What a year. When 2008 started, we had no drummer, no record label, no album, and no management. Now we've got all that sorted out and it feels like rainbows after a storm. That storm could have ended our voyage, but we're still here, and in the words of Dr Dre himself, we're still taking our time to perfect the beat and we still got love for the streets.
but we're getting ahead of ourselves. this is how 2008 rolled out:
January: Sink or Swim
It was around this time that we realised that we were going to have come up with our own funds to finish mixing the record we started in November '07. With our record label dissolving beneath us, and no date for the completion or release of our album on the horizon, we decided to take matters into our own hands by raising coin the old fashioned way - doing a million gigs. We need to give special props here to Stella Mozgawa for filling in on drums during this period - it was a pleasure and an honour to spend that time with her. She's back in the States and is now one of the most in-demand drummers in the world.
LV playing live and direct on the streets of the city of sydney. Festival first night jan '08
February: Lone CondorSo we scraped the coin together and sent Jono off on a sacred mission - "Meet up with Ewan in Europe and finish mixing the album." In an ideal world we all would have spent that time mixing with Ewan Pearson and Bruno Ellingham (New Order, Goldfrapp et al.) in the famous Miloco studios in London, but it wasn't to be this time around. Instead, Jono took the opportunity to hook up some DJ spots playing at some of Europe's best club nights.
the lineup at paris' panik.
March: Voltron Reforms.Jono came back home some time in March with most of the album mixed. Finally, we could start showing record labels our new shit.
April: Between the Squalls.The search for a drummer continues. By this time, we started to think that maybe we'd be one of those bands that never has a full time drummer. But we had gigs to do, and someone had to be hitting drums. With Damn Arms on hiatus, we managed to get Simon Parker up to Sydney for the odd rehearsal and the odd gig. Meanwhile, we restlessly tweaked the mixes on our album, adding bits and taking bits away in the search for perfection.
May: Shamans rising.
In the process of getting wined and dined by record labels, we run into this dude called Todd who says he wants to manage the band. By this time we're tired of managing ourselves - musicians should be making noise and trashing hotel rooms, not managing funds and negotiating record deals. We hit it off with Todd (realising he'll make a great character in our biopic) and a few handshakes later, we've got a manager. Slowly but surely, we're getting our shit together.
June: Los Trece De La Fama.
Things are starting to gel on stage with the new material. We get a couple of good shows under our belt in front of the right people. Around this time, we started doing our "shaman eyes" - a new concept and identity is forming around the band.
LV supporting Chk Chk Chk at the Metro. June '08
July/August: Calm before the Storm.
A pretty quiet time for LV. Behind the scenes though, shit is being negotiated. There is a record deal on the horizon.
September: Hoist the Mainbrace.
What the fuck is wrong with us? We haven't been on tour for ages! Yeah, so we hit the road with Van She for the whole month to help them celebrate the launch of their album. Way too much happened in that month for me to go into here. It was nice to see the country again.
Here's Andrew looking like Che Guevara on tour.
October : El Dorado.
Friendship forged in the fire of the tour - Simon Parker officially joins Lost Valentinos on drums. We're a five piece again. We're tour hardened and we're ready to take on anything and anyone. Meanwhile, negotiations with Etc Etc records have come to completion. After one ridiculously boozy dinner, we've found a new home. Our Album will be released by Etc Etc. A release date is finally in sight.
November: Bismarck On The Horizon
Finally some new material is released to the world. Feels like we've been sitting on it forever, but at long last (almost a year after we recorded it), we set the Bismarck out to sea. I can't tell you how good it feels to have land behind us, and the wind in our hair again. We're back where we belong. This month, we played our own series of shows around the country and finished the month off with a couple of festival slots. We also said farewell to Andrew's trademark sparkle top guitar, which played every Valentinos and Lost Valentinos show with up until the day he smashed it on a plasma screen at Stereosonic Festival in Melbourne. Special thanks to Bang Gang 12s for putting The Bismarck out on vinyl and extra special thanks to you guys for standing by us for so long.
the bismarck
one of the last known pics of andrew's guitar. RIP.
December: New Land.
Winding down for the year and gathering ourselves for '09. We played our last show for the year at Sosueme's Christmas party. A couple of weeks off to recharge and meditate and all that shit and we'll be back next year with more singles and an album and blah blah blah.
last show of the year - sosueme xmas party
Once again, we count ourselves lucky to have the support of you all. It has kept us energised in dark times and has helped to keep this journey going when all seemed lost. We'll be back next year stronger than ever.
peace.
LV