FEATURE: Taylor Swift and the Social Media Blackout Phenomenon

FEATURE: 

 PHOTO CREDIT: EPA/Justin Lane

Taylor Swift and the Social Media Blackout Phenomenon

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IT seems, as we have been hearing in music news, Taylor Swift…

is, most definitely, up to something. There has been buzz, speculation and conspiracy given the fact she blacked her social media pages out. It might be the case, before this even goes out, she has announced a new record. It seems there is a trend for artists making a grand statement when releasing new material. Well, actually, it is not quite THIS big but the art of promotion and build-up is becoming more of an event. Radiohead – always the promotional pioneers – started a bit of a revolt with their pay-as-you-like strategy when In Rainbows was released in 2007. Last year, for A Moon Shaped Pool, they took down their online portfolios and channels – casting a black curtain and confusing fans. It was a moment of excitement that strayed from the rather predictable modern promotional strategy. Taylor Swift, one assumes, is doing ‘a Radiohead’ when it comes to her latest album. The Oxford band, when announcing A Moon Shaped Pool, were back in action pretty soon and, before you knew it, the first single, Burn the Witch, was before us. There is a danger, before I hit ‘Publish’, the announcement has been made. One presumes Swift is teasing material – if the social media blackout was an error then it makes this piece rather redundant.

She is a megastar that commands millions of dollars each year and has legions of adoring fans around the world. She could, easily, sit back and release an album in a more conventional sense. Nowadays, one releases a statement or vague announcement. There might be cryptic messages and little concepts – Arcade Fire invented their own (fake) corporation/business when promoting their latest, Everything Now – or something original. Then, the singles arrive one-by-one. Often, one might have heard four or five songs before an album is released. In a competitive market – where streaming and electronic distraction channels are replacing retail – artists have to think of ways to adapt and conquer that dynamic. In a bid to send statements and show distinction: even those as big and famous as Taylor Swift is shutting off the spotlight – leaving the audience in anticipation. Whether an album arrives by the end of the week – one would assume so – it is interesting to see what form the material takes. It might not a surprise of epic proportions but, perhaps, it is a big single or something else. Who knows what it could be - but I am curious why there is the need to create such a sense of theatre and drama! There is something operatic and definitive about blacking out your social media channels. Yesterday, when talking about the twentieth anniversary of Oasis’ Be Here Now; I was filled with nostalgia recollecting the queues that formed around its release.

That was at a time when we still went and bought physical albums. It may seem like I am an old man wishing things were like they were back in the ‘good old days’ - what I mean is; the quality of an album could bring people out in droves! There was no need for hype and endless promotion. There are albums, in this day and age, that get big reactions but music is relying more and more on extravagant and overly-precise promotional campaigns. Every band or artists have a single release schedule: making sure they are introduced to the world at specific times: launched at the perfect time to gain maximum impact. It is clear something is happening in Taylor Swift’s camp but it will be interesting how this will manifest itself. It seems Timeless – a single, by the sounds of it – will be released. Maybe that is the title of an album but, as Vox explained; there have been other developments and theories abound:

“…then, yesterday, she posted a grainy video of a snake on every account she owned. Rumors flew that she was planning to make an announcement at 2 pm Eastern, just as the solar eclipse was reaching its peak in New York, in what would have been the ultimate power move.

The eclipse came and went without an official announcement from Swift, but a page didappear on Genius for a Swift single called “Timeless,” and timeless.com has been registered and is “coming soon.”

We’re still waiting for the official announcement. But right now would be the perfect time for a new Taylor Swift single, for a few reasons. Let’s break ‘em down.

It’s is the perfect way to build suspense for Sunday’s VMAs

MTV’s Video Music Awards are this Sunday, and while Swift isn’t technically on the roster, it’s widely rumored that she’ll be making a surprise appearance. It would be a very Swiftian move, if so. The VMAs were the site of Swift’s infamous 2009 encounter with Kanye West, which was the moment in which Swift was perhaps most thoroughly in control of her publicity narrative, and they’ll be hosted this year by Katy Perry, with whom Swift has a well-documented feud — all of which would mean headlines galore for Swift. By releasing a song now, Swift is in the perfect position to give it its live debut at the VMAs this weekend, summoning all the associated publicity that would come with it.

 If you’re planning to release an album in October, August is when you drop the first single

Historically, Taylor Swift has released a new album every two years in October. Following that pattern, she was scheduled to release a new album last fall, but she skipped a year. If she’s planning to return to her traditional schedule this year, she’ll need to release a new single about three months before she plans to release her album in order to build buzz — in other words, she needs to release new music in August.

It’s been just over a year since the #KimExposedTaylorParty

Last July, Kim Kardashian West released a series of videos online that appeared to demonstrate that Swift had signed off on Kanye West’s controversial “Famous” lyrics (“I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous”), despite Swift’s claims to the contrary”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kim Kardashian West

The Telegraph had other theories around the reptilian-video-tease and other possibilities:

“Others have suggested that the creature in the video isn't so much a snake but a dragon or a lizard. The pop culture science website Inverseconsulted six (!) different herpetologists for their analysis of what the video actually depicts, with all coming to the conclusion that it probably isn't a snake.

"That is not a snake, nor other reptile," Joseph Mendelson, Ph.D., director of research at Zoo Atlanta, told the site. "It actually changes the length of its body, which is what worms or octopus tentacles do. Snakes, even the couple of really odd ones out there, can't technically accomplish this."

“Others have suggested Swift may be planning a dragon-from-the-ashes video, something involving an octopus, or may just be a huge Game of Thrones fan. These suggestions makes sense, but they also aren't half as much fun to speculate about.

In further far-fetched speculation, it has also been claimed that Swift may have deliberately coincided the release of her new single with this week's solar eclipse as a reference to "shadow bands" – thin streaks of light which appear to shimmer on the ground ahead of and in the wake of an eclipse. These "shadow bands" are also known more colloquially as (dun dun dun) "shadow snakes".

She might be planning a collaboration with Katy Perry

There have also been rumours that Swift will perform her new single live at this Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, though that has not been confirmed. An interesting aside to that bit of speculation is that the ceremony is being hosted this year by Perry's one-time arch nemesis Katy Perry.

Perry will also be performing her single Swish Swish, a diss track written in response to Swift's Katy Perry diss track Bad Blood.

The fact that both women will be in the same venue has also led to speculation that the pair might bury the hatchet and perform together, particularly after Perry has expressed her wish to put aside their feud in recent months. However, she has denied that they have a collaboration in the works.

"Listen, I'd love for the beef to end, take it off the barbecue," Perry told SiriusXM's radio show The Morning Mash Up yesterday. "I'm down, but I haven't heard anything of it."

That is a lot of spice, flavour and additions to the overflowing rumour-cauldron! Katy Perry has claimed not to be in conversation with Swift so, is that a deflection and bluff?! The Pop market lacks a certain excitement and originality so, when it comes to releasing new material, is the event and build-up more memorable than the actual song?! The song will be called Timeless, it seems. Snakes/snake will be part of the dynamic/video and, given the rumours around Katy Perry - it seems two Pop superstars will join forces. Maybe the song will be a summer-defining epic but, it seems, it is not going to depart too much from Swift’s previous material. Her schedule regarding releasing albums every two years suggests, whatever arrives, will be the start of a new album, one suspects.

IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry/PHOTO CREDIT: #StevenKline 

Maybe the snake represents a slimy ex-boyfriend. Relationships and empowerment are going to be important factors in the song – maybe they are merely red herrings. All of this chatter and brew has done what the label and management intended: get the millions interested and build up that immense sense of anticipation. Even people like me – not a huge fan of Swift but an admirer of how she conducts herself – are intrigued by campaigns that differ from your usual strategy. I mentioned how, back in the 1990s, there was a more standardised and low-level campaign. Singles would have been released but few artists would spend so much time and energy creating cryptic messages and teasing videos. Maybe we have reached an age where the spectacle and allure take precedence over the actual music. I am fascinated by the sensation of the social media blackout and why artists do it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Barlow

When Radiohead silenced their channels; many assumed it was them disconnecting from fans and getting away from the chatter. When the lights were brought back up; new music arrived and, in a strange way, it seems like a much bigger thing. We had been plunged into confusion and many had gone into panic-mode. That sense of relief seeing music arrive created a more intense and visceral reaction than if the band had done it in a straightforward and unimaginative way. Radiohead have always been pioneers and keen to do things differently. Taylor Swift is, perhaps, a less innovative songwriter but is part of a culture that understands the power and importance of social media. That blackout, like Radiohead, saw the Internet go into a tailspin. The rumours were fulminant and it has, for better or worse, seen fans chatter and share their opinions.

We are piecing things together and guessing when a song might arrive. She could have, three years after 1989 – got my two-year theory wrong! – have released an album like everyone else - but her celebrity and cachet has grown to such gargantuan heights; that could never be. It has been a little while and there has not been a mass of material from her lately. Bad Blood (featuring Kendrick Lamar) was released two years ago, is one of the most-viewed videos ever and has been seen over one-billion times. One suspects, if the ‘snake teaser’ were on YouTube; it would get the same amount of views given enough time. One of the reasons Swift has decided to do this blackout is to get the tension and sheer explosion of fascinating to its fever-pitch best. If she had done what, say, Lorde had done and released her album after a run of singles – with a comparative lack of circus – would that be fitting for a mega-famous artist under constant scrutiny?!

It would be have been a risky strategy going for the single-teaser-single-photo-single-album configuration three years after a huge-selling record. There is a timeliness about a possible single/album release. Recently, Swift won $1 (a symbolic amount) off of former D.J., David Mueller, who assaulted her by groping. Swift, after the photoshoot with Mueller and his girlfriend, has said ‘thank you’ and blown off the assault. She won the case and has had to deal with something traumatic and deeply upsetting. Not that new music is a way of profiteering from a high-profile court case but one feels that blackout was a reaction to the tension and furore around her name – she could not simply do something casual and minor. She is a fired-up woman right now and wants to make a statement. There is a sense of calculation throughout everything that suggests she is constantly being guided and advised. Artists as big as her cannot release an album when they want and decide which singles to bring out – choosing their own promotion techniques and choosing their level of involvement.

Not that Swift is consorting with evil spirits: she is a successful businesswoman and performer and is not going to be controlled. It will be interesting seeing the results of all this cloak-and-dagger, smoke-and-mirror stuff. It is interesting seeing how meticulous and grand a promotional campaign can be these days. Smaller artists do not have the status and reputation to be able to do this – very few can take down all their social media sites and have people stick with them. That complete blackout could backfire but, for someone like Swift, it is has been planned and discussed to ensure it is the very best way to promote her new music. Timeless, it appears, will be that music and, whether a single or album, is creating so much talk and rumour - right across international media. On Friday (perhaps); we will get to see what all the build-up is about and, with it, one of the most talked-about and hyped-up music promotional campaigns…

OF this decade.

FEATURE: Be Here Now at Twenty

FEATURE:

 Be Here Now at Twenty

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THE twentieth anniversary of Oasis’ Be Here Now has provoked a lot…

of discussion and division. I shall come to the album’s qualities/negativities – and the people who are all having their say – but, in 1997, there was a huge amount of attention on Oasis. In the Britpop battle with Blur: advantage had switched to the Manchester band – Oasis’ What’s the Story (Morning Glory?) toppling The Great Escape in 1995 – and they were, in their own words, immortal gods. That braggadocio and confidence was typically cocky but deserved. Having produced two of the 1990s’ best albums: many would forgive them for thinking they were indestructible. The band seemed to articulate a sense of freedom, togetherness and revelation – songs that connected with people and articulated a sense of hope. Oasis’ first two albums – their debut, Definitely Maybe, certainty – was chocked full of anthems and era-defining songs. A working-class band from Manchester able to bring the people together – it sparked the fire of Britpop but, more importantly, introduced the world to one of the greatest bands of the past couple of generations. Before providing my thoughts and why Be Here Now’s release was a historic milestone - a look back at the record’s release and themes. Oasis’ management, Ignition, knowing how well-received their previous albums had been - were concerned about the level of attention Be Here Now might receive – wanting the media to tone things down and keep the promotion to a minimum.

Almost stealth-like: the company wanted minimal airplay and a calmer sense of proportion. Naturally, this backfired spectacularly and, maybe consciously, created hype and speculation. Sensing something monumental was about to arrive; radio stations, fans and publications were heavy with rumour and fascination. This sense of what-if created more momentum and attention than if the band had promoted the album in conventional ways.  The album sold 424,000 copies on the first day of release alone – becoming the fastest-selling album in British chart history. The album’s creation was marred by drug abuse and arguments and, as Noel Gallagher revealed to Kirsty Young during his Desert Island Discs appearance (2015) – they had recorded three albums in as many years and all of it was recorded under the influence (Liam and Noel the biggest partakers). Typical of the band: the previous year was filled with over-confident proclamations and successes.

Noel Gallagher was invited to 10 Downing Street – he revealed, in the same Desert Island Disc interview, it helped usher Labour into government – and the celebrity status the band were afforded, as you’d expect, went to their head. That belief that they were God-like figures, coupled with drug use, was never going to result in a modest and focused album. So proved to be the case because, the winter before its release, Noel Gallagher revealed he was suffering writer’s block.  Most of the songs on Be Here Now, lyrics at least, were taken from before the time Oasis got a record deal. Gallagher was idling and thinking; looking for something that could match the magic of What’s the Story (Morning Glory?).

PHOTO CREDIT: Jill Furmanovsky

Joining album-producer Owen Morris; the two laid down eight-track demos on a TASCAM recorder – drum machine and keyboards for the most part. Morris, looking back at those demos (recorded in Mustique) realised he had made a mistake. Rather than use the demos – Noel’s bass, guitar and percussion notes – they went with the album sessions. The album, as a result, was bloated and overblown but, as explained, I shall come to that later. Having performed two concerts at Knebworth House in August 1996; there was a creative and confidence high that got to them in a good way. Of course, with that much love behind them, they would feel pumped and eager to release new material. Perhaps the pressure and demand meant Be Here Now was rushed. Exploits away from the studio were impacting the strength of Oasis’ bond. Liam was going further off the rails and, aside from taking jabs at Noel, was partying and getting into scrapes. There was tension and the belief Liam would leave the band – I think Noel wanted him out as he was bringing the wrong kind of attention the way of Oasis. There was a consensus that, if the band has recorded the album in summer 1996 – at the villa in Mustique when the songs were laid down in rough form – then that would have been a happier and more focused environment. Maybe wait a year and let the pressure settle but, like The Beatles in the 1960s; that enormous need for something new forced them into a bad decision.

Many saw those villa recordings and the pre-Knebworth House period as the last hurray for the band. Those epochal concerts were career-high moments that started a decline. The anthem nature of their previous two albums was all in place. Whereas records like Definitely Maybe were energised; there was tightness: songs not really going on too long but able to convey so much in that time. Be Here Now was Elvis in his final days: bloated, troubled and lacking any control. The cocaine-fuelled – perhaps literally and sonically – meant tracks ran on and on without much reason. Some cuts repeated lines inanely whilst endless guitar solos and layers gave it a full-on and suffocating feel. D’You Know What I Mean and All Around the World drag and bore; My Big Mouth employs over thirty layers of guitars.  Lots of top-end frequency tones and experimentations – a little more freewheelin’ and indulgent than previous albums. The compelling sing-along that defined earlier breakthroughs like Live Forever was replaced with sub-pub-anthem-chorusing that seemed to indicate there were few in the ranks that had the courage to question Noel.

PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Double Photography

Maybe there was too much rush, tensions and distraction. Whatever the truth from within camp: Be Here Now was released to the world on 21st August, 1997 and was, by all accounts, a phenomenon. The album itself can be split between those diehard fans and those experiencing the band for the first time. From my perspective; Be Here Now is a confident record but one that fails to capture the same quality and focus as their first two. The band was keen to try something new – in terms of sounds – and keep that lyrical simplicity intact. They did this but, fuelled by pressure and growing fame, their sense of economy abandoned them. Noel Gallagher freely admits there should have been judicious edits and greater self-awareness. Maybe, cropping a few of the longer songs would have been beneficial – some songs merely repeat guitar lines and aimlessly find Liam repeating the same codas/words with zero resonance.  

The band had shown, on songs like Champagne Supernova, they could do something long and explorative without losing interest. That song ends What’s the Story (Morning Glory?) and is a classic Oasis anthem. Songs like that, Wonderwall and Live Forever should have acted as guidelines in regards quality, running time and themes. Circumstances had changed so it was understandable Noel Gallagher would not be at the same standard he was on the previous two records. He had, as he confessed, said everything he wanted and was going through a dry-spell – making things up when formulating the songs for Be Here Now. I love Stand By Me and, whilst it is a long song, it has an effective and memorable chorus that seems to reflect the finest points of What’s the Story (Morning Glory?). All Around the World has a big chorus but suffers from excess and over-long running-time.

PHOTO CREDIT: Stefan De Batselier 

There are a few fillers but, take it on its own merits, and it is a classic three-star album: not a disaster but hardly a modern-classic. Compare it to Oasis albums to that point and it can only be viewed as a failure/missed opportunity. Unfortunately, given the hype and expectations of the time, critics listened to it with blinkers and rose-tinted glasses. The same way they had done two years previous with Blur’s The Great Escape: there was the assumption, without listening, the album would be as good as their previous best. The mass positive reviews were generated as a reaction to the huge speculation and build-up Be Here Now received. When the festival has died down, and there was relative quiet, more realistic and considered reviews were generated. Some remained positive others retracted previous praise and provided a more constructive criticism. The change in cultural dialectic between Oasis’ Britpop-period and their distancing from the common man was lost in translation. Ego and enormous self-belief had stripped away the qualities that made the band such heroes.

the real reason I wanted to celebrate Be Here Now’s twentieth anniversary was to reminiscence and reflect on a time when a single album created such a buzz. Today, I have seen articles talk about the album and interview those who were queuing to snap it up twenty years ago. Being a Blur fan; I wasn’t among the thousands that lined the streets to grab a copy when shops opened on that exciting day. Maybe the quality of the album meant a lot of the prominence and prestige its release accosted made the reviews a little unreliable and one-sided. There was a huge wave of excitement one got swept up in. Reading a fascinating article from The Quietus (from last year); it was argued Be Here Now had some clear qualities:

“While critics often cite the chorus as an exemplar of the vacuity of the album, they tend to ignore the different rendering of it the second time through, which reveals its true purpose (the "All my people right here right now/D'you know what I mean?/Yeah, yeah" of the first reading goes from opaque to transparent when the "D'you" is replaced with a "they" for the second run through). The final lines achieve the near miracle of dragging some sort of unifying and relatable lessons from the personal pain of the past, the song turning an image that may in itself be an echo of that abuse when exhorting listeners to "Get up off the floor and believe in life/No-one's ever gonna ever ask you twice". To be able to take something universal and uplifting from that kind of experience is an achievement deserving of the highest respect”.

It is worth reading the remainder of the piece as it does give a new spin – that seems to contradict and challenge the retrospective reassessment the album has received. It was amazing seeing the news the day the album came out. People excitedly packed into shops and chatting in queues. There was a community and spirit in the air we have not really felt since. Yes, there have been big albums that saw huge queues – nothing gathered the same momentum and attention as Be Here Now. It was Oasis’ Beatles-moment – the retail equivalent of Knebworth, if you will.

If the album was not quite deserving of the immense sales; it was wondering seeing people come together - and music meaning that much to others. The digital revolution means we will never again see that same sort of thing happen on the streets of Britain. Our pavements are becoming synonymous with danger and protest: the simple joy of camping out for a long-awaited record seems a distant memory, sadly, we cannot recapture. I feel Be Here Now’s release, for all its warts and faults, marked a wonderful time when the art of buying music was at a rare peak. There is an anhedonia when purchasing music today – if, indeed, you actually do buy something. Gone are the days when a single record could bring together the masses. We are more concerned with streaming and seeing if we can get something for free on Spotify. It is an inevitable evolution but one I am not happy about. Oasis, twenty years ago, did something extraordinary. The controversy and ambiguity of the build-up; the ferocious excitement of the release – the deflating, if slightly funny, bump to Earth. It was a turbulent and wonderfully exciting thing to behold. I have been listening to Be Here Now for a few hours and am appreciating things I missed. I can appreciate the confidence of the band and the sheer dramatic emotion of the movements – those extra-ultra-confident anthems and the layers of guitar. It is very different from anything Oasis attempted but is, by no means, their worst album. It marked a need to make a change and move on: compete with the end of Britpop and the embrace of American guitar music. However you assess it - and whatever you feel about it - one cannot ignore the fact Be Here Now changed the face of music…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jill Furmanovsky

IN so many ways.

FEATURE: The Peel Session: Celebrating the Legendary Tastemaker

FEATURE:

 

The Peel Session:

 Celebrating the Legendary Tastemaker

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I am not the biggest authority when it comes to John Peel but felt…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

it was only right acknowledging the master as his birthday approaches – 30th August would have been his seventy-eight birthday. It is a tragedy he is no longer with us – more on that later – but one has all those treasured memories and takeaways. Before I share my memories, and why he is such an important figure in music; an overview from Wikipedia:

“John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004.

He was one of the first broadcasters to play psychedelic rock and progressive rock records on British radio, and he is widely acknowledged for promoting artists working in various genres, including pop, reggae, indie pop, indie rock, alternative rock, punk, hardcore punk, breakcore, grindcore, death metal, British hip hop, electronic music, jungle and dance music. Fellow DJ Paul Gambaccini described Peel as "the most important man in music for about a dozen years". In 2012 he was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.[1]

Peel's Radio 1 shows were notable for the regular "Peel sessions", which usually consisted of four songs recorded by an artist live in the BBC's studios, and which often provided the first major national coverage to bands that would later achieve great fame. Another popular feature of his shows was the annual Festive Fifty countdown of his listeners' favourite records of the year.[2]

Peel appeared occasionally on British television as one of the presenters of Top of the Pops in the 1980s, and he provided voice-overcommentary for a number of BBC programmes. He became popular with the audience of BBC Radio 4 for his Home Truths programme, which ran from the 1990s, featuring unusual stories from listeners' domestic lives”

My first exposure to John Peel was hearing my favourite artists performing the famous Peel Sessions. The idea was an act would come in and perform four songs for Peel. It was a pre-recorded show that meant you could edit and remove any swearing – it might be a risk doing it today, considering some of the acts he had performing for him. I have fond memories of everyone from The Smiths to Jack White. One can get a complete rundown of The Peel Sessions here (there is a complete playlist at the bottom of the piece) and, if you want NME’s consideration of the ten best Sessions – one can glean them here. The reason I wanted to start with this side of his career was the fact those Sessions, not only produced some fine performances and legendary recordings but allowed Peel to connect with an artist. I have been listening to PJ Harvey on BBC Radio 6 Music and, during the feature; there was a snippet of her speaking with John Peel and her career to that point. Peel always came across as someone who did not mince his words but had an affectionate and tender side. That blend of characteristics brought the best from his guests and, in the comfort of the recording space, one experienced tremendous and one-of-a-kind performances.

During the thirty-seven-years Peel was at the BBC; there was in excess of four-thousand sessions recorded by over two-thousand artists. That is extraordinary and one can argue it spearheaded similar live sessions like BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge and, in fact, every other live session on national radio. Every D.J., in a sense, wants to carry on Peel’s legacy and the way he connected with artists. I will come to his tastemaking legacy but, to show what exceptional taste the man had, a feature regarding his appearance on Desert Island Discs. It is no surprise seeing such an eclectic selection but even less of one finding The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks spoken about in such revered tones.

That is, as we know, Peel’s favourite song and a big reason it has been passed down to new generations. I must admit, the first time I heard the song, maybe in the 1990s, and it opened up my eyes to The Undertones and singer Feargal Sharkey. The next song I heard from Sharkey, conversely, was his cover of A Good Heart – songs that look at very different aspects to love! It is amazing how we discover older and rare musicians through contemporary D.J.s. One of the big reasons John Peel leaves such a vacuum in music is because of his endless passion and curiosity regarding music. A piece in Evening Standard, five years ago, looked at how Peel’s archives and records were being made available to the public:

“Music fans will be able to rifle through the contents of John Peel's record collection as the late DJ's huge archive begins to be opened to the public from today.

The Radio 1 presenter - who died in 2004 - amassed a colossal treasure trove of vinyl during his four decades as a champion of new music.

His collection is now being placed online with details of 100 albums being added in alphabetical order each week over the coming months as part of a digital arts project.

At one stage there was talk of Peel's collection being saved for the nation to give the public access to his records through the National Sound Archive.

IN THIS PHOTO: Peel Acres

But now it will be opened up through an online project The Space, which is being launched by Arts Council England and the BBC.

The first batch of albums - with artists beginning with the letter A - was being placed online today.

The list begins with Mike Absalom, who has called Peel "the musical Maypole around which we all danced".

Creators of the site say it will allow visitors to browse through the records and the DJ's index cards as well as letting them view personal notes, home movies - including footage from his 50th birthday - and archive performances.

 Peel amassed more than 25,000 vinyl albums and 100 will be added weekly until October.

His widow, Sheila Ravenscroft, said: "We're very happy that we've finally found a way to make John's amazing collection available to his fans, as he would have wanted.

"This project is only the beginning of something very exciting."

Users of the site will see his collection includes releases by acts such as Philadelphia new wave band The A's and industrial electronic act AAAK.

The first batch of albums, for which Peel had typed out track listings to aid his cataloguing, also includes more mainstream selections. It features the first three albums by ABC - The Lexicon Of Love, Beauty Stab and How To Be A Zillionaire”.

There are features and programmes that have marked Peel’s death – and what his passing means to musicians and music-lovers alike – but every year we mark his life; there is a sadness, for sure. Whether marking his death or birthday, I feel there is endless currency when it comes to exploring Peel’s legacy. The reason I bring him up is because, in an age where so much of our music is digital and immune to promotion, his presence is needed more than ever. We have D.J.s and people promoting new songs but there are far less of it. So many of us discover music through sites like Spotify and YouTube. Social media plays a big part but the role of the D.J. is becoming less relevant.

IN THIS PHOTO: The White Stripes

The reason I listen to BBC Radio 6 Music is that they value the necessity to bring people the best new music on a one-on-one basis. They play the songs and talk about the artists: they do not provide links to Spotify and leave it there. One gets a very direct and passionate group of D.J.s bringing all the best sounds around. One of John Peel’s sons, Tom Ravenscroft, is a BBC Radio 6 Music D.J. and has the same hunger as his father – even if he hasn’t aged enough to have the same legacy. William, another son of Peel’s is a music journalist/broadcaster. Both seek out the best new talent around and have learned a lot from their father. Another radio titan, Terry Wogan, died a few years ago and was another incredible tastemaker.

He was considered, at one point, the most influential man in music and, on his BBC Radio 2 show, constantly had musicians perform for him. Both Wogan and Peel were both incredibly influential and have had an incredible effect on my generation. Another reason I miss John Peel is the way he pretty much broke The White Stripes in the U.K. It is no secret John Peel loved The White Stripes and it is debatable how many of us would have been aware of the American duo were it not for him. Afflicted by the quality and originality of their earliest recordings; he featured them on his show and had them play as part of his Peel Sessions. The duo was still in circulation when Peel died in 2004 but would have appreciated what he did for their careers. There is no telling how long it would have taken The White Stripes to be taken to heart in this country the way they were – it might never have happened, to be honest. They are not the only act that has Peel to thank for making them successful but they are the most famous.

