FEATURE: The Bulldozer’s Lament: Gentrification and Its Impact on Music

FEATURE:

 

The Bulldozer’s Lament

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Gentrification and Its Impact on Music

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I wonder what damage the gentrification…

of Britain is doing to the music industry. I walk down various streets and notice a couple of things. More and more shops and bars are closing (is the first). They are being replaced by other businesses which, in a few months, close down for the next thing to arrive. Either that happens or something gaudy forms: older, established buildings are being torn down and regenerated as glamorous and expensive flats. That seems to be the way things go in Britain: any inch of greenery is built on to accommodate families and those who do not really care about anything but themselves. There are enough people struggling to find housing in the country – it seems the wealthier get chances, regardless of what they give back to this nation. The U.K. has shown itself, in referendums and elections, alienated and unwilling to bond with its European nations. Not only are we detaching ourselves from neighbours and other nations: we are determined to replace anything lived-in and older with the brand-new and soulless. Gentrification does not mean demolishing anything that seems ugly and bringing in fashionable and pretty things. The reason gentrification can be good is making somewhere safer to live in; reducing crime and replacing any unsafe/disused buildings with something practical and safe. The latest casualty of the ongoing gentrification and whitewashing of London is the imminent demolition of the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre. It is a divisive building: some see it as ugly and outdated whereas others find it to be a foundation and bedrock of the community.

IN THIS PHOTO: Elephant and Castle Shopping Cente/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Whatever you think of it; the erosion and replacement of the Shopping Centre will change the area forever. Applying this to music and we can see it everywhere around us. We all know certain venues have closed over the years: many others are under threat and risk a shaky future. I worry what will happen to the fabric of live music when developers have their ways and new flats come onto the high-street. If we look back to Elephant and Castle and, when the wrecking ball comes in; that will mean small businesses are closing and the people who run them pushed elsewhere. The diverse landscape will become whiter, cleaner and gentrified – established residents marginalised and a wealthier option coming in. It is not only London that is experiencing this widespread and unending rebranding and retooling: every city in the U.K., in some way, is experiencing this. If we replace every building with a crack and tear every characterful object down; what impact is that going to have on the music industry and artists? On a physical basis; venues are always going to be threatened. Most of the ones we have now are smaller, underfunded and ‘distinct’. So many people want to see their streets samey and indistinct. A lot of our venues have a particular look and project noise.

People who move into an area do not want to be distracted by sound or the clientele of a venue. If a venue is struggling or needs a lick of paint; why is it easier knocking it down and building new flats/shops?! Money is not being spent rejuvenating venues and ensuring (venues) are protected. A lot of clubs are being closed in Britain because they are either not pulling in enough money or are starting to peel away. There is a very fungible definition as to what constitutes a ‘problem’. Unless there are structural defects and infestations in the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre; I wonder what has promoted it demise and demolition. The same can be said of a lot of venues in the country. Sure; many are struggling and going through tough times. The way to get them back on-course is to invest money in them or research what factors are contributing. Rather than spending infinitely more money on gentrifying areas and replacing venues/shops with flashier options – we need to retain these spaces and ensure they do not face the smash of the bulldozer. I love cities but always hate when working-class, decent areas are replaced by middle-class and sanitised buildings. Not only does that replace the skyline and vibe: the inhabitants and local residents, often, are priced-out and forced to move elsewhere.

Music industries rely on surrounding flats and shops to make them a success. If we remove the client base and local residents that means new people come in – those who do not know the area and, as such, do not visit venues. It is not only venues themselves being threatened by gentrification and ‘edification’. The wealthier and more exclusive areas become; that means fewer musicians will be able to afford to move there. I am hearing from peers who had hopes of moving into the city and, instead, are reserved to the boundaries. They have to choose cheaper options which is, in turn, seeing wealthier people move to the cities. The only way we can maintain thriving and interesting scene is keeping the population varied. The closer of smaller clubs in cities – R&B and Rap – means a lot of the young, black population are relocating and moving to other parts. Doors close and, before you know it, flats and restaurants come in instead. The same can be said of pubs. They provide open mic nights and provide a stage for new artists. Take them away and, again, musicians have nowhere to play – it means they have to rely on the Internet or other options. I am all for removing hazardous buildings and closing venues/spaces that are dangerous, beyond revival or impotent.

This is not what is happening in a lot of cases. Developers and councils are not willing to spend money trying to sustain somewhere struggling – the easier option is starting from scratch and building something, they know, brings a lot of money/wealthier people to an area. One of the biggest tragedies of modern London is the way it is becoming stale and wealthy. A lot of vibrant and mixed areas are being blanched and stripped of their purity. I am seeing it in other parts of the U.K., too. It is not only Britain that faces the scourge of gentrification: the U.S. is seeing many of its established and legendary music cities facing threats. Last year; an article in The Guardian looked at the changing fortunes of Austin (Texas) and New Orleans:

“It’s a difficult reality for the city to confront. Austin is one of the three major US “music cities”, alongside New Orleans and Nashville, that have capitalised on this local culture at the risk of ruining the scenes that made them famous in the first place. In Austin, the local live music scene is now paying the price for its success. Brian Block, of the city’s economic development office, says despite an apparent city-wide financial boom, local musicians’ income is “at best stagnating, and possibly declining”.

IN THIS PHOTO: A musician in New Orleans

“…Across the state border in Louisiana, New Orleans is facing similar problems as it develops and gentrifies. There are fears that without local government actively supporting musicians, the scene’s survival could be at risk…How do you keep a [music scene] real and authentic and yet encourage people to get involved? It’s a paradox,” says Jan Ramsey, editor of local magazine OffBeat. “There’s an authenticity to the music and the people who make it, and the integration of black and white culture here – we never want to lose that.”

It is worrying seeing how things are changing in the world and how the music industry is being impacted. So then…what do cities and musicians need to do to ensure their venues and native populations are protected and listened to? This piece explains the realities before us – explaining some solutions and pragmatic movements:

“According to (As Sound Diplomacy Founder and CEO Shain Shapiro) Shapiro, musicians and music industry professionals, who tend to think and operate in the short term, need to start advocating to be included into city zoning and planning strategies that may be looking 5, 10, or 15 years in the future. “Cities write their local plans to reflect how land is going to be used for decades. If we don’t think about our music infrastructure and how we fit into those issues, then we’re constantly going to be the recipients of an end-use model. The building will just be there and then we’ll be inserted into it, rather than us having a responsibility and dialogue before, so we can play a part in how it’s created.”

“…Musicians, says Shapiro, also need to start learning to speak the language of developers. “We can’t just say, give us a music venue. What if that’s not a profitable use of land?” And while much of new development in cities is crowding out the creative industries, there are a growing number of developers who are investing in music venues. Peter Cornforth, who leads retail development for UK-based firm Benson Elliot Capital Management, has been advocating within his company for the ‘positive externality’ that music brings to mixed-use developments; according to him, music should sit in the value and not the cost side of real estate”.

Last year saw a lot of commentators look at gentrification and how our streets are struggling to adapt and maintain their natural good looks. A piece in The Conversation investigated the link between rising business rates and the impact that has in cultural and economic terms:

“The government’s review of business rates could see a rise in the level of rates they will pay of up to 55%. For some music venues, this could easily be the difference between staying operational or going under. This wouldn’t just be a loss to the economy. Local venues are a cultural as well as an economic resource. The social and musical networks they house are not easily replaced and the larger spaces, ultimately, depend on healthy grassroots for tomorrow’s headliners.

The challenges are widespread, and face venues of all kinds. A squeeze on funding has seen local authorities reduce their spending on the arts, and music education also faces an uncertain future”.

It is a hard line to draw between necessary development and change and that which is excessive, selfish and ignorant. Maybe our current Government is to blame (for the gentrification and changing face of our cities) or it is business rates and unreasonable rents – or this is the way things are going to go from now on. What bothers me is a lack of connection between the councils/Government and the music industry. Small shops and businesses closing can impact musicians and venues; rising rents and expensive areas alienates artists and means musicians struggle to find gigs (paid, at least) – do those who make the big decisions realise that?! I would think not. The clatter of the bulldozers and the dizzying dreams of developers is taking away a lot more than bricks and concrete: human lives, livelihoods and businesses are being transplanted and extinguished. Whilst we do need to protect the safety of the streets and ensure any unstable structure is addressed; that does not mean removing areas/buildings that do not ‘fit in’. Elephant and Castle’s dilemma could have devastating effects on the community and wider area. Look around you, walk the streets and see the people around. Things are changing, right?! Are they for the better?! It might not matter to those (wealthier people) who move to an area – the gentrification of a town/city has an impact on the music industry, its patrons and smaller venues. To those who have little regard for an area and the consequences of removing buildings/changing the skyline, I would offer this caution: consider the human cost and those who will lose out when the bulldozers swing in. It (demolition) might not mean a lot to them but, for many people who live and play in these areas, the cost of faceless gentrification is a lot higher…

THAN the financial profit for developers.

