FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part V)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: The Seamonsters  

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part V)

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THIS is the final piece of the pie that…

IN THIS PHOTO: Aristophanes/PHOTO CREDIT: Puzzleman Leung

celebrates the female artists primed for big things in 2018. So far, I have collated artists from all over the world. This final instalment is British-heavy but there are musicians from South African, Tawain and the U.S. – Canada and Australia is in there, too! If that wasn’t enough; I have spanned genres and mixed together a playlist that every music-loving human should approve of!

It is a feature that showcases the strong female talent there is in music; the artists who will be better-known in 2018 – we will all become more aware of the sensational music they are producing…

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Liz Lokre

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Soul

Official: https://www.lizlokre.com/

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

Lauran Hibberd

Location: Isle of Wight, U.K.

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Official: http://www.lauranhibberd.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lauran.hibberd/

Sian Cross

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; Pop; Folk

Official: https://www.siancross.co.uk/

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

Me for Queen

Location: Porto, Portugal

Genre: Soul-Folk

Official: http://www.meforqueen.com/

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

Siobhan Wilson

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Genre: Alterative-Folk

Official: https://www.siobhan-wilson.com/

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

Tilda Allie

PHOTO CREDIT: @Sam Shaw 

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Genres: Electropop; Jazz, Soul

Official: https://soundcloud.com/tildaallie

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

The Seamonsters

Location: Sheffield, U.K.

Genre: Indie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cmonstersmusic

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

Dalal

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.dalal-music.com/

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

Ina Reni

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://inareninow.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ina.reni/

Lucie Barât

Location: Brighton, U.K.

Genres: Synth; Pop; Garage; Beat Poetry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lucie_Barat

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

Delaire

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electro-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Delairemusic

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

Starling

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: http://www.starlingsworld.com/

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

ILL

Location: Manchester, U.K.

Genre: Post-Punk

Official: http://www.weareill.com/

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

Emily Magpie

Location: Bristol, U.K.

Genres: Folk; Dream-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilySpetch

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyMagpie1/

Anna Straker

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anna_Straker

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

ZoZo

 PHOTO CREDIT: Timothy Ward

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Mystical-Synth; Pop

Official: https://www.zozoofficial.com/

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

Ella Grace

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Folk

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

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

Gurr

Location: Berlin, Germany

Genres: Punk; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gurrband

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

Aristophanes

PHOTO CREDIT: Puzzleman Leung

Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Genre: Space-Disco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aristophanesTW

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

s a r a s a r a

Location: Europe

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://sarasaramusic.com/

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

Elliphant

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: Pop; Electro

Official: http://elliphant.com/

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

Caiti Baker

 PHOTO CREDIT: Rush Photography

Location: Australia

Genre: Soul; Rhythm and Blues and Beats

Official: http://caitibaker.com/

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

Tusks

 PHOTO CREDIT: Harvey Pearson 

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Experimental; Ambient; Indie; Pop

Official: http://www.tusks.eu/

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

FIELDED

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genre: Future-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DangerousPusssy

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

Skott

Location: U.K./Europe

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/skottmusic

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

Janie Bay

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Genre: Folk-Pop

Official: http://www.janiebay.com/

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

FEATURE: There’s Steel in the Blood: Fifty Years of BBC Radio Sheffield and the City’s Rich Music Scene

FEATURE:

 

There’s Steel in the Blood:

 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield 

Fifty Years of BBC Radio Sheffield and the City’s Rich Music Scene

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ONE might look at a city like Sheffield and associate it…

with the steel-making industry and manual labour. There is that ostensive working-class mentality and ideal we have. Sheffield, as it is a Yorkshire city, is quite ordinary and predictable, right?! That might have been the impression of the area long ago by there is more than quality steel and an awesome accent to Sheffield. Two things that strike me about the city is the music and sense of community. I shall come to the latter later, but, right now, the reason behind this piece. BBC Radio Sheffield has marked its fiftieth anniversary with a rather special video. Common People is, perhaps, the most famous song from a Sheffield band – the mighty and peerless Pulp. I have been looking on the BBC website and, when it comes to the project and its make-up; they assess it in these terms:

“To mark the occasion of their 50th birthday, BBC Radio Sheffield has remade a South Yorkshire anthem - Pulp's Common People. A community choir, made up of singers from across the region, recorded a specially arranged version of the 1990's classic.

BBC Radio Sheffield presenters including Toby Foster and Paulette Edwards were joined by around 300 members of the public to film their own version of the music video.

 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield

Katrina Bunker, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Sheffield, says the film is all about bringing people together and capturing a sense of local pride: "It was really important to us that this film focused on local people, and that it reflected the unique spirit and attitude that we share in this part of the world.

"Pulp are a Sheffield band and the song Common People was one we felt people around here identify with. And the fact that so many people - hundreds of them, helped us make the film shows the whole idea really captured people's imagination.

"Now we get to share the joy and sense of community captured in the film with the many thousands of people who will watch it online.

Making the film

Filming took place at various locations across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire including Barnsley Town Hall, Doncaster Market, a sweet shop in Rotherham and a Sheffield supertram. Lots of local people were keen to get involved in the project including the Lord Mayor of Barnsley, former MP, Jeff Ennis and a knife maker from Portland Works in Sheffield, Michael May.

The finale to the video was a large crowd scene filmed at the iconic Leadmill nightclub in Sheffield city centre - the place where coincidentally the band Pulp played their very first gig in 1980.

The finale features hundreds of BBC Radio Sheffield listeners from all walks of life from an 8 week old baby to a group of scouts and cubs to a retired bus driver and a 7 year old British bulldog called Horace who almost steals the show.

About BBC Radio Sheffield

On November 15 1967, BBC Radio Sheffield made its first broadcast to listeners across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. They were the second BBC local radio station to launch following BBC Radio Leicester on Wednesday 8 November.

  PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio Sheffield

Katrina says: "BBC Radio Sheffield is the people's radio station. We've been reflecting local life in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire since 1967 and have been with communities through many highs and lows over the years.

"Ultimately this film is a celebration of localness. We, along with our audiences, are proud of where we live."

It seems axiomatic to say Sheffield – and Yorkshire – is defined by its character, pride and community. There is more of a sense of belonging and comfort living somewhere like Sheffield. I remember the days of Pulp and when they ruled the scene. Albums like His ‘n’ Hers (1994) and Different Class (1995) were released in the same year as the best two albums by another northern working-class band of heroes, Oasis.

Their ascension to the top of the Britpop tree was cemented with the incredible one-two, Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Maybe Pulp took a few albums to reach the same heights but many could claim they have had a more acclaimed, focused and consistent career – not falling apart after their sophomore album and limping to extinction. Pulp were the, to me, leaders of Britpop in the sense they were outside the circle. It is not a surprise their popular smash has been taken to heart and endures. It looks at the working-class and a life one does not hear about in music anymore. Maybe BBC Radio Sheffield is the definition of a radio station that preserves the values laid down by bands like Pulp. You can watch the video via BBC Radio Sheffield’s page - and see why the song has captivated the locals of the city.

IN THIS PHOTO: FloodHounds/PHOTO CREDIT: Mal Whichelow

I feel Sheffield is among many northern cities that do not get the recognition it warrants. The fine work done on Sheffield’s best radio station makes sure local acts get a voice but one need only look at the history books to realise what a cannon the city has produced. FloodHounds are a modern band working out of Sheffield who follows acts like The Hosts, Baba Naga and Anytown; Lonely Boy; Gilmore Trail and Blood Sport. Throw into the list Liberty Ship, The Seamonsters and Matic Mouth and there is enough to get your chops around! Black Mamba Fever, Solanas’ Son and The Hot Soles; Vultures and Deadset Dream could all got into the music and make a fantastic playlist of new Sheffield bands.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Seamonsters

Dig deeper and you will unearth a bustling scene that is promising wonderful things. I wonder why there is such a hesitation for the mainstream media to shine a light on the Sheffield music economy. It is not like there is an absence of venues for other artists to play in – cut their teeth in Sheffield and get a taste of what it is all about! Joe Cocker and Robert Palmer both played the legendary stage at The Boardwalk. The Grapes has played host to the likes of Arctic Monkeys – more on them later! – whilst The Casbah, The Leadmill and New Barrack Tavern give ambitious musicians a wealth of possibilities. Those are just a few venues one could frequent if they travel to Sheffield.

If one looks back at historic Sheffield acts, they are really in for a treat. The Human League and Def Leppard; Reverend and the Makers, ABC; Bring Me the Horizon, Heaven 17 and Moloko; Slow Club and Cabaret Voltaire. It is a packed and vibrant area of the U.K. that has provided some of the strongest bands from all of music. Maybe a lot of those acts have ended but, as I have shown, there is a new breed willing to take their place. It seems Arctic Monkeys are among a rare breed of Sheffield bands courting mainstream attention and fame. The boys might not all base themselves in the city but they have not forgotten where they came from. I have compiled two lists below: one of the new class of Sheffield acts putting their names on the map; the other puts together the classic and legendary music we associate with the city. I am glad there is such an active scene but hope, in 2018, the popular press realises places like Sheffield are being overlooked. It seems anywhere north of London is seen as ‘international’ or alien. That naivety is causing a split between the North and the South. I hear so many great groups from Manchester and Leeds; fantastic acts from Glasgow and Liverpool – that could challenge the finest London has to offer! Dispense with the divisions and judgement and realise what a heritage and fertile foundation there is in the city.

IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys/PHOTO CREDIT: Press

The reimagined video for Common People proves there is humour, togetherness and fortitude in Sheffield. BBC Radio Sheffield has been on air fifty years – let’s hope it lasts decades longer! I know the station prides itself on eclecticism and mixing its national and local outlook – not neglecting an artist because of where they come from or the genre they play. That is an attitude that is reflected in the people of the city. Make sure you tune into BBC Radio Sheffield and the great work they do on a daily basis. It is one of the finest BBC stations and has remained that way for five decades. Long may that remain: continuing to provide incredible music and exceptional entertainment. More than that; have a listen and investigation of the music coming from Sheffield. We all know the artists who have come before but many of us are unaware of the wonderful newbies that are making Sheffield an essential point of study. An incredible people and rich boiling pot where fine music and quality sounds bounce off every wall in the city. Here’s to the artists there and a bedrock station that shows there is plenty of life and wonder in the Yorkshire city. Sheffield will always be a vital fountain of music and quality radio. The sooner we remember that, the stronger…

IN THIS PHOTO: Sheffield's The Leadmill

THE music industry will be!

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part IV)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dagny/PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Vivaas Kise  

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part IV)

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I may have to do a final piece that rounds up…

IN THIS PHOTO: Bonzai

all the best and most talented females in new music – those who will make waves in 2018. I have been looking around music and sourced talent from Europe, North America and beyond. The final instalment will dig deeper and take acts from Australia and Africa; get to grips with the freshest musicians who will define next year. This selection offers some great artists who cover a range of genres.

Get your ears invested in some stunning female artists already doing great work – who will carry that into 2018 and make their mark on the music scene.

PHOTOS (unless stated otherwise): Getty

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Annie Hart

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie

Official: http://www.anniehart.nyc/

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

RIDER

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Dream-Pop

Official: http://www.sapienrecords.com/rider

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

Bonzai

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

Genres: Indie; Alternative; R&B

Official: http://www.bonzaibonzaibonzai.com/

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

Brooke Bentham

Location: New Cross, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: https://www.brookebentham.co.uk/

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

Sasha Brown

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: https://sashabrownmusicofficial.com/

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

Dagny

Location: Tromsø, Norway

Genre: Alt-Pop

Official: http://www.dagnymusic.com/

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

Emily Mac

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Blues-Rock

Official: http://www.emilymacmusic.com/

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

Sereda

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/allysereda

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

Ghost Caravan

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Cee

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genres: Orchestral; Electronic; Soul

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ghostcaravan

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

Alice Avery

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Rock

Official: http://www.thealiceavery.com/

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

Eivør 

PHOTO CREDIT: Annfrid Nejst Hansen

Location: Syðrugøta, Faroe Islands

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://www.eivor.com/

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

Shenna

Location: Woodbridge, U.S.A.

Genres: Indie-Pop; R&B

Official: https://www.shennamusic.com/

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

Gitta de Ridder

PHOTO CREDIT: Martin Abtman Photography

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Official: https://www.gittaderidder.com/

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

Iskwé

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lisa MacIntosh

Location: Canada

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://www.iskwe.com/

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

Katherine Gazda

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katherinegazda

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

 

LIA LIA

Location: Berlin, Germany

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/liavslia

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

Mahalia

Location: Leicester, U.K.

Genre: Acoustic-Soul

Official: http://mahaliamusic.co.uk/

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

Sera EKE

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Electronic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/seraeke

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

NINA

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Synth-Wave

Official: http://www.ninasounduk.com/

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

Joelle James

Location: California, U.S.A.

Genres: R&B; Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoelleJames

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

Nat Reed

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ariff Danial

Location: Boston, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: https://natreedmusic.com/

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

Bee

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Indie; Folk; Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicbybee

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

Camilla North

Location: Bergen, Norway

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Pop; EDM.

Official: http://www.camillanorth.no/

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

Nina Schofield

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Marsh Photography

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative; Electro-Pop

Official: http://ninaschofield.com/

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

FEATURE: Raise It Up! Why Music Needs Florence + the Machine Right Now

FEATURE:

 

Raise It Up!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Why Music Needs Florence + the Machine Right Now

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THIS was the news story that got me…

PHOTO CREDIT: HANDOUT

quite excited about a few days ago.! The article/news in questions comes from NME - and it seems like Florence + the Machine are returning. I say ‘returning’ but, to be honest, Florence Welch has not left us – simply getting on with life and living as normally as possible. NME have their faults, but they are good at presenting these interesting little news stories. Here are some lines I will borrow from them:

“Florence + The Machine look set to return next year, having been announced to headline Melt Festival 2018.

Having dropped their acclaimed third album ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’ in 2015 before stepping in to headline Glastonbury in place of Foo Fighters, Florence Welch and co’s last major shows were at festivals in 2016 – including British Summer Time where she was supported by Kendrick Lamar”.

The dates are set up and it seems Welch will have a busy 2018! There have been whispers of new music but, with touring and festivals starting to form, you know there has to be something coming very soon – otherwise, it would seem odd to book an act promoting their latest album. That previous record, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was released back in 2015 and scored big reviews.

The third album by Welch explored vulnerability and a difficult time for the star. It was a simpler beast (then her previous two albums) and was a stripped-back and soulful recording. The powerful vocals and drama were there but, unlike 2011’s Ceremonials, there was more calm and contemplation. The sensitive lyrics and commanding songwriting was a step forward from her older work – critics noting how she had assimilated new layers and gaining fresh confidence. If the first two albums were bombastic and declarations of liberation, growth and love: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was the more mature songwriting addressing new concerns and problems. I have written about another act faced with pressure and spotlight: the incredible London Grammar. The success Ceremonials gained – and the acclaim her debut album, Lungs, accrued – meant Welch was in-demand and a popular artist. Relentless promotion and touring meant her face was all over the place; everyone wanted a piece of her – balancing that with everyday life and the demands that come with it. Welch spoke with D.J. Zane Lowe back in 2015 and explained how, prior to writing the album, she had a sort of nervous breakdown. Oddly, it was a conversation with Taylor Swift that gave Welch some perspective and gravity. There is another star that has faced turbulence and an endless workload – the conversation and companionship was invaluable to Welch.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

When putting the bones for her third album together; the stresses and complexities of her life were laid bare. Listening to it now and one can hear how personal and meaningful the music is. Welch has always mixed fantasy and personal emotion together but, on How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful; things were much more direct and less oblique – the title seems like the heroine looking down at the big world – or the expanse of the ocean – and feeling helpless. In a recent interview with The Telegraph – couldn’t read the entire thing as it asked me to register (not a chance!) – Welch discusses her anxieties and battles with alcohol. She started the interview by explaining how nervous she gets and the need to cry is always there – although, she is not sure why. Her home, as was explained, is a small Georgian cottage with browns, greens and yellows; artworks and antiques; books packed onto shelves – not what one might expect from a mainstream star in her young-prime. I have followed her career since the beginnings and seeing her enter a new phase of her life – on the third album – was a brave mood. Rather than flirt with death and stand distant to issues: Welch embraced the need to detach from water-based songs and ground her feet onto the floor. Many would take a sharp breath were they presented with an album that differed from Lungs and Ceremonials – two big and bold records that had plenty of escapism and relief.

PHOTO CREDIT: Samir Hussein/Getty

Not that How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is a heavy and pathos-ridden experience: it is an album that explores maturity and new challenges in life. Welch, now, is only thirty-one and, since her 2009 debut, has taken in a lot. It is not just the flame-haired goddess who shoulders the entire spotlight – her players and musicians are there with her, too. It is, however, all about Florence Welch and her life. One of the reasons the announcement of new material – what shape that will take, we are not sure – is so thrilling is the fact Welch has managed to record and make sense of her troubles. I can empathise with her anxieties and revelations. She is very honest in interviews and, listening to her speak, she is a very normal and relatable woman. I have included two rather revealing interviews; both are in a ‘showbiz’ setting and there is nowhere to hide. One wonders how Welch camouflages and evolves in a more intimate setting – sitting with a newspaper in her home; safe in her own surroundings. I watch her speak and can see the flicker in her eyes. There are nerves but there is that need to be honest and not hide anything away. The palpable emotion in her voice contrast between heart-breaking and merry-making. Welch is a woman who has sensitivity and fragility: music is a way for her to channel this and project a more confident persona.