John Peel left the world, as we know, in 2004 (aged sixty-five) and was on a working-holiday in Peru at the time. It was an immense shock and something we are still getting used to. Before I wrap this up; a little Wikipedia input regarding Peel’s legacy:

“Since his death various parties have recognised Peel's influence. A stage for new bands at the Glastonbury Festival, previously known as "The New Bands Tent" was renamed "The John Peel Stage" in 2005, while in 2008 Merseytravel announced they would be naming a train after him.[25]

The John Peel Centre for Creative Arts opened in Stowmarket in early 2013. The main purposes of the centre is to serve as a live venue for music and performance and as a community meeting point.[43][44]

In 2009 blue plaques bearing Peel's name were unveiled at two former recording studios in Rochdale – one at the site of Tractor Sound Studios in Heywood, the other at the site of Suite 16 Studios – to recognise Peel's contribution to the local music industry.[45]

 On 13 October 2005, the first "John Peel Day" was held to mark the anniversary of his last show. The BBC encouraged as many bands as possible to stage gigs on the 13th, and over 500 gigs took place in the UK and as far away as Canada and New Zealand, from bands ranging from Peel favourites New Order and The Fall, to many new and unsigned bands. A second John Peel day was held on 12 October 2006, and a third on 11 October 2007. The BBC had originally planned to hold a John Peel Day annually, but Radio 1 has not held any official commemoration of the event since 2007, though gigs still take place around the country to mark the anniversary.[46][47][48]

At the annual Gilles Peterson's World Wide Awards, the "John Peel Play More Jazz Award" was named in his honour.

In Peel's hometown of Heswall, a pub was opened in his honour. Named The Ravenscroft, the pub was converted from the old Heswall Cottage Hospital, Peel's birthplace.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Features

Several Peel-related compilation albums have been released since his death, including John Peel and Sheila: The Pig's Big 78s: A Beginner's Guide, a project Peel started with his wife that was left unfinished when he died, and Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel on the Radio (2009), a 4 CD box set. Rock music critic Peter Paphides said in a review of the box set that "[s]ome artists remain forever associated with him", including ...And the Native Hipsters with "There Goes Concorde Again", and Ivor Cutler with "Jam".[50] A sizable online community has also emerged dedicated to sharing recordings of his radio shows”.[51]

In ten days, we will mark the seventy-eighth birthday of a hugely influential figure. Nobody since his death has managed to exert the same impact on modern music. There are some important tastemakers around but none that will have the relevance and legacy as John Peel. The number of vinyl the man left the world – one can imagine it filling an entire house – speaks volumes about his voracious passion for music. We need to remember John Peel even more at a time when people are discovering new music through streaming sites. I am not sure what he would make of the digitalisation of music but I am sure he would still be acting and one of the champions and bastions of the physical release – getting artists to perform and scouring crates for rare vinyl. It is sad realising he has been dead for thirteen years but his importance and legacy will never diminish. When his birthday does come, I feel we should make an extra-special effort to celebrate and commemorate one of music’s…

TRUE giants.

FEATURE: Globetrotting (Part Two): Thirteen Artists to Watch

FEATURE:

 

Globetrotting (Part Two):  

IN THIS PHOTO: Tash Sultana/PHOTO CREDIT: @hellomikeamico  

Thirteen Artists to Watch

________

THE second part of my feature looks outside of London...

IN THIS PHOTO: YONAKA/PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Bronowski

well, for most of the acts – and recognises artists emerging from other parts of the planet. There are three more installments to come so, in this second segment, I take my sights to artists I feel will be making some impressive-sized waves in the coming months.

This list looks at some quality American acts with the finest of British; some treats out of Canada and France – a variety of sounds and treasures for the ears. There are a couple of Australian wonders and a real compendium of awesome music and intriguing personality.

Over the coming weeks, I will delve further into new music and collate the brightest and rarest music specimens around – those primed for big things as we creep longing towards 2018…

________

The Aces

Location: Utah, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Rock

Essential Song: Baby Who

Reasons to Watch: In June; the girls released their E.P., I Don’t Like Being Honest. They are playing in the U.S. right now but, on 27th September, they play Hoxton Square Bar & Grill and It will be a chance for the British crowds to see the band and what they are all about. The E.P. mixes 1980s-Pop and the sort of Pop/Indie of Haim and Shura. It is an intoxicating brew that is perfect for the summer weather – powerful enough to bring heat and good weather to the British crowds!

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/acesmusic/

The Wild Things

PHOTO CREDIT: Marcus Maschwitz

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Rock

Essential Song: F.I.A.

Reasons to Watch: One of the biggest regrets, musically, this year – aside from not punchy Ollie Murs when he passed by me in London one day - was when I missed The Wild Things play The Lexington recently – I was afflicted with a nasty cold so felt best not to spread it to them and large sections of London. They claim, the coolest line in a review (of theirs) was "Boiler suits and swaying hair move deliciously with slide guitar" – it is a pretty good line. The guys have news planned and it seems like something big will be going down before we close 2017. Led by siblings Syd and Cam; Rob and Pete amply provide oodles of grit, swagger and talent – they are a kinetic, eclectic and assured Rock band that is among London’s most promising.

Follow:  https://www.thewildthings.biz/

Pillow Queens

Location: Dublin, E.I.R.E.

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Essential Song: Rats

Reasons to Watch: Those who have seen the Irish band perform live – I am among them – can attest at how charming, loveable and explosive they are. They are one of the most passionate bands around but charm crowds with their between-songs banter. Calm Girls, their 2016-E.P., is a stunning three-track everyone should get involved with. This year has been a successful one that has seen the quartet play their first London gig – important steps and big successes are sure to follow.

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/pillowqueens/

Bishop Briggs

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative

Essential Song: The Way I Do

Reasons to Watch: There is something alluring and captivating about L.A. songwriter Bishop Briggs. The ponytailed hair and intense stare – a lyric forming there… - mixes with an incredible voice and songwriting gift that makes it hard to compare her with anyone else. Her eponymous E.P. (released this year) bursts with confidence, incredible passion and one of the strongest voices in modern music. She is a unique and captivating artist whose blend of quirky and loveable personality is almost as remarkable as her fresh and phenomenal music.

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/thatgirlbishop/

Sonia Stein

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Essential Song: One of Those Things

Reasons to Watch: I will be seeing Sonia Stein when she plays my night at #Blogtober (5th) in October. Before then, she is enjoying the love her E.P., One of Those Things, is receiving. Sixes & Sevens, the last of the singles from her E.P., has been unveiled and it seems like Stein has a busy few weeks ahead. There are gigs and promotional duties; I am sure she has plans for more music in 2017. There are few that have the same set of ingredients as Stein – one of those artists that can assimilate popular demands and integrate her own heartbeat and personality into the music. Her beauty and sensuality feed into the music and combines with vibrant and emotive compositions. There is plenty of movement, fizz and energy in her compositions. A musician and human that makes music for the people – even when the songs stem from her personal pages. Someone to watch very carefully.

Follow: http://soniastein.com/

Happy Hollows

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie-Rock

Essential Song: Feel the Moon

Reasons to Watch: The guys have just released the new single, Meteors, and are preparing for the album release party on 29th September. Concordia is a record you will want to get a hold of because, the songs the Los Angeles group have put out, are incredible. The Art-Rock duo is, as they admit, an unlikely match: two polar-opposites consisting Northern California’s Sarah Negahdari and graduate student/bassist Charlie Mahoney. They met when Negahdari was ready tarot cards at a strip mall (yep) and, since that peculiar meeting, have performed hundreds of shows to adoring crowds. They are better known in their native America but it cannot be long until they are a huge fixture in this country – and the rest of the world!

Follow:  http://www.happyhollows.net/

Tash Sultana

PHOTO CREDIT: Dara Munnis Photography

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Alternative

Essential Song: Murder to the Mind

Reasons to Watch: If you have not heard this Australian treasure; you owe yourself the pleasure of discovering her music. In an industry where there are few genuine originals: Tash Sultana is a magnificent artist whose mix of sounds and incredible voice puts her music directly into the brain. There is the same dexterity and eccentricity one notices in Nelly Furtado’s voice but that would sell Tash Sultana short – she has so many different sides and is a lot more accomplished as a musician and lyricist. She started with homemade videos and busking the streets. Now, the Melbourne resident is on the cusp of the big-time and has a series of international tour dates approach. I will have to catch her when she comes over next month – her final date here is 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 14th.

Follow: https://www.tashsultana.com/

Tonight Alive

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Knight Photo

Location: Sydney, Australia

Genre: Rock

Essential Song: World Away

Reasons to Watch: Like country-mate Tash Sultana: Tonight Alive have a busy tour diary but are performing in Australia-only, it seems. They have international appeal but are keen to make their stamp on their native population. They have seen their music featured on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and are a Rock band that brings energy and intensity to every song they perform. Led by the phenomenal and compelling Jenna McDougall; it seems there is a big future mapped out for the Sydney quintet. I hope they do come to the U.K. as there is a lot of love waiting for them here!

Follow: https://tonightalive.com/

XamVolo

Location: London/Liverpool, U.K.

Genre: Electronic-Soul

Essential Song: Old Soul

Reasons to Watch: In a lot of ways; there are similarities between XamVolo and the ethereal Benjamin Clementine. Both have natural cool and modesty; a voice that defies gravity and beauty – able to lacquer darkness and provide light to the impossible. The differences like in the sonic backdrops. Whereas Benjamin Clementine has a more poetic and preacher-man calm: XamVolo is a raw and energised prophet whose voice is propelled and backed by teasing beats and swirling electronic vapours. With new material brewing – an acoustic version of Old Soul was unveiled last month – it is only a matter of time before an album/tour is announced.

Follow: http://www.xamvolo.com/

Charlotte Cardin

Location: Montreal, Canada

Genre: Alternative

Essential Song: Dirty Dirty

Reasons to Watch: Washington, Philadelphia and Boston are upcoming dates for Charlotte Cardin. A remarkable musician whose voice, often, is backed by crackling beats and moody pauses – atmosphere and epic possibilities from an artist who is capable of tender consideration and out-there confidence. Accompanied by Mathieu Sénéchal and Benjamin Courcy; it is a musical proposition that fits perfectly into the Canadian music scene. Further dates across the U.S. follow and, after releasing the incredible Bad Boy E.P., there is a lot of demand for Cardin and her music. I hope she is another artist planning a sojourn to Britain – the reception she would get would be immense.

Follow: http://www.charlottecardin.com/

Odd Couple

Location: Berlin, Germany

Genres: Rock; Classic-Rock

Essential Song: Gone Solid

Reasons to Watch: I have reviewed these guys and was lucky enough to dive into Flügge and a modern Rock masterpiece. The band is unconcerned with the generic and shallow Rock music of today. They nod back to the bands of the 1970s: a time when there was genuine spirit and innovation in the genre. As such; one gets dirty and instant riffs; songs that address the world around them and more originality than most artists of their ilk. The duo is playing Europe in the coming weeks and, one suspects, they will have time to pop to the U.K. They have played Luxemburg and Norway and are amazing and rocking crowds on the continent. A musical force you definitely need in your life!

Follow: http://www.oddcouple.de/

YONAKA

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; Alt-Pop

Essential Song: Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya

Reasons to Watch: Led by the incredible and nuanced voice of Theresa Jarvis; the Brighton four-piece headline The Borderline on 14th September and will be their biggest London show yet. Things are getting bigger and better for the band. There are singles being dropped here and there so it only seems natural they will collate into an E.P. I am not sure what the guys are planning but, judging by the reaction their live shows are getting, there is a lot of demand for them. Their hooks and songs consort with darker forces but there is something accessible and mainstream-ready about them. A deep and exciting brew of sounds and scents that singles the band out for great things. Make sure you follow their careers – there are big things ahead of them.

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/weareYONAKA/

HEZEN

PHOTO CREDIT: Isaac Murai

Location: Paris, France/London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Trip-Hop

Essential Song: Smoke & Mirrors

Reasons to Watch: Sarah Hezen has gained comparisons to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead; the inventiveness and quirk of Björk but, comparisons aside, what one hears is a unique artist that has a very impressive story. She has been performing dates in London and divides her time between genre and France – HEZEN is a French artist but is finding opportunities and love in Britain. Her E.P., Stigma, was released earlier this year and it is clear there is more afoot. One only need take a brief hit of her music to be stunned and taken somewhere else. It is so evocative and physical it moves the mind, body and soul. Another artist with a very clear and prosperous future ahead – there are few quite like HEZEN.

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/sarahezen/

FEATURE: Early Risers: The Artists Who Never Bettered Their Debuts

FEATURE:

 

Early Risers:

IN THIS PHOTO: Arcade Fire (whose debut, Funeral, stunned critics in 2004) 

The Artists Who Never Bettered Their Debuts

________

IT might seem like a rather negative title and one…

IN THIS PHOTO: Björk (one of the few artists who has improved and evolved her music after a stunning debut release)/PHOTO CREDIT: Jean-Baptiste Mondino

that employs a modicum of schadenfreude. The idea behind this is to highlight some of the best debuts ever but show how hard it can be topping something so revered and celebrated. Maybe certain acts go in so hard they cannot better themselves. When critics do get behind a record and elevate it to stunning heights: so few manage to go on to record better material or take that kind of pressure. Rather than mock those who have failed to live up to their debut-release stage; I have collected some of the finest introductions from giants of the music scene.

_________

The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1989)

The Manchester band have talked about a third album but, as it stands, they have only released the two. It may seem insignificant and pointless saying a band that has created only two albums cannot be judged too harshly for not topping their debut. Such was the impact and strength of their eponymous debut; songs like She Bangs the Drums and I Am the Resurrection became the cornerstones of the 'Madchester' scene. Critics noticed its blasts of 1960s-music and Psychedelia; invention and swagger from the band. They failed to capture that same spark on the ironically-titled, Second Coming - similar-sounding to their debut but minus the timelessness and magic. Maybe the fact it arrived in 1994 – right in the middle of Britpop – made it an ill-fitting outsider. Regardless of its disappointing follow-up: few can deny the potency and legacy of The Stone Roses.

The Strokes – Is This It (2001)

Bands like The Libertines were keen to capture the same sort of energy, Punk rawness and youthful abandon like New York’s The Strokes on Is This It – perhaps not as potently done on The Libertines’ debut, Up the Bracket. Arriving a year into the '00s; the album seemed to represent a feeling that was in the air at the time. The songs, all penned by leader Julian Casablancas, resonate and connect the moment you hear them. They do not have the polished and vapid sound so much of today’s music does – the songs are edgy, raw and underproduced; allowing their true spirit to shine. Their 2003 follow-up, Room on Fire, was an impressive record but could not live up to the standard they set on their phenomenal debut. The band’s current record, 2013’s Comedown Machine, was met with mixed reception – it seems the best days for the band have passed. There have been diminishing returns but Is This It represents a single moment and snapshot perfectly captured by The Strokes. A timeless classic!

Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)

There are debates as to whether the band’s follow-up, Neon Bible, is their best offering but I feel nothing rivals Funeral. The Canadian band’s latest, Everything Now, has been met with critical coldness. They are a band, like The Strokes, who have gone in hot and have been unable to reach the heady peaks of their first offering. Rebellion (Lies) is, perhaps, the best-known song from the album. Wake Up is a classic whilst the ‘Neighbourhood’ songs – four tracks with similar titles that form a sort of suite – show there is a conceptual arc to the narrative. It is a wonderfully rich and beautiful album that mixes Art-Rock strands in such an interesting and unique manner.

Pretenders – Pretenders (1980)

The legendary American band launched the 1980s with a timeless album packed with classics. They have released as recently as 2016 but, on Alone, it is more a solo project for Chrissie Hynde. The band’s introductory statement contains Precious, Brass in Pocket and Kid – three staples from the band that showed what they were all about. Pretenders debuted at number-one on the U.K. album charts and stayed there for four weeks straight. It is seen as one of the best albums of the 1980s and, to many critics, one of the finest albums ever. The fact the group never scaled the same peaks as they did here is not a reflection on their talent and consistency – such was the gravitas and ambition they put into their debut. It remains a startling album that has influenced a number of bands through the years.

Television – Marquee Moon (1977)

There are few albums that rank alongside Television’s debut, Marquee Moon – let alone debut releases. The incredible songwriting of Tom Verlaine makes every song seem like an adventure and epic. The sonic overdrives and explorations; the lyrics complicated, intriguing and arresting. An essential album in the American Punk-Rock movement defined the times and highlighted Television as natural leaders. Their 1978 follow-up, Adventure, is a startling work but doesn’t quite have the same genius and durability of Marquee Moon. Listening to Marquee Moon forty years after its release means one has fresh ears and perspective. It is timeless and ever-relevant. The music does not age and the performances, if anything, reveal fresh nuance after all this time! 

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

1967 was a year that saw celebratory and pioneering works like The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. That Summer of Love and feeling of rebellion was in the air. Along came an album that addressed heroin, sadomasochism and sexual deviancy – prostitution and loose morals – to challenge that order and balk against the conventions of the day. That was not the intention of the group but, with the likes of John Cale and Lou Reed in the ranks, they were never going to provide a traditional and toned-down record. It was, at the time, given bad press by critics and embroiled in controversy and lawsuits. Retrospective acclaim has seen the album given the kudos and acclaim it deserves. Their follow-up, White Light/White Heat, got great reception but, after splitting with Nico and artist Andy Warhol; they wanted to create better albums sales and fewer controversies. Nothing compares to the influence and original spirit of their debut – another album that has had an immeasurable impact on modern music.

Ramones – Ramones (1976)

Again, many might tussle against the assumption a band like Ramones peaked on their debut. Their first four albums are all exceptional and faultless but there is something extra-special about the eponymous debut. The fact it came first and, in my mind, contains stronger songs, means it is the finer record. The band barely recorded a sub-standard record in their career but there was nothing to rival the first four years of their career – before they headed into the 1980s and saw a slight dip in impact. Ramones created a simple and direct album that addressed drug abuse, relationships and the far-right – songs that rallied whilst others went straight for the groin. The fact there are few adornments made the album connect with critics and the public easily. Great Punk albums would follow – The Clash’s London Calling in 1979, for one – but this is the spearhead and godfather that showed their peers how it should be done. British bands like Sex Pistols were listening closely as, one year after Ramones was released, they put out Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. It is clear what an effect Ramones’ debut has and how it helped define and shape the Punk movement.

Oasis – Definitely Maybe (1994)

What’s the Story (Morning Glory)? is a classic Oasis album but, in terms of its timeliness and impact; I feel Definitely Maybe is their peak. Released in 1994, at a time when huge bands like Blur and Radiohead (and Pulp) were coming to prominence; there was something refreshing and direct about Oasis. The Northern, working-class equivalent of Blur – closer to Pulp, in that sense – the Gallagher brothers-led band penned a classic in Definitely Maybe. Tracks like Live Forever gave hope to a generation and became a festival anthem. The album reflected the voice of the youth: those with few stresses and the need to embrace everything in life. Supersonic, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Slide Away are remarkable songs that, like all great tracks, have not aged or lost their edge. Oasis, as we know, fell victim to the tensions between Liam and Noel and were unable to sustain the pace and genius of their first two tracks. What’s the Story (Morning Glory)? marked a confident and consistent step from the band but it is Definitely Maybe that announced them to the world - and proved the equal (or superior rival) to Blur’s Parklife.

Norah Jones – Come Away with Me (2002)

Norah Jones might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there are few that can deny the place Come Away with Me  holds in music. An alluring and sophisticated batch of Jazz-Pop songs that highlighted an incredible voice and accomplished songwriter. Gentle and serene throughout – its mood and personality do not alter much through the record – proved popular with many but it was the standout song, Don’t Know Why, that everyone remembers. Day Breaks, Jones’ album released last year, marked a slight return-to-form (following a fallow period) but she never matched the beauty and soothe of her incredible debut album.

Dizzee Rascal – Boy in da Corner (2003)

There are strange comparisons between Dizzee Rascal and Norah Jones. Dizzee Rascal’s Boy in Da Corner arrived a year after Jones’ debut: his current album, a year after her latest (Raskit was released a few weeks back). Both peaked on their debut album but that is where the similarities end. London’s Dizzee Rascal created a Grime classic on his initial outing. A teenager at the time of its release: the record displayed slick and impassioned raps; incredible wordplay and consistently confident performances. There was a period – before Raskit; after Showtime – where Dizzee started to lose his edge and identity. Too many collaborators going into the mix; themes moving away from the manor and more needless profanity. He has regained his Grime crown this year - but Raskit cannot begin to capture the same majesty and brilliance of Boy in da Corner.

Weezer – Weezer (1994)

Weezer put out their eleventh album, Pacific Daydream, later this year and it is going to be another exciting release from the American band. They are a group that, in my mind, provided their best work right at the start of their career. Pinkerton, the sophomore album, gained some negative reviews – getting retrospective acclaim and appreciation – but it was their eponymous debut (or their ‘Blue Album’) that provided those rich vignettes (from Rivers Cuomo) about video games and Kiss posters; self-depreciating wit and classic standouts – Buddy Holly has become their signature tune. In a year (1994) that produced more classic albums than any other year: it is a compliment to say Weezer ranks alongside the finest of them.

The Doors – The Doors (1967)

Again, like 1994: 1967 was not short of incredible albums. The Doors arrived on the scene and were like nothing else out there. The poetry and sexuality of Jim Morrison; the incredible fusion of Jazz and Rock – a band that was solid and exceptional right from the off. It is hard to believe a single album contains so many world-class and famous songs. Light My Fire, The End and Break on Through (To the Other Side) are a trio of examples. Future albums like Strange Days proved popular but there was nothing that gained the same sort of love and adulation as The Doors. The raw vocals of Jim Morrison and the incredible performance-connection of Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore was a unique brew that made every song absolutely essential.

Pearl Jam – Ten (1991)

One could say Nirvana never topped their debut, Nevermind, but I feel In Utero is its better. There is no doubt Pearl Jam’s Ten is the summation of their career – and arrived right at the start of their career. The 1991-release contained pearls in Jeremy, Black and Even Flow; Alive Oceans and Porch. It is a Hard-Rock classic that arrived at a time when Grunge was taking hold. Eddie Vedder’s powerhouse vocals and impressionistic lyrics differed from a lot of what was out there. Singers like Kurt Cobain went for more scorched and unsophisticated vocals; lyrics that were more direct and unambiguous. Vedder’s semi-operatic delivery raised the songs to new levels and, in Ten, helped create a 1990s masterpiece. One of the strongest and most talented bands of that era: the Seattle band went on to release some fine albums but nothing lived up to the standard and brilliance of Ten.

The xx – xx (2009)

I See You is the recent, Mercury-nominated album from the incredible trio. Many would say their latest album matches their debut but nothing can quite equal the beauty and unexpectedness of xx. It was released in 2009 and found few like-minded records at the time. Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith showed an incredible chemistry and connection that made their dreamy, near-flawless Pop songs shine. An unconventional and truly original album; xx saw many new bands copy the xx and throw the same elements into their music. The reason I See You is not as impactful is, because, the xx, to avoid repeating themselves, have changed their sound – the fact so many ape them means they cannot replicate the same sounds as heard on their debut. Whilst they continue to make music of the highest order: they hit a rich, gorgeous and rare vein on xx.

Supergrass – I Should Coco (1995)

The same way Ramones amazed with a stripped-down and simple album: Supergrass burst into music with a direct and uncomplicated album - that still managed to throw in musical sophistication. Their key tune, Alright, became a summer anthem and one of the essential Britpop gems. Caught by the Fuzz, Lenny and Mansize Rooster are epic and rousing – showing how the band could create Rock and Pop songs that differed from anything out there. The boys would go on to create sensational albums like In It for the Money and Supergrass - but it is their first flourish that really stands the test of time. It arrived at a time when the likes of Oasis and Blur were tussling for chart superiority. The cheeky chaps were unconcerned with getting involved and provided the world with an album that could match the quality of Blur and Oasis - but didn’t have to compete with the same levels of stress and media attention.

Patti Smith – Horses (1975)

If one has to mark out the debut that betters the remaining body of work: maybe Patti Smith’s Horses is the quintessential example. Of course, she went on to produce some world-class albums but such was the standard and quality of Horses that it washes everything away. Even in 1975; Rock had not encountered anyone quite like Patti Smith - one could argue Joni Mitchell had the same impact on Folk. Placing prominence on words and delivery; the poet-cum-musicians turned the art-form into something new and incredibly vivid. Her reinterpretation and elongation of Van Morrison’s Gloria opens the album – it is split into two parts: the first, she wrote and the second is a more traditional cover of Morrison’s song – but songs like Free Money and Birdland are incredible works. Smith is someone who continues to write music and there is that undeniable passion and dedication to her work. One listens to Horses and it is an aural experience that gets into the mind and takes your imagination somewhere truly wonderful.

ABC - The Lexicon of Love (1982)

A New-Wave/Pop masterpiece of the 1980s saw ABC arrive in music with something elegant, sophisticated and emotive. The album went against the plastic and manufactured nature of a lot of the day’s music and created something more natural, symphonic and honest. Martin Fry’s stunning voice and personal lyrics gave one a window into an enigmatic singer wrestling with relationships and their meaning. The Look of Love (Part One) – no parts two and three, you’ll notice – is a classic track of the 1980s. Poison Arrow is no slouch - and the entire album has a solidity and consistency that hit critics hard. Many place it among their favourite records of the decade. The Lexicon of Love has inspired bands and songwriters since 1982.

Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction (1987)

In 1987; Appetite for Destruction became the biggest-selling debut album ever. It has sold over thirty-million copies and remains the finest record by Guns N’ Roses. The guys are currently touring and it appears there might be new material in the future. To be fair, it is going to pale in significance compared with their epic and astonishing debut. Slash’s explosive and sensational guitar work perfectly matches Axl Rose’s dark and sexual lyrics. The album was vital because it helped shepherd away from the Hair Metal bands of the time to a more credible option. Guns N’ Roses were in no mood to prance on stage and perform cheesy ‘anthems’. They were a gritty and hardcore proposition with coruscating riffs, incredible strings-percussion unity and some of the most impassioned vocals in the world. Appetite for Destruction is one of the finest albums from the 1980s and remains the apex of Guns N’ Roses eventful career.

FEATURE: New Rules: The Singles Chart in 2017

FEATURE:

 

New Rules:  

IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa/PHOTO CREDIT: OfficialCharts.com/REXShutterstock 

The Singles Chart in 2017

________

THE first part of the feature’s title refers to the song…

by Dua Lipa that sits at number one in the charts. It is notable because it is the first British female number-one since Adele’s Hello claimed the spot back in 2015. The charts are announced weekly and have only seen two female artists in two years reach number-one. Metro assessed the news like this:

“Not only has she shot to the top of the charts and received a well earned number one, she’s the first UK solo female to hit the top spot since Adele’s Hello in 2015. That, quite frankly, is mind-boggling.

Little Mix were the only women to score a number one in that time – other than that, the charts have been dominated by male artists.

Hopefully Dua’s achievement marks a change in the tide.

The likes of Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Zayn’s breakout solo single Pillow Talk and James Arthur’s comeback all dominated the charts last year.

Dua Lipa, 21, has broken that trend, having also garnered 108 million views for the video for her chart-topping track”

There are cynics that could view that as a reflection on the quality of Lipa as an artist. That sounds like an odd sentence but is it the case that her album has hit minds and hearts at a very precise moment – rather than an indication regarding a change in the air. I have written many pieces about equality in music and the need to effect change and evolutions. Dua Lipa is an artist that has a very fresh and urgent sound but, in many ways, seems perfect for the charts and mainstream – in the sense she knows what has come before and how to add her own personality to it. She is a very vivacious and warm artist; someone who engages with her fans and has a very grounded personality. She is undeniably beautiful and attractive and, in an age where there is a lot of talk about sexual exploitation and sexuality.

She is not someone who wants to bare flesh to get streaming figures and video views high – she is an artist who shows pride and defiance; using her beauty as a form of expression and empowerment. The fact she has hit number one has been received with a mixture of congratulations and condemnation. The former, because the young artist has achieved something wonderful and wholly expected. Her eponymous album has been one of the surprises of 2017. Where Pop albums by Katy Perry and Kesha have been met with mixed reviews: Dua Lipa has managed to seduce critics and win hearts with her blend of fiery summer-ready jams and sweaty-inducing anthems. Her songs assess relationships and gender roles; the need to win a sense of independence and go out into the world on her own terms.

