Nic Armstrong

Biography

Based in Austin, Texas, Nic Armstrong is a singer-songwriter, musician and artist from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK with an "unnerving ability to twist his...influences into...finely crafted pop moments", alternative pop/rock, garage rock and folk. Tied with heightened melodic sensibilities and "blessed with an uncommonly powerful voice", Armstrong's passionate live shows led Noel Gallagher of Oasis to state that, with the right haircut, 'They'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain...pretty specia...

Based in Austin, Texas, Nic Armstrong is a singer-songwriter, musician and artist from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK with an "unnerving ability to twist his...influences into...finely crafted pop moments", alternative pop/rock, garage rock and folk. Tied with heightened melodic sensibilities and "blessed with an uncommonly powerful voice", Armstrong's passionate live shows led Noel Gallagher of Oasis to state that, with the right haircut, 'They'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain...pretty special, man.'

Armstrong is currently at work on pre-production elements of his second album, having amassed a diverse collection of songs, snippets and writings. A digital EP is planned for release in the first half of 2010 and this is to be followed by the album. Armstrong's new material retains the melodic dynamic and urgency of his first album but is now underscored with a melancholia and subject matter previously only touched upon. Depth and distance.

Initially signed on the strength of a low quality cassette demo, Nic Armstrong went on to cut his first album at London's Toe Rag Studios after coming to the attention of Bjork's management team via Dazed & Confused magazine. Playing the majority of the instruments himself, the recordings closely followed the arrangement of Armstrong's home recordings but in an all-to-tape, all analog environment.

Following the release of the critically acclaimed The Greatest White Liar, Armstrong formed the touring band Nic Armstrong & The Thieves and went on to tour and open up for Oasis, Paul Weller, The Pretenders, Jet, The Raveonettes, Mercury Rev, The Bravery and more. The highlight of the album's promotional run saw Armstrong opening up for Oasis at Noise & Confusion 05 in Cardiff's 70,000 capacity Millennium Stadium.

In 2005 New West Records licensed and re-released The Greatest White Liar in North America under the moniker Nic Armstrong & The Thieves. Arriving in the US in 2005 with a performance on The Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and since relocating to Austin, Texas, Armstrong went on to perform at the SXSW, Coachella, CMJ and Austin City Limits festivals. Many songs have been licensed out for TV performances, network shows, advertising (including a Superbowl commercial), feature films, shorts, and computer games. After releasing a band project, If We Can't Escape My Pretty, in 2007, under the moniker IV Thieves, Armstrong began the writing process again to concentrate on the follow up to the Greatest White Liar.

In January 2010, Armstrong embarked on a three month weekly residency at The Ghost Room with the ultimate goal to present final arrangements of the new material on the final night. Abandoning his resistance to utilizing effects pedals, Armstrong's live show has become a two-headed creature; a harrowing nerves-inducing one-man band, backing himself up with kick drum and harmonica or backed up, rollicking in various dark surfing configurations. All with his voice uncannier than ever before. Remember, you still have to scratch the surface...

Nic Armstrong EP and full length are planned for release this year.

"Incessant, unceasing, continual, repeated, your fantasy, your fantasy is the problem" - Nic Armstrong, Costa Del Sol

"I'm not one of these that is going to say goodbye at all" - Nic Armstrong, The Finishing Touch


LINKS:
http://www.myspace.com/nicarmstrongthegreatestwhiteliar

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