This week’s Simple Folk Radio will be presented by Dillon with Chris Bye (Arts Council England) & Matthew Young (Song, By Toad Records), featuring in session ELECTRICIAN.
“World History is dead. This is the new thing”
Electrician is the new moniker Neil Campau, resident of Oakland, California and DIY music scene super hero. We first crossed paths back in 2008 thanks to some mutual friends, he’d often perform on the same bill as Simple Folk favourites Viking Moses and Real Live Tigers. I think I heard all of maybe four songs by his band ‘World History’ and I was hooked, writing e-mails via myspace to try and convince him to record a session for this show. They were everything I wanted in a band, musically free-wheeling, engaging lyrics which leave you looking up subjects you’d never thought of, a certain anti-establishment vigour, they had it all. They kindly agreed to my demands, a session was recorded, I rejoiced, but then didn’t hear much more from the band. (see bottom of page for a link to the session)
Fast forward to February of 2012 a message appeared on my screen, “World History is dead. This is the new thing”
Electrician knocked me for six as soon as I heard the first song. It felt like hearing World History for the first time, only the songs seemed better, the subject matter often darker, more thought provoking. World History really is dead, and this really is the new thing. Again, after hearing only a small handful of songs (perhaps three this time) I was contacting Neil again, via facebook this time, inviting him to record another session.
This is the part when I’m supposed to pigeon hole his music. Instead why not take a couple of moments to make up your own mind? Electrician currently have eight songs online, all available for free download or play from http://electricianmusic.bandcamp.com/. If it helps twist your arm to making a couple of mouse clicks, let me just say that when ever I’ve played a song by Electrician, it always been the most asked about song after the show.
Joining me in the studio is “Mr Music” from The Arts Council, Chris Bye, and on a somewhat flying visit is Matthew Young from Song, By Toad Records, a fine establishment that I’ve recommended on air more times than I care to remember.
Broadcast Schedule – UK Time Zone
Sunday 26th May 2013 @ 5pm – on Folk Radio UK
Then repeated on the following:
Monday: @ 2am
Wednesday: @ 9pm
Friday: @ 1pm
http://www.electricianmusic.com/
http://songbytoadrecords.com/
And here is our original session with World History
http://www.simplefolkradio.com/archived_by_artist.html#detailsworldhistory