PICTURES: The Enemy @ Manchester Academy

The Enemy continue their UK Tour and here are a selection of pictures from the Manchester Academy gigs over the weekend.

Click the images below to see the bigger picture:


New Enemy logo and Andy Hopkins


Kid British and The Enemy

The fans at Manchester Academy

Andy Hopkins and Tom Clarke

Tom Clarke and Andy Hopkins

Tom, Andy and Liam

Tom Clarke

Andy Hopkins

Andy Hopkins

Fans @ Manchester Academy

Twisted Wheel and Kid British - support acts

Twisted Wheel

robmacca's feet and the fans

*All pictures by robmacca

As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Launch New Facebook Page + Free Competition

The Enemy Facebook:

The Enemy have a brand new Facebook page as their latest addition on the net. The new page has all the music, pictures and news. So head over to Facebook and become a fan of The Enemy.

The Enemy Facebook profile are also running a promotion where fans are in with a chance of winning one of 25 'Away From Here' 7"s. THESE ARE THE FIRST 25 EVER PRODUCED AND ARE NUMBERED 1-25.

You've got to be in it to win it - so JOIN NOW!

25 lucky people at random on April 9th 2009.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Exclusive Small Towns Tour Footage

The OFFICIAL website just gets better and better each day - as a member you get access to exclusive footage of the band and right now you can watch a round up of the small towns tour, including an interview with the band talking about how much they enjoyed it.

BECOME A MEMBER NOW »

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

NME Reviews 'Music For The People'

NME.COM - Music For The People - The First Listen

By Luke Lewis

Looking back, The Enemy's debut album seems weirdly prescient. Its centrepiece, 'You're Not Alone', was dedicated to those cast out of work by the closure of the city's Peugeot factory. The title track 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' painted a picture of irreversible urban decay. Its central theme was that modern life is rubbish, and there is no escape.

Post banking crisis, those preoccupations – industrial decline, unemployment, helplessness in the face of grim economic reality – are far more urgent than they were back in summer 2007. The problem is, the band themselves did escape. They had a Number One album, toured the world, made a stack of cash.

Which poses a dilemma for album two: do they maintain their social conscience, address these troubled times? Or do they go the Oasis route, ramp up their success, chase The Big Music, inflate their sound to stadium levels?

As you might have guessed from the grandiose title – 'Music For The People' being, as we pointed out the other week, one of those titles that bands only go for when they're already pumped-up with sky-high self-confidence – they've mostly opted for the latter.

The Enemy, 'Music For The People' sleeve

continued...

Everything about this album, for better or worse, suggests a band desperate to move up to the next level, scale and popularity-wise. It's nothing if not ambitious. Ahead of its release on 27 April, here's our first-listen, track-by-track response.

Elephant Song
A symphonic intro (of course) gives way to a hard-riffing, glam-tinged stomp, reminiscent of Kasabian's 'Empire', The Stone Roses' 'Love Spreads', Embrace's 'One Big Family' – basically any song where lad-rock hits the big red button marked 'epic'.

No Time For Tears
The first single, out 14 April. Features an unusually high vocal from Tom Clarke, roughened up by studio distortion. The production is glossy and spacious, a long way from the snarling, tightly-wound sound of the first album. The line "We gotta get out of the city" aligns it with 'Away From Here' – only here we get a passage of open-throated female gospel wailing that recalls Pink Floyd's 'The Great Gig In The Sky'. Covered by Slade.

51st State
If the first album aped early Jam, this track seems closer to the more lush and soulful late-period of 'Beat Surrender'. There are also shades of 'Rock The Casbah', with its plinky piano riff. Like every song so far, this boats a simplistic, staccato chorus that you can imagine being accompanied by pumping fists and much excitable hurling around of booze in the moshpit.

Sing When You're In Love
Lyrics that find romance in urban squalor ("the concrete jungle that echoes your name") potentially make it this album's 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' – although it’s in a major-key, with a three-chord sequence strangely reminiscent of Blondie's cover of The Paragons' 'The Tide Is High'. Seems a little cheesy on first listen, has to be said. Possible radio hit?