FEATURE: With the Beatles: Why Ringo Starr’s Knighthood Should Spark New Interest in the Band

FEATURE:

 

With the Beatles

PHOTO CREDIT: Apple Corps Ltd./ALL OTHER PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Why Ringo Starr’s Knighthood Should Spark New Interest in the Band  

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THINKING about music and when it arrived in my life…

IN THIS PHOTO: Ringo Starr receives his knighthood

I have to, inevitably, look at The Beatles and their majestic sounds. My first rush of The Beatles was discovering albums like Abbey Road and Rubber Soul. The latter remains my favourite album from the band. The way Paul McCartney and John Lennon transformed and evolved as songwriters can be heard on that record. L.P.s such as With the Beatles and Beatles for Sale indicated and highlighted what was to come. Rubber Soul, to me, is the masterful songwriting duo hitting their stride and showing they have no peers. I still don’t think there has been a songwriting combination like Lennon and McCartney. The way they wrote together – back in those early days – is hardly done these days. Whether writing at a piano or at one of their houses – two curious minds working on songs and formulating golden anthems. We think of The Beatles and that core of Lennon and McCartney. Lest we forget the band was a quartet: a big part of that magic came from the drumming of Ringo Starr. The legendary Beatle received a knighthood earlier in the week – over fifty years after The Beatles were awarded MBEs. Paul McCartney got his knighthood back in 1997: the fact it took so long to acknowledge the other surviving Beatle (George Harrison was alive in 1997; he has been gone since 2001).

IMAGE CREDIT: ANITA PONNE

Many might wonder why it took so long for the Queen to bestow such an honour on Ringo Starr – and, why George Harrison never got approach regarding a knighthood. Classic Rock- had an explanation:

“Both Harrison and Lennon were more than qualified to be knighted alongside their bandmates during their lifetimes, but the crown didn't start knighting pop stars until 1995, when Cliff Richard was selected for the honor. Bob Geldof was granted an honorary knighthood nearly a decade before, but it was for his charity work, not his musical accomplishments — and both men were acknowledged years after Lennon's death. Since knighthoods aren't granted posthumously, it's always been out of the question for Lennon to be selected — and as fans are well aware, his playfully contentious relationship with the crown might have led to him rejecting the offer anyway, as he did when the Beatles were bestowed with an MBE in 1965.

Rejecting honors from the monarchy was something Lennon and Harrison later had in common. According to correspondence unearthed after Harrison's passing, he also declined to accept an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) — allegedly because he was insulted by the offer of a station lower than McCartney's knighthood”.

Stepping aside from the logistics and reasoning behind the late recognition of Ringo Starr; his knighthood, surely, has to get people reinvested in The Beatles. It is true to say the band have never lost that focus: the greatest band ever to stalk the planet has been popular and influential since their earliest days. To me, the band represents innovation and rebellion. I think about their debut L.P., Please Please Me and what went into it. A single, thirteen-or-so-hour recording session and you have music history. Back in 1963; the boys were transcending from those German days and starting to get a real foothold in the U.K. and the U.S. The Liverpool band went into the studio armed with some originals and covers; put the tracks down and that was it – a raw and live-sounding record that, surely, goes down as one of the best debut releases ever. Listen to the boisterous and cheeky opener from Paul McCartney (I Saw Her Standing There) to the throat-shredded, blistering Twist and Shout (John Lennon, suffering from a cold, nailed the song in one take – he has no energy and throat left to do a second!) – it is a fantastic album that helped put their music into new hands. Their earliest period – from the debut through to, say, Revolver – was a case of gradual improvements and revelations. In my mind, one of the big reasons for their success was Ringo Starr.

The man’s incredible drumming and unorthodox style can be heard on some of their earliest gems. Listen to songs like She Loves You and you cannot help be amazed by that rollicking, impassioned drumming. Flip forward to songs like The End (Abbey Road) and Tomorrow Never Knows (Revolver); A Day in the Life (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) and Dear Prudence (The Beatles) and you cannot escape the magical work of Ringo Starr! I have a lot of love for the later work like Abbey Road, The Beatles and Revolver: to me, that early part of their career is the most interesting. I love how the guys changed the face of music and sounded like nothing else – there is still nobody like them in music! One can chart a real growth from their debut – when they were performing covers and not quite as gelled as they would be – to a time when touring demands and chaos meant they had to quit (before they started recording Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club). That period, between 1963-1967, is such an extraordinary and wonderful thing. The Beatles, unlike a lot of bands at the time, were as synonymous with their personalities as the music themselves. All the boys had charm and a witty turn-of-phrase: Starr, to me, had that extra something about him. He seemed (like) that constant backbone and leader of the band; the real star who could keep the guys in-check and ensure every song held together and moved forward.

PHOTO CREDIT: Apple Corps Ltd.

Even though there were tensions around the recording of The Beatles and Abbey Road (the final album they recorded); there was that love and affection that cemented the band. Even now, when Ringo Starr received the knighthood; we saw messages from Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. The public has a huge love for him and everyone in the music scene is relieved he has been given that long-overdue knighthood – the Monarchy finally came to their senses! What I hope, and think we’ll see, is a new injection of hunger for The Beatles. Although it is likely the two surviving members will get together and record anything (you never know!); there will be more material from Starr. I do worry there will be a day when I’ll approach a young person and mention The Beatles – they will give me a blank stare and, disturbingly, I’ll have to explain who they are through varying degrees of obscurity and annoyance. There are those of us, myself included, who have old Beatles vinyl in their collection. I have at least six or seven of them dotted around the house. There are few greater pleasures than sticking on a record like Please Please Me or Abbey Road and listening to it from the first crackle to the moment the needle rises from the record. I still prefer The Beatles in their truest format: a good, old-fashioned vinyl.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Spotify

I know many people do not listen to the band in the same format: streaming sites mean a lot of the new generation are experiencing The Beatles digitally. I do not object to people listening to the group through this method. The world has moved on and I understand it is a lot more time-consuming listening to vinyl (as opposed digital means). It is always great knowing a band like The Beatles are being heard and experienced, over fifty-five years after their debut album was released. Whilst any listening experience of The Beatles is a great thing; I wonder how many uninitiated listeners are going to streaming sites to hear them. The likes of Spotify promotes new and fresh music. They spend less time promoting older musicians and albums. People are talking about Ringo Starr’s knighthood and how it has been a long time coming. People who have listened to The Beatles for years/decades are dusting off records and playing C.D.s; new listeners are getting involved with the band and diving into the warm waters – all generations and ages realising why The Beatles are the greatest band ever. I have met Ringo, Starr, briefly, and was bowled over completely! I think he is one of the most engaging, sensational and inspiring musicians still playing. He still has that ethos of the older days – peace and love to all – and endless energy.

One of the reasons I vociferously gobble every molecule of Beatles material is the fact Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are around and as striking as they always were. I hope the knighting of Ringo Starr does not cause a brief rush of Beatles interest. So many artists I interview name-check The Beatles as influences. It is a part of everyone’s childhood and the soundtrack to all of our lives. The reason me, and so many people in music, know about the band is that their records were played around the house. Our parents attended their gigs and grew up around them; they passed them onto them – how many of the new generation are passing along The Beatles?! I know there are more and more people finding The Beatles and ensuring their music is played and shared. The Beatles can never die or lose sway: their music will be played and studied to the end of time! My biggest hope is young listeners forgo the shiny and polished Popstars of today and step back in time – discover a band who caused an explosion in music and soon became the biggest band in history. It has been a great week for a titan of the music scene. Sir Ringo Starr – or ‘Sir Richard Starkey’, as it should be – has received his knighthood with humour, humbleness and grace. As we nod to a giant and draw a breath of relief (that he finally has a knighthood!); it is to our vinyl crates, C.D. shelves and laptops; so that we can, all, spin The Beatles and remind ourselves why they are…

SYNONYMOUS with musical genius!

