The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess and Flare Audio have launched a pair of earbuds to help raise money for UK charity Music Venue Trust.
The release of TLP1, named after the singer’s popular Twitter listening parties, has been created to fund independent UK music venues, with £5 from every pair going to the music charity. And if helping to keep live music alive wasn't incentive enough, 50 random orders placed during the launch week will come with a signed card from Burgess, while a further 100 will receive bonus swag.
The special edition headphones come in anodised purple aluminium with an enamel detail featuring the blonde bobbed Mancunian at the cable Y-split.
West Sussex-based Flare Audio says that the TLP1 wired earbuds deliver “high-end sound” for the modest price of £39.99 and will be available to order from 10am on Friday 26th March, with shipping beginning from 5th April.
Speaking about the headphones, Burgess said: “A while back, I was sent some amazing earphones by the lovely people at Flare - they were big fans of the listening parties, and we got talking.
"The talk turned into a plan, and the plan became an amazing set of listening party earphones that Flare will now be making, and together we’ll be raising money for Music Venue Trust.”
The announcement coincides with Burgess’ appointment as a patron of Music Venue Trust. The charity has raised over £3.8 million for the live music industry since launching its #SaveOurVenues effort in April 2020, when the Coronavirus pandemic put 400 grassroots venues in the UK at risk of permanent closure.
Burgess is a natural choice for the post as an active supporter and advocate of independent venues and record stores, even stepping up to help take on struggling Manchester venues Gorilla and The Deaf Institute.
His Twitter listening parties, where people concurrently listen to the same album while he, the artist and anyone else can tweet along, have been a phenomena of the last 12 months, with over 700 of the events taking place so far, including artists like Iron Maiden, Paul McCartney, New Order, The Smiths and Pulp. Late to the party? All of them are available for replay here.
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