Selected by a campaign on the “British Music MySpace Japan” site, The Answering Machine has been chosen to perform as the opening act at the forthcoming British Anthems to be held on Sunday 6 December at Shinkiba Studio Coast in Tokyo.  

Hailing from Manchester, The Answering Machine [pdf] are a stylish explosion of perfect, infectious indie-pop.  The Answering Machine are Martin Colclough (vocals/guitar), Pat Fogarty (vocals/guitar), Gemma Evans (vocals/bass) and Ben Perry (drums).  The quartet regularly draw comparisons to The Strokes, Bloc Party, The Smiths and Los Campesinos.  The band’s debut album, “Another City, Another Sorry” is produced by the legendary Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers/Idlewild) and released in the UK by the groundbreaking new UK Indie, Heist Or Hit Records.

British Music MySpace Japan

British Music is an initiative led by the British Embassy Tokyo to promote the excellence of new UK music in Japan.  It aims to introduce undiscovered UK talents to Japan and to create more collaborative opportunities between the UK music industry and potential Japanese partners in the music business and beyond.

Twelve upcoming UK bands were featured on British Music as “Pick Up Artists” between June to August and entered into a competition to be selected as the Opening Act at British Anthems.  Myspace Friends were invited to listen to their songs and post comments.  The Answering Machine were selected as the winners based on these comments and the views of a selection committee consisting of key music industry players, including Creativeman and HMV.

British Music has previously introduced two bands to be the Opening Act at British Anthems, and has seen some positive outcomes.  Brigade performed last November, and signed a deal with Roadrunner Japan last February, releasing their first CD last May.  The Xcerts made their debut in last March, and a deal is under negotiation.

British Music on Myspace:  www.myspace.com/britishmusicjp

Enquiries about British Music:    Music Team, British Embassy Tokyo   E-mail: music.japan@fco.gov.uk

The British Embassy Tokyo welcomes requests for The Answering Machine for interviews, photo-shoots, and any other feature projects.  Please feel free to contact Music Team at music.japan@fco.gov.uk

British Music:  activities from 2008 to summer 2009

• Launch of “undiscovered Artists” on UK-Japan 2008 website to introduce unsigned UK new music talents
• Appointed Leona Lewis a UK-Japan 2008 Goodwill Ambassador to represent the contemporary aspect of UK creativity
• British Music 08 Mission:  B-B seminar and business meetings
• Fuji Rock ’08 with lots of UK artists
• Live interviews by UK artists from Fuji Rock ’08 on InterFM
• Jet Set UK by Guy Perryman (podcast)
• UK-Japan 2008 x EMI Music:  “UK Rock Test “ (challenging quiz on UK artists) and a design competition by using the Union Flag
• Summer Sonic 08 with lots of UK artists
• British Music 08 booth @ Summer Sonic 08 for media interviews by UK artists
• UK Karaoke @ Summer Sonic 08
• UK-Japan 2008 x DAM:  UK music campaign through karaoke at outlets such as Big Echo by Daiichi Kosho
• Launch of Briitsh Music profile page on MySpace in October 2008 (1st profile page launched by a foreign government organisation on MySpace Japan)  http://myspace.com/britishmusicjp
• Opening acts by Brigade at British Anthems in November 2008 and by the Xcerts at British Anthems in March 2009
• Brigade signed deal with Roadrunner Japan in February 2009, and released a CD in May 2009
• Launch of new campaign to debut the 3rd UK band at British Anthems in autumn 2009
• British Music 09 Mission:  B-B seminar and business meetings
• The Answering Machine was chosen to perform as the opening act at British Anthems to be held on 6 December at Shinkiba Studio Coast in Tokyo

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