The Trash Can Sinatras
Trashcan Sinatras is a Scottish band that was formed in Irvine, Scotland in… Read Full Bio ↴Trashcan Sinatras is a Scottish band that was formed in Irvine, Scotland in 1986. The band name is generally stylized as The Trash Can Sinatras for releases through A Happy Pocket and as Trashcan Sinatras for releases beginning with Weightlifting. The band consists of Francis Reader (vocals, guitar), Paul Livingston (guitar), John Douglas (guitar, vocals), Frank Divanna (bass), Stevie Mulhearn (keyboards) and Stephen Douglas (drums).
Formation
The band members met through the club/pub music scene in Irvine. The name was derived from a music class for the unemployed, where students improvised on various 'instruments'. After banging on some trash cans, someone mentioned Frank Sinatra and the band name was born. The original band members included Frank Reader (bass), Davy Hughes (guitar and vocals), George McDaid (guitar) and Paul Forde (drums). By late 1986/early 1987, the line-up had changed to include Paul Livingston (guitar), John Douglas (guitar) and Stephen Douglas (drums), along with Frank Reader moving to vocals and Davy Hughes to bass. While the band has included other members for short periods of time over the years, this is the line-up that would record the bulk of the Trashcan Sinatras' music to date.
Cake
The band was spotted by Simon Dine in 1987 and quickly signed to Go! Discs. Using their signing advance, the band purchased a recording studio in Kilmarnock, naming it Shabby Road. Work began on their debut album, which was eventually released in 1990. Cake featured the band's largest worldwide hit single, Obscurity Knocks, as well as a couple of other hits (Only Tongue Can Tell and Circling the Circumference). The band was often compared to The Smiths and the success of Cake in the United States, where it spent three months in the Billboard 200, led to extensive touring in both the UK and North America in support of the album.
I've Seen Everything
The follow-up record, I've Seen Everything was released in 1993. The song Hayfever made an appearance on the MTV animated series, Beavis and Butt-head. The band released two singles (Hayfever and I've Seen Everything) and toured the UK, North America and Japan in support of the album.
A Happy Pocket
The band's third album, A Happy Pocket, was released in 1996. It was released in the UK and Japan, but was unavailable in the U.S. after the band's American distributor declined to release the record. The band released four singles from the album (The Main Attraction, Twisted and Bent, How Can I Apply...?, and To Sir, With Love, a cover of the 1967 Lulu #1 hit). The Trashcans did not tour in North America, only the UK and Japan.
After their record company Go! Discs was acquired by Universal in 1996, the band was dropped from the label, and subsequently forced to sell their Shabby Road recording studio and declare bankruptcy. The Trashcans kept a low profile in the following years, not playing any concerts until early 1999 (in Japan and Ireland). The Japanese concerts occurred at the same time the band was recording a new single, Snow (a cover of the Randy Newman song), which was released by Sony Japan in December 1999.
Weightlifting
In March 2000, the band set up camp in Hartford, Connecticut to record their fourth album. Between March and June, the band recorded around a dozen songs and played a handful of shows in the northeastern United States, their first shows in America since 1993. After returning to Scotland, the band decided to scrap the album as too dark and sombre (a reflection of their struggles over the previous few years), also feeling that the song writing was not really finished.
The band only performed four concerts in the UK in 2001, instead focusing on writing additional songs and recording demos for their fourth album. In March 2002, recording began at Riverside Studios in Glasgow. The band recorded a dozen songs on and off over the course of a year. In 2003, the band started to raise its profile by playing concerts and festivals in Scotland. They hired New York City based record producer and musician Andy Chase (of the band Ivy) to mix the new album tracks, which was completed by the end of the year.
With a new album ready for release, the Trashcans stepped up their activity in 2004. The band played in Spain and London, before heading to the United States in March. They appeared on the Morning Becomes Eclectic radio show with Nic Harcourt in March, the day of their sold out show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles California (their first appearance on the west coast of the U.S. in 11 years). From there, the band headed off to Austin, Texas for five appearances at the South by Southwest music festival. The Trashcans garnered quite a bit of press and record label attention, which led to a licensing deal with New York-based spinART Records.
The Trashcan Sinatras finally released their fourth album in August 2004. Weightlifting was warmly received by critics and the band completed a 25-date U.S. and Canada tour in September and October 2004. They had follow up U.S. tours in December 2004 and in April and May 2005, while also extensively touring Scotland, England, Ireland, Japan and Australia during 2004–2006. The Weightlifting album included the song All the Dark Horses, which was featured prominently in the first episode of the ABC Family Channel series Wildfire.
