161204: "For Christmas I Want 10,000 Things", Emily Warner's Interview with Sam

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"Sam jumps down on the dance floor and duckwalks back and forth as the band throw themselves into the performance. This number is the deal clincher - its official; the crowd love ‘em." soundsxp webzine

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091204: 10,000 Things are great to watch. There is dancing on stage by every member, although none more so than the ever cool and energetic singer, Sam Riley, and of course this rubs off on the crowd and makes for a cheerful atmosphere. Then there is the famous banter between songs More from YSOS

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261104: Liverpool Academy: "The Thrills, they are nice, if you like that sort of thing. For me, however, support band 10,000 Things robbed The Thrills blind, providing all the excitement, banter, arrogance and bongos required this evening." More here. 

AND "10,000 Things........ tore up the stage like an over-excited litter of piglets, trotters a-flying and funky, punky, ear-catching beats galore. Riley made up for his lack of acerbic putdowns with sheer exuberance and impeccable dress sense; red frilled shirt, black braces, linen trousers – one part 80s Flamenco dancer, one part Strictly Ballroom and one part young rock upstart. More here, incl. an interesting angle on sartorial elegance, or otherwise.

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231104: "Will hardly bats an eyelid whilst Sam humps his leg (like a hamster on heat) simply continuing to play in his Mr. Smooth style. What other band features bongos, and a guiro, alongside sex, booze, and rock ‘n’ roll?" Caroline Murphy at angryape. More

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"Dear NME, Your recent portrayal of the stage persona of 10,000 Things (30th October 2004) belies the true nature of the individual band members. You were looking for the bands gentler side, and I found this at a recent gig at Hull Jaz Bar (Tuesday 26th October 2004). I had the good fortune to meet with every member of the band, and found them all to be intelligent, good conversationalists, and bloody hot stuff! No prizes for guessing the one i found the hottest and most sensitive ! Gentler side or what?! Caroline, "Things" fan, Shropshire. (Pictured below Gareth Davies "Davro" Guitarist, and me...Caroline Murphy, Shropshire)".

Me, I'd quite enjoyed the review of the Birmingham gig, even though we'd been led to expect an accompanying photograph which wasn't there. What surprises me is that so many people buy a magazine which provides little more than adverts and even if you have a magnifying glass, an incomplete weekly gig guide for the UK's major towns. So saying, Alex Needham's 201104 article on Band Aid III was very good.

051104: Hot New Bands - Pleasure Unit Gig Review

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041104 (sent in date): 10,000 Things Titanium/Can't Do Nothing EP Right place, right time, ever since I saw them on the "Must See" list for the Reading Festival '04, 10,000 Things has been on my list of bands to check out. The Leeds six-piece has been written up in recent articles with Babyshambles and the Cribs and spotted on the NME Rock and Roll Riot tour in the UK, it seem they're making the right strides. The Cribs even sing on their cover of Gang of Four's "Damaged Goods". Their first single is "Titanium". How can you refute a song who's chorus includes the line, "I think I need titanium boxer shorts, I just can't cope with all these dirty thoughts"? Singer Sam Riley has a whiskey-rocking voice that gives the band the classic "UK band that sound like an America band" sound, think of them as the New Yorkshire Dolls. It's classic verse/chorus rock, the simplicity reminds me of Sultans of Ping which is really saying Iggy and the Stooges. Where the retro sound of The Darkness have tipped towards the higher octaves of Queen, 10,000 Things keep it closer to Marshall stacks and Les Pauls, but with the same sexuality planted firmly in cheek. Other tracks include "Can't Do Nothing", "Loverboy" and and ode to the ladies "Eating's Not Cheating" which I will let you guess is about. It has the term "protein shake" and "edible knickers". Subtle? Since when was rock-n-roll supposed to be subtle? Douglas Vicenzi, New York.

