Category Archives: Held By Trees

Held By Trees To Release New Single ‘Not Home Yet’ from ‘The Call of Home’ featuring Simone Marie

For Immediate Release

Held By Trees To Release New Single ‘Not Home Yet’ from ‘The Call of Home’ featuring Simone Marie

New video ‘Not Home Yet’ premieres tomorrow on the official Held By Trees YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HeldByTrees

Held By Trees are set to release a new single ‘Not Home Yet’ on 17 July, ahead of new album ‘The Call of Home’ on 2 October 2026. Featuring Simone Marie formerly of Primal Scream, and currently with The Twilight Sad, the song is accompanied by a striking fanbase-created video.

David Joseph says of the song, “We enter the narrative of the new album with this song about feeling lost and claustrophobic in an urban environment, and longing for the safety of home. This is from the heavier section of the album before things get more peaceful and joyful, but it all works as journey.

I’m delighted to have Simone Marie working with us again, this time singing lead vocals for the first time, I think – which is a real honour. The video for the song was made out of clips sent in from followers of Held By Trees in cities all over the world”.

Simone Marie added, “I thoroughly love and enjoy the process of working with David and Held By Trees. He sent me demos of the new stuff and I felt a connection with it. I heard ideas and melodies  for what he sent me and he gave me confidence and space to find my own way to the parts I contributed. I’m really excited for the whole album to be out in the wild.”

‘The Call of Home’ is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed ‘Hinterland’ and finds the band exploring very different territory, with the album featuring nine tracks with vocals bookended with two more familiar instrumental takes, including for the first time on vinyl, Lay Your Troubles Down with Martin Smith. The album will be released by Tweed Jacket Music / Low Port Music on vinyl, CD and digital formats – but will be initially absent from streaming platforms as each track is released as singles. The striking original artwork, so important to Held By Trees, has been originated by @BlankEmbrace.

‘The Call of Home’ sees a broadening of personnel, with new musical collaborators with backgrounds as diverse as Radiohead and Primal Scream, to Wet Wet Wet and Delirious [Clive Deamer, Simone Marie, Graeme Duffin, and Martin Smith/Stu Garrard respectively]. With David Joseph once again are the core band of Robbie McIntosh, Laurence Pendrous, and Andy Panayi with their shared history with Mark Hollis and Talk Talk, among many others. Still at his side are James Grant and Grant Howard, continuing a friendship and musical partnership spanning over two decades now in various forms. David’s key musical mentors Martin Smith, Jason Upton and Eric Bibb take the vocal mic alongside Simone Marie and Marc James and, in a departure, David even sings a few himself.

David Joseph said, “I’ve made an album of songs with some of our friends singing. It’s a love letter to the music of the 80s and 90s, when I was a youngster falling in love with music through my parent’s records and cassettes, and what I heard on the radio and on Top of the Pops. It’s on the theme of coming home; to reunion, redemption and the warming of the heart through sounds and stories.

This album is a labour of love on many levels, a branching out of what this project is and can be. Over nine songs, bookended with two instrumentals, I hope all who listen find their way home to an embrace that this music can offer the soul.”

Held By Trees is a journey in itself and ‘The Call of Home’ offers new sonic vistas to explore, whilst retaining the heart and hearth of what makes this band special.

Held By Trees LIVE

London – Chats Palace, Hackney
13th November 2026
Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/rondotheatre/held-by-trees/e-zpbqxm

Bath – Rondo Theatre
23rd January 2027
Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/rondotheatre/held-by-trees/e-zpbqxm

Chelmsford – Chelmsford Social Club
19th February 2027
Tickets: https://wegottickets.com/f/22318

Worcester – Huntingdon Hall
2nd April 2027
Tickets: www.worcestertheatres.co.uk

For more information: www.heldbytrees.co.uk

New video ‘Not Home Yet’ premieres tomorrow on the official Held By Trees YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HeldByTrees

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com (North America, Europe)


Held By Trees To Release Second Album “Hinterland” Featuring Talk Talk/Hollis veterans Robbie McIntosh, Laurence Pendrous, Andy Panayi With Simone Marie Butler (Primal Scream, Jesus & Mary Chain), Matt Simms (Wire), Jen Macro (My Bloody Valentine) and Others!