Last Goodbye
Not a Jeff Buckley cover thank God, rather a string-soaked slowie that pinches the "just let them go" hook of Blur's 'The Universal'. Generally suggestive of that late-Britpop moment when every indie band drowned their songs in orchestral syrup.

Nation Of Checkout Girls
The Britpop theme continues – this one sounds exactly like 'Common People', at least in the verses. "We're the generation that do what we're told by the corporations". They haven't entirely lost their desire to Tell It Like It Is, then.

Don't Break The Red Tape
"Try and stop us, try and stop us, try and stop us…" A 'London Calling'-aping verse builds to another jagged, ruthlessly efficient chorus. Another song guaranteed to spark mosphpit 'aggro'.

Be Somebody
Boasts an intriguing lyric ("No-one ever gives you anything for free/Unless you're willing to sleep with the BBC") and a gleaming pearl of a chorus, augmented by a subtle, single-note piano part. The strongest track so far.

Keep Losing
A woozy waltz accented by spiralling strings. Lyrically, though, we're on familiar Enemy territory, this being a tale of a down-at-heel ordinary joe hacking away at the coalface of urban tedium and indifference.

Silver Spoon
An 11-minute slab of sunny, 'Mr Blue Sky'-style psychedelia, this is crying out for a video in which Blue Meanies chase each other down rabbit-holes, or something. Cuts out suddenly after four minutes… but then it starts back up, having mutated into a 'Let It Be'-esque gospel piano ballad. Crafty.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy: Going for Broke

Could we, as police warn, be in for a "summer of rage"? Perhaps if the Enemy have their way. To cheers from the 200-strong crowd in the Kingfisher pub in Corby, Northamptonshire, frontman Tom Clarke bellows: "This is for the BMW workers in Oxford who were given one hour's notice before being made redundant."

Economically depressed Corby's not on most groups' itineraries, but the Coventry trio make a point of reaching parts that others won't. Their 2007 debut We'll Live and Die in These Towns was feted for its social commentary and their recently-concluded Small Towns tour saw them preview material from next month's follow-up, Music for the People. The buzz about it is building: the production values are huge, and boom times have turned to bust, giving their message the utmost relevancy.

Watford punks Gallows are also about to unleash a state-of-the-nation address called Grey Britain, but the surprising thing is that more acts aren't following suit. Clarke believes he knows why: "They're either thoughtless, stupid, or they've disappeared up their own arses."

*Source: Observer Music Mag - Going For Broke, by Sarah Boden

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy - Album Chart Show Pictures

The Enemy performed at the KOKO club in London on Monday for Channel 4's Album Chart Show. The performance will air on 4Music on 10th April with a full 'Special' on 25th April. The Enemy performed:

'Elephant Song'
'No Time For Tears' (with guest vocalist)
'We'll Live And Die In These Towns'
'Sing When You're In Love'
'Your Not Alone'

Over on the official website, fifty-one pictures have been uploaded from the event and fan pictures have been added to theenemy.eu.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

No Time For Tears - Deluxe Edition

The Enemy release 'No Time For Tears' on April 13th and fans can get hold of the Deluxe Edition for just £4 from theenemy.com featuring the CD and 7" vinyl single formats, and limited edition poster. Bargain and exclusive to theenemy.com !

What else is available? You can get a signed 7" at HMV.com or postcards with your purchase at Record Store. iTunes formats will be available on day of release. Bring it on!

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Music For The People - Collector's Edition

The Enemy release 'Music For The People' on April 27 with a strictly-limited edition collector's edition box set - including the CD album, extended Coventry Ricoh Arena live DVD, a 12" vinyl, lyrics booklet and a personally signed print from artist Si Scott. Limited to just 2,000 copies and available exclusively on theenemy.com . Make sure you pre-order now!

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy: Artwork For New Album

In a recent interview with NME Tom said "I wanted something that was classic, iconic and instantly recognisable for this album. I wanted something that worked on its own, so when you get it home it's a piece of art, you know like all the [Saville-designed] New Order and Joy Division stuff which can stand alone as pieces of art."