In the Music
The band's fifth studio album, In the Music, was recorded with producer Andy Chase between November 2007 and February 2008, at Stratosphere Sound in New York and in Martha's Vineyard. In July 2008, Carly Simon recorded backing vocals for the song Should I Pray?.
A single, Oranges and Apples, was released as a download-only single on 13 October 2008. The song was inspired by Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd. The single was released in connection with The City Wakes, a festival in tribute to Syd Barrett that took place in Cambridge and London in October 2008.
The album was released (with bonus track Astronomy) in Japan on 22 April 2009 (on Victor Entertainment), in the United Kingdom on 14 September 2009 (on Lo-Five Records), and 27 April 2010 in North America (also on Lo-Five Records, with digital distribution by Ingrooves and physical distribution by Fontana Distribution). The North American release includes eight live bonus tracks, which are live acoustic recordings taken from the band's November 2009 UK tour. Lo-Five also released a limited, numbered deluxe edition of the album in July 2009, which featured two additional bonus tracks (I Can't Stand Tomorrow and I Just Don't Know How) and an in-depth booklet of liner notes, photos and a listing of everyone who pre-ordered the release.
The album received strong reviews from print and online media, with The Guardian describing it as "Gentle, grown-up popcraft that reveals more with each listen," and the BBC calling it " . . . tender, affecting music which impresses with increasing listens."
The band supported the 2009 album release with nearly 40 concerts and promotional appearances in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom between July and November 2009, and with a follow-up tour of Japan in March 2010. On the follow-up Japanese tour, the band was supported by Japanese act Sunny Day Service, with whom they also recorded and released English-language and Japanese-language versions of the single "Town Foxes/yume iro no machide". The band also completed an 11 date USA promotional tour in June 2010.
A live acoustic album Brel - Acoustic Performances from Glasgow (recorded in Glasgow in 2009), a follow up to the band's 2005's acoustic live album Fez (recorded in New York City), was released on 9 November 2010. This was set to be followed by the release of Earlies... a 4-album box set marking the 20th anniversary of the release of Cake, comprised of the 3 Go!Discs albums and Weightlifting, digitally remastered with additional tracks and packaging including mementos reflecting the band's distinguished career. However, to date Earlies... has not been released.
Wild Pendulum
In October 2014 the band announced through social media that it would begin recording its sixth album in the coming months and offered fans the opportunity to pre-order it through PledgeMusic, with a series of "exclusives" offering unique content, merchandise and updates throughout the recording process. On 21 October 2015, the first track, Best Days On Earth was released to the band's PledgeMusic supporters in a project update on the site. In the same update, the band confirmed that the new album would be titled Wild Pendulum.
In an August 2015 project update, the band announced that the new album would be released in January 2016. A second track, Ain't That Something, was later released to PledgeMusic supporters, and the album's release was pushed back. On a 1 March 2016 project update, the band announced that a digital download of the complete album would be made available to supporters on 22 April 2016, with the album's release on physical CDs and vinyl to follow.
Formation
The band members met through the club/pub music scene in Irvine. The name was derived from a music class for the unemployed, where students improvised on various 'instruments'. After banging on some trash cans, someone mentioned Frank Sinatra and the band name was born. The original band members included Frank Reader (bass), Davy Hughes (guitar and vocals), George McDaid (guitar) and Paul Forde (drums). By late 1986/early 1987, the line-up had changed to include Paul Livingston (guitar), John Douglas (guitar) and Stephen Douglas (drums), along with Frank Reader moving to vocals and Davy Hughes to bass. While the band has included other members for short periods of time over the years, this is the line-up that would record the bulk of the Trashcan Sinatras' music to date.
Cake
The band was spotted by Simon Dine in 1987 and quickly signed to Go! Discs. Using their signing advance, the band purchased a recording studio in Kilmarnock, naming it Shabby Road. Work began on their debut album, which was eventually released in 1990. Cake featured the band's largest worldwide hit single, Obscurity Knocks, as well as a couple of other hits (Only Tongue Can Tell and Circling the Circumference). The band was often compared to The Smiths and the success of Cake in the United States, where it spent three months in the Billboard 200, led to extensive touring in both the UK and North America in support of the album.
I've Seen Everything
The follow-up record, I've Seen Everything was released in 1993. The song Hayfever made an appearance on the MTV animated series, Beavis and Butt-head. The band released two singles (Hayfever and I've Seen Everything) and toured the UK, North America and Japan in support of the album.
A Happy Pocket
The band's third album, A Happy Pocket, was released in 1996. It was released in the UK and Japan, but was unavailable in the U.S. after the band's American distributor declined to release the record. The band released four singles from the album (The Main Attraction, Twisted and Bent, How Can I Apply...?, and To Sir, With Love, a cover of the 1967 Lulu #1 hit). The Trashcans did not tour in North America, only the UK and Japan.