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021104: 10,000 THINGS, The greatest band around at the moment! 6 lovely lads from Leeds do Rock, Roll & Blues with bongos and braces. Not to be missed! (From a promotion at Playlouder)

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311004: LEWD AND LASCIVIOUS LAUGHS A PLENTY - 10,000 Things in Birmingham Venue: Academy - Date: Wednesday, October 13.  "This one's about being arrested for being an idiot" mutters 10,000 Things' lead singer, Sam Riley, "although that's not actually the reason I gave........".   Last time we saw 10,000 Things, Sam was staggering through the front row with his middle finger sticking out of his flies. He only stopped terrorising audience members when he smacked headfirst into a pole. Tonight, any worries that the bigger stage will dampen their spirit disappear when Sam starts motioning cunnilingus to the front row of teenage girls. In braces and rolled-up sleeves he hops around ready to hump anything with a pulse or, failing that, the nearest drumkit. But it's brother George, with his low-slung bass, who's the real star, oozing couldn't-give-a-fuck cool while the bank crank out punky glam howlers about pressing issues of the day, like needing boxer shorts made of titanium. Action Jackson's bongo-bashing doesn't disguise the fact that we're hardly treading brave new ground here. But that's not the point - live, 10,000 Things' stew of 50's rock 'n' roll, MC5 and the New York Dolls is swimming in a thick gravy of gloriously dumb fun.  After "Dogsbody" and, ahem, "Eating's Not Cheating" (the excuse Arnie gave when he was caught Schwarzeneggering a young lady with his tongue), we start to wonder what 10,000 Things' sensitive side sounds like. Sam grabs the mic: "This one's about having a girlfriend but not being able to keep your dick in your trousers......" and, you know, we're none the wiser. Tim Jonze, NME, 301004.

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261004: 151004, Sumo, Leicester: "....They throw themselves into a storming kinetic set, managing to spin from thrashing punk jump a long, rockabilly style love songs to rumbling stompers. although with their late entrance a few beers have been consumed all round, it doesn’t stop the tight-knit group from letting loose with a roar, but somehow managing to keep a certain relaxed rhythm to proceedings, thanks to their incorporation of a multi percussionist. their songs make the crowd want to move, and they do in any which way they can led my mr riley himself. who stands out not just for a distinctive dress sense but for a voice that fills the room and a sense of humour that’s as black as his braces, with the effect something like mark e smith joining the eighties matchbox b line disaster. as he jives and twists across the stage ably putting down hecklers or when he steps up on the drum set and reaches for the ceiling he tells us stories of life, death, landlords and girlfriends. eventually, and still continuing to play, he steps off the stage together with his brother, making their way through the crowd that will later surround them at the bar. as the band continue to surge forward with a display of energy that moves them and the crowd as one, and whilst the energy sometimes loses focus, it doesn’t seem to matter because frankly…............ 10,000 things rock like bastards. Stephan at tohellwith

251004: “People of London, we are new to your ways” announces the artful dodger of a front man as we drive down to Piccadilly Circus. “Sssssss”. A long hiss shivers out of the amps as 10,000Things descend into “Snake”, a sinfully good song about an animal that has been dealt a bad hand according to the band. But the best is yet to come. There has got to be something so satisfying in rolling down Regent Street howling out “Eating’s Not Cheating” at every passer by. Much more from Emily Warner, Room13 on 10,000 Things tour of London in Shelter's open topped bus Shelter & The Things

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181004: It's almost strange that "Titanium" (short for "Titanium Boxer Shorts", a song about a young man's difficulty in keeping his dick in his trousers) is the first song on this double a-side single, great though it undoubtedly is, when "Can't Do Nothing" is one of 10,000 Things' best songs. A catchy punk rock-out, "Can't Do Nothing" is also that novelty of a 10,000 Things song that isn't about sex (instead about that feeling we all know too well of waiting for payday). It still, however, manages to retain the dirty charm of a band who claim that "Eating's Not Cheating" (just wait for that debut album!). The b-side is, rather fittingly, a cover of Gang of Four's "Damaged Goods" which, once it finally gets underway, is well worthy of the original. Single of the year? Quite possibly! Sarah@oldstreet.

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181004: 10,000 Things “Titanium” Yeeeee-haw! Some rawk n roll. This is savvy n sharp hard rock as Half man Half Biscuit take tea & e with Alice Cooper. We are absolutely loving this and tell you what, the percussion is just fucking brilliant. Buy this, make them rich and I promise you that they’ll trash hotel rooms and stick sharks up your sister. Unpeeled.