FEATURE: The Garden Fence Rituals: Building a More Ambitious Musical Platform

FEATURE:

 

The Garden Fence Rituals

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Building a More Ambitious Musical Platform

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I am looking at my site and the number of posts…

I put out on a ‘good’ week. Tomorrow, I will write about The Beatles and how their music has impacted me – as a reaction to the (long-overdue) knighthood given to Ringo Starr during the week. I think about the band and images come to mind; flashes of their music and when it first came into my life. I think about the band and they, really, opened my eyes to the possibilities of music. I have written about The Beatles but, as I think about them, something more full, impactful and thorough is warranted. Everything I do is written and textual. It is convenient writing everything down and not having to travel about: I get to put up a lot and it is nice and quick. I guess, in a busy week, I can produce twenty-five pieces, give or take! It is rewarding seeing so much go on my site – I wonder how far my work is going and who it is reaching. That is an understandable nagging, I guess! I want to share my love of music and what it means to me. My hankering for connection and a more visual site has led me to make a deceleration: I will take the blog in a new direction and make it more ‘cosmopolitan’. By that; I want to bring in more filmed interviews and do documentaries. It is exciting thinking about where I can go and what gaps can be filled. One of the things missing from music journalism is the visual/filmed element.

You get video interviews and the odd bit: nothing consistent, broad-minded and expansive. It would be good to put out a regular podcast/series that looked at classic albums and charted the progeny/development of the record. It can bring in other artists and their take on that work. For instance; I could look at Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours – having seen a documentary about them last night. Instead of, how I normally would, write about it and have photos/songs embedded: it would be more judicious putting a video up that explores interview clips (from the band) and plays the tracks; brings the work to life and shows my face – something that has been lacking from my blog. I do not want to abandon the written aspect altogether. What I do want to do is cut back on the written interviews/features and introduce something recorded. Interviews will take the same assortment of artists – recording them in a ten-minute interview; making it more full-bodied and interesting. I will still write some features but, for the most part, turn towards visuals and audio – creating a more physical and personal blog. This is not only about me and my ambitions, mind. I worry music is losing its social edge and sense of connection. I titled the piece as I did – The Garden Fence Rituals – because I want that sense of leaning over the neighbour’s fence to have a gossip about the goings-on in the street.

It sounds like a 1960s soap set in the North – early Coronation Street, perhaps? – but it is a romantic ideal. I worry I have been too insular and detached the past six years. Rather than concentrate on speedy posts and getting content out there quickly: taking time and producing something stylish and striking. I have been thinking about other documentary ideas and investigating various angles of music. Most of the journalism we see out there tends to have written articles - and that is about it. I have written about the subject before: the way journalism lacks visual/filmed aspects and can break ground. I realised, when I had my realisation, is that we are all in a rush and want something digestible and fast. How many of us will sit down and watch a video interview or documentary? One of the best things about music is meeting an artist and discovering more about them. The process of going to a gig and being among like-minded people is an experience you cannot better. It is great being in a  ‘church’ where everyone agrees and there is a genuine truth. Going forward; I am eager to play more of the music I love and mix the older with the new. Radio is, really, one of the only forums where we can get that blend of the brand-new and old. I look on streaming sites and they focus on the fresh – overlooking what has come before and, because of, endangering the preservation of classic sounds.

There are some great radio interviews but, look at music journalism, and we are still dominated by the printed form. Maybe the journalist will go and speak to the artist and record what they are saying. That gets transcribed and the reader views the interaction. I feel much more connected to artists, and music, when it is audio/visually-based. The same goes for features. The journalist writes about a subject – whether it is sexism debate or a look at the best albums of the 1960s – and it is good to see it written down. I can learn a lot but, I feel, the best way of making something stick and reaching a wider audience is providing something in audio. Think about a subject like, say, music videos. It is something explored in music journalism occasionally – I have not seen a piece that vividly and explicatively looks at the declining forum. I worry there are fewer knockout videos and stunning examples. I think back at legends like Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry – my favourite director – and the work they have created. One can do their own research and see those videos: having a feature that puts them onto the screen and interviews fans/fellow directors would be much more effecting and long-lasting. There are so many other features one can see in music journalism. I know there are podcasts out there – mixed in terms of memorability – but a site like mine could interview musicians, older and new, that talks to a musician and asks them about upbringing and tastes; their path through music and bring in something light-hearted – mixing Desert Island Discs and Room 101 elements with a more traditional interview series.

IN THIS PHOTO: Michel Gondry/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Music journalism is far less sociable and engaging than music itself. I wonder, actually, whether music itself is human and physical as it could be. Streaming services and the way music is marketed means we rarely get to hear about the making of that music and hearing from the artist. There are videos put out there but that the industry is so fast-paced and busy – how often do we get to bond with that artist or learn more about them?! The reason I want to reinvent and develop my blog is the potential of the audio and visual mediums. Not only can all the possibilities (I have mentioned already) come to the fold: there could be handy guides for people; covering a number of subjects. It might include P.R. tips for musicians and how to get a booking agent; a look inside venues and the best around; a concentration on the music of the North and how it has impacted the popular scene – there are so many other options! I wonder how far I can take my own site and what can become of music journalism. At any rate; I feel like something more interactive and adventurous needs to unfold. Even if we have little time to read pieces – and prefer things on-the-go – the only way we will bond with music, current and past, is to slow things down and provide something much more engaging and ‘human’.

Creating that direct link between the public and the music is paramount. I love promoting the artists I do but feel I can do more. There are so many options available to me. Whether that involves creating my own audio-visual environments - regular features/podcasts and filmed interviews – or connecting with other stations/platforms; I am keen to explore the limits and potential available in journalism. Radio is, still, the most effective and direct way of bonding the people to music: bringing more of that into regular music journalism would not only create greater interest – it would revitalise a flagging field and get more people interested in pursuing it as a career. Of course, being sociable and adventurous takes money and time. It does require a slight overlay: the benefits and advantages of taking that leap is hard to put in terms of currency and profit. That is the realisation I have made. I love my blog and it provides an escape and fulfilment I desperately require. Whilst it is fulfilling seeing artists benefits from my words and time…there is a part of me that wants to get out into the open and actually SEE the people. Being stuck behind a laptop fosters isolation and disconnection that is prolific in journalism. Getting among the people and putting up those conversations; recording features and bringing people more into things – THAT is what we need to see. I will go about my changes and developments: I hope others follow suit and change the way music journalism is presented. If we can, all, create a more vivacious, deep and multi-platform discipline; it will bring music to more people and capture the imagination at the same time. I am not suggesting it is as heartfelt and intriguing as that conversation over the garden fence! It is, however, a great way of making music journalism, and sites like mine, a much more sociable and…

EXCITING medium.

FEATURE: Trollin’: Why Online Abuse Needs Stamping Out

FEATURE:

 

Trollin’

ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash 

Why Online Abuse Needs Stamping Out

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A couple of things happened last week…

that affected me and raised questions regarding the way we interact online. I have been following a couple of bands – who shall remain nameless – who have been indicted for sexually assaulting/abusing a female fan. This is, sadly, something that is becoming more common in music. There are male bands out there – and some solo artists – who feel, because they are adored by their fans, that gives them an all-access pass to their female audience. In their mind, that translates to unwanted suggestions, touching and worse…many have been accused of rape and serious abuse. I am not sure how far the problem extends to music. I am hearing these stories come to light: it may go a lot deeper and affect a lot more people (than are coming through). I am seeing, worrying again, a lot of online abuse and stalking. A lot of female artists have come out and highlighted various people – nameless again – who have approached them with snide insinuations, sexual indecency and vile messages. The issue does not only extend to musicians themselves: members of the public take it upon themselves to send messages/photos to musicians and think they can get away with it. In a week where Cambridge Analytica has been accused of mishandling people’s personal information -  wonder whether data-collecting/analysing companies should use their skills to monitor and police social media...

