SLEAZE release indie pop gem ‘Daffodils’

South East London’s self-proclaimed ‘Alcoholic Sons of Satan’ SLEAZE are back with their new single Daffodils, this time with local indie label Scratchy Records onboard. It will be out digitally + pressed on limited edition vinyl.

Described by Scratchy’s Simon Bromide as “like The Clash mugging Jarvis down some Sheffield back alley or The Libertines covering Je T’Aime”, Daffodils is a true story about a failing relationship says writer & lead vocalist Dave Ashby, who’s half-heartedly trying to save the situation with some stale flowers whilst tranquilising himself using whatever poison his demons care to offer up. Listen or download to Daffodils here.

Produced by Paul of Sound & SLEAZE, this indie pop future classic kicks off with an infectious Farfisa style organ that immediately draws you in before a tale of apathetic love, symbolised by some out of date blooms, spells out the writing on the wall – and just to top it all, his mother will probably faint when she finds out!

“Daffodils is our first release with the support of a label” says Dave “& it’s been a journey out of struggle for a band that nearly went down during COVID were it not for our supporters urging us to play again. A mental block around releasing material lifted last year after we put out British Beef as a very limited vinyl run & then a similar run with Lights Out later that year. Bumping into Scratchy’s Simon then led to a chain of events which brought us to here”.

With a video directed by Rob Hawkins (Fat White Family, Crystal Castles, The Big Pink) that features a whole heap of Dave’s drawings in a field with a shopping trolley, Daffodils looks set to do the business as it goes out into the world.

Describing themselves as ‘Post Pub Kebab Shop Glam Rock from SE London’, SLEAZE are David Ashby (vocals), Bede Trillo (bass), Jack Fussey (guitar), Al Grumble (keys) & Phil Lloyd (drums). With influences ranging from Waylon Jennings to Warren Zevon via Nick Lowe, David Bowie & Marc Bolan plus visual splashes of Hockney & Steadman in there too, SLEAZE came together naturally & hitting their stride after lockdown made their writing more about the song, rather than the racket a band can make in a sweaty venue. Combining ballads with a punk backing has created a unique sound – think ‘Pop music distorted though photocopiers & analogue lenses’.

With live appearances at Brixton’s Windmill, The Bimble Inn, Port Eliot, Beautiful Days (Exeter) & Glastonbury’s Strummerville, the band have been winning over new fans in droves, while their songwriting talents have led to the co-writing of Bobby’s Boyfriend on Fat White Family’s ‘Serfs Up’ & Florence Welch covering Dave’s song Girl With One Eye from his previous band The Ludes on her album ‘Lungs’.

For the release of Daffodils the band will be celebrating with an Instore at Brixton’s Dash The Henge (Sat 1^st Apr) plus gigs at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes (14h Apr) and The Windmill (date tbc).