IN THIS PHOTO: Adele/PHOTO CREDIT: Vogue

New Rules seems ironic and wholly appropriate given the rare honour Dua Lipa has been afforded – the chance to, not only inspire more female artists to claim the same prize, but raise questions about how the charts are regulated and run. Despite the fact there are co-writers and various producers on Dua Lipa’s debut: critics have noted how strong and memorable her voice is and how the songs get into the brain and demand repeated listening. One should not be shocked to see Lipa get to number one but, considering this is the seventh release from her debut album, why did it take so long?! It is not her fault but is New Rules a stronger song than, say, Hotter than Hell, Be the One or Blow Your Mind (Mwah)? Those songs are the equal of New Rules so it seems strange they did not get to number-one – and makes one wonder why her latest single managed to get to the top spot. The component of her lyrics – self-empowerment, sex and rising about the fray – have resonated with a generation seeking a genuine and promising artist.

There is no denying the potency and attractiveness of Dua Lipa’s music but one could argue she should have hit the number-one position a lot sooner – many British female peers deserved that same success since Adele in 2015. The fact the charts are so male-dominated makes me wonder whether more needs to be done. There are no more men in music than there are women – maybe a few more men here and there – but, in two years, why would we only have one British woman claiming a spot at the top of our charts?! I know there have been American successes but, if one looks at a month-by-month rundown of the charts, it is male-dominated and genre-specific. There are a lot of Pop and Dance number-ones and it makes one wonder why genres like Folk, Hip-Hop and Soul are not quite as well-represented as more mainstream tastes. There have been stories we have all reacted to. Ed Sheeran, very recently, saw many of his songs in the charts because of the relevance of streaming – counting towards the totals which meant, because his music was streamed more than other artists, he saw his tracks get comfy in the charts.

Before I go on; a look at the new guidelines introduced and why they have come into effect.

“The changes are designed to ensure the chart continues to be a showcase for the new hits and talent which are the lifeblood of UK music.

The key change will be to allow artists to have only their 3 most popular tracks (based on sales and streams) to feature in the Official Singles Chart Top 100.

The move will make it easier for new hits and artists to feature in the chart by preventing multiple tracks from popular artists dominating the singles chart. The move will minimise double-counting of album tracks between the Official Singles and Albums Charts and make the two charts more distinct. The new changes are expected to boost the number of chart hits by around 10%.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Ed Sheeran

In the past 12 months, artists including Drake, Stormzy, Kendrick Lamar, Chainsmokers, Little Mix, The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran have had multiple tracks in the Top 40. The changes will limit the domination of such artists, with streaming of tracks (as music fans listen to their favourite albums) spilling over into the singles chart.

The most high profile example of this came in February when all 16 tracks from Ed Sheeran’s Divide album featured in the Top 20.

An additional adjustment will see the introduction of a new streaming ratio for older tracks which are well past their peak and in steep, prolonged decline.

The aim of both changes will be to support new talent, giving new hits the freedom to progress up the chart, without being inhibited by older tracks which have passed their peak, or album tracks by big name artists.

In recent years, streaming has grown dramatically as the consumer’s favoured way of accessing music – from around 600m audio streams a week in January 2016 to 1.2bn a week today. As a result, streaming’s share of the singles market has grown to more than 80%

While this represents a revolution in choice for music fans – with 40m tracks available to stream across a wide range of services at different price points, alongside traditional music purchase – it has also changed the music landscape and the consumption reflected by the Official Singles Chart”.

Calvin Harris, before Dua Lipa, held the number one spot and marks a depressingly familiar pattern. He, with guest vocals from the likes of Rihanna, penned a rather generic and predictable Dance track that needlessly stuffed guest spots – to make it more popular and stream-able – but, once heard, falls out your back-end within minutes. There was no shock to see him go to number-one but, a few days later, when Dua Lipa hit the top of the charts with a superior offering, it was groundbreaking and shocking.

IN THIS PHOTO: Calvin Harris

Her song got there by its quality and popularity but it showed the charts is more keyed towards a certain style and gender – not as open and quality-driven as once it was. I am old enough to remember the days when people actually bought singles – think the last one I purchased was, tragically, Madison Avenue’s 1990s banger, Don’t Call Me Baby. I used to love scuttling down to HMV – Our Price existed back in the 1990s, too – and snapping up something that cost a few quid. As unwieldy as it is to have a pile of singles festooning a C.D. rack; there was something noble and worthwhile knowing you had contributed to a process. Because of you, and several thousand others, you were the reason an artist went to the summit of the charts. Not only that but, because you had a pile of C.D. lying around, you would play them again and enjoy them long after they were released. I am baffled why they stopped releasing physical singles – they have albums on C.D. so why not singles?! – and go entirely digital.

That is where the downfall has come in! I appreciate the fact it is a more open and equitable chart than once was. Back, years ago, you were in the charts because you had a record deal. Now, an unsigned act can make it in. The fact charts reflect digital downloads means, in theory, The Beatles and Kate Bush could still get into the charts. That might seem rather pointless but it means older music is more visible to younger generations – who might have otherwise forgotten about it. Given the fact Ed Sheeran – the man who helped spark the change in chart guidelines – has been derided because of his Mercury Prize nomination has given many critics pause for thought. We can questions whether award shows are reflecting the true quality of music: is the charts culpable of celebrating the most commercial and least impressive?

I can safely say that none of my favourite singles from this or last year have made it anywhere near the top of the singles charts. My tastes, if I do so myself, are impeccable so it would not be far-fetched were one or two of those tracks to make it to number-one, no?! There are those that would argue the charts, for many years, have been redundant and unimportant. To an extent, I agree, but they are a portal and port-of-call for many who want to discover the ‘best’ of new music. Dua Lipa’s success reflects an anomaly, of sorts. How long do we have to wait until another British female artist gets a number-one?! Rather fittingly; the lack of female British number-ones are taking the piss. The only way we are going to ensure the finest music is preserved and promoted by new generations is to have a look at the way the charts are run. I do not follow them at all – irrelevant and anarchic as they have become – but worry that there are many who do stick with them and get all their new music from there. A couple of articles, written over the past couple of years, ask whether the charts are still relevant in a streaming age.

The BBC spoke with songwriter Billie Marten, who had this to say:

"And Spotify are really helping me out by putting my music onto playlists. They're really exploiting that in a great way. I'm really thankful for that because I think, otherwise, people wouldn't listen."

Indeed, curated "new music" playlists on services like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Google Play could be the key to breaking the chart gridlock - although there is some concern that these playlists are programmed globally, potentially putting UK artists at a disadvantage.

Arctic Monkeys manager Ian McAndrew agrees: "In my experience, streaming serves as a platform through which music is being discovered. So while it may distort the charts, it serves as an access point for new music, and I think that's got to be a good thing."

Perhaps it means the charts are becoming irrelevant - at least as the gold standard of success. Bands now look at ticket sales, or engagement on social media as indicators of their reach and impact. And those are the things, rather than hit singles, which traditionally sustain careers.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The Guardian’s Kitty Empire, back in 2015, explored it from a new angle:

“More pop change is afoot. From July, singles and albums will no longer come out on Monday in the UK, but on Friday – a move that will bring worldwide release dates into harmony. After more than 40 years on Sunday nights, BBC Radio 1’s chart show, to be hosted by Greg James, will move to Friday evening, from 4pm to 6pm. Not only that – as of 10 May, kids’ TV channel CBBC will play host to The Official Chart Show, a magazine programme studded with videos and gossip, and hosted by Cel Spellman, a successor, of sorts, to the much-missed Top of the Pops.

With charts as accurate as they have ever been, both the top 40 and what you might call chart-watching as a national pastime are now under scrutiny. The move to CBBC speaks volumes about the need to hook a younger audience into consuming pop in ways an older audience would recognise. (Quite how young that audience might be was slightly misunderstood by NME recently, who weighed in with jokes about Rastamouse, a show on CBeebies, the channel aimed at pre-schoolers).

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Thanks to the internet’s endlessly personalisable technologies – YouTube channels, streaming, you-name-it-on-demand – pop has been at the forefront of a seismic change in listening. The past couple of years has seen Radio 1 lose millions of listeners as it attempts to retune to a younger audience. Much has been written about this decline in broadcasting, where many once witnessed the same thing at the same time, and the rise of what we do now: stacking up podcasts, Sky+-ing content and streaming the latest obscure remixes on Soundcloud, as and when. “Narrowcasting” describes the endlessly niche way in which we watch and listen. With everyone off doing their own thing – especially the young – what is the role of the mainstream charts and, indeed, of mainstream chart shows, in this age of fragmented, bespoke consumption? Our young interviewees, stopped and quizzed in Camden last week – not a scientific sample but reflecting a range of ages and tastes – seem to point to the charts’ redundancy, certainly as a tastemaking exercise. But is it telling that more than one commented on the rise of a rock band, Royal Blood, to No 1 as being significant?”

Maybe music has become more of an album’s game but it seems, given the fact so many artists lust over big Spotify streams and YouTube figures – is it simply the case we are refusing to follow the charts and buying the music we want – rather than be guided by something many consider arbitrary and homogenised? It is not the case music has modernised to the extent the charts are archaic and out-of-touch. The fact they are not all-encompassing and fundamentally flawed have made them seem far less relevant over the past few years. I am not willing to accept we abandon the charts and simply make our own minds up. The charts are not a way for people to be annoyed: it is for artists to see their songs acknowledged and given proper dues. In an age of streaming where we do not provide feedback or thanks: the singles charts is a way of getting that recognition and approval.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I argue passionately again the assumption, as some see fit, the charts have not been popular or purposeful since the 1960s. I think, in an age where we want something quick and unquestioning: it is worth addressing the charts and restructuring it in a way that means it regains its importance. I listened to the charts through the 1990s and early part of the last decade. I always looked forward to seeing whether a song I purchased has made it into the top-ten. Now, we go to Spotify or wherever and get a song we want and that is the end of that. The fact physical sales are being replaced is another tragedy – one that will have to wait for another day – but we are taking far less care with music. The album charts are still relevant so why should music be quantified by mass rather than quality? The fact an album is made is down to the fact an artist has a collection of songs – do we simply release an album and ignore the individual songs that go onto it?! You can’t bring an album out without releasing singles and seeing how well the songs do.

The more we ignore old ways and embrace technology and the digital: the more music starts to lose humanity and relevance. We are buying fewer albums than we do digitally; buying more albums than singles and choosing to stream for free – rather than pay for our music. Artists are not being compensated fairly and there is a great divide between the artists of Spotify and the mainstream-heavy charts. Given these inalienable facts; can we argue, with any judiciousness, claim we should scrap the charts and see music slip further into the tar-pit?! I propose we retain the singles and album charts and make the ins-and-outs less pugnacious, controversial and complicated. Keep the new rules as they are – to ensure no artist can have more than a set number of tracks on the charts. Keep the streaming element but ensure guidelines are introduced to ensure the charts reflect gender and genre.

IMAGE CREDIT: Freepik

We cannot have so few females getting to number-one and genres like Dance and Pop stealing focus from other avenues. Albums sales should be part of the equation and, maybe, compartmentalising the charts into various genres, perhaps? There are so many great artists who do not have a record deal and do not have the advantage of Spotify promotion and success. I review so many acts that have their music on SoundCloud, BandCamp and Spotify and, while not getting as many streams as the bigger acts, create better music. There need to be other considerations aside from streaming figures as it does not reflect quality and diversity. Many people stream a song because it is trending or fashionable. There are great acts gigging around the country and those who release great songs to the world – to see them get modest success and viewing figures. It is a complex brew and one that will not be settled soon.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I think the charts need to survive and grow as they are responsible for music lasting and inspiring this long. If we scrapped the singles charts back in the 1960s, it would have enticed fewer musicians to the world and led to a much more ignorant and poor scene. The fact we have evolved too far and abandoned the physicality and heritage of music means we are weakening its structure and compromising its rich history and legacy. There are so many different and great acts out there: all of whom deserve a chance to battle it out on the singles charts. Artists should not be making the news because of their gender: they should be doing so because of the quality of their music. Dua Lipa is a woman and an exceptional artist but, one wonders, why it took the buying public so long to get her to number-one. She is not the only British female artist who has warranted a number-one. The fact artists like Billie Marten see Spotify alone as more relevant than the charts might stem from a lack of confidence – the fact she would not get a high chart position and many of her fans would not follow the charts. That is sad to hear but, sadly, a sign of our times.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The more we allow digital streaming services to rule our purchasing and listening habits; the less relevant and unified music will be as a whole. I dread the day we abandon albums as a physical form and get all of our music via Spotify. The singles charts is an institution that has remained for decades and can regain the importance it had decades ago. We need to take a pragmatic and progressive approach to a side of music that is fading away and being broken apart. As I said; the new generations need to be taught where music came from and the industry is eclectic, equal and fascinating. If we create a singles chart that reflects a gender and racial quality; recognises the importance of all genres and artists. Dua Lipa’s news-making number-one single has opened a lot of eyes but sparked debates. Many will see this achievement as an argument the charts are outdated and irrelevant – rather than the fact she takes heart from that number-one and many artists like her value it hugely. With some thought and activation, the charts can get back on an even footing. Let’s ensure the singles chart makes history for…

THE right reasons!

FEATURE: Originality in Contemporary Music

FEATURE: 

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash  

Originality in Contemporary Music

________

THE Go-Between says the past "is a foreign country"…

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

but, with our nation keen to separate itself from other lands; it seems ironic there is a greater internationalism in music. I will drop the analogy as it seems to be leading us in the wrong direction but my point concerns originality and pushing music forward. One of the reasons I am bringing this up is because there seems to be a lot of new artists coming in who seem unconcerned distinguishing themselves from the pack. That has always been the case but I have found, when listening to various singers/bands; I often confuse them for another. That is not me being old needing to un-wax my ears: there are so many artists that are indistinguishable from one another. I listen to new artists like Phoebe Bridgers and, whilst her lyrics are unique, the vocals can be compared with our very-own – she is American – Lucy Rose and Billie Marten. Other musicians tread too carefully and closely to familiar sounds.

IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Bridgers/PHOTO CREDIT: Morgan Martinez of Hooligan Mag

I wonder whether the sheer number of artists out there means it is becoming harder to forge something unique? There is an argument that certain genres are culpable. Modern Pop music is split between those primed for the charts and the ‘outsiders’ who have mainstream potential but not need confine themselves to the generic and commercial. A couple of articles – published back in 2015 – raised reasons why a lot of modern music, especially Pop, lacks distinction and originality. The first looked at generic pitfalls and why music is being dumbed-down:

“A new study, surveying more than 500,000 albums, shows simplicity sells best across all music genres. As something becomes popular, it necessarily dumbs down and becomes more formulaic. So if you're wondering why the top 10 features two Meghan Trainor songs that sound exactly the same and two Taylor Swift songs that sound exactly the same, scientists think they finally have the answer.

The study: In a recent study, researchers from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria studied 15 genres and 374 subgenres. They rated the genre's complexity over time — measured by researchers in purely quantitative aspects, such as timbre and acoustical variations — and compared that to the genre's sales. They found that in nearly every case, as genres increase in popularity, they also become more generic.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash  

"This can be interpreted," the researchers write, "as music becoming increasingly formulaic in terms of instrumentation under increasing sales numbers due to a tendency to popularize music styles with low variety and musicians with similar skills."

So music all starts simplifying and sounding similar. Not only that, but complexity actually starts turning people off of musical styles. Alternative rock, experimental and hip-hop music are all more complex now than when they began, and each has seen their sales plummet. Startlingly few genres have retained high levels of musical complexity over their histories, according to the researchers. And ones that have — folk, folk rock and experimental music — aren't exactly big earners. Unless, of course, they fit into the Mumford & Sons/Lumineers pop-folk mold”.

Another piece examined how cheap recording devices and the increase of electronic influence resulted in a rather homogenised and stale scene:

“Ever wonder why you find yourself constantly asking “why do all these songs sound the same?” Because they do. The emphasis is no longer on music theory or the ability to read and comprehend music, but to lazily rely on the same programmed machines that inevitably see each of its users repurposing the same sounds over and over and over. This is best exemplified by a recent Facebook post from indie-electronic rock project, RAC, who explains “the proliferation of cheaper recording devices and marketing tools has blown off the doors to the music industry.” The post continues, “Any kid with a laptop can build an empire with an internet connection. More artists means more competition, which means the product has less value.”

This isn’t to say that great music can’t be produced using the technological advances bestowed upon today’s bedroom “musicians” but at what point do we completely and utterly lose the human element in music? The human error that highlights the beauty of artistic imperfection. With The Prodigy recently telling Rolling Stone the current EDM climate is “lazy” and “monotonous,” one has to ask: where do we go from here? Electronic artists like Porter Robinson, Disclosure, Duke Dumont and Gorgon City, among others, are spearheading the current push for a live element when performing – not only because fans are demanding it, but they too are afflicted by the scene’s growing stagnant artistry”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Macworld

As I said; there are two sides to Pop: the big-stream-hunting artists who are more rigid and less imaginative with their music. Others, like Lana Del Rey and Lorde, for example, represent a more credible and ambitious approach to Pop – if one truly classes them as ‘Pop’. I find a lot of Electronic/Pop music gets a bad reputation because there does seem to be a set formula. If a song/artist has a success with a song; others, seeing that, try to reproduce that for their own music – assuming little endeavor and going for something easy. Maybe it is a generational thing – I will return to this – but, in terms of sounds, it is not only Pop artists who come across samey. Rock and Alternative have not been in the best shape.

IN THIS PHOTO: Royal Blood/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Davies

This year, hotly-tipped albums from The Amazons and Royal Blood have left many, myself included, a bit miffed. Those albums, which could have been groundbreaking releases, did not really live up to the hype. Royal Blood’s How Did We Get So Dark? was a rehash of their debut album – albeit, with one or two additions. The Amazons’ eponymous debut seems to be a by-the-numbers approach to Rock – one that left me wondering where the originators and pioneers were. Maybe there was, in those cases, a desire to fit into a particular mindset – knowing other bands have had success and done well. I am seeing more and more Rock bands, in the mainstream, disappoint and not really show any originality. A fair few underground acts seem promising but, if they look at the current ‘best’ and see how they are doing things – are they inclined to abandon their own dynamic and go with what seems ‘popular’ and established. There is ample evidence to suggest the new breed might produce a few treasures but, when it comes to the mainstream Rock acts; why is there a surfeit of excitement?

IN THIS PHOTO: Lana Del Rey

A recent article by Forbes shed some light:

“There’s tangible proof of what people are listening to right now, and rock 'n' roll ain’t it. I make this evaluation based on the Billboard Hot 100 and Spotify Global charts as both commercial evaluations of songs and indicators of cultural impact.

Let's look at 2016 for example. According to the Nielsen year-end report, Drake's Views set an all-time record for most streams from an album, with over 245 million streams; there were 12 occurrences where an album’s songs had over 100 million audio streams in a week, led by Drake, J. Cole, The Weeknd and Beyoncé; Chance the Rapper had the first album to surpass 500,000 with streaming-only availability. Rock still does well in digital sales, but digital sales are declining.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

"Top 40 radio, which has always been for teenagers, is mostly devoted to post-rock pop and hip-hop. In 2016, rock is not teenage music," writes Bill Flanagan. "Rock is now where jazz was in the early 1980s. Its form is mostly fixed."

Those of us who grew up in the mold of rock are in a tough position, not just because the style we learned has become out of fashion, but because the skill set needed for pop music in 2017 has transformed into something radically different:

Songwriting is no longer words and music—but words, music and digital production.

Gone are the days of changing the world with three chords and the truth. Now you’ll need three chords, the truth, and an engineer’s ability to make your song sound like the radio. The most successful songwriter of our era, Max Martin, goes to work every day doing a very different job than Lennon-McCartney did”.

Maybe the proliferation of streaming sites and radio stations means we often hear the same songs repeatedly – ingraining it into the mind and not providing a true overview of music’s diversity and depth. When a new song is released and being promoted; we do get a lot of exposure to it. Does this repeated assault approach to marketing negatively impact and mean it is harder for musicians to follow their own course? I feel digital promotion and the easy accessibility of recording devices (and sounds) mean a lot more musicians are coming through.

IN THIS PHOTO: Brooke Baili

When one only got to the studio because they had a record label behind them; it meant quality control was tighter. Now, anyone can get a record made so it is harder to determine what is good and worthwhile. I feel the general oversaturation is flooding music. The more artists who come in the more likely we are to see repetition. One should never discourage artists from coming into music but we need to celebrate those who are truly worthy and impassioned. Artists like Brooke Baili and her new track, Louder, embrace infatuated but, in her lyrics and visuals – goes the extra-mile and provides originality and potential. There are artists in all genres that show nimbleness and new aspects. They can subvert the clichés and stereotypes to produce music of the highest caliber. In terms of the artists one needs to keep their eyes out for; in my mind, there are a couple of genres adding freshness to music – and the odd band that is worth attention. If one wants to intellectualise why there are restrictions of movement and expression in music – there is an article that explains things better than me:

“This is important because when one breaks down music to its most basic components, it becomes clear that originality is more limited than might be supposed. Steel comments that “the use of prescribed scales, keys and structures to fashion melodic lines gave rise to a listener’s dependency on Western tonality in order to make auditory sense of the sounds.” The result is a set of rhythms and melodies that can be often found across several songs in a genre or time, as audiences become used to specific combinations that are in fashion at the time. Steel argues that cultural experiences affect both the creative process and the consumption of music, and universal themes emerge during certain periods.

Given the extensive similarity of musical composition across an era, the originality requirement in copyright law becomes difficult to satisfy in musical works. Copyright protects the expression of an idea, not that idea. The problem is that many common elements in musical creation could be considered ideas if they are widely shared across compositions of a similar genre. To the untrained ear, all music of one genre sounds much the same, so it becomes the task of the trier of fact to try to draw the line of where a work has passed from using the ideas of a genre into the infringement of the expression of the ideas. Blurred lines, if you may. But drawing these lines is not the only challenge because judges and juries must also determine if the copying has been substantial, and therefore worthy of being declared copyright infringement”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Grovemade

How important is originality and is it – in the age where digital music and accessible music-making is suffocating – a possibility? Mainstream music is becoming more predictable than ever be there are a few bands at the moment, such as Glass Animals and Everything Everything that is able to convey unique sounds and keep their music likeable, if odd at times. Restrictions when it comes to sampling – and the stringent laws being imposed – is limiting the scope and possibility in genres like Hip-Hop and Rap. These are, to my mind, the natural leaders of the modern world and are providing truth and guidance. Maybe it is truth and plain-speaking missing in modern music. In an industry where there is too much reliance on love songs and marketable themes: those that address what is happening outside their own bedrooms are, oddly, a rarity.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar

Of course, not all members of the Hip-Hop community are inspiring and pioneering. Over the last couple of years, it is hardly a surprise albums by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar have been ranked highest by critics – the former topped end-of-year lists with Lemonade (2016); Lamar amazed and ruled with 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly. It seems Lamar’s current album, DAMN., might well scoop honours when the year’s best is revealed. Not only do these artists – and their finest peers – have attitude, passion and incredible songwriting ability: voices that resonate and strike; backed by compositions that mix in so many genres. To me, it is the lyrics and compositions that make genres like Hip-Hop and R&B so refreshing. Kendrick Lamar, in To Pimp a Butterfly, employed Jazz samples and the building blocks of an inspiring genre – something the likes of Loyle Carner are doing too. Soul, Rock and Alternative shades go into the albums (Beyoncé, Lamar etc.) and it seems there is a lot more flexibility and maneuver. Less concerned with instant three-minute hits or that processed sounds – the artists here are more bothered about texture, nuance and quality.

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé

Perhaps it is too deep an issue to simplify in a single article but I worry there is a problem with originality and surprise. It has been a while since I have truly bonded with a new band. Often, I hear a debut album and am impressed but find, further down the line, things get regular and conformist. There is that modern-day pressure to be marketable and commercial – you can get the stream and big YouTube figures; only if you provide something fit for chart consumption. It is no surprise the genres that promote depth and directness are making a bigger impact than any other. It is not a binary thing to say Rap/Hip-Hop/R&B is right and everyone else is wrong – there are wonderful artists in Folk, Pop and Rock that deserve more respect. Perhaps there needs to be less concern with streaming counts and following the pack.

The flip-side is the comparative lack of monetary value and commercial appeal – a risk that many should take. The underground is proffering artists capable of kick-starting a mini-revolution but, looking at the current state of the mainstream, is it going to be easy to overhaul and sanitise? That is not for me to decide but, the fact so many artists are lasting only a short time means there is fear music is not a viable long-term career. The industry hasn’t changed radically in the sense those best and brightest have to fight harder – the sheer mass and proliferation of new artists make it tougher to easily discover the strongest artists. Maybe there is a long-term solution but we need to stop giving the mainstream such regard and cut those artists out that go for something easy and cynical. The ones that are only concerned with figures and profit; those who chase fame and something quite shallow. From there; highlight and celebrate the artists/genres that go out their way to be original and inspiring – I still feel Hip-Hop is seen as a niche and uncommercial brand. If we can make small changes it means the approaching generations think differently and have different aspirations. Driving away that need to be ‘successful’ – the wrong type – and go for respectability and true talent is what needs to happen first off. If we can get the ball rolling, and start to cut away at the fat, it means future-music will be…

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay

SOMETHING to be truly proud of.

FEATURE: Imagery in the Social Media Age

FEATURE: 

IMAGE CREDIT: Ysabel LeMay

 Imagery in the Social Media Age

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I encounter so many artists on my travels who feel…

IN THIS PHOTO: Annabel Jones/PHOTO CREDIT: Pip

there is nothing problematic about having few images appear on their social media pages. The reason I wanted to bring this up is that, having so many interview requests, I have to turn down artists regularly. I am getting stricter at it for good reason: so much of what I do relies on imagery. Most of my interviews, at least, are long and require, I’d say, a minimum of eight images. That would fill any gaps and allow the piece to have a much more aesthetically-pleasing element to it. The image above – desperately trying to find a credit for it but will have to add one when it comes to light – shows what a difference an image can make to a piece. One might say music is an audio industry, where sound rules.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Many others might say image and aesthetic are causing issues: too much flesh being bared or endless Instagram photos being shared to people – many of whom could not care less. I am happy to accept we have been flooded with photos as a generation. It is said more photos have been taken in the last few months than the rest of time combined. That might be a slight exaggeration but, since the advent of the Smartphone; everything is being snapped and shared for public consumption. There are downs and advantages of this flood in so much as people have access and view to parts of the world they might not normally have – able to connect with others in a different way, I guess. Of course, one must draw the line when it comes to what they post online. Lewd and inappropriate content will not be tolerated: those who photograph their entire day should be discouraged and chided. Given the fact one can, without expense, post countless photos of great quality, it makes me wonder: why are musicians not doing this?! I, myself, have a few self-portraits on my social media but have a reluctance to capture myself – a lack of photogenic appeal and the fact I tend to take photos of myself with no company (it can appear sad after a time).

IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Black

That said, I can go anywhere and have a photo taken via my iPad. From there, I can apply filters and share it with the world – it costs nothing and, before you know it, I can have an entire photoshoot on my pages. I feel photographer is an industry that needs support and welfare. I mention this topic because there are many who feel music photography is a dying industry. A 2015-piece,  by photographer Pat Graham, shared his experiences:

“Sadly most of us in the world of art cannot afford to just share what we create without receiving anything in compensation or return for what we have created. This just means that all of us must be very creative and think of other ways to gain income through other activities. As for music photographers I think it’s very rare that one becomes a music photographer and remains the music photographer until the day they die. For more reasons than one. My work is based in music photography and that is what inspired me to want to be a photographer. I still enjoy music photography, and I do receive some income from these jobs, however it would never be enough to live on solely, and I think it would be very rare to find anyone being able to live off that on its own. Most people are of course helped out by working with related fashion brands or doing corporate jobs and that is what pays the bills.

