European Sun

Event information

DOORS OPEN AT 2.30PM - MUSIC BEGINS AT 2.45PM - DON'T BE LATE

Steve Miles releases his second album as European Sun, accompanied by Ian Button (drums), Rob Pursey (bass) and Elin Miles (additional vocals). Today it's the London launch gig.

If one LP could act as a refutation of the toxic culture of ‘masculine energy’ and the tech bro-sponsored whipping up of hatred that blights our lives - this is it.

It is true of the lyrics. Nostalgia for an imagined past where men were men, and racism was de rigeur is eviscerated in title track When Britain Was Great. Fetishisation of a World War by patriots who are too pumped up to realise the war was a fight against Nazism is picked apart in Angels In The Clouds. And the clumsy, half-arsed struggle to seek something better, to try to escape the trap of cynical acceptance of it all, is sardonically observed in the comically accident-prone Falling Down The Stairs With Arthur Seaton. All this is interspersed with deeply personal tracks like The Space She Left, unflinchingly exposing emotional vulnerability and anxiety, and with carefree pop songs, still able to access the wide-eyed wisdom of childhood: The Sea Is A Pirate’s Best Friend expresses a kind of joy that we all had once, but have lost contact with.

The music is a refutation of ‘masculine energy’ too: it is utterly devoid of that grim modern male quality ‘swagger’. Sometimes echoing the casual, intimate, fragile tones of the TV Personalities, the songs are bluntly emotional but shamelessly catchy. On other occasions - louder occasions - the echo of an angry Wreckless Eric riff can be heard. The warmth and gentleness of the vocal might remind you of Jonathan Richman. The experimentation - the brass section, the feedback, the occasional reggae rhythm – is reminiscent of the earliest, fearless phase of punk adventurism – The Slits, The Mekons, The Desperate Bicycles even. Punk before it regressed to Rock. This hand-made music is the opposite of AI-generated crud. Every bit of it, even the chaotic bits – especially the chaotic bits - are deliberate and meticulously thought through.

Special Guest - JAMIE PERRETT
Jamie Perrett is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer from London, England. He is no stranger to the dark side of rock-roll having grown up with New Wave / Punk musician parents. Music saved his life. He continues to write songs of brutal honesty, raw lyrics and an infectious melodic rock, punctuated with his wizardry on the guitar.
Growing up in an unconventional household, it was almost inevitable that Jamie Perrett—the son of the man who wrote one of the most iconic punk songs, ‘Another Girl, Another Planet’—would find music as both a refuge and a means of self-expression. Despite the early success of his father’s band The Only Ones Jamie’s childhood in South London was marked by extreme hardship due to his parents’ struggles with addiction.
Music became his escape. Honing his guitar skills until he could play almost any Jimi Hendrix tune by the age of 12.
Jamie has played a pivotal role in Peter Perrett's creative resurgence; contributing lead guitar, production and songwriting to his father’s solo work, released on Domino Records. Jamie produced Peter’s critically acclaimed LP “The Cleansing”, featuring guests Bobby Gillespie, Johnny Marr and Carlos O’Connell from Fontaines DC. In 2021, Jamie began focusing on his solo work. He went on to release singles which were praised by Clash, KEXP, Radio X, Louder Than War and more.
In 2023, Jamie entered the studio to record an album, bringing an even darker edge to his songwriting as he delved into themes of abuse, neglect, fractured relationships, and the complexities of growing up amid broken promises. Jamie’s music blends melodic rock with raw, infectious energy, resonating with vulnerability and honesty. His debut is no ordinary rock record—it’s a testament to resilience, talent, and the unfiltered truth of growing up on the edge of rock and roll.