Archived News

Spring 2010




Here is the press release for Against Love from Secretly Canadian's blog:

In a day and age when many a band must carefully plot an air of mystery around themselves, it is with much grace that Philadelphia-Austin sonic craftsmen Windsor for the Derby have maintained their particular cult mystique over eight albums of subtle, biting and exploratory post-rock. We’re proud to announce the latest from WFTD, Against Love, arriving June 22 on Secretly Canadian (June 21 in the UK).

In a world of “slow” movements that rail against mindless consumption, rock survivalists Windsor for the Derby represent “slow” music. For their latest outing, they began with a set of seemingly infinite drones and loops inspired by their early beginnings as a band. As those recordings were passed back and forth, the sounds were further sculpted by Dan Matz and Jason McNeely into their own leftfield brand of pop song. This became Against Love.

While they experimented with more formalized rock structures on their past few albums, Against Love finds the balance between experimentation and rock tradition more heavily skewed toward the former. The songs are filled with tried & true conventions. Nowhere on Against Love is this better displayed than within the psych-pop anthem “Queen of the Sun,” full of warm feedback and synth built around a patient acoustic guitar strum.

Listen to “Queen of the Sun” HERE.

Lyrically the songs are about how the modern world is changing the human condition, how we decide to land when the floor is pulled out from under us, and how hope is born from loss. The songs were shaped over months in backstage rooms, hotels, vans, and wherever else Matz and McNeely found time during WFTD’s European and American tours of the past two years. Tracks were finalized in Matz’s haunted Hope Union Studio, where disengaged clock chimes, spectral taps, and mysterious footsteps are a constant cause for another take; some left in the mix.

A tour of UK and Europe is in the works for July and August, with a handful of dates already up for sale. Continue to check in HERE for an updated list of upcoming Windsor for the Derby shows.


Winter 2010




hey all-

we're finally wrapping up the new record to be titled "against love." should be in june. euro tour is now being booked for mid july to mid august, hopefully some u.s. dates can fit in the mix as well.

we've created a facebook page as well, click here . go there for some newly uploaded rarities, images ,etc.

thanks, wftd

Fall 2009

Last show of the decade!
WftD will be playing at Austin's Spider House on December 19.

New music for you!
A few of the following limited edition releases are available. These were made available for our tour this past summer and are limited and numbered to 100. Each is signed. Price: $20 US shipping included.

Windsor for the Derby/ Against Love Tour EP
unreleased and prereleased material. listed as an ep but more a full length, nearly 45 minutes. custom art by Jason McNeely.

Dan Matz/ Lifted
Full Length. Dan covers an eclectic mix of some of his favorite songs. (Van Zandt, Young, Gore, Erickson, and more) Cover designed by Anna Neighbor.

Dan Matz/ Nix Nix Nix Night
One track, 50+ minutes of drone and song. Originally premiered on Free103.9. Custom art by Dan Matz.

email dnmtz AT hotmail DOT com(replace capitalized letters with appropriate symbol and remove spaces) if you're interested.


You can download the recent tour ep Against Love Demo in its entirety in mp3 format here.

Also, there are some nice youtube concert videos, which can be found here.

Summer 2009


WftD are touring Europe, see the dates here!

Winter 2009

recording now for full length to release in early summer...touring should follow...also look for Dan Matz solo project and a Silver Ages limited 12" on St. Ives this summer...more soon...

Summer 2008

Tour Dates!
WFTD will be performing in France, Spain, Lebanon, the USA and Canada in August, more info here.

How We Lost is out now! You can order it from Secretly Canadian here. The LP includes a coupon for a free digital download of the album.

Here is the press release from Secretly Canadian:

How We Lost CD / LP (SC141, released: 05/20/08)

Windsor For The Derby spent the last year and a half writing and recording the "How We Lost" record. Holed up for days on end in their Philadelphia studio, they recorded and re-recorded obsessively until every sound was exactly where they wanted it. Gear broke, hard drives crashed, gear broke again, and nervous breakdowns ensued. It seemed at times that this record would never be completed but the band persevered just as they have managed to do for the past dozen or so years, as the music industry fluxed around it.

