Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

Labrinth, Tinchy, Chipmunk and Wretch 32 Come Together To Help BBC Children in Need and release official single ‘Teardrop’ . The official BBC Children in Need single will get one of its most credible makeovers to date this year as the likes of Labrinth, Tinchy Stryder, Chipmunk, Wretch 32 and Tulisa from NDubz present their own re-interpretation of Massive Attack’s timeless single ‘Teardrop’, with the new lyrics adapted by Wretch 32, Gary Go and Mr Dialysis. The song was released through Island Records on November 13th with all proceeds going to the charity to support some of the most disadvantaged children right here in the UK. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey Grammy nominated superstar Drake , whose 2010 debut “Thank Me Later” established the Canadian as one of the breakthrough artists of the year, marks his return with the highly anticipated release on November 14th, of his brand new Young Money/Cash Money album “Take Care”. The debut album has landed; Rizzle Kicks present ‘Stereo Typi...

On 18th April, over five years on from his debut album, Tom Vek returned to the public eye with a brand new single A Chore and news of his highly anticipated second album Leisure Seizure. It ended a huge amount of speculation as to the whereabouts of the enigmatic, London-born artist who disappeared from the public eye after his debut album We Have Sound became a cult classic following it’s 2005 release. Now, following the brilliant critical response to Leisure Seizure and a sold out UK tour, Tom Vek will release new single Aroused. Recorded in his own east London PALLET studios, Aroused is a prime example of Vek’s self-coined ‘beat rock’ – a more controlled, consistent and elaborated version of the unique, raw sound of his debut album. Meanwhile, following a sold out UK tour, Tom Vek has announced more live shows. Vek is set to play the Reading and Leeds Festival and Bestival before headlining a 2000 capacity show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 16th November. Tickets for the O2...

Five years on from his acclaimed debut album, Tom Vek is back. The self-taught recording artist's process and musical output is loaded with cryptic contradictions; his scrappy, chopped-up, beat rock sounds are housed in contrasting clean and precise artwork; this new era's trademark, the obsessively refined pair of British made Anglo American glasses, sit unworn on the cover of the focused new 12-track album. Even its title, Leisure Seizure, is an intriguing juxtaposition.Vek spontaneously released his first album just as the digital age was dawning, guest starred on The O.C. and then disappeared. British-born, his references are rooted in American culture, ranging from mid 90s alt-rock, cable access TV shows and post-war fiction. Raised in south-west London, Vek originally trained in graphic design at Central Saint Martin’s. During this time he wrote and recorded his debut album, We Have Sound. The album was released on the cusp of the information age with social-networking s...

Five years on from his debut album, Tom Vek is back. Following much speculation, Tom Vek’s brand new single A Chore was premiered  (Monday 18th April) by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and is available to buy immediately as a digital download. It’s accompanied by a brilliant Ollie Evans-directed video that can be seen right now at WWW.TOMVEK.TV  The single precedes the release of Tom Vek’s highly anticipated second album. Titled Leisure Seizure, the twelve track album will be released on 6th June 2011 on Island Records, available on CD, LP and download. Tom Vek will also mark the release of Leisure Seizure with a five date UK headline tour, including a London show at Heaven.  The full tour dates are: 13th June - Manchester Ruby Lounge 14th June - Glasgow Classic Grand 15th June - Birmingham HMV Institute Library 16th June - London Heaven 18th June - Brighton Concorde 2