The Woe Betides

Described by NME as the "deft puppet masters of indie," esoteric London-formed art rock band the Woe Betides were formed in 2008 by Grundy le Zimbra and Simon Mastrantone. As occasional cohorts of Jeremy Warmsley, le Zimbra and Mastrantone began showcasing their talents through their association with the Songs in the Dark club night. The club night, which specialized in alternative live music and poetry readings, also hosted gigs by artists of the emerging Hoxton anti-folk scene and the likes of Jack Peñate, Emmy the Great, and Jamie T, among others. Bonding over mutual interests and passions, they began rehearsing and recording their debut and limited-edition EP, Play Dead, which was released on Songs in the Dark in 2009. Co-produced by Ash Gardner in association with the House of Strange music collective, the EP garnered positive press and radio attention from the likes of ArtRocker, the aforementioned NME, XFM, and BBC6 Music. In the same year, they were joined full-time by drummer Colonel Sexlife, further enhancing the group's impressive and extensive experimentation with percussion and sound. Spurred on by the encouraging reaction to the EP, the Woe Betides embarked upon a grueling tour schedule and slowly honed their sound by expanding on their love of lo-fi experimentalism and bombastic pop melodies. They drew upon these electric and energetic live performances to begin work on their full-length debut album, Never Sleep. Released in the fall of 2010, the record niftily built upon the indisputable talents of a group whose members proudly wear their passions on their sleeves. It also included the 2009 Christmas single "Natwest Tower." ~ Aneet Nijjar