I am concerned there is too much abuse happening in a space many musicians come to find fans and support. I have already mentioned some of the physical assault and attention female artists are getting. When it comes to online interactions; I feel there needs to be a ruthless code of conduct that punishes those who flagrantly disregard the rules. It is not only female artists/users who are finding themselves being trolled and abused. Why there are male artists getting attacking messages and profane comments; it is the sort of attention women are afforded that troubles me greatly. I have seen YouTube videos where a female artist has received some truly shocking comments. A couple have focused on the looks of that artist. Either, they have been degraded and insulting – glad she sings as her face and body are ugly! – or overtly sexual and perverted. It is hard to think of a time where there has been so much unfiltered and unchallenged material floating around the Internet. It is horrible seeing men – mostly but not always – feel they have the right to throw anything they wish into the open. As I say; there have been comments made about a woman’s physical appearance; I have seen direct and scolding attacks on someone’s voice and songwriting – others that abuse the musician directly or cast them in mental pornography. Is it the case that a female artist should be exposed and degraded because of their gender?!

The Internet, unfortunately, is a space that does not discriminate on the grounds of gender. I am seeing feedback from male artists who have been contacted by strangers – receiving threats and insulting remarks. I have looked at some videos where the comments section has been upsetting or plain cruel. Whilst people are entitled to their opinions: how they go about expressing that freedom is not right or understandable. The Internet is this forum where everyone can contact someone or have their say regarding anything. It is a platform that opens doors, minds and opinions. It can be very helpful for musicians: hearing fans’ views and getting that direct correspondence provides heart, motivation and insight. I like receiving messages/updates from people who see my work and are keen to express their thanks. It is heart-warming and comforting to know people are kind and willing to connect. More and more, to balance every kindness, there is a slew of crap and sewage that threatens to take a toll on the music industry. The nature of abuse is varied but it boils down to sexual/sexist commentary and profanity. I have seen death threats and racism being exchanged on social media/sites – a small number of people who feel they have the right to say the most despicable things. How do we go about challenging this practice and seeing change?!

There is a line to draw when it comes to what is acceptable and what can be considered harmless. It is important to differentiate between ‘banter’ and casual mockery and out-right attack. Music is not like politics: it is a forum that should encourage respect and understanding. I am not saying politicians deserve attack and coruscation; music does not deal with people and issues in the same way. Musicians are here to make things better and offer something good to the world. I can appreciate someone would dislike a song/artist – people are allowed to express disapproval and criticism. There is a limit as to what can be said and shared online. Whilst something constructive can be shared regards a song or artist: abusing them and making them feel uncomfortable is not something we can allow to happen. Nobody should have to go online and have to face the sort of abuse that is available. Moderators need to be stricter with comments and cast their net wider. At the moment, people can be banned and arrested for making threats and posting racist comments. I know this happens on sites such as Twitter and Facebook. I wonder whether we need more vigilance when it comes to the likes of YouTube. Many new artists are putting their music out there and, rather than getting kind feedback and praise: they are receiving vile and upsetting posts from people whose agenda is to destabilise them. People, mainly men, are sending sexual comments or attacking appearance.

Even if the comments are about the music itself; is it right to allow profanity and huge negativity to feed in?! I feel part of expressing dissatisfaction with a song/artist needs to be met with limitation. I am not a fan of Coldplay – I do not go to YouTube and post insults on every one of their videos! Why people feel they need to belittle and humiliate artists is quite beyond me! The toll this sort of thing is taking is immense. There is already an issue with mental-health in the music industry. Allowing abuse to circulate and infiltrate is adding to that burden. As we talk about sexism and the way women are portrayed and addressed in the music world; online comments are highlighting why we need to be strict with those who offer nothing but distaste and rudeness. I am hearing about bands who share explicit images of themselves with fans; others who post photos, sexual in nature, of fans and those they have abused. It is hard to get a grip on the full extent of the problem: the Internet is so wide and busy, one cannot ensure every single thing posted is reviewed and treated in an appropriate manner. Those who do blatantly show no respect for someone should be banned from social media, I think. One cannot see the justification for going after someone and showing such little regard for their feelings.

Anyone who treads into criminal territory needs to be dealt with swiftly and brutally. The Internet needs to be a safer space and, at a time where the security of people’s personal data is being questioned and put under the microscope – do we need to take a look at everything posted and weed those out who are there to cause harm?! It need not be something as elaborate and complicated as thousands of people monitoring every portal of the Internet. My suggestion is simpler: algorithms and programmes that views every comment and detect the abusive from the acceptable. It would not be as swift as someone being blocked and banned after that initial comment. There needs to be a sense of review – to determine the intention and veracity of the remark. That might sound complicated but it would not have to be – if we spent a bit of money and time ensuring people are protected. I am getting annoyed at certain people who bring their brand of insult and cruelty to people. Trolling and explicit comments are not something we want to see associated with music. In fact; nobody wants to see it in any corner of the world. To ensure we do not add to the debt of poor mental-health and degrade musicians; we need to get tough with people who flout the law and think they are above punishment. Setting examples would deter others and show you cannot get away with calmly abusing people. The rise in sexual abuse claims and trolling needs to be tackled and stemmed. If we can do that, and reduce/eliminate disturbing and unwholesome comments, that can lead to a refinement and improvement. People would feel safer and, with it, we can create an environment where musicians do not need to worry and…

FEEL unsafe.

FEATURE: The March Playlist: Vol.4: I Am Not Sure Who That ‘Someone’ Is

FEATURE:

 

The March Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Rae Morris 

 Vol.4: I Am Not Sure Who That ‘Someone’ Is

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SOME big albums are out this week…

but that shouldn’t distract from the terrific singles in our midst. Rae Morris and Two Door Cinema Club provide new music; Queens of the Stone Age and Sigrid have brand-spanking videos out; Noga Erez and AJ Tracy have some treats out in the ether – Sunflower Bean and Jack White have produced exceptional and packed albums!

As the days get longer – and warmer! – it is a good time to delve into the heady and calming waters of music. Settle down, open your ears and prepare yourself for an assault of fantastic sounds...

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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IMAGE CREDIT: Jim Mazza 

Queens of the Stone Age – Head Like a Haunted House

Isaac Gracie – Last Words

Two Door Cinema Club – New Houses

Rae Morris – Someone Out There

Pale Waves – Heavenly

PHOTO CREDIT: @shaifranco, @chumipolak

Noga Erez – Sunshine

AJ Tracey – Mimi

Gaz Coombes – Walk the Walk

 

Joan Armatrading – I Like It When We’re Together

Panic! At the Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night)

The Vaccines – Your Love Is My Favourite Band

Picture This – This Morning

Snow Patrol – Don’t Give In

PHOTO CREDIT: Laura E. Partain

Courtney Marie Andrews – Border

George Ezra – Sugarcoat

ISLAND – Horizon

Lissie – Crazy Girl

Sunflower Bean – Memoria

Post Malone (ft. Ty Dolla $ign) - Psycho

Kacey Musgraves – High Horse

Blue Americans – Free Champagne

Toni Braxton – Deadwood

Nadine Coyle – Something in Your Bones

Jack White - Ice Station Zebra

Thirty Seconds to Mars – One Track Mind

Hinds – The Club

The Go! Team - The Only Thing New Is U Finding Out About It 

Amber Mark – Love Me Right

Shawn Mendes - In My Blood

Let’s Eat Grandma – Falling Into Me

Alexis Taylor - Oh Baby 

Sigrid - Raw (Live)

Okkervil River - Pulled Up the Ribbon

PHOTO CREDIT: @jonnyrowley

Beth Rowley – Forest Fire

Kelly Clarkson - I Don't Think About You 

Lily Moore – 17

Luke Sital-Singh – Afterneath

Kodaline – Follow Your Fire

FEATURE: April Showers: The Best Albums Due Next Month

FEATURE:

 

April Showers

IN THIS PHOTO: Janelle Monáe

The Best Albums Due Next Month

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EVERY month has those albums that…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kylie Minogue

will challenge for the end-of-year medal places. April is no exception, for sure. Janelle Monáe, Manic Street Preachers and Laura Veirs release albums, I feel, will wrestle for the high positions come the end of 2018. I have been looking through the announced releases and collated the ten records you need to put in your April collection – guaranteed to put a smile on the face and remain in the memory.

