Amy Winehouse - Pumps / Help Yourself | urban

Amy Winehouse - Pumps / Help Yourself

Ivor Novello award winner Amy Winehouse, whose universally acclaimed debut album "Frank" has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK, has her new double-A sided single "Pumps/Help Yourself" released on August 23rd through Island Records.

The Ivor Novello award (Best Contemporary Song - "Stronger Than Me"), caps an amazing year for Winehouse following her double Brit nomination, sell-out UK tour, and Glastonbury and Billie Holiday Tribute appearances amongst others.

Both tracks are taken from "Frank" and since the album's release in October 2003, Amy's fearless, savagely witty lyrics, colossal voice and uncompromising attitude have established her as one of the most exciting and original new talents to emerge in British music in years.

"Pumps/Help Yourself" will be available on CD and 12inch. The tracklisting for the CD is as follows 1. "Pumps" 2. "Help Yourself" 3. "(There Is) No Greater Love" (Live AOL session) while the 12inch format will feature MJ Cole and Mylo mixes of "Pumps" as well as the album version.

Born and raised in North London, Amy spent her teenage years locked in her bedroom, ears glued to classic song chord changes. She got her first guitar at 13. Her Brooklyn born, London raised mum was into folk and Amy counted Carole King and James Taylor as early influences but soon found herself drawn more to her dad's jazzier taste, the likes of Sarah Vaughn and Dinah Washington.

Amy's grandmother's fondness for Frank Sinatra was also an early influence. Amy enrolled at the Sylvia Young stage school in North London, but was later expelled for 'not applying herself' and wearing a nose piercing.

By the time she was 16, Amy was spending her mornings appearing with a Youth Jazz Orchestra, while at the same time, developing a broader musical education, with favourites that included Mos Def, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Erykah Badu. Gradually, subconsciously, the smoking grooves, jazz enunciation and feisty attitude were coming together to form Amy's own thing. With word around town about Amy's unique abilities getting louder she found herself a management company and started to work with producers. Island Records got to hear the works in progress and swiftly signed her to the label.

"The precocious talent of Amy Winehouse shines like a sun-bleached tusk." Guardian Guide

"Dirty, flirty, funny, sarcastic, abusive, self-lacerating, heartbreaking and extraordinarily worldly-wise." - Daily Telegraph

Amy Winehouse - Pumps / Help Yourself

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