Ratt guitar pedal, very Sisters Of Mercy, very Craig Adams. We break off from the sessions at 6 o'clock so that George and Martin can give their 'ears' a rest. We head off to Reading for a film at the cinema followed by a curry in Henley afterwards.

Day Forty Nine : Saturday 23rd July 2005


We head off to the Leckie wedding at 9 o'clock in the morning to soundcheck before the wedding guests arrive. It has been a nice distraction for us doing the Rev it has given us a break from the intensity of recording. We do go back tot he studio for the afternoon and record some backing vocals for 'This Is The Way'. The mix is sounding cool. We go on stage at the wedding about 9 p.m. We are playing it very quiet and really enjoying ourselves. We all take a shot at the lead vocals. We get the party rocking and finish up with "Get Down And Get With It'. Steve heads home after the gig while Craig, James and I go back to the studio.

Mike Peters - The Saturday Social - BBC Radio Wales

Hi, just a quick note to let you know that the long interview we recorded with Mike will be going out on the programme this Saturday night (18/2)? between 9.30pm and 10pm.? We're also going to be playing 3 album tracks (My Town, Superchannel & Without A Fight), so the whole last half hour of the programme is dedicated to The Alarm!
Hope you can post this on the website, as there's already been a lot of interest from fans.
Regards
Ruth
Ruth Hambley
Radio Wales


Mike Peters on the BBC !


On Saturday, 18th Feb, Mike Peters will appear on the Saturday Social with Euron Griffith (please see details below).
Mike will be interviewed by Euron and previewing new 'Under Attack' album tracks...? Please feel free to contact the show direct.

19:30, Saturday Social
Two and a half hours of music and prize giveaways with Euron Griffith. Call 08700 100 110 [national rates] or email saturday.social@bbc.co.uk.?


If you've got something to say about the show or music in general, we want to know!

Use the form below or email saturday.social@bbc.co.uk.

Superchannel sends shockwaves through top 40

As the guitars reverberate viciously and drums pound
furiously, urgent vocals ring true, unmistakeable in
their passion and intensity: "It's alright, it's
alright, alright, alright", - the voice hollers
defiant and proud amidst a maelstrom of
adrenaline-charged rock 'n' roll.

This vibrant and exhilarating music is Superchannel -
the new single from The Alarm, their debut release for
EMI Records and the first time back on a major label
for over a decade.

Stripped down to the bones, raw and wired and
possessing of a heartfelt purity rare in these days of
cynically manufactured, mass market musical
skullduggery, The Alarm are standard bearers for the
new way.

No slavish devotion to trends, no pandering to record
labels’ stylistic demands and no attempt to crave
contrived credibility like an attention deficit
disorder child. What you see is what you get, and what
you get feels right.

On first listen you would think that you were cocking
an ear to the spiky sounds of a bunch of you! ng punk
gunslingers intent on rewriting rock 'n' roll history
with all the bravado and youthful zest that age
affords. You would be wrong.

Superchannel is a rousing three-minute anthem courtesy
of a 46 year-old musician that continues to defy
convention. But then that shouldn't surprise anyone
who knows him. Mike Peters has been rewriting the rock
rulebook for longer than he cares to remember.

Through music industry deceiving scams and shams, rifts and
splits, musical reinventions and a double fight with cancer, this
is a man and a band who has never stood still or been content
to trade on former glories.

Remember, when it comes to The Alarm, think again, because
everything you know is wrong.



Dave Owens


* Superchannel number 24 in the top 40 and number 1 on
the rock chart.

Day Forty Eight : Friday 22nd July 2005


Somehow we have been coerced into playing a Children Of The Revolution gig for John Leckie. John Leckie is the famous producer of the Stone Roses / Radiohead etc. etc.Barry has been playing him the Rev CD and he loves it. John really wants us to play at his daughters wedding. We decided to do it a while ago as we have also agreed to play at Richie Mod's wedding in Rhyl on July 30th ('Mod' is one of my oldest friends and I am his best man, we also thought it would provide a good excuse for a great end of album party!). Now we have to rehearse as well as record the album. We have set up our gear in the Doghouse garage and we rehearse two or three times during the day, it sounds good and we even add some new songs like T. Rex's 'Hot Love' and Roxy Music's 'Virginia Plain' (With James attempting to sing like Bryan Ferry). I sing lead vocals on what was 'Menai Bridge' but is now called 'This Is The Way'. We have decided that while we are away 'Revving', George and Martin can mix the track tomorrow. We work quite late into the night working on the 'Rev'. It's great because the neighbours are far away and no one can hear us except ourselves. We even film ourselves playing 'My Town' for a 'Making of' film we want to go with the finished album.

Day Forty Seven : Thursday 21sth July 2005


It's a busy early morning as Jules and Dylan are going back to Wales. Jules has got Alarmstock in London, New York and Los Angeles to organise and I am going to be extremely tied up with finishing the album. Jules friend Belinda has been staying with us for the last few days and has offered to drive them back to Wales. Work continues on 'My Town'. More bomb alerts in London. Liam comes back from EMI. They loved the tracks. Lots of plans in the works now. 'My Town' is sounding great. Liam heads back to Wales. Finish the mix late afternoon. Start work on 'It's Allright, It's O.K.'. George and Martin work up the mix as the track already has some guitar from me. George wants to start the track with the verse guitar part and lose the intro that we worked out in Wales. He is absolutely right. James adds some guitars of his own and I work out a counter melody that could run through the chorus. I sing the lead vocals and add some harmonies and double tracking. I still don't know what to call the song. 'It's Allright, It's O.K.', 'O.K.' 'Make It Through Tomorrow', I don't know. The title will come although I'm coming round to 'It's Allright, It's O.K.' Make some final adjustments before going for a pint in the Baskerville with George and Barry.

Day Forty Six : Wednesday 20th July 2005


Tough day finishing 'Without A Fight' mix. George finished a mix with Martin that everyone seemed to like. While we were making a cup of tea, James said he didn't think it was sounding as good as we had it in The Chapel. I told him to say something to George, but he wouldn't. In the end I ran back into the studio and made everyone come in and said what they really wanted to say. It all came out, Craig didn't like the bass sound, Steve didn't like his drums and James didn't like the guitars. They all seemed to be saying that it sounded better in Wales at the Chapel. It became very tense in the studio and I could see that George and Martin were feeling dismayed by the conversation. We had to find a solution or things were going to come unstuck. Firstly, I got Martin to bring back all the guitars from the Chapel recordings and cut all the new recorded instruments we had added in the Doghouse. I was working on instinct but the boys seemed to be a lot happier. George decided to leave us to it and take a break. I then got Martin to run the new mix alongside the Chapel recordings. We could all see that straight away the Chapel recording whilst having a bit more vibe maybe, sounded like a demo while the track with the new guitars from the doghouse sounded big and fat. It was make or break time. I went to the house to bring back George and I said to him that we either make this work for all of us or we will pack it all in and reassess the situation from another angle. Harsh but it was the only way. George could accept that maybe we had lost some vibe from the original recordings and so he and Martin set to work to make a new mix that worked for the whole team. We agreed to stay out and come back for a group listen when George felt he had got a mix that incorporated all our thoughts and feelings. He called us in an hour later and what a difference he had made to the track. Everyone was pleased. We now had a way forward. A sonic identity had been established. Every album reaches a stage like this, it is like giving birth, there has to he some pain, some release for the tension. The worst thing you can have when making an album is everyone being polite and not saying what they really think. At last we had some honesty and forward momentum. Next track on the board is 'My Town'. Liam came down to the studio and we played him some tracks, he thought it was all sounding great. Good to have some feedback from someone outside of the sessions. We are definitely on the right track. Liam is going in for a meeting with EMI tomorrow and wants to play them some of the tracks so far. James and I sat outside in the garden and worked up some guitar parts for 'My Town'. We both record together, James on Gibson Les Paul and me on Fender Telecaster. It sounds great. We make a few changes to the arrangement, mainly deciding to start th track with Steve's drums. I get the vocals down and then everyone heads out for the pub. I stay behind to put a CD together for Liam and listen out for Dylan in cased he wakes up. When they come back Barry takes them all out on the river because we have a full moon and clear skies. Beautiful.

