We are celebrating The Nightingales’ unique and singular output with a 25% sale across their catalogue. Head over to our website or Bandcamp to explore this already discounted collection and take home a treasure trove of groundbreaking music.
Birmingham’s punk legacy began with The Prefects—an original band that played a pivotal role in The Clash’s ‘White Riot Tour’, recorded iconic Peel sessions, and even released a 45 on Rough Trade. Their influence was so profound that, years later, a retrospective CD by New York’s Acute Records garnered glowing praise from Rolling Stone to influential webzines. Out of the embers of The Prefects’ demise in 1979, a few of its pioneering members formed The Nightingales—a band destined to redefine post-punk.
Described in John Robb’s definitive Death To Trad Rock as “the misfits’ misfits,” The Nightingales quickly became cult darlings in the early ’80s. Centered around the inimitable lyricist and vocalist Robert Lloyd, their ever-shifting line-up captivated the credible music scene with critically acclaimed singles—regularly lauded as ‘Single Of The Week’—and three groundbreaking albums. Championing their raw energy and unyielding creativity, legendary DJ John Peel once remarked, “Their performances will serve to confirm their excellence when we are far enough distanced from the 1980’s…” This bold endorsement encapsulated their enduring appeal.
Throughout the 1980s, The Nightingales not only recorded a series of influential singles and albums but also embarked on extensive tours across the UK and Northern Europe, sharing stages with diverse acts from Bo Diddley to Nico. Although they ceased regular activity in the late Eighties, the band’s spirit never faded. In 2004, after a handful of sporadic gigs, they re-grouped—experimenting with various line-ups—until finally settling on the current, longest-standing ensemble: Robert Lloyd, Andreas Schmid (from Faust) on bass, ex-Violet Violet dynamo Fliss Kitson on drums, and guitarist James Smith, whom Lloyd discovered playing alongside Damo Suzuki.
Since their triumphant return, The Nightingales have been more prolific than ever. Their discography now boasts seven vinyl singles, several EPs, two six-song mini albums, eight full-length studio albums, a movie soundtrack, and a double live LP. The band’s tireless touring across the UK, mainland Europe, and the USA—headlining festivals and recording countless radio sessions—has cemented their reputation as independent, maverick icons, operating without a traditional management team or booking agent.
In 2019, they pushed boundaries further by recording a new album and starring in the feature-length documentary King Rocker, penned by the brilliant Stewart Lee and directed by Michael Cumming. Despite the challenges of postponed tours in 2020, King Rocker premiered on Sky Arts in February 2021 to rave reviews and was celebrated as an Official Selection at the Sheffield Doc Fest.
Fire Records has since played a significant role in chronicling their journey, releasing deluxe, remastered LP reissues of early classics like Pigs On Purpose, Hysterics, and In The Good Old Country Way, along with the first vinyl edition of Out Of True. The band later completed a highly anticipated “Four Against Fate” UK tour in October 2021, and in early 2022, they unveiled the original soundtrack to King Rocker alongside a bookback DVD packed with extras. Their relentless creativity continued with the FAF remix 12” ‘Disco 45’ titled The New Nonsense, the release of The Last Laugh in 2022, and the double LP Live In Balsall Heath in 2023—all while touring with icons like The Damned and captivating audiences on intimate tours across Ireland and smaller UK towns.
The Awful Truth marks their latest creative surge, heralding a return to headlining major UK cities for the first time in three years. They will then be appearing at several UK music festivals and will, at some point, play more shows in Europe and America.
2025 Tour Dates
21 May: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK
22 May: Think Tank, Newcastle, UK
23 May: Stereo, Glasgow, UK
24 May: Deaf Institute, Manchester, UK
25 May: Castle & Falcon, Birmingham, UK
27 May: Exchange, Bristol, UK
28 May: Chalk, Brighton, UK
29 May: Junction, Cambridge, UK
30 May: Oslo, London, UK
31 May: Bunkhouse, Swansea, UK
10 Aug: Rebellion Festival, Blackpool, UK
