Go check them out at one of these

NOVEMBER

Tues 16th - York - Basement

Weds 17th - Glasgow - King Tuts

Thurs 18th - Sheffield - Boundary

Tues 23rd - Brighton - Hope

Weds 24th - Birmingham - Hare & Hounds

Sat 27th - Sounthampton - Unit

DECEMBER

Weds 1st - London - Camp

Thurs 2nd - Bristol - Thekla

Fri 3rd - Manchester - FAC 251

The single ‘Lion In Cages’ is released Monday 22nd Nov in all good record stores/iTunes etc. There will also be a Ltd Ed 10′ vinyl/poster available at the merch stand in the venues & from;

http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=333305

You may have heard of Wolf Gang already. The 23-year-old singer, real name Max McElligott, was the curious creator of singles ‘Pieces Of You’ and ‘The King And All Of His Men’. Supports with Florence And The Machine, Miike Snow and Metric – as well as his own sold-out show at London’s hip White Heat night – have cemented his status as 2011’s one to most definitely watch. The enigmatic artist has stamped his style across 2011’s pop expectations and is now joined by a full line-up of three permanent live members.

Having recently finished recording his debut album with Mercury Rev, MGMT and Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, Wolf Gang represents the first UK act the prestigious collaborator has worked with in some time. Fridmann’s first encounter with Wolf Gang was when he heard a bedroom demo of single-to-be ‘Lions In Cages’ after which he immediately invited Max out to record the track at the soonest available opportunity. So in a small barn in upstate New York - in the middle of a forest full of bears, no less - Max hibernated in Fridmann’s studio as he threw himself into recording the album.

“Dave and I worked really fast together; we were churning out a song every couple of days” Max explains. Restrained by time and money due to the record label’s demands, Max recorded every part of his debut album himself, “I would spend each day going around the live room picking up instruments and laying down the various parts to each song” Max reveals. “Recording I often get lost for hours jamming on instruments that I haven’t played before, but fortunately Dave knew we were on a tight schedule, so after half an hour or so on the timpani or the kaoss pad he would politely move me on in the direction of the vocal booth.”

Having written enough songs to form the bulk of an album, McElligott spent much of the last twelve months intent on finding the right group of musicians who could help translate his music into the live domain. Now having recruited ex-Rakes drummer Lasse Petersen, guitarist Gav Slater and bassist James Wood, Max feels confident he now has a great band in place. “It’s been worth the wait trying to find the right guys. It’s important to have strong characters who can carry themselves on stage and bring the music to life.’

Inspired by the likes of Talking Heads and David Bowie, as well as more contemporary artists such as Arcade Fire, Wolf Gang’s sound packs in an abundance of suave panache, ear-thwacking beats and heart-throttling melodies. It’s fair to say McElligott’s approach to music making is far from docile: Growing up in a number of countries from America to Scotland as a result of his father’s work, McElligott’s life has been awash with worldly influences, his family tree sprouting from a combination of Irish, Greek and German roots. Whether it was trumpet lessons, playing the piano with his mother or walloping drums in a pipe band throughout his childhood in Scotland, he was always destined to tussle with creativity, “Moving around from place to place made me feel like a bit of an outsider. I was always happy wherever I was plonked but never felt quite at home. Music was the one continuum that seemed to link it all together, wherever we went we always brought our music with us. That’s the strongest asset my family has, a love of music and a good imagination”. Both his mother and his sister (who currently plays the violin on tour with Roxy Music) surrounded Max with their classical virtuosity, inspiring his simple bedroom recordings to sound as though they were created on a mountain top rather than – the truth - within a four-walled abode.

Having moved from home to study in London, Max soon found himself submerged in an exciting and new world that seemed a million miles away from his clear-cut life in Scotland. Regularly throwing parties for his new found friends, he was also frequenting the fabulously dressed dancefloor of Café Royale’s now defunct 1920s night, rubbing shoulders with all sorts of “weird and wonderful” people. However, before even sitting his final exams, Max met his manager and soon his bedroom demos (such as the enthralling ‘Where Are You Now’) were unveiled, and music industry magpies all over were suddenly focusing their attention towards this mystifying character. In the weeks leading up to his finals, Max dropped out of LSE, and his glistening fusion of power-pop and distorted anthemia finally began to take form.

Initially snaffled up by the uber-credible Neon Gold for his single ‘Pieces Of You’, he went on to release neo-pop classic ‘The King And All Of His Men’ on perpetually cool Hit Club label around the same time he signed to Atlantic (stay tuned for his new single ‘Lions In Cages’ - to be released as his first single proper alongside some exclusive shows and parties in November).

With tattered guitars, pop noir and dream-like harmonies, Wolf Gang’s sound is so utterly beguiling, it’s the sort of stirring innovation the likes of The Shins would be proud to replicate. Right now, it’s his most recent demo ‘Back To Back’ which pays testament to his knack for effortless, indelible pop grandeur. The song caused an instant buzz on sites such as Pitchfork, catching the eye of one of Merok’s most desirable signings Active Child who went on to remix it. Witness a stripped-down acoustic version of the song online and there’s no doubt his voice can propel like Jeff Buckley’s, whilst still being subverted with its own outlandish charm.

Now, armed with one of the world’s most captivating producers, a knack for creating a classic and colossal resonance, and backed with musicians ready to fully elevate his songs, it seems Max’s aspirations to become a truly great British artist are coming to fruition. “Having tried out working with a couple of producers in London, I was becoming nervous that I wouldn’t find the sound that truly represented me. Dave has captured all of the emotion, charm and energy that I could ever have hoped my songs to contain. It’s been my lucky break to work with him and I’m truly excited now about how this body of work will sound.”

For now, Wolf Gang’s calendar is awash with globe-trotting: A trip to Australia is on the cards for late September as they perform at Parklife Festival, before heading back via the US for a couple of shows in LA, and a Neon Gold party in New York.

Stylish, soulful and incessantly magnetising, Wolf Gang’s full inauguration is about to begin.

xxx