The Alarm MMVI have now made available the b-side "Thought Police" for free download. As the b-side for the 7", "Thought Police" is not only hard for some people to obtaijn, but also Mike Peters' favorite track fro mthe "Under Attack" b-sides sessions.

Get yours copy now:
http://www.thealarm.com/underattack/thoughtpolice.mp3

Help get Superchannel played In the UK. It seems that many of the radio stations below need a little encouragement to play Superchannel. Some have played it already (as noted). Why not send an email/visit the web site of the stations listed below and either politely thank them for palying the song, or politely request that they play it. Some people in the radio industry don't think there are fans out there who want to hear this song. Let's show them just how wrong they are!


Radio 2 - Alex Lester
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/lester/contact.shtml

BBC London http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/tv_and_radio/radio/index.shtml

BBC Derby http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/local_radio/index.shtml

BBC Radio Leicester
http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/radioleicester/index.shtml


BBC Radio Lincolnshire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/radiolincolnshire/index.shtml


BBC Radio Nottingham - Dean Jackson
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2005/09/22/dean_jacks
on.shtml


Cool FM - have played it a total of 8 times http://www.coolfm.co.uk/



Delta FM http://www.deltaradio.co.uk/



Fen Radio - Andy Bishop http://www.klfm967.co.uk/fenradio/home.html



Island FM http://www.islandfm.com/



Kerrang! 105.2 http://www.kerrangradio.co.uk/



Kerrang! Radio http://www.kerrang.com/



Olympic Radio have played it 9 times http://www.olympicradio.co.uk/



Q102.9 http://www.q102.fm/q102/new/index_files/index.php



XFM Scotland - http://ibea.fimc.net//Sectional.asp?b=onair&id=7220



Moray Firfth Radio - http://www.mfr.co.uk/



Radio Borders http://www.radioborders.com/



Lincs FM http://www.lincsfm.co.uk/pages/home.asp?servername=

XFM

ian.camfield@xfm.co.uk - Ian Camfield XFM Rock show
http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=61158 - XFM Breakfast show, Lauren Laverne

musicteam@xfm.co.uk - To recommend new music for xfm's play list

Virgin Radio, email a dj
http://www.virginradio.co.uk/djsshows/contactus/index.html

Kerrang Radio
Tell them it is the No 1 rock single!!!!!,
http://digital.kerrangradio.co.uk/Article.asp?id=29257

Bruce Dickinson (rock) *
bruce.6music@bbc.co.uk

Music Week *
musicweek@bbc.co.uk

Phill Jupitus Breakfast Show (contem. & alt.
classics) *
phill.6music@bbc.co.uk

Vic McGlynn (alternative & indie) *
vic.6music@bbc.co.uk

Radio 1:

Lamacq Live *
steve.lamacq@bbc.co.uk

Zane Lowe (new music & altern. rock) * zane.lowe@bbc.co.uk

The Lock-Up (more punk rock, maybe this is something for Cease &
Desist) thelockup@bbc.co.uk

Radio 1 Rock Show (harder rock & metal) mike.davies@bbc.co.uk

Jo Whiley (cont. & alt. )
jo.whiley@bbc.co.uk
Bethan and Huw-Wales and Beyond (Alternative and contemporary Welsh
bands highlighted) bethanandhuw@bbc.co.uk (Had also been listed on DW
list)

Radio 2-
The Critical List with Stuart Macongie
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/criticallist/

The Album Chart Show with Simon Mayo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/albumchart/playlist.shtml

Janice Long *
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/long/

Steve Wright (pop & top 40/cont.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wright/

Additional Radio 2 contacts-
Johnny Walker ,walker@bbc.co.uk
Mark Radcliffe, mark.radcliffe@bbc.co.uk Jonathan.ross@bbc.co.uk chris.evans@bbc.co.uk Dermont@bbc.co.uk ===================

Virgin Extreme Radio-

The Edge show
http://www.virginradioxtreme.co.uk/djsshows/shows/theedge/

Steve Harris
http://www.virginradioxtreme.co.uk/djsshows/djs/harris.html
------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------

Kerrang Radio
http://digital.kerrangradio.co.uk/Article.asp?id=29257

Kerrang t.v.
index.htmlKerrang email tvfeedback@kerrang.com

Miscellaneous-

Imagine FM (regional Manchester area, but we made it into their Top 40) http://www.imaginefm.net/generic/index.shtml

After going #24 on the UK pop chart, and #1 on the UK Rock Chart, Superchannle is startinmg to pop-up in a few more places. Here is what we have dug-up for you today

You can watch the Superchannel video over at The Sun Newspaper's Bizarre Jukebox: http://www.thesun.co.uk/section/0,,11,00.html (Thanks to Katrina)

Superchannel Roingtones are now available as well:
http://www.mobilecontentcreators.com/latest.asp (Thanks to Lily)

There is a nice little review here:
http://www.holdmylife.com/blog/archives/000268.html

Some people are trying to get something moving over at the XFM message boards:
http://www.xfm.co.uk/messageboard/Default.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=8&tid=146842

We'll post more later….

Look At this Review Of Under Attack From Rock Sound Magazine

Look At this Review Of Under Attack From Rock Sound Magazine

Day Forty Five : Tuesday 19th July 2005


Began the day with a walk along the river into Henley. By ten we were working on comipling the best vocal take from the four that I had sung last night. By the afternoon we were still looking for that counter melody on the bridge, I came up with an idea that James and I worked on together for a while before we finally nailed it in the late afternoon. The track is starting to sound really great. Again we made a subtle edit to avoid hearing the tag at the end of the chorus three times. We took the third one out and it made a huge difference and then we went as far as taking the second one out and going straight into the guitar solo after the second chorus. Craig, Steve and James did the backing vocal coda for the end of the song and Steve did the upper and lower harmonies in the chorus which sound great. Steve has got a great voice, but doesn't like singing and playing drums at the same time but he's a great vocal asset in the studio. After all of that the boys head for the pub. I stay on and work out a timetable of events with George. I've worked out that we can give each track a day of studio time if we want to get all thirteen tracks ready for sequencing into an album. It's a tall order but achievable if we maintain our discipline.

Day Forty Four : Monday 18th July 2005


We finish the mix of 'Cease And Desist' by midday and then move onto 'Without A Fight'. Steve and Craig arrive in the afternoon and we play them the mixes of the three finished tracks. Everyone is pleased with the work so far, although Steve feels that his drum kit could sound a bit better on 'Superchannel'. Both Craig and Steve are pleased with the edit choices we have made with regard to the arrangements. It's exciting to hear the songs back to back, we are definitely going to have something special on our hands when we eventually get it finished. The rest of the day and night is spent working on 'Without A Fight'. Both James and play our guitar parts. We feel we are lacking a little piece for the bridge. A counter melody. So I decide to record the lead vocals to see where we are at with the track. I record four takes. I'd say it was probably one of the best vocals I have ever committed to tape. When I came out of the recording booth, I was drenched in sweat. It was great to see the smiles from Martin and George. George was particularly pleased as he now fully understood what the track was aiming for. Everyone was buzzing and enjoying a great rock and roll moment, this is why we all do it. We carried on with guitars until well into the night and we were all looking forward to finishing the track tomorrow.

IT looks like www.thealarm.com is blowing-up from the traffic to the web site!

As a contingency plan, we have set-up an alternative group here:
Anyone can post messages here, no need to register.

< a href=http://batspice.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=mp target=_top>http://batspice.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=mp


If that site goes down, we will use our 3rd alternate site here:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/steveafulton/

The Superchannel single has entered the UK charts at #24!! Word has it, this position will most likely get EMI to release a second single.

Thanks to all the fans out there who helped make this happen. I know it was an exhausting week of badgering and cajoling in hopes of getting some good news today.