There are so many new artists out there but few have the same sense of allure, intrigue and beguile as Welch. Many have compared her to Kate Bush and, in musical terms, there is an aspect of that. I guess we can draw comparisons between them when it comes to conversation and personality. Bush is less troubled – and has not faced alcohol demons and as much stress – but times are different now. Back when Bush starts (1977/1978); there wasn’t the openness of the Internet and the same sort of mainstream/media expectations. Bush is an artist who records in her home-studio and is comfortable in her own skin – that was not always the way; she would have felt the same problems and pressures. Florence Welch is someone who was flung into the limelight and struck a special chord. I can see the comparisons between Bush and Welch. In terms of that bond with nature and the mystical; the intelligent bent and original lyrics – tackling love and self-assessment with great wisdom than their peers. Maybe Welch’s voice is more strident and fulsome – Bush only really started to add that sheer boom to her voice a few albums in – but there are similarities hard to avoid. Both project a curious and sensual figure; both are down-to-Earth and honest; you feel their hearts beat every second they are singing. There is something immersive and entrancing about Florence Welch that makes me think of Kate Bush.

If Lungs was Florence + the Machine’s Never for Ever then Ceremonials might be – in terms of scope and subject, rather than quality – their Hounds of Love. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful has elements of The Dreaming and The Sensual World. Roughly, you can join dots and lines between the records and see how Welch has progressed as a songwriter. One wonders how her fourth album will sound. You can dispose of the Kate Bush links as, on this record, there is going to be more revelation and honesty than ever – has a Kate Bush album ever been that raw?! I am not sure what subjects Welch is exploring but I would imagine her troubles with anxiety and alcohol will be there. Maybe there will be a slight return to the fantasy and flight of Lungs. Welch has said she is keen to disassociate from water-based themes and the same arcs – not wanting to repeat herself and be that same person. There are few personalities and figures like Florence Welch in modern music. I have seen a few new songwriters I am interested in but rarely do they leap off the page and get into the heart. Maybe that is the sign of the modern age: music is more digital; it allows less time and chance to connect as human beings. Welch is someone who gets under the skin and you feel real affection for.

PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Ryan Anderson

She is a human being who has had to overcome dark days and obstacles: her new music will assess where she is in life and try and move forward. I think Welch has also experienced a break-up fairly recently. Broken relationships have been part of her music since the start but, taking on board everything that has been happening in her life; a dislocated and fractious relationship added extra strain and weight. There are so few like her in music: those humans that can attract you with their incredible music but compel you to investigate who they are as people. Maybe the glare and hound from the press contributed to Welch’s anxieties. Touring demands hardly helped and the fact she was unable to detach from work meant the post-Ceremonials period would have a profound effect on her follow-up record. It has been a couple of years since her third album and, in that time, there has been a lot of touring and press. Maybe the songwriter has afforded herself some time off but one imagines there has been that constant pressure, personal and commercial, to get a new record out. It seems like Welch’s home is a relaxing and personal space where she can dive into books and feel relaxed among the antiques, rural décor and captivating colours of home.

The world outside her home is less predictable and safe. The woman of ‘Florence + the Machine’ is different from ‘Florence Welch’. I worry the young woman might find herself thrust heavily back into the heat of the media very soon. With a new album; the announcement comes and the inevitable barrage of interviews starts. I feel the spoon-feeding nature of modern music means from now and the album’s release will find Welch busy and unable to rest. Rather than release a record, put it out there and tour it; artists are expected to do teaser videos and make announcements; release endless singles and ensure the record is almost bled dry by the time it comes out. It is designed to get streams and downloads; to get ahead of the competition and succeed. It is a lot of pressure on the artist and I feel that kind of stress is something Florence Welch can do without. What is positive is the fact she has a new album coming out – where she can discuss her experiences and show the music world what it is missing. Every Florence + the Machine record is a wonderful and tantalising thing. Whether the fourth record will return to the grace and foundations of Lungs or continue where How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful left off – it is going to be hard to tell. Whatever form this record takes it is going to be a huge and much-needed thing. I know Welch has had to deal with a lot of anxiety the past couple of years and it is a transformative time for her. She has tried the partying and drink; she has done the celebrity thing. These, as she has said, are temporary things and phases: the focus needed to record music and continue to grow is what’s important. This will come to the fore in the new record. It is a time where we need to support the finest and most promising songwriters around and, in Florence + the Machine, we have one of the…

PHOTO CREDIT: Claire Morris/NME

FINEST acts in music.

FEATURE: Turn Up the Volume! The Brilliant New Breed of British Female Radio D.J.s

FEATURE:

 

Turn Up the Volume!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Goldierocks

The Brilliant New Breed of British Female Radio D.J.s

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THERE are many I have had to omit from this list…

IN THIS PHOTO: Tasty Lopez

but there is a wealth of terrific female radio talent out there. I feel, when it comes to D.J.s, there is less exposure of and spotlight on female talent. Maybe that is different in clubs and the music world but, if one looks at the major/mainstream radio stations; the majority of their members are male. I hope that changes because, as you will see from this list, their voices are incredible, essential and much-needed!

I have picked sixteen female D.J.s from the best independent and nationwide radio stations around…

PHOTOS (unless otherwise credited): Getty/Press

_____________

Arielle Free

Stations: Hoxton Radio; Pyro Radio

Bio:

"With her down to earth nature, Scottish TV Presenter and Radio DJ Arielle Free is one of the industry’s rising stars presenting Thursday’s 4pm – 6pm on Hoton Radio.

A face of the ITV family, she can currently be seen waking up the nation each weekend on ‘Scrambled.’

As a self confessed music geek, in 2015 Arielle was selected by Ministry of Sound to re-launch their radio station, taking the coveted drive time slot broadcasting live to a global audience Monday to Friday.

With her passion for new music and music festivals, Arielle seeds most of her summers hot footing it around the UK’ biggest festivals including live hosting at Glastonbury and Bestival to name but a few.

For two years Arielle was lead anchor on 4Music fronting shows “Would you rather…?”, “Feelgood Friday” and “Boxplus Live.”

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/arielle-free/

Follow: https://twitter.com/ariellefree

Emma Conybeare

 PHOTO CREDIT: Adrian Lee

Station: Capital XTRA

On-air: Weekdays, 2-6 A.M.

Official: http://www.capitalxtra.com/radio/shows-presenters/emma-conybeare/

Follow: https://twitter.com/EmmaCB_

Goldierocks

Stations: Bestival FM; selector-radio.com

Bio:

"Goldierocks, AKA Sam Hall, is an international DJ and broadcaster with a celebrity following that includes Kate Moss, The Rolling Stones, Richard Branson, Larry Page, Giorgio Armani, Gordan Ramsay, Madonna and The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (she's performed exclusively for them all).

Her weekly, award winning global new music radio show 'The Selector', which she’s presented for 8 years now, is legendary to those in the know. Broadcast in over 44 countries on FM, to over 4 million listeners a week; transmitted in China, Mexico, South Africa, Cuba, India, Spain, Malaysia, Russia & more. The Sunday Times has described it as "the most cutting-edge British music show out there." She also conceived the idea and now presents the specialist spin-off dance show ‘Selector After Dark’ also broadcast worldwide".

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

 Follow: https://twitter.com/Goldierocks

Tasty Lopez

Station: Soho Radio

Bio:

"Hailing from sunny Sydney, Australia, this spicy little mama has been spinning tunes, busting vocals and making beats since she was a teen. Starting in the rock’n’roll scene with her all-girl line-up Creepers, she moved onto making big bad girl electronic beats with her duo Twincest. Then moving into production, DJ’ing and other collaborations, including taking part in Karen O’s ‘Stop the Virgens’ Opera at the Sydney Opera House.

Since relocating to London this year, she has been working as a feature vocalist with international and local artists, being played on Triple J Radio, FBI Radio and BBC Radio 1 program Diplo & Friends. She has also been cooking up some exciting production and co-writing with new artists".

Official: https://www.sohoradiolondon.com/presenters/tasty-lopez/

Follow: https://twitter.com/TASTYL0PEZ

Becca Dudley

PHOTO CREDIT: Motel Rocks

Stations: Hoxton Radio; Beats1

Bio:

"Monday’s 4pm – 6pm playing the best in reggae, dancehall, bashment, trap and rounding up the hottest gigs in London.

25 year old, Essex born Becca graduated from The London College of Fashion with a degree in Fashion Styling and Photography. On leaving she combined her passion for fashion with working as both an editor and stylist for FIASCO magazine, interviewing (amongst others) the legendary dub reggae artist Lee Scratch Perry.

In 2012 Becca was signed up as one of the new faces of MTV UK fronting daily news – 4 years on and she is their leading presenter. She currently hosts over 7 shows across MTV including her very own music show, Live Lockdown as well as covering worldwide music events with World Stage.

Alongside TV Becca has a passion for radio, she is a regular DJ for Apple Music’s international station Beats 1 and also presents her own specialist reggae and dancehall show on Hoxton Radio. She has launched her own brand DEADLY and will be putting on events in London with international reggae artist Protoje. As if that’s not enough you can also find Becca dj-ing reggae, dancehall and hip hop at major venues across London and the UK, spinning at festivals such as Glastonbury and supporting some of the worlds biggest reggae and dancehall artists".

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/becca-dudley/

Follow: https://twitter.com/beccadudley

Moxie

PHOTO CREDIT: Vicky Grout

Station: NTS Radio

Bio:

WEDNESDAY
3PM-5PM LDN

FORTNIGHTLY

"Part of the NTS family since day dot, Moxie has held her bi-weekly Wednesday show since the stations first broadcasts. Inviting esteemed guests for interviews & mixes and breaking new, unreleased music, she’s got your Wednesday afternoons covered... Tune in to hear anything from soulful house and disco to rolling techno".

Official: https://www.nts.live/shows/moxie

Follow: https://twitter.com/DJMoxie

Elspeth Pierce

Station: Hoxton Radio

Bio:

"Elspeth Pierce hosts the Hoxton Fashion Show, Wednesdays 10am – 12pm and Elspeth Selects new music show Tuesdays 4pm – 5pm.

Style expert Elspeth has her finger firmly on the fashion pulse. She has presented all the off-court action at The Wimbledon Championships for Vogue magazine online, styled and presented live fashion events from The Clothes Show to Britain’s Next Top Model and hosted live radio shows from London Fashion Week. She is also in the thick of the action when it comes to sport having recently interviewed the New Zealand All Blacks and fronted premier league football show Betsafe Football.

As a fashion stylist and presenter, Elspeth started her career at ITV This Morning, styling models and celebs for the live shows. From there she landed a role as freelance fashion writer for Reveal Magazine and as fashion blogger to shopping centres countrywide".

Official: http://hoxtonradio.com/presenter/elspeth-pierce/

Follow: https://twitter.com/elspethpierce

Siggy Smalls

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lefteris S Primos

Stations: SISTER; Pyro Radio

Bio:

"Sometimes you can find her in front of the camera when she isn't modelling Siggy Smalls is either travelling up and down the UK from DJing at highstreet stores to some of Londons hottest bars and warehouses.Depending on the venue she can adapt to any style of music by reading the crowd or being on brand...and she isnt shy to switch up her sounds.. Picking up her headphones going back only 2014.. sounds mixing on radio and then moving to the open world siggy has put in the work for someone who has only been doing this for 3 years..Spinning tunes in the Rainforest in Costa Rica to the Nevada Dessert to the High Streets it's clear Siggy likes to spread her musical wings and play to whom desires! Music is clearly her passion and with her unique style she blends the sounds with her own style.. and last year was a life changing year for her when she was asked to DJ at one of the worlds biggest festival Burning Man with 80,000 people attending!"

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/siggy_smalls

Follow: https://twitter.com/sigourney_s?lang=en

Lucid Stannard

Station: Balamii

Bio:

"Lucid Stannard is a London based DJ known for her tune selection; sewing together disco, afro, world, house and funk.

Resident of Lucy's Disco, Lucid has been spreading her wings rapidly throughout London and as far as Berlin and Croatia. Since playing at secret garden party last year, she has played for a number of well known brands and parties, including Baby G, Gottwood, Festival Number 6, Futureboogie and Percolate. Playing an array of genres from funk, jazz, disco, house, afrobeat and everything in between, it is no wonder so many people tune in to her radio shows on Balamii and Netil Radio".

Official: https://twitter.com/Balamii

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lucidstannard

Carly Wilford

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Goodman

Stations: SISTER; Dash Radio

Bio:

"Pioneering brand new tastemaker radio platform SISTER, Carly Wilford is a ground breaking presenter and DJ with boundless energy, unstoppable character and endless drive. Down to earth, warm and honest, she gets to the heart of the artists she interviews and is not afraid to push boundaries. Creator of online hub I Am Music, she uncovers the stars of tomorrow and helps them to break the tough and ever changing industry".

Official: https://carlywilford.com/

Follow: https://twitter.com/CarlyWilford

B. Traits

Station: BBC Radio 1

Bio:

"B.Traits is a producer, DJ and radio presenter, bridging underground music from techno to jungle to house.

BBC Radio 1 Friday nights from 1 - 4am
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lsv7b

Eclecticism. Evolution. Education. 

Three intertwining principles that form the foundation of the career of Brianna Price. A journey that has seen her relocate from British Columbia, Canada to London, England; break the UK singles chart with her rave/bass hybrid track ‘Fever’; become an established and respected radio broadcaster for BBC Radio 1 through which she vehemently champions cutting edge underground electronic music; cement her reputation as a trusted selector at countless leading music events; and most recently become an advocate for drug education within her adopted home. Underpinning all these achievements is Brianna’s passion for sounds from across the musical spectrum, and her now well documented rampant eclecticism".

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lsv7b

Follow: https://twitter.com/BTraits

Kate Lawler

Station: Virgin (London)

On-air: Weekdays, 1-4 P.M.

Official: http://virginradio.co.uk/kate-lawler

Follow: https://twitter.com/katelawler

Clara Amfo

Station: BBC Radio 1

On-air: Weekedays, 10 A.M.-12:45 P.M.

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039rx03

Follow: https://twitter.com/claraamfo

Harpz Kaur

Station: BBC Asian Network

Bio:

"Harpz currently presents the Weekend Breakfast Show on the BBC Asian Network (Saturday & Sunday’s 6am-10am). Alongside this she is a regular cover presenter for the Asian Network Breakfast Show.

Harpz is a qualified Journalist, and became a finalist at the Asian Media Awards 2014 under the “Outstanding Young Journalist Of The Year” category. She has worked with some big, household brands in the commercial industry such as BBC Radio 4, Capital FM, Metro Radio & 2BR where she acted as a News Anchor.

As well as keeping herself occupied in Radio, Harpz began her own Youtube Channel “DJ Harpz TV” – where she created a platform for her listeners to get to know her on a more visual basis. She used this channel to speak with artists within the music industry, which gave her the recognition she needed.

Before all of this, from a young age, Harpz had a goal that she wanted to achieve through her music and media expertise and set off on a journey that would consistently take her to new heights.

After persistence, commitment and determination, Harpz got her break-through and was given a slot on her local Radio Station – Fever FM. Harpz fan base grew bigger and bigger due to the success of her hard work through her shows and reaped the rewards after being offered the drive time slot, which took place every Saturday between 6pm -8pm – “The Strictly Bhangra Show”. After 4 years of commitment at the station, Harpz took on the role of being an admin at the station as well as presenting the Breakfast show twice a week".

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09f2njd

Follow: https://twitter.com/HarpreetUK

Toni Coe

Station: Platform B

Official: http://www.platformb.org.uk/

Follow: https://twitter.com/BigToneGrlBoss

Sian Anderson

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Blaow

Station: BBC 1Xtra

Bio:

“SIAN ANDERSON IS A 25 YEAR-OLD MEDIA POWERHOUSE AND GRIME AMBASSADOR. ALONGSIDE RUNNING SIGHTRACKED WHICH IS HER OWN MARKETING AND PR COMPANY. SIAN ALSO HOLDS DOWN A SPECIALIST PRESENTER AND DJ SLOT ON BBC RADIO 1XTRA, RUNS YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMME ONE TRUE CALLING WITH JULIE ADENUGA, AND IS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST FOR A HANDFUL OF WELL-RESPECTED PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING THE FADER, I-D MAGAZINE, RED BULL AND NOISEY (VICE)”.

Official: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dc11l

Follow: https://twitter.com/SianAnderson

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part III)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Taliwhoah

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part III)

___________

AFTER this feature goes out; there is one more…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kimbra

instalment of fine female songwriters left. The point of the feature is to oxidise and celebrate the fantastic female musicians that are primed for big things in 2018. I have scoured my mind and posts and brought together, what I think, is an essential guide to the coming year. Among the feature are acts from the U.K., U.S. and Canada. There is talent from E.I.R.E. and Australia; Sweden and Malta are in there.

The final part of this rundown will continue to blend international magic and mystery. I am excited putting together these artists: names that are going to be big and celebrated next year. Ensure you check them all out and add them to your regular rotation – a fantastic listening experience and a wonderful way to spend the evening!

