Billy Ruffian (band)
Encyclopedia
Billy Ruffian are an English
indie rock
band. Their debut album, My Secret Life
, was released on May 28, 2007, with its accompanying single “Music vs. Money” following the next month.
Some drastic line-up changes followed the re-release of ‘Death of a Band’, and by August the band was floundering, due to the departure of their drummer. It wasn’t until October when, following an invitation to play at Chris Chinchilla
’s farewell party, the band took the decision to carry on as a three piece (with drum machine). After a few shaky gigs, Billy Ruffian came to embrace the new technology and ‘Death of a Band’ finally found an official release on Filthy Little Angels’ Christmas compilation “Hark! The Filthy Angels Sing”.
Having already recorded a few new tracks for another self-released EP, Billy Ruffian soon found themselves having to write and record several more tracks when Filthy Little Angels signed them up to record an album in January 2007.
Recorded during the Spring, “My Secret Life” was released at the end of May to varied reviews, including a 4 star ‘album of the week’ review from Manchester Music., a 3 star 'High Voltage' review as well as further positive reviews from Sandman magazine and Music Towers. Some other sources, however, were not so charitable; the band was also derided as a "pseudo-public school" outfit led by "some faux dandy in a cheap suit". The “Spring Sampler EP” featuring five FLA acts preceded the album and coincided with the band’s first tour.
The next month, the songs “Music vs. Money” and “Whipping Boy” were taken from “My Secret Life” and released on an accompanying single along with the non-album cut “My Secret Life”. The single was a split single with "The Art Goblins
" as part of Filthy Little Angels’ Singles Club. The Billy Ruffian tracks were judged by many to be the best tracks in the package.
’ resignation on 12 June 2008 to fight the Haltemprice and Howden by-election
, far-right political enthusiast and BR vocalist Stephen Ruffian began writing lyrics on the subject the next day, from Davis’ own point of view. After finishing the lyrics with help from guitarist Thom, the band recorded the song on the 17th with their bassist/producer Ben Paul and, with a video compiled in a lengthy all-night session by Stephen, unleashed both song and video to the world via Youtube on Monday 23 June. An eleven day turnaround from event to result.
Upon sending links to various blogs, interest in the song and video, “The Most Unlikely Civil Liberties Defender Of All” snowballed. Political blogs throughout the land featured it, including that of Guido Fawkes, the most read political blogger in the UK. People began discussing both the song (as well as the politics of the authors) in earnest, including members of the British Nationalist community. Interest culminated in a mention by John Humphrys
on the Radio 4
Today Show
on 27 June.
Intermittent recording continued towards the end of the year.
2010 saw a new drummer being recruited and tracks recorded for the 'Cabinet of Curiosity' album tied in with the multi-artist Manchester based Music/Arts project of the same name.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band. Their debut album, My Secret Life
My Secret Life (Billy Ruffian album)
My Secret Life is the debut album by the British indie band Billy Ruffian. It was released in 2007.-Track listing:# "Music vs Money"# "Don’t Want You"# "Death of a Band"# "The Apothecary"# "Youth Club"# "Masterminding My Downfall"# "Leaving Soon"...
, was released on May 28, 2007, with its accompanying single “Music vs. Money” following the next month.
Biography
The band began to take formation in July 2005 and, with a settled line-up, played their first gig in November that year. A steady stream of gigs followed from January 2006 and, following the release of a low-budget split EP entitled “Late Arrivals” in February, the band headed to a recording studio in March to record their first four tracks. The tracks – “Death of a Band”, “Preensters”, “Leaving Soon” and “(My Girlfriend Is Like A) Trojan Horse” were self-released by the band in April, with a second issue (omitting “Leaving Soon”) following a couple of months later.Some drastic line-up changes followed the re-release of ‘Death of a Band’, and by August the band was floundering, due to the departure of their drummer. It wasn’t until October when, following an invitation to play at Chris Chinchilla
Art Brut (band)
Art Brut are a Berlin-based English and German indie rock band. Their debut album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, was released on 30 May 2005, with its follow up, It's a Bit Complicated, released on 25 June 2007...
’s farewell party, the band took the decision to carry on as a three piece (with drum machine). After a few shaky gigs, Billy Ruffian came to embrace the new technology and ‘Death of a Band’ finally found an official release on Filthy Little Angels’ Christmas compilation “Hark! The Filthy Angels Sing”.
Having already recorded a few new tracks for another self-released EP, Billy Ruffian soon found themselves having to write and record several more tracks when Filthy Little Angels signed them up to record an album in January 2007.
Recorded during the Spring, “My Secret Life” was released at the end of May to varied reviews, including a 4 star ‘album of the week’ review from Manchester Music., a 3 star 'High Voltage' review as well as further positive reviews from Sandman magazine and Music Towers. Some other sources, however, were not so charitable; the band was also derided as a "pseudo-public school" outfit led by "some faux dandy in a cheap suit". The “Spring Sampler EP” featuring five FLA acts preceded the album and coincided with the band’s first tour.
The next month, the songs “Music vs. Money” and “Whipping Boy” were taken from “My Secret Life” and released on an accompanying single along with the non-album cut “My Secret Life”. The single was a split single with "The Art Goblins
The Art Goblins
-Biography:The Art Goblins are an English alternative rock band featuring current Art Brut members Eddie Argos and Jasper "Jeff" Future.They have four songs available on their website; AntiGravity, Disco, Fuck The MSP and My Keyboard Guitar Gently Weeps.-Members:The Art Goblins are:* Eddie Argos *...