Despite the connotation of its title, "How We Lost" is a celebratory album. It's a reflective record and, in its own way, celebrates the WFTD continuum that's been created from their first release (Calm Hades Float, 1996) to their last (Giving Up the Ghost, 2005). Each of these recordings is a sequel to the next both in narrative and musically and as the band's first two records (Calm Hades Float and Minnie Greutzfeldt) were re-released last year they found themselves in constant dialogue about their body of work and the paths they'd chosen. Also a part of that ongoing dialogue were the records that the band finds itself consistently re-visiting (Swell Maps, Section 25, Psychic TV and much of the Factory Records catalog) and what makes those recordings timeless and resonate in a personal way with the band. The songs on "How We Lost" are reflections of those records and those conversations. It's about the band and the ways the band has changed over the years, the things they hold onto and what's been left behind.

SONG LIST:
Let Go
Maladies
Robin Robinette
Fallen Off The Earth
Hold On
Forgotten
Troubles
What We Want
Good Things
Spirit Fade



Also, a new recording has been added to the Sounds page, a 54-minute piece by Dan Matz entitled "Nix Nix Night" which played on The Somnambutone in November. Enjoy!


Summer 2007

Oh, thee, stifling heat. Well, it finds us finally finally wrapping up the mixing on "How We Lost" which is due for release in the Spring of 2008. We'll be going on the road in support as well so check for more updates upon release. Due in the meantime will be an ep (limited vinyl/ digital release) in the Winter. At least a track from How We Lost, a 13th Floor Elevators cover (Dust) and some of Jason's excellent ambient work will be included.

We're looking for folks to put together some video pieces to accompany the new record. If you're interested we'd love to see some of your work and try to put something together. It's always great to work with like-minded folks.

Gianmarco Cilli, Justin Luke and I just returned from the excellent Campfire Sounds Festival in the Catskills. We had a great time accompanying one another and hope to continue this project. It allows me to dig us some older WFTD and solo material as well as play on Justin's Black Branches and Gianmarco's beautiful songs. Oh, and check out the Dust Dive who were especially mind-blowing with their late night campfire set.

The Silver Ages are going full force and the repertoire is growing. Charlie hopes to get some very limited edition vinyl out soon.

In the meantime go out and buy the new MIA album and enjoy the summer. We'll be down at Brandywine Creek as much as possible just trying to cool off.

-Dan


Spring 2007

Spring finds us still working on the upcoming "How We Lost" LP. We're immersed but can see the light. Some tracks are presently at Dan Burton's Grotto Studio and others will soon find their way there to be mixed by his tender self.

In other news: I (Dan Matz) have contributed to the Future Conditional recording "We Don't Just Disappear." Check our friends list below for more details on that release, the brainchild of Piano Magic's Glen Johnson. The full length is out April 2nd. I've also contributed to Talitres records 5th anniversary disc "Talitres is 5" with "We Can't Live This Way Anymore." Also see our friends list for more details.

Jason's back in his paradisaical Austin, Texas but fret not we've lived far apart more than together- much more and we're still a big happy family. He's staying quite busy with a number of projects.

Gianmarco Cilli's bound to wrap up his solo release soon. Once I quit collaborating and doing his solo stuff, that is. He's got a few songs on his page that can be found on our friends list as well.

Drummer Charlie Hall has been working with the wonderful War On Drugs as of late (again, yes, see the friends list). Charlie is also busy as the director of the yet unnamed choral group that we've all been a part of lately. He's managed to persuade upwards of 14 of us to get together and sing some amazing material. Most of it is very traditional but there's some Randy Newman in the mix as well.

Oh, and less we forget, WFTD are also featured in a new cookbook. Yes, cookbook. It's called "I Like Food, It Tastes Good" and if you've read this far you know where can find more info.

Last but never ever least, longtime collaborator Anna Neighbor has taken a break from rock and roll to focus on her photography. You can check that out at www.annaneighbor.com.

Thanks, as always, for listening.

Dan, WFTD


Fall 2006

Reissues for Calm Hades Float and Minnie Greutzfeldt are now available from Secretly Canadian. Both feature re-tooled artwork, newly unearthed bonus material and the long-lost Metropolitan Then Poland EP.

New family members!
WFTD and pals have been celebrating the arrival of Ruth Neighbor (daughter of Dan and Anna) and Miles Hall (son of Charlie and Anne)!!!

WFTD are featured on the soundtrack for Sofia Coppola's film "Marie Antoinette". We are also in the final stages of recording for the forthcoming LP tentatively titled "How We Lost." The record should be released in spring 07.

