White Sands // I Only Want Your Love (Gadzook Recordings 7″ single, 2014)

It was probably through a post on Young Knives’ official Facebook page that I was alerted to this limited edition white vinyl 7″ single release, from back when I was present on social media, but more about an even more unusually bizarre Facebook post in a bit.

I’d been a fan of this ace UK indie rock trio since their debut LP, Voices of Animals and Men. which came out in 2006, coincidentally in the same year of Arctic Monkeys’ and The Long Blondes’ debut LP’s. It was such a good year was that one. Young Knives come from the wonderfully named English town of Ashby-de-la-Zouche. I’ve never been there and don’t even really know where that is, but I’m sure it’s a lovely place.

I can’t recall how I first heard about them now. It was probably that I really liked their name first – often a good starting point, I find – and then I looked further in through my world of imported UK monthly magazines or via the weekly NME paper from back when it was good. Regardless of how I came in I’ve bought every record they’ve put out since then. This single is taken from their fourth LP Sick Octave on their own Gadzook Recordings label in 2013.

Arriving in 2002 via their debut indie release The Young Knives… Are Dead, they signed to Transgressive Records and released two LP’s on there, before leaving and putting out their third and fourth albums on their own label. The band’s sound has changed quite a bit since their early records, moving from catchy and edgy guitar pop with dead good words into a more surreal terrain with their later stuff, but I’ve steadfastly stuck by them and bought each release as it happened. You could say I’m fairly vested with their stuff by now.

Then sometime in 2014 they advertised a limited edition white vinyl 7″ single of the song White Sands from the Sick Octave LP with this description;

Get a special Christmas message from Young Knives for the div in your life. We will write your special message on a hand made copy of White Sands on White vinyl. Each cover is a totally unique, one off photo from Young Knives studio

Orders must be placed by Wednesday 17th December so we can get it in the post on time.

Tracks
A. White Sands
B. I only want your love

Once you place your order please email your message to us
theyoungknives@gmail.com

So that is exactly what I did.

Then through the relative efficiency of my sent mail folder I am now able to track my initial order and request to the band which said this;

My name is Tony and you can pretty much put what you like and thank you. You cannot insult me. I dig you guys. Cheers and ‘appy Christmas if that be your bag. xo

And evidently according to my email folder on the very same day I received a reply from Henry, lead singer and guitarist in the band, which said this;

Hi Tony,

Cheers for your order. We will make up something hilarious. 

All the best

Henry

At 54 years of age I hope that I never lose the utter fanboy thrill of receiving a personal email message from the likes of Henry Dartnall of Young Knives, whose last name incidentally doesn’t sound a million miles away from mine.

Fast forward one week or so later and imagine my surprise when on one crisp November morning I see this post on their official Facebook page;

(Lawyers please note that I have disguised the identities of the post responses from my page in the best way that I can.)

…

Well now, I wonder. What do you reckon, readers? Is this one my copy or what?

Anyone else want one of these?, says their post.

A mere ten days after I placed my order for White Sands a copy of the very same record appears on their Facebook page to promote the Christmas campaign. It has my name on the sleeve. Too much of a coincidence? I think so. I dash off a reply to their Gmail;

Hello again, chap(s),

Thanks for the note re my 7″single order.

But now you’ve got me a mite curious, I shan’t lie.

On my Facebook page today I saw a picture of one of the singles with scrawl on it addressed to some bod named Tony.

Is that going to be my copy I wonder?

It would be fab if it was and don’t worry, I won’t ask for commission for the sudden spike in sales.

Yours, plucking gamely at the guitar behind the curtain

Tony in NC, USA

And on that same day again young Henry is straight back on the case with this;

I’m not telling you,

but they are being posted today.

Cheers

Henry

…

That was on the 10th of December. How do I know this? Because I kept the thick white card envelope that my copy of the record arrived in, and yes, you’ve guessed it, that was my copy that they used to advertise the release. Here’s a shot of the back of the sleeve featuring the customs declaration form from my parcel, signed by Henry Dartnall as he placed it in the post to me;

Hardly the stuff of legend I know, but when was the last time that one of your favourite bands photographed a record for their official Facebook page, and then duly sent that very same record along to you?

My own copy is pictured at the start of this post and noted furthermore, in the exclusive photo on the sleeve from their studio, I spotted the name of the town of Greensborough as featured in their image. I live but a 33 minutes drive from the town of Greensboro in North Carolina.

A typo coincidence? Hmmmm… I wonder.

The plot clearly thickens.

Now, please go and listen to Young Knives and I thank you for your time.

 

This post is dedicated to Diz for his kind words of encouragement in The Lion pub in Runcorn a couple of weeks back. Thanks, mate. x