Nosferatu D2 Explained

Nosferatu D2
Origin:Croydon, London, England
Genre:Indie rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative
Years Active:2005–2007
Label:Audio Antihero
Associated Acts:Superman Revenge Squad, Tempertwig, The Superman Revenge Squad Band, Los Campesinos!, Benjamin Shaw, Sky Larkin, The Jonbarr Hinge, Clarity, Air Formation, My Best Unbeaten Brother
Website:www.nosferatud2.bandcamp.com
Past Members:Ben Parker
Adam Parker

Nosferatu D2 were an English indie rock band from Croydon, Surrey, England. They were active from 2005 to 2007 and remained unsigned during that time.[1] [2] [3] The band experienced posthumous acclaim and interest when the debuting Audio Antihero record label issued their unreleased debut album We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise.[4] [5] [6]

Pre-Nosferatu D2 years (1999–2004)

Brothers, Ben (guitar/vocals) and Adam Parker (drums) originally made music together in a trio called Tempertwig.[7] [8] [9] They performed live in London[10] and released several demos and a 7" split with Air Formation)[11] [12] [13] which was aired on BBC Radio 1 by Steve Lamacq.[14] [15] The band split in 2004.[16] [17]

Active years (2005–2007)

After the end of Tempertwig, Ben and Adam Parker formed Nosferatu D2 and began to play shows and demo new material, some of which was aired on XFM by John Kennedy[18] and BBC Radio 1 by Huw Stephens.[19] One of these demos received a praising review from James McMahon of NME[20] and Art Brut member Chris Chinchilla.[21]

During the band's lifespan, they played a show with Air Formation[22] and opened for Los Campesinos! and Sky Larkin at The Spitz.[23] [24] Afterwards, Los Campesinos! gave Nosferatu D2 a "thanks to" credit on their debut "Hold on Now, Youngster..." LP released through Wichita Records.[24]

In 2007, Ben Parker began writing and recording under the Superman Revenge Squad name (taken from the comic book organisations of the same name) and Nosferatu D2 quietly disbanded.[25] [26] [27]

Debut album/posthumous acclaim (2009)

In 2009, Nosferatu D2's unreleased We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise album was issued by the newly-founded Audio Antihero record label, more than two years after they had separated.[28]

This announcement was by praised by Gareth Campesinos! on the Los Campesinos! website[29] and numerous Hype Machine sites.[30]

The album itself was critically acclaimed. Drowned In Sound gave it 9/10 and called it "some kind of alchemy, not to be repeated";[3] The 405 awarded them 9/10 and suggested it could: "one of those forgotten albums that will be hailed as influential come five or ten years";[31] This Is Fake DIY graded it 8/10,[32] The Music Fix described it as a "lo-fi masterpiece" with a 9/10 grading;[33] Music Emissions graded it 10/10;[18] The Organ stated "I do like this, like it lots actually",[34] Scotland's The Skinny awarded it 4/5;[35] and The Line Of Best Fit stated that "your record collection is incomplete without its inclusion."[5] Gareth Campesinos! again praised the album on Pitchfork in his best of 2009 picks.[2]

The album was also well received by radio in the UK and internationally by radio with songs from the album given multiple airings on BBC 6 Music,[16] [36] Dandelion Radio,[37] NME Radio,[38] ResonanceFM,[39] Florida's WVUM FM,[40] Melbourne's Triple R FM,[41] Kooba Radio,[42] BSM Rocks! Radio,[43] the inaugural God Is In The TV podcast.[44] Jon Solomon's show on Princeton's WPRB FM,[45] [46] Vancouver's CITR-FM, Philadelphia's WKDU[47] and The Wrong Rock Show on South Africa's Bush Radio.[48]

The album and its story subsequently became the several radio features. In January 2011, Tom Robinson interviewed Ben Parker and Audio Antihero's Jamie Halliday about the album on the "I Need An Antihero" edition of BBC Introducing;[6] [15] in August 2011, Miami's WVUMFM aired an Audio Antihero special with Jamie Halliday on Nosferatu D2 and others;[40] and in August 2012 BBC World Service/PRI's "The World" produced a feature story on the Nosferatu D2 album which included interviews with the artist and label.[4] [49]

The album was the subject of a "Buried Treasures" article for the Faded Glamour culture site[50] and a "Lost Bands" article in Rhubarb Bomb's "The City Consumes Us (2007-2012)" book.[51] [52] Label-mate Benjamin Shaw would also cover their "It's Christmas Time (For God's Sake)".[53]

