Here’s a work-in-progress demo for you (click to play, right-click and “Save Target As…” to download):

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Nothing_Can_Stop_You_Being_Mine_(Demo)_29-03-09.mp3

Those of you who have been paying attention will know that we’ve suffered some really crippling technical difficulties in the making of this album, and this song happens to be one of the two at the centre of them (the other being Year Zero). However, I found this test mix from before all that started, and as you haven’t heard this song for a while, I thought I’d upload it. Here’s the previous version, for sake of comparison:

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

The sound is still, as such, completely unproduced, and the vocals aren’t finalised at this point. The Queen-style guitar solo is also missing for reasons I can’t remember. But, this is you first chance to hear the lyrics (at least on the occasions when they’re audible), and you can get a better idea of what we’re going for in this song. Comments, criticisms and grovelling praise welcome as always.

Here are some other demos, in case you’ve missed any:

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Dead_on_My_Feet_(Again)_(Demo)_14-10-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Turn_Me_Up_(Demo)_8-12-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Other_People_(Demo)_30-1-09.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/City_and_Soke_(Demo)_17-02-09.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Soldier_On_Demo_15-9-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Year_Zero_(Demo)_29-10-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/One_for_the_Road_(Demo)_18-11-08.mp3

http://www.thehomeguard.info/demos/Pseudonym_(Demo)_10-11-08.mp3

At some point last night, our MySpace page ticked over the 20000 views mark:

http://www.myspace.com/thehomeguardinfo

We’re especially proud as (and I know I’ve said this before) we don’t use hacks, script, bots or other artificial enhancers to make ourselves look better than we are.

Many thanks to all of you who have been with us since the beginning (or thereabouts). Perhaps one day you’ll be saying, “I knew The Home Guard before they were cool!” (Or, more likely, “I knew The Home Guard when they were even less cool than they are now – can you imagine that?”)

ReverbNation is fast becoming the essential site for independent musicians, and if you’re a relatively small-time band/artist like us, we can’t recommend them highly enough.

One thing ReverbNation does better than any other site we’ve ever come across is widgets, and this post is not much more than an excuse to try out their new one (below).

As you can tell, it’s simply a shop window for all the places you can buy our music, which isn’t a bad idea at all. We’ll be looking to integrate many of these widgets into our various sites if/when we redesign them to coincide with the release of our second album. Which, incidentally, is coming along just fine after a few technical hitches.

You can download the podcast of our appearance on The Nerve Cast here:

http://nervetonic.podomatic.com/enclosure/2009-03-12T16_54_46-07_00.mp3

Brace yourself before you press play – for some reason, the word “unhinged” springs to mind. In a good way, of course. We’re on approximately 44 minutes into the show, and there are some brief but kind comments about us after Champagne Socialist finishes.

Incidentally, if you’ve listened to the show and have picked out a favourite (nudge nudge, wink wink), there’s a vote running on The Nerve Cast’s MySpace page for ‘Band of the Week’. It’s on the left hand side, just under the chat feature:

http://www.myspace.com/nervecastradioshow

At the time of writing, we happen to be leading the field with over 400 votes having been cast. I wonder how long that will prove to be the case…

The Nerve Cast is an internet radio station that prides itself on “playing the best unsigned” acts – and we’re delighted to say that they have deemed Champagne Socialist worthy of their show. We’re on in part three of the 10th March broadcast, around the 9:45 mark:

www.myspace.com/nervecastradioshow

We urge you to visit their MySpace page, add them, and listen to as much on there as you can, because there really is some great up-and-coming talent on there (present company excepted, of course). Alternatively, they offer their shows as downloadable podcasts here:

http://nervetonic.podomatic.com/

Though the most recent one isn’t yet uploaded there. I’ll post a direct link as soon as it is.