If you look back at what people call great music photography a lot of it is based on pictures of bands before they were famous, or at very small venues when no one else knew what was happening. So to go back to the original statement I definitely think that we have not lost a whole generation of talent in music photographers. The most exciting music photography features young bands doing new things and usually the photographers taking pictures of young bands are also young and very excited by what they’re seeing. I think the last thing they’re thinking about is a paycheck at the end of the gig in somebody’s house.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay

When I first started taking pictures of bands I never really thought of it as a career. I never thought about how I could make money or sustain myself by taking pictures of bands. I was obsessed with getting a great photo and being able to print that photo in a dark room the next day. My pursuit was of great music and performers who really had something to say in their actions and music. I was driven by photographing bands that gave me and the audience something to look at. Something I wanted to freeze in a moment so I could remember and also share with others”

There is a clear passion among photographers and, when writing a feature about the best music photographers at the moment; I was struck by the quality and beauty of their shots. Maybe digital methods (Smartphones etc.) have made photographers less necessary – people able to produce their own pictures for nothing. There is something to be said about the traditional and established methods. One gets a better quality image and takes a band/artist to an interesting location. I find a lot of the self-produced photos lack atmosphere and compositional nuance. One does not see the same attention and depth you’d get from a professional. It makes me wonder why the good-old music photographer is seen as less relevant? Maybe there is the cost associated: artists not able to make enough money to afford photoshoots. There is an interesting article that sheds light on how costs are calculated:

IN THIS PHOTO: Polo/PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Bentley

Charge by the Shoot

This is the strategy that most band photographers use when they first start charging for their services, because it's easy and straightforward for everyone involved. There aren't any surprises or hidden fees, which keeps the client happy, and your bookkeeping work on the back end is minimal.

However, the simplicity of this pricing strategy is also it's biggest weakness, because it doesn't give you a whole lot of flexibility for situations where things don't go exactly as planned.  Like when your scheduled 3-hour shoot ends up going twice as long because the drummer shows up an hour late, the guitar player wants to change shirts 13 times, and the lead singer can't decide which is his "good side".

Or what happens when an up-and-coming band suddenly catches the attention of an indie label, gets a recording contract, and now they want you to retouch twice as many images as originally planned (plus design an album cover)?  Do you create an awkward situation by trying to negotiate a new agreement after the fact, or do you just cut your losses?

IN THIS PHOTO: Photographer Nabil Elder/PHOTO CREDIT: Jaesung Lee

With all of that said, I do still use the "Charge by the Shoot" pricing strategy when I'm being hired to shoot a band's live show-- even though I fully understand that concerts rarely start and end on time.  The main reason is that it's tough to make much money shooting live music photography, so I really only view those types of gigs as a means to an end.

In other words, I'll usually only shoot a band's live show as a way to get to know them better, and then hopefully parlay that relationship into a promotional shoot at some point (for more detail on this strategy, check out my eBook entitled Shoot for the Stars).

So in a nutshell, the "Charge by the Shoot" pricing strategy is okay for situations where you're reasonably confident that you'll be fairly compensated for your time and effort.  But if you think there's a high likelihood of "unforeseen circumstances" cropping up, then you'll probably want to use....

Itemized

This pricing strategy offers the best protection against getting ripped off, because you can basically put a price on just about everything you do for a client.  In other words, all of the time that you would normally spend--  from preparation, to shooting, to retouching (and beyond)--  can be broken out into separate line items on your invoice, right alongside any physical (or digital) goods that you deliver to the client. Everything is spelled out in plain sight, so there should be absolutely no surprises at the end of the process.

Even better, many clients really appreciate this approach because it provides total transparency, and it helps them to budget accordingly. They'll take comfort in the reassurance that they won't get hit with a barrage of hidden charges when they least expect it.

IN THIS PHOTO: Los Angeles trio, The Vim Dicta

That is quite business-like but it shows there is an affordable option for anyone’s needs. I feel photography is an industry that is threatened by the ever-present domination the ‘Instagram Generation’.  A fascinating article by Eric Perret shows how many photos we’ll be uploading this year:

“How many digital photos will be taken in 2017?  It’s predicted there will be 7.5 billion people in the world in 2017, and about 5 billion of them will have a mobile phone. Let’s say roughly 80% of those phones have a built-in camera: around 4 billion people. And let’s say they take 10 photos per day – that’s 3,650 photos per year, per person. That adds up to more than 14 trillion photos annually (14,600,000,000,000). Much more conservatively, if only one billion people have cameras or phones, and take less than 3 photos per day/1,000 pictures per year, that’s still 1 trillion photos captured every year.

How many digital photos will be taken in 2017?

InfoTrends’ most recent worldwide image capture forecast takes this conservative route, estimating consumers will take 1.1 trillion photos worldwide in 2016. This number will grow to 1.2 trillion photos in 2017. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2016 to 2017 will be 9%”.

I bring in these statistics; because there is a clear sign that shows we are becoming less physical/tangible and more disconnected. Maybe the expance and development of technology mean our curiosities and wanderlust are being indulged – we are able to encapsulate and represent more of our world than ever before. Because of this; I wonder what excuse there is for musicians being so naïve?! I am not singling people out but I see so many promising artists that put a few photos on social media – some are poor-quality whilst there might be two or three half-decent ones. Those that take the trouble to put a range of photos on their social media/official website know it is a way of attracting people to your website. Photoshoots allow artists a chance to express themselves and capture some wonderful images. I get frustrated hearing musicians say they let their sounds do all the talking: why do we need to bother with photos? I look at it the same way you’d set up a dating profile. How likely are you going to contact someone with no image – or a few poor ones that you can barely make out?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Jake Mattison/PHOTO CREDIT: Pip

Music is no different to dating: you are selling yourself, to an extent, and trying to attract people in. It doesn’t matter how good your personality/music is: if one is greeted to an imageless profile; they are not going to be that interested. There is no financial or physical reason an artist cannot have images made up. Those that have a full and thorough spread always make the mouth water – I understand they are in the minority. It seems there is not a link between our obsession with photographing everything and professional duty. I see musicians – those without good images – take plenty for their own profiles but do not show that diligence when it comes to their music pages.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stray from the Path/PHOTO CREDIT: Thomas Brooker

I will end this because I am aware it is turning into a ‘constructive rant’. It seems strange that, in an age where we are photographing the internal details and external manifestations of our day: so many musicians are ignoring a fundamental necessity of their career – promoting themselves through a visual medium. It might not be feasible for an artist to get some great photos together right from the start – they are shy of money and unsure what image they want to project. Once you are sure enough to have an idea – excuse the jumbled grammar! – then you’ll be ready to take some images. So many are providing a scarcity of anything vaguely useable! I think Metal bands, for some reason, seem to be the worst offenders. They may take a lot of shots but they, with few exceptions, tend to be blurry or inferior – maybe that scrappiness and under-cooked look suit their musical ethos and rebelliousness.

IN THIS PHOTO: Femme/PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Bentley

If you are a young female singer or a great male band: getting a range of photos out there is paramount! All the bands/artists I have included in this feature (their images) have provided a selection of images for any potential fan/journalist. People like me, who wants to interview and review the best artists, are like moths to the lightbulb. We all want to see the face(s) behind the music – having that visual anonymity is frustrating for so many reasons! Again, like a dating profile; everyone will skip by if there are no photos. My reviews and interviews are quite deep so, to fill gaps and give it a good look; I do need to insert images. Not only does it flesh a piece out but makes it look professional and interesting – not only words and a block of text. Many musicians do not realise the effect they cause being ignorant of that desire. I am turning away more and more artists who do not ‘fit the bill’; bollocking P.R. companies who bring me acts ill-equipped and ignorant. That, in turn, means I am sour and sceptical of the new generation of musicians. There are a lot of exceptions: many hungry artists provide stunning images and plenty of choice. The same way original music and ambitious is key to success and attention – making yourself visible and photographed is equally essential. I will end it here but want to urge offending artists of the need for change. For all musicians coming through who think the music will do ‘all the talking’, believe me… it won’t.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Novellos/PHOTO CREDIT: Pip

Paul McCartney and Kate Bush are better than you and, funny enough, they have produced, between them, numerous images. Hot new acts such as Royal Blood crank out some stunning images and realise it is important; not only to give their fans a diary of what they are up to – provide journalists options and that visual allure. I am not a massive fan of Royal Blood’s music but, given the fact they are image-heavy, would interview them just to have those photos on my site. It should be a lesson to every musician but I fear so many are naïve about photos – thinking it does not make a difference. It does and, if they rely on the music to do all of the talking; they will find the remainder of their career will be…

IN THIS PHOTO: Hinds/PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Bentley

VERY quiet indeed.

FEATURE: Hip-Hop at Forty-Four: Street Prophets: Musical Progression and Social Inertia

FEATURE:

 

Hip-Hop at Forty-Four:

IN THIS PHOTO: The album cover of Eric B. & Rakim's 1987 Hip-Hop masterpiece, Paid in Full

Street Prophets: Musical Progression and Social Inertia

________

IT is typical of Google that, when searching for results…

pertaining to the forty-fourth anniversary of Hip-Hop; the first options one finds are articles relating to their commemorative ‘doodles’ – a special design/interactive tool that appeared on their search engine a couple of days back. BBC Radio 6 Music celebrated the birth and evolution of Hip-Hop (Hip Hop Hooray) with a day of special programmes yesterday. It was a remarkable, authoritative and passionate examination of a genre that began, pretty much, from one man: Clive Campbell. Better known as DJ Kool Herc; he hosted a back-to-school party in the Bronx, New York on 11th August, 1973. That single, momentous event probably didn’t seem epic or groundbreaking at the time - but it has been credited as the time Hip-Hop was recognised as a genre. Defined by mixing, heavy beats and acute sampling/scratching: it started with modesty but certainly lit a fuse. It would a little while until the first commercial Hip-Hop album - Sugarhill Gang’s Rap Genius - was introduced to the public (in 1979).

IN THIS IMAGE: Ronald Reagan; who was President of America when Hip-Hop assimilated into the mainstream

There are debates as to whether forefathers pre-dated DJ Kool Herc and whether someone else snuck in and sowed the seeds. Conventional wisdom credits DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash as the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Hip-Hop. It is debatable which had a greater effect on the explosion and noticeable nature of Hip-Hop: that back-to-school pioneering event from DJ Kool Herc or the social dissatisfaction that arrived when President Reagan came to the White House in 1981. There were murmurations and groundbreaking albums happening before that time – Rap Genius was the first time Hip-Hop ascended to the mainstream – but there was an acceleration and proliferation of outraged voices stepping up after Reagan’s appointment. I will talk about some of the best albums of the genres and the way the genre has evolved over the years but, for now, a social study. There is a haunting and troubling symmetry when we celebrate Hip-Hop’s birth. The movement/genre recruited its faithful off of the back of governmental ignorance and social poverty – the fact the community, the black community, for the most part, were being trodden on.

By the late-1970s; there was a hyperinflation of the racial divide, social inequality and political tension. Regan’s appointment to office was not exactly the turnaround and redemption many had wished for – being a Republican; he was unlikely to prioritise those less-well-off and struggling. That, back in 1981, caused greater division and cracks in the fabric of U.S. society. Out of the tensions and divides grew a band of artists who articulated, with passion and intelligence, the dissatisfaction and anger being felt by the people of America. Again, we assume it applies to the masses but it was the minority (the black community) who were worst affected – making it seem rather racially-motivated and oppressive. Of course, the whole of America was feeling strain but, as is the case now, there was racial divisionism and social alienation. The affected minority were not getting their voices heard: Hip-Hop was the counterculture explosion that gave its boldest and bravest the platform on which to campaign and sermonise.

IN THIS PHOTO: Scenes of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia/PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel Corum, Andloua Agency and Getty Images

I mentioned how there was a rather ironic appropriateness we are celebrating the formation of Hip-Hop. One cannot ignore the news and the horrifying scenes coming out of Virginia. It is hardly conceivable what we are seeing happening in Charlottesville right now. Look at a BBC article and, be forewarned, there is some upsetting detail. One woman has been killed and many injured after violent clashes and terrorism – a car ploughing through a crowd of people. The sight of people being tossed through the air like a discarded tissue is enough to turn the stomach and cool the blood. I am not sure as to the exact reason for provocation but far-right white ‘supremacists’ must have been orchestrating and planning this riot for many months. Whether motivated by President Trump’s rhetoric concerning making America 'great again' – there has been nothing that could justify or rationalise this insane and degraded event. One, sadly, assumes there are racists in certain parts of America – the least-evolved and backwoods parts of inbred states!

IN THIS PHOTO: A shocking image from Charlottesville/PHOTO CREDIT: AP

The animals of Charlottesville that have brought the town into disrepute care not for human life or morals: their intention was to show, in some twisted way, why whites are a superior race. Trump’s response to the atrocities has been piecemeal and pathetic! In a rather aloof and unconvincing way; he has condemned the far-right and made it clear America will not tolerate such happenings. That is funny as one could easily blame Trump for this happening in the first place. If he wants to unleash "fire and fury" (as he promised the leader of North Korea, recently) then why not direct it squarely at the abdomens of the racists?! I say ‘abdomens’, because one assumes their brains and genitals are too microscopic to be affected by any weaponised reaction. It is sickening, in 2017, having to witness such hatred and division – that sound familiar?!

IN THIS PHOTO: President Donald J. Trump

If anything; it is worse now than it was at the peak of Hip-Hop. I am confident the reaction from the music world will be swift and unforgiving – barrels being unloaded in the direction of the guilty and Trump. The backlash and outrage on social media have proved how these ‘people’ – that can be seen in their modernised K.K.K. outfits – do not speak for the rest of the world. Even if these riots are confined to a small part of America: how can we be sure it will not spread and inspire like-minded factions to mobilise a similar battalion in another part of the nation?! We can’t, you know, but it seems shocking we should have to contemplate. In the late-1970s/early-1980s, there was balkanisation, economic gulfs and neighbourhood poverty – once-proud areas being reduced to ghettos because of the government’s cold and ignorant views of America. They, then, were unaware of ‘real’ American and how the honest, hardworking citizens lived. It seems, forty years down the line, they are as deluded and naïve as ever.

IN THIS PHOTO: Former President Barack Obama

One knows Trump will do nothing to quell the venom and assured his people – the fact his predecessor, Barack Obama, presently and retrospectively, seems to offer more hope is a sign of how scary Trump is a President. I shall get away from the issue but I know the titans of Hip-Hop will not let this one go. One imagines the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Prophets of Rage and Run the Jewels are inking up their pens and scribbling furiously. I will return to the social divisions and stagnation later but, before coming to the best Hip-Hop albums through the years, I wanted to source an article I have just discovered. Talking about Hip-Hop’s pioneer, DJ Kool Herc; a piece from The Guardian (in 2011) highlighted how much the Hip-Hop community owes to their forefather. Suffering illness during this time; the piece scorned those who did not play benefits and raise money to fund Herc’s treatment:

“There are few pioneers of any musical form who could truly be considered the master architect of a genre – but Herc has that distinction. Hip-hop doesn't just have a family tree, it has a birth certificate: the hand-drawn flyer for the party Herc threw in the basement of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx on 13 August 1973, which so many people turned up to, they had to move it outside, to the nearby Cedar Park. His "merry-go-round" approach – extending the percussion break by playing a second copy of the same record on one turntable as soon as the break had finished on the other deck – gave the world the concept of the breakbeat. Breakdancing, rapping over breakbeats, sampling and loop-based dance music all began that night. Although he is generally seen alongside Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash as one third of hip-hop's founding "holy trinity", Herc is first among equals. While Bam was the "Master of Records", his encyclopaedic knowledge of different music adding to the emerging genre's stylistic and sonic palette, and Flash was the innovator whose aptitude for electronics enabled his invention of cutting, cueing and (perhaps: his protege Grand Wizard Theodore claims the invention, though Flash demurs) scratching, Herc was the one who laid the foundations on which they built.

 Yet unlike practically everyone who followed him, Herc did not manage to monetise his innovations. Bam and Flash both formed groups with rappers, got signed to key independent labels, and made worldwide hit records. By contrast, Herc was more about the size of the sound system and the atmosphere of the parties he threw, neither of which were things he could duplicate and sell. He stayed in the rec rooms and parks, rocking the beats for the people of hip-hop's epicentre, paying little attention to DJ innovators or the politics of the record industry. Maybe he paid the price for not trying to forever stay on the cutting edge of the genre he accidentally founded: but if you were putting it in the sort of language rappers have tended to use down the years, he never sold out, and he kept it real. His prize for this was a ton of respect, but virtually no cash.

IN THIS PHOTO: Run-D.M.C. and Posse captured in Hollis, Queens (New York) by Janette Beckman in 1984

With the honourable exceptions of Public Enemy and the Chemical Brothers, it looks like pretty much anyone involved in the business of hip-hop, breakbeats or sample-based music owes Herc big time. Jay-Z once rapped that his approach to the industry was to make it pay for the way it mistreated hip-hop's innovators ("I'm overchargin' niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush," he wrote in Izzo, referring to the Cold Crush Brothers, whose leader, Grand Master Caz, had his rhymes used by the Sugar Hill Gang on the first ever rap single) – but words only go so far”.

I will not sub-categorise and headline the segments of this piece but one must forgive that lack of discipline – the fists are still clenched reading the updates coming out of Virginia. Although there is utter f*cking chaos and insanity happening in the U.S. – nothing new there! – it seems like a new, intent wave of Hip-Hop will form. There have been pieces that have studied the etymology of Hip-Hop and the neighbourhoods/people that helped build its foundations – and ensuring it reached the masses. I know the next year-or-so will lead to some explosive and pioneering Hip-Hop albums.

To me, the best Hip-Hop albums were created in the 1980s. It is not shocking considering the factors that contributed to the rise of the genre – artists reacting to the dislocation and instability around them. Aside from confident raps, scratching and socially-aware lyrics: one of the key corners of the Hip-Hop sound has been sampling. It is common in almost all of the best Hip-Hop albums of all time. During the 1980s, there were some fantastic Hip-Hop albums springing up. Criminal Minded by 1987; Run-D.M.C.’s Raising Hell; 3rd Bass’ The Cactus Album; LL Cool J’s Bigger and Deffer. Those are all enduring and defining works that have survived time and influence artists today. One of the biggest albums of the decade – that did not necessarily go overboard on sampling – is/was N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton. A humorous album that many felt raised more hell than it did answers: it was provoked and propelled by the same anger and problems that kick-started the Hip-Hop movement. It is an angry and evocative work that remains the group’s most-famous record. Look at those heavyweight Hip-Hop-samplers and I bring to you Beastie Boys, De La Soul; Public Enemy - and Eric B. and Rakim. The latter can be seen as one of the first albums to use sampling in such a way as to unify disparate genres and artists.

IN THIS PHOTO: The cover art to Beastie Boys' album, Paul's Boutique

Paul’s Boutique arrived in 1989 and many can argue it is a finer album. Paid in Full came two years earlier and is considered one of the greatest albums ever. It, not only gave Hip-Hop artists the confidence to use sampling in their work, but directly nodded to where the genre came from. One of the most remarkable things about Hip-Hop is the fact it is not an organic and lab-created style of music. Paid in Full is credited as a landmark album of Hip-Hop’s golden age. Rakim's rapping, which pioneered the use of internal rhymes in Hip-Hop, set a higher standard of lyricism in the genre and served as a template for future rappers. The album's heavy sampling by Eric B. became influential in Hip-Hop production. It is a benchmark, for sure, and one that assimilated Jazz textures and multiple sounds into the Hip-Hop boiling pot – a gauntlet that their contemporaries learnt from and integrated into their own work. 3 Feet High and Rising arrived (in 1989) and was another one of those late-1980s albums that took from Paid in Full and nodded to those golden pioneers.

IN THIS PHOTO: De La Soul

De La Soul employed humour, a unique positivity and uplift that seemed to contrast a lot of the Hip-Hop material at the time. Fellow Hip-Hop legends like Public Enemy would take a more direct and aggressive road to realisation – De La Soul seemed like their Angel (to The Devil), The skill and breadth of De La Soul’s sampling meant 3 Feet High and Rising was listed as one of the finest albums of the 1980s. Jazz, Jazz-Rock and Pop were all poured into the mix. If not as socially-conscious as other albums of the time: it balanced humour and seriousness; put disparate songs – Hall and Oates, Steely Dan and George Clinton were all sampled – together in one. Beastie Boys’ 1989-album, Paul’s Boutique shouldn’t have received the mixed critical reception it did. Considering the like of De La Soul and Eric B. and Rakim had shown how accessible heavily-sampling albums could be; there was a comparative lack of empathy towards the New York trio’s masterpiece. It took years for true acclaim and realisation but, in that wonderful era, it seemed like a natural thing. Using different samples than De La Soul:

IN THIS PHOTO: Public Enemy

Using different samples than De La Soul:Beastie Boys were the vocal/lyrical link between Public Enemy and De La Soul. They had the anger and swaggering attitude but laced lashings of wit and humour into their music. Their rhymes are legendary and their rapping ability cannot be faulted. Hip-Hop artists at the time were using older styles of music and modernising them for new audiences. The same way we can trace modern Rock back to Rock and Roll of the 1950s: one can look at styles like Jazz and Soul as vanguards and inspirations for Hip-Hop. The fluidity and experimentation of Jazz seemed like the natural parent of a genre synonymous with its flows, inventiveness and boldness. It was Public Enemy’s magnum opus, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. It seems strangely prescient and clairvoyant. An album, nearly thirty years on, seems to represent a sense of racism and outrage.

With Chuck D still in circulation (with Prophets of Rage) one imagines his mind is starting to work on new material. In 1989, the Hip-Hop world had not witnessed anything as articulate, groundbreaking and impactful as Public Enemy’s masterpiece. Maybe N.W.A. had the same anger and aggression but did not channel it into anything as fascinating and relevant as It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. With this L.P; The band wanted to write a Hip-Hop equivalent of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. Whilst their debut, Yo! Bum Rush the Show was largely shunned in favour of the R&B/Rock mainstream in 1987 – there was no ignoring their follow-up in the wake of a Hip-Hop takeover. The Bomb Squad, the group’s production team, produced thick layers to compliment Chuck D’s fiery lyrics; Flavor Flav’s lighter interjections and a myriad of sounds – breakbeats and scratches; incredible samples and some of the most intense performances on record. It remains one of the best albums of all-time and propelled Hip-Hop into the 1990s.

Not only did It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back inspire a generation and unify ample samples with a unique identity: the album, in itself, has been sampled by the likes of Madonna (Justify My Love) and Beastie Boys (Egg Man). Not to fly through the ensuing three decades but we have covered the best Hip-Hop albums. The 1990s picked up the mantle and, whilst social concerns and divisions were not the same as the decade previous; the legacy laid down by Beastie Boys and Public Enemy gave contemporaries the confidence to use more sampling and push boundaries. Nas’ Illmatic, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory took the origins of Jazz and Hip-Hop and updated it for the early-1990s. One can bring in Funk and Soul that, together with Jazz, relies on a sense of flow, improvisation and rhythm – which were being appropriated and adapted by the Hip-Hop masters of the 1990s. Mos Def’s Black on Both Sides and Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill were two of the defining works of the late-1990s.

IMAGE CREDIT: Roman Genn

Many assume Hip-Hop to be male-dominated and, whilst true to an extent, Hill’s sole solo album showed there was a generation of female innovators unafraid to join the male-heavy landscape of Hip-Hop. Hill, like her peers, addressed issues affecting her people/community but looked at love and personal demons. She showed it was possible to mix social commentary with more traditional songs and create a stunning work of art. Hill was bringing in Reggae, Roots and Soul (more than Jazz and Funk) – showing how many styles Hip-Hop was inspired by. As opposed to the crate-digging samplers of the 1990s – Lauryn Hill was among a new breed relying more on original compositions but still being innovative and expressive with regards sounds and genres. Aside from the occasional piece of genius sampling album – DJ Shadow’s Entroducing…… in 1996 – the more modern brand of Hip-Hop was defined by a grittiness and directness.

More in common with the acceleration and passionate deliveries of Public Enemy: the best Hip-Hop albums of the '00s have retained the affectionate nods to the past but updated Hip-Hop. Take modern geniuses like Kanye West and Eminem and you hear them dip into the annals of music’s past and scatter Soul, Rock and early-Hip-Hop samples into their music. Eminem is one of the few white Hip-Hop artists of the last to hit the mainstream in the last few decades – showing it is a genre that is not confined in terms of race. Social poverty affected the black community, and still does, in the 1980s – hence its popularisation and explosion – but modern Hip-Hop artists are reacting to the breakup and fragmentation in their nation – something that affects everyone. I have mentioned mostly American artists but, aside from a few British acts like The Streets, the most compelling Hip-Hop albums from all time have been American.

Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP arrived right at the start of the '00S and mixed humour, outright aggression – the author lambasted for his homophobic, misogynistic and sexist lyrics – and incredible confidence. The extraordinary raps and incredible flows made the album of the defining works of the decade. The likes of Eminem and Kanye West were addressing issues affection society of the time. Eminem, when he was not rallying against lovers and accusers, was talking about the pressures of fame and nature of popularity. Kanye West, on The College Dropout, talked about materialism and sexual identity. It brought in samples of Michael Bolton, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye (among others) and ensured Soul was still part of the Hip-Hop landscape. Eminem was using Rock samples/strings and, between them, created some of the most astonishing, inventive and compelling music of the decade.

IN THIS PHOTO: The album cover of Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly

Outkast’s phenomenal double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) was a landmark record and one of the best records of the '00s. Kanye West’s Yeezus; Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange and Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly show there is plenty of life and inspiration in modern Hip-Hop. One can draw a line between Lamar’s 2015 epic and albums by Public Enemy and N.W.A. There is a lot of anger and fracture in America: ensuring this is represented through a medium like Hip-Hop is essential. It is encouraging seeing Hip-Hop artists retain the components and D.N.A. of the pioneers. Kendrick Lamar, on To Pimp a Butterfly, mixed Jazz elements and instrumentation against tougher and tauter raps – that balance of defiant verses and smoother horns went into a remarkable record.

IN THIS PHOTO: An exciting new British Hip-Hop talent, Loyle Carner

I opened by looking at the tensions and problems affecting Virginia right now. The wreckage and bloodshed of yesterday will take a long time to clean. The stains and repercussions of the horror will endure and there is a lesson for America to learn from. If its music and Hip-Hop artists have evolved and fostered something inspiring and beautiful – they are being let down by their government and worst elements. It is the minorities (black community) affected and afflicted by hatred from another minority (the far-right). In the same manner President Reagan compelled anger and rebellion in the early-1980s: President Trump seems to share a lot of the same components. It is scary seeing two very similar leaders oversee racial tensions and division. Reagan’s leadership (or lack of...) led to the commercial birth of Hip-Hop: current violence and aggression will, in my view, lead to a new wave of Hip-Hop meaning and aggression. Artists will not idly stand by and watch these kinds of things go down. It takes an inept President and the monkey-brained faction of racists to provoke worldwide condemnation and revulsion. It seems, since the birth of Hip-Hop forty-four years ago, society has really not progressed and learned from its mistakes. It is the hate-fuelled minorities that are dragging things down. I am pleased seeing Hip-Hop celebrated and given proper honour but worry those pioneers and innovators will be spinning in their commercial graves knowing their important and powerful messages have not been taken seriously.

IN THIS PHOTO: Hip-Hop pioneer, Afrika Bambaataa

Yes...they have inspired musicians and changed the fabric of music but they are being ignored by those who have the power to change policies and ill practices. Let us hope it does not take another racist rampage like yesterday’s for us to realise more needs to be done; how timely the landmark Hip-Hop albums are – and where we need to improve. Against all the sourness and disgust that is being felt around the globe; let’s be thankful for DJ Kool Herc and that incredible night forty-four years ago. He helped create and inspire a genre of music that, to me and many, is one of the finest and most inspiring. It has evolved over the decades but produced some of the greatest albums in history. Long may that continue and, as we remember those affected in Virginia; let us pay homage to a remarkable genre of music – created by a phenomenal human. Tonight, you know, let’s all get a drink in hand and…

IN THIS PHOTO: DJ Kool Herc

RAISE a glass to him!