_____________

Tallia Storm

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.talliastorm.com/

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

Pillow Queens

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

Genres: Alternative; Rock; Punk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pillowqueeens

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

The Aces

Location: Utah, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Rock

Official: http://theacesofficial.com/

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

NADINE

 PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiing

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Official: https://www.nadinemusic.org/

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

Andi

Location: Caledon East, Canada

Genres: Alternative; Pop; Soul; Jazz; R&B; Electronic

Official: https://andimusic.com/

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

Sarah Close

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; R&B; Electro-Pop

Official: http://sarahclose.co.uk/

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

The Tuts

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: 3-Tone; Indie; Alternative

Official: http://thetuts.co.uk/

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

Ashe

Location: San Diego, U.S.A.

Genre: Vibes

Official: http://www.ashemusic.us/

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

Hero Fisher

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Alternative

Official: http://www.herofisher.com/

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

Sara Diamond

Location: Montreal, Canada

Genres: Pop; Soul

Official: https://www.iamsaradiamond.com/

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

Jack River

Location: Forster, Australia

Genre: Acid-Pop

Official: http://jackrivermusic.com/

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

The Franklys

Location: London/Lidköping/Milton Keynes/Guildford

Genres: Rock; Garage

Official: http://www.thefranklys.com/

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

 

Lial

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lialmusic

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

Gretta Ray

 PHOTO CREDIT: Liam Pethick - Photographer

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genres: Alternative; Indie

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gretta-ray

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

 

Taliwhoah

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: R&B

Official: http://www.taliwhoah.com/

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

Cryptic Street

 PHOTO CREDIT: Matthew Attard Photography

Location: Malta

Genres: Alternative-Rock, Post-Punk

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cryptic-street

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

Kimbra

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Electro; Alternative; R&B

Official: http://www.kimbramusic.com/

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

Chess Galea

Location: London/Surrey, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Soul

Official: http://www.chessgalea.com/

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

Pale Honey

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Indie-Rock

Official: http://www.palehoney.com/

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

MALKA

Location: Glasgow, U.K.

Genre: Alt-Pop

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

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

Ailbhe Reddy

PHOTO CREDIT: @charlottelachaussee

Location: Dublin, U.K.

Genres: Indie-Folk; Rock

Official: http://www.ailbhereddy.com/

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

Julia Carlucci

PHOTO CREDIT: Merik Williams Photography

Location: Ontario, Canada

Genres: Pop; R&; Neo-Soul

Official: http://juliacarlucci.com/

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

FEATURE: 'The 1980s Revival': Why Revisiting the Decade Is a Good Thing for Music

FEATURE:

 

'The 1980s Revival'

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/PHOTO CREDIT: Photoshot   

Why Revisiting the Decade Is a Good Thing for Music

___________

WHEN I last highlighted the 1980s…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

earlier in the year; I lept to its defence. There is this perceived – and incorrect – notion the decade was a melee of over-layered hair and tragic clothing. I have said before how dangerous it is defining a decade in such simple terms. Yes, there was a poverty of style during the time but many assume the music industry reflected that poor taste – all synthetic, sickly and mass-produced. I get tired seeing the ‘best of the 1980s’ collections and the songs that appear on them. I have nothing against Mel and Kim, Kim Wilde and Spandau Ballet but, when one sees their ilk prolifically feature on these compilations, it provides a false impression of the '80s. Those sort of artists – and the bad fashions – were only a small part of the decade. If one wants a better impression of the 1980s; type into Google ‘the best albums of the 1980s’. The list you will get big provides a much clear insight into the stunning sounds and ground-breaking  artists of the time...

IN THIS PHOTO: Talking Heads/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

From Talking Heads – they started in the 1970s but released stunning work in the '80s – and Michael Jackson; Madonna and Pixies; The Smiths and Tears for Fears – some of the world’s best records were created during this time. Maybe the Pop charts and commercial core had more than its fair amount of cheese but can we really say things are better now?! What makes the music of the 1980s superior is the quality of the Pop music; the sense of fun and timelessness we encountered. What I am finding is so many new artists, un-ironically, is that revisit of the big Pop sounds that defined that period. A lot of the inspiration is coming from artists like Madonna, Bananarama and Cyndi Lauper – the former is especially influential. Madonna is someone I have featured before, too, and her legacy cannot be overlooked – how she progressed from the innocent and ingénue Pop teenager to the innovative and boundary-pushing legend has compelled many.

IN THIS PHOTO: Bananarama/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

You can quibble about the quality of some of the 1980s’ popular artists but stars like Madonna are in a league of their own. She showed what quality and depth was possible; how you didn’t need to conform to the worst traits of the time – compromise originality for fitting into the rigid and plastic Pop charts. A lot of modern artists are creating the sort of Disco-Pop mashes Madonna was penning on her first few albums. Prince is another artists who enjoyed great success in the decade: the two artists, between them, have changed the face of music. Even some of the lesser-celebrated artists of the 1980s – ABC; The Human League and Tears for Fears – are making an impact on modern music. That romance and ability to uplift and motivate; the production sound and the simplicity – it seems to go against a music scene where advancement and evolution are taking the joy out of things. There are a few artists who know how to pen a rousing and spirited number: that is far fewer/rarer than once was. There is a seriousness and mentality that means it is difficult discovering music that makes you smile and gets the body moving.

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I have mentioned an artist like Madonna because her music, especially albums such as Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer, contained songs that have survived the test of time. Not only is there the aspect of the songs themselves – brilliantly written and performed – but everything tied to Madonna. There is the theatre and controversy; the celebrity and look – a complete artist with her unique sense of purpose. There are few big fashion movements and clearly identifiable musicians in the modern scene – few that catch the eye and compel you to dig deeper. For all the missteps and terrible attire of the 1980s: there was so much sensational music coming out we are talking about today. If we associate the decade with naffness and over-produced Pop syrup then, of course, there will be stigma and reticence. We need to get out of the prejudicial and cliché mindset that suggests the 1980s was a minor thing.

IN THIS PHOTO: Pixies/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I have alluded to the great Pop that arrived but, having mentioned acts like Pixies and Talking Heads, there was a rise of incredible Alternative sounds. I have lost count (of the number of bands) who sprinkle aspects of these two acts into their own music. Talking Heads, especially, are proving popular for many contemporary artists. Even though the U.S. band formed in 1975; their 1980s output like Remain in Light (1980) hold incredible potency for new musicians. Whether overtly referencing the songs – or integrating the complexities and colours into their interpretation – it is fascinating to see. The Smiths, too, have always provided new artists guidance and I am discovering so many new artists employ various strands of their back catalogue. I guess there is something potent and timeless when we think of The Smiths. The same can be said for the head-rush, mind-alternating music of Talking Heads. If we discount a lot of the sweeter, sickly Pop of the decade; we cannot undermine some of the female/female-led artists of the time. I have mentioned Bananarama but The Bangles are another source of fluidity.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Bangles/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

Some may quibble whether songs like Walk Like an Egyptian and Eternal Flame represent their more credible side. Their 1984 album, All Over the Place, featured a fantastic version of Going Down to Liverpool – originally recorded by Katrina and the Waves in 1983. 1986’s Different Light provided Manic Monday (written by Prince) and was a more commercial effort. Subsequent albums failed to match the consistency of All Over the Place – ironic, given the title! - but it is clear, in a short space of time, the U.S. band made a huge impact on the music industry. Their incredible harmonies and timeless songs were not only a product of the 1980s: many modern artists, in their own way, are taking the mantle from The Bangles and bringing their sounds into their music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sade/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

If anything; I feel the 1980s revival is not going far enough. I have mentioned a few artists but listen to albums by Sade (Diamond Life) and Soul II Soul (Club Classics Vol. One) and there are lessons and inspirations to be found. The modern Soul/Dance scene has seen stronger days: I feel artists like Sade and Soul II Soul, if mixed affectionately, can provide a kick and spirit to the genres. It is debatable whether we have seen any artists as explosive as Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. Both, between them, have made a startling impact on music. Maybe the tight copyright laws mean sampling is not as easy as Beastie Boys made it look – many off-put by legalities and permissions needed to use other artists’ music. Members of Public Enemy are still operational - but the days of the U.S. Hip-Hop band have already ended.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

I realise quite a few decades are coming back in – and never really went away – but the 1980s is one that raises eyebrows! That misconception regarding quality and fashion often distorts waters and creates a false impression. You only need listen to the wave of Pop/Electro/Dance acts coming through and keep your ears open – you can hear the influence of the 1980s coming through. I am noticing more and more artists combining the early career of Madonna with the best Pop of the decade. There are bands taking shades of Pixies, Talking Heads and The Smiths and providing their own take. I hope more artists realise how strong and inspiring the 1980s is – and getting over the viewpoint it is a weak and tragic time. It was a fantastic time for music and one that still resonates with musicians. In a music scene where predictability and commercialism are putting many off; the 1980s’ preservers are making sure music still has a…

IN THIS PHOTO: Beastie Boys/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Press

REAL dose of colour and spirit!

FEATURE: The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen: Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

FEATURE:

 

The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

________

THIS year’s music, so far, has produced some great albums…

IN THIS PHOTO: The sleeve for Björk's album, Utopia/PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda/One Little Indian

but few explosions and surprises. Thank f*ck Björk Guðmundsdótti is here to provide a sensual dose of magic, mystery and quality – the legend will release her new album, Utopia, on 24th November. The title of this piece – the ‘Dutch auction’ part might miff – refers to the way we celebrate and adore an artist like Björk and throw our hand up as soon as something from her comes out; hoping to get ahead of the crowd and win a prize – a Dutch auction starts at a high price and, the first bidder who puts their hand up wins the prize. It might be tenuous but I was pleased with my wordplay! Of the fourteen tracks that will appear on Utopia: eight of them see the Icelandic star conjoin with other writers. Aside from Saint; the remainder are penned alongside Arca. This might sound like the artist being more collaborative but it is, in truth, how she has always done things – bringing other voices to help lift her music and add a new perspective. Björk’s ninth album is hotly-tipped and ALREADY gaining nominations for ‘album of the year’ – without hearing it; I have a feeling it will be my first choice come the end of the year. As the weather gets colder and grottier; we are going to be afforded an album of immense warmth and colour.

The Gate, the lead-off single, has turned heads and proved, since 2015’s Vulnicura, Björk has lost none of her ability to surprise and amaze. The quality up to its usual standard but the song is a more love-filled and simple track – relying on the purity of the vocal and lyrical expression: less to do with compositional and technological pioneering. I will talk about, among other things, her recent interview with Mary Anne Hobbs and the way Björk pushes technology – but I wanted to look forward to Utopia, if I may. If Utopia seems like a long wait for an album – it is only two years! – let it be known Björk started work on it straight after her previous record. If Vulnicura, in the creator’s mind, was a hell-like divorce: Utopia, as the title suggests, is the reverse. This new record is about love and finding new joy after a painful break-up. Someone who has undergone a rancorous and stressful split would naturally take time to reflect and rest. That is not the case with the intrepid Björk: she picked up the pen (or some electronic equivalent) and poured those hot and frightening emotions onto the screen/page. Rather than wallow in the depths of recrimination and accusation; what we find is a woman moving on and keen to explore the limits of new love.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

It is very Björk to announce the release of an album with a hand-written note. That is the way the world knew about Utopia. She posted the missive on social media and, just like that, mouths were salivating. The fourteen-track record is the longest of Björk’s career and signifies someone unwilling to distil her fraught and evolving status – brevity and accessibility can wait for the next album! When speaking with Dazed earlier in the year; the subject of Iceland and geographic surroundings were brought into play:

“For Björk, who grew up amid Iceland’s gnarly volcanic terrain, it’s perhaps unsurprising that her own vision of utopia is one that puts humanity in harmony with nature. “I’ve been talking about environmentalism for the last 20 years, about green energy and solar power and how technology is what’s going to help us collaborate with nature in a non-violent, amicable, collaborative way,” she says. “I talk about it a lot with my friend Anohni – she started the Future Feminism group. There’s this old argument that civilisation treats nature the same as man treats women – you have to oppress it and dominate in order to progress. I just don’t agree with that. There is another way…Emphasising these links to the natural world are the tranquil sounds of birdsong that appear between tracks.

  PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

While some of these are field recordings made by Björk herself, others were collected by musician David Toop on the 1980 release Hekura. It’s a subtle way of linking Björk’s past to her present: she describes Toop’s recordings as one of her favourite albums, while the nature of the sounds – captured in Venezuela in the 1970s – connects to her co-producer Arca’s home country”.

It was a revealing and eye-catching shoot – I have stolen/credited shots from that interview here – that laid out the objectives and facts regarding the album:

“Björk may be searching for utopia in an unstable world, but at the same time, it seems like she’s having more fun than she ever has right now. I’m not surprised when she describes her new record as a ‘dating album’. “It’s like my Tinder album,” she says slyly. “It is definitely about that search – and about being in love. Spending time with a person you enjoy on every level is obviously utopia, you know? I mean, it’s real. It’s when the dream becomes real.”

On the subject of love, one moment on the album sticks out. While Björk says her lyrics shouldn’t be read as 100 per cent biographical, one song, “Features Creatures”, describes the feeling of seeing someone with the same beard and the same accent as a lover. Is she talking about anyone specific? “Yeah,” she says sheepishly, holding back a smile that’s creeping across her face. She doesn’t want to say any more. “I mean, I’ve thought about what I would say here – I set myself up with the last album being a heartbreak album, so everyone’s gonna be like, ‘Are you married?’ with this one. But… it’s too fragile still. I think, if I could, I’d just say this is my dating album. Let’s just leave it there.”

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Björk has been on the block long enough to know how to transition from the perils of unpredictable love and create an album that vibrates and amazes – whereas so many songwriters are keen to turn the knife into the stomach and see their sacrificial blood seep all over the microphone. The ghastly imagery is something music listeners do not need for a steady meal. Björk has had her heart kicked in the nuts but that does not mean she is ready to scratch the eyes from kittens and start huffing paint. Instead, she has rallied her soul and channelled it into, what could be, her defining album. Björk does not make bad albums – Hell; she doesn’t even make average ones! – so one can imagine the critical reaction and assessments. It is the promotion and publicity surrounding Utopia that has amazed me. Gone are the days one would see our Björk don a swan outfit and court a storm of publicity and controversy. What was always fascinating and enduring about Björk was her intelligence, perspective and outlook on the world. I will bring in a recent interview where she is in rude and fantastic form – joking and providing an illuminating insight into her creative process.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Utopia is going to stand out from the rest, not only because of the nebulous talent of Björk, but the timelessness. We require a record that brings some light and amazement to an intrudingly black and unsure world; one that reaches into the ventricles and pulls our veins in directions akin to a puppet show – letting the blood flow happily and the head spin in all sort of directions! Arca’s input is an interesting one but, as Björk said, quite natural. In Acra; Björk discovered a huge musician and kindred soul: someone who was on the same page and did not need too much direction. Utopia is non-narrative and the embrace of love and rediscovery: it is not about hatred and feeling burned. I shall not quote and source the entire interview (Björk conducted) with The Guardian - lest I be accused of creative impotency – but there were periods and paragraphs that stood out. Conducted in a Reykjavík hotel – where Björk turned up feeling a little scruffy and grungy – it saw the heroine reveal the background, process and D.N.A. of the album. Early on; she reflects on the period between Vulnicura and the seeds of Utopia:

“We did the final gigs for Vulnicura in Carnegie Hall,” she remembers, “and they were so tragic. Everybody who ever had a broken heart ever was there, and they were all telling me their stories. It was really sweet and, genuine, you know? And with the performances, I was like: ‘This has to be discreet, and treated with grace.’ But after the first one, I almost felt guilty. Because the whole room was crying and I was not. Me and Alejandro [Ghersi, AKA electronic artist Arca, who worked on Vulnicura] were guiltily drinking champagne in the back going: ‘Next time we’re going to have fun, OK?’ I wanted this album to go towards the light. You indulge in the grief to a certain point, but then you have to be a little bit Pollyanna.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

That sense of numbness and guilt is not what one would expect from a musician who was at the core and foundation of the turbulence. Speaking of the frightening times we live in – and juxtaposing that with a frame of positivity – Björk explained the need to inject hope into her new music:

“Another idea of utopia came about because, in these scary Trumpian times, she wanted to show that optimism is a choice. “He got elected when I was two years into the album,” she says, “and I felt like, OK, it’s really important now to be intentional. If you feel this world is not heading the right way, you have to be DIY and make a little fortress, over here to the left.”

Björk talked about talked about the way she connects inner-emotions and notations; how her love life has been and whether she has been active in the dating scene. On the first point, she revealed this:

“I don’t know that I got all this from one listen, though the sense of wildlife, physical space and bliss was very strong. My notes say things like “epic, full of nature”, “rattle (monkey sounds)”, “flutes gorgeous, beats tough, transcendent”. I did get the idea of a new place, of women supporting women, of rejecting old systems (in Tabula Rasa, she sings: “break the chains of the fuck-ups of our fathers”). There’s also – excitingly – strong hints of a new lover (Blissing Me: “I fall in love with his song”). And the feeling of the end of a difficult relationship, of moving forward (Sue Me). Though I may well be being too literal. Björk laughs when I quote lyrics at her, and ask her about her love life”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

When it came to the posing of love and prolificacy in the dating scene:

“Oh for me, that word is so ridiculous!” she says. “In Iceland, especially in my teenage years, we didn’t date. You just went out and you got plastered and you woke up the next morning with someone and… And you married them! I definitely don’t date, like go to a restaurant all dressed up..In a recent interview, Björk called Utopia “my Tinder album”. “Yes, because I thought that was hilarious, but obviously I would never be able to be on Tinder.” What she’s talking about, really, is fresh experiences with new people: the excitement and sexiness and clumsiness of those encounters. “People trying things out, and rejection, both ways. We all have chapters, and then when you start new chapters, it’s like: ‘I’m walking down the same streets I’m always walking down, I’m wearing the same clothes, but it feels like I’m on Mars.’ In the best possible sense, but also in a scary sense. I missed being this emotional explorer, I enjoy it.”

