Nic Armstrong & The Thieves
Encyclopedia
Nic Armstrong & The Thieves is an English rock band founded by Nic Armstrong
and perceived to be inspired by the blues
and the rock music
of the 1960s, particularly bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Kinks. Nic Armstrong's The Greatest White Liar was released by One Little Indian Records
and subsequently re-released under the moniker Nic Armstrong & The Thieves to illustrate that his live show featured a full band. The US version was released on 8 March 2005 by New West Records
and included a cover
of "I Want to Be Your Driver," originally by Chuck Berry
. The album was produced
at Toe Rag Studios
by Liam Watson
, who has also worked on albums for the White Stripes
, the Zutons
, and the Kills
.
All tracks on The Greatest White Liar were written and composed by Nic Armstrong with the exception of Down Home Girl and I Want to Be Your Driver. Armstrong played the majority of the instruments and all vocals found on the recordings, with the exception of one backing vocal overdub. Jonny Aitken performed on drums.
She Changes Like The Weather was selected by THQ
and (the now defunct
Pandemic Studios
) to feature in the soundtrack
of Destroy All Humans! 2
. The song was also featured in the film
, Moving McAllister
.
Down Home Girl was featured in a Honda Ridgeline
commercial during Superbowl XL.
The music video
for Broken Mouth Blues was directed by Moon (film)
director Duncan Jones
.
In 2004 Paul Weller
invited Armstrong to open solo for him on his European tour, shortly after this Nic Armstrong & The Thieves were invited on Weller's full UK tour. The band made its US debut at SXSW in 2005, followed by performances at the Coachella Festival and Austin City Limits Music Festival
. Oasis
invited the band on a North American tour during the summer of 2005, which led Noel Gallagher
to comment on the band's live show, "if they get their hair cut, they'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain. They're pretty special, man..."
In 2006, under the band name, IV Thieves, New West Records released the album, If We Can't Escape My Pretty (titled after a limited edition Nic Armstrong song that was featured on a limited edition Dazed & Confused (magazine)
flexi-disk).
Nic Armstrong is currently working on new material for both projects; Nic Armstrong and Nic Armstrong & The Thieves. There are no plans for any further IV Thieves release.
Nic Armstrong
Nic Armstrong is a British singer-songwriter, musician, painter and public artist. After writing and recording The Greatest White Liar album he founded the band Nic Armstrong & The Thieves ....
and perceived to be inspired by the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and the rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
of the 1960s, particularly bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Kinks. Nic Armstrong's The Greatest White Liar was released by One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
and subsequently re-released under the moniker Nic Armstrong & The Thieves to illustrate that his live show featured a full band. The US version was released on 8 March 2005 by New West Records
New West Records
New West Records is a record label based in Los Angeles, California, Austin, Texas, and Athens, Georgia. It was established in 1998, and has been home to several indie rock and alternative country bands as well as representing the PBS show Austin City Limits...
and included a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "I Want to Be Your Driver," originally by Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
. The album was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
at Toe Rag Studios
Toe Rag Studios
Toe Rag Studios is an analogue recording studio located in Hackney, London, UK.-History:The studio was founded in 1991 by Liam Watson and Josh Collins in the Shoreditch area of London. In 1997, the business relocated to Hackney due to rising overheads...
by Liam Watson
Liam Watson
Liam Watson is a Grammy Award-winning British record producer and owner of Toe Rag Studios. Watson is perhaps best known for his work engineering and mixing the White Stripes' Elephant, receiving the 2004 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album...
, who has also worked on albums for the White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
, the Zutons
The Zutons
The Zutons are an English indie rock band from Liverpool. They were formed in 2001 but did not release their first album, Who Killed...... The Zutons?, until May 2004. They achieved their biggest hits with "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?" and "Valerie", both taken from their second studio album...
, and the Kills
The Kills
The Kills is a rock band formed by American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince . Their first three albums, Keep On Your Mean Side, No Wow, and Midnight Boom, have garnered much critical praise...
.
All tracks on The Greatest White Liar were written and composed by Nic Armstrong with the exception of Down Home Girl and I Want to Be Your Driver. Armstrong played the majority of the instruments and all vocals found on the recordings, with the exception of one backing vocal overdub. Jonny Aitken performed on drums.
She Changes Like The Weather was selected by THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
and (the now defunct
Pandemic Studios
Pandemic Studios
Pandemic Studios was founded as an independent developer in 1998, it became an Electronic Arts-owned developer from 2007 to 2009, when it was officially closed. It was an Australian and American video game developer with offices in Brisbane, Australia and Los Angeles, California...
) to feature in the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of Destroy All Humans! 2
Destroy All Humans! 2
Destroy All Humans! 2 is a video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles and is the sequel to Destroy All Humans!. It was released on October 17, 2006, in North America. It marks the last game in the series to be developed by Pandemic Studios...
. The song was also featured in the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Moving McAllister
Moving McAllister
Moving McAllister is a 2007 American comedy film starring Mila Kunis, Jon Heder, Rutger Hauer, and Billy Drago. The film was shot largely in Utah and St Johns County, Florida and was produced by Camera 40 Productions...
.
Down Home Girl was featured in a Honda Ridgeline
Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline is a mid to full size sport utility truck produced by the Japanese automaker Honda. The Ridgeline was released in March 2005 as a 2006 model and is Honda's intended first foray into the North American pickup truck market. Until 2009, the Ridgeline was built in Alliston,...
commercial during Superbowl XL.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Broken Mouth Blues was directed by Moon (film)
Moon (film)
Moon is a 2009 British science fiction drama film about a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Earth's moon. It is the feature debut of director Duncan Jones. Sam Rockwell stars as the employee Sam Bell, and...
director Duncan Jones
Duncan Jones
Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones , also known as Zowie Bowie is an English film director, best known for directing the science fiction films Moon and Source Code .-Childhood and family life:...
.
In 2004 Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
invited Armstrong to open solo for him on his European tour, shortly after this Nic Armstrong & The Thieves were invited on Weller's full UK tour. The band made its US debut at SXSW in 2005, followed by performances at the Coachella Festival and Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
. Oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
invited the band on a North American tour during the summer of 2005, which led Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
to comment on the band's live show, "if they get their hair cut, they'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain. They're pretty special, man..."
In 2006, under the band name, IV Thieves, New West Records released the album, If We Can't Escape My Pretty (titled after a limited edition Nic Armstrong song that was featured on a limited edition Dazed & Confused (magazine)
Dazed & Confused (magazine)
Dazed & Confused is a British style magazine, that was set up in 1992 and published monthly. Its founding editors were Jefferson Hack and Rankin...
flexi-disk).
Nic Armstrong is currently working on new material for both projects; Nic Armstrong and Nic Armstrong & The Thieves. There are no plans for any further IV Thieves release.