For Immediate Release

Held By Trees To Release Second Album “Hinterland” Featuring Talk Talk/Hollis veterans Robbie McIntosh, Laurence Pendrous, Andy Panayi With Simone Marie Butler (Primal Scream, Jesus & Mary Chain), Matt Simms (Wire), Jen Macro (My Bloody Valentine) and Others!

“Hinterland” is the second LP by Held By Trees, taking in elements of jazz, post-rock, and ambient music and will be released on CD/Vinyl (and digital download only on Bandcamp) on Friday 4th April, 2025 on Tweed Jacket Music Ltd and Lasgo Records Distribution. The follow-up to 2022’s critically acclaimed debut, ‘Solace’, this new eight-piece album is a sonic journey through ambiguous spaces, within and without.

Once again, Held By Trees – helmed by composer/producer David Joseph – brings together living DNA from its chief influence, the latter work of Mark Hollis with Talk Talk, and as a solo artist. This includes this time his son Charlie Hollis who plays piano on four of the tracks. Returning Talk Talk/Hollis veterans are Robbie McIntosh on guitar, Laurence Pendrous on piano, Andy Panayi on flute, clarinet and saxophone (who are each member of the live HBT band), plus Martin Ditcham on drums/percussion and Simon Edwards on double bass.

Other notable contributors to the album include: Rob Coombes (Supergrass) on Hammond Organ, Stephen Gilchrist (Stephen Evens, Graham Coxon) on drums, Simone Marie Butler (Primal Scream, Jesus & Mary Chain) on synths and sound effects, Matt Simms (Wire, It Hugs Back) on guitar, Norman Westberg (Swans) on guitar, Robert Poss (Band of Susans, Phil Niblock) on guitar, Simon Scott (Slowdive) with field recordings, Mark Simnett (Bark Psychosis) on drums and percussion, Jen Macro (My Bloody Valentine, Hurtling, Graham Coxon) on guitar, Chris Pedley (The Baker Brothers) on bass.

David Joseph said, “‘Hinterland’ is a meandering celebration of the vague, the between places, the forgotten, nameless margins – not just in the landscape around us physically, but also internally – somewhere in the middle of faith and doubt, joy and melancholy, departure and arrival.”

“The thrill of Held By Trees is bringing such a variety of musicians together and sculpting something surprising and unique from the ideas they submit. This album is an odyssey of guitar, with some of the most innovative guitarists of the last 50 years of alternative, left-field music taking part. ‘Hinterland’ is full of soundscapes using guitars like paintbrushes, painting a variety of rich, delicate, floating and abrasive textures that evoke the liminal spaces around us and within us.”

In a departure from previous releases, the artwork this time is supplied by Brighton-based abstract mixed-media artist, Gareth Hayward. David said, “Gareth’s artwork is the perfect visual pairing for the music. It asks us what we see within it, without dictating what or where it is. There is plenty of intentional ambiguity, which is central to the album’s musical theme. I adore Gareth’s use of negative-space and his visceral approach to capturing landscapes full of mood and mystery.”


David Joseph

For more information: www.heldbytrees.co.uk

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com (North America, Europe)


Held By Trees To Release Video Single For “Tree Of Life” Recorded Live At Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios

For Immediate Release

Held By Trees To Release Video Single ForTree Of LifeRecorded Live At Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios

Launched ahead of August 11 2023 release of two new EPs
exclusively by InnerSleeve.com

Featuring Paul McCartney/Pretenders guitar legend Robbie McIntosh!

Hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Solace’, instrumental project Held By Trees is excited to be releasing two new EPs on 11 August 2023 this year on Sound Canyon Records through InnerSleeve.com. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s famous Real World Studios, the first EP is comprised of live versions of five tracks from ‘Solace’. The six-piece live iteration of Held By Trees brings together three of the Talk Talk/Mark Hollis alumni that contributed to ‘Solace’ including renowned guitarist Robbie McIntosh. The band recorded playing all together in the ‘Big Room’ at Real World in November 2022, a week after their debut live performances.