The reason I have so eloquently – and semi-legally – cribbed from these interviews is because they show how prolific, captivating and compelling Björk is – and the fact I will never get a chance to interview her! I would urge people to investigate the interview conducted between Björk and Mary Anne Hobbs - that clearly shows mutual affection and trust. It is a candid and imaginative discussion that reveals a lot of things we did not know about Björk.

IN THIS PHOTO: Mary Anne Hobbs/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis

That should – if you read the full interviews; the others conducted around this time; the one she gave to Hobbs on BBC Radio 6 Music – all the information and revelation you require! So, then; why is Utopia going to be the album to rule 2017?! It might seem flippant saying “Because Björk made it, dumb-ass!” so, if you need further rationale; you need only look/listen to how she discusses the record to know how much it means. Few artists afford the media adequate time and attention, Maybe that is because they do not possess the cachet of Björk – and people don’t want to waste a lot of time with someone not worth it – but it is the fact few have anything that interesting to say. Every Björk interview is a transformative experience: it seems Utopia is an aptly-named album that finds the middle-aged artist entering a new phase of life and embrace a positive aesthetic. So many of her peers either bury the bones of disabled love or pen an album filled with acid, toxicity and regret. That is not the case with Björk. Utopia will offer guidance to a flaccid scene that finds love-related records take a negative spin. I mentioned how Björk has reinvented the wheel and pushed boundaries regarding recording and promotion. For Utopia; she is allowing purchasers the chance to pay via ‘cryptocurrency’ – a novel and modern way of buying material – but, looking back; she has always been an innovator.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

Pro Tools have been a backbone of her material and popularised long ago – other artists have followed suit - but Björk was one of the first proponents. Sibelius, a piece of software, was used around the recording of Vespertine. It was used for creating string arrangement and allowed Björk to have an orchestra contained within her laptop. Melodyne is the ruination of Pop records but, for Björk, it was used for pitch-correlation and adjustment – used to enhance and alter a piece of music to spectacular effect. Virtual reality was embraced when promoting Biophillia – although Björk’s dream of a series of 3-D videos came to nothing; it was an idea that intrigued many. I am not sure what techniques and technology-pushing feats we will see in Utopia but, the fact the announcement of the album was done via a primate hand-written note; perhaps Björk is returning to a more rustic and simplistic format – in a way, against the tide of digital suffocating, producing another masterful left-turn! I cannot wait to see the arrival of Utopia because it will be one of the most talked-about albums of recent years. The fact Björk has undergone such an emotional change has seen the timid caterpillar emerge the luminous and radiating butterfly! All of this – the heartache, redemption; the new lease and inspiration – will formulate and conspire on 24th of this month. The quality will be sky-high but it is the story and history of the record that will tip it over the edge. No other album this year has the same flesh and fingerprints as Utopia. I am pumped and prepared for the earthquake-orgasm that is about to befall the world. Not only will the sonic and lyrical elements cause floods and storms: the emotions and infusions from Björk will take her career to new heights. I truly believe, when Utopia hits, it has the potential, its own and real way, to change…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

THE fabric of modern music.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Janice 

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

___________

THE remaining two parts of this feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kirbanu/PHOTO CREDIT: Ulli Kiefner

will bring more artists in from Europe and Australia – and concentrate on other parts of the U.K. (aside from London). Today, as I look deeper into the music world and fantastic female talent out there; I am amazed finding such a rich vein of variation and quality. It is sad there are so few being given the same oxygen as men: I guess features like this are small steps in the right direction...

Let’s hope next year is defined by greater exposure and attention (for women). I have been scouring the annals and archives to bring you a collection of female artists, I think, will make some big movements in 2018...

__________

SIIGHTS

Location: London, U.K. 

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.siightsofficial.com/

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

Latasha Alcindor

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Fusion

Official: https://www.latashaalcindor.com/

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

Phoebe Ryan

Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.phoeberyanofficial.com/

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

Emma McGann

Location: Coventry, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.emmamcgann.com/

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

Jessica Rotter

PHOTO CREDIT: @reiten

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Country; Folk; Pop

Official: http://jessicarotter.com/

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

Lots Holloway

Location: Cornwall, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/lots-holloway

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

Kirbanu

Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://kirbanumusic.com/

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

FiFi Rong

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Hybrid-Electronica

Official: http://fifirong.com/

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

Mïrändä

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Art-Pop; Electronica; Dream-Pop; Experimental-Pop

Official: http://www.whoismiranda.com/

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

Bella McKendree

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative Pop/Soul/Folk

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bellamckendree

Facing West

Location: Denver, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Indie; Singer-Songwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/facingwestmusic

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

Macy Todd

Location: Atlanta, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.macytodd.com/

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

Michelle O Faith

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Lord-Walker

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelleofaith1

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

NATHASSIA

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Alternative-Pop

Official: http://www.nathassia.com/

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

Frida Sundemo

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.fridasundemo.com/

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

Jena Rose

Location: Plano, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie-Pop

Official: https://jenarosemusic.com/

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

Robyn Cage

Location: Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

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

Official: http://www.robyncage.com/

Bee Bakare

Location: Bath, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Singer-Songwriter; R&B

Official: https://www.beebakare.com/

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

Peaness

Location: Chester, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeanessBand

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

Emmi

 PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Connor 

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://emmi.world/

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

Janice

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicolina Knapp

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.janicethis.com/home/

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

Gabriella Cohen

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jared O'Sullivan 

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gabriellacohen

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

FEATURE: Propogandaland: Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

FEATURE:

  

Propogandaland:

IMAGE CREDIT: Bolshoye Gore Malenkoi Zhenshchiny by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1929/Collection Susan Pack  

 Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

________

MANY might irk at the proliferation of this…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

topic on my pages! The clash between modern-thinking and progressive creation/traditional and analogue recordings is something I have seen coming to the fore a lot lately.  This is the second consecutive article that brings in Kate Bush – can you tell I am trying to secure an interview with her?! I will talk about nostalgia and musical past; bring some academic studies into the fray – that argue for and against the digitisation of music – but I want to bring Bush into the argument (I shall leave her be in the coming weeks!). To me, like Björk and Kate Bush symbolise what music should be. Björk is someone who has pushed boundaries and embraced technologies but at her core is the tradition and foundations of music. She is an artist who embraces digital means but does not rely on. It may seem like Björk symbolises the Internet culture and those enamoured of music’s digital growth. I feel the opposite when thinking of her: there is something of the older-day and nostalgic when one thinks of her. Maybe it is the way her music creates nostalgia and memories; the physicality and beauty projected from the speakers. If she modifies technology and is keen to explore the limits of the modern day – her music still reminds me of a time when artists were not reliant on big studios and gadgets. Many modern artists are recording in a D.I.Y. way. They have iPads and other tablets where they can create a song and stream it to the world. That is not, necessarily, a way to bypass the studio – cost and economy have forced them to take a more self-sufficient route. I mentioned Kate Bush (again) because, as recently as 2011, she was expounding the virtues of tape and analogue sounds. She, like most out there, cannot eke out a living relying solely on tape and older technologies – in a hyper-digital and computerised industry; she would not be able to get her records out to people. We are told music needs to be shared on social media and streaming is the way forward.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whilst I agree social media and these services are invaluable promoting music; I argue recording in a digital and modern way is the way we should be going. I am seeing a lot of artists, aside from Bush, expound the benefits and purity of tape. We see modern stars and shots from the studio; these glossy and fulsome sounds coming from our laptops. There is a double-link of intangibility right there. We rarely sit alone and listen to a record player or stereo: most of us are connected to phones and have their minds strapped to laptops. As I write this, I am on a laptop and listening to music through headphones. I wonder whether we are connected to music the same way we were, say, a decade ago?! Before I expand on my argument; I want to bring an article from 2009 - that reacted to the rise of technology and the Internet in music – claiming digitisation was not the worst thing that could happen to music:

“Chart-topping artists and superstars rarely sell more than half a million CDs in large markets such as the UK and Germany. To return to generating a good level of sales from each piece of music and to take account of the changed pattern of media use by consumers, developing additional revenue streams is vital to success. No record label can afford the luxury of passing up contributions to sales from Apple's iTunes, Nokia’s Comes with Music or Amazon’s MP3 Shop. “The major music labels have largely ignored the internet trend and are now having to hand over parts of the value-added chain to the new players if they are to succeed in still cutting themselves a slice of the digital cake,” said Peterson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

For more than a decade the industry has needed the structural preconditions for more fragmented music marketing (in the form of downloads, live concert streaming, ringtones, video game music or merchandising) to be put in place. The changes required were new business models for subscription services and licences to internet portals, new contracts with artists to cover the full scope of the digital value-added chain, and—not least—innovations by new market players.

Price war on music downloads leading to erosion of margins

The new sources of revenue are likely to lead to an upward trend in music market sales

after 2010 for the first time since the mid-1990s, although the traditional market players will have to share a significant part of those sales with the new download platforms.

Despite the positive prospects, the change process in the music industry is far from being completed. Necessary innovations in how it approaches its customers, continued and increasing fragmentation, and new market players will maintain the pressure on business models and prices. There are still open questions during this experimentation phase – for example, whether the trend towards even cheaper music will continue, or if charges for hits from well-known artists will increase in future. At present, new players are forcing themselves into the market, using combative pricing to position themselves as price leaders and secure significant market share as quickly as possible. If this strategy wins, margins will melt away for all market players.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

Media industry still faced with digital turnaround

The print media are currently undergoing a similar structural change, as are TV providers and the cinema sector. “The example of the music industry shows that critical competitive advantage can only be achieved with consistent alignment to the new needs in relation to media use, together with intimate knowledge of customers and rapid positioning of new ideas on the market,” said Peterson. “Just as the music industry served for a long time as a warning of how a media sector can be steamrollered by digitalisation, now it is demonstrating that digital turnaround with fresh growth in sales is possible.”

The strategic principles determining whether and how traditional media groups can profit from this digital change process are being set down right now. The music industry demonstrates that only groups with structures capable of adapting can make a profit from the dynamism of the internet”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I am a hypocrite in the sense most of my musical tastes and time comes from the Internet. I stream artists and look at videos on YouTube. When one looks at a YouTube video they are invariable witness to a parade of grating and obnoxious adverts that are hard to shift – often promoting technology and the latest piece of must-have kit. I wonder whether there is too much influence coming from technology companies and streaming sites. There are benefits to the streaming sites – which I shall look at – but I wonder whether we are being told digitisation is the way music can progress. The headline for this article – and the photos that score it – seems like I am accusing the music industry of being Soviet and communist. They are not, as I know to be true, forcing anyone to put their music out a certain way. We do not have Stalin-like figureheads banning warm and traditional forms of music. The industry is an open and receptacle one that welcomes innovation as much as heritage and legacy. Combining the two would seem the idea solution, right?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Eternity in an Instant via Getty

One cannot write and release in 2017 and negate the Internet and technology. That, in itself, might compel ethical conundrums and issues but there are plenty of advantages available to musicians. They can release music quicker and get it to a bigger audience. No longer do they need to rely on the record companies to get their music on the radio – that was the way it happened before the Internet. Unlike previous decades; unsigned artists have the same chances and exposure as some of the mainstream’s best. That parity and equal platform is exciting and inspiring. I do wonder whether the listener is losing out the more electronic music becomes. I revert back to Kate Bush who, in an interview with a Canadian radio station, said she prefers the warmth of tape and analogue. She has said it many times and had another point: one does not get the same listening experience listening through a laptop. When we used to rely on record players and tapes/analogue; you got a real feel and sense of connection to the artist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Now, this far down the line, are we sacrificing the potential of music? Its humanity and physicality is being switched with instant appeal and gratification. We are a consumer society that wants takeaway food, fast; we desire our good delivered in a one-day window; we crave the limitless T.V. channels and the expedience of technology. How many of us, in reality, sit down and think about what we are buying/watching?! Often, things go in one ear and swiftly exist the other. We absorb and experience things at the rate a hummingbird flaps their wings – losing out on the true nature and potential of music. I can listen to a song from, say, Madonna from the 1980s, through a C.D., and match that against a song off of Spotify, fed through my laptop. Even if the songs have equal quality and appeal – the effect I get from the former is much stronger and resonant than the latter. Whilst music can only develop and survive through technology – given the exponential growth and population explosion – I wonder whether the need to provide and sustain is compromising quality and nuance. How many of us hear a song now and feel we’ll cherish it decades down the line? The artists might have the promise of durability but is it the way we are digesting their sounds resulting in scepticism? Certainty, I am someone who hears a lot of music and there are few that remain in the brain that long.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spotify

It is not their fault: the saturation and wave of music we are exposed to is challenging. Are we being forced to listen to music in a manner that means we are always looking for something new? That might sound cynical but many of us jump to the next artist and rarely stick with something. In a sense; we are always looking for something shiny and fresh – streaming sites are creating a market where attention spans are short and the imagination is curtailed. I will continue my point but want to bring in an article from this year - that examines the connection between digitisation and capitalism: how music’s economy and D.N.A. is being directed by the rise of technology. There are some interesting thoughts that captured my attention:

“One striking feature of culture in modern capitalist societies is that the main ways in which people gain access to cultural experiences are subject to frequent, radical and disorienting shifts. This has been very apparent in recent changes in musical consumption. Over the last 20 years, there has been a marked change in dominant ways of experiencing recorded music. In the mid-1990s, most music consumers in wealthier parts of the planet would buy CDs or cassettes from specialist or general record shops, and play them back via electronic devices in the home and car, and in some cases via mobile devices such as the Sony Discman or Walkman; radio and television provided important further exposure for musical recordings. There was a shift in the early twenty-first century to the personal computer and mobile digital playback devices such as Apple’s iPod as the prevalent ways of consuming music. More recently there has been a further change. A new ecology of musical consumption is emerging, based on subscription audio streaming services and Internet-connected mobile phones. While only a minority of music consumers currently consume music in this way, even in the relatively wealthy Global North, this configuration is slowly reviving the ailing music industries, and looks set to be the future of recorded musical consumption in many places – until the next transformation comes along”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush (who has said she prefers the warmth of analogue tapes)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Is the obsessional we have with technology and easy access denigrating music’s fabric and the way it affects us I feel people are yearning for nostalgia and older music is not, necessarily, to do with quality and a lack of real depth. We are implicitly and worryingly being fed this notion streaming and modern ways is where music is stronger. By that; the consumer is not able to bond with a musician the same way they once were. Maybe that is invariable and unavoidable. The study examines the see-change since the turn of the millennium; how music has altered radically given the impact of digital methods:

“The digitalisation of music after 2000 seems to have pushed more and more academics to turn their attention to the question of change in the music industries. Copyright and intellectual property have rightly been treated as major issues, with some addressing music as part of broader accounts of problems concerning copyright in the digital era (e.g., Vaidhyanathan, 2001Vaidhyanathan, S. (2001). Copyrights and copywrongs: The rise of intellectual property and how it threatens creativity. New York, NY: New York University Press. [Google Scholar]), and some devoting their attention to the particular struggles that have taken place concerning copyright in the wake of digitalisation of music (David, 2010David, M. (2010). Peer to peer and the music industry: The criminalization of sharing. London: Sage. [Google Scholar]; Hesmondhalgh, 2009Hesmondhalgh, D. (2009). The digitalisation of music. In A. C. Pratt& P. Jeffcut (Eds.), Creativity, innovation and the cultural economy(pp. 57–73). London: Routledge. [Google Scholar])”.

Is it a coincidence I am more drawn and comforted by older music than the new breed? Maybe there are too many artists out there – meaning any long-term relationship is unlikely – but I feel there is an intrinsic relation between digital means and the way music makes us feel. Nowadays; modern artists have one eye on streaming figures and getting those viewing-figures at their peak. Are they thinking about the way people see their sounds and take them to heart?! If our mainstream best are more concern with popularity and numbers: do they have any realisation in regards the short-term nature of their impact and (the fact) their songs will dissipate before long?! It is so hard for modern artists to remain in the consciousness given the way music is ‘evolving’? What have been the biggest changes we have seen this century?

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

“In the twenty-first century, consumers remain subject to regular and radical changes in the prevalent ways in how music is experienced, but new technologies have untethered listening from the home. Today, instead of CE corporations, it is mainly IT companies and to some extent telecoms companies that shape musical experience. The power of these companies derives from, and in turn contributes to, an interlinked set of economic, social and cultural changes in modern capitalist societies. Seeking new markets, businesses have moved the key frontier of commodification and consumption beyond the homes and cars of the era analysed by Williams (though of course these continue to be key markets), via his concept of ‘mobile privatisation’, to what we might call networked mobile personalisation. By reducing the pooling of resources and sharing of products among families and communities, this encourages greater purchasing and stronger individual affiliation. It permits burgeoning networked interactions between individuals that can potentially take place anytime, anywhere, and be monitored. No doubt this shift answers to desires for personalisation, mobility and connection, deriving from a new sense of individualism and even atomisation in modern societies. It is deeply shaped by advertising, marketing and the promotional industries. And it is a source of disorientation, expense and huge social waste.

