China Rats - Nip It In The Bud

Lyric video: http://youtu.be/irJ8NAciFFU

Recorded over a weekend last November, “Nip It In The Bud” was produced by the band with UK producer Hugh Worskett and mixed by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, Pixies amongst others). The track is a two and a half minute blast of early 60’s meets late 70’s garage punk, which is just as likely to give you a bloody nose as put a smile on your face. Graeme from the band says “We wanted to write something that people could swing to like the cats in the 60’s but which was a bit rough round the edges. It’s a bit of a nod to The Sonics as well.”

In July of 2012 China Rats, an unheard of band from Leeds, were booked to play the tiny Villa Camp stage at massive European festival BENICASSIM the night before the start of the main festival. The result was an impromptu mosh pit and a festival booker who wished he had booked them for the main festival. Except the following day, Bat For Lashes, who were booked to headline the 2nd Stage, couldn't make it onto the site and the festival booker had his chance. China Rats stepped up to the plate, bigger mosh pits ensued; it is the stuff of Rock n Roll folklore.

The Summer of 2013 sees China Rats return to the Benicassim main festival in their own right as well as a return to the Live at Leeds festival, a first ever appearance at The Great Escape, a show at London’s legendary 100Club supporting The Cribs for Converse and a number of other UK and EU festivals with more to be announced shortly.

Formed in Leeds in the Summer of 2011, released their debut EP 'To Be Like I' in May of last and quickly earned the attention of BBC Radio 1's champion of new bands Huw Stephens as well as a flurry of European radio support. As well as “To Be Like I” Stephens also fell for the band’s song “N.O.M.O.N.E.Y” and a demo of the song was playlisted on the BBC Introducing List on BBC Radio 1 less than a year after the band formed. However, it was debut single “To Be Like I” that captured people’s imagination in Europe and led to the band playing tastemaker festival “London Calling” in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) as well as appearances at LesTransmusicales (France) and Eurosonic (The Netherlands) as well the band’s first US shows at SXSW.

Live dates:

17/4: London, The 100Club w/The Cribs (Converse "Get Dirty" show)
19/4: Manchester, Night & Day
26/4: Brighton, Late Night Lingerie

4/5: Leeds, Live at Leeds

18/5: The Great Escape, Brighton
24/5: Europavox, France
1/6: Crooked Ways, Yorkshire
11/6: Leeds, Oporto
6/7: Festival deBeschaving, Utrecht, The Netherlands
18/7: Benicassim, Spain
4/8: YNot? Festival, Derbyshire

For full dates: http://facebook.com/chinarats