He also said "I don't think everyone will agree with it, some people will call it unimaginative, others may say it's lazy, but I think it's simple and classic."

*As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

No Time For Tears - Tracklist

New Single Special Offer Formats & Tracklisting

The Enemy - No Time For Tears: 2 Formats: £4

Release Date : Apr 13 2009

2 formats: £4

Tracklisting

CD

1. No Time For Tears
2. Cosmic Dancer (Live From Union Chapel)

7-inch

Side A

1. No Time For Tears

Side B

1. Away from Here (Live Fom Union Chapel

This multi-buy offer pack contains the following products:
The Enemy: No Time For Tears - 7 inch single - normal price £2.99
The Enemy: No Time For Tears - CD Single - normal price £2

PRE-ORDER HERE* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

VIDEO: The Enemy - No Time For Tears

Here is the OFFICIAL 'No Time For Tears' video from The Enemy - featuring Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts performing inside a glass cube while those outside throw objects at the glass.


The Enemy - No Time For Tears

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Head Back To America

The Enemy will be heading back to America for promotional work with their new album 'Music For The People' according to news sources. Tom, Liam and Andy were in the States back in August 2008 as they performed at several venues as part of their promotion work for 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns'. They are expected to travel during their support dates for Oasis, more details to follow nearer the time.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

PRESS: The Enemy 'Music For The People' - Review

THE-FLY.CO.UK - First Listen: The Enemy 'Music For The People'

Review By: JJ Dunning

So you think you know all about The Enemy? Just two hobbits and a beanpole, making music for huddle-cuddle lads to yell at each other between gulps of Kronenberg down the local indie disco? Well, cast those preconceptions aside ye buffoons. The Coventry Mods aren’t here for an easy ride. Drummer Liam Watts tells us, “We don’t wanna be in the same place as the first album. It still sounds like The Enemy, but where they should be two years down the road.” We wrap our ears around, ‘Music For The People’, and see how they’ve matured...

‘Elephant Song’
According to Liam, Elephant Song’s massive riff made it a sure-fire choice to start the album from more or less the moment the band had written it. Signifying this album’s grandiose sense of theatre, the riff is saved until we’ve sat through nearly two minutes of The Stone Roses’ ‘Breaking Into Heaven’-esque procrastinating (minus the jungle bongos, burbling springwaters, and parrots guffing, thank the lord). The initial sense of dread is suspended, however, as when the plodding guitar finally does arrive, it’s devastating, ensconced in swathes of strings and latched onto a brutalism that reminds us of The Music's 'Welcome To The North', in a reassuringly massive way.

‘No Time For Tears’
Hold on. There’s a piano on this. And it’s immediately backed by a backwards drum that sounds like it might be full of sand. Then comes the guitar, and a heightening swirl of something, and here’s Tom for the first time where we can hear what he’s saying. “The morning aff-ta/The revoloo sho” he spits in that ASBO-chic style of his where he’s not really finishing the words properly and sounds like his mouth might be full of Hubba Bubba and Wotsits. “This song is about how no matter how shit things are getting or how hard and ridiculous the struggle is, you can’t give up the fight.” Says Tom on this bit of paper we’ve got here. Cue warbling female vocals a la Pink Floyd’s ‘The Great Gig In The Sky’ and a chorus that sounds like a seriously pissed off Five. And although that sounds completely shit, it’s actually ace, like Black Grape gone rock.

‘51st State’
Where ‘No Time For Tears’ was on the money (literally) talking about current affairs, this song kind of misses the boat a bit. “This is the 51shhhttayyy/where democracy has failed/with a war on our con SHUNS/and blood under our nails” sneers Clarkey over a thumping bass and a jangling piano that sounds a bit like the synth on ‘Rock The Casbah’. Not bad, but now Barack’s in the hotseat, and Guantanamo’s been boarded up, isn’t everyone feeling a bit more upbeat about the world situay SHUN?

