Lou Terry

The song is about the renting crisis, and we're playing a fundraising show at DIY Venue Matchstick Piehouse in Deptford this Friday on the day of the release, who are having related issues.  

Just to be clear, the song itself is out currently on our newly released album 'Building a Case' (Nov 2024, via Divine Schism), but we are releasing it as a single on Spotify this Friday 21st, alongside the new unreleased music video.

At the end of last year when releasing my album ‘Building a Case’, I toured the UK for its release, supported Black Country, New Road (2023), Porridge Radio and Califone on tours, and played 3 sets at taste-maker festival Left of the Dial in Rotterdam.

My album has received praise from Tom Robinson, John Cooper Clarke, Matt Wilkinson, John Kennedy, Wonderland, So Young, DIY Mag, The Most Radicalist, Hard of Hearing, Far Out Mag, International Times, BBC Introducing and Radio X.

Here are some words on the song if useful:

Every year (or 2 if I’m lucky) for the past 8 years living in London I’ve had to move house or flat because the landlord has decided they want to up the rent or sell. Persistent is a song about that, and the renting crisis in general, and it makes a lot of sense to release on the Piehouse fundraiser gig we’re doing, as they, like many renters and music venues in London are facing issues with landlords and the culture around property development. I was having to move at the time of writing this particular song because our landlord (who was a very successful music industry booker) had decided he wanted to sell his spare flats and buy a new property in Margate. Having just moved in to this flat, I was pretty determined not to leave, so just kind of hid and didn't answer the door whenever the estate agents called.  I got this song out of it - got my friends Caitlin Power on backing vocals, Armando Gonzalez on organ, Finn Thomas Bradley squealing on the flugel to match the ultra high-pitched guitar as the agent rings the doorbell six times, and the bubbling crazed feel throughout is held together on drums and bass from Luke Cartledge and Emmett Cruddas. Also had a horrible time pretending to be an estate agent making the music video with Toby and Ethan Evans-Jesra.  Many fantastic artists and musicians I know are leaving London because of the way landlord’s treat tenants and the astronomical rents, I think it will kill the city eventually and I think that it will further widen the already enormous gap of accessibility in arts and music in this city, if not challenged.

'That's an excellent album from Lou Terry... really fresh and original with plenty of bite.' & 'Persistent - with it's build, energy, short punchy length and crazed Richard Dawson vibe'

Tom Robinson

‘Sensational!’ 
John Cooper Clarke

‘One of our absolute faves’ 
The Windmill, Brixton

‘’The Dylan of Deptford’ 
DIY

‘Progressive and potent’ 

Wonderland

‘Captivating presence’ 
So Young

'Epic and defiantly unique' & ‘One of the finest pieces of songwriting of the past few years’
Hard of Hearing

‘It is a rarity to find such obvious authenticity and broad, retrospective lyrics.' 
Music Week

‘Inimitable bard of South London’ and ‘a truly unique vision’ 
The Most Radicalist

‘I can safely say I have never hear something quite so special... truly inspirational and absolutely beautiful.’ 
Kate Dunton, Creating Change

“Humorous, politically-tinged and at times raucous…with the help of a full band, as well as the futuristic use an MYO gesture control device, he creates a richly textured backdrop to his earnest and expressive vocals” 
Loud and Quiet

'Lou Terry is a true artist; an unassuming master of this particular craft’ 
Dots and Dashes

‘Lou continually shows why he is South Londons best storyteller…his candid delivery of the everyday shapes even the most complex feelings into something we can all understand’ 
Selout

New music video for 'Persistent' out today by the super talented brothers Toby and Ethan Evans-Jesra of Reality Breakdown.

This is a song about the renting crisis and the unchecked greed of landlords. Every year (or 2 if I’m lucky) for the past 8 years living in London I’ve had to move house or flat because the landlord has decided they want to up the rent or sell. Persistent is a song about that, and the renting crisis in general, and it makes a lot of sense to release on the day of the Matchstick Piehouse fundraiser gig we’re doing, as they, like many renters and music venues in London are facing issues with landlords and the culture around property development. Included on this song are friends and bandmates Caitlin Power on backing vocals, Armando Gonzalez on organ, Finn Thomas Bradley squealing on the flugel to match the ultra high-pitched guitar as the agent rings the doorbell six times, and the bubbling crazed feel throughout is held together on drums and bass from Luke Cartledge and Emmett Cruddas. Also had a horrible time pretending to be an estate agent making the music video with Toby and Ethan Evans-Jesra.  Many fantastic artists and musicians I know are leaving London because of the way landlord’s treat tenants and the astronomical rents, and this will not only kill the city, but further widen the already enormous gap of accessibility in arts and music in this city, if not challenged.