This was Mike Peters' reaction from the forum discussion today:

"24.............Top 25.......Well done everyone. What a brilliant acheivement....... Track sounds great on radio as well. The midweek was once as high as 18. I suppose we have been beaten back by the kids getting behind the pocket money singers at the weekend. Top 25 guarantees us another shot at the title. We'll definitely get another single with EMI now."


Also, special thanks to Katrina Copping, Pauline, Rue and all the other folks at Distant Warning for helping us out with the chat discussion.

-Steve Fulton

While Superchannel hit #24 on the UK Singles chart, it hit #1 on the UK Rock singles chart!!!!

You can see this momentous achievement here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/rocksingles.shtml

Some of the other bands that are BELOW The Alarm on the chart:

Green Day
The Darkness
Korn
Foo Fighters
Iron Maiden
Blink 182
System Of A Down
Good Charlotte
My Chemical Romance

See images below:

#1 Rock Chart:



#24 Singles Chart:

Day Forty Three : Sunday 17th July 2005


It's time for me to me to deliver the lead vocal on Cease And Desist. As it is such a fast song there is no holding back on the vocal, It brings out a very 'Declaration' quality in my vocals. Once the vocal are on we begin to realize that our initial idea of starting the track straight in at the lead vocal is not working as well as we had imagined. The problem is that in order to hear the vocals, we have to compromise on the guitars and I feel that the track sounds a little light weight because of it. After quite some time of trying to make it work, I suggest that we copy the first chord sequence that opens the song and add them to the front of the song to give the track some power before the vocal comes steaming in. George has the better idea of adding the chords that come at the end of the chorus that go underneath the big Oh Oh Oh hookline. It sounds great and Steve's drum fill really helps to introduce the first vocal of the song. I add a sprinkle of trademark 'Alarm' harmonica over the front before we add the final touches of backing vocals from myself and James. George and Martin work up a mix of the track that sounds great and again we decide to 'sleep on it' before committing it to tape.

Day Forty Two : Friday 14th July 2005


George finishes the mix in the morning, while Jules, Dylan and myself take a walk along the banks of the Thames. It's another beautiful day. We come back just in time to hear the final mix. We decide to tackle 'Cease And Desist'. As most of this track has been recorded in The Chapel, the first job is to get the backing track with guitars all sounding good on the mixing desk. We decide to redo some of the guitars as now we are listening to the recordings in a 'proper' studio with great monitoring, we think we can do better. The first part we have a go at doing is the intro guitar and by the afternoon we have quite a few alternatives. We are hoping that one of them will set off the track in the way we anticipate once the vocal is on. James re-records the guitar solo with a few subtle overdubs to make the melody stand out in the track against the 'wall' of guitars. By the end of the night it is sounding great. We are having a day off tomorrow so we agree to finish it off on Sunday.

Just a reminder that Mike Peters will be on the Superchannel forum at www.thealarm.com on Sunday approximately between 4pm and 7pm UK time.
Mike will be answering questions whilst the UK countdown is taking place on Radio 1. Thanks for all your support re-the single, Superchannel. Reports suggest that the single is performing really well so if anyone has not yet bought their copy of the single, then please go out on Saturday and do your bit as every sale really does count.


See you Sunday!

Best wishes,

MPO Team

Alarm Information Service


Tel: 011 44 (0)1745 571571

Fax: 011 44 (0)1745 571577

Email mpo@alarmpo.demon.co.uk

www.thealarm.com

PO Box 709, Prestatyn, Denbighshire, LL19 9YR, Wales, UK

Day Forty One : Thursday 14th July 2005


The morning is spent getting the best out of the four vocal takes I recorded yesterday. At 1200 we observed the two minute silence honoring the memory of the victims of last weeks bomb attacks. Since the beginning of the session in Henley, I have been constantly pouring over the lyrics on my lap top. I have the lyric to each song open all the time in a word document. I keep going over them and whenever possible checking the new lyrics against the streams of consciousness that I sang when rehearsing the song. I find that is is important to keep the same amount of syllables as I sing unconsciously whilst rehearsing. Sometimes I find I have sung a line that makes sense lyrically, that needs to be incorporated into the song, sometimes I have to work to maintain the phrasing of a rehearsal vocal that has unintelligible lyrics but has a lot of passion and energy. During the afternoon I break into the lyric for 'This Is Life [Get Used To It]. The atmosphere in the country at the moment is definitely affecting my writing. We work late into the night to finish 'I Never Left I Only Went Away'. About 11 o'clock at night George feels that the 'two' solos are not working the way they should be and that maybe one of them has to go. George wants to take out the first solo but i think we should take out the second solo. We try both and while we are working on the edits, I suggest using the first solo but in the same place as the second solo and bringing the middle eight breakdown in straight after the second chorus, george seizes on the idea and suggests a small 'chugging' guitar part to run through the middle section, he also creates a four bar 'breather' section before the vocal comes in. Now we have a finished track.

Day Forty: Wednesday 13th July 2005


'Superchannel' sounds as good today as it did last night. The mix is run off together with an instrumental backing track mix without vocals and a mix of all the vocals only. We do this just in case we need to have a louder / quieter vocal when we come to master the album. There is always someone out there in the radio promotion department or the record company who says "let's have a mix with the vocals louder". So this is just to head them off at the pass. The next track up is "I Never Left I Only Went Away'. James wants to tackle this track as he thinks it is going to be one of the more difficult ones. The first thing to be done is record my rhythm part. I actually wrote the guitar riff with Billy Duffy in mind but even so, we want to steer this away from 'The Cult' territory. I worked out a way of playing the intro in a similar way as the intro to 'Superchannel'. It works well. Next up, James puts on the big Les Paul sound. The track is sounding good and George wants to make the bass and drums sound really big. He puts the bass through a guitar pedal which sends the bass down an octave. Something really interesting happens to the instrument down in the extreme bottom end and adds a lot of weight to the whole track. I suggest a counter melody guitar part which works well in the chorus and James twists the main riff into a splendid 'solo'. In fact there are two 'solo's in this track which George is having a bit of a problem with. James comes up with a way of playing the guitar parts that is making the two 'solos' work. I eventually get to sing the lead vocal late at night, but it's sounding great. I decide to sing the first verse an octave lower than usual and this gives the chorus a lot of power when it comes in. George suggests a great discordant, Hendrix style chord just before the chorus that really works. By the end of the night the track is definitely taking shape.

Superchannel - The Alarm (EMI)

Just as 45RPM roared its defiant way into the top 40 on the back of some stealth bombing by Mike Peters and his army of devoted Alarm fans, so Superchannel, similarly brim full of belligerent punk fire, looks to detonate in the upper echelons of the charts. And in doing so hopefully ripping a hole in people’s preconceived perceptions of Peters and his music.

Stripped down to the bones, raw and wired and possessing of a heartfelt purity rare in these days of cynically manufactured, mass market musical skullduggery, The Alarm are standard bearers for the new way. No slavish devotion to trends, no pandering to record labels’ stylistic demands and no attempt to crave contrived credibility like an attention deficit disorder child. What you see is what you get, and what you get feels right.

Special mention too for extra track Over which roars like The Manic Street Preachers navigating a Mig Fighter straight into your pulsating heart. Or something. It's stadium-friendly huge.

So you know the brief . . . race to your local record shack and demand Superchannel and if you see any James Blunt records you have my permission to burn them.

4 out of 5

Dave Owens, icWales

Hi Everybody,

I have been conducting press and radio interviews from the MPO Office all day and hearing call after call coming in with news of the 'Superchannel' single. It has been a very exciting day. This evening, we have just had the midweek chart figures through and although I am not allowed to reveal our actual position (!) I can say that with your help, we could be about to pull off the highest first week chart placing for an Alarm single ever!

There is some stiff competition out there for us, but if we keep our efforts going we can sustain the present position. I don't need to tell you that If things stay as they are then we will have changed the landscape for The Alarm beyond recognition. The industry will really have to sit up and take notice and all the hard work and dedication will come to fruition.

