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My Substack 25 Mar 5:42 AM (20 days ago)

In March 2020 I was made unemployed.
Quite an achievement considering I was, and I remain self employed.
Such was the impact of the COVID pandemic.
My family were locked down for two years. Long enough to probably bankrupt us.
Alternate income streams were needed.

I created a Patreon page.
We didn’t go bankrupt.

My initial idea for the page, my only idea, really, was something I’d been mulling for quite a while - The Notebook Project - a visual history of my songwriting from the actual notebooks I used, and continue to use. That’s right, every entry on every page, leading to every song, photographed and presented, one song at a time.

The Notebook project led to The Cassette Project - its audio counterpart.

And then there were basement concerts and guitar lessons on video.
Electronic explorations in my attic.
Memorabilia.
Live concert recordings.
Photography, even.

It became a sort of multimedia self portrait / memory palace. The closest I’ve come, thus far, to a memoir.

The Patreon model was ideal for that moment which lasted two years.

Substack, despite its nomenclature still being based around the newsletter, is a better fit for me, today.

I've migrated almost the entirety of the Patreon data, now, now being late March 2025. I'll be closing the Patreon page next week.

If you'd like to learn more, or you'd like to consider subscribing, click here.

8 Weeks Later. Much Better. 27 Jun 2024 11:25 AM (9 months ago)

I am back.
I am feeling healthy. Much healthier than I was feeling.
I still have work to do and I need more time to get stronger, but I'm confident I'll be fine for the shows in September and I look forward to them.
Hopefully I can play some golf in Ireland beforehand (my golf game is improving but not quite as drastically and quickly as my health, I'm afraid).
Yes, I cut my own hair. I will get professional help before venturing on stage.

Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts.
See you all soon.

L

Time Out 26 Apr 2024 3:43 PM (11 months ago)

I’m taking some time away from music.

I was sick on tour in Australia, I was sick on tour in Scandinavia, I’m sick again in Portugal. I have some kind of virus. This time my mental health has been impacted.

I’m fine, for now, I’m on antibiotics. I have people to talk to. The plan is to get the seven Portuguese shows done. Then I’ll fly home early May.

I need to address the root of the issue. I’d rather not go into details here. Honestly I don’t know exactly what’s going on but I’m pretty sure some major changes are needed in my lifestyle and work schedule. I’ll be consulting my MD and we’ll figure a plan. Most likely I’ll be in some kind of treatment facility for while, hopefully like The Magic Mountain.

I’ve cancelled the US East Coast shows that were scheduled for June. I’m keeping May, June and July free to heal/recover. I look forward to some golf in Ireland in late August and then September solo shows in the Ireland and the UK. We’ll reschedule the cancelled US dates as quickly as we can.

I’ll see you all in the Autumn.

Sincerely,
LC.

Band Shows January 2025 18 Mar 2024 8:32 AM (last year)

We're getting the band together in January 2025 for a handful of shows.

The same band - Blair, Neil, Signy and me.
The same format - 2 sets, no support.
Almost certainly a a few different songs.

Dates

January
20 - Aberdeen
21 - TBC
22 - Buxton
24 - Manchester
25 - London
27 - Dublin

2025 Another Year Of Mostly The One Man Show 20 Jan 2024 3:09 AM (last year)

It's already begun, as you may know.

In 2023, after the release of ON PAIN, the focus was on putting a band together for the first time in a very long time, and I'm happy to report it went really well and it was not unprofitable. We played late in 2023 and again early this year. However if it were to be my only source of live income it would not pay all my bills I'm afraid.

So I'm touring in troubadour mode, again.
Here are the shows we've booked, so far.
There will probably be a few more.

In June I'll be in Ireland.

June 4th - Galway Folk Festival

In October and November I'll be in Belgium and France.

October 16th - TBC
October 17th - Antwerp
October 18th - TBC
October 20th - TBC
October 22nd - TBC
October 23rd - TBC
October 24th - TBC

October 26th - Reims
October 27th and 28th - Paris
October 30th - Lyon
November 1st - Nimes
November 3rd - Marseille
November 5th - Bordeaux
November 7th - Rouen

Details, ticket links, etc are, as always, on my LIVE page.

The Idiot 24 Aug 2023 7:35 AM (last year)

The second single from ON PAIN is released on August 25th, 2023.

The single/radio mix is a little different to the longer album version.

And there's a lovely video. Here.

Here's the press release -

We’ll move to Berlin

Stop being drug addicts

We’ll cycle and swim

Stop being drug addicts

We’ll enter society

You’ll take the serious guise

I’ll be the idiot

Today (25^th August ’23) Lloyd Cole releases a video to accompany his new single ‘The Idiot’, the second single from his new album ‘On Pain’ via earMUSIC. The film is another collaboration between Lloyd Cole and Canadian film maker Doug Arrowsmith from Feltfilm, (who filmed Lloyd’s video for his previous single ‘Warm By The Fire’).

‘The Idiot’ was filmed at the legendary Horseshoe Bar in Toronto, and stars dancers Kaelin Isserlin (as ‘David’) and Ryan Kostyniuk (as ‘Jim’). It is choreographed by dance artist Nyda Kwasowsky from the National Ballet School of Canada.

ON PAIN 23 Jun 2023 9:10 AM (last year)

Warm By The Fire 8 May 2023 5:17 AM (last year)

Warm By The Fire, the first single 'proper' from ON PAIN is relased today in all digital formats.

