Simon Breed
 | ARTIST QUICK LINKS www.simonbreed.co.uk | ||
| Simon Breed is an English singer-songwriter of cult (no misprint) status in the UK, in the vein of Cohen or Smog – minimal and country tinged. An intense performer with a towering presence, appearing solo or with stark accompaniment, his best songs are captivating narratives populated by mutilated animals, golems or urban wildlife. Poetic in their simplicity and density, his tender songs are sometimes scattered with the profane, so the easily offended should be forewarned. His work has have been cited as an influence by a weirdly diverse bunch of UK artists – both Placebo and the Magic Numbers (!!) have acknowledged their debt. Back in the 90s Simon was the frontman and guitarist of Breed. The UK music press heaped praised on Breed, and they were loved by the mighty John Peel, who had them in for four sessions, bought them beers and championed them without pause, but, unlike their close contemporaries Tindersticks and Gallon Drunk (who neatly bracketed Breed's style), the band didn't survive their indie label-level financial struggles. While hailing from Liverpool, the band's greatest influences were clearly Australian – most clearly the Triffids and the Bad Seeds. Simon feels that appearing with the Triffids is a small way of honouring his debt. He hopes to backed by some of Australia's finest – Graham Lee, Mick Harvey and Rosie Westbrook, to name a potential trio – at his solo shows, but he says he'd better check with them first. | |||
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