Rich and Strange Track 2

We hope you’ve been enjoying the adventures of CUD young and old in Black Crown Quarterly’s Rich and Strange: The Return of the CUD Band.

Here is a timely reminder that part two is due in a month, and you can pre-order it now. Here’s a link for Forbidden Planet. But, even better, pop into your local comic shop and request it personally! Black Crown Quarterly #2 is out on January 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, here’s a preview of what to expect (above and below) with the origin of the band’s name, Carl’s mysterious visitor, and a new drummer!

It’s the new Winter’s Edge of Comics Cool in 48 pages! Delight in regular continuing features like legit publications with literary pedigrees!

It all begins with the 10-page regular lead feature Tales From the Black Crown Pub, starring Stacey the barmaid, by award-winner Rob Davis (The Motherless Oven). Recurring short features include Canonball Comics: an exquisite corpse that will not stay dead, Cud: Rich and Strange by co-writers/bandmates Will Potter and Carl Puttnam and artist Philip Bond, Swell Maps by music journalist/novelist Cathi Unsworth with illustrations by Cara McGee and a new Hey, Amateur!.

Plus: Previews of your future favourite comics like Bandtwits by Jamie Coe, Punks Not Dead by David Barnett and Martin Simmonds, a Walking Ghost Tour of Canon Street by Tini Howard, interviews with your favourite comics celebrities and much, much more!

Front of wraparound cover by Punk’s Not Dead’s Martin Simmonds.

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Ahoy, CUD!

Ahead of CUD’s next jaunt, above the good ship Shiiine in March, Will shared his own thoughts on leaving dry land with the band in The Independent.

“We haven’t played the Continent for a while so we’re going to chalk this one up as a foreign tour,” said Will. Click here to read the article.

Click here for details and tickets for Shiiine at sea.

Singles Tour Report

With just one more date left for the Singles Tour (the pre-Xmas Leeds show) now is a good time as any to thank everyone for coming, packing out the shows, dancing and even getting the venues to sweat.

Thanks also to our ever-calm tour manager and merch juggler Phil who has driven a rowdy van load through inclement weather to identical lodgings and endured mixed merch stands including an understairs view of the loos.

Thanks to sound engineer Dave, who made us sound good while having to cope with a variety of functioning and half-functioning PAs of various heights.

Thanks to guitar tech/roadie Phil 2, who has kept us in tune, towelled and watered, and Mike’s pedals from being stamped on by stage invasions.

And a big thanks to Ben Dakin, who turned up to all the shows to take the fantastic photos, below. And all the best from the CUD Band on yours and Ali’s nuptials.
Check out Ben’s galleries here.

20 October
Hull Adelphi.
As far we can tell, this venue hasn’t changed since we first played here 30 years ago, almost to the day. The black mould lining the dressing-room walls is testament to years of rock ‘n’ roll abuse. Delayed soundcheck meant scoffing tasty Egyptian food from round the corner in a record speed. Falafel-powered show.

21 October
Leicester Soundhouse.
Refreshing to be welcomed with the offer of a cup of tea and backstage chilli. Probably our best supports of the tour. Sorry it was hard to see us from the back! Properly on fire tonight.

25 October
York Fibbers.
Backstage toilet via the lap-dance club upstairs. Ahem. Thanks to DJ Dom for helping out in the absence of a bedridden Phil, and for the big noise. That illuminated backdrop was pretty cool.

26 October
Manchester Night And Day Cafe.
Always a pleasure to play for Jay. Worried the stage might collapse during the inevitable invasion. After some hassle with bass leads, Carl filled in with plenty of patter before we finally launched into a cracking gig.

27 October
Bristol Thunderbolt.
Another friendly welcome and the hottest gig of the tour so far. Carl and Will stayed behind for a lock-in with the pub manager, which they regreted somewhat the next morning…

28 October
Birmingham The Flapper.
Carl and Will had to race over to London for a lunchtime comic-book signing while the rest of the band headed to Brum for a stupidly early soundcheck. Due to a double booking at the venue, CUD were on before 8. The gig was interrupted by someone vapping at the front and setting off the smoke alarms (which happened last time we played here too). Another sweaty night with moisture dripping from the ceiling. But a fantastic show with mass moshpit. Carl instigated a women-only stage invasion tonight.

And thanks to everyone who also came along to our earlier Singles shows in London and Glasgow!

See you next at Shiiine and in Leeds!

CUD set sail in March ’18

Following the success of the inaugural cruise in 2017, Shiiine On is back on the high seas with an even bigger line up, including landlubbers CUD.

The cruise leaves from Hull harbour on Friday March 9, 2018, with music and movies en route to Rotterdam. On the Saturday, coaches are laid on for an inclusive day trip to Amsterdam. Then, it’s all back on board for the trip back to Blighty with more live acts.

Prices includes return ferry from Hull to Rotterdam, accommodation onboard and return transfers to Amsterdam.

