“50 Men” is a tribute to Gisele Pelicot. She profoundly
changed the narrative around shame and sexual violence, with her awe-inspiring
response, when she waived her right to anonymity in the trial against her
ex-husband and 51 other perpetrators. “Shame should change sides”.
It’s the band’s first single in 27 years, produced and mixed
by esteemed producer Sam Williams (Supergrass, Plan B) at Temple Sound Studios
throwing you back to the peak of the riot girl era of L7, Hole and the Breeders
while still sounding edgy, fierce and current.
The track starts in a bare, understated fashion, with gently
picked notes and a soft, lounge tinged jazz vocal gliding effortlessly over the
song’s darkness. As “50 Men” unfolds, it gradually opens up with sharp,
brooding guitars, and layers of haunting, choir-like vocals drifting in and
out. By the end, everything gathers into a weighty, immersive swell. Vocals
rich, visceral and intense; a pulsating ferocious anthem to inspire a whole new
generation of girls.
The all-female group garnered a loyal following during the exciting
days of the late-90s Oxford rock scene, making waves with their debut single
‘Backgarden’ as part of the Shifty Disco Singles Club in 1997 and with their
double A-side ‘Monster’/ ‘Plastic’ on Fierce Panda in 1998. This sparked an
extensive UK tour and an Oxford Radio 1 Sound City appearance in 1997.
Despite
not having performed together since 1999, band
members Sam Batlle (singer), Teresa Ward (guitar), Clare Howard-Saunders
(drums) were brought together by the tragic death of bassist Kim
Parsons in
2023 a quarter-century after they split. The mutual support they
provided to
each other in a time of sadness rekindled social and musical
relationships, and
inevitably led to talk of getting the old band together with the
addition of new bassist Hayley Wright and backing vocalist Emma Hunter.
Already there have been
sold out shows and a rapturously received slot at Truck Festival and this April
sees not only the single release but also a Radio 4 documentary on the band
called "Band of Mothers" with an interview with Steve Lamacq and a feature on
BBC Breakfast.
“Being an old lady in a heavy rock band feels even more ‘not
the done thing’ than being a girl in a band felt in the 90s. I like that!” says
singer Sam
“One of the most popular and influential bands on the Oxford
scene.” Nightshift
Gets Louder PR
Connect with Beaker:
Connect with Gets Louder:
VERY SOON YOU CAN LISTEN TO THEM HERE LIVE STREAM >> HERE