News

The Primitives Announce EP And Tour

• 21st Jan 2011

With their first new recordings since 1992, The Primitives are back with a fantastic new record, the Never Kill A Secret EP to be released on Fortuna POP! in March 2011. With a new lease of life after successfully touring the UK in 2010, the band decided to write and record some new material. The four tracks on the new EP include the fuzzified girlpop stomper of the lead track “Rattle My Cage” and the cute little Velvets-y heart-melter “Never Kill A Secret”, along with two covers, Suzi Jane Hokom’s Lee Hazlewood-penned “Need All the Help I can Get” and Toni Basil’s Northern Soul classic “Breakaway”. March also sees the band embark on a full UK tour.

Fronted by indiepop blonde bombshell Tracy Tracy, The Primitives emerged from the independent scene of the mid-80s that spawned The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, The Wedding Present and Primal Scream. Their sound distilled the shimmering guitar jangle of the Byrds, the buzzsaw style of The Ramones and 60's girl group melodies into two and a half minute pop gems. Regular session guests on John Peel’s radio show, with many an appearance in his Festive Fifty, their career was boosted / hindered when Morrissey named them as one of his favourite bands.

A widely acclaimed first album, Lovely, made them the UK’s indie darlings, while the huge success of the single 'Crash' saw them cross over to a mass audience. Further chart success followed, along with two more studio albums, Pure and Galore, plus extensive tours of Europe and the US, before the band called it a day in 1992. Guitarist Paul Court and drummer Tig Williams continued to work together on various musical projects throughout most of 1990s, while Tracy contributed vocals to Band of Holy Joy amongst others, and also recorded with several outfits working in the dance music field. In 2008, Mojo Magazine voted the Primitives’ second single “Really Stupid” one of the Top 40 UK indie singles of all time.

The band were reunited in 2009 by the untimely passing of their original bass player Steve Dullaghan, reforming to play a show in his memory later that year in their home town of Coventry; their first show together for 17 years. Bolstered by its success they went on to tour the UK in April 2010, receiving a rapturous response, followed by a headline slot at the Indietracks festival and shows in the US and Spain. They will be playing a headline tour in March 2011.

Wed 16 Mar – UK – Southampton – Joiners Arms
Thu 17 Mar – UK – Cambridge – Haymakers
Fri 18 Mar – UK – Bristol – Start the Bus
Sat 19 Mar – UK – York – Fibbers
Sun 20 Mar – UK – Glasgow – The Arches
Mon 21 Mar – UK – Manchester – Moho
Wed 23 Mar – UK – Birmingham – Academy
Thu 24 Mar – UK – London – Garage
Sat 02 Apr – Spain – Valencia – Qfestival