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Date n/k: "I need, need, need Titanium Boxer Shorts" - oh christ, it was going so well until then, the singer has such an angry deep-throated roar that you'd expect him to be the result of a weird lab experiment fusing Tom Waits larynx to Mark Lanegan's troubled soul. skotch4breakfast

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171004: "Sam always dresses as if constantly wooing the opposite sex....... put on a storming set at Reading and Leeds........ they sound nothing like the New York Dolls and The Times suggests they are the Leeds Oasis… 10,000 Things however beg to differ. Live they are both dapper and brilliantly vile, punk and rock ‘n’ roll… risk life and limb to be there!" BBC OxfordAND They play for less than 40 minutes, they could have played for 80 and I’d have been more than happy....... By the end of the set three of the band are playing off stage right in front of the tentative crowd and one very drunk man is attempting a jig of epic proportions........  The Zodiac should have been sold out tonight, unfortunately people are fools.   BBC Oxford again. 111004: .....'Can't Do Nothing'. A bitter rant about the landlord chasing the rent up when you're skint,.... The vocal isn't complex, but it's delivered like a jackhammer - it wouldn't work any other way. Whether 'Titanium' is the breakthrough 10,000 Things are clearly waiting for is hard to decide. You'd imagine probably not, but then it can't be far away now. Fake DIY

c. 091004: 10,000 Things are the band you wanted to be in when you were a kid. The Jim'll Fix It chance to play dirty sleazy riffs and wail boisterous, filthy lyrics until your lungs bleed. Live they are superb, and this sound has translated well to studio. Affable lunatics ranting continuously about topics of extreme importance such as tight fisted landlords and trophy girlfriends. A fingers up to rock stars who harp on like a bunch of helium filled tarts about war and politics. "Titanium" collides into town. Raw, callous guitars neatly perched atop a sly melodic bassline. Lead Vocalist Sam Riley's voice is superb and fits the mould to perfection. Harsh and jagged, he could only spit lyrics about the universal need for a bit of outside control in the old trouser department "I think I need titanium boxer shorts, I just cant cope with all these dirty thoughts" screams Riley. A noteworthy concept. The haunting and jarring "Can't do nothing" ruffles the feathers once more. A bitter rant about been skint and having a landlord chasing your tail everyday. More

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061004: The instant appeal of 10,000 Things is easy to identify. Lyrics about relationships, sex, aliens, money and work appeal to average folk. More.

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041004: .......first single for the re-energised Fiction label ‘Titanium’ (Fiction) spits out a rash of fist-pounding rock sleaze....... ..........it takes a couple of listens to realise the genius of Leeds 5-piece 10,000 Things. TinyVoices

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031004: ..... three tons of irony smeared over this pub rock garage.........

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Found 021004: "Yes i have seen the the boys (10000 things) live and i got my picture took at the end with lead singer sam!!! He is gorgeous!! They were absoloutely fantastic reminded me a little of The Hives but 2223447464 million times better!!!They were fabolous and i am goin to see them again after 28th sepetember at foundation in newcastle!!!" - Kisses, Stephanie (BBC)

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Sep 2004: "....10,000 Things have set out to be rock’n’roll, pure and simple. They sing songs about their lives (chasing girls, avoiding the rent man and generally having a good time) and produce some of the most exciting live shows around. The second single ‘Titanium’ (following on from their limited edition indie debut) showcases everything that is great about this phenomenal new band and is an essential listen to anyone interested in some of the most exhilarating new music available." HMV

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210904: Promo album sold for £21.00 AND there's a Japanese web site with a 10,000 Things link. AND 10,000 Things have announced an extensive new tour over September and October. The Leeds 5 piece are just about the most boisterously entertaining group you will ever come across. Recently, the band won the T4 (Channel 4) / V Festival best new live band award - further proof to their talent on stage.

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170904: 10,000 Things - Aah, our favourite Yorkshire comedians!!! Lets not be silly buggers they're the best Rock 'n' Roll band in the world and you know it!! Songs like 'Eatin's Not Cheatin' and 'Can't Do Nothin' would make the Stones fill their incontinence knickers QoN 140904: 10,000 Things' promo singles and EPs are on eBay.

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300804: Brilliant new band - I saw 10,000 Things purely by accident at this years V Festival and they were incredible - excellent tunes, massive stage presence and lyrics that make you laugh and dance at the same time. Liked them so much that I went to see them at Leeds as well! These guys are going to be HUGE (if the world has any justice) so don't miss out on this excellent debut CD while you can! From here.