What is more, these changes in how music is consumed may be having negative effects on the role that music plays in people’s lives (see essays by Marshall and Toynbee in Marshall & Laing, 2014Marshall, L. & Laing, D. (Eds.). (2014). Popular music matters: Essays in honour of Simon Frith. Aldershot: Ashgate. [Google Scholar]). Many music fans report a sense of loss regarding music’s power. Some would say this is merely nostalgia, but the ubiquity of music, its constant presence as background, heard in a rather distracted way, seems to be connected to a loss of its cultural and emotional force. It is hard to say how much this derives from sociocultural and political changes as they affect what musicians produce, and how much from the new formation of musical experience itself, including which music comes to be circulated widely. It may well be both”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The study I have quoted raises valid concerns/points but there is a band of artists keen to take music back to its truer times. It is no coincidence so many artists are recording to tape and ignoring the ultra-hyper-new shine of the studio. I will write a separate piece on the 1980s but I am discovering so many new acts reverting to that sound and incorporating the decade into their music. I feel the reason for this is not to push music forward but hint at the past and how good it used to be. Again; that is not an indication regarding quality and the short-term impact of modern music: it is a way of bringing in the simplicity and analogue joys and fusing them with the new and exciting digital times.

I feel a lot of modern artists are investigating past music – and sampling older songs – because the mere mention and suggestion of them take their memories and minds back. I listen to older music because it hits me in a different way. Algorithms and statistics are defining the business attitude of modern music. I yearn for a time when music concerned the way it made you feel and what you would take from it. Listening to music on a cassettes/vinyl was like stepping into the song and embracing every aspect and component of it. I worry we are only getting a limited sense of connection and quality from modern music. The fact we have opened the floodgates, and offered this unguarded market where everyone can make music, means the battle between quality and quantity is always hard. I think the real issue lies with the dependence and need to embrace the advancements of the modern day. The rebellious and disassociated artists – who feel their music is being led by business and popularity rather than longevity  - are reverting to older means of recording and methods like tape. I feel something as simple as recording to analogue makes a huge impression.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

I could listen to a modern song recorded on analogue and hear it on C.D. Compare that to the same song recorded in a modern studio – and heard through a laptop – and there is a marked difference. Something as simple as that could be the difference between a song remaining in the mind for years – or is racing out of the brain minutes after it has ended. My greatest hope – sticking with my themes of revolution and propaganda - is seeing a clan of musicians go against convention and not putting their music on streaming services. That might seem suicidal but what would be the result if artists stuck with physical forms and recorded their music on analogue? They could perform modern genres/sounds but would rely on older technologies/formats to get their music out there. I am worried that is the only way new music will have the same durability and meaning as that which has gone before. There are things that need tackling but I feel we are too far down the rabbit-hole to really go back. Generations to come will experience music in a very quick and damaging way. They will be bombarded with artists on Spotify/YouTube and abandon listening to music through hardware. With that will go artwork and all the components that made classic music what is was. If artists are not worried about art-work and getting the sound right; taking time to craft something memorable and inspiring – will the artists we hear today be remembered and celebrated in decades to come?! Maybe musicians from the 1960s and 1970s will still be more popular than current favourites.

IMAGE CREDIT: Prodanny Appetit by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1928 (USSR, Russia, Nikolai Okhlopkov, 1927)/Collection Susan Pack

Maybe the reverse will be true: we will forget about the better days and rely entirely on streamed and digital music. This is a debate with two sides and no easy answers. I feel the business aspect of music is detrimental and corrosive. There is too much focus on cracking markets, breaking records and producing something quickly – rather than a piece of work that will compel listeners years from now. Comrades of the music world! The way we will match the brilliance and memorability of our pasts then we need to ignore the mindset that suggests all that is digital is gold! Too many musicians rely on it and are producing music to satisfy marketing minds – rather than amaze the listeners. This needs to change because, if we carry on down this road, music will lose its magic and potential. I am not sure whether there is a way to make quick and effective changes but making small steps is the way to cure the issue. I miss the days of cassettes and find analogue a much richer and warmer sound – the likes of Kate Bush are not wrong! We can still hear analogue music – and those classic artists – but, when they take up more of our time than modern artists; does that signal real issues for the music industry?! I would like to see a greater promotion of traditional recording/release and a relinquishing of this eternal and hardcore grip of the digital. The quality is there (and artists have that promise) but living in this digital-focused and technology-obsessed world means…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

PEOPLE like me will always prefer the music of the past.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Liv Dawson 

 Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

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I guess, if you are a Beyoncé fan, the question…

IN THIS PHOTO: ADI/PHOTO CREDIT: Kristin DeLeo Chalmers 

posed in the headline would be rather obvious – and complete with an exclamatory chorus. The past few weeks have seen a lot of female figures (from the world of entertainment) come forward and document their experience of harassment and assault. That might sound like a depressing way to launch a feature of female artists but I find there are issues in music that will rear their ugly heads – an industry that is no less safe and dependable as acting/T.V. What worries me is how, already, female artists are being overlooked and passed by.

This might not be new to many people’s ears but it is something we need to challenge and rectify. I am always keen to support female artists because, to me, they are more interesting, deep and original. I will do the second part of this feature - and a coupel more - but I have seen a few great artists, I feel, will be big propositions in 2018.

Here is the first instalment of names worth following in the coming year…

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Wyvern Lingo

PHOTO CREDIT: Ruthless Imagery

Location: Bray, E.I.R.E

Genres: Alternative/RnB/Pop

Official Website: http://www.wyvernlingo.com/

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

Stefflon Don

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Rap; Alternative; Hip-Hop

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

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/stefflondon.official/

ADI

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Genres: Futurebeats

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/adiulmansky

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

Lola Coca

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Hip-Hop; Pop

Official: https://www.lolacoca.com/

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

Snoh Aalegra

Location: Stockholm, Sweden; Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Soul; Cinematic-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/snohaalegra

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

Avante Black

Location: U.K.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/avante-black/

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

Miya Follick

 PHOTO CREDIT: Maya Fuh

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/miyafolick

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

Koko Clay

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Future-Soul

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

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

Billie Eilish

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: http://www.billieeilish.com/

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

Harper

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: http://www.harpertheartist.com/

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

 

Elena Ramona

Location: Surrey, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Soul; Alternative; Dance

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVSlZvqOYKf3qp0bA8b8Bw

Tash Sultana

PHOTO CREDIT: @samgehrkephotography

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.tashsultana.com/

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

Liv Dawson

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.livdawson.com/

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

Princess Nokia

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Alternative

Official: http://www.princessnokia.org/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/princessnokia92/

Emma Blackery

Location: Essex, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmablackery

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

Jorja Smith

Location: Walsall, U.K.

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorjasmith

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

Cardi B

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Official: http://iamcardib.com/

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

Rews

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Official: https://www.rewsmusic.com/

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

FEATURE: We’re in Fashion! The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

FEATURE:

 

We’re in Fashion!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest 

The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

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PERHAPS it is less prevalent now but, traditionally, there…

has always been a link between fashion and music. Yesterday, on BBC Radio 6 Music, it was their ‘T-Shirt Day’. The point behind it was to celebrate the noble and community-driven spirit of the band T-shirt. Of course, it is not all about bands: plenty of solo artists find their faces/images embossed onto a T-shirt. I wonder whether we still associate music and fashion the same way as we did years ago. Most artists have merchandise and, if they are savvy, will print out T-shirts/clothing for fans and gig-goers. It is a great way for artists to accrue revenue and subsidise their expenses. I know a few acts who have their own look: whether that is a clothing choice or make-up; a brand that is unique to them. I was fascinated by T-Shirt Day as it meant listeners came forward; sharing their snaps of all (band) T-shirts and memories attached to it – a song from that artist was played in return. I have an old Jeff Buckley T-shirt and, although it is faded beyond recognition, it is a treasured item. I have a Queens of the Stone Age T-shirt that I plan on wearing for their gig at the O2 in a couple of weeks. I will come back to the idea of a band/artist T-shirt but, for now, a look back at previous decades and how fashion has evolved. With every important movement comes a new brand and look. I am fascinated by artists like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley who had a very particular style and aesthetic.

In the 1950s and 1960s; Greasers and Teddy Boys could be found perambulating the streets. Early Rock and Roll pioneers, like Presley, inspired young listeners to adopt the same looks and mannerisms as their hero. Whilst legends like Holly and Presley did not, as such, spearhead a fashion revolt in these decades – they were incredibly influential musicians whose looks and styles resonated with those who sought a new identity and persona. I wonder whether, those who are adopted into clothing/image clans and tribes, feel outsiders and isolated?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Boys

Certainty, there was a popularity and wave that drew people in: becoming part of a sub-culture that strayed from the conventional and normal. The American, hip-swivelling cool was appropriated by slick-haired guys and impeccably turned-out girls – frequenting milkshake bars and diners. That might seem like a cliché image of the 1950s but one can draw a line between the blare of jukeboxes and diners and the musical stars of the time. By the 1960s, when U.S. Rock and Roll took hold; tastes and fashions assimilated the music – more and more people mimicking the same kind of styles prevalent in the music industry. Teddy Boys were a distinctly British phenomenon. It was typified by young men dressed like Edwardian dandies – decked in Saville Row garments that were almost re-introduced after the Second World War. It was a rebellious statement and iconic look that was inspired by the American Rock and Roll of the 1950s.

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Girls

Teddy Girls wore drape jackets and pencil skirts; long plaits and straw boater hats – there were other configurations and options, but that gives an impression of what to expect. One can trace Teddy Girls/Boys to the early-1950s, in London, which spread across the U.K. Maybe that epoch of British/world music was seen as a little vintage and bygone – quite ‘square’ and unhip – but it showed how inspirational music was. To create a fashion culture from music seems like a straightforward concept. If an artist/genre captures the imagination, then the fashions one associates with the artists would, in turn, feed into the consciousness. As the 1960s progressed; phenomena like Psychedelic music and the Summer of Love changed tastes. Peace, pacification and togetherness saw the striped jackets, innocence and gelled hair (in boys) replaced with something a little less organised and uniform. I associate the 1950s/early-1960s with a sense of order and smartness. Although some of the music was rebellious and raucous; the fashions had a dignity and suave that evolved into something less tactful in the space of a few years. Music during the early-1960s saw bands like The Beatles – their initial period of music carried on U.S. Rock and Roll and was less experimental – influence fashions. Their mop-top hair and fashion compelled a generation being brought to life by their extraordinary sounds.

IN THIS PHOTO: Getty

Many had not heard music as striking and original at that time. The guys were pushing Rock and Pop to new heights, and so, seeing the band rise to prominence meant many were copying the fashion and looks of The Fab Four. It wasn’t long until flower-power and psychedelia played a much more dominant role in fashion choices. As The Beatles moved into their more experimental phase – from 1966’s Revolver onwards – and artists like Jimi Hendrix brought a sense of acid and trip to music; eyes were opened to the bright colours, flowers in hair and looser morals. Maybe that shift in innocence was the most prominent trait of the 1950s-1960s transition. From the prim and neat fashion of the 1950s/early-1960s, by the middle of the decade; the popular music at the time was, as you’d expect, guiding fashion decisions. I am a fan of the Flower Power boom and the rather uncouth, unwashed look. The flowers-in-the-hair seems ludicrously juxtaposed against today’s climate but, back then, the world was facing the same sort of issues we have now. Artists reflected the need for peace and calm with songs that embraced togetherness and nature; the beauty of the world and togetherness. Perhaps the Antifolk movement that followed was a reaction to the somewhat tame sentiments coming from music. The biggest change in fashion can be seen between the 1960s psychedelia and colours to the rebellious and intense look of Punk.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whether you trace the explosion in fashion/a look to The Clash, Sex Pistols or Ramones: Punk of the early-1970s fostered a generation who were keen to mimic and idolise their heroes. It is interesting seeing certain genres propel their own fashion. You get a certain style with Soul and Disco but, when it comes to Punk, there is a very definite projection. From the ringed noses and lips to the spiked hair (often coloured) and leathers. This get-up can be seen as a natural extension of the Rockers – who clashed with the Mods in the 1960s and 1970s. By 1964; clashes between them intensified and, by the early-1970s, the movements had quietened. The groups were seen as troublemakers but, aside from the conflicts, the two tribes had their own look and fashions. The Rockers were greased and rode motorcycles; influenced by icons like Marlon Brando – a tough aesthetic that reflected the Rock sounds of the time. Mods rode scooters and were clean-cut and suited – inspired by Blues, Soul and Beat music (bands like The Who and Small Faces were their leaders). Punk eradicated the suaveness and prim fashion of Mods and upped the Rockers rawness. Bands like Sex Pistols acted as rebels and dissatisfied youths who were rallying against the nation and Government. If the Mods preferred the 1960s fineness; the Rockers, the classic Rock and Roll a decade before – Punk was in the moment and reacting to the divisions in the country.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Many see it as a purely British movement but Punk transcended around the globe. Perhaps less troublesome than Rockers and Mods before them: Punks still mirrored the unruliness and rabble of the music they lionised. Frontmen like Johnny Rotten and Joe Strummer articulated the inner-pains and angers of their generation. It was unsurprising such a powerful and vital movement should see its acolytes adopt its garb and colours. Punk clothing and elements are still popular in some areas. There are plenty of modern Punk bands but many dress in a ‘Punk style’ as part of their everyday attire. That cannot be said of Disco and Mods – although, the latter has been modernised and streamlined, to an extent. It is interesting looking at the connectivity between music and fashion. Whilst Mod-influenced music has continued; there are 1950s-influenced artists – fashions from that period have not survived to the present time. Music that has endured – Punk and Rock – have found their modern-day fans/artists updated trends and keeping the spirit alive. Not that we have such a wave of Punk bands and the eye-catching fashions of the time – but there are those who still look up to Sex Pistols and the finest Punk pioneers when it comes to forging their identity and personality. It is not about fads and fitting in: musicians in each genre vocalise stress and misunderstandings many of their fans stigmatise. If a Punk artist talks about dissatisfaction or pain; if they verbalise something few feel confident addressing – that is much more powerful than fitting in with the fashions and tastes of the time. I think that is why the Punk look has survived. It represents non-conformity and being outside the circle – at a time like today; many feel isolated and alone.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

We can skip over some of the 1980s fashions – quite tragic in a lot of ways. Although the music of the 1980s was terrific: the bright clothing, huge hair and Primark-lite clothing has, luckily, become extinct. I am planning a piece on the 1980s and how the sounds of the time are proving popular with a lot of new artists. It is possible to return to the decade without degrading that by dressing like a 1980s star. That said; many young listeners looked at artists from Madonna and Spandau Ballet and were captivated by how they looked. The New Romantic era saw acts like Duran Duran and ABC – maybe outside the nucleus but still playing a similar style – proffer their version of Goth, perhaps. There was a more romantic – and less moody – sense but, in the big coats and outrageous hair; one can draw a line between Goth styles and the New Romantic wave. Maybe it was a little too dandy and wimpy. One cannot imagine someone dressing like Spandau Ballet and surviving a trip through the London Underground! Although those styles/fashions were a reaction to the limits of the period – the music endured but the fashion did not – it showed how influenced people were by musicians. Into the 1990s and, I guess, the biggest fashion asset was Grunge. Britpop did have its own look but not as defined and popular as Grunge. That is, to me, one of the last and great coming-togethers. You can talk about Acid House, Rave and Alternative Rock genres as having their own D.N.A.: Grunge was a different beast. Like Punk and its ragged clothing and attitude-laden swagger: Grunge was a more introverted, though no less angered, form of music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Duan Duran/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The artists during the late 1980s-early-1990s had intensity and vitriol but it seemed, in terms of lyrics, they were more introverted and depressed. Punk was about uprising and protest: Grunge was more concerned with alienation and youthful disenfranchisement. Baggier trousers and fewer tattoos; leaders like Kurt Cobain spread-heading a look that was taken to heart by legions of teenage fans. One can argue whether the fashion of Grunge was as important as the music but the two went hand-in-hand. There are few Grunge fans who would have detached from the perceived fashions of the time. Longer hair and looser clothing; maybe hair dyed black and band T-shirts adorned. There would have been variations but one knows the sort of look a Grunge fan would have sported. That movement lasted until, I guess, the mid-1990s and I wonder whether any movement has taken its place. I started by looking at T-Shirt Day on BBC Radio 6 Music because most of the inclusions were from older acts. Merchandise is important now but one wonders whether it is a commercial endeavour rather than part of a genre’s tapestry. Many artists make more money from T-shirts/clothing than they do albums: others are the other way around. I have a few band T-shirts and would proudly wear them. In the arenas, small venues and concerts; these T-shirts are a symbol of belonging and unity. How far they spread outside the venues is debatable. There are so many genres and styles out there: none really have that universal appeal that leads to its own look and movement.

IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Sure; we still have Punk bands and Metal gods; Rave artists and 1980s Pop bands – those compelled by the decade. Looking back at band/music T-shirts is remembering times when fashion was as woven into music as anything; when a genre’s completeness and membership was about the music AND fashion. That does not really happen now. I guess merchandise is as close as we get to fashion in music nowadays. Ever since the 1940s and 1950s; music-lovers have followed their idols and dressed the same way – stunned and hooked by the power of the genre. Maybe there are too many sounds out there and no real way of focusing on a single movement. That lack of tribalism and community is a problem in music. I am not saying something as common and simple as a T-shirt/look but we associate Punk and Psychedelia with clothing as much as the music itself. Nostalgia can be found celebrating bands/artists and the T-shirts we proudly sported back then. There is something bittersweet about dusting those T-shirts off but allows one to reflect on the past – when certain genres had their uniform and created a sense of belonging and safety. I feel music would be a lot stronger and compelling if we could revert to decades past and rediscover that spark. I love how fashion and music interconnect and play off one another. Character and personality help preserve music and ensure its fabrics and spirit remains for future generations. If we were able to find a way of igniting that spark; crystallising a genre’s brilliance with its own look; starting a revolution of looks and sound, then, hey…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

WHO knows what could happen?!

FEATURE: The Last of the Great Northern Lovers: Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

FEATURE:

 

The Last of the Great Northern Lovers:

 IMAGE CREDIT: @lightupgoldII

Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

________

THERE are a lot of different issues and areas of discussion…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kevin Spacey/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage

popping up right now. We cannot help but see the ongoing stories concerning the likes of Kevin Spacey – high-profile actors/creatives who have been accused of sexual assault. More names are being singled out and it seems, following the Harvey Weinstein furore; there are people finding the courage to come forward and tell their stories. I have written about music and why there needs to be an explosion of change and progression. I am not saying we need to have people policing the industry and cleansing it: I see a lot of murkiness and poison in other areas of entertainment and it seems music needs to react and show it is can learn from those lessons. Although film and T.V. are not being tarnished too heavily by these accusations and unfoldings; one wonders what will happen going forward. Music is not a space that should be canonised and assumes clean and beyond reproach. It is the same as any other sector of entertainment: people will be committing crimes and abusing trust. I worry there is an institutionalised sense of ignorance whereby eyes are turned blind and people feel the need to bury their experiences under the rug – through fear they’d be marginalised and ignored. All of this is a background that fuels a desire; that kick-starts a need to make a positive change. I have bandied around ideas surrounding a music charity: a universal cause and commitment that will draw together people from music – and other areas of the arts – and send a positive message to the people. The charity – I have dabbled and toyed with names – would join everyone together in a creative and productive cause. I feel music is not being utilised and substantiated in an effective and progressive way. By that; there are few large-scale charities that represent a number of different causes and people. Mental-health is a big concern in music: I am seeing so many scarred and affected by its daily jab and haunt. There are those struggling, financially, who come from poorer backgrounds; musicians and creatives with disabilities and illnesses. It is not only those within music that could benefit and profit from an umbrella charity.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

There would be a social media component whereby a site would exist that would house all the charity but provide other options and access. There would be helplines for those who suffer abuse and discriminations; forums that raise issues around sexism and racism – not only in music but general society – and other ills. The hub would be a website that would have a few different sides. I have talked about creating a music website whereby one would have their music needs all in one place. You would be able to converse and connect with musicians around the world. There would be the option to listen to all digital stations available; get all your music needs in one space. I worry sites like YouTube and Spotify have a lot of great music but never organise it in an effective way. I often stumble on songs I had forgotten about or struggle to locate the song I want. This site – as I said; name to be confirmed – would make that easy and draw everything together. That is one of the most important points of any music site: housing what has come before and is around of the moment; making it simple for people to access to. In addition; one can learn how to play instruments and get software/programmes that simulate instruments. There would be links to music educational facilities and chances to collaborate with producers/artists online; a special site where you can bond with fellow music lovers and attend gigs together – share tips and find the best new acts around. A ‘music map’ would compartmentalise all the bands/artists from every town in the world. You can find artists quicker and break it down by town/city; country or genre. It would save a lot of time and make searching a lot easier. Many might be familiar with this kind of thing: I have raised this prospect before and want to make a site that goes a lot further than what is out there.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay/Unsplash

This is not for business reasons or financial gain: there is a lot of confusion, separation and anger right now. I know music will continue as normal and the actual business of recording and releasing is most important. I am worried problems, issues and concerns are going unnoticed; those who want to discover great new music – and preserve that which has come before – are not having their voices listened to. So much of today’s music is driven by business and commercialism: maybe that was always the case but, the larger the industry comes, the greater the need for regulation and order. I am split between the need to provide an ethical platform and open pulpit – where subjects like sexual abuse, mental ill health and discrimination can be tackled – and organise music of the past (so the full spectrum can be discovered and enjoyed) and present (so underground acts and the mainstream can be organised into one site; easier to find those hidden gems, too) into a single place. Social media is great when it comes to sharing bands/artists; albums/songs and news without much thought and effort. I worry music is one side of social media but there is nothing that specifically distinguished and highlights music away from everything else – Twitter and Facebook are open platforms where anyone, anywhere can put what they want on there. Sounds Like Friday Night is a new, live music show that collates performances, comedy and chat into one show. It is presented by Greg James and Dotty (BBC radio) and has been met with mixed reviews. The idea is admirable but I wonder whether it is a natural replacement for shows like Top of the Pops. There are not many music shows on T.V. – Jools Holland’s long-running series is quite niche – so it was as admiral effort to put down.

IN THIS PHOTO: Greg James and Dotty

Whilst its chemistry and construct might not be the breakthrough many had hoped: it is a sign people are lusting after a music show and a return to older days. I am caught in a blizzard of nostalgia at the moment and have been rediscovering sounds that soundtracked by childhood. It is great revisiting the past and it makes me realise the importance of bringing these artists to the new generation. How this site would take shape I am not too sure – what it will be called, and how large it would be, has yet to be seen. I worry we are spending too much time on the Internet but I guess that is the way things are going. The point of my initiative is to get people more involved with other aspects of music – not only the songs/artists themselves but engage in worthy causes and charities; proactively get out into the world and help those less fortunate. I guess the site/idea is a reaction to the problems swirling and how many I see suffering – my social media feeds are filled with updates of emotional stress and loss. Music has the power to make real change and impact the world in a very potent and transformative way. More than anything; I want to utilise what is already out there in the world and put it in a separate environment for those interested. Social media is great when it comes to sharing music but I feel, from a personal perspective, it can be quite destructive and isolating. Music is a sacred and inspirational side of the arts that has created some of the finest work the world has ever seen. I worry – as I have speculated in other pieces – there will be controversy and accusations levelled at some of its stars and figures. We are in a very dark and turbulent time right now so it is vital we find a way of providing love and positivity – tackling any issues and ensuring we learn from it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I guess ‘love’ is the biggest message from all of this. I feel music is doing what it should do: providing entertainment and pleasure to the people. If we leave it at that then we are ignoring the depths and potential of music. It has the power and strength to change lives and make real changes in the world. I am discussing ideas with web developers and hope to have something formulated but I have been troubled by news coming from the acting world – wondering if it will hit music and, if so, how hard. I am concerned the music business today is too focused on business and streaming figures: that is getting in the way with the joys of music and all it can do in the world. Maybe that is a natural side-effect of a modern and technological world. I am seeing so many problems form and divisions remain. Whether that is sexism or sex; racism and discrimination – there is a lot of work to be done and practices that need reversing. The rise of mental-health issues and struggles is causing much concern. I am troubled by young people’s lack of understanding when it comes to the past. It is not the case with everyone (of a certain age) but I am troubled by the notion certain acts and albums will be forgotten in time. Feeding music and letting its fine and powerful animal do damage through the world is demanded and necessary. Maybe I am a dreamer – and the practicality and pragmatism of the notion will overwhelm the desire – but I feel this is the time we need to put our hearts and minds together and create a distinct movement – whether it is physical or electronic. Oh…and when it comes to the first part of this feature’s title – and whether it has any deeper meaning – I can reveal…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

IT just sounded like a bit of fun (and a possible album title)!

FEATURE: New York’s Finest: The Best Artists from the Empire State

FEATURE:

 

New York’s Finest:

PHOTO CREDIT: W magazine

The Best Artists from the Empire State

________

THE state of New York was dealt a blow…

after the terrorist attacks claimed lives and rocked the people. It was a scar for a proud and strong part of the world: they will not be cowed and are rebuilding and carrying on as normal. I have always had an affection of the musicians of New York so, as we head into the final days of this year, I have been looking at the New York-based artists, I feel, will be making a big mark in 2018.

It is always hard to say which musicians will fail and which will rise – music is an ever-changing and unpredictable mistress. I am confident, mind, these artists will make a case for New York; show what the city (and state) is all about – and show what a variety of stunning musicians there are there.

________

Eddi Front

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

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

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/eddifront

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQM0EApz2Q6AZLegouK3Dg

Eartheater

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: http://www.eartheater.solar/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexdrewchin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eartheater-106267762383/

Zuli

BandCamp: https://zuli.bandcamp.com/releases

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zuli_jr

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

Ex Reyes

PHOTO CREDIT: Leslye Davis

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC76I2Yigv4IjFkd-jdV5vWw

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

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

Baby Shakes

BandCamp: https://babyshakesny.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebabyshakes

Official: http://baby-shakes.squarespace.com/

Breanna Barbara

BandCamp: https://breannabarbara.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Breanna_Barbara

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

>

Josh Michaels

Official: http://www.joshmichaelsmusic.com/

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

Casey Hopkins

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/caseyhopkinsduo

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

Vagabon

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: https://vagabonvagabon.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vagabonvagabon

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

Patio

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/patio-681033922

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pati0band?lang=en

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

WALL

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wwIWCS55JD5X6PlR9aBMT

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

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

 

Dakota Jones

BandCamp: https://dakotajonesband.bandcamp.com/

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

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

FEATURE: The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Morrissey 

The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

________

I brought together my favourite albums of this year…

IN THIS PHOTO: Camila Cabello/PHOTO CREDIT: Cibelle Levi for L’Oréal Paris

in a piece yesterday afternoon. Today; I could not help reflect on the singles that have stayed in my head the longest – those that have made the biggest impression. In this collection are songs from Lorde, Baxter Dury and The Hempolics: an eclectic and genre-hopping rundown that forms the soundtrack of my 2017. This year has been a huge one for music. It has provided more unexpected treats than any I can remember; always capturing the imagination and senses – out of it all has been a river of marvellous music that has thrilled and struck music lovers.

Here is my list of the best tracks of this year (so far)…

________

Beth Ditto – Savior Faire

Album: Fake Sugar

I was not a fan of the song to start with but, over time, it has wormed its way into my consciousness. Fake Sugar is an album that departs from The Gossip’s material and sees Ditto establish her own sound. Glittering, lush guitar strings and a striking vocal lead makes it one of the biggest songs of the year.

The Hempolics – Boss Clock Me Style

Album: Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Volume 1

This is unlikely to shift from the position of My Favourite Single of 2017 because its infectiousness and sweet-leaf soothe get into the bones with alacrity. The chorus is a classic slice of gold: Reggae vibes with some seriously captivating vocals. It is Urban Reggae with a dash of Soul: just what we need after such a hard year.

Baxter Dury – Miami

Album: Prince of Tears

Any child of Ian Dury would have a weight on their shoulders: Baxter is not a man who would allow that pressure to guide his career. Miami is a perfect example of where his music is at. The established songwriter created a slithering, street-ready strut that provided the first glimpse of the album, Prince of Tears. Its lyrics mix weird and humorous; the vocals constantly shaping and curious – the overall effect is a perfect track for those who prefer their music raw, cheeky and utterly brilliant.

Robert Plant – Bones of Saints

Album: Carry Fire

No Robert Plant single is ever going to disappoint: Carry Fire’s hottest track is a classic slice from the former Led Zeppelin lead. It rumbles and gravels as the hero provides an assortment of mystical and mystical visions. The song takes us to otherworldly realms and clean bones – battles waged and spirits lifted to the skies.

Jordan Rakei – Goodbyes

Album: Wallflower

It is those harmonies that do it for me! The chorus is impossibly gorgeous, swooning and chocolate-smooth. It is like being trapped in a cobweb of the angels: fighting against the layers and weaves of vocal Heaven and sumptuous allure. Jordan Rakei’s Goodbyes shows he is among the finest young songwriters of the moment. Similar beautiful moments can be found on Wallflowers: none that scale the same dizzying heights as Goodbyes.

Wolf Alice – Beautifully Unconventional

Album: Visions of a Life

Visions of a Life will challenge the contenders for the best albums of this year. Among the eclectic and electric songs are some insane and menacing slams; more contemplative and emotive numbers – Beautifully Unconventional strays between the two camps. The London band has created one of this year’s best albums for sure. Their energy and kinetic charge; the incredible songwriting and diversity – all of this funnelled into the exceptional single, Beautifully Unconventional.

Morrissey – Spent the Day in Bed

Album: Low in High School

The album is not out yet but Low in High School’s lead-off single is classical Morrissey! Its lyrics look at the hero wiling the hours in bed as the workers slave and battle the public transport network. It may not be as literal as that: more, a survey of self-care and the need to disassociate and detach from propaganda, fear and the sheep-herd. It is a huge song whose chorus will remain in the head for weeks. It remains to be seen whether Low in High School will equal Morrissey’s best albums. On the evidence of its introductory single; it seems dedicated fans might have a new favourite.

Amp Fiddler (ft. J. Dilla, T3 and Neco Redd) – Return of the Ghetto Fly

I am not normally a fan of collaborations – where a song gets multiple names stuffed into it. I can make an exception for something as smooth, seductive and fabulous as Return of the Ghetto Fly. Amp Fiddler and his cohorts craft one of the year’s finest tracks. I am not sure the exact origins of the lyrics but, on a base level, can connect with its themes, tones and timbre. A hugely memorable song that should soundtrack everyone’s 2017.

Album: Single Release

Lorde – Green Light

Album: Melodrama

There were some nerves around the release of Melodrama: an album that followed 2013’s Pure Heroine. The New Zealand-born artist defied odds and expectations with Green Light. It is a song that – as Lorde told Pitchfork when probed – “…is really about those moments kind of immediately after your life changes and about all the silly little things that you gravitate towards. I say, 'She thinks you love the beach, you're such a liar.' What the fuck, she thinks you like the beach?! You don't like the beach! It's those little stupid things”. Whatever the origins: it is a sensational and endlessly impressive cut from an artist growing stronger and more peerless by the album.

Camila Cabello (ft. Young Thug) – Havana

Album: The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving

This might, traditionally, prove more popular with those who prefer their music mainstream and commercial. To me; it is a song that has accessibility and cross-boundary appeal. It is a song I have bonded with and can appreciate. Its themes of romance and yearning are never common and predictable: always stemming from a unique hard documenting a very particular origin and passion. I expect big things from Cabello as she makes her stamp on modern music.

Princess Nokia – G.O.A.T.

Album: Single Release  

Despite her name and contradictory nature: there is nothing outdated and regal about Princess Nokia! She is a modern artist who is as fresh and of-the-moment as they come. Although there are no pretences and graces with her: the music does have a lot of depth – more than one might expect from a new star on the R&B/Rap scene. Her compelling mixture of sounds and vocal nuances make a song like G.O.A.T. more than an acronym. It is a confident, brain-troubling song that, by the second listen, will have you singing along.

Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights

Julien Baker’s Turn Out the Lights is one of the most impressive albums of this year. It documents everything from sexuality to mental illness. It is a frank and open work from a songwriter who has tackled prejudice and anxieties through the years. Above it all is a one-of-a-kind songwriter who pours her life and soul onto the page. Her latest album’s title-track has candour and emotional elements but never pushes the listener away. It is a typically assured and stirring track from Baker.

Album: Turn Out the Lights

FEATURE: The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

IN THIS PHOTO: Robert Plant/PHOTO CREDIT: The Guardian

The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far) 

________

IT is almost the end of the year - so it is a good time…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lucy Rose/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis Photography

to look at the albums that have come before. Everyone has their opinions regarding the biggest and best of 2017. I have brought together my choices and the albums, I feel, have defined this year. There is a mixture of male/female; various genres and nationalities thrown in – from mainstream Pop queens to poetic Indie; through Punk blasts and Hip-Hop.

It is a compelling and interesting blend that, I hope, people will agree with. It is evident this year has been very productive and assured – producing some incredible records from musicians at the top of their game!

