BULLYACHE have released their new session of ‘Never Let’ performed at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London, in partnership with GAY TIMES.
The avant-pop dance duo of Courtney Deyn and Jacob Samuel have finessed their theatrical style and lyrical flare to present dance at Abbey Road Studios.
Deyn and Samuel explain how the live session provides a snapshot of from their dance-theatre show ‘TOM’: “We premiered TOM last year, it’s our baby and we love it so it means a lot to us to re-write the music for a live performance in Studio 2.
“Frank Ocean and Cilla Black have been here, it feels right. Also first to dance in it since Kate Bush is pretty iconic. ‘TOM’ Blends the myth of Orpheus and the DWP, TOM is a vertigo-inducing pop-culture collision of working class and queer expression.”
In 2023, the pair sold out five nights of ‘TOM’ at London’s Yard Theatre and toured the performance at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Kampnagel in Germany.
The full package of a musical experience is important to BULLYACHE: “We create theatre as a template for our music to exist inside of and it feels really exciting to start pushing beyond that,” the duo shared.
Photograph: Genevieve Reeves
“It’s how we relate to the world, it’s two working-class artists making live music videos about their life, and when we’re doing it’s just intuitive.”
BULLYACHE may have a bank full of pop culture references to inspire their artistry, but they are unafraid to carve their own path: “We always said let’s do Pina Bausch cosplaying as Dua Lipa in Cradle of Filth makeup. BULLYACHE has just sort of manifested itself after that.
“As Kim Cattrall said once ‘we just have a rhythm you know… he sort of feels me out and I feel him out and uh, we go for it’.”
For this special performance of ‘Never Let,’ BULLYACHE are joined by world champion acrobatic gymnast Lewis Walker and dancer Naomi Weijland, dancer and pianist Sirien Griffiths, violinist Magnus Westwell and announcer and pianist Barbs.
Watch BULLYACHE’s session of ‘Never Let’ here or below.
BULLYACHE is the next exciting edition to be presented from the Abbey Road Equalise for Pride, a series of exclusive performance films in association with GAY TIMES that illuminate a diverse range of queer voices across music and the wider creative arts.
The series will continue spotlighting emerging artists in music and the creative arts through performances and interviews filmed at Abbey Road and Angel Studios.
Equalise for Pride continues Abbey Road Studios’ history and vision of celebrating creativity and queer expression. You can catch up with the series so far with Baby Queen’s performance of ‘Dream Girl’, L Devine’s performance of new single ‘Slippin Away’ and Tom Rasmussen’s live rendition of ‘Street Violence’, Charles & Brother Zulu’s new single ‘Boyfriend’ and Harry Strange’s double single ‘Bite the Hand’ and ‘Kind of Love’.
Icons who have previously recorded at Abbey Road Studios include The Beatles, Lady Gaga, Frank Ocean, Amy Winehouse, Little Simz, Adele, Brockhampton, Sam Smith and Florence + The Machine.
Photograph: Genevieve Reeves
“Over the last four years, Abbey Road Equalise has sought to inspire and empower under-represented groups exploring a career in music,” said Mark Robertson, Head of Brand & Communications.
“We’ve presented free workshops and mentoring, filmed studio sessions and more, whether via our annual events for International Women’s Day or a special event for International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021.
Harmony Marsh, Digital Manager and member of Universal Music’s Pride Network, added: “We’re delighted to present this series of intimate performance films during Pride season, to serve as an homage to remarkable artists and a profound embrace of their queer identities.
“Our intention for the series has been to celebrate these artists foremost for their brilliance, whilst also shining a light on their queerness and personal journeys as LGBTQ+ individuals.”
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