The Crimea are proud to announce the release of their second single from their free album “Secrets of the Witching Hour”. Long before Radiohead, Coldplay and the likes decided to give their music away for free, The Crimea were the original unwitting pioneers of this now ‘revolutionary’ new marketing concept. They became the first established band to release a ‘free album’ in early 2007, a landmark industry event which led them to appear in Q magazine’s “Top Five Moments That Changed Music History”, receiving global news attention from the Hindu Times to the Wall Street Journal and everything in between.

The single “The 48a Waiting Steps” will be free to download on the week of release from Monday 30^th June, 2008 at 7digital.com. Fifty exclusive 7′ inch vinyls with Davey’s handwritten lyrics will also be available at Sister Ray Records, Soho, London, where the band will be playing an in-store on the day of release.

The accompanying video is the first self made Crimea video where the band have been involved in the creative and writing element, with their mucky fingers all over the editing suite - in lead-singer Davey’s own words; “It’s like The Deer Hunter but shot in Highgate cemetery. I’d never have been able to make this on my last (major) label”.

Maintaining a close relationship with their fans, The Crimea have also appealed to fans to make their own videos for “The 48a Waiting Steps”, and are running a competition for the best fan made video on their YouTube page –www.youtube.com/thecrimea. The prize being the smashed guitar featured in the video!
The Crimea first came to light when Davey gave a demo to the legendary John Peel who happened to walk past as Davey was sweeping the streets of Soho - John played all 11 tracks and a band was born.

After leaving Warner Brothers in September 2006, the Crimea spent seven months recording the album “Secrets Of The Witching Hour” and released it for free online. It is still available to download at www.thecrimea.net and has recently surpassed 100,000 downloads. The album is free for all time, to all, with nothing required from the listeners in return - not even an email address.

In February 2008 The Crimea released their first single ‘Loop a Loop’ from the free album. 16 different mixes were available on sixteen different music blogs ranging from America’s trendiest to a 16 year -old girl in a tower block in Stockholm. The single had tremendous success at radio and even featured on the latest Trident chewing gum advert, currently airing on UK terrestrial TV.

In July 2008 the Crimea are officially releasing “Secrets of the Witching Hour” in the USA before returning to the UK in August to play festivals.

The remaining 48a ‘Waiting Steps’ tour dates are:
Proud Gallery (Davey Solo gig)
8th June 2008, 16:00
Stables market Camden
Cost : free
The Enterprise
9th June 2008, 20:00
35 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1
Cost : £6
Sister Ray Records (Soho)
30 Jun 2008, 20:00
Cost : 0
An instore world exclusive where 50 copies of 7 inch ” 48a waiting steps” will be available containing ticket to that nights secret gig.
The Gate
02 Jul 2008, 19:00
Roath , Cardiff,
Cost : £7
Sit down candlelight evening with the Crimea
Barfly (upstairs) / Glasgow
05 Jul 2008, 20:00
Cost :
A Candlelit evening with The Crimea
Bush Hall, Shepherd’s Bush, London
09 Jul 2008, 20:00
Candlelit evening with The Crimea.
For media enquiries please contact:
Zest PR
[email protected] /[email protected]
020 7734 0206
–ENDS–
www.myspace/thecrimea
Notes to the Editor:
The Crimea played a monumental midnight gig on the top of Primrose Hill on the night they released their free album, it went online at 12am exactly and there was a crowd of over 250 people.
The Crimea’s first album sold over 35,000 copies and their single ‘Lottery Winners on Acid’ was a top 40 hit.
The Crimea’s third single Baby Boom’ came in at number 8 on John Peel’s 2003 Festive Fifty, just ahead of ‘Maps’ by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes.
The Crimea recently supplied the music for the Trident chewing gum advertisement.
Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody is a fan of The Crimea. Davey’s demos for the third Crimea album have heavily influenced the writing of Snow Patrol’s third album.
Davey McManus is also a published author – his book of short stories ‘Unamazing Digraces’ was launched last year.