‘Sing When You’re In Love’
Ah, now the ambition is really starting to kick in. Where the first three tracks towered above us screaming, this ballad creeps at us, never breaking eye contact. It begins with acoustic and electric guitars gently sparring with one another. Then comes the piano again. Tom is crooning, “A thousand cheap boozers where young lovers meet”. The harmonies are pseudo-chants that will stoke festival crowds into thuggish, baying mobs with a collective heart of gold. “Every tear in your eye, every lump in your throat, every beat in your heart that won’t let you let go” they’ll bay. Which is an ambitious leap from “Ooo-way-oo-way-oh-oh-oh”.

‘Last Goodbye’
The most stripped song on the album. An acoustic guitar intro is backed with some subtle stringwork, and Tom delivers a paean to suicide. “If you want me, come and get me, I’m leaving this world behind” he sings. Lyrically and musically it’s another brave stride away from the brazen riots of ‘We’ll Live And Die In These Towns’, which is cool, but The Enemy, gently hustling cymbals, and sombre, deep-meaning lyricism make tricky bedfellows.

‘Nation Of Checkout Girls’
Liam’s drums thump, Tom snarls, the other one just sort of thrums, then we hit a by-numbers Enemy chorus that sounds like a b-side off their last album. Meanwhile, grocers up and down Britain are shutting their doors for good, too tiny and puny to stand up to the might of the faceless corporate pigs who are picking apart our communities by stealing our young and training them in the ways of the machine that goes “BOOP!” when you wave your sausages at it. BORING.

‘Don’t Break The Red Tape’
At least half of this sounds exactly like The Clash’s ‘London Calling’, except the lyrics are a vicious swipe at the nation’s state of disrepair. “Welcome to England, where there is no fun/Where there is no choice for any of us/There is no left, there is no right/Labour’s a joke/Just another Thatcherite”. A stinging blast of vitriol, all delivered in a just-got-a-nostril-full-off-disgusting-guff Joe Strummer scoff. “Try and stop us now” chant the rest of the band. A call to arms to kick against the pricks, but not too hard, or they’ll do you for assault.

‘Be Somebody’
A punchy intro then, “There’s no such thing as a free meal/And there ain’t no future in British Steel/No, the only thing that really makes us smile/Is a joke and a laugh and a night on the tiles”. More piano lurks behind the bridge, (“Nigel got a job in the city/works in a department store”) before that gives way to a typically spit-sodden Enemy chorus. A chorus that is, in fact, an example of The Enemy at their strongest; painting a dowdy grey Britain full of bored kids and unattainable dreams. Although we don’t actually know anyone called Nigel, so there remains the possibility that this might be an entirely other Britain that nobody’s told us about.

‘Keep Losing’
“It’s hard when you’re young, it’s too late when you’re old/You give all you’ve got, then you leave in a box” continues the happy-go-lucky, take-life-in-your-stride cheery lyrical content of this album. Cue yet more strings, huge crashing crescendos, and clean, Bernard Butler-esque guitars, and, is that a Moog?? All this song is lacking is some timpani and a few Jurassic Park dinosaurs doing Gospel Choir dressed as ballerinas. Just subtly, like, to add ‘texture’.

‘Silver Spoon’
In this final track, the world weariness turns to traditional v-flicking, as although this starts off sounding like the Charlatans covering Meatloaf, it quickly plunges into slow-bouncing early Blur territory, which suddenly quadruples in complexity when you realise that the words are “Never had a silver spoon”. None. More. Oasis. Then, in a flurry of looped feedback, the album proper is over.

[Secret Track]
All that remains is to negotiate this largely pointless secret track, which is, in fact, identical to The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’, where Tom sounds like a shrill Rod Stewart. It’s an ambitious tilt at something heart-wrenching though, and that shouldn’t be written off completely…

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy - New Studio Pictures

The Enemy have uploaded 7 new black and white studio pictures on their OFFICIAL website and are worth a peek, as they capture Tom, Andy and Liam in action.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Press: The Enemy Releasing Second Album In April

Coventry Telegraph - The Enemy Releasing Second Album In April

NEARLY two years after their hugely successful debut album, Coventry band The Enemy have revealed that their follow-up will be released on April 27.

The trio are hoping Music For The People will prove as popular as their chart-topper We’ll Live And Die In These Towns.
The first single off the new album will be Time for Tears and will be available to buy from April 13.