________

Benjamin Clementine – I Tell a Fly

“But what’s particularly impressive is that it’s not a theme addressed simply in the lyrics, but evoked by a constantly shifting, discomfiting musical backdrop, in which polite piano and harpsichord motifs are disrupted by jarring bursts of throbbing, whining synthesiser and layers of Clementine’s own bizarrely operatic background vocal keening and muttering” - Independent

Release Date: 15th September  

Label: Universal Music Publ. K.K

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/user/indebanvan/playlist/0AbX0DppkiQHUPAlPmp9Tz

Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life

Release Date: 29th September

Label: Dirty Hit

“In some ways, Wolf Alice’s second album is an extension of their 2015 debut, ‘My Love Is Cool’. That excellent record was restless, too, flitting from hypnotic, electronic folk to teeth-baring rock” – NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4igFAe5sMPXBZRHj66tP8c

 

Lucy Rose – Something’s Changing

Release Date: 7th July

Label: COMMUNION

“Something’s Changing is a culmination of much-welcomed growth for Rose. She has the ability to make listeners feel: when she’s struggling to find comfort in her own skin, finding joy in life and questioning her path. Her most recent body of work shows Rose finding her sense of self, but makes it relatable to listeners. It’s that connection that solidifies Rose’s career on the folk world” – Paste Music

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1W9INKEeQf3OjBnSJSvSS3

Robert Plant – Carry Fire

Release Date: 13th October

Labels: Nonesuch Records/Warners

“Lyrically, Plant, like the best artists of his generation, takes a meditative position throughout, wistfully looking back as aging and mortality haunt the back of his mind. "And now the carnival is over," he sings on "Dance With You Tonight." "Someone turned out the light." It's a recurring theme on Carry Fire, even if Plant doesn't explicitly state it. The haunting loops that drift through many of the songs serve as a reminder of life's cyclical nature. "The seasons turn, and once again our world will change," he sings on "A Way With Words," driving home the point.

Plant occasionally carries his deep growl into higher registers here, but his "Whole Lotta Love" days are behind him. And he seems just fine with that. Carry Fire takes the same musical foundations Zeppelin leaned on all those years ago, mainly blues and the Eastern flavors heard on "Kashmir," and positions them into more natural and seasoned settings. Plant, in turn, sounds right at home” - Ultimate Classic Rock

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4f7U9Rycl2d3KMLoiEZtve

Baxter Dury – Prince of Tears

Release Date: 27th October

Label: Heavenly Recordings

“It all adds up to a short, sharp blast of an album. Pretty much every punch lands. Dury is alternately very funny, oddly disturbing and genuinely touching, which is a lot of ground to cover in under half an hour. The shadow of his father still lurks around, but then, anyone who choses to deliver beautifully observed vignettes in a London-accented sprechgesang voice is going to find themselves working in Ian Dury’s shade, regardless of who their dad was. And on Prince of Tears, the songs are so good, the author’s parentage scarcely seems to matter” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/3qb5B25qWfVjvWzFVmci0f

St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

Release Date: 13th October

Label: Loma Vista Recordings

“The sense with MASSEDUCTION is that Annie Clark puts all of herself into her creations. It was easy before to associate this with a face. It was enough that a video clip of her telling whoever watching that she loves them could go viral. But slowly we’ve associated St. Vincent with all of the complexity that is Annie Clark, turning her into one of the most complex, challenging, and fascinating figures in contemporary music. It’s not her goal to show that she’s worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as the great masters. But it’s her willingness to follow whims, to push herself, and to take her audiences along for the ride that does it for her” – Consequence of Sound

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4RoOGpdrgfiIUyv0kLaC4e

Queens of the Stone Age – Villains

Release Date: 25th August

Label: Matador

“Yet there's no lack of crushing guitars. The single "The Evil Has Landed" squalls over brutally clipped beats, suggesting latter-day Led Zep if they'd wrapped their head around New Wave. "Head Like a Haunted House" goes further, a galloping assault pitched between Devo and the Buzzcocks, with theremin sounds wailing like a supercomputer meltdown in a trashy '50s sci-fi film. Headbangers may be put off that QOTSA is now targeting feet and asses; too bad for them” – Rolling Stone

Steam: https://open.spotify.com/album/6JdX9MGiEMypqYLMKyIE8a

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Release Date: 14th April

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment

“He bobs in and out of this perspective, but the repeated pledges to loyalty and martyrdom evoke the life and mind of a young gang member who carries his neighborhood flag because no one’s proved to him that he shouldn’t. These choices, Lamar suggests, aren’t pre-determined or innate, but in constant dialogue with and in reaction to their surrounding circumstances. They aren’t above or beneath anyone who can hear his voice. Success and failure choose their subjects at their whim; we’re as grateful as Kendrick for his fate” – Pitchfork

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4eLPsYPBmXABThSJ821sqY

Laura Marling – Semper Femina

Release Date: 10th March

Label: Kobalt Music Group

“Ms. Marling doesn’t cast herself as heroine or victim, angel or avenger. She does something trickier, and perhaps braver. Cleareyed, calmly determined and invitingly tuneful, she captures each situation in all its ambiguity” - NY Times

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/25vCo942umSnfQJl6MIOnn

Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps

Release Date: 14th September

Label: Dead Oceans

“That’s not to say that she throws the proverbial sink at the record, though. The strings on the quietly devastating ‘Funeral’ roll away subtly in the background, just as they do on standout ‘Scott Street’. ‘Motion Sickness’ and ‘Chelsea’ are both nuanced and intelligent in their use of electric guitar, and when she experiments a little - see the downtempo electronic flourishes on ‘Georgia’, as well as its programmed percussion track - it tends to come off. ‘Stranger in the Alps’ is as accomplished a solo debut as you’ll hear all year - a quietly devastating listen worthy of Phoebe Bridgers’ obvious influences” – DIY

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0AkAmg94XyiHODJaiGHh9O

Sampha – Process

Release Date: 3rd February  

Label: Young Turks

“The samples on Reverse Faults are melded into an insistent, slightly groggy pulse that’s both compelling and unsettling. Nothing feels in thrall to current trends in R&B, either sonically or emotionally: Sisay may have been a constant, quiet presence on other people’s records last year, but Process doesn’t sound much like any of them. Instead, it’s a weighty, powerful album with an identity entirely of its own. And while clearly not constructed with commercial ambition at the forefront of its mind, it’s certainly good enough to make an unlikely star of the man behind it” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2gUSWVHCOerKhJHZRwhVtN

Lorde – Melodrama

Release Date: 16th June

Labels: Lava; Republic

“It’s a rudely excellent album, introspective without ever being indulgent, OTT in all the right ways, honest and brave, full of brilliant songs with lyrics to chew over for months. The message might be that Lorde considers herself wild and flawed and bruised (“I’ll love you till you call the cops on me,” she sings, on the deliciously bitter ‘Writer In The Dark’), but we all do sometimes. That’s the neatest trick the album pulls off – universal connection, in spite of the squad and the praise and the superstardom and the pressure. Humanity intact. Artistry assured. Brilliance confirmed”- NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2B87zXm9bOWvAJdkJBTpzF

FEATURE: Albums to Watch Out for in November

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Smith 

Albums to Watch Out for in November

________

OCTOBER has been a really productive and…

IN THIS PHOTO: Grace VanderWaal

top-notch month for new music! Great albums from the likes of Baxter Dury and St. Vincent have amazed critics and stunned listeners. We are in the final throes of October but, before we head into November, it is worth looking back and remembering all the sturdy and awesome albums we have been lucky enough to witness.

Now, as November is moving into view; there are so many fascinating L.P.s arriving in the coming four weeks. Morrissey’s Low in High School must be the most-anticipated record of the year; Stereophonics, Sam Smith and Taylor Swift release new material – some of the mainstream’s biggest rubbing shoulders with Moz. In addition; Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Kid Rock are unleashing their latest albums – what more could you ask for?!

________

Stereophonics – Scream Above the Sounds

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Stylus Records/Parlophone

Follow: https://twitter.com/stereophonics

Grace VanderWaal – Just the Beginning

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Columbia/Syco

Follow: https://twitter.com/GraceVanderWaal

Sam Smith – The Thrill of It All

Release Date: 3rd

Label: Capitol Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/samsmithworld

Kid Rock – Sweet Southern Sugar

Release Date: 3rd   

Labels: Top Dog Records, Inc./BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/KidRock

Evanescence – Synthesis

Release Date: 10th

Label: Sony Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/evanescence

Taylor Swift – Reputation

Release Date: 10th

Label: Big Machine

Follow: https://twitter.com/taylorswift13

Sleigh Bells – Kid Kruschev

Release Date: 10th

Label: Lucky Number

Follow: https://twitter.com/sleighbells

Barenaked Ladies – Fake Nudes

Release Date: 17th

Label: Universal Music LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/barenakedladies

Mavis Staples – If All I Was Was Black

Release Date: 17th

Label: Anti-Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/mavisstaples

Charlotte Gainsbourg – Rest

Release Date: 17th

Label: Because Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/cgainsbourg

Morrissey – Low in High School

Release Date: 17th

Label: BGM Rights Management

Follow: https://twitter.com/officialmoz

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built the Moon?

Release Date: 24th

Label: Caroline International

Follow: https://twitter.com/NoelGallagher

Simeon Walker – Mono

Release Date: 24th

Label: (Self-released)

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

FEATURE: Music Musings and Such at Six: The 10,000-Hour Rule: Burnout, Progress and Ambition

FEATURE:

 

Music Musings and Such at Six:

PHOTO CREDIT: Burst 

 The 10,000-Hour Rule: Burnout, Progress and Ambition

________

MAYBE that order of words is wrong but I wonder…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

at a time when artists have to work so much harder (than ever) to prove themselves – are we putting too much pressure on their shoulders?! For me, I wanted to raise this subject for two reasons. For one; the sixth anniversary of my blog is upcoming: it is something I have dedicated a lot of my free time to and am constantly searching for rewards and new chances. Another reason involves the lengths musicians have to go to achieve their dreams – and whether innate talent and dexterity is more important than work ethic and commitment when it comes to achieving goals. Before I come onto my own experiences; a quick question: Where does that 10,000-hour rule from? It is from Malcolm Gladwell’s popular book, Outliners, and states, in order to perfect a craft/object; one must expend that many hours. I was interested in a BBC article - that went into more depth:

“But Ericsson (Anders) was not pleased. He wrote a rebuttal paper in 2012, called The Danger of Delegating Education to Journalists.

"The 10,000-hour rule was invented by Malcolm Gladwell who stated that, 'Researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10,000 hours.' Gladwell cited our research on expert musicians as a stimulus for his provocative generalisation to a magical number," Ericsson writes.

Ericsson then pointed out that 10,000 was an average, and that many of the best musicians in his study had accumulated "substantially fewer" hours of practice. He underlined, also, that the quality of the practice was important.

"In contrast, Gladwell does not even mention the concept of deliberate practice," Ericsson writes.

Gladwell counters that Ericsson doesn't really think that talent exists.

 "When he disagrees with the way I interpreted his work, it's because I disagree with him," he says.

"I think that being very, very good at something requires a big healthy dose of natural talent. And when I talk about the Beatles - they had masses of natural talent. They were born geniuses. Ericsson wouldn't say that”.

I have a concern modern musicians/music personnel are getting caught in a trap between talent and expectation. That 10,000-hour figure seems arbitrary and random but is there truth that, regardless of your level of expertise/proficiency, you can master anything in that time? Modern music requires total focus and balancing so many different aspects. The industry is so competitive so I wonder, regardless of the number of hours expended, are the hardest working and most dedicated likely to get the same amount of success as those who ride and skate through life? In music, I see so many artists who have big labels behind them and get into music to get money and easy fame. Other have joined the business relatively late and, by being in the ‘right place at the right time’, they are granted golden tickets and fabulous rewards. There are many more who toil and endless work, only to see their fastidiousness and dedication go unnoticed. One of the reasons people like me get into journalism is to support new artists who create fantastic music – only to find very few people who will offer them exposure. Small venues and spaces are willing to put artists up but there are fewer people turning up to see performances. If a band/act struggles to draw people in; will talent and potential all count for anything?! It is hard organising and policing music so we can get people into spaces and ensure the best and brightest artists get their just rewards. The comparative lack of gig-goers is another area to explore but I wonder whether natural ability is as important as grafting and intent study.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

It is clear the most respectable artists in the world did not get where they are by hard work alone. One needs talent and ability in the first place but it is important to supplement that with constant effort and attack. There are so many great artists emerging and putting their all into things but I am concerned, regardless of whether they obtain ‘expertise’ and a sense of perfection that will be enough. There is an inverse relationship between hours spent and success rate. If certain artists are getting to the precipice on looks and a certain personality; does that send a negative message to other artists – who, in turn, will quit and think they are not going to get anywhere?! I would say we need to do two things in order to sustain the quality and profligacy of music and ensure our best do not burn out. I think we need to re-nurture and subsidise small venues so those starting out are provided proper promotion and chance. If a lot of small venues are struggling to get people in; we need to look there. I have seen a lot of bands call time because punters are not coming out and seeing them. If the likes of Oasis and Primal Scream, back in the day, had been in the same position then they could have enjoyed very short careers. Regardless of the number of hours you put into music; are there structural and foundation issues that need to be addressed? I feel, in a digital age, hard work and talent need to accompany a savviness and market-minded brain that recognises the way modern music is going. It is all very well having awesome music and crafting endlessly. If you do not understand the intricacies, mechanisms and motives of Spotify – and other streaming services – then you are risky falling at the first hurdle.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

One needs to assess a lot of different sides to the argument to get a clearer picture. Another article, that contradicts the rigidity of K. Anders Ericsson’s assumption, argued it is better to focus on quality rather than quantifiable hours:

“In deliberate practice, you need to be fully tuned in to learning the skill you are working on, and minimize distractions as much as possible (put away your phone). Because focusing intently takes so much energy, you can really only sustain that level of practice for 60 to 90 minutes at a time, perhaps two hours at most.

Putting in too much time might mean you're not making good use of it. If that's the case, you're more likely to burn out. Instead, try to focus harder for a defined period of time, then take a rest.

Even when doing deliberate practice, reaching the top levels in a field is long road. Photographer Dan McLaughlin tried to develop the skills to become a PGA tour golfer with 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, despite having little experience with the sport. His mission stalled out just past 6,000 hours, when his body stopped cooperating and the demands of life made it hard for him to continue.

However, deliberate practice is still your best bet for mastering a skill to the extent your personal ability allows. So the next time you're trying to learn a new skill, worry more about the quality of your focus than the hours you log”.

As I come to my sixth anniversary of Music Musings and Such – in a couple of weeks – it is interesting looking at that magical number and whether expertise (whether that is possible) is the same as happiness and fulfilled? If one was to master an instrument or profession; does that make them more rounded and better suited to the industry?! In terms of music; maybe a more targeted approach to work is the best way to go about things? It may sound illogical but is it possible to put fewer hours in and produce something of a higher quality – that, in turn, is a more economical way of doing things?! There is always a part of my mind concerned musicians feel they need to push themselves to the point of breakdown in order to get further ahead.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

There is no evidence to suggest a certain number of hours and effort will guarantee success. Music can be arbitrary and unpredictable: there is no golden rule as to what the industry will favour and what will strike the collective heart. One of my main problems is the burnout possibility and putting too much out there. If the article above suggests focus and logic is more important than irrational exhaustion and quantity – it gives me much to ponder as I continue to write and search. My goals is to monetise what I do and be in the position where I have influence and can mix it with the big guns – whether that is at a big radio station or newspaper, I am not sure. Are we in the music predisposed to expend an insane amount of time and effort simply to exist and remain stable? Maybe that is an issue in the wider working world but it is hard breaking away from an intuitive (if irrational) way of life and embracing something new. I am excited as I head into my seventh year (writing the blog) but am determined to reverse my current status and adopt a healthier approach to writing. Doing fewer pieces/interviews means I can concentrate on documentaries and single articles. It might not seem the best way to do things – fewer pieces means I there are fewer shares/retweets and people seeing my work – but people can see when someone is under pressure.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stefflon Don (an artist I am tipping for big success in 2018)

There is no point doing anything when you feel it necessary to push yourself to breaking-point. I feel the best way for myself, and people in the music industry, to get where they need to be is to preserve their health and look after themselves. One cannot function and work if they push their minds and bodies to the limit. Stepping back and allowing oneself to relax and recharge every now and then is a better long-term strategy. Sure; one needs to put the hours in but it is no good thinking you will master music and be a major success if you put in a five-figure slog. I am not near the 10,000-hour figure but feel, even if I do reach it, my success and potential will not be down to that milestone. Success and happiness will come, in time, but we need to – whether it seems impossible or not – stop chasing the eternal carrot and assuming failure will come if we do not constantly work. If it is deemed we all need to bust a gut and sacrifice so much of our self pursuing our dreams; the only way to confront this ill is to put ourselves first. I will take this approach because, for all of us, wellbeing is…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

MUCH more important than popularity.

FEATURE: ‘The J-Word’: Why Jazz Remains a Misunderstood Genre

FEATURE:

 

‘The J-Word’:

IN THIS PHOTO: The Comet Is Coming/PHOTO CREDIT: Fabrice Bourgelle   

Why Jazz Remains a Misunderstood Genre

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IT seems the mere mention of the word 'Jazz'…

IMAGE CREDIT: Jazzradio.com

is like uttering some kind of curse. There are certain genres that have struggled to assimilate into the mainstream through the decades. Like the spectacled child standing shivering and exposed in the playground – waiting to be picked for the football five-a-side – the poor old genre of Jazz often gets selected as a forced consolation. I am a fan of Jazz but worry it is still seen as a rather boring and ignored style of music. It is maligned and snobbishly overlooked by those who feel they have a grasp on music. If one looks at the critics’ favourite albums of any year and how many Jazz albums make it into the list?! It is hard to say why many feel the genre lacks appeal. For me, I think the fact it has not burgeoned and gained mainstream passage is the fact reputation and assumption goes before patience and endeavour.

