"Interstate" | ||||
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Single by The Automatic | ||||
from the album Tear the Signs Down | ||||
Released | 6 December 2009 | |||
Recorded | Warwick Hall, Cardiff | |||
Genre | Post-punk revival | |||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | Armored Records, EMI [1] | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robin Hawkins, Paul Mullen, James Frost | |||
The Automatic singles chronology | ||||
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Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down , the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on 6 December, and marks the first release through the band's own record label, Armored Records. [2] [3]
Similarly to previous single "Steve McQueen", "Interstate" is considered a bridge between previous record "This Is a Fix" and "Tear the Signs Down". Lyrically and musically however the track is more like material from debut album Not Accepted Anywhere , [4] with the use of synthesizer keyboards and three part vocals – predominantly from Robin Hawkins and Paul Mullen, with backing vocals throughout from James Frost. The track was written and recorded at Warwick Hall of Sound, and according to Paul Mullen was one of the easiest tracks to write, taking mere hours. The lyrics "freedom, no stress, being away from everything and basically driving along a big long road to God knows where" refer to their split with former record label, B-Unique, [5] [6] as well as their experiences of recording previous album This Is a Fix abroad in Los Angeles in 2007. [7]
The track's release details were announced on 3 November 2009, with the announcement of the single "Interstate" and the band's third album Tear the Signs Down . Armored Records, the band's own new record label, was announced on the same day, and would be distributed by EMI. The track was premiered, also on 3 November on XFM, with the music video and song itself available to stream on YouTube, Myspace and the band's official website. In promotion for the single "Something Else", a bonus track from Tear the Signs Down was released as a free download on Music Glue. [8] A week later on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 10 November, vocalist and guitarist Paul Mullen was interviewed about the new single. [9]
The single's artwork sleeve is an abstract painting by vocalist/bassist Robin Hawkins, which uses the logo style from This Is a Fix. [10]
The band reworked the track soon after its release into an acoustic west country style, which was performed in session on BBC Radio Wales and then on Live from Studio Five . [11] [12]
The music video was directed by Ewan Jones Morris and Casey Raymond, with additional photography by Nicolas Booth. It was filmed on 12 October 2009 at the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. [13] [14]
The video's primary setting uses a backdrop created in 2008 by artist Alan Goulbourne, a 'multi-layered three-dimensional sculptural landscape' which originally was not painted; [15] [16] however, in the video it has been painted red, white and blue, colours which recur throughout the video. Paul Mullen uses a white Gibson SG, Rob Hawkins uses a red bass guitar, Frost plays a blue Gibson Les Paul and Iwan plays a blue drum kit. The women and scrap-heap cars also use these colours. [17]
The concept of the video is based around the stereotype of the American lifestyle, with young girls, fast cars and unhealthy foods. [18]
The narrative follows the band performing the track, whilst several different women are shown consuming various meats, burgers, milkshakes and ice creams, as well as shots of cars being scrapped. The video was premiered on 3 November 2009 on YouTube and Myspace, shortly after the song was initially aired on XFM.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Interstate" | 3:33 |
Yourcodenameis:milo are an English alternative rock/experimental/post-hardcore band from Washington, Tyne and Wear. Their mini album, All Roads to Fault, was released in 2004, followed in 2005 by the full-length album Ignoto, both on Fiction/Polydor Records. In 2006, the band left their Polydor contract and within a month signed a new record deal with V2 Records. In November 2006, the band released Print Is Dead Vol 1, a side project album featuring collaborations with other bands. Their second full-length album, They Came from the Sun, was released in 2007.
The Automatic were a Welsh rock band. The band's last-known lineup was composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesisers, James Frost on guitar, synthesisers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesiser. Mullen joined after the departure of Alex Pennie, who provided synthesiser, percussion and vocals.
Not Accepted Anywhere is the debut album from Welsh rock band The Automatic, originally released in the United Kingdom on 19 June 2006 and in the United States on 22 June 2007. Working with producers Stephen Harris, Richard Jackson and Ian Broudie on different tracks at a variety of studios around the United Kingdom the album was released through a joint deal between B-Unique Records and Polydor Records.
"Raoul" is both the second and the fifth single from Not Accepted Anywhere, the first album by the Welsh band The Automatic. The single was released twice, first on 27 March 2006 and again on 8 January 2007 at the decision of the band's record labels Polydor and B-Unique.
