Pete Fij / Terry Bickers end a great 2014 with 'Album of The Year' awards

Well what a year it's been. Some five years in the making, and messers Bickers & Fij finally got 'Broken Heart Surgery' out, no small thanks to our fabulous Kickstarter supporters who helped make it happen.

Rave reviews, appearances on 'Radcliffe Maconie' on BBC 6Music, 'Loose Ends' on Radio 4, 'Sunday Brunch' on Channel 4, not mention single of the week on Steve Lamacq's 'Roundtable' show on 6Music and also single of the week on the Rebel Playlist meaning daytime plays on all the 6Music programmes. A sell out Moscow premier of the Bickers & Fij documentary, plus a plethora of UK shows with the bonus of many new friends along the way.

To top it 'Broken Heart Surgery' has been named 'ALBUM OF THE YEAR' in Porky's Prime Cuts, Say It With Garage Flowers, Pop Junkie London , and This Wreckage as well as appearing in lists in Alltag und kulture (in at #2) Rock N Roll Runner ( #6)  the Platten Vor Gericht (PVG) (#7), Isolation Records (#9),Unthought Of But Somehow (#16), Louder Than War (#33), Italian Troublezine & Pennyblack  amongst others.

Pete said "Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, to everyone who helped us get this far - we've been truely taken aback. We've started on the long road to recording the next album, and we aim not to take quite as long this time. We'd like to wish you all the very best for the coming year."

You can buy the album from the duo's Bandcamp page, including Pete's solo version of the album recorded a few years prior to Terry's involvement, and you can follow them on Facebook .

See you in 2015 for the next installment...

UK Premier at Cine-City for Bickers & Fij Doc

After the sell-out screening of the world premiere in Moscow for the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers documentary 'Various Songs'  (directed by Peter Bromley of the 1968 Film Group)  the film get's it's UK premiere at the Cine-City Film Festival in Brighton in November.

The film, made over a period of 18 months, features extensive interviews with Pete & Terry on the build up to the release of their debut album 'Broken Heart Surgery' as well insights from those around them from their past and present.

The UK premiere will take place on Monday 24th November at 7pm at The Sallis Benney Theatre in Brighton, and is part of the Cine-City Festival (which runs throughout Brighton from 20th November - 7th December). The screening will feature a short acoustic set from messers Bickers & Fij which will be their last live appearance in what has been a very eventful 2014. Tickets are available here

You can buy the album 'Broken Heart Surgery' from the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp site, and you can keep up to date with all things to do with the melancholy duo via their Facebook page and/or  you can follow Pete on Twitter

Pete Fij / Terry Bickers gets World Premiere in Moscow

The documentary on messers Bickers & Fij  'Various Songs' is to get it's world premiere at the New British Film Festival in Moscow on Sunday November 2nd. For Russian speakers amongst you , or those of you who are interested what 'Pete Fij / Terry Bickers' looks like when written in Russian, click here


The fruit of 18 months work by documentary film maker Peter Bromley of the 1968 Film Group , it follows the duo as they prepare to launch their debut album 'Broken Heart Surgery' and features interviews with them, as well as those around them who have had a role in their musical life.

The film will have it's UK premiere later this year, with further selected UK screenings anticipated in 2015.

You can buy the album 'Broken Heart Surgery' from the Pete Fij Terry Bickers Bandcamp page, you can follow further details about the two via their facebook page, and you can follow Pete on twitter.

Live Filmed Bowlegs Session

Everyone's favourite downbeat deadbeats have gone melancholy in monochrome in a fabulous live filmed session, captured in stunning black and white by the marvellous Bowlegs Music Review.

You can catch the two looking very Country & Western in a live studio recording of 'The Sound Of Love' by clicking here


The album has been recently voted in the Top 12 best break up albums ever is available from the Bickers & Fij Bandcamp page, as well as other well known online retailers and download sites, as well as local UK record emporiums.

You can follow all things to do with the duo on their Facebook page

On The Road Again

After the success of their sell out shows to coincide with the release of 'Broken Heart Surgery', the Bickers & the Fij hit the road again this Autumn with a series of UK dates.

B&F will also be supporting TPOBPAT (aka The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart) at their Brighton show on Saturday 9th. You can get in to the show at a reduced price of £8 + booking fee (£5 off the normal ticket price) by clicking here. THPOBPAT have cited both Pete & Terry as influences on their music.

Pete Fij / Terry Bickers headlining shows:

Thur 4th Sept NORTHAMPTON - NN Cafe
Fri 5th Sept HEBDEN BRIDGE - Trades Club
Sun 28th Sept COLCHESTER- Arts Centre
Thurs 9th Oct LEEDS - Santiago Bar
Fri 10th Oct STOCKTON - Green Room
Thurs 6th Nov LEICESTER - Firebug


They hope to add to this list of Autumn shows, and are still taking bookings, so drop us a line if you fancy having the duo bring the mood down.