As it stands, we are outselling all our competitors on physical CD sales, but we are falling behind on digital sales. You would really help the cause even further if you purchased a digital copy of 'Superchannel' for your mp3 player. I can tell you that every single sale counts and could be the difference between Top 30 and Top 20! I have just bought a copy myself and below is the five star review I found on itunes U.K.

If we make it into the Top 20 it will really make the forces that have always been ranged against The Alarm sit up and take notice. We may even make it back on to Top Of The Pops! The resistance that has always been against this band is still out there (just look at the misguided and misinformed review in Uncut). The radio programmers who dismiss myself and the band will see how wrong they have been and will finally have to start to play The Alarm!!!!

I have to say that it was amazing to be a part of The Gathering in January. Walking onto the stage on Friday night was the most emotional moment I have ever experienced in all my years of rock and roll. I can't wait for a repeat performance at Cardiff Coal Exchange on February 25th.

Whatever happens, your support has been absolutely amazing. I'm looking forward to sitting by my radio player on Sunday night and hearing the chart rundown. If you want to join me, I'll be on The Alarm.com forum for the evening to share in all the excitement.

Discuss Here

Let's take the charts by storm!!

Mike Peters

'The Alarm MMVI - Superchannel ***** A breath of fresh air! by Ian Golder.
"Having previewed the album called 'Under Attack' last weekend I can promise a journey of euphoria any Alarm fan. Thi sband does not stand still with their music. Superchannle is the first single released from the album and if you are into slow love songs don't buy this! I can guarantee you will download this once you have listened to it".

HMV Digital:
ttp://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/navigate.do?pPageID=1530

ITunes UK:
http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/download/

Hard Rock Cafe presents - First Play Thursdays: The Alarm MMVI - "Under Attack"
Thursday 16th Feb 2006.
Listen to the new album and watch the videos for each track in full, ahead of its release from 9pm at the following Hard Rock Cafe venues -

Hard Rock Cafe Birmingham
Unit 6, Five Ways Leisure Complex
Broad Street
Birmingham
B15 2HF,


Tel : 0121 665 6562


Hard Rock Cafe Cardiff
The Old Brewery Quarter
49, St Mary Street
Cardiff
CF10 1AD,


Tel: 029 203 73403


Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh
20, George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2PH
Scotland


Tel: 0131 260 3000


Hard Rock Cafe Leeds
The Cube
Albion Street
Leeds
LS1 6HX ,


Tel: 0113 200 1310


Hard Rock Cafe London
150, Old Park Lane
London
W1K 1QZ ,


Tel: 020 7629 0382


Hard Rock Cafe Manchester
Corporation Street
Manchester
M4 2BS,


Tel: 0161 831 6700


Hard Rock Cafe Nottingham
11, King Street
Nottingham
NG1 2AY,


Tel: 0115 947 4201

Over at HMV Online The Superchannel single has made a huge splash. Not only are all three singles at the top of the new release list, but they have also consistently been in the top 10- (at one oiunt #1,2,3) on the best sellers list. HMV have also made Superchannel their "Title Of The Week", and one of their top "Recommended" singles.

Bewlow is the text the short review that accomoanies all of these placenent at http://wwwhmv.co.uk

"Following the Poppyfields pseudonym-scam which propelled the '45RPM' single to No.28 in February 2004, Mike Peters returns to the Alarm moniker, albeit updated for 2006, and releases this first single 'Superchannel', a surprisingly robust indie/rock track that brings to mind the energy and drive displayed by Paul Weller on his 'From The Floorboards Up' single last year. 'Superchannel' is taken from the forthcoming album 'Under Attack'."

Mike Peters appears on Talksport on Weds 8th Feb on the Alan?Brazil show.

Mike will be on the show from 8.40 am , Wednesday, Feb 8th.

Talksport?in on 1059 & 1083 medium wave, also on satellite, cable and DAB radio?-?it was also voted the?
3rd?most popular radio show by the readers of Q magazine & this show has 5-6Million listeners everyday.

Superchannel Now Available At Paid Download Sites!
Both ITunes UK and HMV digital now have Superchannel Available for paid download.

HMV Digital:
http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/navigate.do?pPageID=1530

ITunes UK:
http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/download/

The Alarm On First Wave With Richard Blade, Wed Feb. 8th

On Sirius Radio, Richard Blade of 1st Wave Channel 22 celebrates the birthdays of artists from the "1st Wave." Tomorrow (Wednesday Feb. 8th), the artist will be The Alarm.
Detalls Here

Day Thirty Nine: Tuesday 12th July 2005


The idea is that we start around 10/11 in the morning and then work to around the same time in the evening, allowing time for last orders at the pub. As always when you are recording an album, the best laid plans go out the window almost immediately. We end up working until about three in the morning as we get so into the guitar parts that we lose all track of time. Superchannel is sounding brilliant though. James spent a lot of time working up the guitar solo and I sang the vocal through a few times to get a good take. I put in a lot of work on the chorus. Initially it was going to be Oh's, but I remember something Craig said "that it might be good to have a lyric at the end of the chorus line". Finally it all comes together and we decide to listen to it in the morning before 'printing' the mix.

Day Thirty Eight: Monday 11th July 2005


Finally get to the Doghouse Studios and it feels like home straight away. George and Barrie are there to meet me, Jules and Dylan. Barriemore Barlow is the owner and he once played drums for Jethro Tull back in the seventies. He is a great guy always full of jokes. The weather is beautiful, there is a swimming pool and a small football pitch laid out on the gardens and the River Thames flows past at the end of the garden where Barrie keeps his speed boat for trips to the pub further downstream. I've got a feeling we are going to have a great time. Martin arrives not long after me and he and George are starting to rig the control room so that we can play our computer through the amazing 1970's Amek mixing desk which we all love. James arrives during the afternoon. The idea is that we are going to do a lot of guitars and vocals in the first week so Steve and Craig are not going to join us until next week. The first track we work on is 'Superchannel'. We begin by recording my guitar part as demonstrated in the guide version we recorded at The Chapel. James records his parts next and he uses his 1976 Gibson Les Paul which sounds great through his Marshall 'Plexi' from 1966. The track is sounding brilliant. We have a feeling that we are going to lose the intro that we created at The Chapel as it feels a bit predictable now but this can wait. George and Martin, ('George Martin' as they are to be known from now on), have immediately got a great working rapport. George thinks we should work to complete a track rather than recording all the guitars and vocals in one big session for all the tracks. he feels that we should tackle each track as a 'single' and that way we will be able to stay fresh from start to finish. It's a change from the way we were going to work, it will probably slow us down a bit, but it also should ensure that we get the best out of all the tracks we have recorded.

Day Thirty Seven: Friday 8th July 2005



After the events of yesterday, everything seems subdued and you can't help feeling that this is what it must be like all over the country. Martin and I gather in the studio to begin the process of breaking everything down to get ready for the trip down to Henley on Monday. It is an arduous job. During the afternoon, I take a break and go for a drive around Rhyl, my hometown. Today everything seems different. It's on a day like this, in the aftermath of the bombings, that you really appreciate where you come from and the people you live with. I've lived in this area all my life but it's in these moments that you notice the relentless change that is taking place all the time. It's at times like this that you see the things that you most value and adhere to. It's now that you see the things that you want to hold onto, the things you don't want to let go of. I don't know why, but I found myself looking at some flags in a shop window on the seafront. I had an idea. I stopped the car and I bought some of them. A Union Jack, a Ddraig Goch and a Stars and Stripes. This is how I see these flags not as symbols of a country but as symbols of a people, symbols of a way of life, symbols of the friendships that exist between people from other countries, the bonds that are forged between towns and cities. After yesterday, it seems to me that it's not just this country or it's leadership / government that is being attacked, but it's people and it's way of life too and that is what makes today so particularly painful. I know that we have done wrong and made mistakes but we have also done right and created brilliant things too. Only last weekend we were talking about ourselves as the generation that could possibly / hopefully 'Make Poverty History'. Today we are talking about terrorism on our city streets and seeing people terrified and frightened for their lives. I get back to the studio and the papers are full of the headlines of the day. We are under attack. I have a vague idea to photograph the flags and lay them out against a white back drop and photograph them as they lay. I decided to set fire to them and took some more photographs. I think I have an album sleeve and a way of articulating what I feel. Under Attack.