"It's Christmas Time (For God's Sake)" was also included in the Darren Hayman (Hefner/The French) and Fika Recordings 2011 Digital Advent Calendar, alongside fellow Audio Antihero artists including Jack Hayter, Fighting Kites, Paul Hawkins, Ian Button, Broken Shoulder and Benjamin Shaw.[54] In 2019, it was included in God Is In The TV Zine's "Top 12 Alternative Christmas Songs" list.[55]

Further releases

Though the band have not recorded since their split and have stated that they will not reform[56] they have contributed unreleased recordings to charity compilations to raise money for FSID,[57] [58] [59] Shelterbox, Save The Children, Red Cross, Japan Society[60] [61] and New York businesses following Hurricane Sandy.[62] [63]

In September 2012, the band re-issued remastered recordings of their final show as "Nosferatu D2 – Live At The Spitz" through Audio Antihero.[64] [65]

In 2015, their debut album was reissued on cassette by Audio Antihero alongside an EP of non-album recordings entitled "Older, Wiser, Sadder" – which was praised by Drowned in Sound.[66] [67]

Other projects from the Parker brothers

In March 2019, Audio Antihero and Randy Sadage Records compiled the majority of the Tempertwig recordings for the "Fake Nostalgia: An Anthology of Broken Stuff" release.[68] [69] [70] The compilation album was followed with the "Films Without Plotlines" EP which contained their remaining unreleased recordings.[71] [72] [73]

The Tempertwig releases received a positive press and radio response,[74] [75] [15] including support from Adafruit Industries[16] and airplay from Dandelion Radio,[76] Amazing Radio,[77] WPRB[78] and Steve Lamacq at BBC Radio 6 Music.[79]

Post-Nosferatu D2, Ben and Adam Parker reunited for the There is Nothing More Frightening Than the Passing of Time album by The Superman Revenge Squad Band, an expanded version of Ben Parker's Superman Revenge Squad solo project.[80] [81] The album received positive reviews from Bearded Magazine[82] and others[83] [84] and FM4[85] and Gideon Coe, Tom Robinson and Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music.[86] [87] [88]

In 2023, Ben and Adam Parker announced their participation in a new group called My Best Unbeaten Brother.[89] [90] [91] In May of that year, they self-released "The Practice Room Recordings"[92] [93] before contributing a new song to Joyzine's "20 Years of Joy Vol. 2" compilation,[94] [95] which was then released as a standalone single.[96] [97] [98]

My Best Unbeaten Brother announced their debut mini-album 'Pessimistic Pizza' for a June 28th release via Audio Antihero.[99] [100] [101] It was preceded by the singles "Time on Our Hands, Spider-Man," "Extraordinary Times," and "Blues Fatigue."[102] The new material was covered by sites like The Post, Post-Trash, The Alternative, Merry-Go-Round Magazine, Muso's Guide, and God Is in the TV, [103] [104] [105] and played on stations including WKDU, WIDR, WZBC, KXFM, KXFS-LP, and Resonance FM.[106] [107] [108] The group also recorded a radio session for Mark Whitby's June Dandelion Radio show.[109] [110] [111]

