Past Imperfect - The best of tindersticks ’92 - ’21
30 years! This collection has been difficult to compile, but here it is. I have always felt we move forward in small steps (the occasional leap), at times we have been happy to slow right down and examine what is in front of us so thoroughly that we could appear static from the outside. But on the inside of this world, like looking down a microscope, it is brimming with life. We now get a chance, or are forced, to look over our shoulder to see how far we have travelled.
Past imperfect is in chronological order and split in to 4 sections / 2 halves – The first half being the original line up of the band with Al Macaulay (drums), Mark Colwill (bass) and Dickon Hinchliffe (Violin, guitar, string arrangements). The second half being the present day line up with Earl Harvin (drums) and Dan McKinna (Bass, piano, string arrangements).
Myself, Neil Fraser (guitar) and David Boulter (various instruments) are always present – We were born and grew up in Nottingham at the same time in similar circumstances, although we didn’t meet until music brought us together in our late teens / early twenties. Perhaps this binds us together.
There are 2 songs from Claire Denis films – ‘Tiny tears’ from Nanette et Boni (’96) and ‘Both sides of the blade’ from her latest film ‘Avec amour et acharnament’ (’21). There is also the version of ‘Willow’ sung by myself (rather than Robert Pattison who sang the version in ‘High life’ (’19)). Working with Claire, 10 scores so far, has had a great effect on the progression our music, always asking us to change shape and look in to the different elements of our music.
Another great effect on our music was the late and very great Lhasa de Sela. ‘Sometimes it hurts’ was the first duet we sang together. We went on to collaborate further and became great friends. It has become difficult to approach writing duets since her passing.
’92 – ’96 – City Sickness, Her, Tiny tears, Travelling light (duet with Carla Torgerson), My sister.
’97 – ’03 – Rented rooms, Can we start again?, Dying slowly, Sometimes it hurts (duet with Lhasa de Sela), My oblivion.
’08 – ’14 – Harmony around my table, Show me everything, This fire of autumn, Medicine, What are you fighting for?
’16 – ’21 – How he entered, Were we once lovers?, Willow, Pinky in the daylight, Both sides of the blade.
The limited edition box set comes with a double LP of ‘Live at Glasgow City Halls, 5th October 2008′
Stuart A. Staples, January 2022
tindersticks - Both sides of the blade - released January 17th, 2022
Written for Claire Denis’ forthcoming film ‘Avec amour et acharnament’ starring Juliette Binoche, it will be premiered at Berlin Film Festival on the 12th February 2022. The song closes the film.
This short is Stuart’s own visual take on the song (with a lot of help from his friends!).
Limited edition boxset / pre-order
Order the limited edition box set here via City Slang
Contents:
- Past Imperfect, the best of tindersticks ‘92 – ’21 (coloured 2LP)
- Live At Glasgow City Halls 5th October 2008 (coloured 2LP)
- Exclusive 7”: A: “Both Sides Of The Blade” B: “For Those … “
Upcoming shows...
July 2022
22
JUL 2022
Wroclaw, Poland
August 2022
October 2022
New album ‘Distractions’ announced / Man alone (can’t stop the fadin’) released today,
In the back of a London cab driving through the city at night is a very special space for me. It has a particular kind of aloneness. This fascination grew over hundreds of nights leaving the the studio exhausted at 1 am – Ladbroke Grove or St Johns wood, through the city and over the river to South East London in an almost dream state. This film for Man alone became a way of touching the city and that way of feeling both a part of and apart from it.
New single ‘You’ll have to scream louder’ released today.
tindersticks concert cancellation announcement
Concert cancellation announcement
It is with a great sadness and disappointment on our behalf that we are forced to announce the cancellation of our forthcoming October / November shows across Europe due to the Covid 19 situation.
Please contact the point of sale for the tickets for refunds.
We hope to have more positive news soon as our plans become clearer. At least this time has given us unexpected studio time that has been really creative.
We hope for better times for music, for us all.
Until then, keep safe and well
tindersticks
tindersticks rescheduled tour dates 2020
For those who have tickets for our unplayed concerts please be assured that we have been working hard to reschedule them and are now in a position to announce the rescheduled dates (UK shows are still to be finalised).
Unfortunately, for logistical and venue availability reasons the U.S., Hamburg, Rotterdam, Gothenburg and Belgrade shows have had to be cancelled. On the plus side, some new dates have been added.
New EP ‘See My Girls’
Today we are delighted to release our new EP ‘See my girls’.
4 songs – ‘See my girls (edit)’, the great David Boulter instrumental ‘A street walker’s carol’, ‘Blood and bone’ and the original Le Chien version of ‘See my girls’.
The film for ’See my girls’ is a collaboration with Stuart’s daughter Sidonie Osborne Staples made from her continuous illustration of the songs narrative.
Sidonie also made the artwork for the EP and co-wrote ‘Blood and bone’ on which she also provides the lead vocal.
The EP is available digitally today. The 12” vinyl will be available at tour our dates from Gent (29th January) and in stores on 7th February.
A street walker’s carol
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Written by David Boulter
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
Blood and bone
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Written by Sidonie Osborne Staples
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
See my girls (Le Chien version)
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
We wanted to make something physical and human. Not constrained by clicks or grids or loops. Songs played into the air, captured in a moment, unique to that moment and how we felt and reacted to each other within.
You can read the words here
‘For the beauty’
‘Pinky in the daylight’
Taken from the album ‘No treasure but hope’, listen and watch the film directed by Stuart.
“The chorus for ‘Pinky in the daylight’ came to me through the flapping canvas of the sun shade on the deck
of the old blue ferry leaving the island – A rare moment of contentment and calm. A simple love song in
complicated times.
I wanted to make a film that captured the beauty of the island and the beauty of Suzanne. A love letter in
Super 8 film.”
The first song, ‘The Amputees’
Watch the stop-motion animation made by Stuart, Neil and Suzanne.
Exhibition of stills from the film in Antwerp.
Super Limited 7” of ‘The Amputees’ + signed print with select bundles of album.
New Richard Dumas and
Suzanne Osborne colour portrait
From large format stills taken by Richard during the Paris recording sessions, then overlaid in the darkroom.
Suzanne used a traditional method of hand tinting the print with brush and photographic inks.
Exciting shit!
