The Samanas profile picture

The Samanas

About Me


My name is Patrick Shannon Whelan & I was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire. A couple of years ago (at the Queen's request I ought bequeath) I moved to London in a big white van. Rowlerpig came too & helped with the lifting, the smoking, the changing of cassette tapes & the perusing of lasses. Twas during one particularly engaging perusal that we crashed into a lamp post near Camden tube. Welcome to London - that'll be £600, a police caution & a bollocking off yer Dad...
The Holy Samanas is the new band, assembled from our Hard Graft stable. We're currently holed up in Olympic Studios in London doing our first LP. It's gonnna be called "Waxing Gibbous, Waning Crescent" & upon release it'll probably cause Neptune to go "Pssshhht!!! FUCK ME!!!" & promptly abandon it's current orbit for some Earth-circling action.
In the meantime - here’s some info on my solo record from last year. It's not party music but folk seem to like it.
"Stand Up Pat Whelan" EP

1. "Down The Back Roads"
2. "With This Bullet..."
3. "Waterford Crystal"
4. "Gravity's Son"
CDs are £5 including postage & are available here via Paypal:
& from Rough Trade in London (East & West Shops)
Digital Downloads are available from the following stores:
iTunes:
UK / Europe
United States
Canada
Miscellaneous:
Rhapsody
Napster
eMusic
Sony Connect
Musicnet (HMV Digital, Virgin Digital UK, Yahoo!, Cdigix Ctrax, iMesh, FYE Download Zone, MTV's Urge, Microsoft's Zune, MusicGremlin & Aeon Digital).
Questions? Comments? You got fucking beef?
info at hard-graft.co.ukx

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/19/2006
Band Website: hard-graft.co.uk
Band Members: Andrew Bryant: Singing, Drums
Clyde Wright: Singing, Keys
Michaela Nettell: Sighing, Cello
Pat Whelan: Singing, Acoustic Geetars
Simon Willey: Singing, Electric Geetars
Wun Yen Chan: Singing, Double Bass
Influences: The whores ofParis&Tangier
Sounds Like: Press for Pat's first record;

"Debut EP from this mysterious Yorkshireman. Released through the fledgling Hard Graft label on Christmas eve 2006, this sets the bar very high for anything to follow. Strong lyrics, softly sung on four gorgeous, slow-burning songs thankfully shed a little light on an artist who would seemingly prefer to remain anonymous. 'Not Comfortable' performing live for the moment - it would be a real shame if this release passed unnoticed due to a lack of (self?) promotion. A sublime string arrangement on 'with this bullet' from Paris Motel's Amy May completes a very special package indeed. For fans of Elliott Smith, Cass McCombs and Richard James' (from Gorky's) solo work." ROUGH TRADE:

"Call that a penis?" IVOR WHOPPER:
"Bubbles in the bath" IVOR WINDYBOTTOM:
"Can you pass me a tissue please Gran?" IVOR GOTPUDDINGALLDOWNME:
"Boozy, reclusive, bastards" PRIVATE EYE:
"Snowy! I can see the pub from ere!" LONDON EYE:
"Brothers" SISTERS:
"All the world will be your enemy, prince with a thousand enemies, and when they catch you they will kill you. But first, they must catch you - digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed..." FRITH:

If yer want a digital copy of Pat's first EP for nowt - send us a message with an email address...

CURRENT MOON about the moon:
Record Label: Hard Graft
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

25/09/08 Recording!

We are currently holed up in Olympic Studios with Mo Hausler, one of THE most efficient Germans in the world, finishing what will be our first LP.Should be done before chrimbo. Cough. Will it fuck. ...
Posted by The Samanas on Thu, 15 May 2008 08:38:00 PST

14/07/08 Bella Union Compilation

Word.We have a track on a new Bella Union compilation featuring all the acts that played on the BU stage at the 02 Wireless festival.By the look of website it looks as if you can CHOOSE which track yo...
Posted by The Samanas on Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:44:00 PST

14/03/08 Argh! Michaela AWOL

Erm...Michaela is currently being held for Arson & will consequently miss this Sunday’s (16th March) gig in Covent Garden.  Hopefully - she’ll be bailed in time for Tuesday’...
Posted by The Samanas on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:51:00 PST

28/08/07 North-West Mini-Tour Diary

North-West Minotour! Day One, Lancaster...10:07 Harris arrives for breakfast. We agree on boiled eggs & soldiers but oh my distracted brain! I haven't cooked the eggs properly! We just e...
Posted by The Samanas on Thu, 30 Aug 2007 07:26:00 PST

10/05/07 Unholy First Gig Chaos!

First ever gig at The Betsey Trotwood, 9th May 2007 & chaos ensued...Kirsten can't keep her mind off the snooker, someone threw a shoe at Tony (which he managed to catch whilst simultaneously bein...
Posted by The Samanas on Tue, 15 May 2007 09:27:00 PST

02/04/07 Platforms Magazine

I be featured in this month's Platforms Magazine. It's lovely to look at & very nice folk they are too.Forsook the traditional contributor's biography however & set a tasty competition...Pat x...
Posted by The Samanas on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 04:51:00 PST

12/02/07 Rough Trade Digital 'Guest Playlist' Curator


Posted by The Samanas on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 05:24:00 PST

22/01/07 Reviews & Airplay

Sandwiched between Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Lady Sovereign, ahem, "Stand Up Pat Whelan" appears to be a Drowned In Sound Pick Of The Week."With This Bullet" seems to have made it's way onto a 679/N...
Posted by The Samanas on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:34:00 PST

24/12/06 Debut EP Out Now!

"Stand Up Pat Whelan" EP 1. "Down The Back Roads" 2. "With This Bullet..." 3. "Waterford Crystal" 4. "Gravity's Son"CDs are £5 including postage & are available here via PaypalHard Graft have co...
Posted by The Samanas on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 10:01:00 PST