After their record company Go! Discs was acquired by Universal in 1996, the band was dropped from the label, and subsequently forced to sell their Shabby Road recording studio and declare bankruptcy. The Trashcans kept a low profile in the following years, not playing any concerts until early 1999 (in Japan and Ireland). The Japanese concerts occurred at the same time the band was recording a new single, Snow (a cover of the Randy Newman song), which was released by Sony Japan in December 1999.
Weightlifting
In March 2000, the band set up camp in Hartford, Connecticut to record their fourth album. Between March and June, the band recorded around a dozen songs and played a handful of shows in the northeastern United States, their first shows in America since 1993. After returning to Scotland, the band decided to scrap the album as too dark and sombre (a reflection of their struggles over the previous few years), also feeling that the song writing was not really finished.
The band only performed four concerts in the UK in 2001, instead focusing on writing additional songs and recording demos for their fourth album. In March 2002, recording began at Riverside Studios in Glasgow. The band recorded a dozen songs on and off over the course of a year. In 2003, the band started to raise its profile by playing concerts and festivals in Scotland. They hired New York City based record producer and musician Andy Chase (of the band Ivy) to mix the new album tracks, which was completed by the end of the year.
With a new album ready for release, the Trashcans stepped up their activity in 2004. The band played in Spain and London, before heading to the United States in March. They appeared on the Morning Becomes Eclectic radio show with Nic Harcourt in March, the day of their sold out show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles California (their first appearance on the west coast of the U.S. in 11 years). From there, the band headed off to Austin, Texas for five appearances at the South by Southwest music festival. The Trashcans garnered quite a bit of press and record label attention, which led to a licensing deal with New York-based spinART Records.
The Trashcan Sinatras finally released their fourth album in August 2004. Weightlifting was warmly received by critics and the band completed a 25-date U.S. and Canada tour in September and October 2004. They had follow up U.S. tours in December 2004 and in April and May 2005, while also extensively touring Scotland, England, Ireland, Japan and Australia during 2004–2006. The Weightlifting album included the song All the Dark Horses, which was featured prominently in the first episode of the ABC Family Channel series Wildfire.
In the Music
The band's fifth studio album, In the Music, was recorded with producer Andy Chase between November 2007 and February 2008, at Stratosphere Sound in New York and in Martha's Vineyard. In July 2008, Carly Simon recorded backing vocals for the song Should I Pray?.
A single, Oranges and Apples, was released as a download-only single on 13 October 2008. The song was inspired by Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd. The single was released in connection with The City Wakes, a festival in tribute to Syd Barrett that took place in Cambridge and London in October 2008.
The album was released (with bonus track Astronomy) in Japan on 22 April 2009 (on Victor Entertainment), in the United Kingdom on 14 September 2009 (on Lo-Five Records), and 27 April 2010 in North America (also on Lo-Five Records, with digital distribution by Ingrooves and physical distribution by Fontana Distribution). The North American release includes eight live bonus tracks, which are live acoustic recordings taken from the band's November 2009 UK tour. Lo-Five also released a limited, numbered deluxe edition of the album in July 2009, which featured two additional bonus tracks (I Can't Stand Tomorrow and I Just Don't Know How) and an in-depth booklet of liner notes, photos and a listing of everyone who pre-ordered the release.
The album received strong reviews from print and online media, with The Guardian describing it as "Gentle, grown-up popcraft that reveals more with each listen," and the BBC calling it " . . . tender, affecting music which impresses with increasing listens."
The band supported the 2009 album release with nearly 40 concerts and promotional appearances in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom between July and November 2009, and with a follow-up tour of Japan in March 2010. On the follow-up Japanese tour, the band was supported by Japanese act Sunny Day Service, with whom they also recorded and released English-language and Japanese-language versions of the single "Town Foxes/yume iro no machide". The band also completed an 11 date USA promotional tour in June 2010.
A live acoustic album Brel - Acoustic Performances from Glasgow (recorded in Glasgow in 2009), a follow up to the band's 2005's acoustic live album Fez (recorded in New York City), was released on 9 November 2010. This was set to be followed by the release of Earlies... a 4-album box set marking the 20th anniversary of the release of Cake, comprised of the 3 Go!Discs albums and Weightlifting, digitally remastered with additional tracks and packaging including mementos reflecting the band's distinguished career. However, to date Earlies... has not been released.