" as part of Filthy Little Angels’ Singles Club. The Billy Ruffian tracks were judged by many to be the best tracks in the package.
David Davis
Struck by the shock factor of former Shadow Home Secretary David DavisDavid Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
’ resignation on 12 June 2008 to fight the Haltemprice and Howden by-election
Haltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008
The 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election was a by-election held in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2008 to elect a new Member of Parliament for constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
, far-right political enthusiast and BR vocalist Stephen Ruffian began writing lyrics on the subject the next day, from Davis’ own point of view. After finishing the lyrics with help from guitarist Thom, the band recorded the song on the 17th with their bassist/producer Ben Paul and, with a video compiled in a lengthy all-night session by Stephen, unleashed both song and video to the world via Youtube on Monday 23 June. An eleven day turnaround from event to result.
Upon sending links to various blogs, interest in the song and video, “The Most Unlikely Civil Liberties Defender Of All” snowballed. Political blogs throughout the land featured it, including that of Guido Fawkes, the most read political blogger in the UK. People began discussing both the song (as well as the politics of the authors) in earnest, including members of the British Nationalist community. Interest culminated in a mention by John Humphrys
John Humphrys
Desmond John Humphrys , is a Welsh-born British author, journalist and presenter of radio and television, who has won many national broadcasting awards...
on the Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Today Show
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
on 27 June.
Intermittent recording continued towards the end of the year.
Hiatus and beyond
Following significant line up changes in 2009, the band rested for a while before returning later that year with a self released song/video for "The Cat That Became Prime Minister" as well as having an older track chosen for a combined Oxfam/Manchester Music Christmas single.2010 saw a new drummer being recruited and tracks recorded for the 'Cabinet of Curiosity' album tied in with the multi-artist Manchester based Music/Arts project of the same name.
Members
- Stephen Ruffian (lead vocals)
- Thom Cuell (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Sam Evaskitas (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) - Rob Goodison (drums)
Singles and EPs
- "Late Arrivals" EP (self released split EP with Midland Railway) February 2006
- "Death of a Band" EP (self released) April 2006
- "Death of a Band" single (self released) June 2006
- "Music vs. Money" split single with The Art GoblinsThe Art Goblins-Biography:The Art Goblins are an English alternative rock band featuring current Art Brut members Eddie Argos and Jasper "Jeff" Future.They have four songs available on their website; AntiGravity, Disco, Fuck The MSP and My Keyboard Guitar Gently Weeps.-Members:The Art Goblins are:* Eddie Argos *...
(FLA Records - Filthy 010) June 2007 - "The Most Unlikely Civil Liberties Defender of All!" (Self released YouTube Video) 23 June 2008
- "Masterminding My Downfall" (FLA Records - Little 033) 20 October 2008
- "The Cat That Became Prime Minister" (Self released Youtube Video) 25 October 2009
- "All I Want For Christmas Is A Ting Ting" (Split single with Stick Boy) (Soviet Union Records) 24 December 2009
- "Stereo" (Pavement cover) (Youtube Video with FLA Records) 1 March 2010
Compilation EPs
- "Spring Sampler EP" also featuring Dirtblonde, Colt.45s, Leatherettes (FLA Records - Little 009); 14 May 2007
- "Brave New World Sampler CD" (FLA Records - FLAB002) included "'Hip To Be Square"; 16 April 2008
- "Brave New World Sampler CD" (FLA Records - FLAB003) included "My Girlfriend Is Like A Trojan Horse (Demo)"; 16 May 2008
- "Brave New World Sampler CD" (FLA Records - FLAB004) included "Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)"; 16 June 2008
Compilation Albums
- Manchester University Indie Society Compilation; September 2006 (more detail needed)
- Hark! The Filthy Angels Sing (Filthy Little Angels - Little 007) included "Death of a Band"; December 2006
- NineteenEightySeven (Filthy Little Angels - Little 015) included "Hip to be Square"; 16 July 2007
- Manchester: City of Filth (Filthy Little Angels - Little 018) included "Leaving Soon"; 22 September 2007
- The Filthy Horror Show (Filthy Little Angels - Little 019) included "Hot Patootie (Bless my Soul)"; 31 October 2007
- A Very Cherry Christmas vol. 3 (Cherryade Records - CHY014) included "It's a Long, Lonely Christmas without Jimmy Greenhoff"; 3 December 2007
- Tis the Season To Be Filthy (Filthy Little Angels - Little 020) included "Feliz Navidad"; 17 December 2007
- Just A Minute 7" (Filthy Little Angels - Filthy 015) included "The Windsor Uplift"; 27 October 2008
- Nineteen78 (Filthy Little Angels - Little 039) included "Public Image"; Autumn? 2008
- It'll Be Filthy This Christmas (Filthy Little Angels - Little 040) included "All I Want For Christmas Is A Ting Ting" and "It's a Long, Lonely Christmas without Jimmy Greenhoff"; December 2008
- Five Years Of Filth: Music vs Money (Filthy Little Angels - Little 055) included "Music vs Money"; 14 December 2009
- Oh Come, All Ye Filthy (Filthy Little Angels - Little 056) included "Feliz Navidad"; 21 December 2009
- Show Me A Word That Rhymes With 'Pavement (Filthy Little Angels) included "Stereo"; 1 March 2010