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290804: READING FESTIVAL. Even more of a revelation, on the Carling Stage, are 10,000 Things, who resemble a somewhat sartorially confused Hives with their swaggering nu-sleaze and inventive, infectious humour. 'Snake', evidently about how the serpent in the Garden of Eden got a bit of a rough deal - yes, they do like their subject matter on the obscure side - is deliciously serpentine More * "10,000Things are not your average band; fronted by Sam Riley (an “artful dodger” who has the same stage presence and strut as Mick Jagger), this Leeds sextet all look different, play different and act different.  * From the bluesy “Oh No” with its tight bass line and bongos that are brilliantly blended, to “Femalien”; a song about alien abduction, they win over the huge crowd that has gathered to see the source of this wonderful racket. Throughout the set a shudderingly good bass line is held by George (bass) and Stobb (drums), with Justin’s fired up percussion adding further depth. This is all shot through with heavy rhythm guitar by Davro, while Will’s lead axe is as sharp as his hair cut. Other numbers they paraded in front of their audience included “Titanium BS”, which not only has a unique title but unique lines- “I think I need titanium boxer shorts/I just can’t cope with all these dirty thoughts”. “It’s about not being able to keep your dick in your trousers” Sam slurs. “Lover Boy” has guitarists Davro and Will jamming together on the edge of the stage, while the next song sees Sam holding the finger to the crowd whilst shouting “I decided to live!”. But undoubtedly one of the best numbers of their set is “Eating’s Not Cheating” (surely a topic of conversation for days to come). The other is “Snake” an ode to an animal that, in their opinion has been wronged-“Hey Snake you’ve been demonized, Hey snake you’ve been covered in lies…”. This, Ladies and Gentlemen is 10,000Things and there is only 1 reason you need to love them: Attitude!" Room Thirteen * "the Carling tent looks fairly sparsely populated, but a few songs in and the place is crammed!" More, with photographs.

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240804: "10,000 Things - They were the winners of that 'Road To V' thing that T4 were running. I only saw them briefly, but they were bloody noisy". ukmix forums

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220804: "10,000 Things-almost rock n roll with a tint of punk, they just try too hard with their singer trying to look oh so rock n roll in his Sailor type hat; an accessory recently made famous by Kitten from Big Brother. They crash on stage and if you weren’t awake already, you certainly are by the end of the set opener. 10,000 Things are here courtesy of winning some form of trashy Battle of the Bands competition. I dread to think how awful the other bands must have been, but I remember that the rather dull Saint Rose were also in the running so I’m also thinking I might have had a lucky escape here. This band are very now, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your views on the current state of music. Personally, they weren’t my ‘thing’ and I begin to lose interest. Particularly after the barrage of male ego starts to come through. “This one’s about when you have a girlfriend who treats you like shit.” And of course, all of the males in the crowd cheer in a laddish way. Singer Sam Riley continues to explain his songs throughout the set and I’m not really one for wanting to hear an artist ramble on about his shit experiences; it’s a given." GarbledCommunication

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190804: V FOR VICTORY! Upcoming LEEDS band 10,000 THINGS have won a prestigious slot at this weekend’s V FESTIVAL. The five-piece have been revealed as the winners of ‘Virgin Mobile Louder Road To V’ competition. The contest involved a showcase last month at the London Islington Carling Academy, which were shown on T4 Holiday Morning Shows in July and August. The winners were selected by viewers and industry experts. The band beat off stiff competition from The Brand, Iain Archer, Victor Molloy, Taz, The Infadels, Jokers Wild and Shystie. They will now open the V Festival in Hylands Park, Chelmsford on Saturday (August 21) and Weston Park, Staffordshire on Sunday (22). The festival debut precedes a AA-side single, ‘Titanium’/’Can’t Do Nothing’ on September 27, ahead of their debut album on October 11. The band are already signed, to the Fiction label. NME

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180804: from VirginMobile - "Anyone who has witnessed 10,000 Things live show will be aware that this is a group like no other. Peppered with off-the-cuff rants about bosses, tight-fisted landlords and the lure of trophy girlfriends, its rocknroll in the raw; music aimed at both the head and the feet" More

100804: Discovered this date, Sandman's lengthy interview and photographs, date n/k - "everyone’s favourite rollicking six-piece rock ’n’ roll blues behemoth" .

040804 - Buffalo's Bar, London: Now signed to Polydor, big things are clearly expected of 10000 Things. They certainly have a swagger about them, like a Yorkshire version of Oasis, sharing little musically, but lots in cocky lairiness. More.