Wild Pendulum
In October 2014 the band announced through social media that it would begin recording its sixth album in the coming months and offered fans the opportunity to pre-order it through PledgeMusic, with a series of "exclusives" offering unique content, merchandise and updates throughout the recording process. On 21 October 2015, the first track, Best Days On Earth was released to the band's PledgeMusic supporters in a project update on the site. In the same update, the band confirmed that the new album would be titled Wild Pendulum.
In an August 2015 project update, the band announced that the new album would be released in January 2016. A second track, Ain't That Something, was later released to PledgeMusic supporters, and the album's release was pushed back. On a 1 March 2016 project update, the band announced that a digital download of the complete album would be made available to supporters on 22 April 2016, with the album's release on physical CDs and vinyl to follow.
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The Trash Can Sinatras Lyrics
A Boy and a Girl Spooktime, spooktime Let's enter the spirit world This one…
A Coda ill-gotten feeling - a coda my lover's leaving and i love…
A Worm With A Head Guess you've come to laugh and talk about The day…
All The Dark Horses on the sunset, horses silhouette all is calm tonight new hor…
Bloodrush Can't see the forest or the trees Inhaled the fumes and…
Circling The Circumference All around the alphabet To hide a sadder tale of someone…
Claw Poor little thing Standing framed in the door Staged in…
Country Air In a golden summer field I watch you fall asleep…
Earlies Cakebrick road in summer 1981, we shared a house and…
Easy Read Sometimes at night he'll phone me he's lonely He think he's…
Easy Road Sometimes at night he'll phone me he's lonely He think he's…
Even The Odd Even the odd one out is in with a shout Weather…
Freetime oh my lucky number's been rolling all summer and when the…
Funny I know she doesn't play the field But she likes to…
Got Carried Away Wait 'til i get over this phase A weakness hard…
Hayfever Hello, I'm harry. I've had women I've had germs They're eeri…
How Can I Apply...? There's a boy up here Who wants you to love him But…
I One at a time please ladies. don't take the huff…
I Must Fly Bye said the keeper to his wife Who is the laziest…
I'll Get Them In They people the town with dominoes - half price after…
I'm Immortal Out for a spell, I was slated. I'd lost a…
I've Seen Everything I've seen everything I've seen everything I've seen everythi…
Iceberg I can see them coming beating paths to my door Come…
It's A Miracle Gone...it didn't last too long No lack of trying on…
January's Little Joke All I can hear is the clucking of tongues I can…
Killing the Cabinet This is the tail, this is the nose Sniffing, romancing and…
Leave Me Alone the hardest thing of all is to belong the oddest thing…
Maybe I Should Drive i'm on a be road heading for the sea to see…
No Gasoline I fold and unfold it, I rolled it and sold…
Obscurity Knocks Always at the foot of the photograph, that's me there Snug…
One At a Time One at a time please ladies. don't take the huff…
Only Tongue Can Tell Once upon a sign I read a warning and it…
Orange Fell Drifting, drifting, stickleback waters Drifting, drifting (s…
ORANGES AND APPLES Evening sun in an english sky Orange as the pigeon's eye N…
People I am a human, you are human too Can we come…
Perfect Reminder Blend in, I'll bring my home-made present On the next bus…
Save Me I'd never been in love, I just liked to play…
Send for Henny You led me headlong to the place where I belong Dealing…
Should I Pray i'm on a be road heading for the sea to see…
The Best Man Could I interest you in a little something special Pay the…
The Best Man's Fall Could I interest you in a little something special Pay the…
The Hairy Years I lingered within earshot of the seaside souvenir shopfront …
The Perfect Reminder Blend in, I'll bring my home-made present On the next bus…
The Safecracker As fly to tarantula, as jugular to dracula To me in…
The Sleeping Policeman I cast the net he hauls it in Life and death…
The Therapist He said "around these parts..." as he laid a hand…
Thrupenny Tears That reminds me of the time I felt It's time for…
To Sir With Love Those school girl days Of telling tales and biting nails are…
Trouble Sleeping Flowers... Flowers for the unsolved Flowers... White f…
Twisted And Bent Spread eagled illegally An angel as bored as me, Should I cr…
Unfortunate Age I applied... And eventually they replied, "Impeccable taste,…
usually She went first - you're unusual Buy your clothes from…
Weightlifting i discover the wheel and watch the buildings go by you…
Welcome Back Welcome back, back to health Back from the edge where…
What Women Do To Men someone else will meet her stay awake and read to her someon…
Who's He Little Bohemian lost his sheep And I know where to find…
Worked a Miracle Halfway to paralyzed my understudy's eyes grew tired Every a…
You Made Me Feel So typical - a battle of wits And I've come half…
You Only Live Twice You only live twice, or so it seems One life for…