Alberts Basement presents Rentboy 'King of Knives'
Before his current project Secret Valley, Dan Cross' primary song writing vehicle was
Rentboy. Rentboy existed from 1996-2009, primarily based in Hobart, Tasmania.
Dan has played varying roles in groups such as 50 Million Clowns, The Gentlemen, Avoidable Droid, End Show, Kind Winds, Karen Carpenter, Cross Brothers, Midnight Caller and others.
Rentboy was sometimes solo and also a band as well, featuring Patrick Cross (Midnight Caller) and Ben Crothers (End Show) whose label Consumer Productions released released the seminal 'clocktower' album way back in 2000.
The second album ever made by Rentboy was back in '97.
'King of Knives' was conceived as a concept album in that the material was to be dark and fairly autobiographical. The lyrics have the psychodrama of a crudely scrawled diary entry.
Grey guitars, echoed voices, occasional samples and peppered feedback provide the background. The 4-track recording uses every aspect of that medium to a sharp and playful purpose.
Copies were made and released by Consumer Productions in 1997 but most were lost in transit in Melbourne. Then during a 'bad afternoon' Dan smashed the master tape, feeling he had gone somewhat too far. His friend Julian Percy had been told to destroy his copy but didn't, which allowed Consumer Productions to release a CD-R version several years later in 2004 re-mastered by Ben Crothers.
Alberts Basement are proud to release a brand new limited edition cassette run of the 'King of Knives' cassette, with full colour artwork and complete lyrics.
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