David J (Bauhaus / Love & Rockets) releasing a new solo LP, touring, playing SXSW and NYC (dates, streams)

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While mainly known for being a member of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets, David J has had a steady solo career as well, putting out some especially lovely, spare acoustic records in the ’80s, such as 1985’s Crocodile Tears And The Velvet Cosh ‎and 1990’s Songs From Another Season. His new album, An Eclipse of Ships, is very much in those records’ molds. The record was funded via kickstarter and will be out later this year. David explains about it:

The title, An Eclipse of Ships, is a play on the old Longfellow line, ‘ships that pass in the night’, describing the rare incident of seaborne vessels sailing directly past each other in the dark. Traditionally, sailors would shine a light onto each other’s hulls as a silent greeting before continuing on their respective voyages. The phrase was later employed to describe a brief, intense encounter between two people who then part, never to see each other again.

You can watch the video for “You Suit a Rainy Day” from it below.

North America will get a preview of of An Eclipse of Ships on David J’s upcoming spring tour. He’ll be in Austin, TX next week for SXSW and, in April, he’ll play East Coast dates with his band The Gentlemen Thieves, including NYC’s Pianos on April 19 with The Vandelles and Dead Leaf Echo on the bill as well. David also plays Asbury Park’s The Saint on April 18. Tickets to both those NY-area shows are on sale now.

In other news, his 1983 solo debut, Etiquette of Violence, was just reissued by Cherry Red with a bonus disc of outtakes and demos. It’s been out of print since 1990.

All upcoming David J dates are listed, along with the new song and some classic solo songs, below…

David J – “You Suit a Rainy Day”

David J – “I’ll Be Your Chauffeur”

David J – “I Can’t Shake This Shadow of Fear”

David J – I Hear Only Silence Now

David J – Crocodile Tears And The Velvet Cosh

David J – 2014 Tour Dates
Mar 12 Valhalla Austin, TX
Mar 14 Gingerman Pub Austin, TX
Mar 16 Joe’s Crab Shack Austin, TX
Apr 18 The Saint Asbury Park, NJ
Apr 19 Piano’s New York, NY
Apr 22 Coopérative les Katacömbes Montreal, Canada
Apr 23 Zaphod’s Ottawa, Canada
Apr 24 Lee’s Toronto, Canada
Apr 25 Artiface – DJ GIG Las Vegas, NV
Apr 26 Backstage Bar & Bill Los Angeles, CA
May 23 PRIVATE EVENT Salt Lake City, UT
May 24 Area 51 — DJ GIG Salt Lake City, UT