Okay, you’ve been good, and why should only readers of Computer Music get the music of The Home Guard for free? So, for one month only, you can download the mp3 of Champagne Socialist for free right here (right-click to download):

– Link removed 1/8/08 –

Tell your friends! Tell your family! Tell everyone! This is a limited time offer, and as soon as the next issue of Computer Music is out, the mp3 will be removed.

Download it for free while you can!

Meanwhile, don’t forget to download these work-in-progress demos from our upcoming second album:

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/03_Pseudonym_Demo_27-3-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Other_People_31-5-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/06_One_for_the_Road_Demo_27-3-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Year_Zero_Demo_16-4-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Nothing_Can_Stop_You_Being_Mine_15-6-08.mp3

We’re very proud to announce that Champagne Socialist has been included in the Reader Music section on the coverdisc of this month’s issue of Computer Music.

In the mag, they referred to the song as a “quirky pop number”, compared the guitar stabs to The Clash’s London Calling, and praised the “strong tune . . . well delivered, with its own style”.

Being a publication that focuses on music-making, they also reviewed the song from a technical point of view. They weren’t keen on the sound of our drums or vocals (specifically the reverb), but they offered some helpful advice on general production (which is why we submitted our material in the first place).

All in all, a worthwhile experience. Pick up a copy of Computer Music to read the full review, with the added bonus of getting Champagne Socialist for free!

“Tom Robinson Introducing…” broadcasts for two hours twice a week. The best music from these two shows is whittled down to a weekly podcast, and we’re delighted to say we made it!

You can download the 23 June edition from this page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/trintro/

Here’s the direct link, if you prefer:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/6music/trintro/trintro_20080623-1148.mp3

Don’t forget to tell all your friends, but please bear in mind that we think this gets taken down after a week.

You’re probably beginning to think that we’re in the business of only reporting good news about us. Well, of course we’re hardly going to shout from the rooftops bad news about ourselves, but the fact is we’re stunned at just how positively our music has been received.

The latest nice surprises come first of all from Last.fm user jellyfrog23, who had this to say about us in her journal (we’re number four):

http://www.last.fm/user/jellyfrog23/journal/2008/06/20/217gb8_this_week%27s_music_-_20_jun

Meanwhile, Antoinette Kristensen named us in her top 12 artists on MySpace in a bulletin. We urge you to check out her music, here:

http://www.myspace.com/antoinettekristensenmusicandfriends

We’re honoured and flattered. Many thanks, as always, to all concerned!

We’re proud to announce that we made our BBC debut earlier this week when Champagne Socialist was played on BBC Radio 6music. If you want to hear our broadcast, go here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinsons_introducing

and click on “Monday” under “Listen Again” on the right. We’re on around the 10 minute mark.

Glamorous? Well, when you consider that we were played on Monday at 1.10am on a show dedicated to unsigned bands (“Introducing with Tom Robinson”), the magic tends to evaporate.

So why didn’t we tell you about this sooner? Well, we didn’t know that Tom Robinson had a Monday morning show. In fact, a quick glance at the archives (http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinsons_introducing/tracklisting_index.shtml) suggests that this was his first ever Monday morning show. Great timing, eh? So while we’ve been staying up late on Saturdays…

Anyway, we’re positively delighted at getting the airplay and exposure, so we won’t moan. Except to point out that we’re a duo rather than the trio he suggests.

Incidentally, if you don’t have RealPlayer installed on your computer, you’ll be told by the BBC website that you can’t play the show. Well, do yourself a favour and download Real Alternative instead. It means you can play Real Media files without having to install a bloated player, and it’s free, here:

http://www.free-codecs.com/Real_Alternative_download.htm

Well, it looks like our US-based fans can do so here:

http://amiestreet.com/artist/87179

Of course, anyone in the world can listen to A Head of Steam for free as many times as they like (http://www.thehomeguard.info/mp3/a_head_of_steam.m3u), but if you want to listen to it away from your computer, you’ll normally have to buy it (from CDBaby, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody or Amazon.com, for instance). I’m sure no-one would begrudge us that.

But Amie Street seems to be offering music that increases in price the more popular it gets. So if you want it for free, you’d better get your skates on.

As far as we’re aware, there are no catches (aside from having to sign up, of course). So please tell all your friends about this amazing opportunity, and don’t forget to promote us through the recommendation system.

Judging by the feedback we’re getting (especially on MySpace), we can only conclude that you’re enjoying listening to these works in progress, so (click to play/right-click to download):

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Nothing_Can_Stop_You_Being_Mine_15-6-08.mp3

Hot on the heels of Other People (which seemed more popular than we expected), Nothing Can Stop You Being Mine is another piano-based slow song, except this time with a finger-twisting bassline (I should know). It’s a bit on the quiet side, so you’ll have to turn your speakers up.

Obviously, vocals are still to come, and some of what you hear needs tidying up. The chorus (when the piano stops and mellotron starts) will eventually have heavy rhythm guitar on it, and we’ve got a great solo lined up for just after the big build-up section. As always, let us know what you think!

Here, meanwhile, are the other demos we’ve previously uploaded:

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Other_People_31-5-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/03_Pseudonym_Demo_27-3-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/06_One_for_the_Road_Demo_27-3-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Year_Zero_Demo_16-4-08.mp3

That’s five new songs – half our album, in fact, in one form or another. Incidentally, if you still haven’t listened to our first album in full, you can do so here:

http://www.thehomeguard.info/mp3/a_head_of_steam.m3u

Yep, The Home Guard will soon be making their BBC debut.

More details as soon as we have them…