{"title":"The Loft","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"ghost-trains-and-country-lanes-studio-stage-and-sessions-1984-2005","title":"Ghost Trains and Country Lanes  Studio, Stage And Sessions 1984-2005","description":"\u003cp\u003eCompiled and coordinated by the band, \u003cstrong\u003eGhost Trains and Country Lanes\u003c\/strong\u003e expands on previous retrospectives of \u003cem\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/em\u003e, adding those reunion recordings (including three previously unissued tracks), the Gideon Coe session, and several live recordings from that historic performance at The Living Room back in 1984.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the first crop of Creation Records bands in the mid-1980s, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/strong\u003e seemed the most likely to break through. Following the success of The Smiths, guitar-based independent pop was in vogue, Alan McGee’s Creation label was turning heads – its bands blending 60s psychedelia, the melodic end of punk, and a new sound which would soon be immortalized on NME’s C86 cassette.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd in this London quartet, Creation had their answer to bands like Television, The Only Ones, or early Modern Lovers, offering taut, off-kilter songs with an irresistibly deadpan cool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSadly, after just two singles, 1984’s downbeat debut ‘Why Does The Rain’ and the punchier sequel, ‘Up The Hill And Down The Slope’ – an indie hit which the band performed live on TV show The Oxford Road Show, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/strong\u003e dissolved, with various members founding new bands The Weather Prophets, The Caretaker Race, and The Wishing Stones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey left behind seven studio tracks, a BBC Radio 1 session for Janice Long, and one track from a Creation LP documenting the scene’s roots in small club The Living Room. However, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/strong\u003e’s legend endured, eventually prompting a reunion in the early 2000s with all four original members – singer\/songwriter\/guitarist Pete Astor, guitarist Andy Strickland, bassist Bill Price, and drummer Dave Morgan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside various well-received live shows, that led to a new single, ‘Model Village’ (2006), and more recently a session for Gideon Coe on BBC 6 Music (2015). \u003cstrong\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/strong\u003e’s reputation as founding fathers of a new breed of mid-80s indie pop continues to grow to this day, with the band often cited as an influence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith new sleeve-notes by Danny Kelly, this is the definite tribute to \u003cem\u003eThe Loft\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cherry Red","offers":[{"title":"CD | x2","offer_id":50413820150091,"sku":"1115068","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50413820707147,"sku":"1143779","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b87b7241-68f0-40d3-b3a5-55083cea8425_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726677683"},{"product_id":"riley-and-coe-session-091023","title":"Riley and Coe Session 09.10.23","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Loft notched up an impressive list of firsts for Creation Records artists back in the mid-1980s. First Creation band on TV, first to hit the top of the indie chart, first to be invited on to a major UK tour and, not least, first Creation band to record a coveted BBC radio session – for Janice Long’s Radio One show in 1984. Then they split up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn October 2023, the band was invited by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Riley \u0026amp; Coe show to record its fourth BBC session at Maida Vale’s famous Studio 4, following their heralded appearance at the Glas-Goes Pop festival.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeaturing four classic Loft tracks and played by the original members – Pete Astor, Dave Morgan, Bill Prince and Andy Strickland – the session confirmed the band’s standing as pioneering indie originals. On hearing the very first track broadcast, Nick Godfrey of Precious Recordings of London was messaging the band to bag the session for a full vinyl release.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 10-inch vinyl EP features three band originals, ‘Beware’, ‘Worm In My Brain’ and ‘Ride’, plus their celebrated version of Richard Hell’s ‘Time’. The band have all contributed to the sleeve notes, describing what the session, and still playing together, means to them, with exclusive photos from inside Maida Vale taken by Ken Copsey.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Precious Recordings of London","offers":[{"title":"Black 10\"","offer_id":50464936067403,"sku":"2204549","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/PRE_050_-_The_Loft_cover_2b5a0d80_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727280328"},{"product_id":"up-the-hill-and-down-the-slope","title":"Up The Hill And Down The Slope","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginally released in 1985 on Creation Records and arguably one of the best from that era. This version is backed with \u003ci\u003eYour Door Shines Like Gold\u003c\/i\u003e which appeared on the 12\" but not the 7\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Optic Nerve","offers":[{"title":"White | 7\"","offer_id":50506975904075,"sku":"1078508","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/18121989-f6d1-4d25-b80d-f769d2e2e57b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727835153"},{"product_id":"everything-changes-everything-stays-the-same","title":"Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Return Of The Loft. The Loft notched up an impressive list of firsts for Creation Records' artists back in the mid-80s. First Creation band on TV, first to hit