Epic pop pioneers My Life Story, headed up by colourful and charismatic frontman, Jake Shillingford have announced they will perform a one-off show at the prestigious London venue the 100 Club on Oxford Street on Saturday 17th February 2024. This will be the band’s first London show in over 2 years.
“It will be almost 30 years to the day since we played this iconic venue. It was 1994 and we had just released our debut single Girl A, Girl B, Boy C on free studio time at George Martin’s Air Studios after his son Giles had spotted us performing at The Marquee. We can’t wait to get back to the West End and showcase tracks from our new album as well as bringing onstage some surprise guests from yesteryear.” JAKE SHILLINGFORD
Next year My Life Story return with their fifth studio album on Exilophone Records. The record is currently being written and produced by Jake alongside Nick Evans and mixed by Ben Hillier who produced two Depeche Mode albums as well as working with Blur, Patrick Wolf, Nadine Shah and Peter Perrett. The as yet untitled record features this year’s digital only singles: Numb Numb Numb, Tits & Attitude plus eight brand new tracks. This follows the release of their critically acclaimed album ‘World Citizen’ released in 2019.
In 1984, My Life Story (MLS) emerged from Southend as a pioneering force in the Britpop movement. With playful lyrics and epic pop sound, they scored 6 UK top 40 singles and a top 40 album, shaping the era's orchestral identity. Lead singer Jake Shillingford transformed the band into an extravagant 11-piece ensemble with strings and brass by the early 90s. Their passionate and chaotic live shows caught the attention of Giles Martin (The Beatles), who recorded tracks for their debut album 'Mornington Crescent' after discovering them at the Marquee.
Signed to Parlophone in 1996, MLS released 'The Golden Mile,' spawning several hit singles like '12 Reasons Why I Love Her,' 'Strumpet,' and 'Sparkle.' In 2000, their album 'Joined Up Talking' came out on Andrew Lloyd Webber's It Records, featuring the sixth hit single, 'It's A Girl Thing.' The band collaborated with artists such as Morrissey, The Pogues, and Marc Almond, and performed at prestigious events like Glastonbury Pyramid stage and Reading Festival multiple times. They even supported Blur & Pulp and headlined over Oasis.
In 2001, MLS stopped touring and recording, but sporadic reunion shows at Shepherds Bush Empire during the 00s kept the celebrations going. In 2016, Shillingford decided to tour more frequently, retiring the orchestral ensemble and adopting a streamlined alt-rock lineup. This led to a resurgence in their profile and inspired the creation of their fan-funded album 'World Citizen,' released in 2019 to widespread critical acclaim.
Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005EF9EF8F5D21
We Got Tickets:https://www.wegottickets.com/event/588927