Discography

Albums and EPs

Live albums

Compilation appearances

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spotlight – 49: Nosferatu D2.
  2. Web site: Guest List: Best of 2009 - Page 2. Pitchfork.
  3. Web site: Album Review: Nosferatu D2 - We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise. DrownedInSound. 1 September 2012. 6 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121106015340/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/15025/reviews/4138815. dead.
  4. Web site: Fan Releases Nosferatu D2"²s Album Again, Ignites Cult Following. Public Radio International.
  5. Web site: Nosferatu D2 – We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise. The Line of Best Fit.
  6. Web site: BBC Radio 6 Music - BBC Introducing with Tom Robinson, Fresh On The Net: I Need An Antihero. BBC.
  7. https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2024/07/25/my-best-unbeaten-brothers/
  8. Web site: Under The Influence with Tempertwig. 31 March 2019. Echoes And Dust.
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20060103163358/http://www.tempertwig.freeserve.co.uk/info.htm
  10. Web site: tempertwig . https://web.archive.org/web/20060103214910/http://www.tempertwig.freeserve.co.uk/Drowned_in_sound.htm . 2006-01-03 . 2020-06-02.
  11. Web site: Track By Track: Tempertwig—'Fake Nostalgia: An Anthology of Broken Stuff'. The. Editor. 29 March 2019. The Alternative.
  12. Web site: Tangents fun'n'frenzy filled web site.. www.tangents.co.uk.
  13. Web site: Robots & Electronic Brains - eclectic music zine. Robotsandelectronicbrains.co.uk.
  14. Web site: BBC - Radio 1 - Steve Lamacq - Tracklisting . 1 September 2012 . 19 April 2013 . https://archive.today/20130419184336/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/stevelamacq/tracklistingarchive.shtml?20021119 . dead .
  15. Web site: [Premiere] Tempertwig – Apricot]. 21 March 2019.
  16. Web site: MusicMakers022: Ben Parker (Nosferatu D2 / Tempertwig / Superman Revenge Squad). Tom. White. 18 March 2019.
  17. Web site: Beautiful Freaks Features | Premiere: Tempertwig - This Means Everything, This Don’t Mean a Thing. beautifulfreaks.co.uk.
  18. http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=11001
  19. Web site: BBC - Radio 1 - Huw Stephens - Tracklisting. BBC.
  20. Web site: Demo Review - NME von Nosferatu D2 (Album available now) bei Myspace . Myspace.com . 6 June 2022 . https://archive.today/20121130061815/http://www.myspace.com/nosferatud2/blog/86022711 . 30 November 2012 . dead.
  21. Web site: A review. Repeatfanzine.co.uk.
  22. Web site: Nosferatu D2 at Buffalo Bar (07 Feb 2007). Songkick.
  23. Web site: Los Campesinos! at The Spitz (05 Mar 2007). Songkick.
  24. Web site: ONLINE ANTIHERO: Download Nosferatu D2 Live supporting los Campesinos! . 1 September 2012 . 29 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129054134/http://onlineantihero.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/download-nosferatu-d2-live-supporting.html . dead .
  25. Web site: Superman Revenge Squad interview | Feature | The Digital Fix . Music.thedigitalfix.com . 2020-06-02.
  26. Web site: anotherformofrelief.com at Directnic. Anotherformofrelief.com.
  27. https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2024/07/25/my-best-unbeaten-brothers/
  28. Web site: Buried by the buzz . Buriedbythebuzz.com . 6 June 2022 . https://archive.today/20130118130028/http://www.buriedbythebuzz.com/2010/01/interview-qa-jamie-halliday-audio-antihero/ . 18 January 2013 . dead.
  29. Web site: Archived copy . 19 August 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120808101104/http://www.loscampesinos.com/chaff/were-gonna-walk-around-this-city-with-our-headphones-on-to-block-out-the-noise/ . 8 August 2012 .
  30. Web site: Springsteen. Hype Machine.
  31. Web site: Nosferatu D2 - We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise. The 405.
  32. Web site: Nosferatu D2 - We're Gonna Walk Around This City… | Album Reviews | DIY . 1 September 2012 . 26 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120926071919/http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/albums/nosferatu-d2-were-gonna-walk-around-this-city/ . dead .
  33. Web site: Nosferatu D2 - We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise | Capsule Review | The Digital Fix . Music.thedigitalfix.com . 2020-06-02.
  34. Web site: Organ Magazine On Line: Contact & Switch the Other. Organart.demon.co.uk.