Today sees the release of a video single of ‘Tree of Life’ recorded live at Real World Studios.

The second EP is an entirely new suite of pieces themed on the transition from daylight to darkness. Entitled “Eventide”, it was tracked live at Real World Studios and then additional layers were added by musicians in America and Canada, by old friends of project leader David Joseph.

The twin EPs will be released on separate CDs and as two sides of one vinyl pressing by new American record label, Sound Canyon and their retail arm www.InnerSleeve.com

The new material sees Held By Trees continue to create instrumental music characterized by skilled improvisation over spacious, epic arrangements.The music draws on the influence of Van Morrison and John Martyn, alongside their usual late Talk Talk and Pink Floyd references. The live versions of “Solace” tracks bring a fresh intensity to the music, with a heavier vibe created by the band in real time.

The main musicians who worked on the new EPs are…
Laurence Pendrous – piano
James Grant – bass, double bass
Robbie McIntosh – guitar
David Joseph – guitar
Andy Panayi – flute, clarinet, saxophone
Paul Beavis – drums

Pre-orders available at https://www.innersleeve.com/en-gb/collections/held-by-trees

First 50 customers pre-ordering the bundle (both EP’s and the vinyl) will receive an exclusive signed poster and one lucky winner will receive a set of album cover cushion covers

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuam_koJkII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrUjGIrSAVM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb6ZTLgEXhQ

Held By Trees and www.InnerSleeve.com will be celebrating the release with a launch show at the Half Moon in Putney London on September 21st 2023

WHAT THEY SAID….

A fascinating project… Rekindles the spirit of Talk Talk to startling effect… channels their psychedelic post-rock vibe to an almost eerie degree” – Prog Magazine

“…beautifully played throughout…” – Mojo Magazine

A tree is planted for every album sold… I’ll be planting a few trees – giving them out at Christmas!” – Guy Garvey, Elbow / BBC 6 Music

…beautiful, minimalist, instrumental delight” – Scottish Daily Express

Timely, important, beautiful music” – Under the Radar

A tantalising project evokes the spirit of latter-era Talk Talk and David Gilmour-led Pink Floyd…highly recommended for fans of Hollis’ sparse aesthetic” – Classic Pop Magazine

New heroes of post-rock/prog have arrived.” – Record Collector Magazine

“…Lovely but very different guitar work… somehow sparse but also slightly proggy as well which I know will sound very appealing, almost like a perfect combination…” – Elizabeth Alker – Unclassified, BBC Radio 3

“Solace” charted at Number 4 on the Indie Breakers Chart and Number 23 on the main Indie Chart

For more information: www.heldbytrees.co.uk

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com


Two New EPs From Held By Trees Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios Released Exclusively by InnerSleeve.com

For Immediate Release

Two New EPs From Held By Trees Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios Released Exclusively by InnerSleeve.com

Featuring Paul McCartney/Pretenders guitar legend Robbie McIntosh!

Hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed debut album, “Solace”, instrumental project Held By Trees is excited to be releasing two new EPs this year on Sound Canyon Records through InnerSleeve.com recorded at Peter Gabriel’s famous Real World Studios, the first EP is comprised of live versions of five tracks from “Solace”. The six-piece live iteration of Held By Trees brings together three of the Talk Talk/Mark Hollis alumni that contributed to “Solace” including renowned guitarist Robbie McIntosh. The band recorded playing all together in the ‘Big Room’ at Real World in November 2022, a week after their debut live performances.

The second EP is an entirely new suite of pieces themed on the transition from daylight to darkness. Entitled “Eventide”, it was tracked live at Real World Studios and then additional layers were added by musicians in America and Canada, by old friends of project leader David Joseph.

The twin EPs will be released on separate CDs and as two sides of one vinyl pressing by new American record label, Sound Canyon and their retail arm www.InnerSleeve.com

The new material sees Held By Trees continue to create instrumental music characterized by skilled improvisation over spacious, epic arrangements. The music draws on the influence of Van Morrison and John Martyn, alongside their usual late Talk Talk and Pink Floyd references. The live versions of “Solace” tracks bring a fresh intensity to the music, with a heavier vibe created by the band in real time.

