The Dallas Guild

The Dallas Guild
Origin	London, England
Genres	Alternative Ambient Pop Psychedelic
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Soviet Science
Members
Scuta Salamanca Chopper Moshik Kop
Past members
Tom Glendining David Billing Seymour Milton

Bridging an unlikely prog/pop highway of Pink Floyd’s 70s soundscape psychedelia and ELO’s punchy synth drenched pop songs, The Dallas Guild have just put the finishing touches to their debut album ”Hello Darkness”.

The band started in frontman Scuta Salamanca’s bedroom in the East End of London in 2003 with a couple of mics, an acoustic guitar and some software. Finding daytimes best to record drums when the neighbours were out, he made the first 4 track EP ”Registration” in 2004 with old friend David Billing (Death Metal Disco Scene/Kylie /Verve remixer). This early material started him on the road to melding synths with acoustic guitar, making pop music in a way that felt natural without trying to copy and without any heroes. With a handful of self-release limited edition CDs in the shops around London, the lead track ”Men In White Coats” was spotted and picked up for the VW EOS TV commercial which ran in the UK through 2006/7. Whilst this was happening Scuta had been developing songs for another EP with a new collaborator with an equally as unlikely name – Chopper. They developed a more expansive sound, recording all the parts to the songs on the album between them, in their new semi proper studio in a warehouse in Stoke Newington. Nearing the end of recording they caught the ear of Producer / Mixer Paul Stacey (Black Crowes/Oasis/Minuteman/Noisettes) who agreed to mix the record at his old school studio in South London even though the band had no funding.

The result is ”Hello Darkness” the album. A lot of people throw references in to try and describe what they are hearing but it is genuinely a fresh record. It feels like a natural progression out of the heritage of 60s/70s and 80s sounds and songwriting. It’s Modern Psychedelia or is it Space pop – who knows?

The band play live as a 3 piece. In September 2009 they flew out to Tel Aviv especially to play with MGMT and LCD Soundsystem at The Heineken Music Conference gig in the city.

In April 2010 the band were commissioned by the BBC to write the music for their World Cup coverage. They wrote a track using the synths and drum machines from the band and their label (Soviet Science) pulled in a South African Choir to make a piece that crosses both British and South African cultures.

Tracks from their Debut album Hello Darkness are appearing throughout 2010 ahead of their scheduled summer release of the album.

Singles

• Rainbow Nation BBC World Cup Theme (2010)

• Men In White Coats EP (2010)

Men Iin White Coats

Men In White Coats (Death Metal Disco Scene Remix)

Greek Suicide

• Weakness Goes In My Spaceship EP (2010)

Weakness Goes In My Spaceship

Weakness (Death Metal Disco Scene Remix)

The Head & Body Replacement Centre

• The Dallas Guild EP (2009)

Burn

The Heaviest Stone

Men In White Coats

Work Is Our Friend

• Registration EP (2004)

Men in White Coats

Dark Down There

Ambulance Ride

External links

• The Dallas Guild MySpace profile
• The Dallas Guild Guitar Tab
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