Following on from the hugely successful Gathering weekend this year, MPO is excited to announce the immediate news of Gathering 15 which will take place on January 26th and 27th 2007. Weekend ticket price ?38 + ?1 booking fee.

Early booking is advised. Each year, the Gathering sells out quicker than ever!

Gathering tickets and hotels are available to order now:

The Gathering Ticket Hotline 01745 571571
The Grand Hotel 01492 876245
Llandudno Tourist Board 01492 575946

Book Gathering Tickets online:
www.thealarm.com

Weekend Gathering 15 Ticket:
UK #8 + #1
Europe #38 + #2
USA/Rest of World $66 +$5

More Mike Peters on the BBC !

On Saturday, 18th Feb, Mike Peters will appear on the Saturday Social with Euron Griffith (please see details below).
Mike will be interviewed by Euron and previewing new 'Under Attack' album tracks...? Please feel free to contact the show direct.

19:30, Saturday SocialTwo and a half hours of music and prize giveaways with Euron Griffith. Call 08700 100 110 [national rates] or email saturday.social@bbc.co.uk.?

Let’s get this out of the way first. “Superchannel” rocks. It rocks hard. It’s a sing-a-long, balls-out scorcher. It’s catchy enough to be a hit single, yet weighty enough to have layers of meaning tucked just under the surface. It blasts off, out of the speakers, and never turns back. The meaty bass, substantial guitar riffs, relentless drumming, and in-your-face vocals all combine to create a sound that is both familiar and unique at the same time. However, this is no retro track. It’s not like some of the recent songs by bands like The Killers that sound like micro-waved 80’s left-overs, varnished with a 21st century mix. There is no nostalgia here, no anthems or flag waving. The Alarm are not harkening toward, resting on laurels, or a falling back in retreat. They have simply taken all their experience and talent and rolled it into a fantastic rock song. “Superchannel” is the first single in years (maybe since “Strength”) that does justice to the name The Alarm. “45 RPM” would have taken that honor, but for the small niggling detail that it was actually credited to The Poppyfields. This time The Alarm, the one from the modern age, come out of gates swinging for the fences, and hiding behind nothing at all. And the truth is, they have nothing to hide anyway. On a level playing field, left to their own merits, The Alarm have signaled they can make some of the best music in the world. When the album “Under Attack” comes out on Feb 20th, they will prove it.

Reviewed by Steve Fulton, webmaster for www.thealarm.com

Day Thirty Six: Thursday 7th July 2005



We will all remember where we were when we heard about the bombings on the London Underground. I was with Jules traveling across the M62 on my way to Yorkshire to take part in a Cancer Charity event. It was a horrible journey. Jules spent ages trying to get through to all our friends / acquaintances in London to make sure everyone was safe. The phone lines were down and the mobile networks were so over loaded that it was an almost impossible task. Eventually messages came back from everyone we knew that they were all O.K. although our friend Danny Cohen had been in Tavistock Square when the bus bomb had gone off. He was shocked but unharmed, thankfully. It's days like this which make you really think about what is happening in our world. As a father, It makes you fear for the safety of your children and loved ones. It is an overwhelming feeling and you feel that like the world will never be the same again.

Day Thirty Five: Wednesday 6th July 2005


Martin was first in this morning and spent an hour or two tweaking the computer system. We are using a Mac based system with Digital Performer 4.5 as the main recording software and MOTU hardware as the audio interfaces between the instruments and the hard drive. We have also been recording at 96khz which gives the recordings a lot of depth. Martin has just upgraded the system to use the new Mac OSX Tiger operating system. Craig came in to check his bass playing over once more before heading back to Yorkshire. I then set out to record a demo of 'Zero'. J.J. had managed to get me a couple of days grace on the deadline, but he has to have it tonight. I use my black Gibson Les Paul Custom (the one I inherited from Chris Anderson during the Rise album recording sessions). It sounds great and it stays in tune really well. The first part I put on is the main riff which starts in G and has an 'Anarchy In the U.K.' vibe to it with a half tone sequence at the end. I record the part all the way through to the end of the song. the chorus sounds great especially with Craig going to opposite notes to me on the second half of the chorus. While doing this I hear a picking part for the verses. To record this Martin switches my guitar over to the rhythm pick up and uses the tone controls on the instrument to mellow out the sound a little. All we need now is a 'solo', and as I'm no James Stevenson I just create a sort of descending 'Led Zep' style slide guitar part using a bottle. I learnt this trick whilst working with John Porter on 'Rain In the Summertime, it was also something he passed on to Johnny Marr and The Smiths. Vocals. I have written the lyrics and am just about to sing them when I see Jules and my boy Dylan out in the Garden. Dylan comes into the studio and watches me sing the take. It is the first time he has seen me sing in full voice from close up... his little face was a picture...... Couple of backing vocals and we have the track in the bag. Not much time to do a mix, but Martin does a good job with what little time we have, and I then take the track and upload it onto the magazine's server. Job done.

Day Thirty Four: Tuesday 5th July 2005


Craig recorded his bass guitar on all the remaining tracks including 'Zero', which we have got a feeling might make it all the way to the final album.

From the Western Mail:

ALARM leader singer Mike Peters is to start discussions with Rhys Ifans in a bid to persuade the Welsh actor to play him in a new Hollywood film.

Peters confirmed yesterday he will have the script for the movie sent to Ifans' agents ICM, in London, to open negotiations with the Notting Hill star.

Ruthin-born Ifans's agents told the Western Mail he wants to see a script before making a decision on whether to take on the role.

The new movie tells the story of how Peters duped the music industry in 2004 after hiring teenyboppers The Wayriders to lip-synch a song to get The Alarm back in the Top 40.

The Wayriders released the Alarm single 45 RPM under the guise of The Poppyfields and the scam landed them a number 28 hit - the North Wales band's first top 30 hit since 1989.
The song even managed to fool Radio 1 DJs Mark and Lard and Steve Lamacq as well as critics who raved about it.

The story made headlines around the world with Peters, from Rhyl, Denbighshire, interviewed on prime-time America's CBS News with Dan Rather.

The tale caught the imagination of Shrek 2 producer John Williams, who persuaded scriptwriter Jim Cooper to get involved.

And by a bizarre coincidence Williams also contacted Rhyl-born director and lifelong friend of Peters, Sara Sugarman, about working on the film without realising the rock star and movie maker already knew each other.

Sugarman, who made Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and Very Annie Mary, was in a band called The Fractures that supported Peters's first act The Toilets. She quickly agreed to direct the new film, which Peters believes may end up being called 45RPM or The Poppyfields.

Peters, 46, is a huge fan of Ifans's work and has wanted him to take on the role from the moment he was contacted by Williams.

The singer was bowled over by Ifans's performance as a funeral director in the video for the Oasis track The Importance of Being Idle last year.

Peters, who has recently revealed he is battling against cancer, said, "I'll definitely be sending Rhys the script. Sara and Jim Cooper are working on the second draft.

"We have all thought he (Ifans) would be brilliant because he is Welsh and he has that rock and roll look about him.

"He was incredible in the Oasis video last year.

"We'll get it across to him as fast as we can. Sara thinks he would be fantastic in it."

On Friday 3rd Feb, Mike Peters will appear on BBC Radio Wales (Alan Thompson show) between 3.30 and 4pm. Mike will be performing 3 songs acoustically. Please visit the link below and feel free to call in to the show and contact Mike Peters on air.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales/shows/theafternoonshow.shtml

At HMV Online Superchannel is the #1, #4 and #6 best seller!!!

Don't forget the single is released the week of Feb. 6 in the UK (next week). Let's get out there and make a splash on the music world!! Buy the single, request it at radio, spread the word online. The could finally be the chance to get The Alarm the recognition they have worked on for the past 25 years.