010704: So we’ve got 10,000 THINGS this week, top rock n roll action from Leeds

??0704: displaying the kind of down-to-earth, fun-loving and dirty-minded spirit glaringly absent from the frostbite-prone coolness of much of the recent ranks of ‘rawk’................but surely only a select few can approach this six-piece when it comes to the fine art of, to put it bluntly, rocking. Janne Oinonen

280604: Interview with George and Sam.

210504: One of the few Leeds bands whose well earned reputation precedes them, endearing crowds locally and nationally with their six piece terrace chant rock. LoveMusicHateRacism

170504: Joy Zipper, ULU - "they are from Leeds with a singer who dances like Shane McGowen and sings with an American accent. In between songs the singer, who goes by the name of Sam, blathers on to the crowd in a broad Leeds accent trying to get us to talk to him - everyone looks on bemused. More

140504: The most important thing you need to know about 10,000 Things is that they are fun - something which seems to be sneaking back into the music world in increasing quantities, from the unfortunate (The Darkness) to the great (Scissor Sisters, Junior Senior). Tonight, singer Sam Riley takes to the stage in what appears to be a Libertines costume – black jacket and tie with no shirt, and braces hanging down the back of his trousers, and instantly starts babbling in his usual style.

But it isn’t as if 10,000 Things’ songs are over-shadowed by the story-telling. “Oh No!”, the standout track from their recent “Foodchain” EP is impossibly catchy, and looks set to become a firm moshpit favourite. Sarah / Gail

200304: (found on this date) The NME hailed them, “the New Yorkshire Dolls” which only goes halfway in describing their manic six-headed beast of a live show. ‘Food Chain’ is 10,000 Things’ debut EP and highlights just what all the fuss is about. Four tracks of awesome rock’n’roll that are set to blow a huge hole in 2004. HMV

230304:The best signed Leeds band I've seen of late are the 10000 things, great. If you like the New York Dolls, MC5, early Alice Cooper, you might dig these (I like that twin guitar attack when its done well). Solid rocking band with a very charismatic singer. He has the look of Ian Curtis, with a quiff. Very surreal.

110304: (found on this date) The recording certainly catches the live energy of the band with ease and brought back happy memories of the gig, lyrically and musically. Think sixties American r'n'b with a Yorkshire accent, in fact the track 'Oh No!' brought to mind Dr. Feelgood (whoops, showing my age there!) with a massive dose of humour thrown in. All four tracks add some down to earth lyrical themes to high energy guitar fueled rock and roll which makes for a very enjoyable ten minutes listening ....  5/5 Review by Darren Bunting

290204: Opener Foodchain is a hoot, with its dig at social climbers, ("I use the best supermarkets, I hope they reach all their targets"), over a beat resembling Eddie Cochrane doing Something Else in a swamp. Oh No! is an uncomplicated but, oh, so catchy New York Dolls air-punching piece of trash 'n' roll, whilst Mummy's Big Plan is a buttock clenching, relentless high speed diesel-powered ride through Detroit which'll leave you breathless and panting for more.

Noisy, nasty and full on, this release nibbles the ear of the Von Bondies for best single so far this year. SoundsXP

280204: i also chatted to Sam from 10,000 things, and he was well safe. one of the best gigs ive been to! xxx Wichita

240204: (found on this date) French! web page..........."les disques rock dans les charts français se comptent sur les doigts de la main et qu'il est bien plus intéressant de voir les disques qui se vendent bien chez nos voisins anglais". (......you can count on the fingers of one hand the rock recordings in the French charts and it's much more interesting to see those recordings which sell well to our English neighbours). Biog added 270204.

230204: (found on this date) ......  "they’re simply a raucous, no-frills rock ‘n’ roll band; big on choruses, short on gimmicks. It’s easy to do, so hard to get right; 10,000 things do 9,999 of them correctly. That’s good enough for me". Gillian Nash, Logo magazine

AND 230204: Give me strength! 10,000 Things are Billy Ray Cyrus with a distortion peddle, and ‘Foodchain’ is unlikely to appeal to anybody under the age of 8, and anyone with an IQ above the aforementioned number.

200204: Camden Barfly: "........By the end of the set Sam is jogging on the spot & running round in circles across the stage and through the crowd. Bags of enthusiasm, bags of stonking beats and riffs, I’m surprised at how much fun the band were and almost sad it’s over. Go and see them. I’ll definitely see you there…. Gail, Youresooldstreet

200204: “best for 2004”, the boys are currently play-listed on XFM and supported by NME and Steve Lamacq, who highlighted them on “your new favourite band”… Don’t miss this one!

