The Full Story
About
Born in 1971 Middlesbrough, UK, Richard Self has been making music for over 25 years. From bands such as Don’t Die Foolish, Runciter and BFCB, where Richard was employed as singer, guitarist, songwriter, to his own solo work where he had full creative control. Operating in the medium of guitar and electronic music Richard has forged a sound that, whilst reminiscent of others, from Depeche Mode to New Order, from Editors to Soulwax with everything in between, is entirely his own. Richard has released 6 solo albums and 3 solo EPs since 2004.
Richards latest project, Lives of the Ignorant, began as an idea in 2015. The plan was to tell a multi album spanning narrative about the life of a secret agent. Completed in 2020 Lives of the Ignorant part 1 tells the story of a man recruited into the Swedish Secret Service, his training, his missions, his inevitable mental breakdown. Part 1 culminates with the agent being offered a job in the Intergalactic secret service and him leaving the Earth.
Lives of the Ignorant Part 2 was completed in released in 2022. The story picks up 8 years after the end of Part 1 and follows Agent 701s story as he falls in love, looses everything, seeks revenge and meets with ancient God with powers far beyond his own understanding. With critics describing Lives of Ignorant Part 2 as “filled with performances that genuinely rise to the challenge & a set of captivating songs that provoke our emotions as much as they move our hearts & minds” (SleepingBagStudios), also “like a solar system consisted of 12 completely different worlds. Richard Self knows that people grow old the moment they stop playing and so he chooses to remain young forever.” (the Music Sanctum) and “Throughout “Lives of the Ignorant – Part 2,” there is a profound sense of creativity, intimacy, and genius at work.” (Jaw Dropping Radio).