Superchannel has been added to the following UK radio stations:

Cool FM : http://www.coolfm.co.uk/playlistb.asp

Total Rock: http://www.totalrock.com/playlist/

Be sure to contact them to say how much you liwk the song.

Day Thirty Three: Monday 4th July 2005


I get into the studio early today as I want to try and work up a song for 'Zero'. J.J. has been good to us and I want to do my best to honor his request. At home I had remembered a riff that I had come up with on stage while we were recording the St. David's Day concert for Radio Cymru. I had an idea that it might fit with the verse chords that I had been messing around with when J.J. first mooted the idea. It didn't take me long to figure it out, I just had to get used to the dramatic change from the riff in G to the verse in D. I discovered an F#major change in the riff that lead me to a chorus which I started singing lyrics to immediately. Craig came in and I played him the song and he liked it straight away. The two of us worked out an arrangement and Craig found a great bass note in the chorus which involved me playing the G in the second half while he change to a G. It sounds great. Steve had been upstairs working on his drums with Martin and when he eventually came down we played him the song. Steve spotted it's potential straight away, so instead of leaving to continue work on the book that he has been writing with Alan "Mr. S.L.F." Parker about The Who (the book is about to be published but the editor wants a few changes made before the print deadline), he decided to stay on and the three of us cut a great backing track. We rehearsed the song a few times based on the arrangement Craig and I had worked out and then Steve put down three mega drum takes, edited it all in about an hour. It was a great spontaneous rock and roll moment.

Day Thirty Two: Sunday 3rd July 2005


Martin is back in today and so he and Steve concentrate on recording the drums on the weekends songs. James heads back to London as he has got to go to Portugal / The Azores for some Gene Loves Jezebel gigs and Craig is sticking around to finish his bass parts on Monday / Tuesday.

Day Thirty One: Saturday 2nd July 2005


Martin isn't going to be with us today so we have set up just to rehearse / demo two new songs. While Steve's been away for the last few days, he has been listening to a CD of all the backing tracks so far. I asked Steve how it was all sounding and what kind of song did he think we needed to back up the overall continuity of the album. Steve immediately said we need another 'Cease And Desist'. I think I have just the song I replied. The song was something I wrote during the last Dead Men Walking tour, I had recorded a rough outline of it via the built in mic on my laptop. It's called 'My Town'. There is quite a distinctive guitar part at the start that I want to sound something like 'Babylon's Burning' by The Ruts. The song sits really well straight away although we spend most of our time developing the riff. Eventually James comes up with an idea to change some of the chords underneath the top line and we finally have a definitive version of the song. I set the computer recording upstairs and run back down to the rehearsal space and 1234 we are into the song. We run through the song a few times in this way adding, taking away and defining the parts. By accident we come up with a dynamic breakdown and work out a way of singing the verse part over the chorus chords. This is something Bruce Springsteen does a lot. We do some final work on the tempo of the song, we try it really fast and then a bit slower, it definitely works best in the upper end of the tempo and once that has been decided we have a potentially great track. We break for a cup of tea and sit outside in the garden enjoying the afternoon sunshine. We decide to try and write a song from scratch as a band. The starting point is a kind of 'Coming Home' style riff that I had written on tour. We had a little jam session based on it, during a soundcheck in Aschaffenburg, Germany. The difficulty with this riff is that it is in a minor key and the tune that I think should go with it is major. I knew if we could get something out of this we could have something really special. At first we tried rewriting the riff with a more major emphasis. This didn't work but we kept persevering, eventually we started jamming around the riff in a minor key and then switching into major for some chorus chords I had come up with. Suddenly it all started to come together. The verse is in a minor key but switches to major for the bridge/chorus. Craig as always, comes up with something special in the bass department, he loves experimenting with the root notes and coming up with alternatives that life the song in places that is least expected. Now we have opened up the song the melody begins to take shape, James comes up with a great idea for the chord sequence at the end of the chorus. Instead of playing chords, I play single note runs on the guitar to mirror Craig's bass part, Steve comes up with a Hi Hat groove that really moves the rhythm. There's is something like a dark blues feel going in the major / minor dynamics of the song, yet we are a million miles away from traditional blues believe me. All we need now is a set of lyrics for both songs.

Day Thirty: Friday 1st July 2005



George leaves quite early and Martin, James and I work up a final mix for of 'Radio Two'. We miss the final post and end up emailing the track to the producer of the show. Craig and Steve arrive in the evening.

Read a story about Mike living with CLL in the
Glasgow Herald

Day Twenty Nine: Thursday 30th June 2005


Today we get a visit from George Williams, the engineer in situ at The Doghouse Studios in Henley. George is the man we want to mix the album. We actually worked with him when we made the Children Of The Revolution album and we loved the sounds and mixes he produces. We had reached a bit of an impasse with Steve Brown over the direction of the mix of the new album. Steve wanted to mix on an SSL desk which we are not to keen on. We appreciated his mix of the last album and the continuity he gave to it's sonic direction, but felt that the mix of the single version of '45 R.P.M.' was far superior than anything on the album itself (Check it out for yourselves, the original version was mixed overnight on an old seventies Trident desk at Foel Studios in Mid Wales). Steve was insistent on mixing in the SSL environment so we decided to take the album as far as we could ourselves with Martin Wilding recording at The Chapel and then going to The Dog House to finish off with George. George has come up to check on the proceedings and familiarize himself with our recording set up. It's great to see George again, he is full of enthusiasm and tells us some Pete Doherty / Mick Jones (The Clash) stories as he has only just finished working on the new Babyshambles album. Today we also have to finish 'Menai Bridge' for Radio Two as they want to broadcast it next week. With George's help we end up re-recording the guitars and simplifying the arrangement. George ends up staying the night and we finish late on. George encourages us to keep things simple and not do too much overdubbing / double tracking. In the final mix as he sees it, George wants to make us sound as much like a band as possible. Sounds fine by me.

Day Twenty Eight: Wednesday 29th June 2005


Martin Wilding records more of my guitar parts (Fender Telecaster plugged into a Vox A.C.10), on 'Few And Far Between' and 'Raindown'. Just in case anyone is interested, the CD's we have lying around in the studio are:


Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
Editors - Munich {Single]
Bright Eyes - Digital Ash In A Digital Urn
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Kasabian
Killers - Hot Fuss
The Bravery
Coldplay - X&Y
Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
Green Day - American Idiot
The Children Of The Revolution - IV
The Alarm MMIV - In The Poppy Fields
The Alarm MMIV - 45 R.P.M. [Single]
The Rakes - Retreat [Single]
Willy Mason - Where The Humans Eat
Razorlight - Up All Night
Oasis - Don't Believe The Truth
Futureheads
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
T-Rex - Born To Boogie [DVD]
Hope Of The States - The Lost Riots
Editors - The Back Room

Mike Peters Front Page News Daily Post

Daily Post article

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to write to you on the eve of The Gathering to tell you how I have been progressing with my treatment so far.

Since December 8th when I was first diagnosed with Leukaemia I have undertaken two rounds of chemotherapy and am pleased to say that I am progressing well and have not been knocked about too much by the drugs. Unlike a lot of people, I have been fortunate and not suffered too many side effects. I have not experienced any nausea and I have not lost any of my hair (not yet anyway!!!). In fact, the only thing that I have noticed has been a tingling in my right thumb and index finger. My haemotologist, Dr. Edwards has said he thinks this may be down to the fact that I have played the guitar for so long that the nerves at the ends of my fingers might be a little worn due to excessive strumming. I think he is right!

I had my illness (CLL) confirmed 100% this Monday when the results of my biopsy came back from Cardiff, but the best news is that my white blood count is now down from 482 to 40. Dr. Edwards told me that this is a remarkable turnaround in such a short time. All my other signs
(polymorphs) indicate that my immune system keeps bouncing back to normal very quickly after the chemo has taken effect. In fact, after my first blast of chemo my white blood count was down to 234 and my body had recovered sufficiently to such an extent that I was able to receive my second chemotherapy session a week earlier than planned as it meant that I would be that much fitter for The Gathering.