Despite the fact there is snow on the ground and a chill in the air: some big April releases will get the spirits up and warm the heart, for sure…

ALL PHOTOS: Getty Images

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Eels - The Deconstruction

Release Date: 6th April

Label: E Works Records

Genres: Alternative; Indie-Rock

 

Hinds - I Don't Run

Release Date: 6th April

Label: Mom + Pop Music

Genres: Garage-Pop; Alternative; Indie-Rock

Kylie Minogue - Golden 

Release Date: 6th April

Label: Liberator Music

Genre: Pop

Manic Street Preachers - Resistance Is Futile 

Release Date: 6th April

Label: Columbia Records

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex & Food

Release Date: 6th April

Label: Jagjaguwar

Genre: Alternative

Confidence Man - Confidence Music for Confidence People 

Release Date: 13th April

Label: Heavenly

Genres: Indie; Alternative; Pop

Laura Veirs - The Lookout 

Release Date: 13th April

Label: Bella Union

Genre: Folk

Kimbra - Primal Heart 

Release Date: 20th April

Label: Warner Bros. Records

Genre: Pop

Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer 

Release Date: 27th April

Labels: Bad Boy Records; Wondaland Arts Society; Epic Records

Genres: R&B; Soul

Twin Shadow - Caer 

Release Date: 27th April

Labels: Warner Bros. Records; Reprise

Genres: Synth-Pop; New-Wave

FEATURE: Still Waters Run Shallow: Where Has the ‘Fizz’ Gone?!

FEATURE:

 

Still Waters Run Shallow

ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash 

Where Has the ‘Fizz’ Gone?!

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I realise I spent a lot of my…

music-listening existence harking to the past and what I grew up around. I love looking back and seeing where music has come from. It would be a fool’s bet thinking music is not going to get any better: there is a world of sound out there; who knows what possibilities and breakthroughs will happen?! Whilst I am open-minded to the possibility of reinvention and development – will we ever get the same quality and genius as years gone by? One can argue the toss regards quality and how the new stuff stacks against the older material. I am in the camp that suggests, although music is more open and variegated than when I was growing up; we have seen fewer world-class, genre-lasting records released. I do not know what the reason behind the split is. Maybe we have seen all the major developments and accomplishments: it is harder to achieve new wonder and break ground. I am not disappointed with new music because there is a wonderful spread of artists available. Anyone can get into the industry and there are sub-genres and little cultures all over the place. Why one can quibble about quality and legacy; there is one thing, I feel, is beyond doubt: music has lost a lot of its pop and punch. There is a certain irony given the fact Pop music is, well, supposed pop.

I yearn for those big R&B anthems and the classic Pop anthems. I only need to go back to the 1990s – or the early part of the last decade – to see where things changed. If you look at the way, say, girl groups have developed and died – that is a glaring sign things are changing for the worse. There have been some half-arsed girl groups through time but we must consider the great ones. All Saints, En Vogue and Destiny’s Child, between them, produced some sensational music in the 1990s. I listen to belters like Free Your Mind (En Vogue) and Bills, Bills, Bills (Destiny’s Child); a stunner such as Black Coffee (All Saints) and Overload (Sugarbabes). We have girl groups like Little Mix – but they are in the minority. We lack the great black girl groups (En Vogue, Destiny’s Child and Salt-N-Pepa) of the 1990s and the pioneers such as Diana Ross and the Supremes. Sister Sledge are gone and, well, look at modern Pop and things have become so predictable. There are explosive cuts but I wonder whether we can ever get back that excitement that arrived a couple of decades back. From Disco and Pop to R&B and Soul – genres, at their best, have created timeless and enduring songs. I have named female artists who, during their time, showed they were as powerful and potent as the boys. Aaliyah can be added to the list; go back to bands like Garbage and Republica.

I have been listening back to songs from Sugarbabes and En Vogue and wondering why we no longer put panache and passion at the forefront. Maybe there is that missing carbonation but, if anything, it has changed forms and become more gentrified. Girl groups are gone and Pop places more emphasis on artists who channel personal concerns and deliver accessible messages – rather than look outwards and produce more complicated numbers. Rock and Alternative have produced heroes through the years: bands who provided mass-celebration anthems and peerless songs. I think about Oasis, Pulp and Blur. I know I keep returning to this well – older music and what it has done to the world – but my angle here is around fun and energy. One cannot be too harsh at the Pop world and the best R&B acts of the moment. Whilst Pop giants like Lady Gaga and Rihanna can still pack them in; Electronic artists such as M83 are capable of giving us some bliss; Dutch Uncles and Field Music capable of firing on all cylinders – they are in the minority. Not only have past wonders given the music world fireworks and body-slamming stunners; the artists providing that material have inspired others and delivered strong messages. It is not only women of the past who I miss and feel left a big gap: some great male-made music remains in my mind and obsesses me soon.

A lot of that comes from the Dance music that was being produced from the late-1980s to the early-2000s. From Basement Jaxx and The Avalanches to Spiller and Arrested Development (not Dance-based, I know) – we have been spoiled. That is not to mention icons like Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Things are not bleak but I do not feel there is the same motivation there was years ago. Call it ‘fun’ or ‘fizz’: whatever you label it, you cannot argue against the fact it is somewhat lacking nowadays. I have been diving into the past because there is that guarantee of release and substance. I love music now but my attention has focused inwards. Rather than look for that demented Dance wizard and Trance fizzer; the Pop injection and the sunshine high – now, something more emotional and level-headed comes to the fore. I admire artists who try to bring optimism and catchiness into music but, a lot of the time, it can come off as overly-processed and generic. I wonder why music has lost a lot of its fun and positivity. You might argue some of those older anthems – from girl groups, Dance music and Rock – have carried some heaviness or were part of a scene that demanded that type of music. The world is darker and more endangered than it was back in the 1990s – even as recently as last decade.

We all need to find some hope and discover music that puts us in a better mood. Maybe artists are truthfully reflecting the feelings of the people and the strain we all feel. Rather than fight against this and create something scintillating; artists are taking a different approach. Perhaps the fact we don’t have girl groups and the same Pop configuration has done its damage. Club music and Dance has changed formats and become less popular – not as memorable as it was back in my day. I would like to think there is a way we can revise that bliss and, even for a short time, capture the fizz. I know there has never been a time where the majority of songs coming out write positive: the glorious songs and catchy anthems have been spread out for the past two or three decades, say – take it back to the 1960s if you want. There is no suggestion music has completely lost its edge and become too serious. The fact so many artists have come along means it is harder filtering those big tunes and bubbling tracks – maybe we have plenty out there being obscured by everything else. My point is, besides being a bit nostalgic, is for new artists to remember why certain artists/songs have survived this long. We are more likely to remember and connect with songs that have urgency, hooks and uplifted spirits. I do not mind looking back for that release and relief – I would like to stay in the current time and get that fulfilment from the modern breed. I am a huge fan of what is happening now but once in a while, more often than I hear now, I’d love to discover a song/band that…

GETS every part of my involved and engaged.

FEATURE: Don’t Blame Canada: How Musicians from the Great White North Are Changing the Game

FEATURE:

 

Don’t Blame Canada

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

How Musicians from the Great White North Are Changing the Game

_________

MANY people assume I am a Canadian journalist…

IN THIS PHOTO: A shot of Vancouver

because so many of my interviews focus on artists from there. I have been doing this gig for over six years and, over the past few months, I have noticed an influx of requests coming from Canada. I am not sure why so many Canadian artists flock my way. I am aware I am on the radar of popular Canadian P.R. sites and record labels – things shared by one artist is then seen by another; that leads to a chain of requests. The national stereotype seems to hold true: they are awfully nice people. It would be too long naming all the Canadian artists worth recommending – and my memory is pretty lousy! – but there is a general vibe that is very pleasing. I have reviewed a lot of artists who are taking music back to its roots. There are artists everywhere who record and release their material to cassette. We see fewer and fewer tape-released material at this time. Here, it is seen as retro and nostalgic: in Canada, it is part of many artists’ process. I have seen bands that put out a double-cassette release: one song on each side of the tape. Once or twice; I have seen bands collaborate on a double-release – where they would take lead on one song each and backing on the other. Emails and requests I get from artists are friendly, warm and informative.