FEATURE: Elvis Presley: The King of Rock and Roll

FEATURE:

 

Elvis Presley: 

 The King of Rock and Roll

________

IN three days; it will be forty years since Elvis Presley…

left the world. Fortunately, I was not alive to hear that sad news because God knows how extraordinary and life-changing it would have been for the people – not only his fans but those who did not recognise his music! One cannot celebrate and talk about Presley without talking about him as a phenomenon. Nearly every other musician who has ever lived could be seen as such: that is not the case with Presley. I guess the only other musician death that would have had that biblical impact as John Lennon. I feel, unlike Lennon, Presley stewarded in and invented what we understand to be Rock. His Rock and Roll/Blues mixtures were unheard of and completely revolutionary. With the likes of Chuck Berry; he helped put Rock and Roll into the mainstream and reinvented music of the time. That is not an exaggerated and one cannot underestimate the importance of his debut album, Elvis Presley. Before I go on, as an overview and distillation unfamiliar with Presley’s birth and rise, a Wikipedia summary of his life:

“Elvis Aaron Presley[a] (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, when he recorded a song with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was an early popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who managed the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. He was regarded as the leading figure of rock and roll after a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, made him enormously popular—and controversial.

PHOTO CREDIT: Gillian G. Gaar (from the book, Elvis: The Legend)

In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. In 1958, he was drafted into military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and their accompanying soundtrack albums, most of which were critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. On August 16, 1977, he suffered a heart attack in his Graceland estate, and died as a result. His death came in the wake of many years of prescription drug abuse.

Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, blues and gospel, he is one of the best-selling solo artists in the history of recorded music, with estimated record sales of around 600 million units worldwide.[5] He won three Grammys, also receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

That is, of course, a brief biography – the webpage gives a lot more detail and depth – but it is a pretty good assessment of a true legend. Many call Presley the King of Rock and Roll – I cannot argue against that! To me, he is someone I appreciate retrospectively and vicariously. I was not alive during his lifetime so did not get to experience the brilliance and rush of his musical genius. The artwork to Elvis Presley’s debut album has been much-copied – The Clash on London Calling, for example – and it was a record that spent ten weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. In 1956, there were rumblings of Rock and Roll. People had heard of Buddy Holly but there was nobody who propelled the genre into the spotlight and helped changed the landscape of modern culture.

The young, beautiful and peerless talent of Presley was a fire-breath of revelation at a time where there were so much beige and ‘old-fashioned’ sounds. Here, a cool and swaggering God created the first million-selling album of the genre. No denying how necessary and universal his album was. Heartbreak Hotel was a monster hit for Presley so, following that success; RCA wanted its promising star to put an album out. Presley and his band sojourned to the studio but, before they did, penned moments and lines that would appear on that decade-defining record. In the 1950s, today I guess, there was that pressure to release the ‘best’ songs as singles and have ‘lesser’ tracks as album material. The record company wanted those big songs that appealed to the young – to get the dancefloors moving and the diners/clubs jumping. The recording of that debut was not that smooth. Presley had a few smashes to put in but, requiring a minimum length of time/amount of songs forced The King to put five unreleased songs onto the record – including Just Because and Trying’ to Get to You. Covers formed the album but the reason Elvis Presley was such a landmark was the way it transformed the original material.

Money Honey (Jessie Stone) and I’m Counting on You (Don Robertson) were turned into near-religious experiences in Presley’s hands. He showed he could tackle R&B, Rock and Roll and Blues and craft his own unique voice. Even a cover of Little Richard’s Tutti Fruitti sounded new and reborn – some honour given the stature of its creator. The entire album was released as singles - which meant the public has full exposure and access to that incredible release. At the time, the debut album was a revolution and revelation. Today, there is literally no way of quantifying the effect and influence that single album has had on the modern landscape. In the way it changed the 1950s and popular culture: that, in turn, influenced 1960s artists and the biggest artists of the time – that has passed through the generation and brought music to where it is today.

PHOTO CREDIT: Gillian G. Gaar (from the book, Elvis: The Legend)

Subsequent albums like Elvis (1956) – with the likes of Rip It Up and Long Tall Sally included – it was another smash and commercial hit for the Presley. In 1956, Presley was the first artist to see both of his albums hit the number one spot in the charts. The fact he managed to produce two albums in the space of a year would seem almost alien today – quite a few artists had that productivity in the 1950s and 1960s. One could argue there was an immense aesthetic appeal to the young singer. Today, Presley would have to battle through hordes of iPhone-wielding teens – not giving him any eye contact – but, back in the 1950s, he was an absolute sensation. It was not only his natural beauty but the incredible voice that hooked in the fans. There has been nobody that has managed to rival that mix of husky depth and youthful vigour. There are few ‘unique’ singers today – most sound like someone to an extent – but Presley certainly had no equals. Couple that with a stage presence and hip-swivelling allure that topped off that true Rock package and one had a ready-made icon. It seemed to happen right from the off. So many contemporaries had to work hard to get the same kind of success but Presley was thrust into the limelight.

The young star grew up inspired by Gospel music and, according to his mother, from the age of two, the boy would dance in the aisles of the Assembly of God church in Tupelo. He attended all-night Gospel sing-alongs later and this all cumulated in Presley’s initial musical incarnation as part of The Statesmen – emotive and thrilling singing from lads dressed in dapper and eye-catching suits. It is unsurprising Presley’s stage demeanour would captivate and move as easily as it did. That spiritual and religious affinity flowed through the blood (and groin) of the legend. During the 1950s and 1960s, of course, there was segregation, race riots and racism – look at the news today and we have not progressed that far! – so it was quite unconventional for artists to back black artists and show a love of genres like Gospel and R&B. That race ‘issue’ materialised when Presley would conduct radio interviews. Many would call thinking he was a black artist – given segregation and racial tensions; that was a no-no – and that might seem flattering to many. Luckily, Pressley was not as ignorant as many of his fellow Americans and showed his respect and support of the black community.

This openness and universal love were reciprocated and, before long, Presley was a big film star getting roles in Jailhouse Rock (1957), G.I. Blues (1960) and Blue Hawaii (1961). The fact the musician was having films written for him is something we could not imagine in this day and age – there is no star that has that demand and popularity. If Presley’s acting chops were impressive (if not on a par with James Dean) he certainly had the same cool and command as the Hollywood idols of the day. His early-1960s albums might not have been as meteoric and popular as his debut – still commanding enormous respect – but his 1960 album, Elvis Is Back! can be considered one of his finest. Fever, The Girl of My Best Friend and Like a Baby, like his debut, was ground-breaking and conic.

IN THIS PHOTO: Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957)

If his 1956-debut was marked by its fusion and progression of Rock and Roll: Elvis Is Back! bonded more to Pop and was the start of a more Pop-driven period for Presley. It was this album where Presley’s voice hardened and the arrangements became more sophisticated; he was tackling a wider range of songs and experimenting with new genres – performing ballads and love songs alongside the megahertz-thrill one heard four years earlier. It seemed like the album title was not ironic: it was very much a comeback and regeneration. Aside from film soundtracks – Blue Hawaii and G.I. Blues in the early-1960s – there was not a lot of studio action from Presley before the 1970s. That film stardom and increasing popularity drew his attention elsewhere and, conceivably, started a course that would end in tragedy.

It is hard to say how linked increased fame was to his untimely death but there was a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Growing larger – in terms of success and girth – meant health problems and creative dips followed. The world had never experienced a phenomenon like Elvis Presley – and have not since – so it was understandable the megastar took advantage of the acclaim and demands. Back to his debut years and it important to note just how needed Presley’s introduction to music was. Artists like Little Richard praised how Presley let black music through. At a time, when there was segregation and homogenisation in the music industry – certain genres being heard by black audiences; other genres reserved for white people – Presley broke barriers and helped put R&B into the wider arena. President Jimmy Carter recognised his pioneering music and how his rebellious attitude electrified people of the time and turned him into an instant icon.

IN THIS PHOTO: Graceland

That blend of sexuality, showmanship and explosive music was the catalyst for a social change and betterment. It is hard to say how influential Presley was with regards changes in attitudes to black Americans but it is clear his music transformed the world. If early albums like A Date with Elvis (1959) and For LP Fans Only (1959) showed how prolific and consistent he was in the 1950s: the years that followed saw less music but no real slowing of his popularity and work. Presley was putting more time in his film career and live gigs. The 1972 album, He Touched Me, was, debatably, the most-successful album of Presley’s 1970s. His third and final Gospel album showed a focus and quality previous albums lacked and his final album, Moody Blue, contained some pearls. I have not even mentioned Presley’s famed and hallowed home of Graceland. It has seen millions of tourists flock in worship; Paul Simon talked about it on the Graceland album – it is the most-revered and iconic musical home ever (more so than Prince’s Paisley Park and Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch).

IN THIS PHOTO: The ‘Jungle Room’ at Graceland - where Presley and friends recorded music/PHOTO CREDIT: Gillian G. Gaar (from the book, Elvis: The Legend)

It is a monument to an artist who managed to transform music in ways we cannot fully appreciate. I shall not go into his final hours – for they are grotesque and appalling sad – and his romances and celebrity lifestyle. It is the music, image and magic that elevated a promising young singer to the King of Rock and Roll. That incredible debut ignited and sparked a Rock and Roll riot; later albums helped popularise and evolve Pop and Gospel – at every stage, in every decade, Presley was transforming music and breaking boundaries. That incredible personality helped bring physicality, emotion and incredible candour to the music. Listen to songs like In the Ghetto and one gets shivers and shocks – it is a marvellous and haunting rendition that showcases how tender and transcendent the master could be. The fact Presley could awe when talking about social poverty as he could something as (relatively) shallow as jukebox joints and young romance – how many of today’s artists can say they managed that?!

Live albums such as 1970’s On Stage showed what a captivating and accomplished live performer Presley was. From his Vegas period through to his return to that Memphis sound: the King of Rock and Roll managed to cast himself as that casino showman or pastor without much strain. He had these guides and period that reflected his progression from the Rock and Roll innovator to this glitzy showman. Maybe the Vegas era did have a hand in his addiction to food and drugs; that pressure and fame meant Presley self-medicated and self-destructed to an extent. There is something sad and tragic realising he was only forty-two when he died. Who knows how far he could have gone and where he would reach was he better safeguarded and advised. It is those live shows, in my mind, that perfectly demonstrated why Presley is an icon whose importance and legacy cannot be disputed. In a few days, we will mark forty years without him in the world: a timely reminder of all the terrific music he left behind. From Hound Dog and Love Me Tender (1956) to Jailhouse Rock (1957); It’s Now or Never (1960) and Crying in the Chapel (1965) – such a range of iconic tracks and wonderful moments. Strip away Colonel Parker and the Aberbachs – great band name, by the way! – and the control they exerted over Presley’s career (and, how, that could have led to his untimely demise) and the 'Memphis Mafia' – the group of friends who Presley discovered in the early-1960s and opened his world to excess and degradation – and let’s focus on the music and legacy. I feel nobody has left a bigger mark on the world than Elvis Presley.

IN THIS PHOTO: Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957)

From that monumental debut to his incredible raft of number-one singles: nobody has done more to push music forward. That can be contested but I stand by that assertion. Regardless of your appreciation of the music: you cannot ignore the importance of Presley and what he did to music. It would be hard enough breaking boundaries now: in the 1950s, against a tide of racial segregation, he managed to, in a way, unify black and white communities but de-segregation music. That was noted by politicians and legendary peers; in a way, it gave people like Paul Simon the courage to do likewise in the 1980s – when he performed with Ladysmith Black Mambazo during Apartheid-era South Africa (for the Graceland album). He has sold more than a billion records; broken more than a billion hearts but, in sheer terms of numbers…

THERE is no one as spectacular and influential as him.

FEATURE: Busking and the Road to Success: Change Is Gonna Come?

FEATURE:

 

Busking and the Road to Success: 

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Change Is Gonna Come?

________

IF you’ll forgive the pen-laden cringe of the title’s sensibilities…

I wanted to address a side of the music industry that has caught my mind recently. Living where I do; unfortunately, one does come across buskers whose quality and worth are not exactly sky-high. Sure, there are some occasional standouts but, by and large, when I am situated, in busking terms, seems to be stuck in the 1940s. Maybe it is a reaction to the coolness/demographics of the area or a real lack of any ambition – getting people smiling rather than offering any depth, quality or credibility. If you are performing on the street to raise fun, that is okay, but I find myself travelling to the city in order to discoverer the decent and worthy buskers. There is a codified legislation – sternly known as Buskers’ Code – that details the rules and regulations all buskers must adhere to:

Where to busk

·         Busking is legal on public land and there are lots of great places to busk in London.

·         All pitches operate differently. Chat to local buskers to get the lowdown.

·         If you trying out a new area, talk to local busker, businesses and traders. You are less likely to get a complaint.

·         Let people get past. There should be space to push a piano past you and your audience - even at busy times.

·         If your audience blocks a doorway, market stall, pavement, ATM or loo, please stop and clear the blockage! You may want to try a bigger pitch or adapt your act for a smaller audience.

·         If there isn’t a suitable space, wait for one to become free. Ask other buskers if there's a queue you can join.

·         If a performer is waiting for your pitch please share it. On really popular pitches this could mean sharing after one hour or less.

·         Avoid sound clash! Acts involving sound should have lots of space between them.

IN THIS PHOTO: Mercy Grace (one of the competitors at this year's GIGS: Big Busk)

Your Performance

·         Your performance will have an impact on people nearby. Please be aware of this and be willing to move or adjust your performance if necessary.

·         Please don’t cause offence or humiliation.

Sound

·         The biggest cause of complaints is sound. Sound can travel a long way and go high into the air. Many busking locations are surrounded by flats, shops, offices or hotels. Because the people inside can’t walk away, please make sure your volume doesn't bother them.

·         As a rule - keep your volume just above the level of background street noise and check that it is not distorted.

·         Please don’t repeat music in the same location. Acts with varied content are much more popular.

·         Some sounds have a big impact on people. If your act has loud, bass heavy or percussive sounds, please monitor your volume regularly, vary your music and limit your time at each location.

·         Keep backing tracks unobtrusive and turn them off when you’re not performing.

Equipment

·         Make sure no-one could trip over your equipment.

·         Never leave equipment unattended.

·         Keep it safe! Check out our guidance page if your act involves anything risky (e.g. fire, knives, high wire, unicycle, diabolo, juggling).

·         Please don't cover your face (e.g. by wearing a mask) as this puts people off talking to you if there is a problem.

If you use fixtures such as furniture, lamp-posts or railings, or you draw on the ground, please get permission beforehand and make sure nothing gets damaged.

·         Please keep the pitch clean and tidy-up afterwards.

Collecting Money

·         Performers can accept donations but the public must never feel obliged to pay.

·         You can give away CDs or other items, but you cannot charge a fee for them. To sell items for a fee you need a street trading licence.

·         If you are collecting for charity you'll need a permit.

Resolving Problems

Talking with the performer is the starting point for solving all busking related problems. Unless there is an imminent risk to the performer or others, they should be given the chance to change their performance so that it follows the Buskers' Code.

Enforcement action should only be taken once the following three steps have been taken:

·         STEP 1 - Don't wait until you're irate! If a performer or group is causing a problem it can usually be resolved quickly and amicably by talking. Where possible, wait for a suitable break before talking to the performer(s). Introduce yourself and explain the impact that their performance is having on you. Ask the performer if they know about the Buskers' Code and refer them to Busk in London website.

·         STEP 2 - If you have spoken to the performer(s) and the problem continues, please contact you local authority. This might be via an on-street warden/officer or by calling council hotline. They will decided what steps to take, which may be enforcement.

The Law and Enforcement

Is busking legal?

Yes - busking on public land is legal in most places. However there are some exceptions:

·         The London Borough of Camden has introduced a bylaw that requires acts with music or amplification to have a busking licence. If you perform without one you could be arrested and have your equipment seized.

·         Uxbridge Town Centre in the London Borough of Hillingdon has introduced a bylaw that requires all acts using the four town centre pitches to have a busking licence. If you perform without one you could be arrested and have your equipment seized.

·         The financial district of the City of London (known as the Square Mile) allows performers but does not allow money to be collected in public places.

·         Some parks and squares have bylaws that don't allow busking.

·         Private land owners may have their own policy on busking and you may require permission from the landowner. It is often hard to tell private from public land, so please check with a local warden or business or contact Busk in London if you are unsure.

·         Private busking schemes that have entry requirements, such as auditions, permits or licences, include: the London Underground Busking Scheme; some pitches at Covent Garden; and the Southbank Centre Busking Scheme (between the London Eye and Hungerford Bridge).

IN THIS PHOTO: Dawson

Anti-social behaviour

·         If your behaviour is unreasonable and you are having a persistent, detrimental effect on the quality of life of people in the area, you will receive a verbal warning.

·         If you carry on, you could be issued with a formal warning letter, followed by a Community Protection Notice under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014).

·         If you breach the notice, you could be fined or have your equipment seized.

That is, actually, a simplified truncation of the full ins-and-outs. If one wants to play their music on the streets of London; it is not quite as romantic and easy as the likes of Jerry Rafferty and Ralph McTell romanticise – the ease one can work their craft and discover some great music. The reason I raise this article is the discrepancies between town and city; why people busk and whether it can open doors – or if it is a way for musicians to cut their teeth and get first-hand feedback. One of the incongruous aspects of my local busking scene is how unregulated it seems to be. Anyone can busk which creates a couple of issues: the high streets can, especially at the weekend, be awash with ill-fitting sounds that cause some hostile reactions. One might move down one section and hear Hokum bands covering relatively modern songs with all the cheesy charm and jug-blowing coolness one might expect from counties away from London. A few metres down the street and there will be a wannabe X Factor warbler or droning, sonorous Folk singer – mangling some classics and draining the emotion from them.

One is ‘treated to’/threatened with’ so many different performers in the space of a few seconds. Other than the fact the quality is seriously questionable – so many musicians covering songs badly is not going to get me heading for the wallet – it makes me wonder the reasons behind this. Unregulated performances give freedom for artists to ply their trade on the street but does it create a culture of over-saturation? I walk down some streets and find myself inundated with crooning, strumming and sounds of various offensiveness. Even if one discovers a gem down a side-street; that is often washed away by a caterwauling singer a few yards down the road. London’s rigid and rigorous book of rules ensures their buskers are selected in terms of quality and potential.

IN THIS PHOTO: The cast of Once; busking at Leicester Square Tube/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Crockett

I remember a few friends of mine auditioning for Busk London and trying to secure a spot on the London Underground. It is a competitive and much-contested process that sees musicians battle for converted spots in some of the capital’s prime locations. I will come to look at the ‘goods’ and ‘bads’ of busking but, considering London, I want to introduce a piece from TimeOut London written a few years ago:

“Actually, it’s pretty hard to compete as a busker in general. The tube is out of bounds for newbies. There are currently 280 licensed buskers on the Underground in a TfL-run scheme. It’s proved so popular since its inception in 2003 that it now attracts 4,000 applications when auditions for new licences are held every two years.

Above ground, the outlook isn’t much sunnier. We’ve got away with playing music freely in Trafalgar Square without being moved on by the authorities. But we’ve been lucky. ‘There are times when the police come round Trafalgar Square and tell everyone to stop without any reason,’ says Olly Corpe, one of The King’s Parade, the quartet arrested in Leicester Square. ‘It’s really strange. It depends on the day, it depends on the officers on duty. Sometimes there’s complete hostility towards you.’

Part of the problem is the lack of a citywide consensus on how authorities and the police should treat buskers. For example, The King’s Parade were carted away under the Metropolitan Police Act, an obscure piece of legislation from 1839. They weren’t formally charged according to Corpe: ‘When we got to the police station the officer in charge didn’t even know what the Metropolitan Police Act was.’ Still, it was later defended by the Met in a statement to press. The reason? ‘There is strong evidence that this type of street performing attracts thieves.’

To remove this confusion, the Mayor’s Office is running a #BackBusking campaign to establish a universal code of conduct. It should allow non-nuisance, unlicensed buskers to perform without recrimination. It’s tricky, though. When we asked Camden Council to explain their clampdown on unlicensed acts they said it was ‘light touch regulation’ due to ‘a rising number of complaints from residents […] particularly where amplified and percussion instruments are used’. The number of complaints? One hundred. In a year. If the councillors felt this sufficient to act against spontaneous street performance it seems unlikely they’ll get on board with a mayoral campaign which asks councils to ‘make sure [that] genuine buskers outside designated schemes don’t get moved on.’

‘It’d just be nice to change the image of a busker to someone that adds to the character of the city rather than being a nuisance,’ says Charlotte as we return to the South Bank, this time setting up at an unlicensed area by Gabriel’s Wharf. Apparently, the public agree. As Charlotte begins to coat chart hits with her honeyed voice, nearby office workers eating sandwiches on benches flash megawatt smiles at us.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ina Reni (an artist, whom I have interviewed, who has taken part in London's biggest busking competition)

Fifty daytripping kiddiwinks in luminous jackets are dragged over by an excited teacher. They clap along until Charlotte finishes singing and then run at her, wrapping their arms around her waist, squeaking ‘Another! Another!’ Pocket money fills the guitar case (we later find that we’ve made £45.26 in two hours) and the youngsters sit in a big crosslegged huddle in front of us, gazing up in adoration”.

It is that ‘public appreciation’ that seems to get to me. Not only does London prove to be a perfect place for busker hostility – people taking ‘offense’ at the music being played – but deters artists who want to bring the streets alive – and make some money for themselves. What troubles me is the fact some of these artists are genuinely trying to make a career and path for themselves. Even if they are there to provide happiness and music: should they be protected and safeguarded more than they are? The article above – I urge you to read it in full – is supported by testimony from many buskers in London. A recent piece in Metro added another dynamic to the argument:

“Buskers and street performers could be forced to buy a licence in order to legally perform in one London borough.

Councillors representing Kensington and Chelsea will discuss a proposed clampdown on buskers, mime artists and ‘living statues’ that would involve street performers needing a licence.

The plans state a new policy would ‘help eliminate people who are not providing a genuine performance’, the Evening Standard reported.

IN THIS PHOTO: Boris Johnson (Mayor of London at the time) and Newton Faulkner

It is not known how expensive the licence would be, but nearby Camden charges £17 a year, or £47 if they use amplifiers, drums or bagpipes.

In a report, councillor Tim Ahern said the proposal would reduce ‘nuisance and inconvenience to residents and businesses’.

He said: ‘It has proved difficult for enforcement officers to attribute anti-social behaviour to an individual busker. Officers would now like to license busking across the whole borough, initially for a trial period of 12 months.

‘The proposal is that all categories of busking performance, including those that are considered low impact, such as mime and living statues, will require a busking licence.

IN THIS PHOTO: Luca (a former winner of a London busking comepetition)

The borough would make about 100 permits available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kensington and Chelsea is the first council in Britain to propose a ban on unlicensed street performers”.

This seems like a super-harsh taxation on people who are trying to create something pure – not bilk and swindle credulous tourists. I walk through London a lot and, away from the Tube stations, one does not encounter many musicians on the bigger streets. It used to be the case I would discover a lot of musicians performing through Oxford Street and Piccadilly. One finds more homeless than musicians these days: should we reverse a policy that seems to strangle a sense of artistic freedom?! It is a complicated brew but one we need to decode, review and amend. One can apply to busk on the Underground because, in my mind, we need to encourage and nurture those who risk performing to the bustling, unpredictable commuters of London. I am not down on London but feel cities like Manchester and Glasgow afford their buskers greater humanity and financial remuneration. I will, when passing through the London Underground, dip into my pocket when I hear a great musician play – it makes commuting more pleasant and appealing.

There are negatives when it comes to city busking. Recently, when travelling on the Jubilee Line; a trio of accordion-playing buskers leapt onto a Tube and ‘serenaded’ the patrons to a very loud and confined ditty. The pressure to compensate them – one could not easily look away or get private – was a pressure I surrendered to. There are rogue and rebellious artists that do offer sonic force and pressure. There is a minor element many associate with ‘London busking’. That is not the majority and is an unfair representation of what one can expect from the city. You can say the same of any major city where a variety of artists want to play. I am soured and off-put by the musicians one gets in smaller towns and local environs – often anyone can rock up and you might find, say, one half-decent busker in ten. To perform in the city; there are more stipulations and obstacles one has to navigate – to ensure there is an emphasis on quality and promise.

IN THIS PHOTO: Maeve Fitzpatrick (a contestant at this year's GIGS: Big Busk)

There are a few points from Roland’s guide to busking that offers tips to any wannabe busker:

#10. Loosen their wallets
“Most buskers ‘salt’ their cases before starting the set, slipping in a handful of their own money so punters recognise that tipping is welcome and know where to throw coins. As the set progresses, you want enough coins in the case to imply that you’re popular, but not so many that people conclude you don’t need more. Every few songs, take out some of the accumulated coins to stop a passing toerag stealing the loot. And that leads us onto…

#11. Grin and bear it
You’ll get drunks, nutters, thieves, pensioners informing you that you suck and hoodies gobbing in your case. Take it all on the chin. If you get heckled, laugh it off. If you get robbed, don’t chase them. Dealing with borderline psychopaths is an invaluable lesson for anyone hoping for a career in music.

#12. Use it as an apprenticeship
Busking can teach you everything you need to know about live performance. Spend a few weeks out there and you’ll work out what engages people and what leaves them cold, which songs spark a singalong and which ones get you punched. Learn your trade on the streets and who knows: maybe you’ll follow in the footsteps of ex-buskers like Ed Sheeran and Rodrigo Y Gabriela, and use the experience as a springboard to a gold-plated career. Today, the doorway of a defunct Woolworths. Tomorrow, the world…”

IN THIS PHOTO: Donna - Lois Andrea Music (a contestant at this year's GIGS: Big Busk)

We have all heard the story of famous musicians starting their lives as buskers. Ed Sheeran is a modern example of someone with those humble roots – transitioning, over the years, to the mainstream. That success did not occur overnight but, seeing him rise to prominence, gives heart and hope to buskers who, on an average day might seem deflated and lacklustre. Of course, one cannot say whether busking was instrumental in Sheeran’s success – and whether he was ‘spotted’ and discovered. There are few that have managed to rise from the streets to the mainstream but it is not impossible. Most musicians, when they busk, do not yearn for instant stardom: the fact they are able to get their music out there is the most important thing. I have reviewed and interviewed many musicians who busk; for different reasons. Some do it to showcase their music and get the first-hand reaction. It can be a terrific forum to see how songs are perceived by the British public. If one can navigate the ignorance and attitudes of the average citizen; you do get a core that recognises the hard craft and talent of musicians trying to make other’s lives better. Many busk to earn extra money or provide an outlet for amateur designs – not necessarily parlaying into a career in music or play at a professional level. Whatever the scale of ambition – and magnitude of their performance – we must provide better reception to buskers; those doing it legitimately and imbued with actual talent. There are many, as I have explained, who pollute the streets and crowd the eardrums – so many streets laden with similar-sounding buskers; none of whom warrant a pitch or any second thought. Bigger cities have greater quality control but, with such stringent guidelines being introduced, many are forced to pay to set up a pitch – often not able to turn any sort of profit over the course of a week.

We need protectionism and stricter codes in the RIGHT direction. Of course, nobody wants to see a cavalcade of semi-talented buskers singing at them but, at the same time, we do not want to purge the streets of genuine musicians who have something to say. I go to London and discover a range of wonderful sounds and artists. From the edgy and cramped conditions of the Underground to the open and swaying Oxford Street – it can be a great way of enlivening and enhancing a city. I fear, with venues under threat, many musicians will have to busk in order to get their music heard and honed. The danger of verbal and physical abuse; the criticism, banning and costs: all of this is muddying and diluting a culture that needs to survive and grow. I can understand the need to limit buskers in towns and smaller areas. Those who do not have a license should be punished by those who have the right to perform should not have to face taxation, repression and curfew.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ed Sheeran (busking in Brighton in 2010)

Music is an industry that should welcome people in and promote growth and expression. We cannot see our live venues close and struggle and push people off the streets. Maybe busking is not an easy way to success – it is part of a gruelling series of steps – but it needs to be protected and strengthened. I am split when it comes to town vs. city but, in terms of those instilled with promise and talent – they should not feel fearful and unable to follow a busking path. It is not a big ‘industry’ but, from the street-level player and artists looking for larger success, it is absolutely crucial. Whether we see buskers on the streets, cities or trains; I feel we all…

SHOULD be a lot more hospitable.