The main musicians who worked on the new EPs are…
Laurence Pendrous – piano
James Grant – bass, double bass
Robbie McIntosh – guitar
David Joseph – guitar
Andy Panayi – flute, clarinet, saxophone
Paul Beavis – drums

Pre-orders available at https://www.innersleeve.com/en-gb/collections/held-by-trees

First 50 customers pre-ordering the bundle (both EP’s and the vinyl) will receive an exclusive signed poster and one lucky winner will receive a set of album cover cushion covers

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuam_koJkII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrUjGIrSAVM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb6ZTLgEXhQ

Held By Trees and www.InnerSleeve.com will be celebrating the release with a launch show at the Half Moon in Putney London on September 21st 2023

WHAT THEY SAID….

A fascinating project… Rekindles the spirit of Talk Talk to startling effect… channels their psychedelic post-rock vibe to an almost eerie degree” – Prog Magazine

“…beautifully played throughout…” – Mojo Magazine

A tree is planted for every album sold… I’ll be planting a few trees – giving them out at Christmas!” – Guy Garvey, Elbow / BBC 6 Music

…beautiful, minimalist, instrumental delight” – Scottish Daily Express

Timely, important, beautiful music” – Under the Radar

A tantalising project evokes the spirit of latter-era Talk Talk and David Gilmour-led Pink Floyd…highly recommended for fans of Hollis’ sparse aesthetic” – Classic Pop Magazine

New heroes of post-rock/prog have arrived.” – Record Collector Magazine

“…Lovely but very different guitar work… somehow sparse but also slightly proggy as well which I know will sound very appealing, almost like a perfect combination…” – Elizabeth Alker – Unclassified, BBC Radio 3

“Solace” charted at Number 4 on the Indie Breakers Chart and Number 23 on the main Indie Chart

For more information: www.heldbytrees.co.uk UK

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com


Talk Talk, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Blur Veterans Unite on Debut Album By Held By Trees Titled ‘Solace’

For Immediate Release

Talk Talk, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Blur Veterans Unite on Debut Album By Held By Trees Titled ‘Solace’

Held By Trees is a new instrumental project featuring some of the most respected musicians in the British rock fraternity. Sitting between post-rock and prog, the outfit led by David Joseph announces their debut album, ‘Solace’, which will be released in April 2022.

Boasting seven veterans of the seminal latter Talk Talk and Mark Hollis solo albums, other contributors include Tim Renwick (Guitar – Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Eric Clapton), Mike Smith (Sax – Blur, Damon Albarn, Gorillaz), David Knopfler (Guitar – Dire Straits founding member), Gary Alesbrook (Trumpet – Noel Gallagher, Kasabian, Super Furry Animals) as well as parts from blues/roots legend, Eric Bibb, Dutch rising-star, Just, and ambient composer, Unknown Replica.

After establishing themselves with pop hits such as ‘It’s My Life’ and ‘Life’s What You Make It’, Talk Talk, led by Mark Hollis and producer, Tim Friese-Greene, broke new musical ground, defining what would later be termed as ‘post-rock’ with their seminal album, ‘Spirit of Eden’ (1988). Three years later they returned with ‘Laughing Stock’. Part of that creative process was to invite musicians they respected in to improvise on their arrangements. Guitarist Robbie McIntosh (Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, John Mayer), drummer/percussionist Martin Ditcham (Chris Rea, The Waterboys, Nik Kershaw), bassist Simon Edwards (Michael Jackson, Billy Bragg, Fairground Attraction) all took part in those sessions, and have now contributed to ’Solace’. A solo record from Mark Hollis followed in 1998 which featured pianist Lawrence Pendrous, and flautist/Clarinettist Andy Panayi, both of whom have also now played for Held By Trees. Engineering all of these albums, as well as classics like John Martyn’s ‘One World’, is Phill Brown, with Denis Blackham mastering them. Phill and Denis have kindly come out of retirement to mix and master this debut album from Held By Trees.