IN THIS PHOTO: Laura Jurd's band, DinosaurPHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Many assume they hate Jazz and it will offer no surprises. I bring this up because I am seeing a lot of prejudice come through for certain genres. There are certain age groups and demographics who refuse any taste of Jazz because, in some way, it repulses them. I am not a huge devotee of the genre but I cannot understand the attitude afforded Jazz music. In recent years, bands like Here Comes the Comet and Dinosaur have been nominated for the Mercury Prize. Those two bands, one can argue, take a rather ‘interesting’ approach to Jazz. Rather than a more conventional and streamlined take on the style - think John Coltrane and Miles Davis – they bring more acidic hallucination and a psychedelic angle. I call Miles Davis ‘streamlined’ (more on him a bit later) but I mean his Kind of Blue material. Dinosaur’s prize-nominated, Together, As One, is an eight-track release of various-lengthened songs. Each composition is immerse and transportative. One listens to the record and can close their eyes and drift – imagining the scenes and projecting your own interpretations.

IMAGE CREDIT: Jazzradio.com

The same can be said of Here Comes the Comet’s Channel the Spirits. When defining the album, - speaking with M last year - band member Betamax Killer spoke in these terms:

“Channel The Spirits was meant to be a soundtrack to planet Earth’s doom. To stare death in the face and explore a symphony of human emotions. Panic, hope, defiance, fear, brotherhood and a release from cultural restrictions. We hoped to discover the underlying human power beneath the mundane day-to-day routines of modern life. Through the process of making the record we have been on a journey together through the distant realms of our collective mind. It feels like we have become creative space explorers”.

Modern Jazz is not that far departed from the older, more traditional forms we are all familiar with. Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die is a perfect integration of styles from the Long Island trumpeter. One gets a hit of Noise-Rock and Psychedelia; Jazz and Hip-Hop all in one. It is an extraordinary record that is the definition of what modern Jazz is all about: the assimilation and unification of various themes and genres against a backbone of conventional Jazz.  

Loneliness Road is the latest album from Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte. It sees Iggy Pop collaborate and is an inter-band conversation where the members show their mastery of their respective instruments. Falling between the seduce and sophistication of Bill Evans and the urgent rush of Alice Coltrane – one of the strongest Jazz albums of this year. Diana Krall’s Turn Up the Quiet and Linda May Han Oh’s Walk Against the Wind are respectable and standout records from the year. The latter, especially, boasts huge fluidity and poetic expression – the sound of a woman’s path through life and development. The performances are uniformly exceptional and add so much colour, candid energy and emotion to the music.  Whether one likes to admit it or not: all of us have an attachment to at least one Jazz piece.

IN THIS PHOTO: Louis Armstrong/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Take someone like Louis Armstrong, for example. He remains one of the most influential trumpeters and composers from the world of Jazz. What a Wonderful World is one of the most popular and requested songs in the world. It seems to resonate in so many people and is an accessible, touching and universal number that cuts to the heart. People might be a little wary of lionising Miles Davis, John Coltrane; Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk. Their music seems to define what Jazz is and, if you don’t like it (or get it), you cannot say you appreciate Jazz. Maybe that is an over-simplification but one need not know every passage and album (from those artists) to approve and understand what they are about. I am a fan of Miles Davis but would say Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool and Sketches of Spain are his finest – In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew are essential works.

I think one of the big problems when it comes to Jazz is the critics who are charged with proffering the genre. Many, when looking at the list of best Jazz albums of this year, seem to reduce their assessments into tropes and diminishing sentences. A few albums I have seen on a list have been labelled as records to listen to when having a cup of tea – perfect background music that you can enjoy when doing other things. I think this reductive and dismissive attitude, whilst unintentionally diminutive and patronising, seems to mirror the views of many out there. Jazz, like all great music, is not meant to linger in the back of the mind and prohibited from focal attention. I agree some Jazz albums are not palatable and popular enough to convert those uninitiated and hesitant. The best Jazz records are those that keep the ethos and roots firm but update and evolve the form. I have mentioned modern artists like Here Comes the Comet who, in a way, have more in common with bands like The Stone Roses and The Beatles – as they do Mile Davis and Louis Armstrong.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

If one feels they ‘hate’ Jazz then one would hope they have had enough exposure to make that determination. It seems the popular go-to decisions for many: I have not given it a chance and, therefore, it sucks. I think a lot of us get into the presumption all Jazz sounds like a single artist/album then, yeah, you are going to fall into that mindset. The fact is no genre, even Jazz, is limited in scope and appeal. A lot of the modern equivalent is far-reaching, progressive and exciting. Those who claim Jazz is a boring genre would do well to properly investigate what is happening right now. There are two sides to Jazz that need to be defined and distinguished. There is the more romantic and reflective side and the cross-referencing, cross-pollinating brand. Maybe those who favour the former are of a certain age and taste: those who chase the more modern and experimental alternative slightly younger and more hip. That would be an over-simplification but Jazz is at its broadest and most accessible right now. If one listens to the finest Hip-Hop artist around and you’ll see how influential and important Jazz is to them.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar/PHOTO CREDIT: Alan Gwizdowski

This has been the case for decades. Whether samples into De La Soul’s incredible L.P., 3 Feet High and Rising, or Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly – Jazz has been invigorating and connecting artists in all corners. It is not a coincidence some of the best albums ever – whether Jazz is used as a sample or an original thought – take so much from Jazz. It has never been a genre limited to certain tastes and rigid in its sound. This is definitely true today. The reason it is still fighting against resistance is the fact the mainstream still refuses to fully embrace it. In a way, when integrated into Hip-Hop and Rap, it is almost like an ingredient in a dish – rather than the main meal itself. Jazz warrants fonder and worthy study as it is not a dirty word…not anymore. I don’t think it ever was but we have to stop labelling genres and thinking we know everything about them. Jazz is misunderstood and underappreciated. I am not saying everyone should obsess over Jazz and go right through the ages but reappropriation is required. If the average listener gives it a chance they will find, without having to dig too far, there…

IN THIS PHOTO: John ColtranePHOTO CREDIT: Getty

 IS much to love.

FEATURE: Love Me Do: The Birth of The Beatles

FEATURE:

 

Love Me Do:

The Birth of The Beatles

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HISTORIANS and aficionados of The Beatles…

have their own interpretations surrounding the band becoming 'The Fab Four'. I guess a moniker is the way one can determine when an artist has truly arrived in music. Whether one assumes it was literally the first Beatles record that defined and announced their birth; their finest earliest album; the moment they cracked America – there are subjective and different viewpoints regarding the canonisation of the world’s greatest band. To me – and why I wanted to kick this piece into the wider world – was the vital landmark that is Love Me Do. On 5th October, 1962, the song was one of Paul McCartney’s earliest songs – written whilst he was cutting class from the Liverpool Institute back in 1958. I will quote from Ian MacDonald’s definitive and sacrosanct Beatles manuscript, Revolution in the Head. Here, like all their other songs, he charts the course and genesis of the track – where it stemmed from; which take we hear on record; how it fared in the public; his impressions of the song. From pages fifty-eight through to sixty; MacDonald charts the progress of the song’s creation and the place it plays in The Beatles’ cannon. To me, those opening few seconds, not only beckon and proclamation the greatest force of nature the music world has ever seen – it runs to a deeper, more personal level. To me, it is the tributary of the river that is my love of The Beatles. That harmonica blast (John Lennon playing that one) causes shivers, memories and fond reminiscence. I remember encountering the album Please Please Me (I shall come onto that) and being blown away by the sheer simplicity, live sound and class dripping from every song. In my estimation; Love Me Do is the first landmark release from the band – the time they transcending from promising boys (playing covers) to a truly original band who could change the world. Love Me Do employs two chords (G and C). Most Pop numbers of the time revolved around three common chords: the fact Love Me Do had two made it, in its reverse-evolution and base appeal, a more progressive and evolved thing.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles recording at Abbey Road on 4th September, 1962

Breaking a trend by making music more simplistic might seem counterintuitive and risky. The boys knew they could not repeat what was out there and expect to gain the recognition they warranted. The song was started by McCartney during his educational day but, struggling to finish it off, showed it to Lennon – who added the middle eight and helped ensure it saw the light of day. Back in September 1962; Love Me Do was one of half-a-dozen songs being rehearsed by a band who were a bit nervous about releasing singles. The record label (Parlophone) preferred the inferior How Do You Do? as a single for The Beatles. The Mitch Murray-penned song was more commercial and toe-tapping but The Beatles disassociated themselves with the song – not wanting anything to do with it and thinking it did not represent what they wanted to say. Tackling and confronting the decision-making bosses is a bold decision for a band who were, in 1962, not a known commodity. It would be a few more months before the public took them to heart so that decision to rebuff the single suggestion showed the Liverpool foursome were determined to have their say and take their career where they wanted it to go. The “vernacular title” (as MacDonald sums it up) and dockside harmonica impressed producer George Martin. He knew there was something unconventional and original emanating from Love Me Do. Pop music of the early-1960s was more concerned with guitars, big choruses and fitting into the packs. The Beatles came along with a song that imbued the nature of early Blues recordings and 1950s sounds – the band were inspired by artists like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley; not desperate to remain rigidly in the 1960s and jettisoning their tastes. There were a few issues surrounding the recording of Love Me Do. Legend has it – although interpretation has been interrogated and questioned – McCartney was dissatisfied with Ringo Starr’s drumming: he was hurrying into the chorus and failing to lock-in the bass-drum with the bass guitar.

McCartney, playing bass, felt there was an arrhythmic and undisciplined approach from Starr. Martin shared these concerns and felt, against a loose-swinging expressionist like Starr, a more conventional and studied drummer would give the performance more professionalism and reliability. A week after the fraught rehearsals; the band sojourned to Abbey Road Studios (Studio 2) and laid down the track. Andy White, a session drummer at the time, ‘sat in’ on drums whilst Starr reinforced percussion with rudimentary tambourine smashes. Two versions of Love Me Do were issued: the first (mixed bottom-light to distort and hide Starr’s bass-drum) went out as the A-side to The Beatles’ debut single; the second found its way onto the band’s debut album, Please Please Me, and opened its second-side. What amazes me about the song is how it contrasts what the band would go on to create and how distinct it was juxtaposed against the colour and excitement of the time. Love Me Do is a primitive and raw song that is a balustrade against a rainbow sky: a black-and-white rug in the kitsch and Art Deco kitchens of the suburban cool. Sales figures were cautious when the song arrived: many unsure how to approach it and what to expect. The “modal gauntness” seemed extraordinary against a Pop scene that demanded songs get to the mind quickly and traditionally. Some claimed the arrangement has been tampered with (by Martin) and the lead vocal had been given to McCartney rather than Lennon – hardly a surprise considering it was McCartney’s baby. Beatles fans, in retrospect, realise the song didn’t capture the live energy of their shows and seems awarded slow and contemplative. The easy hook (‘Ple-e-e-ease’) and untraditional chorus phrasing from McCartney; the passionate harmonica from Lennon; the raised-brown solo clash from Starr that followed Lennon’s performance. It seemed George Harrison was the only player who remained anonymous and lacking character. That would change but was understandable considering the eventfulness surrounding Starr and his technique; the fact Lennon and McCartney were the main songwriters and leaders.

Even if the open-fifth vocal harmonies were drowned in reverb; the production was cracker-dry and lacked the sheen, sparkle and timbre one would encounter on records at the time. The song, as Macdonald notes in his book, was a blast of autumnal air against the homogenised smog of the 1960s Pop scene. There was a hangover and awkward transition from the late-1950s and masters like Presley and Holly. So much of Love Me Do separated The Beatles and spotlighted a band that was going to make a huge impact. The harmonica wailing from Lennon contained no bent notes – the sort one might hear on U.S. blues recordings; the sort Dylan employed in his music – and has more in common with the working-class Blues and Folk of British artists from the North. That was a revelation from a public who were used to – when they heard harmonica – to something more jazzed, syncopated and florid. Lennon’s erstwhile and singular performance defined him on that record. McCartney’s lyrics might seem rather generic and unspectacular when you consider what the band went on to be. In any case; it was his story and song that lit the fuse – one that started the fire and showed these four lads from Liverpool were not going to stamp out covers and be like every other group of the day. Love Me Do was, in MacDonald’s terms, “awed by nothing” and signified the move from the elder-respecting stuffiness of modern culture – overthrown and besieged by the youth generation and a tipping towards a more energetic and reckless style of song. One might see a song like Love Me Do and balk at how basic it sounds when compared to Beatles songs such as Strawberry Fields Forever and A Day in the Life – songs that arrived only five years after Love Me Do. The band, even by 1963, was starting to experiment and grow their sound. That 1962 introduction single was never going to be the studio-pushing, genre-defying track that defined Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; the head-bender conclusion to Revolver or the majestic L.S.D. melts one could find on The Beatles (‘The White Album’) – or should that be marijuana?! In any case; Love Me Do is an epochal song because it changed the face of music.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles captured in Liverpool (1962)

I think of Love Me Do in terms of the album, Please Please Me: the former the creator and mother of the progeny. Love Me Do appeared on The Beatles’ debut album – although, as we know, a different version to the single – and was part of a musical revolution. The album is a stark polemic of the complex and pioneering works such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Although there were some flaws and rough edges on the record – a couple of the covers missed the mark; Harrison’s singing on Do You Want to Know a Secret a little flat; A Taste of Honey lacking the quality it could have – it is an extraordinary record that still inspires musicians today. The brief was simple: record an album in a single day that would, essentially, replicate the live energy and spontaneity of The Beatles’ shows. It was recorded far less expensively than albums of the times (£400 at the time; about £7,500 these days). Following the success of Love Me Do and its flip-side, P.S. I Love You, there was a need to get an album out to capitalise the spirit captured on those songs - the band's second single, Please Please Me, became the album's title-track. P.S. I Love You distilled McCartney’s gift for melody was balanced against Lennon’s comparative laziness – singing and projecting the minimal intervals of everyday speech (another MacDonald thought). Although a naïve song that adds a little to the ‘letter’ sub-genre of music; its expressive chorus and verses elevated the song to the consciousness of the masses. Those songs formed the bedrock of Please Please Me. George Martin needed ten further songs to accompany the band’s two singles. It was intended, at first, to be a morning and afternoon session – the evening session was added later – and captured at EMI in Abbey Road Studios, essentially, as a long-drawn band live performance. The band started at 10 A.M. Monday, 11th February, 1963: finishing at 10:45 P.M. the same day – with breaks and breath; a thirteen-hour (more-or-less) sessions that got the L.P. recorded and captured.

Six of the fourteen songs featured on the album are cover versions: of the original cuts; the majority had Lennon singing the lead vocal – the same was true of the covers. Each band member got a vocal lead (Ringo Starr taking the helm on Boys) whilst the lead-off track, I Saw Her Standing There, gained its own life and gravity. Its unconventional phrasing and lexicon (“She was just seventeen/You know what I mean”) – the original pitch saw the second line “Never been a beauty queen” – replaced with something less cloying and predictable – amazed fans and its explosive tone set the scene for the record. Mixing more tender and calm numbers against thrilling cuts: Please Please Me ended with the now-legendary and logic-defying version of Twist and Shout. By the time the guys had completed the definitive take of There’s a Place (the penultimate track), they knew what was left: the spectacular finale of Twist and Shout. The fact the session run until late at night was because of Lennon and poor health. Suffering a cold and sore throat; he spent breaks gargling milk and soothing his throat with honey and medicinal substance – whilst the rest of the band supped coffee. The 585-minute recording session would never have a better moment than the opening notes to Twist and Shout.  The fact they had recorded all day means recording a fireworks-take of Twist and Shout would have been hard: throw in an ailing Lennon and it made the job that much more difficult. As it was, somehow, he stepped up the microphone and nailed it in one take. It has to be done in a single take because that performance blew his voice beyond recovery – he has nothing left after that. George Martin wanted a new take but Lennon’s voice was shredded – the version you hear could not be topped, in my mind. The jubilant and relieved whoop from McCartney as the track ends shows what excitement and deflation there was in the room – the fact they had done it and managed to record the song that day. Apparently, when the take was completed, there was cheering and jubilation in the studio.

The engineers, staff and band were enthralled and buzzing from the energy that has been projected during that take (I imagine Lennon would have needed a week or so off after that song!). Love Me Do is the first blush of The Beatles and their debut cut – in my view, the most important offering from the band’s chest. Please Please Me responded to the building heat and popularity the band were accruing. If 1966 – 1967 was the peak of their creative powers: 1962 – 1963 was the start of things and the shaping of the biggest band on the planet. Match and contextualise Love Me Do in Please Please Me and you discover a group who were genuinely making music history. It all started with that John Lennon harmonica clarion of Love Me Do – the first notes of the Paul McCartney song that traces its lineage as far back as 1958. The song seems inexplicably forward-thinking and staggering today. That is a fifty year period (from its release) and still acts as a guide to musicians who want to add spice and difference to the Pop market. The Beatles went on to make better songs but few had quite the same impact and effect as Love Me Do. It stunned a complacent public and shook the charts up. Labels and bosses had not experienced a band like The Beatles – there has been nobody quite like them ever since! Put the song on and let it take you somewhere special. I can only imagine the sights, smells and sounds that came from the studio when John Lennon, Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr and George Harrison – ably assisted by George Martin – captured that moment of history. Fifty years since its release; Love Me Do still wields immense power and  (is a song) that…

HELPED define the music of the 1960s.