FEATURE: The Rise of the British Festival Scene: A Time for Celebration?

FEATURE: 

 The Rise of the British Festival Scene: A Time for Celebration?

________

OVER the weekend, I will be looking at a range of themes…

and sides of music. I will address Hip-Hop and the growing influence it has had – and how it has evolved the past three decades – and other cool things. That is for then but, for now, I am interested in the festival scene of Britain. In the news, the past few weeks, we have heard reports of bad weather afflicting various festivals. An article by The Independent investigated claims, by patrons of BoomTown festival, that people were fainting in hostile conditions – having to queue for hours and barely moving:

“The searches are very thorough this year which as previously warned is lengthening queuing time - speed this up by using amnesty bins.”

Later, just before 3pm, the festival tweeted: “GATES UPDATE: All gates are now open. Thank you for your continued patience.”

Cordelia Keston, a ticket-owner who was still queuing at the time of writing (5.20pm), spoke to us about her experiences live from the scene stating she had arrived two and a half hours previous and had only moved a maximum of “50 metres.”

Describing the queue's movement as “snail-pace,” Keston said: “We're trying to stay optimistic but there are no stewards around telling anyone anything. We feel a bit like sheep - there are no barriers, we're all in a huddle.”

Commenting on the reports of fainting, she told us that all she hadn't seen anybody pass out herself and had earlier seen someone handing out water which was then chaotically “thrown” into the crowd so everyone got some”.

We cannot do much about the British weather but it seems, in order to make festivals as secure as possible; we are compromising public safety to an extent. Of course, a couple of festivals are going to be afflicted with logistical and security issues. I think, in the case of BoomTown, there were some failings – which marred an, otherwise, great event. There are, as we know, so many other festivals occurring around the country that one can attend. It makes me wonder, when it comes to queuing and complaints, where the issue lies. Naturally, people want to come and see live music but are we being over-protective and under-resourced?

Describing the queue's movement as “snail-pace,” Keston said: “We're trying to stay optimistic but there are no stewards around telling anyone anything. We feel a bit like sheep - there are no barriers, we're all in a huddle.”

Commenting on the reports of fainting, she told us that all she hadn't seen anybody pass out herself and had earlier seen someone handing out water which was then chaotically “thrown” into the crowd so everyone got some”.

We cannot do much about the British weather but it seems, in order to make festivals as secure as possible; we are compromising public safety to an extent. Of course, a couple of festivals are going to be afflicted with logistical and security issues. I think, in the case of BoomTown, there were some failings – which marred an, otherwise, great event. There are, as we know, so many other festivals occurring around the country that one can attend. It makes me wonder, when it comes to queuing and complaints, where the issue lies. Naturally, people want to come and see live music but are we being over-protective and under-resourced?

IN THIS PHOTO: BoomTown festival (2016)

The threat of terrorism is real and ever-present but it seems like security has been stepped-up hugely in the past year. Maybe it is the increase in attendees that means festival staff are unable to cope with the huge numbers. We must protect everyone who attends a festival but I feel we are a bit too nervy and over-protective in the wake of recent attacks. One can never protect and safeguard every public gathering but there needs to be vigilance. I am not sure the exact details of BoomTown but let’s hope things have improved for the last day or two. Weather...we can do nothing about – it is one of those things that can affect a festival immeasurably. Rather the bemoan the grievances and problems; let’s acknowledge the great events happening around the country and the loyal music-lovers willing to risk rain and rancour.

IN THIS PHOTO: Eva Lazarus (who performed at last year's BoomTown)

Victorious Festival is one of the more-recent events that shows how passionate the young generation are (about them). That was set-up in 2012 by three friends – James Ralls, Ben Miles and Andy Marsh – and will go down from 25th to 27th of this month, in Southsea. There are some big names on the bill: it is recognised as one of the best family-friendly festivals in the country. V Festival is on 18th and is that hardy perennial (if that is the right gardening-related term?!) that brings in a, predominantly, younger crowd. Virgin V Festival 2017 and Creamfields are up soon and it means August is going to a hot one. After that, Reading and Leeds will bring in a very large and eager throng. Whatever your tastes and preferences: there is a festival that suits your tastes. With so many fears surrounding the dwindling of live venues around the nation; I wonder whether festivals are replacing smaller spaces – people able to afford a once-a-year jaunt rather than regular attendance. It is encouraging to see the number of festivals increase. People are getting out there and keen to soak up live music.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jenna Foxton

Those big festivals – Reading and Leeds; Glastonbury – pulls in more mainstream tastes; same can be said of Bestival and Victorious. Radio 1 has their Big Weekend and there are festivals representing the biggest radio stations in the country. Even though Secret Garden Party bade farewell this year: it is one of those boutique festivals that has had an enormous effect and inspired other organisers to change their ways and make a more varied and inspiring festival. I will not go into that side of things but am pleased there are so many smaller, unique festivals providing a worthy alternative to the mainstream. I wanted to update my feature regarding festivals – I wrote one a couple of months back – because, there and goods and bads to the rise of the festival scene. I can only imagine how hard it is for organisers making their lineups eclectic and original.

IN THIS PHOTO: V Festival

One looks at the festival posters and sees a lot of the same artists appearing. That is good for reasons – if you do not live near one festival, and want to see an artist, you can catch them elsewhere – and provided a steady yearly income. It also means, given the number of festivals, a lot of the best upcoming artists have a platform to perform on. The best thing about the festival explosion is the choice and health of our music economy. Genres and tastes are not being excluded: one can catch the best Dance, Metal and Alternative sounds without having to travel too far. The fact so many artists appear at many festivals does not necessarily put people off. Such is the richness and the sheer number of artists at each festival; the odd replication is inevitable. Many might look at lineups and say there is too much predictability and homogenisation. I will address that in the final part but, before then, the boom and fertility of new festivals. With every Secret Garden Party – and, because it is no more – there are two or three popping up.

IN THIS PHOTO: KT Tunstall (she plays Towersey Festival in Thame, on Friday, 25 August, 2017 (18:00)

The fact 'everyday Joes/Jos' can set up their own festivals means it is more achievable and ‘for the people’. There are those corporate festivals that continue to dominate but the emergence of promising new festivals means the balance might redress in the coming years. At any rate, it is positive for musicians having so many chances to perform – and the associated freedom, choice and availability for music-goers. Many might be dissuaded by the terrorist attacks and threats to our national security. That doesn’t seem to be the case this year: business is booming and people are unaffected (relatively) by those atrocities. One can go here to get a list of all the festivals happening in the coming months – the volume and variation is staggering! The fact more people are getting out there and desperate to get to festivals can only be a good thing. It means international artists – who might not have considering straying beyond big U.S. festivals in the past – are tempted here and it shows Britain’s music economy, this side of it, at least, is booming. The simple endorphin-rush and community aspect of festivals means the more we have (festivals); the greater the feel-good factor.

There are ‘bad’ factors that are more complex than one might imagine. One might ask how much money those big stars get. Does someone like Ed Sheeran or Foo Fighters make a bundle from their appearances at festivals like Glastonbury?! A recent article, explained:

“Radiohead, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran are among those taking to the stage at this year’s event, but Eavis has said it won’t do much for their bank balances.

She told BBC 6 Music’s Matt Everitt that acts earn “less than 10%” of what they could make at other festivals.

"We're not in a situation where we're able to just give people enormous amounts of money," she explained.

"So we're really grateful for the bands that we get, because they're basically doing it for the love of it."

Founder Michael Eavis had, for context, previously revealed that £200,000 was once paid to Coldplay.

“Although it sounds a lot, they could have charged me far more,” he said at the time.

Oasis, for example, were believed to be paid upwards of £1m when they topped the bill at Reading and Leeds in 2000.

Oxfam, WaterAid and Greenpeace are among the charities who benefit from the money Glastonbury makes, rather than the musicians who take part”.

An earlier piece by The Telegraph shed more light on the complexities and rationale:

“Mintel’s senior leisure analyst, Michael Oliver, says this growth has been down to two key factors. Firstly, there has been an 8pc increase in the average ticket price for major festivals between 2013 and 2015. Secondly, and perhaps most crucially, is what he terms the “explosion” in the number of festivals since 2010.

As an example, the number of festivals listed on festival website eFestivals has jumped from 496 in 2007 to 1,070 last year. Steve Heap, chairman of the Event Industry Forum and general secretary of the Association of Festival Organisers, says the industry has been “swamped” with new festivals.

 “More and more of these events are cropping up, and more and more people are realising that, if they want to go to festivals, they can go to one relatively near to home,” he says. As well as the number, the nature of festivals has also changed dramatically, with greater focus on the “experience” of the event, rather than just headline acts. “More and more festivals don’t depend on the big act,” Heap says.

“They depend on putting on a great experience which has got a lot more to it than just the artist and the music.” So, if everything is going swimmingly, why are new festivals collapsing? Heap says, on the whole, there are always “a few” festivals that either close down, collapse or go bankrupt each year.

“Every time one closes down, two others start,” he says. Perhaps that is the problem. There is a concern that the market has become oversaturated and will plateau as a growing number of people try their hand at running a festival, seeing it as an easy ticket to riches.

That pot of gold very rarely materialises, though, and Heap says only a few of the smaller festivals are financially lucrative. “It is harder now than ever to make a profit,” he says. “Apart from the big boys, the festival scene is not making loads of profit. “The new ones coming up have a crack at it and think themselves very lucky if they just get by. Some of them, especially the ones who think they will make a quick buck, usually don’t and quite often just collapse.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Tiesto

One of the biggest hurdles to profit is the considerable cost of organisational factors such as the staging, lighting, speakers and lavatories, which can very easily – and very quickly – spiral out of control. The second major problem is artist fees. As is well documented, a decline in record sales has led musicians increasingly to view live performances as their primary source of income. Because of that, the artists are charging higher fees than ever before.

Without the musicians, it can be incredibly hard to sell tickets, but with the artists, the festival’s balance sheet can become strained. Neil Warnock, head of worldwide music at United Talent Agency, represents artists such as Glastonbury headliners Muse, Motörhead and Dolly Parton.

He says the fees paid to artists at festivals have become “far more attractive” in recent years. “We have almost gone back now, full circle, to artists earning their money on the road, like they did in the ’60s,” he said”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Foo Fighters (who, like the other headliners at Glastonbury, were not paid as much as one might imagine)

I guess there is an intent desire and passion in the festival stars. They are not in it for the loot and, within reasonable boundaries, are prepared to take a pay-cut. The warnings can’t be that bad but one imagines the payment for smaller acts is a lot more modest. I suppose, if one wants to put themselves on the map, they have to tour and get out there – often barely making a profit from a year of touring. Maybe that desire and push to get exposure is forcing many to, not only perform at as many festivals as possible, but be prepared to play for less money than usual. There are those security concerns but, I guess, in a time where terrorism is a very real threat; can we undermine and under-source security personnel? The recent fiascos at Boomtown and other festivals have been as much dictated by the weather as human error. It is inevitable there will be some mishaps but there are definite creases to be ironed-out. There have been fights and complaints, yes, but that was the results of a ‘perfect’ storm: the delays, heat and invariable stresses that built up. It is a rare exception but one we need to learn from. We can see, from the creation of new festivals and masses flocking to them, the British music scene – in this dimension and corner – is burgeoning and healthy. My hope is this proliferation and blossoming lets the government and decision-makers know – who affect the funding and survival of small venues – realise there is an enormous desire for…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Secret Garden Party (2015)

INCREDIBLE live music.

FEATURE: Glen Campbell: Heavy on Our Minds

FEATURE:

 

Glen Campbell: 

 Heavy on Our Minds

________

I could not pass by the sad news that many woke up to today.

Every time a musician dies it is a tragic event but there is something extra-sad and profound when it comes to the loss of Glen Campbell. I shall split this (short) feature into a biography-Wikipedia-heavy bit and some personal input – before offering a playlist of Campbell’s best-loved songs. Listening to the radio today; one gets a real sense of the impact and effect Glen Campbell has had on the world of music. Let’s interject the Wikipedia, distilled biography of Campbell, first:

“Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, television host, and actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting a music and comedy variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television, from January 1969 through June 1972.[2]

During his 50 years in show business, Campbell released more than 70 albums. He sold 45 million records and accumulated 12 RIAA gold albums, four platinum albums, and one double-platinum album. He placed a total of 80 different songs on either the Billboard Country Chart, Billboard Hot 100, or Adult Contemporary Chart, of which 29 made the top 10 and of which nine reached number one on at least one of those charts. Campbell's hits include his recordings of John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind"; Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", and "Galveston"; Larry Weiss's "Rhinestone Cowboy"; and Allen Toussaint's "Southern Nights".

Campbell made history in 1967 by winning four Grammys in the country and pop categories. For "Gentle on My Mind", he received two awards incountry and western, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" did the same in pop. Three of his early hits later won Grammy Hall of Fame Awards (2000, 2004, 2008), while Campbell himself won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He owns trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year from both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM), and took the CMA's top award as 1968 Entertainer of the Year. Campbell appeared as a supporting role in the film True Grit (1969), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. Campbell also sang the title song, which was nominated for an Academy Award”.

For a true reflection of Glen Campbell’s legacy; one must go back to the start and where it all began. Campbell moved to Los Angeles in 1960 – the hope was to ply his trade as a session musician. That seems extraordinary considering the legacy and impact he would make on music but, like many musicians, that was the way their career began. I hear tales when it comes to the work-rate and determination of Campbell. The number of sessions he would be involved with of a year would blow the mind – a voracious, passionate and curious musician keen to lay down his immense guitar-playing skills to some of the day’s best artists. Whilst working for a publishing company, American Music (1961), he started what was to become the world-famous Wrecking Crew collective – Campbell would work with everyone from Dean Martin, Nat King Cole; Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and the Monkees.

Crest Records, seeing the talent and breadth of Campbell, signed him up: he would release Turn Around, Look at Me soon after – it was a minor success and didn’t make much of a chart impact. That said, many contemporaries realised how special and unique Campbell was. In a day where many Rock and mainstream artists were unable to play the guitar – let alone across so many genres – here was a singular talent who could put them all to shame. That skill and incredible talent meant, by 1962, Campbell was signed to Capitol Records. Television appearances followed and, before you know it, people were reacting and falling for the charming Campbell – who started to tour with Beach Boys when Brian Wilson was going through personal troubles. There was a lot of experimentation but, by 1965, things were really starting to come together.

It was the 1965 hit, Universal Soldier (a cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s track), that gained him that shot of positive reaction – singling him out to many critics and big-wigs. Even if Campbell was quite outspoken regarding his views of drafting soldiers and pacifism – those who advocated burning draft cards, he felt, should be punished – it was a time that, to many, should have signalled success and future achievement. It was a rough period where follow-up singles were not performing as well as one had hoped. 1967 was a year where Campbell gained success with Gentle on My Mind (written by John Hartford) and By the Time I Get to Phoenix. It was 1968 that brought us Wichita Lineman and, winning four Grammy Awards – for the performances of Gentle on My Mind and By the Time I Get to Phoenix – it was the recognition and acclaim Campbell had been striving for.

That late-1960s period was a fruitful time. Most of his better-known songs were written by Jimmy Webb – he wrote Wichita Lineman and Galveston (among others). The success and impressive productivity continued into the 1970s. Having accrued a host of session-work names; his T.V. show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, put major names together. Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash and Bread were among the huge artists who Campbell introduced in the studio. That show ran until 1972 but the T.V./film exposure did not end there. A made-for-television movie, Strange Homecoming (1974) - and a series of hosting gigs - kept the American legend in the public consciousness. The mid-1970s was the second really productive and successful period when songs such as Rhinestone Cowboy and Southern Nights were released. The former became Campbell’s biggest-selling song and a track that many associate with Campbell and his legacy.

That is a biography and a brief snapshot of a legend whose incredible musical talents and voice captivated the world. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2011 could have deterred the ailing Campbell but he was still prolific and active right up until his death. His final album, Adiós, was released in June - and gained a warm and positive critical reception. It is sad to hear of Campbell’s passing but one should be thankful a unique and astonishing musician made his impact on the world. One need only hear a vocal performance like Wichita Lineman to realise the effect and inspiration he has had on modern artists. Whether consciously or not; so many young musicians – not only Country stars – have taken from Campbell’s music.

Whether an epic and attiring vocal or that wide-ranging and astonishing guitar-playing. Many associate Campbell with Country but the journeyman musician grew from meagre beginnings to become one of the world’s biggest names – performing alongside immense artists and playing in so many different styles. He was a performer who could adapt his voice and play any genre and song. His biggest hits are those Country anthems but one need only look through Campbell’s immense array of studio/live albums to know it is impossible to pin him down. The fact he reached eighty-one is a great innings but one would have liked Campbell to remain with us a lot longer. I have been listening to a lot of interviews he conducted and every time, he came across as compelling, rooted and entertaining. The anecdotes, explanations and insights gave you a real taste of the man. Such a warm and kind soul and, whether you agree with some of his politics and views, what shone through was the phenomenal, enduring music – that which continue to inspire musicians for decades to come. It is a sad day for reflection but, also, for celebration: a brilliant artist who made such an impact through his long and legendary career. As we remember Glen Campbell – and his classic hits – we can be safe in the knowledge there will never be anyone…

IN THIS PHOTO: Campbell with his wife, Kim Woollen

LIKE him again.

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FEATURE: #NoFilter: The Music Photographers Shooting High

FEATURE:

 

#NoFilter:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Annie Leibovitz/IN THIS PHOTO: Keith Richards

 The Music Photographers Shooting High

________

MY previous feature concerned music labels and those that are…

PHOTO CREDIT: Sacha Lecca

supporting and promoting the best talent around the world. I collated the finest labels and why, in my opinion, they were worth a serious look. I will, at some stage, concentrate on producers and an area of music that is relatively undersubscribed. We get into the mindset that all the glamour and excitement comes with a career as a musician. Many overlook the importance of those behind microphones and mixing desks – and those who photograph and film concerts/musicians. I know many music photographers and all have their own reasons for taking it up. It is the excitement of capturing that single moment. Defining a gig or encapsulating a particular look can stay in the memory for years. I included a famous photo (up-top) by Annie Leibovitz as she, in many people’s views, she is the finest music photographer who has ever lived. She has snapped iconic images of everyone from Iggy Pop, Paul McCartney and The White Stripes – photographing Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christie Goodwin/IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry

There is a great article that provides a realistic and encouraging narrative of how to become a photographer – and the costs and realities involved. It does not take a lot of money to get started but, once that passion and ambition grows; the equipment needed to get those top-quality shots will climb. I can understand the desire photographers have and why they hanker to shoot that ‘perfect’ image. In a lot of ways; images of gigs/musicians can be more iconic and enduring than the music itself. A fantastic self-portrait or composition catches the eye and gets in the mind: a wonderful mid-gig photo is that visual documentation of a unique moment. The genuinely inventive and quality photographer are harder to get hold of than you’d imagine. I review so many great artists but they are let down by a surfeit of good-quality images. Hiring a photographer can be expensive but, if you get a selection of great shots on your social media, that makes a more attractive and appealing proposition.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ashley Osborn

Ashley Osborn, who features in this rundown, explained why she took up photography and the highlights she has discovered:

“I was shooting at least three shows a week in Chicago, editing each monthly issue, and working full-time at Starbucks. It was so much work but it was worth it. Things started to take off. I met a musician named Craig Owens in 2012 and I started shooting his band, Chiodos. Early in 2013, my friend and musician GOLDHOUSE asked me to join him for a weekend tour to take photos and document it. Then Chiodos asked if I could come out on Warped Tour that summer for a few days. My manager at Starbucks rearranged the books so I could take time off, still keep my job, and get paid. I don't know if that was [kosher], but I really appreciated it. In the fall of 2013, I went on my first tour with PVRIS. I was friends with Lynn Gunn, the band's vocalist/guitarist, and I'm pretty sure I cried when she asked me to come on tour. It was just them and me, and we were kind of winging it. I took photos of the tour, burned merch CDs on my laptop, and sold them at the shows. It was probably the hardest and most exciting month of my entire life, but it really solidified that I wanted to do this”.

To celebrate the pioneering and hard-working photographers; a list of the finest music snapper from around the world – with one of their typical shots, Instagram (and official/social media) page – and where one might find them snapping away…

_________

Rukes 

IN THIS PHOTO: Ellie Goulding

Location: Worldwide

Official: http://www.rukes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rukes/?hl=en

Jonathan Mannion

IN THIS PHOTO: Drake

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Official: https://www.jonathanmannion.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmannion/?hl=en

Ashley Osborn

IN THIS PHOTO: Of Mice & Men

Location: Chicago, U.S.A.

Official: http://www.ashleyosbornphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyosborn/?hl=en

Brook Bobbins

 IN THIS PHOTO: Frank Ocean

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Official: https://www.flickr.com/photos/crookrobbins/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crookrobbins/?hl=en

Sacha Lecca

 IN THIS PHOTO: Mac DeMarco

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Tumblr: http://sachalecca.tumblr.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sachalecca/?hl=en

Nabil

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Official: http://nabil.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nabildo/?hl=en

Shay Rowan

Location: Manchester, U.K.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25880052@N08/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayster57

Christine Goodwin

 IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift

Location: London, U.K.

Official: https://www.christiegoodwin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christiegoodwin/

Elie/'Visionelie'

IN THIS PHOTO: The Weeknd

Location: Toronto, Canada

Twitter: https://twitter.com/visionelie?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elie/

Hannah Sider

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kitty Cash

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Official: http://hannahsider.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahsider/?hl=en

Perri Cassie

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Nash

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Official: http://ibravedtreacherousstreets.tumblr.com/

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/evil-twin/

Lindsey Best

 IN THIS PHOTO: Paramore

Location: Los Angles, U.S.A.

Official: http://www.lindseybest.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindzbest/

Thomas Falcone

 IN THIS PHOTO: All Time Low

Location: U.S.A.

Official: http://www.thomasfalcone.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasfalcone/?hl=en

The Manc Photographer

 Location: Manchester, U.K.

Official: http://www.themancphotographer.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matteachus/

Thomas Brooker

 IN THIS PHOTO: Brutus (captured at Green Door Store)

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Official: http://tlbrooker.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomaslislebrooker/?hl=en

Lizzy Davis

 IN THIS PHOTO: Carla Coates of Butcher Babes

Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Official: https://lizzydavisphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/llzzies/

Pat McGuire

IN THIS PHOTO: Jamie Reilly from The Blue Lenas

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmg.photog/

Ami Barwell 

Location: U.K.

Official: http://www.musicphotographer.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amibarwell/

Ryan Johnston

IN THIS PHOTO: You Me at Six

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Official: https://www.ryanjohnston.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanjohnstonco/

Dean Chalkley

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rag 'n' Bone Man

Location: London, U.K.

Official: http://www.deanchalkley.com/                 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanchalkley_/

Trust a Fox

 Location: Manchester, U.K.

Official: https://www.trustafoxphotography.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrustFox

Casey McPerry

 IN THIS PHOTO: Machine Gun Kelly

Location: Worldwide

Official: http://caseymcperry.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseymcperry/?hl=en

Alexandra Gavillet

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Range

Location: Chicago, U.S.A.

Official: http://www.alexandragavillet.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandra_gavillet/

 Brett Schewitz

 IN THIS PHOTO: Nic Cester from Jet

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrettSPhotography/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/http://www.instagram.com/schweppsrocka

FEATURE: Labelled with Love: A Selection of Some of the Most Influential Record Labels in Music

FEATURE:

 

Labelled with Love: 

IN THIS PHOTO: FKA Twigs of Young Turks 

A Selection of Some of the Most Influential Labels in Music

________

THIS is a rare excursion into the territory of record labels…

and a chance to recognise some of the most inspiration, important and upcoming names we should look out for. Some are well-known whereas others are smaller and working in the underground. The record label often gets overlooked in favour of the artist: one cannot underestimate the importance and significance of the label behind the talent. They, not only provide that guidance and energy - but offer knowledge and an immense amount of time.

Because of this; a rundown of the well-known and lesser-heard labels that warrant more time, acclaim and listening…

__________

Mad Decent

IN THIS PHOTO: Poppy

Made Decent, formed in 2006, are, according to Pigeons and Planes...  

"...If you aren't yet familiar with the record label Mad Decent, chances are that you've at least heard of its founder Thomas Wesley Pentz aka Diplo. Established in 2006, the imprint originally worked to promote Brazillian Baile Funk and Angolan Kudro. The label's mantra revolves around bringing new genres and cultures to the forefront of an ever diversifying music community".

Website: http://www.maddecent.com/

XL Recordings

IN THIS PHOTO: Smerz

Again, when looking at the 1989-formed XL Recordings; Pigeons and Planes encapsulate the merit and essence of the mega label:

“Despite releasing an average of merely six albums per year, XL Recordings has become a widely recognized and respected force in the indiedendent label space. XL has even superceded the concept of indie in some ways as they work with some of today's largest acts. Founded by Richard Russel, Tim Palmer, and Nick Halkes, the Beggars Banquet offshoot was originally launched to release rave and dance music. In the early '90s the label focused mostly on dance-oriented releases ranging from Belgian Techno and Breakbeat to Hardcore and Drum & Bass. Their willingness to work with more eccentric, experimental artists is evidenced by their longstanding relationship with The Prodigy”.

Website: http://www.xlrecordings.com/

Fat Possum Records

IN THIS PHOTO: Kadhja Bonet

It is the same site that has led me to this incredible label – that formed back in 1992:

“Founded back in the early '90s by Matthew Johnson and Peter Redvers-Lee simply as a way to preserve some of the blues players in their corner of North Mississippi, Fat Possum has consistently released music with meaningful cultural implications. Early on the label stayed fairly true to their blues roots and relied heavily on New York Times critic Robert Palmer when it came to picking acts to sign. But with the changing industry and expanding tastes, Fat Possum have branched out from their early roots and now have a large roster that includes bands like Wavves, Tennis, Youth Lagoon, and Spiritualized”.

Website: http://www.fatpossum.com/

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Paper Garden Records

IN THIS PHOTO: Color Collage

The relatively new label (formed in 2005) are looking after some tremendous acts right now. It is the penultimate name from the Pigeons and Planes guidance and, looking at their website, a label that has a huge ear for quality:

“Bryan Vaughan founded Paper Garden Records in 2005 as part of an entrepreneurial program at Belmont University in Nashville, but it wasn't until he moved to New York City and became business partners with Heidi Greenwood that the label really flowered into full fruition. Still functioning on a very DIY scale, the pair work out of their apartment, and yet manage to represent some of the best independent and underground music being created. Whether it be releasing records through their small, independent label, or helping represent bands through the Lovely Hearts Club PR blast branch of the LLC”.

Website: http://www.papergardenrecords.com/

Neon Gold

This label is responsible for some of the biggest Pop artists/songs in recent years and, as you can see from their site, are constantly supporting ripe and promising talent:

“In terms of indie pop pedigree, Neon Gold is unbeatable. Their roster is a place to go if you want to see where indie's biggest superstars got their start, and a great bet if you're planning on catching an act early on in what will become a huge career. The boutique label was first founded by Derek Davies and Lizzy Paplinger to release Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead" single. Five years later, the band is headlining Madison Square Garden. A savant-level ability to predict what music is destined to break big on the mainstream is no fluke for these guys; Ellie Goulding, Gotye, Marina & The Diamonds and Penguin Prison are all NG alums, too”.

