Following their sold-out live return at Jimmy’s in Manchester at the weekend, recently-reformed cult Manchester band THE MAPLE STATE are pleased to reveal the video for their latest single ‘Winner’ which is out now on all good digital service providers. Directed by Ben Thornley at Sitcom Soldiers, the new video sees front man Greg Counsell take to a snowy, fog-laden Bolton for a few laps of the Northern town.
The track is the latest to be taken from their long-awaited new album The Things I Heard At The Party, which is set for release on 23rd March 2018 via Far Out Records. The album will be available on limited edition 12” vinyl and via all good digital retailers, and is available to pre-order now from: https://themaplestate.bandcamp.com/
“We love the band Travis and are all huge fans of their videos from the 90s, in particular the video for ‘Turn’” explains Counsell of the concept “I always loved how Fran is just made to physically suffer for no reason other than stubbornness. We wanted to do something similar for Winner. The song has a driving/running vibe to it, so we just thought the easiest and most relevant way to make me suffer was to have me running all day. Our friend Ben Thornley liked the idea and I went up to meet him in Bolton to film in and around the town.
“We shot it in a morning and afternoon, I wasn’t aware that they intended to start the video at the top of Winter Hill in -1C with snow and fog… by the end of the video I’m looking pretty well spent, and as much as I’d love to claim that way my acting, it was just me slowly dying. Filming in industrial estates and the town center was also interesting - because of my tracksuit a lot of people kept approaching us and asking if we were shooting an Adidas advert, I must’ve appeared a strange choice of athlete. Immediately after the shoot I drank two pints of Guinness and fell promptly asleep on a bench in Manchester Victoria train station.”
Recently released singles The Things I Heard At The Party and Something In The Water served to spark renewed interest in the band, who are currently concentrating on galvanising their fan base with plays from Radio X, BBC Introducing, idobi Radio, Amazing Radio and a groundswell of fresh media pick up at the likes of Four Four Two Magazine, Clash, UPSET, Manchester Evening News, Punktastic, Already Heard, For The Rabbits and more.
On the live side, The Maple State are still to play the remaining date of their two very special residency nights at Jimmy’s in Manchester, featuring a specially hand-selected line up of bands, as well as two London appearances (see below for dates). Their London show on 22nd April at The Lexington with Tellison is now sold out.
The band will be announcing further UK and international tour dates over the coming months.
The Maple State UK Live Dates:
- Saturday 31st March – The Rocksteady - London
- Friday 13th April – Jimmy’s – Manchester
- Sunday 22nd April – The Lexington – London (w/ Tellison) **SOLD OUT**