Tom Clarke Becomes XFM New Music Award Judge

Tom Clarke is certainly keeping himself busy as it has been announced he has become a judge on the XFM panel to decide which artist will win the XFM New Music Award this year. The Enemy and Glasvegas have previously won the award.

You can pick your favourites for the shortlist and then Tom Clarke and the other judges will choose the best debut of 2009.

Voting continues until January 15, and one lucky voter will win the opportunity to sit on the same panel as Tom Clarke and become an official judge - so head over to XFM and vote now!


Panel of judges:

Ben Cardew, Music Week
Carl Barat, Dirty Pretty Things/The Libertines
Clint Boon, Xfm
David Morgendorff, MTV Digital Media Director
Dave Berry, Xfm
Gordon Smart, The Sun
John Kennedy, Xfm
John Leckie, Radiohead/Stone Roses producer
Peter Hook, Joy Division/New Order
Tim Burgess, The Charlatans
Tom Clarke, The Enemy
Tom Smith, Editors

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

VIDEO: The Enemy Shockhound Interview 2008

Here is an interview from summer 2008 when The Enemy were in America promoting 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns'. Recorded by Shockhound - Tom, Liam and Andy discuss music and life in this special interview.

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

Happy New Year

Another year over and what a year it's been for The Enemy, Coventry's finest export since The Specials. They started the year with some secret pub gigs around the country, returning to small upfront and personal performances - and all of them were for free, as a thank you to fans.

Then the Coventry trio embarked on a massive UK tour with their new single 'No Time For Tears', becoming their fastest selling to date and featuring the stunning backing vocals of Emma Skipp. The press went into overload as they reviewed the much anticipated second album, 'Music For The People'. It entered the UK charts at #2, just 7,000 copies behind the legendary Bob Dylan.

Advert for 'Music For The People'

The Enemy continued to have a busy 2009 with various festivals back in Japan and Europe along with T4 on the Beach, iTunes and the BBC Big Weekend. Tom, Liam and Andy spent the summer touring with Oasis and all the rock 'n' roll headlines that followed. Tom Clarke and Tom Boddy then travelled across America in a Jaguar for the Gumball Rally.

Two more singles from 'Music For The People' were released - 'Sing When You're In Love', with a video featuring lots of scooters and a 60's vibe. 'Be Somebody' featured on Fifa 10 in a new kind of marketing to promote The Enemy. The lads then finally began their first break in three years as Tom Clarke got busy down on his farm, Liam relaxing more at home in Coventry and Andy living life to the full as always.

Yet 2010 will by no means see the end of The Enemy, having performed for the Hogmany celebrations in Edinburgh for New Year, the lads have much more ahead of them. The third album will hopefully see a return to the tunes we all love - gritty lyrics about everyday life. The music industry can be a fickle business, but if The Enemy stay focused they will continue to entertain their fans.

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

Edinburgh Hogmanay Set To Rock New Year With The Enemy

The Enemy will be celebrating New Year in style as they perform in front around 80,000 revellers in Edinburgh. The annual hogmanay celebrations will go ahead tonight despite Inverness having to cancel their celebrations due to appalling weather conditions. Edinburgh is expected to be a chilly -2C but that won't stop the party or the impressive firework display as the clock strikes twelve.

Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts will rock the New Year in with hits from their We'll Live And Die In The Towns and Music For The People albums and fans will be able to watch the performance because BBC Scotland's annual Hogmanay Live show is being streamed live on the internet . The programme runs from 2345 GMT to 0045 GMT on BBC One Scotland.

BBC Alba's Bliadhna Mhath Ur, which is being screened between 2330 GMT and 0100 GMT, is also being streamed live on the same website.

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

Tom Clarke Kept Busy With Farm

THE ENEMY frontman TOM CLARKE is dog tired, reports The Sun - not from too much rock 'n' roll partying but from working on his farm.
The singer, who treated himself to a plot in the Midlands a few months ago, is finding it more work than play.

Tom said: "I've bought a farm and have been renovating it while the band have been on wind-down. But it's so much work! Honestly, I'm having second thoughts now.

"I bought it then realised I'd bitten off more than I can chew.

"It needs loads and loads of work, it's taking up all my time."

Tom admits: "I haven't got any animals yet. I don't really know anything about animals, having grown up in the city. I'm just trying to grow grass at the moment.

"I don't know if I can be responsible to look after animals.

"Pigs smell of their own s***. I reckon cows are going to get trendy soon so I might get some of them - Highland cows, the ones which look like sofas."

Quick tip, Tom: Sitting on Highland cattle is not advisable, especially on the end with the horns.

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

The Enemy Off To The Pub At Christmas

The Sun report that THE ENEMY frontman TOM CLARKE can't keep away from bandmate ANDY HOPKINS - even at Christmas.
The duo are hooking up for a big day bender in home town Coventry.

Tom said: "Me and Andy meet up in the local at midday, it's tradition. Have a few beers, then I'm going to watch Top Gear at my mum's.

"It's the first time the band have had off in four years so I'm going to enjoy it."

Remaining bandmate, drummer LIAM WATTS, won't be joining in. Tom said: "Liam used to be a madhead, on the KEITH MOON track.

"He won't come to the pub. He's practically married now. I don't want to call him boring but he's very settled."

*Read the story HERE
* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy In XFM Song of the Decade Countdown

*pic: Norman Records

The Enemy were voted 70th in XFM's 'Song of the Decade' with the smash  hit, 'Away From Here'. The band's second single appeared on their debut album 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns', which won Xfm's New Music Award in 2008 as the best debut album of the year.

The single entered the UK charts at #8 in April 2007 and became a firm favourite with the fans.

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