  35. Web site: Nosferatu D2 – We're Gonna Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise | The Skinny. Theskinny.co.uk.
  36. Web site: Online Antihero: 6Music Part 2 . 1 September 2012 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185732/http://onlineantihero.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/6music-part-2.html . dead .
  37. Web site: Dandelion Radio - February 2010 Tracklistings. Dandelionradio.com.
  38. http://newnoise.tumblr.com/post/590713781/new-noise-sunday-2nd-may-2010
  39. Web site: Dexter Bentley Site . Dexterbentley.com.
  40. Web site: WVUM Playlists - WVUM College Radio - the Voice of the University of Miami . 12 December 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111104010209/http://wvum.org/index.php/music/playlist/the_lo-down_episode_21_audio_antihero_show/ . 4 November 2011 .
  41. Web site: Triple R - Melbourne Independent Radio - 102.7FM > Program Guide > Far and Wide > Playlists > Playlist . 1 September 2012 . 12 April 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110412061513/http://www.rrr.org.au/playlist/8102/ . dead .
  42. Web site: Audio Antihero. audioantihero.com.
  43. Web site: Big Scary Monsters Recording Company - Mixcloud . 2 January 2013 . dead . https://archive.today/20130118170429/http://bsmrocks.com/news.php?id=81 . 18 January 2013 .
  44. Web site: God Is In The TV Zine: God Is In The Pod Episode One. Godisinthetvzine.blogspot.com. 8 May 2010.
  45. http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=20390
  46. Web site: 24-Hour Xmas Show! Playlist for Thursday, December 24, 2009, 18:00 . Wprb.com . 6 June 2022 . https://archive.today/20130209235606/http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=19507 . 9 February 2013 . dead.
  47. Web site: Music for Pseudo-Intellectuals on Mon 11/6/23 | WKDU Philadelphia 91.7FM. wkdu.org.
  48. Web site: Playlist: The Wrong Rock Show Ep.85. 21 December 2011.
  49. Web site: פעילות גיבוש לקבוצות - פעילויות גיבוש קבוצתיות - Revenge Squad. Supermanrevengesquad.com.
  50. Web site: Buried Treasures: Nosferatu D2. Fadedglamour.co.uk.
  51. Web site: Rhubarb Bomb: The City Consumes Us. Rhubarbbomb.blogspot.com. 2 March 2012.
  52. Web site: Songbird.me. 17.songbird.me.
  53. Web site: I Got the Pox, the Pox Is What I Got (Remastered and Expanded), by Benjamin Shaw. Benjamin Shaw.
  54. Web site: 23rd Christmas – Audio AntiHero | Christmas in Haworth . 1 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120111220339/http://www.fikarecordings.com/christmasinhaworth/?p=351 . 11 January 2012 . dead .
  55. Web site: Top 12 Alternative ‘Alternative’ Christmas Songs - God Is In The TV. 20 December 2019.
  56. Web site: Tumblr. Sonicreverie.tumblr.com.
  57. Web site: Jeffrey Lewis, JoFo, Paul Hawkins, Still Corners, younghusband, Benjamin Shaw & more feature on Charity double album for FSID. Godisinthetvzine.co.uk. 27 February 2012.
  58. Web site: Review: Audio Antihero Presents: 'Some.Alternate.Universe' for FSID. Keeppoploud.co.uk. 16 September 2023.
  59. Web site: Audio Antihero release album for FSID | News Flash | The Digital Fix . https://archive.today/20130203182834/http://music.thedigitalfix.com/content/16659/audio-antihero-release-album-for-fsid.html . dead . 3 February 2013 . Music.thedigitalfix.com . 2020-06-02 .
  60. http://www.subba-cultcha.com/news/article.php?contentID=23847
  61. Web site: Audio Antihero Presents: 'Bob Hope would.' // Japan Relief Effort Charity Album. Thefourohfive.com.
  62. Web site: Audio Antihero: Hear It For New York Compilation - "The Hüsker Doo-wop" EP, by Hear It For New York - Audio Antihero. Hear It For New York - Audio Antihero.
  63. Web site: Brighton Tales -Long Story Short « geek pessimism . 3 April 2013 . dead . https://archive.today/20130102210920/http://geekpessimism.com/2012/11/26/brighton-tales-long-story-short/ . 2 January 2013 .
  64. Web site: Audio Antihero offering Nosferatu D2 live album as free download » 7Bit Arcade . 10 September 2012 . 27 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927085749/http://www.7bitarcade.com/news/article/audio-antihero-offering-nosferatu-d2-live-album-as-free-download/ . dead .
  65. Web site: Ongoing Commercial Suicide « Right Where You Are Sitting Now Right Where You Are Sitting Now . 20 September 2012 . 3 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130403140703/http://sittingnow.co.uk/2012/09/17/ongoing-commercial-suicide/ . dead .
