The Wild Swans

Paul Simpson, one of the most gifted and underrated artists of the Liverpool
Scene, began his musical career alongside Julian Cope in The Teardrop Explodes, providing the band with their name and sharing writing credits on
their first two singles.
He formed The Wild Swans in 1980, first recruiting James Weston (bass) and Justin Stavely (drums) ex-Teardrop Ged Quinn (keyboards) and ex-Systems Jerry Kelly (guitar). A year later, with Rolo McGinty now guesting on bass and Bunnyman Pete DeFreitas replacing Stavely on drums, they released the classic single The Revolutionary Spirit on Liverpool's Zoo label. When the song was included on the CD retrospective of the label's output, Bill Drummond singled it out as the best track Zoo ever produced (Drummond later went on to form The KLF).
The original Wild Swans recorded two sessions for the BBC, including one of those chosen by John Peel to begin the Strange Fruit releases several years later, and did a few live shows which included supporting The Teardrop Explodes during the infamous "Club Zoo" in Liverpool during March 1981. This was immediately followed by a full UK tour supporting Echo and The Bunnymen.
The band split in 1982 but reformed in 1986 with new member Joseph Fearon on bass. The group recorded a new Radio 1 session for long-time supporter Janice Long before signing a 2 album deal with Seymour Stein's legendary Sire Records. The first album, "Bringing Home The Ashes", was recorded in 1987 and, after Kelly's departure, Simpson and Fearon recorded "Space Flower" in 1989.
The early Zoo and BBC material was issued on Renascent Records' 2003 release "Incandescent" and the 2 Sire albums are now available on Korova/Rhino Records in a 2CD set under the title of "Magnitude".
In 2007 Simpson started work on demos for the new Wild Swans album and began a working relationship with old Liverpool friend, Mike Mooney of Spiritualized and Julian Cope fame. This was instigated by the new, Californian Wild Swans guitarist, Ricky Rene Maymi of The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The three worked on basic tracks with Henry Priestman in Anglesey,Wales and recruited drummer Steve Beswick and pianist Richard Turvey.
Occultation Recordings released "English Electric Lightning" b/w "The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years", the first new Wild Swans single in over 20 years, as a limited edition on 10" vinyl in early 2009. Ged Quinn guests on piano on this track and copies remain available at: http://www.occultation.co.uk/Shop/shopfront.html



Occultation released the band's following single "Liquid Mercury", this time on 7" vinyl in November 2009. Work on the band's third album, "The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years" is now complete and The album is due to be released in June of 2011.