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May 21, 2022 By Dom Gourlay Photography by Duncan Stafford

Under the Radar have been fans of Adrian Flanagan’s work in various guises and bands (Moonlandingz, International Teachers Of Pop and Eccentronic Research Council to name but three) for a number of years now. After ploughing his own path for more than a decade working on the fringes of alternative music as a songwriter, wordsmith, musician, producer, DJ and cultural agitator – working with artists as diverse as Maxine Peake, Yoko Ono, The Human League’s Philip Oakey, Fat White Family, Sean Lennon and many more – Sheffield-based Adrian returns this year with a new solo moniker, ACID KLAUS, and a conceptual, collaborative solo album to be released on Yard Act’s Zen F.C. record label this coming autumn.

If you were at January’s Rockaway Beach event in Bognor Regis, you’ll already have an idea what ACID KLAUS is about. The first single taken from the album is called “Party Sized Away Day” and features solo artist and one half of Sink Ya Teeth, Maria Uzor on vocals with Ross Orton (Add N To X, Working Men’s Club, Amyl & The Sniffers and many more) on production duties.

Having signed to Yard Act’s Zen F.C. label - their roster also currently includes Baba Ali and Benefits - ACID KLAUS will also be opening on some dates for Yard Act later in the year. .

“Party Sized Away Day” comes out today (Monday 23rd May) and is available across all digital platforms.

As excited as we are about this release, Under the Radar spoke with ACID KLAUS himself.

When did Acid Klaus start?

“It kind of happened by accident really..during that period when you could only leave the house for an hour a day during the start of lockdown. I spent a lot of time in my back bedroom just making rough tunes up to relieve the boredom of not touring, or being in studios, or seeing friends.. I’d knock up some rough little ditty and post little clips on a undisclosed Instagram account that I called ‘Shizenhousen Musik’ (shit house music ) - just to keep that part of my brain active really! I must have written over ninety tunes and some of the tracks that I posted online people seemed to like so thought - ‘maybe this has got legs’ so I ended up messaging a handful of new artists who’s voices and vibe I liked and a few more ‘known’ artists to see if they wanted to collaborate - and surprisingly, everyone said yes. The first person I sent a tune to was Maria Uzor from Sink Ya Teeth who I was a fan of - her solo stuff is great too. Once Maria sent me back a vocal and we were allowed to leave the house again I went in the studio with my good friend, the producer Ross Orton (Working Men’s Club/Amyl & The Sniffers etc) and turned it in to a single. The rest of the collaborations I finished off with my long time co-producer in the Eccentronic Research Council, Dean Honer..& thus - a tremendous and life affirming album of conceptual brilliance was born!”

Will there be any more singles before the album?

“Yes - I’m doing I think 3 or 4 singles between now and the album coming out in the winter! It’s one of the reasons I ended up putting my tunes out via Zen F.C., as they were happy to let me get stuff out quickly whilst still being committed to doing a physical release for the album. I didn’t want to be sat on my arse for eight months bouncing contracts between lawyers and labels, to then start wheeling out singles two years after I’ve written them!! I’m already three albums of new songs in in the time it takes the average A&R department to make a decision on a wonky middle eight!!I’ve managed to turn this first ACID KLAUS album around really quickly, finished it mid-February this year - first single this week - singles throughout the summer - album in the winter.. that’s pretty much unheard of if I’d gone with a bigger label. It’s like being in an artistic coma working with most bigger labels!”

Are there any other collaborations besides Maria?

“Yes, there’s another seven or so guests on the next few singles and album, all of whom are truly ace. All will be revealed with the aplomb and style of a drunk man turning up at an 18-30’s discotheque wearing no trousers - in good time!!”

Will there be a tour to coincide with the album?

“We’re doing our first live ACID KLAUS show I think at Standon Calling festival in July .. a late night thing.. then doing some big shows with Yard Act in November which is around the projected album release time - so we are looking at booking a handful of shows around them dates.. maybe some sporadic shows before then but still looking at offers - I’ll be in a stronger position to decide once I’ve a few singles out tickling people’s feet!”

Meanwhile, the mutual admiration between ACID KLAUS and Yard Act is what led to him signing to their label, as both parties succinctly state below.

ACID KLAUS on signing to Zen F.C.:

“I’m always happy to take cash off West Yorkshire for the benefit of South Yorkshire!”

James Smith of Yard Act on signing ACID KLAUS to Zen F.C.:

“Me and Ryan (Needham) have loved so many of Adrian’s previous projects that when we caught wind of another newie in the works we were very keen to hear it as no more than fans. The first track we heard was the one you are hearing now, and it got us buzzing immediately, but it was as Adrian revealed more about the project we realised he was on to something a little bit more special than just some banging club tracks (not that that’s not ace in itself). “Party Sized Away Day” is the first taster of an ace concept and evolving piece cooked up in the head of ACID KLAUS. Me and Ryan have heard, seen and read his grand plan and that’s why we are pumping our money into it. Because it’s art and that. Proper art and that, that deserves to be heard, seen and read. Keep your ear to the ground please, this is just the beginning of the ACID KLAUS odyssey.”

ACID KLAUS has confirmed the following shows with more to be announced over the course of this year.

July

22 Standon Calling

September

22 Glasgow St Lukes (w/ Yard Act)

23 Newcastle NUSU (w/ Yard Act)

24 Leeds Academy (w/ Yard Act)

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