Sadly, Tiny Mix Tapes hasn't always been the flush, blinged-out high-roller you know and spit on when we saunter by in our Armani speedos and caviar-encrusted tiaras (usually worn together). Making our way in the world today used to take every trick we had at our disposal. I will refrain from saying too much about our brief stint as low-rent boys and economy-priced hookers. And there was also the time when we were hired by Prince to be on-site gardeners/fluffers at Paisley Park. But again, you don't want to hear about that sorted episode. We are, however, not ashamed of our years spent roaming as teams of pickpockets because that acquired skill and cunning and we got to dress as 18th century tramps, which is our favorite dress style still to this day. We were street conjurers and mad magicians, oh yes we were! We would pool our ill-gotten booty around a trashbin in back of the saloon and treat ourselves to the finest pizza slices and 2-Star brandy the city had to offer!
But that was then and this is now, and while we are out of the petty thieving game, we couldn't let a news story pass that concerned School of Seven Bells, a band named after a mythical South American pickpocket school. And when that band features ex-Secret Machines' Ben Curtis and On! Air! Library!'s twin towers of song, Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, then, my friends, to not report it would be a felony.
This is a busy time for the artful dodgers. Having recently signed to wiley schemers Ghostly International, SVIIIB release their first album next week and will continue to tour, with some CMJ dates, a couple of London shows overseas, and a North American tour with M83 on the horizon. The album, Alpinisms, includes debut single "My Cabal" (on Sonic Cathedral) and "Iamundernodisguise," previously reinterpreted by Prefuse 73 as "Class of 73 Bells."
The tour continues tonight in, where else, New York for the first of three shows during this year's CMJ festivities. Oh to be a young Fagin on the loose at CMJ. Half drunken bottles of PBR as far as the eye can see and the hand can reach! For those not inclined to risk doing the time for committing the crime, just go to one of these shows listed below. But I should warn you: you are sure to get your heart stolen.
School of Seven Bells dates:
10.22.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Cake Shop (CMJ, Terrorbird Day Party)
10.24.08 - New York, NY - Levi's Fader Fort (CMJ - Fadar Magazine Party)
10.25.08 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge (CMJ - Windish Agency) #
10.28.08 - London, UK - Old Blue Last
10.29.08 - London, UK - The Social
11.11.08 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl +
11.12.08 - Charlotte, NC- Tremont Music Hall +
11.13.08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat +
11.14.08 - New York, NY - Webster Hall +
11.15.08 - Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom +
11.16.08 - Northhampton, MA - Pearl Street +
11.18.08 - Boston, MA - Middle East Downstairs +
11.19.08 - Montreal, QC - Studio Juste pour Rire +
11.20.08 - Toronto, ON - Opera House +
11.21.08 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge +
11.22.08 - Minneapolis, MN- Triple Rock Social Club +
11.25.08 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's +
11.26.08 - Vancouver, BC - Richard's on Richards +
11.27.08 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge +
11.28.08 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore +
11.29.08 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater +
# Matthew Dear
+ M83