"Monster" is the third UK single by Cardiff-based Welsh band the Automatic, taken from their debut album, Not Accepted Anywhere. The track was released on 5 June 2006 in the UK and subsequently reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released in the United States under the alias of the Automatic Automatic on 14 May 2007. It is the Automatic's highest charting single to date in the United Kingdom.
James Martin Frost is the guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of Welsh band The Automatic, and guitarist and backing vocalist for Cardiff-based band Effort. As well as his musical duties for The Automatic, Frost has also directed two of the band's music videos and their tour video diaries. He currently resides in Cardiff, Wales.
"Recover" is the debut and fourth single by Welsh rock band The Automatic, taken from their debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. Originally released on 21 November 2005 as a limited 7" vinyl, CD single and digital download, it was re-released on 18 September 2006 as the band's record labels, B-Unique & Polydor, believed it could perform better and reach a larger audience after the band's success with previous single "Monster".
Paul Mullen is an English musician, multi-instrumentalist & singer songwriter who first gained recognition for being vocalist and guitarist of the band Yourcodenameis:milo, who went on hiatus in 2007. Since their hiatus, Mullen has gone on to both join and form a number of bands, which he currently splits his time between – including The Automatic, Young Legionnaire, Losers, and Bleach Blood.
"That's What She Said" is the lead track on Welsh band the Automatic's debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. The track was recorded in Stir Studio in Cardiff.
This Is a Fix is the second album by Wales-based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in Cardiff with Richard Jackson and London with Stephen Harris.
"Steve McQueen" is the first and ultimately only single from Welsh rock band The Automatic's second album This Is A Fix. It is their fifth single overall. The track began radio and video play as of 7 July 2008 and was released on 18 August 2008.
Haunts was a British rock band based in north London. Described as 'Noirists', their musical style combined elements of punk, new wave, dance, prog rock, indie and Britpop. The band referred to themselves simply as 'new wave'. Haunts' line-up consisted of Banks, Alex Woodcock, Gareth Grover and Mitch Mitchener. Haunts disbanded in 2009.
The King Blues are a British punk rock band from London credited for fusing punk and hip hop together with influences from ska and spoken word. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as "rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are challenging war-monger politicians and their courtiers". Influences include Public Enemy, The Clash and The Specials. Lead singer Jonny "Itch" Fox describes the band's sound as 'rebel street music.'
"One More Chance" is a 2009 single by British band Bloc Party. It was released on 10 August 2009.
"It's Not the End of the World, But I Can See It from Here" is the twelfth single by Welsh rock band Lostprophets, and the first from their fourth studio album The Betrayed. It was released on 11 October 2009 in the UK, the first time they had released anything since April 2007. The release also features the song "AC Ricochet". Drummer Ilan Rubin wrote the song when he was 16, though there were changes and a middle 8 written with the band.
Tear the Signs Down is the third and final album by Wales-based band The Automatic. It was released on 8 March 2010 in the United Kingdom, and then on 12 April 2010 for the rest of the world. Tear the Signs Down was the first album released by the band on their own Armoured Records after splitting with B-Unique. The first single "Interstate" was released on 6 December 2009, with second single "Run & Hide" released a week prior to the album itself on 1 March 2010. Third single "Cannot Be Saved" was released on 20 June 2010.
Run & Hide is the second single taken from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh band The Automatic. The single was announced on BBC Radio Wales. Run & Hide was released on 1 March 2010, 1 week prior to Tear the Signs Down on 8 March 2010.
The Tear the Signs Down album tour was a tour by the Welsh rock band the Automatic, in support of their third album Tear the Signs Down. The band made their live comeback at Cardiff Barfly on 19 September 2009 and soon after announced a string of dates in November where they would preview new material from their then upcoming album. The band undertook a full UK tour, with plans to tour in Europe and America.
"Cannot Be Saved" is the third single by Welsh rock band The Automatic, taken from their third album Tear the Signs Down. The single was released on 20 June 2010 as a digital download.
Young Legionnaire are a British band formed in 2009. Since 2010, the band's lineup has consisted of founders Paul Mullen and Gordon Moakes alongside drummer Dean Pearson. Will Bowerman was the band's drummer from their formation until his departure in 2010, returning to touring duties with La Roux.