"Taking the ramshackle charm of Guided By Voices at their most melodic and adding a boyish enthusiasm that tips its hat to both Weezer and Matthew Sweet."
Offering a nimble mesh of indie rock and vintage computing, Cambridge-based trio The British IBM officially launched in 2012, commandeered by singer/songwriter & retro enthusiast Aidy, alongside musical comrades David Martin on bass and Scott Wilson on drums.
The group’s 2012 debut self-titled album—produced with Neil “Bugs” Rogers—features single “Animal,” accompanied by a well-received animated video clip lensed by Ridertoons’ Jose Cubero. The second single and title track “the British IBM” garnered acclaim with its use in the trailer for 2014 documentary film “From Bedrooms to Billions,” which outlines the story of the British video games industry from 1979 to today. The music video for the song features Iain Lee of the 11 O'Clock Show and is a homage to the BBC film Micro Men.
In 2014 Aidy played an "expo residency" at the Riviera in Vegas alongside 8 Bit Weapon as part of the Classic Gaming Expo.
2015 was kicked off with the British IBM's second album, “Psychopaths Dream in Black and White,” which includes an array of overdubs, including a contribution from cellist Anna Scott, as well as bassoon and sitar. It was recorded at indie facility Half Ton Studios. The track Nothing Ever Lasts That Long ended up being used on the TV shows Life Sentence starring Lucy Hale and How I Met Your Father. Several other tracks from the album were used in the Bedrooms to Billions: Amiga Years documentary.
2017 saw a change in the lineup with Scott Wilson replacing Paul Richards on drums and the release of two stand-alone singles "Jet Set Willy" and "Where is Matthew Smith?", for which David produced the accompanying music videos. These new songs were recorded at Sick Room Studios and produced by Owen Turner.
In 2019 the band recorded and released their third full-length album "Play the Game" to positive reviews and a music video (again produced by David) for the first single "Man of the Hour" which featured YouTuber RMC The Cave. This was again recorded at Sick Room Studios with Owen.
When the lockdown started in 2020 Aidy started streaming live acoustic performances every Friday at 8 pm via Twitch. These gigs spawned a set of new songs that are now due to make up the 4th studio album. The Twitch gigs are still being performed sporadically and have a niche audience and various in-jokes that have evolved over time such as referring to the event as "Friday Night at the Twitch Bar".
In 2021 the band returned to Sick Room Studios to record the fourth studio album "Friday Night at the Twitch Bar". The title references the regular live streams from which most of the songs were developed. A making-of-video featuring the band can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/1B6dbwKNm70
Aidy previously released multiple solo albums, including Aidy’s renowned 2010 “Song A Week” project, where a new single was released every Friday for a solid year. The result of that effort was the 53-track opus “Song A Week.”
Download Psychopaths Dream in Black and White Press Release
Download Play the Game Press Release
Download Friday Night at the Twitch Bar Press Release
Download High Quality Photos
Download High Quality 2015 Promo Photos
Download High Quality 2020 Promo Photos
Download High Quality 2022 Promo Photos
Press Quotes
"...manages to marry authentic Americana with a nerdy and uniquely British trainspotter-sensibility." - Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 6 Music
“akin to the criminally underrated solo work of Mark Morriss" – Travellers Tunes
“gleefully melancholic" – Bucket List
“An unforgettable listening experience centred around a folk-tinged indie rock sound” – Penny Black Music
“A fabulous album!"– Diffuser.fm
“A wistful, self-deprecating feel at times recalling Camera Obscura in their awkward glamour” – Clash
“An incredibly well made, slightly baroque, harmony-drenched thing of beauty” – The Sound of Confusion
“Insightful and psychedelic tales” – Creative Control Magazine
“Reminiscent of the husky, melancholic dirges of Lambchop” - Glasswerk
“Digging this track, it’s got a great alt-rock-folk sound” – Indie Minded
“A nimble mesh of indie rock and vintage computing” – Slate The Disco
"When you hear a song as good as 'We Were The Stars' it makes you wonder why The British IBM have remained relatively under the radar for so long." - The Sound of Confusion
Press Links
Here are a few links to some of our online press:
Pennyblackmusic - 8th November 2022
Pennyblackmusic - 17th March 2020
Traveller's Tunes - 14th March 2020
Pennyblackmusic - 23rd February 2020
With Guitars - 21st February 2020
Motivational Muses - 21st February 2020
A Music Blog, Yea? - 18th September 2015
The Sound Of Confusion - 3rd August 2015
Los Angeles Loves You - 30th July 2015
gcygnus.blogspot.com - 22nd July 2015
Pennyblackmusic - 10th October 2012
With Guitars - 2nd September 2012
TV & Film Usage
Bedrooms to Billions
Bedrooms to Billions: Amiga Years
Bedrooms to Billions: Playstation Revolution
Life Sentence
How I Met Your Father
Crowned
Bad Trip (aka Tyrone)
Radio Airplay/Podcasts/Internet Radio
BBC Radio 6 Music
Q Magazine Radio Station
Hope FM
BBC Radio Cambridge
Retrogaming Roundup
SubTV
CroydonFM
The Amp Session
DR John's Unsigned Rock Surgery
EGH Radio
ICR 105.7FM
Radio Caroline
Riviera FM
Sine FM
Pulse 98.4
Cambridge 105
Cams FM
Is This Thing On?
Retro Asylum
Britpop Banter
Indie Lounge
Uckfield FM
Black Cat Radio
HCRFM
Local Distortion
ARfm
ModRadio
Chelmsford CCR 104.4FM
Amazing Radio
Big Indie Giant