Pete & Terry will also be playing a handful of private house parties - and are available for bookings. Probably not weddings, but divorce celebrations might be apt.

'Broken Heart Surgery' is available from Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp page as download or CD, plus from your usual online retailers, as well as UK record stores, distributed by Republic Of Music.

Keep up to date about new shows, and all things Pete Fij / Terry Bickers - shaped on their Facebook page.

Photo Credit - Matt Hainsby

'Broken Heart Surgery' out to rave reviews!

What a month it's been!

'Broken Heart Surgery' was released on July 7th and has met with a very positive reaction - here is a quick(ish) summary of our reviews

The Guardian called it "a gently melancholic album that's really rather lovely" whilst Q magazine described it as "a sparse, rather lovely album. Bickers' playing is a masterclass, while Fij's voice has the fragile, worldly wise tenor of Richard Hawley or Ian McCulloch" and Mojo had it down as a "gorgeous set of bruised mid-life ballads."

On-line 'Broken Heart Surgery' has already made an all time top 12 line-up courtesy of this Brandish list of All-Time Top 12 Break Up Albums, nestling alongside the likes of Adele, Coldplay, Bob Dylan, Lykke Li & Fleetwood Mac "...a decade in the making and the finished result is a work of exquisitely melancholic, stripped-down songwriting". Backseat Mafia has the album down as an  8.9/10 (so close to a 9 damn it!), describing it as "funny, poignant, clever and, frankly, beautiful"; Jon Robb writing in Louderthanwar said that 'Broken Heart Surgery' was "One of the most captivating albums of the year...a back from the dead triumph", Pennyblack thought " Pete Fij has a great vocal talent, which recalls in it's cheeriness Damon Albarn of Blur...while Bickers' guitar work shines like rough diamonds in the Brighton sunshine". Isolation Records said of the album "There are no weak moments here - this is about as a complete a collection as you would ever want to hear", Say It With Flowers has it down as "One of the best albums of 2014, ... With nods to Johnny Cash, Spiritualized and John Barry it’s raw, deeply personal,  melancholy and cinematic, but also has plenty of gallows humour and deadpan wit."  whilst A Musical Prioirty also marks it out  as a contender for album of the year describing it as "A Masterpiece".

On radio messers Bickers & Fij won the Roundtable Review Show 'Single of the Week' for Out Of Time, getting both the nods from the panel and the listners alike; the listeners of BB6Music also voted overwhelmingly for Out Of Time to win the Rebel Playlist, ensuring daytime plays on Shaun Keavney, Lauren Lavern, Radcliffe Maconie and Steve Lamacq, as well as plays on Gideon Coe, Janice Long (Radio 2) and Huey Morgan (Radio2). Our two downbeat mariachi's were guests on Radio 4's 'Loose Ends', and on TV the video for Out Of Time was shown on Channel Four's 'Sunday Brunch'.

The Bickers & Fij tour bus did a quick trip round 5 dates, playing to sell out shows and a great review in louderthanwar - "Reminiscent of the Bad Seeds at their most gentle and remorseful. It sounds like the Velvets brought up on the streets of a seventies British town. The sound of the Beach Boys lost at sea... Broken Heart Surgery is a gentle maudelin classic in the making", whilst brumlive said "It's easy to see why they are so successful", whilst highlighting a third member of the duo who stole the limelight.

The album is available as a CD or download from Pete & Terry's bandcamp page (and you get the envelope hand-addressed by Pete!), you can also purchase from  i-tunes, amazon,
 as well as a whole host of online stores. It is distributed in UK by Republic Of Music, who supply independent and national record stores.

More UK dates are planned for the Autumn and will be announced shortly.

Thank you for all your help and support in helping us get this far. Keep track of what is going on in Pete Fij / Terry Bickers' world by liking the Facebook page or following Pete on Twitter

It's Party (Out Of) Time - Single released

'Out Of Time' is released today (30th June), and the boys are parting like it's 1999 to celebrate.  

The single, which won 6Music Rebel Playlist listener vote, as well as winning both the panel and listener vote on Steve Lamacq's Roundtable review show, and was listed as 'song of the year on A Musical Priority is avalable on i-tunes & amazon as well as the duo's own bandcamp page for download.

