The Leeds Gig Guide

Band Biography for The Red Pills:

The Red Pills took their name from the 1999 movie 'The Matrix.' In one particular scene, Keanu Reeves' character 'Neo' is presented with a choice of pills to ingest; a red pill or a blue pill. Each is a metaphor - taking the blue pill will allow Neo to continue to live a cosy, comfortable lie. Taking the red pill will allow him to wake up to the truth.

The band's live show 'has to be seen to be believed' according to Rebecca Atkinson of Leeds Music Scene and has been described as 'refreshingly bonkers' and 'bracing stuff.' Major Layoff describes this as coming from 'wanting to involve people in having a good time. I've seen so many bands just turn up and play without putting on a show. If you're in the audience, how do you connect with that?'

In order to work out what they wanted to play and to learn about the recording process, The Red Pills released 3 EPs - 'Awakening', 'Bigger on the Inside' and 'Missiles'. Now armed with experience, the lads are working on their first album; an episodic concept album that tells a personal story set in the theatre of the world financial crisis.

Captain Mayhem on the album: "We've been working on it since mid-2009 but it's still unfinished, although as each month passes we get a little bit closer. Lyrics come and go and are changed during ruthless editing, entire songs are relegated to B sides when we find something new that's really cool. It's a labour of love and we knew it wasn't going to be easy. If you believe in something, you keep going."

In March 2011, Private Parts left the band to work on other projects. New bassist Sean 'Colonel D.Bugger' Craven was introduced at a gig on 14th May.

To plug the gap between Missiles and the forthcoming album, a three track single was recorded with producer Steve Whitfield at Loom Studios in September 2010. An accompanying video for the song 'Parting Words' is currently scheduled for filming and promises to feature well-established actors continuing their iconic TV roles. The single and video will be released simultaneously.

The band are:
Tom 'Captain Mayhem' Hey - Vocals
Nick 'Major Layoff' Shakhlevich - Guitar
Sean 'Colonel D.Bugger' Craven - Bass
Jimmy 'General Ignorance'' G - Drums

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