Bitter Ruin release their new single ‘Trust’ on Oct 3rd. The will feature on this weeks BBC 6 Music Chris Hawkins Show and featured on last weeks Tom Robinson show. The video for the single is being tweeted and loved by some major celebrities…
“Initially rather disturbing, but ultimately brilliant” – Stephen Fry
“I liked it but I warn y’all it’s intense” – Matt Lucas
“You two are AH-mazing” – Tim Minchin
Bitter Ruin formed in 2007 in Brighton when Ben Richards and Georgia Train met at music school.
Although the pair understood each other musically, their dramatically opposing musical tastes helped form the unique sound of the band. Georgia had a history of Musical Theatre and Art, she listened to the likes of Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor and The Talking Heads whereas Ben preferred Rock, with the occasional tortured writer; Jeff Buckley and Metallica.
Bitter Ruin themselves describe it as ‘Contemporary Expressionism’ meaning that the style of music will change continuously as the lyrics, emotion and purpose of expression does. The most important feature of the music is it’s passion and musical intelligence. The only unifying theme between songs is the lyrical tendency towards the darker side of life and the naked instrumentation. Bitter Ruin are attracted to the tortured souls and angst within many hard done by and they like to belt it out with the power of Aretha Franklin.
Described by others as Noir, Indie, Rock, Punk, Cabaret, Folk, Soul, Musical Theatre, Flamenco, Classical and so many more sub genres has helped Bitter Ruin pick up fans from the most unlikely of places. Bitter Ruin ask you to listen and make up your own mind. “We don’t mind what people want to call us, as long as they GET IT” is the band message.
Bitter Ruin had played hundreds of gigs ad festivals. Their local following had begun to grow to a significant size and a few ‘music men’ had become interested. In 2008 they released ‘We’re Not Dancing’ which bought the band media plaudits and in 2009 they flew to America to work with Jason Rubal on producing their first studio album ‘Hung, Drawn & Quartered’. It was as this album was in the mixing process that Bitter Ruin literally found their silver lining…
Early 2010 Bitter Ruin were contacted by Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls to play a show with her at KOKO, London. The band of course said yes. However, The Icelandic Volcanic ash cloud smothered America and Amanda’s visit to the UK looked doubtful. Amanda made it to the UK but minus a support band. So Bitter Ruin stepped in for the whole UK & Ireland leg. This led to one sold out headline a UK & European tour, an American tour in October, as well as a release of the album ‘Hung, Drawn & Quartered’. Within that whirlwind, Bitter Ruin played with musicians such as The Dresden Dolls, The Tiger Lillies, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Meow Meow, Jason Webley and Sxip Shirey. It is also fair to say that they picked up a fair few famous fans, but still remain an independent self releasing music force but that appears to be about to change…
Tour dates :
September
7th – Glee Club, Birmingham with Duke Special
9th – The Donkey, Leicester with Duke Special
13th – Le Sentier Des Halles, Paris
15th – Stereo, York
17th – HMV Institute, Birmingham with Joe Black
18th – Pup Aid, Brighton (pet charity festival)
20th – The Sugar Club, Dublin
22nd – The Brunswick, Brighton
23rd – The Spice of Life, London