the top of the indie singles chart, first to be invited on to a major UK tour and first Creation band to record a coveted BBC radio session - for Janice Long's Radio One show in 1984. Then they split up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince that infamous onstage tragedy; splitting up mid-song, at the Hammersmith Palais in front of 3,000 people when on the verge of Big Time indie greatness, the band has reunited. Just as their status as one of the UK's most influential guitar bands of the 80s continues to grow and to influence a host of younger artists, and thirty nine years after that acrimonious split, it seemed the time was right to record their debut album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLast year, after a sell-out show at London's Moth club and their heralded appearance at the Glas-Goes Pop festival, the group was invited by BBC 6 Music's 'Riley and Coe' to record its fourth BBC session, at Maida Vale's famous Studio 4. Within 6 months the session was rush released by Precious Recordings of London on glorious ten inch vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEnter Hamburg based, \u003cem\u003eTapete Records\u003c\/em\u003e, who, hearing rumours about new Loft material, snapped up the album and signed the band without hearing a single note. The ten song collection, \u003cem\u003eEverything Changes, Everything Stays The Same\u003c\/em\u003e, is released by Tapete. The album was recorded in Hackney in August and produced by Dexys' Sean Read with the original Loft line up of \u003cstrong\u003ePete Astor\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitar\/vocals) \u003cstrong\u003eAndy Strickland\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitar), \u003cstrong\u003eBill Prince\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass) and \u003cstrong\u003eDave Morgan\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tapete","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black \/ Limited Version","offer_id":50837282586955,"sku":"2232741","price":31.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50837281931595,"sku":"2232740","price":30.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50837281866059,"sku":"2232739","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/image006_d8fd4e34_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1731606219"},{"product_id":"dr-clarke-got-a-job","title":"Dr Clarke \/ Got A Job","description":"\u003cp\u003eCreation Records legends The Loft release their first new songs for nearly 40 years in the shape of the single ‘Dr. Clarke’ – out on limited edition seven-inch vinyl on Precious Recordings of London. Taken from the forthcoming album \u003ci\u003eEverything Changes Everything Stays The\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eSame\u003c\/i\u003e on Tapete Records, ‘Dr. Clarke’ is backed with an exclusive B-side ‘Got A Job’, available only on the vinyl single.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle and album were recorded in Hackney in August and produced by Dexys’ Sean Read with the original Loft line-up of Pete Astor (guitar\/vocals) Andy Strickland (guitar), Bill Prince (bass) and Dave Morgan (drums).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Precious Recordings of London","offers":[{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50933510996299,"sku":"2235305","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/PRENEW_3_1400_f4df4dd7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1733353771"},{"product_id":"badges","title":"Badges","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter releasing their first studio album last year, more than 40 years after disbanding, The Loft return in May 2026 with their second record. \u003cem\u003eBadges,\u003c\/em\u003e featuring ten tracks, captures what defined The Loft then and what continues to define them today. As pioneers of an entire genre, they have nothing to prove – neither to themselves nor to anyone else – and that ease and quiet confidence resonate through every song on the album. The record features 10 new songs, recorded at producer Sean Read’s (Dexys, Edwyn Collins, Iggy) Famous Times studio in Hackney and is released on the Tapete Records label. The Loft notoriously split up mid-set at the Hammersmith Palais 40 years ago after climbing to the top of the indie charts and are now releasing their second album of new materia following on from the Top 20 vinyl chart success of last year’s debut, \u003cem\u003eEverything Changes Everything Stays The Same\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original four members, Pete Astor, Dave Morgan, Bill Prince and Andy Strickland have produced an album that continues, and moves forward, the story of The Loft, the band that helped define the sound of the Creation label and the emerging Indie genre. \u003cem\u003eBadges\u003c\/em\u003e has a sound that comes from a band who’ve been together, touring and playing consistently over the past two years – relaxed, vibey, assured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘It feels good to be in a real band again, and for the first time I’m co- writing songs with Andy, earning to manage and negotiate all the things that split the band apart all those years ago,’ says singer and songwriter Pete Astor. ‘We just naturally started writing the new album as soon as we finished touring last year,’ says guitarist Andy Strickland, ‘it feels more organic - it’s a real privilege to still be able to get together and do this.’\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tapete","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black (With Flexi)","offer_id":56681525936459,"sku":"R0767-6470","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":56681525969227,"sku":"R0767-0774","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":56681526001995,"sku":"R0767-0989","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/image_43.jpg?v=1772533610"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/the-loft.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}