There is less work involved when it comes to Canadian acts. They produce great photos and the information I need; they get their answers back in a timely manner – always producing full and interesting responses. That might sound like general administration stuff and genial insignificance: to me, it is a great reason to feature an artist and follow like-minded sorts. I find, with Canadian artists, they have a more ambitious approach and direction. Maybe it is their political landscape – more secure and settled than the U.S. and U.K. – or a natural way of life. There are loads of great artists coming from Canada but, to me, Ontario is providing the best music. So much of my time is spent looking at musicians from Toronto. It is a big city, yes, but I wonder how so many great artists from a place that isn’t the size of a small planet. I have noticed great music from Vancouver and Quebec but this is true: there is something extra-special about Ontario. You have Vancouver in B.C. and Toronto to the south of Ontario; there’s Red Deer in Alberta and Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. It is interesting seeing all the different music coming from various areas. I have mentioned Ontario but there are so many productive areas of the nation. What I find is, unlike some smaller nations, there is not a reliance on one genre.

IN THIS PHOTO: BadBadNotGood/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Here in the U.K., we have musicians representing everything music has to offer. To me, Canada is more reliable right across the board. The nation is flying when it comes to Alternative and Indie; they produce fantastic Pop artists and some incredible Soul. Maybe they are not as prolific when it comes to Rap and Urban avenues – perhaps the U.S. does that better. Established Toronto bands like Broken Social Scene, Weaves and Alvvays are putting the nation on the map; same goes for city-mates Crystal Castles and BadBadNotGood. We all, whether we know it or not, listen to new Canadian artists. I will bring in another article soon – and conclude with my thoughts – but, to me, the best of Canada always has one part of their mind in the past. They appreciate physical formats and are keen to see them continue; they have that passion for older technologies and fuse it with the modern and new. I know other nations love where music has come from: few have the same fondness and intensity as Canada. Published last year; a great article explored Canadian record labels and how music got made:

“The making of a Canadian music star is no small feat – beyond talent and luck, there are multiple organizations, players and stakeholders. In this unstable mix of fans and audiences, live music venues, multinational music corporations, local radio stations and key taste-making DJs on both the club and radio circuits, there are innumerable variables”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Union Station, Toronto

There is great success and profitability in Canada right now. The music landscape is bustling but, compared to wealthier, more popular nations; I wonder whether they are being overlooked. We know most people look at U.S. and U.K.-made music. We have big labels here; the U.S. has the most commercial and wealthy acts. Although there is incredible music all around Canada, I wonder whether we are doing enough to promote it. Maybe I should put out a list of the best Canadian acts. Look at my blog and scan through the interviews there. You will see a whole host of Canadian artists who have huge strengths and compelling stories. We all know about the strong American and British stars – huge acts like Drake and The Weeknd are scoring massively on streaming sites. Another part of the article highlights some concerns and ironies:

“The paradox in Canadian music is that we have so many superstars and very few developmental channels to build future superstars. We cannot expect to continue to have globally relevant Canadian pop stars without examining (or creating) the mechanisms needed to sustain pop chart ascension. In the music industry, technological disruption came early, and solutions such as streaming and 360 record deals – in which labels take a cut of an artist's other money-making activities, such as touring – have temporarily plugged the hemorrhaging of profits. Superstars such as Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, the Weeknd and Drake keep Canada in the global spotlight, even if we haven't perfected a star-making formula”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Alessia Cara/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I know there are so many wonderful Canadian musicians working hard and trying to get their stuff out there. The native followers are supportive and kind: Canada needs the support of the wider world and those bigger musical nations. The final point I will bring in from the article looks at music venues in Toronto and dangers facing some of its artists:

“Two panels focused on some of Toronto's local infrastructure promise to be informative and important to the evolution of the city's music strategy. With the threat earlier this year of disappearing live music venues across Toronto, there is much to discuss, especially with the city's condo-filled skyline affecting the affordability of those venues. And cultural spaces such as the former site of the 416 Graffiti Expo, at Queen and Portland Streets, are the reasons why local hip-hop artists of two generations ago could imagine Toronto as a hip-hop city, a place to affectionately name and represent as the T-dot-O-dot in the mid-1990s”.

It seems the same issues facing Britain’s music scene afflicts Canada. Despite the warnings and the musical snow; Canadian artists are fighting and, free from the pressures of international eyes and expectation; they are providing more original and special music. I have mentioned the cassettes and hardware artists record to. Platforms such as BandCamp are more popular in Canada than anywhere else. It is interesting discovering new Canadian music because, with every offering, I learn something I did not know before.

Going forward; I feel Canada, alongside the U.S. and U.K., should be part of your regular rotation. Nations like Sweden, Australia and Germany are housing terrific musicians and burgeoning scenes. I feel Canada mixes the best aspects of British and American music – diverse and genre-spanning; able to mix commercial and unique – and has its own dynamic. The warm and fascinating personalities of the musicians, added to the work mentality and inventiveness of their releases, stands Canada out. It is a nation that deserves more funding and attention. From recent inclusions such as Mute Choir and old favourites like Emily Mac – there is something for everyone. I cannot fit all the great Canadian music onto a single playlist. I am not surprised so many Canadian artists come my way: I am less surprised I am hooked by the country and what is coming from there. I know there are so many Canadian artists who want to perform over here. It can be hard enough getting dates in the U.K. – a lack of finance and the country preferring its own artists – so we need to find a way of putting more Canadian artists into the fore. It is a growing and amazing nation that does not get the same credit and exposure as America – despite the fact there is a richer scene and friendlier, more engaged artists. One of my hopes is the world opens its eyes and realises what fantastic sounds are coming…

IN THIS PHOTO: A shot of Chilliwack, British Columbia

FROM Canada.

FEATURE: Kindle 33 1/3: Do Modern Lyricists Possess a Poetic, Literary Edge?

FEATURE:

 

Kindle 33 1/3

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

Do Modern Lyricists Possess a Poetic, Literary Edge?

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A few sites are spending this weekend…

looking at lyricists from all sides of the track. I have been checking out Pitchfork and a feature they ran regarding Hip-Hop scribblers from the past. The piece charts the development of Hip-Hop from the early-1990s through to the present time. It included Lauryn Hill and Tupac, through to De La Soul. Another feature, on BBC, looks at underrated lyricists and those who do not get the credit they deserve. I guess, if we all had to name the best lyricists of all time; we look at obvious names: Bob Dylan, Lennon and McCartney; Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. They are great writers but, when I think of them; they are populist and well-known. I have huge admiration for all the writers but, when I think of music that goes beyond the established and celebrated – who are those pioneers that have helped shift music forward and added their own spin? Pitchfork looked at artists like De La Soul and the watch they mirrored the (New York) streets in the 1980s – and before then. The band amazed critics with the album, 3 Feet High and Rising. That 1989 breakthrough was released around the time Beastie Boys changed Rap/Hip-Hop with Paul’s Boutique. Both records created unique environments and took storytelling in new directions. Humour, confidence and depth were brought into genres that were relatively fresh and unexpanded.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

De La Soul mixed humour and skits alongside flower-power Hip-Hop motions; vivid and colourful compositions with some of the finest production notes of the decade. Beastie Boys displayed their sizzling, street-poetic lyrics to the fore: an explosion of full-on, hardcore rhymes and dazzling skills. Look at the Pitchfork article - and they give you a better guide and look into the Hip-Hop scene. Break away from what was happening in the U.S. and here, in the U.K., we were spawning incredible writers breaking the mould and adding something fresh to music. I have admiration for heavyweight writers like John Lennon and Paul McCartney: to me, northern penmanship from Mark E. Smith and Paul Heaton stood out more. Smith’s writing for The Fall brought a slice of real life and the peculiar into a (comparatively) samey scene. The recently-departed icon consistently ripped up the rule-book and brought a stunning, spiked voice to the world. The way Smith played with phrases and elevated the average really was not the expected normal. No other writer has managed to match the scope and intelligence of The Fall’s leader. Paul Heaton, of The Beautiful South, had his own approach: another intellectual and humourous writer who strayed from mainstream tropes and delivery biting, sardonic quips and standout couplets. One listens to songs like Song for Whoever and A Little Time and you can hear a man, not only write about real life and things other writers were avoiding – he wrote great lines for women and, in A Little Time, broke from the conventional and created a brilliant two-hander.

