Cargo Records

Then We Begin

Alfa 9 are from Newcastle-under-Lyme (nr Stoke), the group Phil, Ali, Leon, Jamie, and Andy have spent the last couple of years honing their skills on the live circuit, cemented by supports slots with The Coral, Sunshine Underground & The Charlatans.

They signed to Blow Up in Aug 05, and the same month walked straight into The Charlatans' Big Mushroom studio in Cheshire with Liverpool producer Mike Cave (The Coral, Ian McNabb). They recorded the album in under 2 weeks, with additional production and mixing in Liverpool. The completed album was mastered by Simon Heyworth (Tubular Bells), the end result being the psych masterpiece that is Then We Begin. A limited 45 For Your Bones was released at the end of 2005, described by The Sun as recalling "The Who at their best" (4/5) and "an impressively confident debut" by Artrocker. Forthcoming single Deadman, released the week before the album currently on the Xfm Manchester playlist, Xfm DJ Clint Boon recently introducing them on stage at an 'Xfm homecoming' gig with The Charlatans as "the best new band in Britain". Other support has included Steve Lamacq on Radio 1 and Janice Long on Radio 2 (who booked them in for a recent session on her show). "Their debut album Then We Begin puts the band in the same league as Echo & The Bunnymen or The Byrds and on more than equal pegging with the new generation of Liverpool bands like The Coral and The Zutons". What's On.