As well as having chemotherapy, Jules has been doing vast ammounts of research into my illness and has put me on a ultra extreme healthy diet coupled with some herbal remedies (some of them such as Essiac Tea and Vitamin B17, have come from tips passed onto us by fans who have had experience of cancer in their own lives). Jules, myself and Dylan would once again like to thank each and every one of you who have written personal messages of support. You have really helped us through this most difficult of times.

I am pleased to report that I have never felt better in my whole life. I have lost some weight but that is not due to my illness it is just down to healthy living and being off the road!

Since last Wednesday, I have been rehearsing with the band and we are all really looking forward to The Gathering weekend. It's going to be a very special moment for me when I walk out on to the stage this Friday. I have been going to the studio as much as I can during my treatment schedule, singing at every opportunity. I have been working hard to make sure my voice stays strong. This Wednesday, the band and I ran through a non-stop marathon of songs in the rehearsal room and it felt great.

We are all looking forward to sharing the new album 'Under Attack'
with you and something tells me we are about to have an amazing weekend / year ahead. Take care in your travels.

See you soon,

Mike Peters

Day Twenty Seven: Tuesday 28th June 2005


During the morning, Martin recorded my guitar parts on 'Cease And Desist' and 'It's Alright It's O.K.'. During the afternoon we had a visit from J.J. Haggar. J.J. has been an invaluable friend to me and the band over the last four / five years. He was probably the first person to hear '45 R.P.M.' and it was J.J. who sent out the song to some of his D.J. friends under the 'Poppy Fields' moniker thus sowing the seeds for the whole 'Poppy Fields' scam of 2004. J.J. is currently working for a new rock magazine that is about to be launched in August called 'Zero', and has asked if we have a track for the cover mount CD which will go out with the first edition. We get chatting and it soon becomes clear that he is looking for something special. We talk about an unreleased live track or an acoustic medley of 'Declaration' as the magazine will be launched in the week of Alarmstock at Abbey Road. The problem is that the deadline for the finished CD is Monday 3rd of July. J.J. is a very persuasive person and before you know it, I'm offering to try and write a song called 'Zero' that they can use as a theme tune for the magazine website / cover mount CD. Once J.J. has left I think to myself I must be mad as there is a lot to be done with the album as it is, but you never know you set yourself these challenges and who knows what might happen. In the back of my mind I'm already thinking about the new song I was working up before 'This Is Life' on the 23rd of June. Anyway, I like taking on these challenges as sometimes you write a song that would never exist otherwise and that can only be a good thing, you can never have enough songs to choose from.

Day Twenty Six: Monday 27th June 2005


Today, James gets stuck into guitars on 'Cease and Desist'. It's sounding great but we are having a few problems with the tuning. A lot of James Stevenson's guitars are of the vintage variety and come from a variety of eras. Some from the 1950's (The 'Golden Age Of Guitars') but mostly sixties and seventies. They all sound amazing but sometimes are hard to keep / stay in tune. We decide to call it a day at this point and send them all out to Gordon Markendale who is a local guitar instrument expert to be set up properly. This involves getting the guitars in tune with themselves and also in tune with our preferred tuning for the album, which means tuning all the instruments to D#. This has a number of benefits, it makes the band sound a bit heavier and also gives me some room to sing at full voice. James also takes some of the guitars to London as he has to go back for some business, leaving me to record my rhythm parts over the next few days.

Mike Peters '3 part' special interview with Dave Owens at ICWales...
href=http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0900entertainment/0050artsnews/tm_objectid=16619181%26method=full%26siteid=50082%26headline=mike%2dpeters%2d%2dmy%2dcancer%2dfight-name_page.htm

Alex lester free played 'superchannel' on Radio 2 on tuesday morning (he is on air between 0300-0600).

You can listen to the archive here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/lester/library.shtml

You can hear sampler of "Superchannel" exclusively on MySpace.com!
http://www.myspace.com/thealarm

Day Twenty Five: Friday 24th June 2005


Today we set about making 'This Is Life [Get Used To It]' work. James and I spent an hour just working over the chords and seeing if we could accommodate a song of his within the framework. It took a few hours but finally we have the 'ballad' for the album. It's not really a ballad but it is the 'slowest' song on the record. Something in the back of my mind is saying to me that an album title can be found in this song. The group arrangement came together really quickly but the main work was spent on making the intro work. Should we be all in from the top, or should it start out with me on acoustic and then save the band for later? That is the question that took a few hours to find an answer. Eventually we settled for a 'solo' start with the band coming in after the first chorus. Again, the potential for the lyric is intriguing me. Unfortunately, I can't dwell on new lyric ideas for too long as we have a gig tomorrow at a festival in the North east and so we must rehearse a set.

Day Twenty Four: Thursday 23rd June 2005


Craig came in early today to catch up on the bass guitar recording. He played bass on three tracks, 'Be Still', 'It's Alright It's O.K.' and 'I Never Left I Only Went Away'. During the afternoon we tried to work in two more brand new songs. The first song was a new kind of 'Drunk And Disorderly' but it didn't seem to work for the direction of this record. We tried it out in two ways first kind of 'Drunk' / 'Spirit' style, and when that wasn't quite working we tried it out really fast and although both versions were good they both seemed not what we were looking for at this time. We then tried another one in a similar style but that didn't seem to work either. I still think the songs are good and they will work again somewhere in the future. We decided not to push it too far and so Craig went back to recording his bass parts and I went out into the garden to look for more songs that would work. An hour later, I found a couple of interesting pieces and went into the rehearsal space and had a jam by myself with just an acoustic guitar and singing through the P.A.. After a while and trying various keys and with some changes to the chords here and there I think I may have found something. Suddenly out of nowhere I started singing a different song in the key of E with the lines "This is life, you'd better get used to it". I think it came out of the frustration and earlier failures of not being able to make the other new songs work. Steve must have heard what I was doing as he came into the room and together we worked out an arrangement on my guitar and we recorded ourselves singing along. Now we have something positive for tomorrow.

Day Twenty Three: Wednesday 22nd June 2005


Today is taken up with recording drums and bass on yesterdays tracks. While all of this is going on I decide to go out into the garden and have a listen through my tapes and see if I can find some interesting songs. It is a beautiful sunny day. I rewound one of my tapes to the beginning and pressed play, I could not hear anything just a load of tape hiss, that's funny I thought, so I listened in a lot closer and, underneath the surface noise, I could hear my voice and a faint guitar sound just playing single notes. I must have recorded this very late at night and not wanted to wake anybody up so I had played it into the tape recorder very softly. I might have missed it if it had not been at the beginning of the tape but I thought here is a song for the band. While I was trying to work out what I had actually played, James walked by and said to me that the riff sounded great. Sometimes this is just what you need as a song writer, a little bit of encouragement goes along way. I got craig out into the garden and we quickly went over the chords/riff pattern. We pulled Steve into the rehearsal space and played a quick verse / chorus, it works really well. We decide to just have a jam and do a build up intro. Well the next three minutes were brilliant. We all instinctively knew what to do where and when, a few nods and winks and we know that we have really got something here. We shouted up to Martin to ask him if he could record the next pass and to our surprise he said that he had already recorded the last run through and that we should come up and listen as it sounded brilliant. He was not wrong, apart from a small edit the arrangement was perfect and I had even subconsciously sang a word that will become the songs title. Steve heard it first, and said to me "that line you sang in the second verse is a keeper", and thus 'Superchannel' was born.

Scottish Journalist Billy Sloan piped-in today with a short review of "Superchannel" a song he will be playing on his radio show on his Clyde 1 radio show tonight at 7pm tonight:

" Superchannel by The Alarm - Mike Peters is in blistering form on this great single"

As well, a few fans who were able to hear the song have made comments such as these: (All real quotes)

“-the track blows your head off! 3 minutes of raw,energetic,fury - this band means business! (Great job guys) Absolutely fantastic!”

“OH MY GOD!!!! That is the most amazing single I have heard in ages!!”

“Best thing Mike's done in ****iing years.”

