Carl and Will at Portsmouth Comic Con

Will and Carl will be attending this weekend’s Portsmouth Comic Con along with Black Crown supremo Shelly Bond, partner-in-crime/Rich And Strange artist Philip Bond and the Punks Not Dead team, David Barnett and Martin Simmonds.

Shelly, Philip, Will, David and Martin will be in Panel Room 2 on Sunday at 3pm, to exclusively reveal new Black Crown art and titles, hopefully including a first glimpse of Rich and Strange track 4. And, there will be swag handed out to the early comers, including limited-edition Rich and Strange postcards, above.

Carl will only be around on the Saturday so he’ll miss the panel but he’ll be hanging out with the team on Day One. Keep an eye out for him. And don’t forget to bring copies of Black Crown Quarterly to get them signed.

For more information on Portsmouth Comic Con, click here.

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CUD share track for Division Five

Ahead of June’s Long Division Festival in Wakefield, an album featuring 33 of the artists appearing (including CUD, Charlotte Hatherley and the Lovely Eggs) is now available to stream and download on a name-your-price basis, with all proceeds in aid of Wakefield’s branch of the Samaritans. Cover artwork, above by John Welding.

Click here to find out more and order.

Rich & Strange 2.5 out this week

Black Crown Quarterly #3 is out this week (Weds April 18) with the next instalment of ‘Rich & Strange: The Return of the CUD Band’. It’s a shorter episode this time – Track 2.5 – due to the talented Mr Philip Bond’s other many commitments (in the same mag) but, fear not, as Issue #4 promises a bumper episode wrapping up the saga soon.

Track 2.5 reveals Mike Dunphy’s secret machinations that involve these four familiar urchins…

Plus, as well as the comic strip, Carl exposes his taste in literature, music, spirits and eggs (?!?)…

And these familiar garments make an appearance…

Black Crown Quarterly #3 also includes Rob Davis’ continuing Tales from the Black Crown Pub, a Kid Lobotomy spin-off, a ghost tour of Canon St (c/o Tini Howard and R&S illustrator Philip Bond), two features by Leah Moore, plus previews of Punks Not Dead and upcoming new title Euthanauts.

Look out for this alluring cover by Dilraj Mann in your local comic-book emporium from Wednesday.

More info from Black Crown, here.

And you can order digital copies of BCQ 3 here.

CUD at sea and Carl on air

Thanks to everyone who joined the Shiiine cruise this month. Calm seas, a friendly atmosphere and great music made it unforgettable.
Thanks to ‘The Cobbie’ who captured a few memories on video, below.

Yesterday, Carl got together with fellow Shiiine cruise act The Farm’s Peter Hooten, and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin’s Jonn Penney to talk about the trip, plans for the year, and to rate the week’s new music on Steve Lamacq’s Round Table.

You can listen to the show for the next 29 days, here.

CUD to play Long Division

The first line-up announcement for Wakefield’s Long Division Festival took place tonight, and CUD are thrilled to be joining the legendary Billy Bragg, King Creosote, the Lovely Eggs and more, performing in venues in Wakefield from Friday 1st June to Sunday 3rd. (CUD are playing on the Saturday, venue TBC).

Across six festivals Long Division has attracted over 10,000 attendees with over 500 artists. It is the largest Music & Culture Festival in Wakefield. Previous performers include The Cribs, British Sea Power, Ash, The Fall, Gang Of Four and Fat White Family.

More details on the 2018 festival here, with Pioneer tickets (that’ll get you into the big gig venues) available from here for £25.

CUD: Rich & Strange 2 out today

Follow the continuing adventures of CUD young and old in the second part of CUD: Rich & Strange in the issue 2 of Black Crown Quarterly, out today – January 31.

In this month’s tale written by Will and Carl, with art by the hugely talented Philip Bond, discover the origin of the CUD name, admire Carl’s new shirt and signature moves, visit Mike’s Palm Beach mansion, plus who is Carl’s mysterious female lookalike??

Here’s the stunning wraparound cover by Punks Not Dead‘s Martin Simmonds (spot the T-shirt).

Here’s the blurb!
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 favorite 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 favorite comics celebrities and much, much more!With no CUD tour on right now, the only way to get your hands on a copy of this essential read is through the comic shops. Pop down to your local comic shop, or order online (Forbidden Planet offer this service).

HMS Shiiine interview

Ahead of CUD’s first 2018 show somewhere between Hull and Rotterdam about HMS Shiiine, Carl and Will chatted about pop feet, poop decks and what to expect on the high seas.

You’re playing the Shiiine cruise in March – how are you looking forward to that?
Will: Much so. It’ll be our first show of 2018, an unusual setting and an adventure! We’re also looking forward to it being our in-roads into the lucrative cruise-entertainment market, with an eye on the Caribbean.
Carl: Once more I have an opposite opinion to Will. It’s going to be very messy on the way back. Can’t wait…

Will you be sticking around for the full weekend aboard the good ship Shiiine and the day time antics in Amsterdam?
W: Of course! I wasn’t aware we could escape on a lifeboat, but we’ll be sticking around to check out the competition and sing some shanties on the poop deck.
C: Oh Yes! but it’s Rotterdam that I’m most looking forward to seeing.

It’s something of a unique setting for a gig (ie somewhere in the middle of the North Sea!) – have you played any other bizarre venues in your career?
W: We were the first rock act to play Tower Bridge, something the Victorians didn’t plan on. It was like playing a long corridor. Thankfully, we didn’t have to cut the set in half to allow a tall ship through.
C: And we played an outdoor impromptu show, middle of the night, at Old Sarum, near Stonehenge. Only 10 minutes, two songs, then the police arrived.

Read the full interview here, find tickets links, videos and more!

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.

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!