http://thevisitors.org.uk/index.shtml
Formerly signed to Factory Records Karl Walsh temporarily put his acoustic roots behind him when he joined The Visitors. The To Hell With Burgundy front man who was signed to Factory by Tony Wilson over a decade ago returned to prove Wilson right. “Mike Pickering said we had a set full of hit singles and he was right too!”
The Visitors debut single ‘Hello Moon’ picked up where Factory left off. All was set for a second explosion of Manchester music when the fall of Factory brought an end to an era. Since then having formed their own label, released several independent albums and built a farm in France. Walsh spent some time writing novels in the French countryside “…and then realised that there was a job in Manchester that needed to be done. I knew some great musicians; Mike Crook from Golden Apple and Lazii Batterista who was playing drums for some amazing bands, then I remembered Paul Petricco who started FAB cafe and TV21 but who had always been such a fantastic bass player.” The stage was set for something special…
During their time on Earth The Visitors have been masquerading as extraordinary musicians:
Karl Walsh ‘The Capn’
Founder of To Hell With Burgundy, released albums for Manchester’s famous Factory Records, was discovered by Mike Pickering (M People) and later managed by John Brand (Stereophonics). Walsh toured Europe with Bob Geldof and with Barclay James Harvest. Tours of Canada and the US followed playing self penned from the four albums THWB produced. Also managed by David Knopfler of Dire Straights fame. Now writing and playing for The Visitors The first single has had rave reviews with five more scheduled by Earliest Records.
Mike Crook ‘Crook’
Was born in Manchester and started writing and playing with a band called Feathertone, producing an EP of acoustic, melancholy songs. Years later Mike formed The Golden Apple creating a strange blend of medieval and modern English folk. They toured constantly throughout the years playing many of the small obscure Re-enactment / Pagan and Live Role Playing festivals and recorded 4 albums along the way. Crook has also performed acoustic, solo material writing and producing 2 albums/ CDs. His first collaboration with Karl was in 2003 creating the band Supergimp.An intense,dark & theatrical four piece that used sexual imagery and fetish costume as a back drop to play moody, twisted, soulful, rock.
Lazii Batterista
Played drums for years with the hardest working bands in the business. Lazii has played every where from stadiums to the streets and back. His sensitive style of playing gives room for the song to breath. Flamboyant but careful with his art. You will have heard him play but you won’t have seen him! (do not touch his kit)
Paul Petricco
Bass player, vocalist and multi instrumentalist, Petricco, who started FAB cafe and TV21 has been responsible for some of the finest clubs in Manchester. A business man and an artist in true Medici style. Petricco started ‘Mrs Boons T Party’ with Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets and has worked with Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce of The Smiths. His early career involved touring Europe with his brother in their band The Spivs. Latterly he has designed a range of bespoke Amplifiers for professional musicians, ‘Ampart’.