"****! Holy mutha ****ing ****]!
(Sorry if the anti profanity program doesn't kick in and any under-agers read this, but it just blew my godamn balls off!)"

Remember to pre-order the new singles so they will arrive for you the week of Feb 8th (the week of its release):

UK Fans

Day Twenty Two: Tuesday 21st June 2005


Back into the serious business of the album. We decide to have a run through 'Few And far Between'. Steve and I had come up with the idea of merging the song with the end of 'My Defenses' from the Poppy Fields Bond. At first we play it like it has been done live in recent times. Then the ideas start to flow, firstly we speed the song up in tempo. I come up with a more interesting chord sequence and melody to set up the chorus. Steve keeps the drums moving throughout the second verse and before long a far more potent arrangement of the song works and the addition of the 'My Defenses' ending brings the song to an almighty crescendo. It's 6 o'clock, so instead of recording the backing track immediately we decide to tackle another of the bond songs, 'Be Still'. When this song was originally recorded for the bond I felt it was a little high for me to sing in the key of D so we slowed the song down into C# where it was more comfortable. A lot of people voted for this song to be included on the last album but I felt uncomfortable that we may not be able to play it live so left it alone. 'Be Still' was the key song in clinching the EMI deal so we all feel a responsibility to do something good with it. One of the things about the original version that Steve felt needed working on was the fact that the verse goes round the chords only three times not four like most standard rock and roll arrangements. It meant that there was an unusual amount of bars before the chorus and Steve felt this did not help to set up the chorus as well as it could. We started out by trying the song out in B a good tome and a half below the original key and with a more standard four round of verse chords. It felt good even though I will have to rewrite / write more the lyrics. Again we all felt that while the song was good the arrangement was still a little unimaginative. We were almost about to give up when James suggested trying the song back in D. I also decided to have a go at playing the song on the electric 12 string guitar that James had used for 45 R.P.M. All of a sudden it started to come together, I played a picking riff over the intro that seemed to compliment James original guitar riff, Craig came up with a brilliant bass groove that inspired me to sing the verse an octave lower which meant that I had enough breath left to really go for it on the chorus. Now it is happening. The best rock and roll is meant to be sung at the top of your voice and things start to sound 'Alarm' like when I am pushing my voice into it's upper range. By the close of the evening we think we have it but at the last minute, Steve suggests we need a change of chord / key out of the second chorus that will lift the song out of it's four chord verse / chorus structure, I hear what he is talking about and when we try what I have in mind it sounds great just what the song needs. By eight o'clock it's a wrap.

Day Twenty One: Monday 20th June 2005


Today everyone is heading back to the studio from the four corners of the U.K. Steve and Craig have been home, I've been to see U2 at Twickenham on both Saturday and Sunday and James stayed up here in Wales to record some backing tracks for his latest Chelsea album. Not much gets done today just a bass guitar idea by Craig on 'It's Alright It's O.K.' and Martin reassembles the drum kit sound for the rest of the week.

Livingonaknifedge on BBC1 – Saturday 1.10pm

Trained by Ian Williams, Livingonakifedge contests the Anglo Irish Bank Novices Hurdle Grade 2 (Class 1) at Haydock tomorrow.( 1.10pm )

Whilst only a small field it is very competitive race full of potentially top class performers with the Percussionist the horse that was fourth in the 2003 Derby amongst the runners.

Ian Williams said “Whilst Livingonaknifedge can’t profess to having the flat form of some of his rivals he should be quite at home in the forecast heavy conditions at Haydock.r best advantage and I am hopeful of a decent performance.

Mike Peters and wife, Jules will be slipping out of rehearsals for next week's sold out Gathering weekend to travel to Haydock to watch Livingonaknifedge run on Saturday and you may spot them on BBC 1.

The horse was purchased unraced and unnamed from Ireland and has made rapid progress this season. He was named after the Alarm song Livingonaknifedge by longstanding Alarm fan, John Tyrrell, who runs Concertina Events.

Day Twenty: Friday 17 June 2005


Steve has another go at the drums on the song (Working title - It's Alright, It's O.K.), he is not happy with the groove and wants to try and better the feel of yesterday. Always striving for perfection is Steve. Once Steve is happy, we have a go at 'Mercenary Skank' (again included on the EMI demos). Something feels wrong, we try and turn it into a sort of 'Babylon's Burning' Ruts kind of thing but it isn't working, the track is what it is. We troop back up to the control room. We end up in a discussion about what sort of record we want to be making. There is a pressure to honor the vibe of the tracks we presented to EMI to get the new record deal, but this feels like a step backward. We decide to put on the EMI demo, instantly it is obvious that we have to / want to move forward not go back. We decide to continue with the recordings. James wants another crack at the guitars on 'Raindown'. We bring the track up on the computer. I put some acoustic guitars on the song so that James has abed of rhythm to work on while I'm playing something about it starts to bug me.... it's not right. We are all in the control room and the atmosphere is getting a bit heated, are the guitars not working because the drums aren't right? Does it sound like U2? Stop right there.... let's have no U2 on this record (and no Coldplay for that matter either). We all appreciate what those bands do, some of us more than others, but the comparisons have been around for too long. Let's not get into "Who did what first or second" or "Who influenced who". We all know the score. If U2 aren't going to vacate our space, then we'll have to move into another space all together. You could say this is the defining moment of the record. This is what has been lying unspoken between us for the last few weeks. It has taken this song to bring it out into the open. In frustration I went downstairs and turned up my amp and started to play 'Raindown' in a completely different style. I started with some stabbing guitar chords and before I could get to the chorus, James, Craig and Steve have followed me down and are joining in. It has a kind of post-punk angular feel. From here on in the atmosphere around the record changes, it's as if we have broken through tho the other side. We've had a glimpse of the future and now we know where we are headed.

Day Nineteen: Thursday 16 June 2005


The rehearsal room is crackling with energy, we are running through the new song (Working title - It's Alright, It's O.K.), it's working out really well. No dramas, beginning to develop some vocal lines as I want to write the lyrics for this album as the music develops. James finds something in the bridge that I did not realize was there, a have a descending chord sequence that takes you to the chorus but James guitar keeps on descending so that the major chord becomes a minor.... brilliant. Steve records the drums immediately while the arrangement is fresh in his mind.

Day Eighteen: Wednesday 15 June 2005


James wants to have another go at 'Cease And Desist'. Overnight he has come up with an idea for a 'sound' for the intro. This involves using an MXR Phase 90 pedal with a Gibson Les Paul. It sounds really good and now we have the dilemma of two really good introductions for the song. Most of the day is spent going over the guitars on 'Cease And Desist' using combinations of 12 string 335 and six string Gibson Les Paul. Generally, while one of us is working on the recordings and fine tuning the specifics of the tracking, I have been going out into the garden with a guitar and my tape recorder. I have to point out that the weather has been fantastic. I like to sit on the bench in the Garden and trawl through my tapes looking for song ideas and then working them out on a guitar. I have a little Sony cassette recorder which I carry around with me and use it to record snippets of song / ideas as and when they come to me, sometimes at home, or out on the road in the dressing room before shows. The nature of these recordings vary from some being quite good to others being sometimes inaudible. One of the songs I find was written during the Dead Men Walking tour last year. It is a very simple tune based on a guitar figure that I had come up with and a four chord chorus. Craig and Steve have both heard me messing around with it and want to have a crack at it. This is what is exciting about this recording session for me, it is all very fluid and unpredictable. I did not arrive at this session with a fixed idea of song and structure. We are trying to make it up as we go along, making the connections between the music and the direction it is taking us as and when it happens. It is very demanding for me, which I like. I have written a lot of songs but I am looking for the right ones that will suit our collective mind set. Craig comes out to join me in the garden and we begin the process of learning the chords, at this point I come up with an introductory chord sequence which also works at the end of each chorus. Craig has worked up a great riff on his guitar and we spend quite sometime seeing if we can include it as an extended coda / finale to the song. We decide to give this song a run through in the morning as Steve is due back tonight and we can carry on tracking from tomorrow. We decide not to do any more work this evening instead, we are all going for a pint or two.