  66. Web site: Ep Review: Nosferatu D2 - Older, Wiser, Sadder. DrownedInSound.com. 14 October 2015. 18 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151018091040/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19056/reviews/4149469. dead.
  67. Web site: Six Long Years: Nosferatu D2 reissue / free "Older, Wiser, Sadder" EP / Full-Live Set Video. Audioantihero.wordpress.com. 13 October 2015.
  68. Web site: Tempertwig – FAKE NOSTALGIA: An Anthology of Broken Stuff. 11 April 2019.
  69. Web site: Get To Know – Tempertwig. 9 April 2019.
  70. Web site: Tempertwig - Comfort Blanket / Everything Can Be Derailed. Jon. Doyle. 7 March 2019.
  71. Web site: Muso's Guide - New Tempertwig EP Out Now. musosguide.co.uk.
  72. Web site: Highly Recommended W/ Tempertwig. 5 April 2019. High Five For….
  73. https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/03/18/musicmakers022-ben-parker/
  74. Web site: Everything Can Be Derailed. Hype Machine.
  75. Web site: 20 Questions: Ben Parker (Nosferatu D2, Superman Revenge Squad, Tempertwig) - God Is In The TV. Bill Cummings·In. Conversation·. 4 April 2019.
  76. Web site: Dandelion Radio - May 2019 Tracklistings. www.dandelionradio.com.
  77. Web site: Amazing Radio. Amazing Radio.
  78. Web site: Jon Solomon : WPRB DJ » Blog Archive » 3/27/19 : 17:00 – 20:00 pm ET.
  79. Web site: BBC Radio 6 Music - Steve Lamacq, Talking about the impact of how we consume music. BBC.
  80. Web site: Track-By-Track: Superman Revenge Squad Band - "There Is Nothing More Frightening Than The Passing Of Time". Godiinthetvzine.co.uk. 18 October 2013.
  81. Web site: There Is Nothing More Frightening Than the Passing of Time. Thesupermanrevengesquadband.bandcamp.com.
  82. Web site: LP Stream: Superman Revenge Squad Band - There Is Nothing More Frightening Than The Passing Of Time. Beardedmagazine.com.
  83. Web site: Album Review | The Superman Revenge Squad Band. 13 October 2013. GoldFlakePaint.co.uk.
  84. Web site: A Funny Thing You Said. Hype Machine.
  85. https://fm4v3.orf.at/radio/stories/1724480/index.html
  86. Web site: BBC Radio 6 Music - Steve Lamacq, Shopping Bag Set List. BBC.
  87. Web site: BBC Radio 6 Music - Gideon Coe, Rocket From the Crypt at Reading Festival 1996. BBC.
  88. Web site: BBC Mixtape 30 Sep 2013. 29 September 2013. Fresh On The Net.
  89. https://merrygoroundmagazine.com/bandcamp-picks-of-the-week-7-19-2024/
  90. https://hellogoodbyeshow.com/2024/06/30/podnplay-29-06-24-ft-my-best-unbeaten-brother/
  91. https://amplifythenoise.com/a-conversation-with-my-best-unbeaten-brother/
  92. Web site: The Practice Room Recordings, by My Best Unbeaten Brother. My Best Unbeaten Brother.
  93. https://acutepop.com/2024/01/01/song-my-best-unbeaten-brother-slayer-on-a-sunny-day/
  94. Web site: 20 Years of Joy Vol. 2, by Joyzine. Joyzine.
  95. Web site: Weekly Listening: January 2024 #1. Jon. Doyle. 8 January 2024.
  96. https://austintownhall.com/2024/01/05/new-tune-from-my-best-unbeaten-brother/
  97. Web site: [song] My Best Unbeaten Brother – Slayer on a Sunny Day]. 1 January 2024.
  98. Web site: BBC Radio 6 Music - The BBC Introducing Mixtape, 29/01/2024. BBC.
  99. https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2024/07/25/my-best-unbeaten-brothers/
  100. https://post-trash.com/news/2024/7/1/my-best-unbeaten-brother-pessimistic-pizza-album-review
  101. https://www.getalternative.com/track-by-track-my-best-unbeaten-brother/
  102. https://fortherabbits.net/2024/06/06/premiere-my-best-unbeaten-brother-blues-fatigue/
  103. https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2024/05/23/exclusive-my-best-unbeaten-brother-nosferatu-d2-the-superman-revenge-squad-band-time-on-our-hands-spider-man/
  104. https://www.musosguide.co.uk/component/k2/item/6407-my-best-unbeaten-brother-serves-up-pessimistic-pizza
  105. https://www.thepostathens.com/article/2024/05/artist-spotlight-my-best-unbeaten-brother-pessimistic-pizza
  106. https://hellogoodbyeshow.com/2024/06/16/podnplay-15-06-24-ft-jason-mcniff/
  107. https://spinitron.com/WIDR/pl/19093484/Through-the-Rabbit-Hole?sp=383485598
  108. https://wkdu.org/playlist/64463
  109. https://web.archive.org/web/20240303230736/https://dandelionradio.com/thismonth.htm
  110. https://web.archive.org/web/20240229193614/https://www.dandelionradio.com/markw.htm
  111. https://audioantihero.wordpress.com/2024/06/07/news-my-best-unbeaten-brother-singles-magana-features-post-trash-bbc-scotland-for-the-rabbits-an-old-pal/

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