Spring 2006

WFTD will be featured on the score for Sofia Coppola's upcoming film "Marie Antoinette" to be released in the Fall. We are also in the final stages of recording for the forthcoming LP tentatively titled "How We Lost." Mixing should begin soon and wrap up in late spring.

New WFTD and related material can be heard on:

Montreal's Emoragei "Je T' Aime" Compilation features a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Highway Kind" performed by WFTD. The comp also features a stellar heaven 17 cover by Mark Robinson. It's limited to 1000 and sure to sell out quickly.

Dan Matz has a song on the fantastic Amish Records comp "And to the Disciples That Remain..." The track's called "Being Not Becoming." The comp also has a track by Oakley Hall who happen to have WFTD's 1st drummer (of 11), Greg "Popcorn" Anderson. You can find it at amishrecords.com.


January 2006

Happy New Year!
Good news from Windsor for the Derby, "we're now recording a new record, "how we lost" at our philadelphia home.....watch out, we may be harking back to our past...speaking of which, reissues for "calm hades float," "minnie greutzfeldt," and "metropolitan then poland" are due in the spring with some fun time bonus material..."

There are some new additions to the Sounds page; the complete The Emotional Rescue LP is available for download in mp3 format, and also videos for 'Awkwardness' and 'Empathy for People Unknown' in quicktime format.

There is a Windsor for the Derby myspace now, check it out.

October 2005

The new single is out now, you can order it from Secretly Canadian.

You can now get Windsor for the Derby t-shirts at the Secretly Canadian shop.


September 2005

From Secretly Canadian:

WINDSOR FOR THE DERBY COLLABORATE WITH ODD NOSDAM*
Coming off of a successful road trip through Canada and Northeast United Sates with Early Day Miners, Windsor For the Derby will be playing CMJ this year as they take part in the Secretly Canadian / Monitor Showcase at Scenic located on 25 Ave B (between 2nd and 3rd). More importantly, WFTD and ODD NOSDAM have teamed up for a remix of "Empathy For People Unknown" from last month's Giving Up The Ghost. The B-side features Windsor's take on the epic Swell Maps tune "Gunboats". Look for the 12" in late October.
Press Release

*Read about Odd Nosdam here & here.

There is a new set of photos in the gallery from the September 9 show in Philadelpia.


August 2005

The tour with Early Day Miners is in now under way. If anyone is photographing the band, email me some pics and I will post them in the gallery. Also I would love to post some reviews, so share your thoughts!

Windsor for the Derby are looking for live recordings, from past and present, for a project they're working on. Anyone who can contribute, get in touch for more information.

The new album Giving Up the Ghost is out now!


July 2005

SEND CONCERT REVIEWS! After seeing Windsor for the Derby in concert, email me your thoughts and I'll post them in the reviews.

The new 5-song CD-EP Confianza/Visiones is now available from Acuarela Discos.

Secretly Canadian is releasing a 12" single on October 11 featuring "Empathy for People Unknown"(re-mix by Odd Nosdam) / "Gunboats".


June 2005

According to Secretly Canadian, Windsor for the Derby's next album Giving Up the Ghost (artwork and tracklisting now available) will be released on August 16! They had this to say about it, "WINDSOR FOR THE DERBY have recorded a real gem of an album with a playfully, haunting cover painting to boot." For more info, read their press release.


May 2005

Some summer concert dates have been announced!


March 2005

RECENTLY RELOCATED AND RECORDING
WFTD has recently moved to the city of brotherly love and assembled a new line-up. And to honor all the new changes, the band has begun work on a new full-length to be home recorded and mixed by the deft hands of Mr. Daniel Burton...tentatively titled "Giving Up the Ghost". WFTD have also begun scheduling a summer tour, with Early Day Miners, to support the new full-length, check the Secretly Canadian Tour Page for further updates.(source: Secretly Canadian)


December 2004

A Sounds page has been added with some free mp3s, Merry Christmas!


November 2004

A couple shows have been scheduled for December.

ACUARELA EP IN THE WORKS
WFTD has been invited by the distinguished Spanish label, Acuarela, to do an exclusive Leslie EP. Tentatively titled Visiones/Confianza, the rough mixes of this already promise to be the jam that keeps us warm all winter.(source: Secretly Canadian)


September 2004

A couple shows have been announced for October and November.

This site went live September 2004, in celebration of the August release of We Fight Til Death on Secretly Canadian. I hope to keep up-to-date information on this excellent band, any help from readers will be much appreciated.