170204: BBC Northhamptonshire: 10,000 Things are a whole other barrel of monkeys... when you walk into a room to see a frontman wearing a purple suit and leather trilby, out of his tree and dancing like Elwood from The Blues Brothers - you take notice. My immediate thought was to draw comparisons with The Fall - a post-punk sound and a drunk singer - but there the comparison stopped. The Cribs stand a better chance of success, but 10,000 Things could cause the larger ripples.

160204: Foodchain EP (Dusty/Domino). "Think Marty McFly playing “Johnny B. Goode” to a gymnasium full of useless teenagers, but singing like Jerry Lee Lewis going on a bonkers Robert Plant trip, while stripping his throat raw with a handful of razorblades and you’re halfway there. This might just be the boot that rock ‘n’ roll loyalists needed before they spend a misinformed fifty quid on another Rolling Stones gig". Karen Piper

AND .....after a few spins their slightly sleazy swingin' blues-rock began to sink its hooks into my poor, unsuspecting brain. Much ore at Tiny Voices

110204: 10000 reasons to buy 10000 Things single By Paul M. 10000 Things release their stonking debut EP on Monday 16th Feb on Domino, Foodchain, which has been playlisted by XFM for the last two weeks as well as Steve Lamacq over at BBC Radio 1.

090204: ........either a set of true retrograde cynics or a naïve collective of ye olde punk n roll revivalists. Manchester Music (Odd reviewers in Manc - NG).

AND The boogie-woogie fuzz conjures up unintentional images of Rossi and Parfitt swinging their telecasters in unison - manchestermusic.co.uk

050204: (by e-mail from Chamonix) Hi dude, and anyone else with an interest in 10 000 things, while sat in the flat the other day listening to couleur 3 (99.9fm) there was mention of 10 000 things, and even a note to go to the website! cool. well done, they've cracked the valley!
went down into martigny the other day, what a road, never ventured that far before, blimey, picked another route back!! have fun, sunny as f**k here, got a goggle mark! simon

020204: 10,000 Things - Foodchain EP (Domino) PUNK? Really, are we still trying this anachronistic parp? (What a strange man this reviewer must be). More incl. "10,000 Things are one of the finest & most honest bands l have seen in the last 18 months."

010204: I don’t know what the Dalai Lama would make of them giving away cigarette lighters. More. (Article refers to The Things and to 10,000 Things. Who the first referred to are, I don't know - I suggest it's a pretty unreliable review altogether - NG).

Feb 04: ...........10,000 Things are relentlessly energetic and whilst they aren't covering any new ground musically they are making some toe-tapping, catchy tunes and that's no bad thing. If you like your music masculine (Riley belting out such touching lyrics as 'she looks so different with her clothes on' in "Oh No!") then 10,000 Things are for you............ Cathy Simpson

310104: Chat room bickering in Leeds.         

300104: "....no band could have come on that would have been better than 10,000 Things! They just needed Sam and the boys to come and gatecrash this homecoming party, oh and how they did! With songs about 'Going Back to Mine', your boss at work being a dick, and moving up the Food Chain, The Things certainly know how to right a catchy tune, and Sam keeps us entertained throughout the show, coming of as a cross between Iggy, and (Sir) Mick. In fact 10,000things are one of the few bands who I think are actually really good at doing this kind of rock, without either being crap at it and thinking that they are good, or just ripping off past glories and riffs. For me the only problem was that their set seemed to be a bit short, even with a one-song encore. The Things are certainly moving up the food chain and hopefully they will stay there. 8/10" Sean Langan

290104: The Guardian - After half a decade of rock'n'roll, the templates for frontmen should have been exhausted. However, 10,000 Things singer Sam Riley seems to have found a new one. He has Presley oil-slick hair mixed with a persona somewhere between - gulp - Paul Calf and Bernard Manning. More

250104: In an age of electro-clash and 80’s throwbacks, 10,000 Things are here to pull us just ever so slightly further back into the late 1970’s. Billed as “The New Oasis”, this rock by numbers seems to owe more to anthemic rockers from Lynyrd Skynyrd to The Sex Pistols than Messrs. Gallagher. That said, I for one am grateful for a new, talented, swaggering rock band, full of fuzzy guitars and handclaps. Judging by the media’s reaction, 2004 could be the year for 10,000 Things and if this EP is anything to go by, they deserve it. Holly(youresooldstreet)