Watch the Pete Fij -directed video here  As the duo party like only they know how. Warn the neighbours, alert the police and get ready for a Bickers & Fij party like no other! By the looks of it, the morning after is going to be frail

You can now pre-order the CD album of 'broken Heart Surgery'  with immediate download from our bandcamp page & you can join in the knees-up celebration with the party-loving duo at their live dates in July:

2nd Worthing
3rd Brighton
16th London
22nd Norwich
23rd Coventry 

 

Support on all shows is from I Am Ampersand the alter ego of Fujiya & Miyagi's Matt Hainsby

 

Join the Pete & Terry on Facebook to be kept up to date on all things Bickers & Fij-shaped. 

Donnie Darko's rabbit to the rescue

Sometimes help comes in the most unusual of forms. It has transpired that one of the Kickstarter guardian angels who came to assist Pete & Terry is a genuine screen icon - none other than Frank - the giant 7 foot rabbit from the cult film 'Donnie Darko'.

 Actor James Duval who played the menacing rodent in the 2001 classic, was one of those who pledged money for Bickers & Fij to help make the album, and his name appears in the credits of 'Broken Heart Surgery'. 
 

Terry Bickers (6 foot 1") said "We'll try to see if we can get Frank the rabbit to appear in our next video, lurking behind us in the shadows" whilst Pete (5 foot 9") added "We knew that our music appealed to the lost and the lonely-hearted ; we can now add malevolent giant rabbits to that list"

You can now order the album from our the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp page. If you pre-order the album you will recieve an immediate download of the album, and the CD will be sent to your letterbox on release.

You can catch the duo, (or trio if Frank turns up) at their live UK shows in July:

 Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd  Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th  London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre

Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby 

Watch Pete & Terry's video for the forthcoming single 'Out Of Time' here

You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page & you can follow Pete on Twitter

Photo Credit: Michael Arvis Ocker

Pete & Terry tie up Loose Ends this weekend

Messers Bickers & Fij have been invited to appear on this week's 'Loose Ends' on BBC Radio 4 hosted by Clive Anderson. Our two radioheads will be guests alongside Suggs, David Schneider, Janet Suzman, Arthur Smith, Chris Stewart & The Moulettes.

The show will be aired on Saturday 21st at 6.15pm, and will then be available on the i-player for 7 days, as well as being repeated on Radio4Extra throughout the week.


You can now order the album from our the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp page. If you pre-order the album you will recieve an immediate download of the album, and the CD will be sent to your letterbox on release. 

Live Uk shows in July:

 Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd  Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th  London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre

Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby 

You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page & you can follow Pete on Twitter

 Photo Credit: Cait Brassneck

'Out Of Time 'BBC6Music Single of the Week + Album pre-release

Our two downbeat troubadours have received fabulous response to their upcoming single 'Out Of Time' which has won both the BBC6music Roundtable Single of the Week, (beating the likes of La Roux, Manic Street Preachers, David Byrne & Anna Calvi and getting 10.10 from the panel), and also the 6Music Rebel Playlist listener vote which means the single will be played on every show every day all of next week.

'Out of Time' will be officially released on June 30, with the album out the following week on July 7th.

You can now order the album from our the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp page. If you pre-order the album you will recieve an immediate download of the album, and the CD will be sent to your letterbox on release. You can also pre-order the Pete Fij version of the album that was recrded some 5 years before but never released.

 Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd  Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th  London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre

Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby who has been championed by the likes of Jarvis Cocker & Gideon Coe on 6Music.

You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page & you can follow Pete on Twitter

Bickers & Fij Album + Live Shows Announced

Messers Bickers & Fij have announced the release of their debut album 'Broken Heart Surgery' released on Broadcast Recordings on July 7th, and a series of live shows to celebrate.

The album which will be sent out prior to release  to the Kickstarter supporters  who helped fund the project will be available to the public via the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers BandCamp webpage as well as through selected stockists.

Pete said  "Well, it's been a long drawn out process to get here - a bit 'will-they-won't-they?' at times - like a soap opera extended story line about the delayed trip to the altar that has taken several years, but finally we're there...everything's in place -  the vicar has the rings, the organist is in full flow, and Terry looks quite stunning - this is going to be our special day".

The album will be preceeded by a single 'Out Of Time' which will be released on June 30th, and the duo will be playing a series of live dates around the time of the release

Click links to take you tickets :

JULY

Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd  Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th  London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre

Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby who has been championed by the likes of Jarvis Cocker & Gideon Coe on 6Music.

You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page 

Pete & Terry go to church

Pete & Terry will be playing their first live date of 2014 at the fantastic St Paul's Arts Centre in Worthing on Saturday March 22nd supporting Ivor Novello award-winning singer/songwriter Scott Matthews who is touring the UK in support of his new album. Chris Helme (ex-Seahorses) will also be appearing on the bill.

Tickets are £12.50 in advance either online, or in person at St Pauls.
The Facebook event is here