Wings of Desire

“A bit like if Bruce Springsteen had a mid-’80s Jesus And Mary Chain phase” Stereogum

“Now Hear This” The Independent | "Wings Of Desire craft dazed pop jewels" CLASH

“Uplifting” DIY | “freefalling, expansive indie” DORK

August 9 - Hazy, anthemic rock duo Wings of Desire - AKA James Taylor and Chloe Little - release new single ‘Some old Place I Used To Know’ and announce shows at London’s Bush Hall and Manchester’s Deaf Institute in October.

The single is taken from previously announced new EP Shut Up & Listen is out August 30th. The EP comes with an exclusive cassette - all the proceeds of which will go towards community project The Long Table in their native Stroud, which is under threat of eviction.

The project offers pay what you can meals to customers - and prioritise sustainability by rescuing food waste, sourcing local produce, and paying a living wage. Outlined in this The Guardian article:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/06/pay-as-you-can-uk-restaurant-prioritise-people-and-planet

The duo explain the themes around the new single - a caustic message belying the track’s downtempo elegance:

“Some Old Place I Used To Know explores the idea of an ever-changing cultural landscape. We have all come accustomed to think that we are constantly evolving but what if things weren’t actually getting better but worse. As we are being pushed towards the digitalisation of culture and as our creativity is increasingly undervalued and attention harvested. 

What is the cost on our collective sanity? 

One of the best acts of rebellion in this climate is to stare out of the fucking window, get lost in your own imagination for a few hours or speak to someone in the real here and now. And if none of those work for you try making something beautiful. You see you’re dangerous when you make something beautiful, something that could snap someone out of the illusion and light up their heart. That’s why they like to keep us ‘busy’.”

James and Chloe talk on the EP and its mission with regards to The Long Table:

“The Long Table is the beating heart of our local community in Stroud, they run a radical social project with a pay what you can system that serves around 40,000 hot meals a year. It’s about dignity, equality, and everyone helping their neighbours in need. Earlier this year their home Brimscombe Mill was sold from beneath them and it is now at risk of being turned into warehouse space for the new owner.

The Shut Up & Listen EP grew out of our need to preserve this sacred space and support our unique local community, which is the closest thing we have to a new earth. We have put together a limited edition cassette tape and all proceeds will go to The Long Table in helping them fight their impending eviction.”

Wings of Desire played a free show at The Long Table on July 5th - and raised £400 for the project so far (with merch sales from the event ongoing). The new labour MP for Stroud Dr Simon Opher came to celebrate his victory along with the rest of the community, Tom Smith from Editors did an acoustic set, and Tom Ravenscroft rounded off the evening with a DJ set.

Of the night, James says: “The long table gig was a reminder to be present for other people and to do things in the real here and now. It’s so easy to get lost in our own worlds. 

Places that hold space for community are rare these days. It’s important that we don’t forget. Don’t let them get buried under the guise of convenience. Music and culture have to grow from the root upwards. You can’t skip the stages of development. And development isn’t an inconvenience. It’s merely part of the pilgrimage. If we take away that, we will be handed the easy / automated / AI version of what was once called the hero’s journey.”

ABOUT WINGS OF DESIRE

Wings Of Desire last year released their debut long-form anthology Life Is Infinite, a collection of tracks which saw love from UK (The Independent, DORK, DIY, CLASH, The Line Of Best Fit) and US (Stereogum, PASTE, Brooklyn  Vegan, Under The Radar) press alike.

Around the release they were selected for tours supporting Editors, Nation of Language,  Bleach Lab, as well as playing iconic London venue The Roundhouse with The Cribs. Radio support has come from Steve Lamacq and Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music, NME Radio, and John Kennedy on Radio X.