The album was recorded at Monnow Valley Studios, in Monmouth, with producer Mike Crossey, who has also worked with the Arctic Monkeys and Razorlight.

Lead singer and guitarist Tom Clarke said: “People have forgotten how to record proper rock ’n’ roll records.

“That’s what we wanted to do.

"This is a great sounding record made from the school of the old but has got some brand spanking new anthems that are undeniable on it.

“At all our gigs there have always been people from every walk of life. It’s something I’m quite proud of – our crowds are quite classless.

“We don’t make music for a little niche of people. We make it for absolutely everyone.”

He said the first single is all about not giving up no matter how bad things may get.

“Hopefully, people will relate to that with what’s going on at the moment in the world.

"You have to keep giving it your all,” Tom said.

Next week the band will be showcasing the album to their fans as they embark on a two- month tour of the UK.

They will also be supporting Oasis in Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on July 7.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

PICTURES: The Enemy Corby Gig

NME - Tom Oxley Pictures:

Here are 14 pictures by Tom Oxley taken for NME magazine, Tom was nearly squashed to death in the process of taking these pictures but they turned out well. They capture the emotion from the Corby gig very well:

*Check out NME each week for all the music news

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Confirmed For V Festival

The Enemy will be performing at this years V Festival, with The Specials making it a Coventry double. Tom, Andy and Liam will be playing Weston Park in Staffordshire on Saturday 22nd August and then Hylands Park in Chelmsford on Sunday 23rd August 2009.

Tickets go on sale Friday 6th March at 10am, find out more at http://www.vfestival.com/

Here are the list of artists confirmed for this years V Festival:

The Killers
Oasis
Razorlight
Elbow
The Streets
MGMT
The Wombats
The Script
Lily Allen
The Ting Tings
Bify Clyro
Keane
Pendulum
Snow Patrol
Peter Doherty
James
Katy Perry
The Saturdays
Ocean Colour Scene
Happy Mondays
Lady Gaga
Seasick Steve
Fatboy Slim
Paolo Nutini
The Enemy
The Specials
Dizzee Rascal

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Pull Out Of Homecoming Festival

The Enemy will no longer be heading up to Scotland on May 2nd and 3rd for the Bank Holiday weekend Homecoming Festival at Irvine Bay, Ayrshire.

THE Enemy were meant to perform live and headline the main stage but due to circumstances have had to pull out from the Homecoming Festival.

A source from The Enemy's management company said: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, The Enemy have had to cancel their appearance at Homecoming Festival.

"The band were looking forward to playing the event but due to scheduling issues, have to go to America to promote the new album.

"The band have not taken the decision lightly, but they feel they are doing this for the good of their long-term career.

"The band wish to apologise for disappointing any fans hoping to see them."

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

PICTURES: The Enemy Secret Gig - Corby

The Enemy performed a free secret gig at The Kingfisher pub in Corby on Saturday 28 February 2009, a full selection of pictures have been posted at:

http://theenemy.eu/corby_pictures.aspx

Liam Watts


Fans enjoying The Enemy

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

VIDEO: The Enemy Secret Gig In Corby

The Enemy performed at the Kingfisher pub in Corby as part of their "Secret Gig" tour. The following videos include an introduction (with pictures), Away From Here, No Time For Tears (sample), Had Enough, Sing When You're In Love, This Song and We'll Live And Die In These Towns.

The venue was raw and back to basics - Tom, Andy and maybe even Liam could see into the whites of the eyes of those who attended. No room for security at the front or a large stage, this was how gigs should be - music by the people and for the people. How fitting that the new album is to be called 'Music For The People', living proof that The Enemy have stuck close to their roots and kept the sound real. Enjoy.........


robmacca's introduction to the Corby gig - and pictures.


The Enemy - Away From Here (live @ Corby)


The Enemy - No Time For Tears (sample, live @ Corby)


The Enemy - Had Enough (live @ Corby)


The Enemy - Sing When You're In Love (live @ Corby)


The Enemy - This Song (live @ Corby)


The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns (live @ Corby)

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com