British pop band My Life Story have sold out an exclusive, intimate London show on Saturday 17th February 2024 within just 4 hours. Head by Jake Shillingford, they will perform at London’s prestigious venue the 100 Club on Oxford Street. This is set to be the band’s first show in London for over 2 years and 30 years since last playing at this venue.
“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
This announcement follows the news that next year My Life Story will 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 upcoming album follows the release of their critically acclaimed album ‘World Citizen’ that was released in 2019.
My Life Story first took the UK by force in the Britpop movement scoring 6 UK top 40 singles and a top 40 album inspiring the era’s orchestral identity. Combining playful lyrics with epic pop, MLS formed in Southend in 1984. By the early 90s, lead singer Jake Shillingford had grown the band into a flamboyant orchestral 11 piece with string and brass section. Their passionate, often chaotic live shows lead to Giles Martin (The Beatles) recording tracks for their debut album ‘Mornington Crescent’ after discovering them at the Marquee.
Signed to Parlophone in 1996, the band released ‘The Golden Mile’ which spawned most hit singles including ‘12 Reasons Why I Love Her’, ‘Strumpet’ and ‘Sparkle’. ‘Joined Up Talking’ followed on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s It Records in 2000, featuring sixth hit single, ‘It’s A Girl Thing’. Many collaborations followed including Morrissey, The Pogues and Marc Almond. MLS performed Glastonbury Pyramid stage and Reading Festival 4 times. They have supported Blur and Pulp and are one of the only bands to headline over Oasis.
By 2001 the band had ceased all touring and recording. The 00s saw several sporadic celebratory reunion shows at Shepherds Bush Empire, however by 2016, Shillingford wished to tour more frequently, retiring the orchestral ensemble. A two-year run of 90s nostalgia festival shows, featuring a streamlined, alt-rock line up, led to a boost in profile. This inspired an appetite for new music, spawning the fan funded album; ‘World Citizen’, released in 2019 and receiving wide-ranging critical acclaim.
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