Friday 7th September 2007

The Labour Club, Corner of Earl & Charles, Northampton NN1

Masters of Budvar present

Kevin Hewick

Kevin Hewick is a Leicester-based singer-songwriter who was an early member of the Factory Records roster. In the present day he is known for his epic career-spanning live sets.

The Factory Years

Following the death of Ian Curtis, it's alleged by certain sources that Factory owner Tony Wilson suggested the remaining members of Joy Division try out Hewick as lead singer in their proposed new band. No more came of it other than a session in June 1980 with producer Martin Hannett in Graveyard Studios where they recorded the track "Haystack."

Other Factory releases included the controversial live side of the A Factory Quartet double album (FACT 24) in 1981 - live tracks picked against Hewick's wishes by Tony Wilson of a confrontation between him and a very aggressive audience - and the single "Ophelia's Drinking Song" (FAC 48) which featured producer Donald Johnson of A Certain Ratio on percussion and was mixed by Peter Hook of New Order.

For a time Hewick was privy to many pivotal moments in Factory's early history, describing himself as a "gormless bystander" to those events. He often stayed at the famous Palatine Road flat of Alan Erasmus but as Alan became less involved with the label and Kevin's fraught working relationship with Tony Wilson rapidly worsened throughout 1982 (with Hewick even telling Wilson that the Hacienda was a bad idea as he "couldn't even run a record company properly never mind a club as well") an offer to "jump ship" to Cherry Red Records in London proved too tempting to resist.

Cherry Red

In 1982 he left Factory for a period on Cherry Red Records, releasing an album Such Hunger For Love and an EP in collaboration with the late Adrian Borland of The Sound, entitled Reality/Unreal (1983). These items, and much of the Factory era, have been compiled on 2003 Cherry Red release Tender Bruises And Scars, which also features sleeve notes by Kevin about his experiences in the early '80s.

During 1982-83 Kevin was part of the poetry / music collective Ghosts of Individuals with Patrik Fitzgerald , Anne Clark and John Hollingsworth, touring in both the UK and Sweden.

After being dropped by Cherry Red by 1984, constantly savaged and ridiculed by the music press, and developing total writer's block, Hewick hit rock bottom in his musical and personal life.

Present Day

After a 5-year self-confessed "black hole period", since 1989 Hewick has returned to the Leicester music scene, and can be found at frequent gigs within the city both as performer and/or event organiser, including when he booked and hosted the monthly Firebug acoustic sessions between September 2005  and October 2006.

Kevin's support slots over the years have included Roy Harper, Durutti Column, New Order, Section 25, PJ Harvey, Martin Carthy, Kevin Coyne, Fairport Convention, Eyeless In Gaza, Ben Watt, Tim Rose, and Jackie Leven, with whom he has also performed in "The Stornoway Girls". He also appeared on Leven's live albums Greetings from Milford (2001) and Only The Ocean Can Forgive (2003). He has also guested on guitar and/or vocals on albums by The Freed Unit, Steve Cartwright, Meta-Tekki and recently on ist 's King Martha (2005) and has contributed both lyrics and vocals for Soul Sonic Sauce's forthcoming self-titled first album.

Kevin has also recently returned to the London acoustic circuit after an absence of nearly five years. Much of his recent work, including the album Helpline (1999), has been issued by Leicester maverick label Sorted Records.

He has twice paid tribute to his old friend the late Adrian Borland at concerts in his memory in Holland at the Patronaat Haarlem (2001) and Amsterdam Paradiso (2006) and also toured Germany with The Convent in 2001. Further European dates are planned for late 2007.

2007 has so far seen the re-issue on LTM Records of the 1980 Crepuscule compilation "From Brussels With Love" which features "Haystack" from the 1980 session with New Order and "Whispers in the Offing", a tribute album to Kevin Coyne, on which Hewick contributes a version of Coyne's song "Raindrops on the Window".

He has also co-written the song "A Scotsman in A Church" with Kenton Hall, singer and songwriter with UK band ist, for inclusion on their forthcoming album Toothpick Bridge.

Kevin is also involved in the development of a musical with playwright Jez Simons of Hathi Productions to be staged at Leicester's Phoenix Arts Centre in September 2007 and further afield in the UK in late '07 / early '08.

In July 2007, Kevin Hewick released a ltd. edition 7" single on yellow vinyl - "Something to Do On The Bus" - and 4 track downloadable EP - "That Side of You" - through Leicester label Pink Box Records.

Artist Website: www.myspace.com

The New Moon

A welcome return to Masters of Budvar for this ever-intriguing psych-folk duo from Oxford. With skilful acoustic guitar and loping electric bass Matt and Jules weave elaborate and beguiling tales of the everyday strange.

Their subject matter ranges wildly from pirates ("tonight we're gonna party like it's 1799") to outer space (Dark Matter), from the Neolithic stargazers of the Hebrides to the insides of Terry Walpole's camera. Their music bears comparison with Richard Thompson or Robyn Hitchcock, but remains truly original.

Ever more confident, they come to NN1 from a successful Oxford festival appearance, where they apparently played a version of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life".

Artist Website: www.myspace.com

Superstar DJ Mister Lee

Lee Allatson has twice terrorized Masters of Budvar with his band Misterlee. Once described as a demented cross between Syd Barrett and Keith Moon, this Leicester legend is sure to discombobulate and delight.

Artist Website: www.myspace.com

Things kick off at about 8:30pm when Lee takes to the decks.
Expect The New Moon onstage at 9:00pm and Kevin Hewick onstage at 10:00pm
The bar stays open until midnight and there are ample facilities for smokers in the garden, with a covered area, ashtrays and all that stuff.
The people are friendly, the lights are pretty as all-get-out and a good time is on the cards for all.

We hope that you can join us.

Also, please bear in mind that the Fishmarket Café is open from 5:00 o'clock until 9:00 o'clock, offering a champagne bar (cheap beers too) with free tapas and a DJ. It's a fine place to meet up and start your Friday night, wholeheartedly endorsed by Masters of Budvar.