| The New Mendicants | |
| Origin: | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genre: | Indie rock |
| Years Active: | 2012–present |
| Associated Acts: | Pernice Brothers, Scud Mountain Boys, Teenage Fanclub, The Sadies |
The New Mendicants are a Canadian-based indie rock supergroup, consisting of singer-songwriters Joe Pernice and Norman Blake, and drummer Mike Belitsky.[1]
Pernice and Blake, the bandleaders, are both expatriate musicians currently living in Canada after marrying Canadian women; Pernice, from the United States, is best known for his work with Scud Mountain Boys and Pernice Brothers, while Blake, from Scotland, is associated with the band Teenage Fanclub. [2]
Pernice and Blake first met in 2000 when their primary bands played a show together in London, England, and began collaborating as The New Mendicants after Blake's move to Canada. Belitsky, a Canadian musician and a member of The Sadies, had frequently performed as a drummer on Pernice's band and solo projects. Their first project was a film soundtrack, but the songs they created didn't make it into the film, but formed a basis for a live show and were later recorded.[3]
The band's first live performance was a show at Toronto, Ontario's Dakota Tavern. They have also undertaken tours of Australia[4] and Spain. In concert, the band performs both its own material and alternate renditions of both Pernice Brothers and Teenage Fanclub songs.
The band performed in the UK in 2013,[5] and recorded a tour-only EP, Australia 2013 E.P..[6] [7] They followed up with the full-length album Into the Lime in 2014. Into the Lime consists partly of songs that Blake and Pernice wrote for the upcoming film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel A Long Way Down, but which were rejected by the film's producers.