Website: http://neon.gold/

Whities

 IN THIS PHOTO: The cover for Whities 011 by Lanark Artefax

The next four names I have sourced from FACT, who, all the time, have their finger on the pulse and know their stuff! The first label is one I am really curious about:

“London’s barely hatched Whities label colored even further outside the lines in its third year in action, bringing us, on one hand, one of the year’s biggest dancefloor 12″s in Avalon Emerson’s evocative, thundering ‘The Frontier’, and, on the other, one of the strangest pop mutations we’ve ever encountered in Reckonwrong’s Devo-meets-Morrissey bedroom-disco curio ‘The Passions of Pez’. Add to that another mind-melting spookfest from bass engineer Minor Science and Lanark Artefax’s breakbeat daydream on ‘Touch Absence’ and you’ve got the makings of a classic year for Nic Tasker’s operation”.

Website: https://www.residentadvisor.net/record-label.aspx?id=10855

Timedance

  “It’s easier than ever to start a label thanks to the power of the internet, but taking the old-fashioned approach and building something local is all too rare these days. It’s one of the reasons why Batu’s Timedance label stood out in 2016; instead of trawling SoundCloud for unsigned club producers and seeing what sticks, he’s built a community around the music of his Bristol contemporaries and formed something that feels very much like a family of like-minded artists”.

Website:  https://timedance.bandcamp.com/

Orange Milk

“Orange Milk’s experimental music carnival was in full swing this year, dropping releases that were as garishly entertaining as they were artistically challenging. The label hit us with indescribable weirdness like DJWWWW’s Arigato, Foodman’s Ez Minzoku and Death’s Dynamic Shroud’s Classroom Sexxxtape, all utter headscratchers that might turn you off if they weren’t so damn fun to listen to.

OM delivered on all fronts: Diamond Soul’s chaotic footwork, Euglossine’s psychedelic easy-listening and gorgeous plunderphonics from M Sage. Even their reissues were excellent, including Machine Girl’s endorphin overload Gemini and Goop, a reminder that Orange Milk co-founder Seth Graham is the label’s secret weapon”.

Website: http://www.orangemilkrecords.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Swing Ting

IN THIS PHOTO: Murder He Wrote

“Manchester has not-so-quietly made a play for the UK’s greatest party city in the last couple of years, and Swing Ting have been right at the heart of the action. Samrai and Platt’s party-turned-label shifted into fifth gear in 2016, releasing a string of solid gold 12″s and EPs pushing their melting pot of faves – R&B, grime, jungle – into a mutant bashment direction, with spectacular results.

Fox’s Musik EP saw the Manchester-via-Kingston MC body a killer set of productions from Famous Eno, Florentino, Murlo, Brackles and the label bosses, while Florentino’s own ‘Bloodline’/’Sientelo’ perfected his recipe for quirky reggaeton confections. Samrai and Platt crowned the slinky ‘Tease Me’ with a sexed-up vocal from Kingston MC Kemikal, while Jamaican duo Equiknoxx graced the label with pa-rappa-pa-rapping ‘Bubble’, one of the greatest dancehall moments in a year stuffed full of them. Add to that Alexx A-Game’s G-funk-dembow hybrid and Famous Eno’s mile-high posse cut ‘Gangsters’, and there’s simply no competition. The Swing Ting sound was all we wanted to hear this year”.

Website: http://swingting.com/

Wichita

IN THIS PHOTO: Globelamp

The label formed in 2000 and has, since its inception, brought us the likes of Bloc Party and The Cribs. Mothers and Girlpool are currently on their books and it is clear Wichita is one of the most important and ever-evolving labels in the world.

Website: https://www.wichita-recordings.com/

4AD

IN THIS PHOTO: Purity Ring

Camera Obscura and Pixies have previously been on the 4AD label. Now, they support Bon Iver, Daughter and Lo-Fang – so many more incredible artists that take the breath away. It is one of the most varied labels and, because of that, one many look to when seeking out the best new talent...

Website: http://www.4ad.com/

Dirty Hit

IN THIS PHOTO: Wolf Alice (2015)/PHOTO CREDIT: Jo Hale/Redferns via Getty Images

They are one of the newer labels – formed in 2009 – and have seen Wolf Alice, The 1975 and Marika Hackman come through their doors. Despite the fact they are young and growing: they have a flair for those original and bold artists that differ from that is out there in the mainstream. Expect their stable to keep growing in years to come...

Website: http://dirtyhit.co.uk/

PMR

PMR signed the likes of Jessie Ware when they launched in 2011. Ware and Disclosure were on their books and soon rose to become two of the biggest stars in the U.K. Two Inch Punch and Javeon soon came to PMR and added to their healthy stock - which includes everyone from GIRLI and Dornik.

Website: http://www.pmrrecords.com/

Young Turks

IN THIS PHOTO: Chairlift

As part of an imprint for XL Recordings in 2006; Young Turks can boast names like FKA Twigs, Sampha and Waaves to their increasing and genre-busting crew. They are, like all great labels, diversifying and building their clientele. At the moment, they can proudly showcase some of the most impressive and forward-thinking acts in the world.

Website: https://theyoungturks.co.uk/

Turnstile

IN THIS PHOTO: Cate Le Bon

Cate Le Bon, Gruff Rhys and Perfume Genius show what an eclectic, fascinating and quality-striving ethos the label has. It is a fantastic outfit that continues to seek-out the very finest from music – so far, they have done a pretty good job of bringing us the very best and brightest!

Website: http://www.turnstilemusic.net/

Glassnote

IN THIS PHOTO: Flo Morrissey/PHOTO CREDIT: Roo Lewis

The U.S. label has helped launch the careers of Chvrches, Daughter and Mumford and Sons. Childish Gambino, Flo Morrissey and James Hersey make it one of the most eclectic and solid labels in music – one that continues to back and nurture incredible musicians.

Website: http://glassnotemusic.com/

Bella Union

IN THIS PHOTO: BNQT

Started by former Cocteau Twins member Simon Raymonde; they brought us Fleet Foxes but, alongside them, The Trouble with Temptation and Manchester’s MONEY are on their line-up. A stellar and huge label that continues to exert influence and incredible artistry – so many years after their inception and starting-blocks!

Website: http://bellaunion.com/

Domino

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi

You don’t need me to tell you they have Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand as examples of the type of music they promise. More recently; they have Alex G (Sandy) and Georgia and Matthew E. White reoresenting them - ensuring the future for Domino Records is very bright and rosy.

Website: http://www.dominorecordco.com/

FEATURE: “If You Had to Save One Disc from the Waves…”

FEATURE:

“If You Had to Save One Disc from the Waves…”

________

IT feels like I am attending a Radio Addicts Anonymous meeting…

IN THIS PHOTO: Current Desert Island Discs host, Kirsty Young

when I pull up a stool and nervously averted people’s gazes. It is with tame acquiescence I confess this: I, group, am a Desert Island Discs obsessive. Maybe that is not such an embarrassing confession but, such is the gravity and influence the series has had on my life, I find myself repeating episodes in my head. If the moment Tom Hanks freezes after a question – when he was on the show on 8th May, 2016 – and chokes back the tears does not get to you - then you might be technically dead. Maybe it is the strangely likeable turn from Ed Sheeran or the unexpected appearance from Bruce Springsteen. I love Caitlin Moran and Sue Perkins’ incredible turns; Jimmy Carr’s unexpectedly fine musical choices – the man chose Beyoncé and Kanye West among his eight discs! – or whatever it happens to be…one cannot deny the addictiveness and compelling voices one gets from Desert Island Discs! I am, rather annoyingly, only now initiating myself to the endless pleasures of the show. The fact Desert Island Discs has reached seventy-five – and still looks fantastic in a bikini.. – means I have over seven decades of castaways to investigate! No worries because it is a task I am willing to undertake. I think, among other things, it is Kirsty Young’s incumbency that has really hooked me in.

Maybe it is her East Kilbride pronunciations – those ‘hard Hs’ are enough to make the soul sing (je suis amoureux!) – or the fact she can relax a guest to the point of seduction is entrancing – one is convinced she could get a mass murderer to confess their sins, rehabilitate and find God within the space of a conversation. It is a Sunday fixture I ensure I am committed to. The reason for penning this piece – aside from indulging my own radio habits – is to raise a genuinely interesting question! By the way: if you have not listened to Desert Island Discs, I urge you to get your earlobes around it. Anyway; let's return to my point, shall we? Every week, Young guides her guests through a series of question-and-music intervals where she would ask them about an aspect of their life – before they/she introduces a song of their choosing. Each castaway – so-called for obvious reasons – gets to select eight discs (one imagines classic 33/45 R.P.M. formats) that they are allowed to take to the island – where it is, nobody knows; each guest goes to a different one. They are, in addition, allowed a book (they get a copy of the Bible and The Complete Works of Shakespeare) but get to select a luxury, too. I recently posted a similar piece casting myself, in ludicrous long-shot probability, in the mantle of a castaway on the show. My luxury was/would have been a photo of my family but, thinking I could well picture them – rendering a single shot rather meaningless – I changed my answer to a water purification kit and penicillin.

It seems rather un-luxurious but, if one is stranded on an unknown island, the chances are there is going to be an extinction of clean water – thus, they would painfully perish within days were they not equipped to purify the abundance of salt water around them. It would sustain my long enough in order to acclimatise to the unique and hospitable ecosystem. I would forage for food – being a pescatarian means it would be fish-rich – and, one assumes, be susceptible to infections, illness and various-assorted maladies. If I were allowed a ‘bundle’ option of the two: that would seem like the best luxury ever – the chance to extend my life is, in all honesty, far more material and pragmatic than a trampoline or a tin of deodorant (neither, to the best of my knowledge, have been selected as luxuries). I digress but, working up to my eventual point, I would select a music-related book – possibly a thorough biography of The Beatles (with photos and interviews) – that would keep me company and suffice my voracious appetite for all things sonic. Every time I immerse myself in an episode of Desert Island Discs; I follow, with great interest, the musical choices of each castaway. There is a fascinating psychology hearing one’s musical predilections and the reasons attached to each.

IN THIS PHOTO: Tom Hanks and Kirsty Young

As Tom Hanks explained when he was on the show: each track should represent a special moment or connect you to a meaningful time in your life. That is what the finest music does to me so, tasked with the option of salvaging only one record from the cruelty of the waves, chills my balls to the core. Why one would have eight discs and no turntable – an old-school Walkman, perchance? – is beyond me but one dare not quibble with the ecumenical and divine purity of Desert Island Discs. I would evoke such glee and fulfilment from curating an octet of songs: the reality of reducing that impressive eight-piece to a single survivor is heartbreaking. One might as well ask me to decide which of my vital organs I want to donate to a local cannibal. That is, you’ll forgive, post hoc ergo propter hoc, but it contextualises a similar egregiousness (I would get rid of my heart because I feel I could deliver a James Bond-worthy quip before I saw it stop beating). The fact I am a journalist means, constricting a library-full of musical desires into a briefcase-sized carry-on of eight, is a tricky predicament.

I think Caitlin Moran – a proper journalist (unlike myself) – felt, with mock-horror, the same kind of stress when faced with that conundrum. I would have to choose, for sure, one track from The Beatles, Kate Bush and Jeff Buckley: my Holy Trinity of musical idols. I would, gun to head, select Kate Bush’s Strange Phenomena; Jeff Buckley’s rendition of The Way Young Lovers Do (from his Live at Sin-é album); I would then....oooh…say, Got to Get You Into My Life from The Beatles. That penultimate cut from Revolver would not only be a perfect way to kick-start a day on an island – it is a fantastic song that is able to elicit joy and redemption in harshest of circumstances. Four and five would have to be The White Stripes’ Truth Doesn’t Make a Noise (from their sophomore album, De Stijl) and, um, Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The latter, because it is, literally my first memory of life – and, therefore, my first experience of music. The former is from one of my favourite acts and a song that would evoke fond memories - and a better time. I would need another female voice so I would have to Björk. In regards her music, I would pick Big Time Sensuality (from Debut). My last two choices would be a little unexpected...

Well...T. Rex were a huge influence during my childhood so I would have to go with Metal Guru (as it is one of their earliest songs I remember) and, believe it or not, Benny Goodman’s Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing). That song is full of life and energy so, it would be a good contrast to the more downbeat and contemplative records. It would be incongruence to spend too little time limiting your musical existence to eight discs - but I reserve the right to interchange and alter my selections at any point. I am pretty certain about The Beatles, Kate Bush and Jeff Buckley – Tears for Fears would need to be in the rundown. At the very end of each edition (of Desert Island Discs), Kirsty Young always poses that question: “If you had to save one disc from the waves…which would it be?” She delivers it with such chocolate-rich warmth, but it is like a stab to the heart. Forget what would happen if I ever had to answer that question on the show: if I were actually on a desert island and faced with that reality…I don’t think I would be in a position to make a quick decision. This feature is less about promoting Desert Island Discs – it does not need me to do that – but get people to think about why a song is so special and why a particular track would defeat all others.

Are music and unequivocal certainty likely bedfellows? Can one limit their passion to a single record and how easy is it to narrow your entire music knowledge to that solo choice?! Does one, if battling the water, select that disc based on its emotional connection or a particular relevance. For me, when going for that one record; I would have to go for the one that manages to connect my downs and highs in life: my whole education of music and all the emotions that interweave and socialise with those disparate things. That seems like an impossible expectation but, when you are provoked, the mind and soul can make that decision. Each person will have their own reasons for selecting a single record but, for me, it would have to have that importance and relevance. I could not make the decision idly but, pressed with very little time, I would instinctively lunge for that record that would, essentially, be my only company on the island.

Forbidden from bringing anything sentient with me: that one record would be the only other voice I would ever hear. Many castaways, when prompted, chose a female voice for their choice – a warmth and maternal spirit seems more nourishing and welcoming than a male voice – whilst others attached romantic significance to their choice. For me, being a blank canvas when it comes to grand relationships. My criteria is based on my childhood, growth and realisations. None of my eight selections is, I think, younger than fifteen-years-old. Actually, since typing this, I have had to substitute one record (not sure which) with a Talking Heads song, I Zimbra (from Fear of Music) - or maybe I should just leave it be. I don’t think I could survive without the band so, you see what I mean?! Rationalising eight records above everything else in music is difficult: how does one choose a sole survivor?! One of the great things about Desert Island Discs is how each guest explains their attachment to a particular track. Understanding the importance and story behind each is fascinating to witness. Every definition is unique and shows how broad, meaningful and universal music is. I take music for granted in this day and age. Given the access one has to nearly every track every recorded – how willing would we be to sacrifice luxury and the expansive of musical exploration? One can, at the click of a mouse, access a playlist of of-the-moment songs or Jazz classics. We can hear anything we want and, of a day, be privy to an incredible array of genres, sound and suggestions.

I shall wrap this up – as the darkness is coming in and I feel like I need to hunker-down on the island – so, before the waves come in (and I, for some reason, would not patrol my records like a rabid German police dog), I will have to clear my thoughts and allow rationale and logic dictate my near-impossible choice. I wanted people to think about their musical education and passions; why they bond to certain songs and what, for them, defines a perfect song. Whether the anthem for a celebratory moment or the song you heard whilst falling for your lover – there are so many scenarios and configurations that mean a certain song takes prominence above all else. It is really intriguing to find out each person’s story – and why they are attached so fondly to that song. Given the negative peripeteia that is about to befall me: I must run to the bank and, before the water envelopes and digests all my cherished records, I shall desperately grope for that cherished and chosen chattel. It would be interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts and feelings when faced with a similar predicament – and whether they have different reasons why they bond to certain records – and what they would do at that frightening moment. For me, I would flash each song through my mind, and, considering factors of importance, childhood imprints and personal attachment; I would have to save…

IN THIS PHOTO: Sue Perkins

THE song below…

FEATURE: Sexual Expression and Exploitation in the Music Industry

FEATURE: 

IN THIS PHOTO: Nicki Minaj

Sexual Expression and Exploitation in the Music Industry

________

WE are living in a time where there are more cracks and…

IN THIS PHOTO: Tinashe

issues in the music industry than any other time in recent memory. Few can argue against the fact there is sexism and inequality in music: this is a known thing and something that needs to be addressed. I am not sure why, in 2017, it is challenging getting festival organisers to change practices to allow more women to headline. In fact, the word ‘allow’ seems very condescending – like they are children/animals that live in permissive and submissive boundaries. That is, actually, what is happening. There are female performers filling festivals’ lineups but there are so few headliners. I don’t buy the fact it is a case the best female artists were busy when this year’s lineups were announced – one of the rationalisations from Glastonbury’s organisers – or there are few ready for the challenges and responsibilities. I do not buy into that shared lie: why are the boys more ready and able to shoulder the pressure of a festival headline?! I think there is an indoctrinated and deep-set sexism that does not exclusively extend to men. Maybe music, for years now, has operated as a boys’ club.

The only way we can make changes – something everyone wants now – is to start NOW and inspire others. The seeming unwillingness to compromise and open a dialogue is infuriating. It seems, alongside the sexism we find in music; there is a degree of sexual exploitation that has been evident for years now. Maybe it is not a new phenomenon but, with the visibility of musicians and the fact social media/music-streaming makes it easier to get one’s face/body on the screen – are we heading down a very bad road? Before I bring my own thoughts into the debate; I want to source a couple of articles written a few years back. In the first piece, by The Huffington Post in 2014; Laura Duca’s article added a unique perspective on the debate:

“The discussion surrounding the hyper-sexualization of the music industry is much more complex than pointing out that everyone is wearing thongs now. Things have certainly gotten sexier. But there’s a fine line between defending the artists and slut-shaming them. The precarious divide between sex-positivity and pandering to the male gaze is a challenge all female performers face. With her upcoming film, “Beyond The Lights,” Gina Prince-Bythewood has found possibly the closest thing they have to a solution: authenticity.

“I have two kids, so the normalization of the hyper-sexualization is troubling to me,” she told HuffPost Entertainment. “I thought that it was important to talk about that, the underbelly of the industry. All we see are the fun parts of job and all of the great shots on Instagram. There is another world that we’re not tweeting about. It’s tough for female artists, there’s a blueprint they are forced to follow.”

IMAGE CREDIT: @NikitaKaun

In writing “Beyond The Lights,” Prince-Bythewood was very interested in the way personas are formed, especially for young female artists. That “blueprint” refers to the way they are turned into brands, forced to throw away any sense of self in pursuit of an image.

“If you are not fully formed yet and you come out with a specific persona, you lose your sense of self,” she said. “You don’t feel that who you are is good and enough and worthy of love. You’re fearful that if you ever drop the persona all that love is going to go. I mean, it is like a drug.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry

Another article, written by Australia’s Daily Telegraph in 2014, talked about the contemporaries videos/artists seemingly showing an unhealthy amount of flesh:

“WOMEN’S bodies sell. We all know that, but perhaps no industry understands this, and uses this knowledge to its advantage, more than the music industry.

In the last few months there seems to have been a feminine flesh-fest, full of twerking tooshes titillating their prepubescent viewers.

The sexualisation and exploitation of women’s bodies is all-encompassing.

Nicki Minaj’s hit Anaconda features dozens of women gyrating their exposed flesh to the lyric, “My Anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns hun.” Classy, isn’t it?

Miley Cyrus created waves as she swung, completely nude, on a wrecking ball. Robin Thicke pushed beyond normal boundaries of decency with his pornographic and pro-rape Blurred Lines. This week controversy is swirling around Jennifer Lopez’s collaboration with Australian superstar Iggy Azalea after their Booty clip was released. The star of the video? Women’s derrières.

The clip features steamy, sexualised images of the two women in a puerile, porn-inspired dance — rubbing their backsides together.

Come next week will there be another artist trying to make money by selling women’s bodies?

They might be masquerading as empowered femininity, but what are they selling?

These female artists are selling the message that women are nothing more than accessories. Women are only of value as sexual objects. My daughters and your daughters are taught to conform to this narrow sexualised, unhealthy norm.

The message is incessant. Our boys grow up believing girls are really only here to be a boy’s “new thang”.

In fact, one more piece - http://humanhuman.com/articles/women-in-the-music-business -, written by Hannah Thacker a few years back adds another dimension:

“That is not to dismiss the existence of artists who have taken control of their sexual identity (cue respectful nods to Laura Marling’s phoenix-like return and FKA twigs’ challenging ideology), but as KATE BOY’s front woman, Kate Akhurst, highlights, there’s “a confusing message of power” surrounding the female body, and we should all strive to clarify this issue. Evidence of this disorientation in the responses seem to focus on one symbol, Beyoncé; for some she’s an inspiration, a teacher, a source for quotes, but for others her less-is-more dress sense leaves them feeling perplexed as to what equality actually means.

That being said, Beyoncé is more than aware of this misdirection as illustrated in her internet-breaking feminist essay, “Gender Equality Is A Myth!” I just hope that statements like “Humanity requires both men and women, and we are equally important and need one another” (Beyoncé) become a reality, so that gender inequality will be the myth. Many of our contributors feel very strongly on this matter:

“I hope that the over-sexualising of female artists will die down or just become irrelevant to music buyers. It’s been encouraging to see artist like Haim and Lorde grow just based on their talents and not by how much skin they show.”

— Niki Roberton, IAMSOUND Records

IN THIS PHOTO: Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea in the music video for Booty

That is enough of other people’s interpretations but one sees a correlation and consensus. Reading more of the piece above; the discussion about sexism looked at festivals and the reasons few women, even a few years ago, were being robbed. Thacker argued (there is an assumption) few girls have the talent to deserve a coveted headline slot: there was a surfeit of talent among female artists that meant they were going with the tried-and-tested make option. I will come back to sexism and festivals but, alongside sexual exploitation, it is a side to music that need to be eradicated. There are, I warrant, women in the music industry who showcase sexuality and the feminine form. Let us draw a distinction between the expression and womanly: against the salacious, seedy and semi-pornographic. Artists like, say, Laura Marling, Björk and Bat for Lashes will, in videos and album covers, present versions of themselves that show their wiles, femininity and sexuality. It is this kind of ‘sexualisation’ that is completely natural and understandable.

They are not selling their bodies and offering something unseemly and provocative. It is the artists that weaponise sexuality that is causing offence. The articles I have sourced are largely from the 2013-2014 era: a time when certain music videos – from the likes of Miley Cyrus and Run the Jewels – were presenting the female form as objects. Being a man, I am one of a small band of journalists actually addressing the topic. That is not to say, by omissions and silence, the male race is culpable by association. There are plenty that shares the same revilement and concerns as me: it is, however, the case it is men, and male executives, dictating this disturbing practice. It is quite distressing, for me, being one of those men who, when presented with a very sexual and alluring video, will watch with interest. Does that mean, when one is interested (aroused, in fact) by these videos, they are as much a part of the problem? It is a complex debate that extends to industries like film and T.V. It is not quite as rampant there – and there is stricter censorship – but, if one saw a film with an age rating; they are forewarned there will be a certain degree of sex, violence and bad language.

IN THIS PHOTO: Rihanna

It is a great omission – in the pejorative sense, you understand – that there are not the same restrictions and prohibitions as one finds with films. The argument concerning sexualisation in music rears its head when certain videos make their way onto the news. There has not been a slew of outraged voices and articles for some years which suggest the issue is not as prevalent. I argue it is no better than it was but, worryingly, people are becoming immune and there is a greater sense of detachment. As part of my job; I have to watch a range of music videos every week. I look at the new Pop, Rap and Indie videos and, largely, the videos are not that offensive or memorable. You get quite a few, mind, that still treats women as objects as appendages. One might see a Rap video where the hero is cavorting with three/four scantily-clad women atop a BMW. One can say that has been part of the culture for decades but, given that view, should we be imposing controls and limitations?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Run the Jewels

Maybe certain genres are more synonymous with sex and exploitation but even saying that seems ridiculous. It is the case there is a large chunk of ‘Urban’ artists who use derogatory and sexist language in their music and, as a continuation of their lexicon, conceive music videos that continue this narrative – curvaceous and shapely women writhing around the hero. It is not reserved to genres like Rap and Hip-Hop. I know full well there are certain bands that employ women in their videos, in effect, to get their rocks off. I see so many videos that are, basically, the male lead getting off with a woman for an unnatural amount of time – seemingly, a vicarious way of indulging that Rock star fantasy. If kissing/sex is integral to a video plotline, that is fair enough – many treatments are doctored to include needless sex and sexualisation.

IN THIS PHOTO: Zara Larsson

There is an argument that suggests there are double standards at play. If a man were, say, very good-looking – and they were cavorting with a woman – that has appeal because the parties are attractive. If a less-than-appealing man were doing the same thing, then is that much worse?! Perhaps there is the flip-side that feels it is okay for sexually desirable people to indulge in hyper-sexuality because there is aesthetic value and a currency that does not offend the senses. I know there are men who expose their figures for videos; there are women who are happy to use their bodies to sell music but, even if someone is comfortable doing that, does it make it right?

It is everyone’s right to have their say and do what they want (to an extent). If a female group/performer wants to strip or expose parts of her body – why is it down to other people to be self-appointed moral guardians?! Again, one must draw the line and be consistent with judgement. One case-study of a woman whose sexy and memorable video has been a source of inspiration and empowerment is Kylie Minogue’s Spinning Around. One need only read that song title and one’s mind goes to the video: Minogue shot close-up in those now-famous gold hot pants; gyrating and alluringly dancing in time to the song. There is no doubt that video provoked dancing, copycat videos – and, yes, attraction and arousal – but is that an exception that proves the rule? Why is that video empowering and fine whilst a Rihanna video offensive and morally suspect?

IN THIS PHOTO: Nicki Minaj in the video for Regret in Your Tears

Can we divide and compartmentalise without contradicting and obfuscating? It is important not to accuse and blame certain answers: we are not exonerating or assuming any form of sexual expression is bad. I am an advocate of free expression and sexuality. There are women, as I say, who feel empowered and rebellious when they show their sublime figures – whether there are slim or plus-size). Artists like Beyoncé do not have marketing men telling her how to dress and what to do in her videos. She takes control and, as such, has used her body and femininity to convey the strong messages in her songs. How is that kind of sexuality fine and others wrong? It is about rationality and looking at the wider picture. It is perfectly fine for the occasional/appropriate use of sex/the sexual in videos – the same way it is in T.V. and film.

The young generation is impressionable and exposed to more of the world than in any other time in history. My concern relates to the mainstream where there are certain genres/artists who use each video as a chance to see how far they can push themselves – how much controversy they can create. Even if acts like Katy Perry and Tinashe pose in bikinis without portraying a sexual message – songs about L.A. and the beach requires the artist to be dressed for such occasions – is it sending out positive messages? It is important to teach a young woman to be proud of their bodies and not to be repressed and cowed. I have mentioned Beyoncé who, since her Destiny’s Child days, has used music as a pulpit of empowerment, equality and girls’ rights – showing they are a lot stronger than they are given credit for. These positive messages are being undercut by a wave of artists who are using their bodies to get streams/views. It is hard policing and patrolling the borders of YouTube without impinging on someone’s creative and human rights.

IN THIS PHOTO: Jason Derulo

YouTube and other sites are getting better at ensuring videos are not too exploitative, explicit and offensive. It is hard drawing lines and providing rationale. Madonna’s video for Like a Prayer caused a huge stir in the 1980s: there are older videos where the artist has caused a stir by flaunting too much flesh or engaging in behaviour not deemed appropriate for younger tastes. A few years back, the music video Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines caused a stir for the images and scenes it depicted. Is there a validity and demand for sexually expletive videos? Are we in a time when the more salacious and controversial the video; the greater number of people will view it – and, as such, more money and press is generated? I will bring this to a close soon but I worry it is seen as acceptable and profitable for female artists to get their bodies out in order to shift records.

