LONDON: The Lexington

Saturday 4th May, 2024

7:30pm

Event information

First time live in almost 8 years!
BRITISH POST-ROCK LEGENDS BILLY MAHONIE RETURN WITH FIRST NEW MATERIAL FOR YEARS
NEW ALBUM ‘FIELD OF HEADS’ TO BE RELEASED MAY 24 TH VIA WHISTLING SAM PROJECTS
PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE: https://billymahonie.bandcamp.com/

Formed in the first wave of British post-rock alongside the likes of Mogwai in the late 90s, John Peel
favourites Billy Mahonie are set to return with the first new music from their original line-up in some
twenty-four years. Whilst their debut album ‘The Big Dig’, released in 1999 on Too Pure Records, is
considered a classic of the post rock genre, Billy Mahonie always crafted their intricate music with
memorable hooks and melodies and performed it with energy and gusto. Theirs was not an aimless,
meandering sound, instead the songs and attitude were rooted in punk rock, and still are. Billy
Mahonie put the rock into post-rock.

Set for release this coming May 24 via Whistling Sam Projects, ‘Field Of Heads’ sees the band
returning with their classic original line-up of Gavin Baker (guitar), Howard Monk (drums), Hywell
Dinsdale (bass and guitar) and Kevin Penney (bass and guitar). Whilst this line-up has been semi
active for a few years, no new material came to fruition. After their last gig in 2017, however, the
band decided it was time to get back into the studio, but with two members living abroad new
challenges were faced, but ideas were shared, old ones were resurrected and finally in October of
2019, Billy Mahonie were back in the studio.

Recorded over two long weekends on either side of the Covid 19 lockdowns, the band tracked at The
Church studios, owned by their former collaborator and front of house engineer Paul Epworth, with
senior engineer Luke Pickering at the controls, allowing ‘Field Of Heads’ to quickly take shape.
New single ‘Kaiju’ gives the music world the first taste of ‘Field Of Heads’ and right from the off, it’s
classic Billy Mahonie. Immediately bursting into life with the energy and melody that is so unique to
their sound, Howard’s driving drums thrust the music ahead as the guitars and synths weave their
way around them. Intricate and shifting, but never at the expense of a tune that sticks in your head.
“This one came from a chord progression myself and Gav first tried out jamming in 2010,” explains
drummer Howard. “Needless to say, when Hywell and Kev got their hands on it, it became
something no-one ever envisaged. Kev's great title is, of course, the Japanese name for the subgenre
of monster-based science fiction. A frenetic riff opens the song and for a counter guitar part only
two options remain, play in the minimal gaps or find an overarching theme. We chose both. Kaiju
films influence the additional Synths, echoes of those early Japanese movie themes. Some people
we have played this to in advance have suggested this track is one we should lead with, as it is kind
of where we left off. We agree. It rocks pretty hard. And is a bit funky too. What’s not to like?!”

Furthermore, Billy Mahonie now have their own label, Whistling Sam Projects, set up for global
distribution through SRD, an almost sold-out London launch show at The Lexington on May 4. After nearly quarter of a century, Billy Mahonie are very much back.

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