240104: Leeds' 10,000 Things ..... looked far more dapper (in an Electric Six kind of way) than their predecessors on-stage, the frontman oozing the highly entertaining and soul-fuelled rock 'n' roll charisma of Elvis. Already the 10,000 Things outfit have a tourbus, and it's only a matter of time before their interactive anthems 'Foodchain' and 'Oh No' become heavyweight classic rock tunes in their own time. They can sure get a crowd on its feet that's for sure, 'Drinking and Dancing' - especially when the frontman scrambles over the barrier to join the punters on the floor… Scarborough Kazbah

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240104: 10,000 Things, a six-man explosion of riff and mischief. Much of the crowd chose to ignore the band. Those people are fools. Those that did pay the band some attention witnessed a fantastic set. I was very impressed. They sound great on CD but they are even better live. Frontman Sam Riley is so full of energy. They delivered a set of soon to be rock classics. Tracks such as ‘Oh No!’, taken from the new ‘Foodchain EP’. ... certain guitarist from 10,000 Things joined them (The Cribs) on stage and dropped his trousers. Nice. Feeling left out, a member of The Cribs stripped down to just his pants. ... It was all very surreal but highly entertaining..... The 10,000 Things guitarist made another special appearance too. He wandered across the stage not only with his trousers down but this time with his pants down too. In full

240104: Punk rabble from up north with big appetite release EP: There have already been some very nice things said about this Leeds 6-piece. Some bloke from The Times newspaper for instance reckons that if their home city is the new Manchester then it needs its very own Oasis, going on to suggest that it already has it in 10,000 Things. Naturally this is utter bollocks, especially seeing as the lead track off this debut EP sounds like Rocket From The Crypt doing Billy Ray Cyrus’ ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ with Rancid’s Tim Armstrong heading up the vocals. The closest they’ll get to Knebworth is mowing the lawn for minimum wage. Though glancing at the member list they do appear to have brothers amongst their ranks (so an obvious comparison clearly). But either way this has what can only be described as swagger, big dirty punk swagger. And that’s a good thing. They’re finishing up a tour over the next week and we’re led to believe they’re a must-see live. Crud Magazine

210104: We will now be supporting the seriously fab Leeds bands 10,000 Things and The Cribs. They are bound to be big,....... Solsticeweb News

200104: Hull, Adelphi: Well what a brilliant gig, a soggy wet, depressing Hull on a Tuesday night.... 10,000 THINGS from Leeds were truly brilliant, playing songs with lyrics about everyday life, very similar to Pulp or The Smiths but with a serious rock'n'roll attitude that owed more to the Sex Pistols. Lead singer Sam had an easy rapport with the Hull crowd and made some truly off the wall remarks when describing the material, musically tighter than a ducks behind and with everything played at a ferocious speed they are a band I would want to see again. Also Sam is a jolly nice chap and seemed pleasantly surprised by all the congratulations he was receiving after their excellent set, nice guy, rocking band, see them at a small venue before they explode big time (if they don't it will be a real pity). Darren Bunting.

190104: "10,000 Things sound great live, a dirtier, raunchier feel to their music than on CD, with vocals the Creedence Clearwater Revival would covet............and if The Darkness can do it whilst wearing lycra, then who’s to say flock wallpaper is wrong?" Holly

160104: 10,000 THINGS: Those naughty Queens Of Noize get some turntable action outta XFM's Jon Kennedy, and the Leeds-based rock'n'droolers play live. (from Teletext)

Singer Sam Riley writes eloquent cries of everyday life - boys struggling with the rent, arguing with their loved ones, drinking to forget their rubbish jobs - but they’re never maudlin. These are life-affirming songs with wit, humanity and fierce energy.

A recent show at the Camden Monarch attracted jaw-to-the-floor comments such as: “The New Yorkshire Dolls”, “Un-fucking-believable” and “the sexiest band I’ve ever seen”. Heads turned, adrenalin rushed and hearts throbbed. Do not miss them when they come your way.

Now they have recorded a debut EP on Domino/Dusty Company with the legendary Phill Brown, a man who was in the room when All Along The Watchtower, Stairway To Heaven and Sympathy For the Devil were recorded. It took one look at 10,000 Things live in a Leeds backstreet, to convince this venerable producer that here was the stuff of future legend. And yes, the sessions included a run-in with the law, a cross-country dash, a sideboard full of skunk and a lake of milky tea. And that was just day one. (From Domino Records' site).