The 2018 instalment aboard the good ship Shiiine will feature live sets from The Farm, EMF, CUD, The Real People, Edger Jones and Mark Morriss of The Bluetones. Uke 2 will be making appearance whilst there will be a very special day time party in Amsterdam at The Waterhole venue where John Power and Jay Lewis of Cast and The La’s will be providing the entertainment.

Also joining the party is everyone’s favourite dancer, Bez who will be hosting his new show “Freaky Dancing; An Evening With Bez”. Expect to hear tales of the Mondays, the Hacienda, Big Brother and running for Parliament.

Packages go on general sale from Thursday 12 October at 10am.

Click here for details.

Back in the studio

CUD were back in a Leeds studio after too long a break, this weekend, recording several new Dunphy/Puttnam tracks. The track names and when you’ll get to hear them will remain highly confidential for now. Suffice to say that all three are classic CUD gems.

Follow the CUD band for more news on future releases.

Carl & Will Black Crown comics signing

Carl and Will will be joining fellow Black Crown comics creators for the first signing of Black Crown Quarterly #1, which features the part one of the ongoing CUD saga ‘Rich & Strange: The Return of the CUD Band.

The signing panel includes Carl, Will, plus 2000AD/Vertigo legend Peter Milligan (who’s writing Kid Lobotomy for Black Crown) and Punks Not Dead’s David Barnett and Martin Simmonds.

The signing is from 1-2pm at London’s Forbidden Planet Megastore on Shaftesbury Ave.
Full details here.

Plans are to bring and sign a few copies of BCQ #1 on the CUD Singles tour too, for those who can’t make the London signing. Black Crown Quarterly #1 can be ordered through all good comic shops.

30 years of Mind the Gap

 

Yes indeedy, it’s 30 years to the day (September 28) since the release of CUD’s first single, the 12″ Mind the Gap/You’re the Boss, in that striking magenta sleeve bearing an image of Leeds’ Merrion Centre.

Here’s the video recorded about the same time in and around Leeds Poly. For various technical reasons, it plays faster than it’s meant to, meaning Carl sounds like a chipmunk.

Of course, with the Singles Tour starting soon, you’ll have plenty of time to hear this song played at a more sensible speed.

Rich & Strange in Black Crown panel

Carl and Will spent the weekend in Leeds for the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival, appearing on stage for Saturday’s Black Crown publishing panel, with Shelly Bond and fellow creators, above.
Watch the video below, care of Bleeding Cool, for a glimpse of two pages from the CUD: Rich & Strange strip by Carl and Will, with art by Philip Bond, and hear the CUD boys talk about what to expect.

CUD: Rich & Strange, the Return of the CUD Band features in Black Crown Quarterly. Issue #1 is out on October 25. Copies can be pre-ordered now from all good comic shops.

As for Sunday, it was back to regular duties, rehearsing several brand-new songs with the other half of CUD…

Carl and Will comic panel

Carl and Will are joining the Black Crown comics panel at this year’s Thought Bubble Comic Arts Festival in Leeds to help launch the exciting new comic book imprint. This will be the first opportunity to see pages from their strip ‘Rich and Strange: The Return of the CUD Band’ illustrated by Philip Bond.

The panel will take place on Saturday 23 September at 2pm in the Carriageworks Main Auditorium. The band members will be interviewed, along with fellow Black Crown contributors Rob Davis, David Barnett, Martin Simmonds and Aditya Bidikar in a panel led by editor/curator Shelly Bond.

For tickets and info, visit Thought Bubble, here.

CUD: The comic strip

Out on October 25, the CUD Band are starring in a new regular comic book, Black Crown Quarterly (front cover by Rob Davis, above). Written by Will and Carl from the band, and drawn by the immensely talented Philip Bond (Deadline/Kill Your Boyfriend), ‘Rich & Strange’ follows Carl and Will in their aged and confused years, hoping to escape from the Dying Embers High-Security Retirement Home and get the band back together, while recounting past trials and tribulations.

The 48-page title comes out every three months. Issue #1 includes a two-sided pullout poster and a wraparound cover, a 10-page regular lead feature, Tales From the Black Crown Pub by award-winner Rob Davis (The Motherless Oven), the regular 5-page CUD strip by Potter/Puttnam/Bond, Swell Maps: A guide to Leeds’ music scene by journalist/novelist Cathi Unsworth. Plus: Special previews, creator interviews and behind the panel border secrets from Kid Lobotomy, Assassinistas, Punks Not Dead and much more!

Black Crown Quarterly is available to pre-order from comic book stores now.
Visit Black Crown for updates and peeks at upcoming issues.

 

The Singles Tour

CUD are on tour through October playing EVERY SINGLE SINGLE.

Dates and ticket links below.
Hull Adelphi, October 20
Leicester Soundhouse, October 21
York Fibbers, October 25
Manchester Night & Day, October 26
Bristol Thunderbolt, October 27 *SOLD OUT*
Birmingham The Flapper, October 28 *SOLD OUT*
Leeds Wardrobe (Early Xmas show), November 24 *SOLD OUT•

CUD are also returning to play the SHIIINE ON WEEKENDER on Saturday 11 November at Butlin’s Minehead Arena, as above. Details and tickets, here.