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé 

I have mentioned double standards and we must be clear of the times when there is fun and empowering videos where the amount of sexual content is acceptable and, often, inspiring. It is the needless and crass degradation one sees in many contemporary videos that need to be curtailed. It is not only female artists but extras and actors used in videos that are part of the issue. Women are judged as being perverse and shameful if they express their sexuality and prowess: men are congratulated and seen as sexually assertive. There is a double standard and I am hugely supportive of women showing pride in their bodies. Whether they are plus-sized or not: being proud of their form and physique is a wonderful thing – in an age where there is stigma and judgement levied at women who do so. One cannot escape the litany of adverts who ask whether a woman is beach-ready and sexy.

It is now so integrated into everyday life that there is desensitisation in music. We can compartmentalise so that the acceptable/empowering videos; those where there is fun and harmlessness are put into one corner: those that perpetuate this idea as the woman as a chattel/object is put in another. When one divides the two, it is shocking to see how many examples of the latter are evident. How does one restrict the sexual exploitation in an industry where there is so much pressure on artists boasting viewing figures and making their videos visually engaging?! It is a vicious circle but it is clear there needs to be impositions and infractions. It seems sexual exploitation is becoming normalised and rationalised to a large extent. I shall finish by bringing in an argument/article by The Guardian – again, around the time of Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball video – that raises questions and adds new input. Kitty Empire was the first journalist (in this piece) to have her say:

“Most adult pop consumers ought to be able to roll their eyes at Miley Cyrus's antics. But it is incredibly distressing that young girls' idols are constantly teaching them that their willingness to "party" is a girl's strongest suit: not their brains, or their sense of humour, or their own unique way with a key change. And as a feminist who is also a music critic, it depresses me deeply that female pop performers find it difficult to market their songs without licking mallets in the buff (as Cyrus does in the video for Wrecking Ball).

Pop performers – male and female – are often exploited by managers and record companies, but I don't believe that Cyrus is being forced to twerk by her handlers. She knows what she is doing – although any grudging respect I had for Cyrus as a businesswoman evaporated when she turned on Sinéad O'Connor in such a repellent way”.

Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett gave a balanced view when drawing lines – if the sexual content is empowering (and ordained and suggested by the female artist) then how is that worse than the same level of sexual explicitness in a different context?

“There's no doubt that women have become more and more sexualised in music videos in the last decade or so. I remember my mum being horrified at Christina Aguilera's Dirrrty video – the one where she's wearing those crotchless leather chaps and gyrating in the boxing ring (pretty tame by today's standards), but at the time I couldn't see what was wrong with it. I remember the argument, during which I protested that if Aguilera said that her half-naked dance was empowering, then who was anyone else to take exception?

Of course, I didn't really realise then that the music industry is mostly run by men, and that no matter how empowered an individual woman may feel about nudity, the apparent need for female artists to take their clothes off to sell records isn't exactly a good thing for our gender. Watching the recent Miley Cyrus documentary, I was of no doubt that this was a woman in control of her own personal destiny, but that doesn't mean that I don't feel sad that the male to female clothing ratio is so obviously off-kilter. That said, I really don't like the "put it away, love" comments Rihanna's new video has been attracting either. I don't have an issue with the naked body – it's the fact that women always seem to be the only naked one”.

Around this time; provoked by Miley Cyrus’ video; Alex Macpherson addressed Sinead O’Connor’s slut—shaming open-letter that followed the furore:

“For Sinéad O'Connor, the best way to dismantle male dominance was not to go after any actual men in the industry but to rev up that noted vehicle of genuine concern, the open letter, and use it to deliver a torrent of slut-shaming that was so feminist that it repeatedly used the term "prostitute" as a derogatory insult.

Cyrus hardly emerges a heroine herself. Certain racial aspects of her latest incarnation, such as using black female dancers as anonymous on-stage props, go beyond pop's usual magpie approach to appropriation into uncomfortable territory.

Despite being a capitalist patriarchy, though, the music business can also be a terrific vehicle for the voices of women and minorities – and what's unfortunate about this kerfuffle is that the most interesting aspect of it, Cyrus's latest album, Bangerz – a glorious record of freestyle-influenced club tracks, overblown theatrical ballads and hoedown country raps – has been overlooked.

IN THIS PHOTO: Miley Cyrus

There were voices in the piece that argued a song like Wrecking Ball did not warrant that level of revelation and nudity. Is it a case of imposing limits and discussing sensible boundaries for artists? Does this take away that idea of empowerment and free choice? VV Brown offered her thoughts:

Her talent is obvious and there is something about her new direction that propels an idea of rebellion and control. But is she empowering herself as she becomes the artist she wants to be? I question empowerment expressed in this way but I also ask why we, as women, can't be proud of our sexuality? It's a strange pendulum of morals and liberation.

As an artist, I appreciate the naked body. I have even done a naked fashion shoot. However, all artistic statements are judged contextually. Perhaps the controversy is in the delivery of her statements and the context of her past?

Despite all of this, feminism should be about solidarity first. And what's wrong with being naked anyway?”

Bim Adewunmi, in the same piece, highlighted how there is no such Cyrus-like outcry if the female in question is black. That equivalent sexuality is seen as racial empowerment and advancing racial equality. Is it a sin that is reserved to white artists?! That is another aspect to the debate but, in concluding, it seems past discussions like Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball fall-out are relevant today. The so-called age limits imposed on certain videos can be easily subverted and hacked; the Internet is not secure enough to prevent all impressionable/young artists from seeing explicit content. There are moral arguments we can throw around all day but I feel there is a greater prevalence of sexual exploitation in videos tha ever before. Do we place the blame of record labels who look for big figures and infamy or those responsible for safeguarding us – and imposing guidelines on sites like YouTube? It seems like there needs to be greater vigilance and, in a wider sense, less reliance on the idea we need to use sex to sell music. It is 2017 and, with many tackling the plight of sexism in the industry, are these revealing and provocative videos…

MAKING the possibility of sexual equality impossible?!

FEATURE: Morrissey: A Rare Genius

FEATURE:

 

Morrissey:  

 A Rare Genius

________

THIS will not be a hugely authoritative and biography-heavy…

things but, instead, a loving nod to one of the most extraordinary songwriters who has ever lived. This piece is fuelled by two different occurrences. The first is the fact the biopic, England Is Mine, has been released and met with muted applause. There are a lot of three-star reviews that commended the film’s lead, Jack Lowden, but criticise other aspects of it. The fact we are supposed to be fascinated by that pre-Smiths period; the man of the hour did not approve of the film or provide blessing – one imagines he would rarely crack a smile so it is no surprise – have all gone into the brew. I have not seen the film but, gleaming reviews; it seems to be one reserved for three die-hard fans. It looks like a fascinating glimpse into a clumsy, ambitious and isolated young man and his time growing up in the North – just before he met Johnny Marr and went to form The Smiths. I am not given to over-romanticising Morrissey because he has his flaws and is very outspoken. His stance on animal welfare is passionate but often misguided – to the point hyperbole and righteousness detaches from the ethics and moral reasoning and becomes personal attacks on people who eat flesh. I am not a meat-eater but would never speak about animal cruelty/murder the way Morrissey does. Those kinds of outbursts are not reserved to carnivores: the man has taken shots at the monarchy and large swathes of society. He is, however, refreshingly honest and unfiltered in a time when people are incredibly self-conscious and wary of what they say online. One suspects he does not take to Twitter too often but, in an age where social media is as much a force for bad as it is good – the likes of Morrissey are remnants of a time when there was simplicity and directness. Mancunians (and northerners) are renowned for their wit and humour but also their plain-speaking tongues. There is nothing unusual about Morrissey but, when reading a New Statesman article that suggested the biopic was misguided – and Morrissey does not deserve to be seen as extraordinary – that is where I take umbrage.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ebet Roberts

One cannot claim The Smiths frontman has not made an immense impact on music. My first encounter with Morrissey was, actually, through his solo album, Your Arsenal. That album arrived after 1991’s Kill Uncle and a rather rough creative period. That album was given poor press and negative reviews. Many felt the album was tired and rehashing previous work. Your Arsenal arrived a year later and was an incredible turnaround. It was sharp, muscular and inspired: Morrissey back to his very best. You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side has a swagger and introduction similar to Footloose’s theme – in a strange way – but is a rollicking and riotous cut from the former Smiths man. In-command and at his acerbic best: a track that beautifully kicks off proceedings. The album borrows shades from other artists – Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’s riff/sound can be heard on I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday – but, largely, it is the hungry and talented artist back on top. The National Front Disco addresses right-wing politics and fascism – Morrissey copping heat because of its references to extremism and racism – whereas You’re the One for Me, Fatty is the man at his humorous best. It is a dexterous and all-killer, no-filler album that benefits from the musical impetus of Alain Whyte – and Morrissey feeling the need to regain momentum and relevance. I investigated subsequent solo albums and love Vauxhall and I – the 1994 album that is commonly seen as his pinnacle as a soloist – and 2014’s World Peace Is None of Your Business. Both albums are very different in terms of themes and compositions but Vauxhall and I, I guess, complete that incredibly ripe period – following from Your Arsenal; there was a lot of determination and inspiration in Morrissey’s bones. Spring-Heeled Jim, The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get and Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning are some of my favourite songs from the master. I could vacillate about the solo work and all it holds but I am, like many people, adoring of Morrissey because of The Smiths.

I wanted to avoid using a song title in the title of this piece as it seems rather wasted and tragic. Whilst the actual title is a little vague; one cannot define Morrissey by a single song. The Smiths’ 1984 eponymous debut remains one of the most influential records from all of music. In a period where nothing like The Smiths had ever come about: it was a blast of light witnessing the Manchester band come to music. Formed in 1982 – I shall not get into the background and famous meeting – but feel, at that time in music, The Smiths’ arrival was hugely unexpected. Among the finest albums of 1984 were Sade’s Diamond Life; Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. and Prince’s Purple Rain. Some world-class albums, for sure, but nothing remotely like The Smiths. There were few standout British albums that year so, when the quartet released their debut, few people were prepared for them. There has never been a composer as individual and malleable as Johnny Marr. The way he could create searing guitar stabs and semi-orchestral rushes – almost within the space of a verse – is unprecedented and laid down the mantle from a unique and extraordinary band. Not forgetting the contribution Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke made to the band – their bass and percussion were pivotal elements in the overall sound. As much as I love their impact and talents; the incredible compositions of Marr – it is the wordplay and performances from Morrissey that makes the music stand out. I love the band’s debut but feel they went on to better things. This Charming Man is the standout from that debut and has gone on to be one of the most-respected and best-known songs from the band. Its unforgettable chorus and vivid verses stick in the mind. The hero not going out – not a stitch to wear, as it seems – and the isolated bicycle: that sense of loneliness and incredible magic one gets from the song. It is a rare form of poetry and storytelling from a man who would have been taking from his own life.

One of the reasons I connect with Morrissey is his loneliness and place in society – not feeling like he fits in and being able to connect with other people. Of course, the songs did not all speak of these troubles. The young songwriter ate and devoured literature and culture. Right from their earliest moments; characters and controversy came into the music. Morrissey would address murder, incest and sexual abuse alongside romance, dreams of being killed in a car crash and a girlfriend in a coma. There is that malice and unsettled vibe that sits with immense humour, sardonic wit and personality. In everything is passion and incredible intelligence. The first two albums can, debatable, be argued as less memorable and enduring as their final two. The debut remains essential because it was the first: that arrival and unexpected brilliance. The songwriting is incredible throughout but, apart from the odd number here and there, I do not revisit it a lot. I tend to bond more with The Queen Is Dead and Strangeways, Here We Come. Meat Is Murder contained the phenomenal How Soon Is Now? and remains one of the band’s finest songs – not on the original album but added for the U.S. version. That sense of awkwardness and going to the club: being rejected and standing alone in the corner – whilst being sountracked by that stabbing, epic guitar-playing from Marr. The Headmaster Ritual and Barbarism Begins at Home, between them, contains yelping, corporal punishment and satirising out-of-touch teachers. They are staples and highlights from the band but are not matched by other songs on the album. It got a warm critical response but, in my mind, it was Morrissey’s words and subjects that brought the album to life. Growing in confidence as a songwriter and singer; one could sense changes coming in and a natural evolution. Less reserved (vocally) than the debut: Meat Is Murder is a much more inflamed, boisterous and variegated album – both composer and lyricist pushing themselves like never before. This all reached fever-pitch heights on the follow-up: the band’s hallmark, The Queen Is Dead. Again, 1986 contains no other albums like The Smiths’ third L.P. It is a complete and fantastic work that, like Morrissey’s finest solo works, contains absolutely no filler.

Not only is The Queen Is Dead one of the best albums of the 1980s but the apex of Morrissey’s songwriting. His lyrics were at their sharpest and most emotive. One cannot listen to Cemetry Gates – where the hero reads inscriptions and finds mordant romance in departed poets – and not be encapsulated and entranced by its peculiar narrative. The title track opens proceedings with so much fascinating humour and spit. It is Morrissey’s commentary, insight and wordplay that perfectly matches Morrissey’s rampant and driving composition – one of his finest from the cannon of The Smiths. I Know It’s Over is one of the most striking and stirring from a band who were in no short-supply of emotional offerings. Morrissey’s sense of foreboding and claustrophobia makes the song one of the most unforgeable and haunting from the band. One suspects, like Cemetery Gates, some of the poetic greats were running through Morrissey’s mind when writing this. Bigmouth Strikes Again, turning the focus on himself, is about the outspoken and too-quick-to-speak. It addresses the frustration of being hounded and being forced into a corner – that pressure leads to some misguided comments (where the narrator has to confess he was only joking). Comparing himself to Joan of Arc – where her “the flames rose to her Roman nose” and the Walkman melted – it is a unique and brilliant take on a subject that, at the time, was not as common as it is now. The same can be said of the longing and romantic frustration one hears on There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. Many would rank this song as The Smiths’ finest. It is considered one of the greatest ever songs, and with good reason. One cannot ignore the contribution by Marr: that luscious and symphonic score that perfectly articulates everything Morrissey puts into the lyrics. The doomed-but-humorous combination was Morrissey’s stock-and-trade, but here, it is at its most defined and luminous.

Strangeways, Here We Come completed the band’s career – they would split in 1987 – and is s fitting and fine swansong. Containing Morrissey and Marr’s favourite song, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, it is a fantastic album that builds on The Queen Is Dead’s eclecticism – even if it does not reach the astonishing heights of that record. There are fantastic moments from Morrissey throughout that album but it is tracks four-through-six that that showcase how fervent and consistent his imagination was. Girlfriend in a Coma is a short-but-not-so-sweet song that finds an ill-fated girlfriend near to death/in a near-death situation – never explained how she got there – and the hero semi-genuine in his terror and upset. It is a perfect distillation of Morrissey’s patented combination of wit and tragedy. Pathos and triumph; sarcasm and doomed romance all within two-and-a-bit-minutes. Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before – an album with many long-titled songs – again looks at physical upset and trauma. It is the last track of the trio that, for me, defines Morrissey’s songwriting. That sense of false alarms and being safe from harm: all false, unsettled and unreal. The song title’s literal meanings cannot be misinterpreted but it is the way Morrissey presents that feeling of being alone and sharing his bed with nobody – a song that would have resonated with so many listeners at the time. It is a stark, sad and hugely revealing song that perfectly says goodbye to the band. It proved we would be hearing more from Morrissey’s incredible pen – sadly the band would call it quits before the album hit the shelves. It is not only the writing through The Smiths’ career that fascinated me. Morrissey’s singing remains unique and emotion-rich. The way he phrases lines and twists them to his own means has meant the songs have transcended from the fantastic to the peerless. Few singers have that crooner-like sound that manages to stretch and bend in all sorts of directions.

In looking at the continuing genius and influence of Morrissey; one cannot ignore every facet of his creative personality. From his work with The Smiths through his solo career – there are few that have the same attributes, talents and tells as Morrissey. He is an endlessly fascinating character and, let’s hope, there are more albums arriving from him. Perhaps England Is Mine is not the film he would have wanted to see about himself (one imagines he would have preferred to be left alone altogether) but there is an enormous affection for the Northern poet who, over thirty years since that first album, remains incredibly influential. Even if songwriters are not name-checking Morrissey; it is clear their work, subconsciously or not, derives from that early work. I can hear comparative put-downs, quips and revelations from new songwriters. None match the height and scope of the man but that is not to say they are vastly inferior songwriters. Morrissey is one of those once-in-a-generation artists that cannot be replicated or cloned. One only need listen to an album like Your Arsenal or The Queens Is Dead to witness endless emotions over the course of a few songs. There are few that can take you from laughs to horror; right through to tears and mock-outrage as the man himself. He is a legend of music who feels, like the dearly-departed poets in Cemetry Gates, deserves special real estate in the graveyard of the legendary scribes – not to get ahead of myself or morbid; I think he would approve. There is something unfashionable about loving Morrissey in 2017: he does not fit in with the cool and trendy mainstream and seems like his best days have passed. That said; the music community owes his songwriting brilliance a debt of gratitude. Those too-rebellious-for-school artists and slick-haired bands might be on your side but, you see, the wonderful and endlessly irrepressive Morrissey…

IS on mine.

__________

FEATURE: Upcoming and Rumoured: The Big Albums Approaching...

FEATURE:

 

Upcoming and Rumoured:  

IN THIS PHOTO: Queens of the Stone Age

The Big Albums Approaching…

__________________

DEPENDING on your musical philosophical bent…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kylie Minogue

you might see this year’s releases as a success or abject failure – perhaps something in the middle. Laura Marling and Sampha have provided exceptional treats in Semper Femina and Process; Lorde has brought is the staggering Melodrama; English Tapas is the latest course from the always-reliable Sleaford Mods. There have been some unexpected disappointments (Royal Blood, Arcade Fire and Gorillaz) but, given there are over four months of the year left to run – a look at the albums that are yet to come…

_________

Rat Boy – SCUM 

RELEASE DATE: 11th August

Everything Everything – A Fever Dream

RELEASE DATE: 18th August

Ghostpoet - Dark Days & Canapés

RELEASE DATE: 18th August

Grizzly Bear – Painted Ruins

RELEASE DATE: 18th August

The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding

RELEASE DATE: 25th August

Queens of the Stone Age – Villains

RELEASE DATE: 25th August

Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination

RELEASE DATE: 25th August

Susanne Sundfør – Music for People in Trouble

RELEASE DATE: 25th August

INHEAVEN – INHEAVEN

RELEASE DATE: 1st September

PHOTO CREDIT: Ruvan Wijesooriya

LCD Soundsystem – American Dream

RELEASE DATE: 1st September

Nothing But Thieves – Broken Machine

RELEASE DATE: 8th September

The National – Sleep Well Beast

RELEASE DATE: 8th September

Sløtface - Try Not To Freak Out

RELEASE DATE: 15th September

Foo Fighters – Concrete and Gold

RELEASE DATE: 15th September

Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps

RELEASE DATE: 22nd September

The Horrors – V

RELEASE DATE: 22nd September

Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life

RELEASE DATE: 29th September

Benjamin Clementine – I Tell a Fly

RELEASE DATE: 2nd October

Alex Lahey - I Love You Like a Brother

RELEASE DATE: 6th October

Liam Gallagher – As You Were

RELEASE DATE: 6th October

En Vogue – Electric Café

RELEASE DATE: T.B.C.

Tinashe – Joyride

RELEASE DATE: T.B.C.

RUMOURED

Charli XCX 

RELEASE DATE: T.B.A.

Kylie Minogue

RELEASE DATE: T.B.A.

St. Vincent

RELEASE DATE: T.B.A.

PHOTO CREDIT: Matsu

Tired Lion

RELEASE DATE: T.B.A.

FEATURE: The ‘F-Word’: Why Folk Music Deserves Greater Acclaim

FEATURE:

 

The ‘F-Word’

IN THIS PHOTO: Bon Iver 

 Why Folk Music Deserves Greater Acclaim

________

I will, actually, do another feature like this...

IN THIS PHOTO: Joni Mitchell

where I, without much provocation, launch to the defence of an entire genre. It may seem insane but there comes a point where you can only watch so much undue criticism before one needs get involved. Like a decent yet unspectacular wallflower being sneered at my the jocular, ‘cool’ kids: the headmaster has to get involved and bring about some order. In fact, scrap all of that for I am far too wet to explain myself. I have read article and some reviews who claim, without sufficient evidence, Folk is a genre that seems incapable of modernising and diversifying.

IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Marten

They claim – not naming any offenders; lest they be seen as humans – that Folk is a form of music that has not ascended from the simple and hippy-dippy strummers of the 1960s. Before I take my belt off and birch their bottoms purple; I will leap, rather insincerely, to their defence. In order to play Devil’s Advocate – what an awesome title for a show that would be! – there are a lot of Folk artists who, for some reason or other, are incapable of bringing about reappropriation. Whether you deem mainstream stars like Ed Sheeran as Folk or Pop: there is something about that kind of music that is leading journalists and listeners down the wrong course. Naturally, the majority of today’s Folk stars are not going to be at the same level as legends like Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and Neil Young – nor will they, necessarily, play the same brand of Folk. The new wave of Folk artists drink in different bars and smoke a different brand of cigarette (no that I am condoning smoking: it does look very cool in the context of a Folk article!). Sure, the artists of today take from the greats of yesteryear: it would be incongruence were they to ignore and refute the legacy and inherence of their betters. Too many assume 2017’s flavour of Folk is either the acoustic-strumming kind one might have experienced during the 1960s –away from the incredible core of Folk legends – or is old-fashioned and outdated.

IN THIS PHOTO: Julia Jacklin (Photo for Happy Mag by Liam Cameron Photography)

The truth is; twenty-first-century Folk is among the most nimble and interchangeable types of music around – I think, only second to Pop. If one listens to artists like Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, for example, they get to hear some of the best songwriting you could ever imagine. There is variation in their type of Folk but, largely, it tends to be traditional and ‘softer’, let’s say. The lyrics are incredibly rich and poetic but the compositions, perhaps, tend to stick within boundaries. Maybe there is the assumption Folk of now has not evolved from those days – they might love artists like Joni Mitchell but do not want to see that continue forty-or-so-years down the line. I feel there is a divisionism in perception that assumes Folk is rooted too heavily in the 1960s (or before). One of the reasons I wanted to write this piece is to show how far the genre has progressed. In 2017, there are a lot of artists who like to play the more contemplative and calmer variety of the genre. I will come to some examples but there is, on the other side, a whole group of musicians who bring in other genres – from Pop and Electro-Pop right to Alternative avenues.

IMAGE: The album cover for Bon Iver's 22, A Million

Take an album like 22, A Million: the sensational 2016-released wonder-work from Bon Iver. Justin Vernon is, at his heart, a Folk artist; yet he brings, in this album, so many different sounds and ideas. There are a lot of Electronic inspirations and odd vocal samples. He processes sounds and feeds some through machines: reverses them and creates trippy, far-out whispers. It is an invigorating and heady brew that is best left to the initiated – quite a daunting proposition for those unfamiliar. He is not alone in challenging those who feel Folk is too rigid and ‘square’. Even if you take two of my favourite albums from last year: Billie Marten’s Writing of Blues and Yellows and Julia Jacklin’s Don’t Let the Kids Win; you have a couple of modern, yet bygone-nodding works.

IN THIS PHOTO: Laura Marling

The former is actually my standout from last year because it shows huge maturity and worldliness – despite the fact its author is comfortable in her teens right now. Even though a lot of the music relies on the seductive beauty of Marten’s voice: the way she unfurls her imaginative and stunning songs gives one pause for thought. It is not the aimless and mindless amblings one assumes Folk music is about. Those who get confused between mindless Acoustic-Pop and those artists the Antifolk movement rebelled against decades ago – they pick up a guitar and numbingly mumble about broken hearts, unicorn farts and the government nuking them to sh*t. Yeah, we are in 2017 so there is, one hopes, a fervent brand of a protestor who articulates the cracks and frustrations that run through the spine of the country. Maybe there will be the odd artist who does not convey that anger with the same articulacy and passion as a young Bob Dylan – others who will do so with incredible depth and conviction. Marten, on paper, might strike you as a young songwriter who had not really advanced from the same sort of platforms (literally in some cases) one assumes a busker to play on. That is, frequently, covering other people’s songs with the same sort of energy one would associate with a dog that has just overdosed on morphine – with performances that evoke the same sort of shock and boredom. I grant you, it is complicated differentiating between the genuine pioneers and those who seem beholden to bastardize the good name of Folk. Going back to Billie Marten and she, like 2017-examples Fleet Foxes, Laura Marling and Jesca Hoop; produce music that has romance, fire and enormous nuance. The reason I wanted to single Billie Marten and Julia Jacklin for special commendation because they are young and new artists but between them created some of the finest music of 2016. Marten talked about mental illness, travel and escapism; literature, love and hopelessness in a record that brimmed with compositional innovation, sensationally tender vocals and incredible confidence. Jacklin took a more spirited approach when talking about maturity, her position in life and watching others around her ‘grow’ and manifest a more familiar-orientated life. The Australian newcomer is primed for greatness and shows just what variegated and strength there is in Folk.

This year; Mount Eerie’s A Crow Looked at Me collected songs that told the listener about the circumstances of love and loss between Elverum and his late wife, Geneviève Castrée Elverum (and their baby daughter). That is PopMatters’ distillation but it is part of a wider review that heaps praise on a deeply personal and entrancing Folk record. There have been many others this year that demand closer investigation and appreciation. Julie Byrne’s Not Even Happiness and Fleet Foxes’ Crack-Up; Feist’s Pleasure and Aimee Mann’s Mental Illness are very different and unique. Look at each album and, whilst tackling Folk and playing in the genre; they deal with different issues and, actually, sound very different.  I argue there is, not only misconception regarding Folk’s sonics but the lyrics one documents. If you take a few of those albums and it is hard to connect them. Aimee Mann’s record deals with some hard subjects and tackling psychological demands – there is a lot more besides on the L.P. – whereas Fleet Foxes’ Crack-Up is a more luscious and ‘accesible’ work.

The vocals on each differ greatly and, aside from sharing Folk D.N.A., there is nothing that suggests they were born from the same mother. Maybe there is a tangible link between, say, Billie Marten, Laura Marling and newcomers like Phoebe Bridgers: the first two have been compared down to their career trajectory and lyrical gifts; Marten and Bridgers share vocal sounds (even if their lyrics are completely distinct). Even artists who approach Folk with greater tenderness and less energy are doing fantastic things – so far removed from those noxious and lamentable Acoustic-Folk acts that garnered such reaction and approbation. Bridgers is a sensational talent I can see going very far. In fact, after Laura Marling released the incredible Semper Femina (baffled it was not shortlisted for a Mercury Prize); I am looking to Marten, Jacklin and Bridgers to see if they bring out albums this/next year. It is exciting seeing young female Folk artists create such world-class music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Julie Byrne

In fact, when I look at the progressive and established Folk brilliance – most of the names that flood to mind are women. Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Richard Dawson (his album, Peasant, is worth your time and money) are exceptions in a list that is largely female – when we think of the best Folk albums of the year so far. That is the same as last year, largely. I shall wrap things up but have been annoyed reading articles that have mooted Folk is past its glory days – if it had any at all! There is so much attention on Pop and mainstream artists that many Folk albums get buried and reserved for smaller audiences. Even if the Mercury shortlist does not include that much Folk; one cannot ignore the sensational and consistent joys one can discover in modern Folk. I did not want to go back in time and see why Folk has always been great – I have addressed that in previous articles. I wanted to demonstrate the fact modern Folk deserves appreciation and investigation on its own merits.

IN THIS PHOTO: Jesca Hoop/PHOTO CREDIT: Piper Ferguson

There is so much range and wonder to be found in a single album. It is a genre that is not chained to a particular sound and sensibility. Maybe it is not as racially diverse as other genres – comparatively few black or Asian Folk artists – but is a lot more balanced when it comes to gender and age. Anyone who thinks contemporary Folk does not merit transition to the mainstream – and proper acknowledgement and respect – needs to get their ears on the best albums of this and last year. I have collected a few songs below – taken from some of the best Folk albums of the past two years – that provides a window into a fabulous genre. Take time to have a listen and realise the ‘’F-Word’…

IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Bridgers

IS one we should be teaching everyone!