Update - May 23 - there is now a short film/video for the single.

You can find all formats here.

Wolves (P)remixes 12 Apr 2023 5:39 AM (2 years ago)

The first 2 mixes in the Wolves project are released today on all digital and streaming formats.
RedStar Mix by me, and LycantroMix by Martyn Ware and Charles Stook.

We made a video for my mix using AI images I created with PIXRAY, and a simple visualizer for LycantroMix.

You can find all formats here.

After the album is released there will be 2 more mixes, by Chris Merrick Hughes and Barry Burns (from Mogwai).

On Pain, On Tour, Press Release 1/30/2023 29 Jan 2023 4:42 PM (2 years ago)

LLOYD COLE
NEW ALBUM ‘ON PAIN’
PLUS UK TOUR 2023

Lloyd Cole will release a new album, ‘On Pain’, on 23rd June ’23 on the earMUSIC label. ‘On Pain’ is Lloyd’s twelfth album as a solo artist and features eight new Lloyd Cole songs, four of which are co-written by Commotions founding members Blair Cowan and Neil Clark, who also perform on the record. The album is produced by Chris Merrick Hughes and was recorded in Lloyd’s attic studio The Establishment.

In March, prior to the release of the album, Lloyd will release a digital EP of (p)remixes of the epic album closer ‘Wolves’. The EP mixes are: 

Wolves – Martyn Ware and Charles Stooke mix
Wolves – Barry Burns (Mogwai) mix
Wolves – Lloyd Cole Red Star mix
Wolves – Chris Merrick Hughes alternative mix
Wolves – Olaf Opal mix

Lloyd Cole has announced a UK/Ireland tour in the autumn. Blair Cowan and Neil Clarke will be appearing with him. The full list of dates is:

OCTOBER 2023
Fri 06 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Tyne Theatre and Opera House
Sat 07 LIVERPOOL The Philharmonic Hall
Sun 08 DUBLIN Olympia Theatre
Tue 10 MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Thu 12 ABERDEEN Tivoli Theatre
Sat 14 EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Sun 15 GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall
Tue 17 YORK Barbican
Thu 19 LONDON Union Chapel
Fri 20 LONDON Union Chapel
Mon 23 BOURNMOUTH O2 Academy
Tue 24 CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
Wed 25 IPSWICH The Corn Exchange
Fri 27 BUXTON Opera House
Sat 28 COVENTRY Cathedral
Sun 29 NOTTINGHAM Albert Hall
Tue 31 BRIGHTON Dome

Tickets are available from http://www.lloydcole.com/live/

Says Lloyd: “I’m excited to still be finding new methods, new perpectives, new sounds. The album may be nearing commercial death, but my career has been in that state for almost 30 years and here we are, still, and I still want to make albums. I still want to be heard. I’m very much looking forward to being on stage with Neil, and Blair in October. We have no intention of producing a retro show.”

Lloyd Cole has released 16 studio albums including three with The Commotions [‘Rattlesnakes’ (84), ‘Easy Pieces’ (’85), Mainstream (’87)] eleven solo albums [‘Lloyd Cole’ (’90), ‘Don’t Get Weird On Me Babe’ (’91), ‘Bad Vibes’ (’93), ‘Love Story’ (95), ‘Plastic Wood’ (’01), ‘Music In A Foreign Language’ (’03), ‘Anti Depressant’ (’06), ‘Broken Record’ (’10), ‘Standards’ (’13), ‘1D’ (’15), ‘Guesswork’ (’19)],  one with The Negatives [‘The Negatives (2000)] and one with Hans Joachim Roedelius  [‘Selected Studies Vol. 1’ (’13)].

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID ABOUT LLOYD COLE’S 2019 ALBUM ‘GUESSWORK’

“An Olympian effort of ingenious economical wordplay, Cole’s sometimes cryptic but always compelling latest is for empty-nesters mourning duty and purpose, for middle agers smote with ennui and uncertainty, and for couples battling over-familiarity. Still, there is perfect pop here…. plus the all important smattering of Cole’s trademark archness. A poised and expansive record… Guesswork opens up whole new worlds for Cole.” 4*
MOJO

“Puttering drum machines and Blue Nile atmospherics offer a perfect backdrop for Lloyd’s elegant hi-spec misery.”
Uncut

“An intellectual titan compared with his frivolous new romantic contemporaries… coming across like the Pet Shop Boys remixing Radio Gaga, albeit with more troubling lyrics..”
The Observer

“…eight graceful, elegant tracks, which set his suave songwriting and instantly recognisable voice to a predominantly electronic backdrop. It is a best-of-both-worlds scenario….no matter what the musical style Cole wears it well.” ‘Album Of The Week’ 4*
iNews

“…articulate and economical lyrically and musically….a steely sense of poise and grace carries through superbly tailored adult scenarios….it’s hard to argue against Violins and Night Sweats being among his finest ever achievements.” 4*
Daily Mirror

“Even given the witty, literate company – Paddy MacAloon, Edwyn Collins, Morrissey – Lloyd Cole stood out in the 80s. And he’s still doing it, albeit using electronics and tempering the bons mots with the odd expletive….Lloyd Cole overestimates his coldness, he’s just cool.”
Record Collector



Further info: e:ted.cummings@cloudpr.co.uk:+44 (0)7774 160395
www.lloydcole.com