2003

121203: BBC Leeds' review of The Wardrobe gig, 111203: "2004 should be the year of the Things".  

121203: BBC Leeds: ".... few greater thrills than discovering a new band that really do it for you. Ladies and gentlemen: 10,000 Things".  Includes an interview with guitarist, Will Newman. 

051203: At the other end of the pretension scale are 10,000 Things. Now that their home town of Leeds has officially been anointed the Manchester of the North (or something) by the pop press, it needs its own Oasis and this ragged six-piece fit the bill. Their ineffably cool singer Sam Riley (his brother George plays bass) swaggers through catchy songs that describe bluntly such everyday horrors as work and, worse, the sight of your girlfriend in conversation with that woman she’s never meant to meet, over an uncomplicated if effective backing. Who can resist a band with choruses such as “I’m moving up the food chain”? Honestly, there’s a whole series of Paul Calf-esque misadventures captured in their songs. How can they fail? Times Online, (that's the real Times newspaper).

date not known: "We performed our set and also danced with a band called Oochi, wearing day-glo outfits". BBC Leeds

031203: The attention of the national music press has turned to Leeds, with the likes of 10,000 Things, The Blueskins and The Glitterati receiving hearty slaps on the back. (BBCi Leeds Music)  

271103: "To Notting Hill for Death Disco..... 10,000 Things: Incredibly thick band, but in a good way. Unselfconscious. Describe themselves as the New Yorkshire Dolls. I perhaps could have enjoyed them if a) I knew the songs. b) I was drunk c) I was down the front. But those days are gone, I'm afraid. 10,000 Things were even giving away lighters even though they are stupid, disgusting, a waste of money, smelly, uncool and unnecessary. (Neil Scott @ The Mind's Construction).  

211103: "10,000 Things, the thought-provoking six-piece, whose name refers to the Taoist meaning of our material world." (Teesside Evening Gazette, not from a review, just some blurb).  

201003: "big up to 10,000 things hope it works out and i'll see you at the top. Easy now !!" (Danny Dyton).  

"If you want to review one of Leeds most exciting bands, get down to The Primrose on Wednesday 16th. 10,000 Things are playing live, and the place is crawling with record people. They are signing a deal that night !" (Primrose).

071003: "New manager Mick seems to be steering 10,000 Things closer and closer to the brink of sheer rock stardom. It's a bleedin' unstoppable steamroller, to be sure." (House of Mook News).  

"Damn fine band. One of the best we've seen in leeds. in fact...THE best. check em out." (Future Sons of Rome).  

070703: "Saw the boys in Notts last night, they were really good. Very impressed that a support band could leave more of an impression on me than the main band (Longview)...... Nottingham definately enjoyed having them, well me and my mates did anyway.... oh yeah and the three 16 year olds at the front loved em' to!?! I wish em' all the luck, they have a lot going for them." Jen (JJ) xx Nottm  

130603: "'Tastic night had by all. 10,000 things, Soundwaves and Dj from Bluefoot Project and Nick Parva. Excellent show..." (Madge)  

2002

"upcoming Leeds heroes 10,000 Things," (The Mondo Suave Story)

061202: Another band with a lot of potential are 10,000 Things, a bundle of raw, nervous energy. They sound and look a bit like The Rolling Stones and have a Space Cadet playing bongos. 'This is the first time we've been outside of Yorkshire' the singer says, and his band does look a little nervous. You're not sure whether his hair is covering his face because he thinks that it looks cool or because he's scared of looking at the audience. Either way, 10,000 Things grow more confident as their set progresses. (Gigwise, Liverpool).

201002: "Adam John Killip & The Rusty String Breakers" are an alternative country band based in Leeds featuring members of 10,000 Things. (Blind Bear Records)  

August 2002: "10.000 Things have stupid songs but are probably infectiously good fun live." (Sam Saunders, Silverburn)

011101: They sounded extremely professional, and I especially liked the HUGE bongo/percussion set which as well as looking great really added to their sound. David tells me they’re going to go all the way.

date not known: ".....in support of Little Sister - Yorkshire's own Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble / Jimi Hendrix Experience combo. Top lads, it has to be said, who played a blinder and deserved every clap they got." (Source not known).

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