With a name like Guide Dog, how could Ralph resist checking out their first single I Am The Daddy which is the debut release from their Lovely Domestic Bliss album. The tale (or should that be tail) of Guide Dog is many-fold and intriguing and unfolds thus...They introduce themselves as "a group of wankers who can't sing and can't play our instruments" which is a bit harsh, as they can obviously do the latter.
Guide Dog are Pete Roberts (vocal/guitar), John Maloney (drums) and Ian Russell (bass).
Following that they released their first LP as Tetra Splendour on EMI no less at which point Ian Russell joined and the 5-piece People In Planes was formed as they joined New York based label Wind Up Records
Not all went to plan as a third Wind Up Records release was aborted and Pete move to London where he was involved in forming the first incarnation of Cold Specks, the brainchild of Ladan Hussein and Jim Anderson. Two years of touring and recording followed during which time the soundscape of Guide Dog was formed.
Artwork by Trevor Bittinger
On returning to Wales after quitting touring to start a family, Pete teamed up with John to flesh out some of the Guide Dog songs into a raw 2-piece garage rock sound with a loop pedal giving a third element to their sound and the arrival of the afore-mentioned Ian Russell bolstering the line-up.Now we see Guide Dog attacking with a three-pronged synth infused grunginess which is made flesh in the form of their Lovely Domestic Bliss album which was produced by long term collaborator Dan Austin and recorded in three days at Rockfield Studios. It's released on Pete's own label, Hi-Vis Records digitally via all the usual download suspects and on lovely 12" vinyl via their Bandcamp account on July 7th.
Clwb Ifor Bach - Guide Dog - Album Launch Night!July 14th - Fri 19:30 · Clwb Ifor Bach, CardiffGet Tickets
