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Custom Blue

About Me

Custom Blue's debut album "All Follow Everyone" was released via DJ Ross Allen's Island records A&R stable Island Blue on April the 15th 2002. The album and debut single "So Low" (released on the 8th April) had been widely acclaimed throughout the music press.
The fluid grooves and restless heart searching of 'All Follow Everyone' stalk a sundown landscape. It could be the empty streets and dimly lit bars of an alienating metropolis. Equal it could take you to distant shores with the moon rising and space to think of the girl or guy that got away. Certainly, its going to take you on a mesmeric journey like no other album so far this decade.
While your regular British mid-twenties song writing pair have been busy with crash chords and histrionics, Alex Pilkington and Simon Shippey have allowed shadows, soul, string sections and electronically nuanced suggestion to seep into the acoustic songwriter heart of their work.
Small ideas and fashion loyalties have been set aside and the needs of the songs have been allowed to lead. So light another cigarette, pour a glass of something dark and sweet and let their haunting, poignant, sublime songs go to work on memories good, bad and yet to form.
Plenty of great atmosphere, "In a Rut" is a particularly beautiful moment... can't wait for the album" - (5/5) MUZIK
"All Follow Everyone" is a collection of unforgettably well-written, well arranged songs. Graceful, thoughtful and poignant - (4/5) SEVEN
That was then....
Farrout Records have since released a 7" and a whole new Custom Blue dawn awaits on Ho Hum Records. In 2008 Custom Blue released the digital download "When it Burns' available at www.hohumrecords.com. New album (working title) 'All Will be Well' is expected for release in 2008 also. WATCH THIS SPACE.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 11/4/2005
Band Website: www.hohumrecords.com
Band Members: Alex Pilkington & Simon Shippey are the main members of Custom Blue, with constant input from Mark Tucker, Caroline Daniel and Dirty Roy....as well as past flirts with Chris 'Tits' Taylor, Tom Simmonds, Crispin Weir and Ben Jacobs....
Influences: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Wilco, CSN&Y, Plaid, Joni Mitchell, Neu, Faust, Teenage Fanclub, Tom Paxton, John Fahey, Dorothy Ashby, Arthur Verocai, Cedric Brooks, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, TheEye, Max Tundra, Flotilla, Yo La Tengo, Traffic, Dr John, JayDee, Spacek, Mark Pritchard, Troubleman, Harmonic 33, Kenny Rankin, Wayne Jarrett, David Axelrod, Phil Upchurch, Muddy Waters, John Mayall, John Martin, Elliot Smith, The Cure, James Yorkston, Daniel Lanois, JC, Linda Perhacs, Vashti Bunyan, Gary Bartz, Ray Lamontagne, Smog, The Be Good Tanyas, The Byrds, Democustico, The Fields, Mark Hollis, Cat Power, Eno...
Sounds Like: Plenty of great atmosphere, "In a Rut" is a particularly beautiful moment... can't wait for the album" - (5/5) MUZIK

"All Follow Everyone" is a collection of unforgettably well-written, well arranged songs. Graceful, thoughtful and poignant - (4/5) SEVEN
Record Label: Ho Hum Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

New Album Release Date

Delighted to say the new album 'All Will Be Well' has been set a release date of the 10th August on Ho Hum Records. Preceeding this will be a single 'Cobblestones'/'Follow' which will be released on c...
Posted by on Thu, 28 May 2009 03:22:00 GMT

All Will Be Well

The 2nd Custom Blue album 'All Will Be Well' is currently being manufactured and all things well, will be out in July on Ho Hum Records. The tracklisting for the album is as follows: 1. cobblestones 2...
Posted by on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:04:00 GMT

The Willow

Custom Blue member Alex Pilkington has posted some songs for free download at his solo project site hereThe tracks were recorded at a live Ho Hum Records events Alex played at in December 2008.  He wa...
Posted by on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:25:00 GMT

Custom Blue Release on Ho Hum Records

The Custom Blue digital download 'When It Burns' & 'Without You' is now available for purchase at www.hohumrecords.comReally hope you like this.
Posted by on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:38:00 GMT

Ho Hum Records

Custom Blue have signed to Ho Hum Records for the release of digital download 'When it Burns' and 'Without You', due on 4th August.Ho Hum are a new independent label based in London, check them out ww...
Posted by on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:01:00 GMT

Custom Blue Music in King Lines film

New climbing film 'King Lines' is featuring the Custom Blue track 'Under the Counter' in it's soundtrack. 'Under the Counter' was released in 2006 on the Farout label on 7" with downloads available a...
Posted by on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:07:00 GMT

The Eye & The Willow

For fans of Custom Blue, you may also be interested in seeing the two solo projects from Simon and Alex, being The Eye and The Willow respectively.To hear these projects all you need to do is visit th...
Posted by on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:33:00 GMT

Custom Blue music on Quarterlife show

Custom Blue’s music has been used on a new internet show ’Quarterlife’. The track ’Outline’ has been used, in more than one episode.To hear the track please visit the Cus...
Posted by on Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:28:00 GMT

Ho Hum Records

Custom Blue are on the verge of signing off a digital release on the new Ho Hum Records company, www.hohumrecords.com.  More news to follow.
Posted by on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:16:00 GMT

Over Your Shoulder Video

So this talented chap put picture to a track of ours called 'Over Your Shoulder' and has uploaded it on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHHrAeLuPA4 - really hope you like this. We do.
Posted by on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:12:00 GMT