‘Solace’ was made using a similar approach to ‘Spirit of Eden’ and ‘Laughing Stock’, with David Joseph inviting musicians to improvise over his rhythm patterns and chord progressions. Blending in his own spontaneous compositions and field recordings made in Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset, the result is a unique album that carries the DNA of the seminal Talk Talk records, and yet stands in its own identity.

‘Solace’ is a work that revels in the natural world. At once both melancholic and hopeful, the album is purposefully full of space, tension and release, and music that demands patient listening. The project celebrates nature, not just through the music and artwork (including a motif from Talk Talk’s artistic partner, James Marsh), but by partnering with Play It Green, a real tree is planted for each album sold. Held By Trees thereby removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it produces.

All told, Held By Trees begins its career with an impressive first album project with unique claims and a tantalizing cast of contributors.

‘Solace’ is released on 22nd April 2022 on Tweed Jacket Music through Nova/Plastic Head Distribution

Pre-order: https://mellotone.net/products/held-by-trees-pre-order

Social Media links:
https://www.facebook.com/heldbytrees
https://www.instagram.com/heldbytrees/
https://twitter.com/heldbytrees

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com


Talk Talk, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits Veterans Unite on New Instrumental Project, Held By Trees – New Single “Mysterium” Released November 12, 2021

For Immediate Release

Talk Talk, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits Veterans Unite on New Instrumental Project, Held By Trees – New Single “Mysterium” Released November 12, 2021

Featuring blues legend Eric Bibb, Robbie McIntosh (Talk Talk, Paul McCartney, John Mayer, The Pretenders), Martin Ditcham (Talk Talk, Chris Rea, The Waterboys), David Knopfler (Dire Straits), Laurence Pendrous (Mark Hollis, Anja Garbarek), Gary Alesbrook (Noel Gallagher, Kasabian, Super Furry Animals), Mike Smith (Blur)

New instrumental project, Held By Trees, will release their next single, “Mysterium” on 12th November, 2021. The record features an astounding cast of world-class musicians, including…

Eric Bibb (Guitar)
Robbie McIntosh (Guitar – Talk Talk, Paul McCartney, John Mayer, The Pretenders)
Martin Ditcham (Drums and Percussion – Talk Talk, Chris Rea, The Waterboys)
David Knopfler (Guitar – Dire Straits)
Laurence Pendrous (Piano – Mark Hollis, Anja Garbarek)
Gary Alesbrook (Trumpet – Noel Gallagher, Kasabian, Super Furry Animals)
Mike Smith (Keyboards – Blur)

Drawing together elements of post-rock and progressive rock, Held By Trees are also announcing their debut, self-titled album, due in Spring 2022. The full-length LP features more stellar musicians, such as Tim Renwick (Guitar – Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Eric Clapton), and Mike Smith (Keyboard and Sax – Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn).

Described by project leader, composer/producer and multi-instrumentalist, David Joseph, as “somewhere between latter Talk Talk and Gilmour-era Pink Floyd”, Held By Trees has the unique claim of bringing together a total of seven Talk Talk/Mark Hollis veterans. These include engineers Phill Brown and Denis Blackham, bassist Simon Edwards, and flute/clarinet master, Andreas Panayi (as well as those mentioned above).

This project is a sleeve-note reader’s fantasy!

“Mysterium” evokes a vivid night-time pastoral atmosphere with ambient field recordings and undulating drones while a gentle rhythm guides delicate chord changes, graced with Robbie McIntosh’s melodic and emotional lead guitar. The piece spaciously breaks open into a swelling, aching crescendo before dying back away into silence.

Release Date: 12th November 2021
Label: Tweed Jacket Music
Distributor: Nova

To purchase: https://orcd.co/heldbytreesmysterium

Listen to the song here: https://promo.theorchard.com/FcifapTwxhYOL5iQ15Xg

For more information:
https://heldbytrees.com/
https://facebook.com/heldbytrees
https://www.instagram.com/heldbytrees/
https://twitter.com/heldbytrees
https://youtube.com/channel/UCMtTEAoLjKS79ZEeuzzzNkQ

Coming Spring 2022: Held By Trees, the album!

Listen to Held By Trees: https://songwhip.com/heldbytrees

Pre-order the album here: https://heldbytrees.co.uk

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com