Fall songs like Totally Wired and Mr. Pharmacist still sound bizarre and from another planet – over thirty years after their release. I can rattle off other artists but, looking back, I notice a definite shift and transformation. Those great, poetic Hip-Hop writers have gone: in their place are more commercial and ‘safe’ writers. Eminem is, perhaps, the last great Hip-Hop writer who took risks and blew minds. Modern artists like Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, alongside newcomers SZA and Princess Nokia, are the last of a dying breed. There has always been a culture of bragging and excess in Rap and Hip-Hop: there is still a lot of it happening but very few artists who take their minds away and pen decades-lasting lines. Maybe music is too full-on and digital: I have not heard a song, for years, that stays in my mind when it comes to lyrics – that goes for most genres. Other areas of music, such as Pop and Rock, are producing fewer geniuses and pioneers. We have sharp writers at the current time: from Courtney Barnett and Field Music’s Brewis Brothers; Janelle Monáe and Laura Marling to Arctic Monkeys. That last name, ironically, has inspired a new breed of Rock and Alternative bands. One cannot think of Arctic Monkeys and not be drawn to the pen of Alex Turner.

IN THIS PHOTO: Princess Nokia/PHOTO CREDIT: Roger Kisby

The Yorkshire scribe encapsulated the desires of frustrated commuters, lovers and dreamers with his wit-filled, super-smart songs. From Fake Tales of San Francisco and A Certain Romance to Cornerstone and Piledriver Waltz – so many incredible, evocative songs. I think a lot of great modern writers are being overlooked because lyrics are not at the forefront of people’s minds: maybe lyrics have never been demanded and desired. People, now, prefer something catchy, easy and urgent: the patience to sit down and study a song is not really there, is it?! I know there are a lot of great writers in modern music; most genres sport leaders who are breaking out and showing what is possible. I think there is a noticeable shift from the poetic and socially-angled to introverted and diary-entry. Pop has seen the biggest turnaround in terms of thematic styles and tastes: moving from commercial, love-filled/themed songs to a more personal account. Hip-Hop and Rap have some sharp masters/mistresses; Rock and Punk bands are spotlighting modern-day ills and the struggle of the masses – looking out at the political world and how it impinges on all of us. I love modern music and think we have a really strong set of artists in our midst. I am lyrics-minded and pine to discover those underrated heroes and heroines.

I feel the market places less importance on what comes from the pens/laptops of modern writers. There is that desire to embrace huge sounds and strange concoctions: how often do critics and listeners highlight a great set of words as opposed a banging tune or fantastic vocal turn? Maybe artists are turning in on themselves and writing something more heartfelt, if gloomy. Whilst I argue there is a simplicity and less edgy/evocative scene right now; that does not mean we lack brilliant writers and impassioned minds. It is still a case of the underrated vs. the commercial. The fact people like the BBC have been polling people – regarding underrated writers – is a push against the ‘obvious’ writers who we all know and love. The biggest and most-famed writers in modern music, I feel, do not go as deep as some of the newcomers emerging. I look for writers who, either through personal confession or imaginative flurry, take the listener somewhere different and safe. I long for the literary-minded writers who challenged the sheep and does something truly special. From De La Soul and Arctic Monkeys to modern acts like Princess Nokia; I wonder how many artists follow their lead instead of fitting into preconceived, ‘accepted’ moulds. Perhaps music holds little patience for those who dig deep and pen story-like songs; observe modern life with unique bent and rare shades.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Tempest/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The fact artists like De La Soul and Beastie Boys pushed Hip-Hop to the masses is the fact they stayed true to who they were – rather than succumb to the needs of the charts/hit-makers. I shall leave this piece by throwing it open and asking people whether, they feel, lyrics have changed and songwriters are being noted for their compositions and sense of familiarity – rather than original thought and spellbinding scope. I have mentioned a lot of male writers: there are so many great female songwriters, from Sigrid and Kate Tempest to Billie Marten and Cardi B who are adding their own stamp on the industry. I am a poet at heart and have that affiliation with words. I love discovering a song that brims with literary desire and possesses poetic flair, fresh narrative and dream-like entrance. Perhaps technology has influenced music in a way that has pushed lyrics to the background. Maybe there are lots of future-legends who are being overlooked in favour of the more sprite, catchy and familiar. Whatever your opinions; it is a good reason to think of the great lyricists who never gained the credit they warranted. Those huddled and always-inspired artists did not care about cool and following the pack: they were in music to present something far more meaningful and inspiring than cliché and routine. Whilst they did not acquire the same wealth and popularity as their bigger brothers/sisters they did, in their own, special way…

BRING something magical to music!

FEATURE: Human Sushi: Is Music a Safer Industry Than Past Decades?

FEATURE:

 

Human Sushi

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

Is Music a Safer Industry Than Past Decades?

_________

TOMORROW will see me…

look at, among other things, female-made music from years gone by – and the comparative lack of spritzing, energised anthems today – and why, I feel, Canadian artists should be watched closely (for good reasons). I was struck by a piece in The Guardian that looked at the notion of a ‘Rock groupie’ and whether they exist anymore. I really hope not: there is a part of me that feels, somewhere, the practice is still happening. The notion of the group-stalking groupie is something that has been romanticised and played down to an extent. From Rock legends like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones to, well…pretty much any big male artist of the past God-knows-how-many-decades – it seems, so long as nobody was getting hurt, it was all part of the music business. That vision of ingénue, naive female females finding their way into their idol’s bed – or something less comfortable – drew many into music. The vision is the female being ‘dominated’ or seduced by the male: there are few incidents, one hears, of male fans as groupies to female artists. Maybe that has happened in the past: I could not possibly imagine that happening in today’s climate. One of the interesting points the article raised was whether record contracts had a stipulation regards sexual misconduct and interaction with fans. Morals were very loose and unpoliced back in the 1960s and 1970s.

IN THIS PHOTO: Led Zeppelin in the early-1970s/PHOTO CREDIT: Rex

At a time where there was a certain lack of outcry and vigilance regarding sexual assault and abuse; bands and groupies came together frequently and naturally. One can imagine there were sworded and unwanted encounters – how long before these come to light? I always associate the groupie with the big bands of the charts, normally Rock groups. Movements like #MeToo have brought the issue of sexual abuse to the forefront – is it still happening and occurring away from the mainstream? Bands like Moose Blood and Brand New have been accused of inappropriateness and sexual misconduct; Ben Hopkins, of the New York duo PWR BTTM, has been in the news – another artist shamed and disgraced. That notion of being an inspiration and guidance has always been flawed. Fans assume, if they are bedded by their favourite musicians, they, in turn, will compel their next song. I am not sure where that notion stemmed from but it is rather troubling. I have not heard any songs about great groupies and how they changed lives. Maybe one should not wag the finger at Rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses – or any other major act who had to fight women/girls from their dressing room after every gig. Thinking about male bands and female fans together sours the musical experience. I think of it like human sushi: a conveyor belt of objects being inspected and tasted; moved onto the next person and dispensed at the end – raw, hip and casual.

IN THIS PHOTO: PWR BTTM (dropped from their label following allegations made against their lead singer, Ben Hopkins)/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Seung Lee

Even if that girl wanted the encounter to happen; she would have been tossed aside and forgotten about when the ecstasy and drugs wore off – and the soberness of the new day meant a fresh conquest for the band. Maybe there are band members who have entered relationships with groupies. That idea of male musicians taking advantage and getting their rocks off feeds into that vision of the Rockstar and what it is all about. That still happens today: it is all booze, drugs and sex. No matter whether both parties consent and want things to happen; you look back and wonder whether greater policing should have happened? There would be an outcry if, say, IDLES and Royal Blood publicised their sexual encounters with fans. If they took the approach of older bands and what happened in decades past; the media would string them up and their contracts would be terminated. Even though that headiness and sexual excess is not promoted and part of the musician’s rider; there are cases where artists are taking advantage and hoping they’ll get away with things. It does seem to be an entirely male issue: I cannot imagine why a female musician having sex with a fan after a gig. Maybe that did happen, now and then, in the past – can you think of a modern female musician who courts groupies and preys on fans?! Katy Perry, rather ludicrously, was in the news for kissing a male contestant on a reality T.V. show...

IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry/PHOTO CREDIT: Rony Alwin

She was meant to kiss him on the cheek: the fact she turned his face and planted one on the lips led some papers and sources to cry out and label her a pest and disgrace. The name of the young man escapes me – I could look it up but I am comfy here – but Perry’s kiss was his very first. I can imagine he was taken aback but it is hard to imagine why he would be shocked and offended. If a male artist kissed a female contestant; that would get headlines and be wrong. If that were me, I would be flattered. Being kissed by Katy Perry is not something to turn down or get upset about – it was meant as a kind gesture and compassionate moment (having her as your first kiss is a pretty big brag). She is not out to seduce young men and use her celebrity to bed vulnerable fans. Whilst, on paper, it might seem like a contradiction and ironic statement; one cannot put Perry in the same camp as a male musician who gropes fans and abuses them – their intentions are nefarious and they are trying to get their end away. Incidents like the one involving Perry are harmless and minor: band members and solo artists assaulting their fans/other women is incredibly serious. I think things are changing and improvements are coming through: there are still cases of male artists being accused and exposed.

IN THIS PHOTO: Moose Blood/PHOTO CREDIT: Press

In the case of Moose Blood; they have been accused of exploiting fans and preying on young women – using their stature and clout to get their way and do whatever they please. We are hearing of cases and women speaking out against their abusers. I wonder how many cases are still unsolved and collecting dust; fear of being doubted means many women are not coming forward. Looking at that Guardian article got me thinking about the way music has evolved and how we have seen a diminishment of the groupie. There are cases of women and men wilfully exposing their bodies and getting close to artists. They want that thrill and the brag: being able to get a musician to touch them or get them into bed. Back in the 1970s; artists like David Bowie and Jimmy Page had sex with fans who were underage. We all celebrate these artists but forget, actually, they have committed sexual offences as part of their everyday lives. Maybe they were unaware of the true age of their conquest: one suspects they knew and, as there was consent from the female (or not), then that was okay. If people were not looking and the girl did not come forward; what is the harm in giving her what she wants?! That icky and flagrant disregard for morals and law has subsided in the present time. I am hearing women speak out against artists who have misread a situation or taking an innocent request as fuel for abuse and sexual explicitness.

The rise in technology and social media has a mixed sense of blessing. We can ostracise and villainise an accused a lot quicker and more effectively. Labels, venues and fellow artists can be tagged and included in the discussion – meaning that artist/band are brought to task and gigs removed (or contracts severed). The fact there are so many Smartphones out there means male artists are photographing women without their consent or sharing private snaps. They are videoing their incongruous motions and sharing them with mates. Some women have asked to be on a guest-list – not in a pushy way; a calm and reasoned request – and a musician has, instead, used that to initiate a sexual encounter – leverage and privacy whilst he/they let their hands and penises wander. Whilst there is not the same level of debauched sexuality behind the scenes of music: we are seeing it happen in seedy corners and, one assumes, unaware of the ramifications and seriousness. One could argue there is was a naivety, back then, regarding female fans. They had false hopes and thought they’d get a boyfriend out of it - a famous musician who could take them around the world and give them wealth. It would be odd to think, say, a fan of Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift would wait after a gig and have that same dream: get them into bed and hope they are their ‘muse’.

If anything; the business of sexual misadventure and lacking consent has moved from the mainstream – when that sex-drugs-and-rock mantra was something to aspire to – to the underground. The artists being accused right now are not your big names and celebrated bands – like Queens of the Stone Age, Shame and IDLES, for instance. I may be naïve myself but I HOPE none of these acts has, for a minute, have given into weakness: I think about bands like The Rolling Stones, Mötley Crüe and know that rotation of orgies, drug-taking and molestation was all part of the lifestyle. Things are cleaner and less vile than they were back in those times. It is odd how movements like #MeToo have made us revaluate that viewpoint. How many of us, until recently, looked at Rock artists, back then, as laddish heroes who had girls/women lined up to pleasure them; living the dream and embracing that hedonistic pleasure?! I, myself, have looked at those classic bands and wondered how easy their lives were. They had everything on a plate and did not have to worry about any ramifications or questioning. That is what I was taught growing up: the biggest and best bands lived music and sex all the time; post-gig rituals included signing girls’ breasts and getting a few of them into the tour bus.

I am not suggesting there can ever be a purification of music: the fact the last of the demeaning and idiotic abusers need to be outlawed and banned is urgent and vital. In some ways, we are a more united and proactive society than the 1960s and 1970s. Social media means millions can share their stories and bring musicians to task. We can all get involved and ensure those culpable do not get away with things. There is still that issue of doubt and credibility – some women do not think their truth will be believed and given credit – but we are seeing action and change happening. Given what has happened in Hollywood lately: can the music industry afford to sit back and assume there is nothing to worry about?! There are enough issues in music without having to deal with a barrage of sexual abuse claims. Musicians, now, need to be aware actions like that will not be tolerated. Even if a fan wants to have sex and expose themselves – it should be down to the artist to rebuke that and not take advantage. It might have been desirable and promoted decades go: in an age where gender equality is on everyone’s radar; music needs to clean up and learn from mistakes of the past. Cases are coming to light of musicians abusing fans and assuming they could act the same way as their forefathers did: getting their rocks off with fans and doing whatever they want to. The music industry is much safer and less salacious than it was back in the 1960s. There is not the same rampant groupie culture; there are far fewer cases of big stars having their way with young fans – many of them below the age of consent. Doing the minimum is not acceptable: any musicians found wandering off the path of morality need to have more than their knuckles rapped. We need to make sure music is an open environment and does not create fear; musicians do not abuse their powers and infractions are dealt with in an expeditious and effective manner. In essence; we need to ensure music is a…

SAFE space for everyone.

FEATURE: Live Music! A Homonym We Should Take to Heart

FEATURE:

 

Live Music!

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

A Homonym We Should Take to Heart

_________

A recent Facebook post from a talented musician…

raised questions as to whether live music is still a divisive issue. Later today; I will look at sexualisation and a side of music we, luckily, are seeing less of. The post in question came about when an older – or middle-aged – gentlemen turned his nose up at the mere suggestion of paying a tenner to see a great duo play. The insinuation was, I assume, he should be getting it for free – why would he bother shelling out all that money for something he could see on the Internet?! The trouble is this: live performances are part of an artist’s life and, as they are giving you something quality and passionate; you should pay for the pleasure. Fortunately, the duo in question killed the gig and silenced the nagging and obnoxious dubious. (I am not surprised hearing people balk against paying for music). We have come to a point in life where everyone expects something for nothing. I am of the opposite assumption: there should be a cost involved with every piece of music we listen to. That might seem harsh but, considering musicians work hard and have little money to show for it – isn’t it only right we compensate them for their time?! Those who feel live music should be a costless right need to realise the realities of music...

Paying ten quid to see a duo tear up the place and playing a blinding set is hardly anything! People pay six or seven times that to see a bigger act somewhere less atmospheric and connected than a small venue. Those artists can command big prices: why can smaller artists not get something for playing?! I understand there is a small group who object to paying for any form of music – feeling that, if they are in a pub/venue and want an enjoyable evening; why do they have to pay anything?! Live music is a lifestyle for many. It is a tribal call and a way of being with like-minded people. We all work hard and it can be exhausting even contemplating seeing an artist play. Music is available online and so, for many, that is the way they digest it. Going out involves time and transport; paying for food/drink and getting home quite late. The same reality is true of musicians. They have to pay for fuel and get to gigs; they have to eat and often struggle to turn a profit when they play. Many are playing for free so they can get exposure and a chance to get their music heard. A recent Guardian article highlighted the problem:

“The UK’s first live music census has found that a third of Britain’s small venues outside of London are fighting to survive in the face of high business rates and noise restrictions.

Of almost 200 small music venues (with a capacity of up to 350 people) surveyed, 33% reported that increases in business rates had an “extreme, strong or moderate” impact on their existence in the past 12 months. One medium-sized venue (351 – 650 capacity) reported their rateable value quadrupling from £17,500 to £72,000.

Some 29% of small venues, and 27% of all venues, reported experiencing problems with property development around their premises, which can provoke complaints from nearby residents. In response, the researchers recommended that the government continue to develop at a national level a legally binding “agent of change” principle, which would put the onus on developers to soundproof new-build properties, rather than placing restrictions on existing venues. Last month, ministers including housing secretary Sajid Javid committed to strengthening planning rules to protect grassroots venues…

The report also highlighted the difficulty of making a living as a musician in Britain: 68% said stagnating pay made it difficult to earn a viable income, with the figure rising to 80% for those identifying as professional musicians; 66% reported working unpaid for “exposure” that they believe had no positive effect on their career”.

Not only are musicians struggling to get paid: smaller venues, outside of London, are closing and discovering it hard to remain open. It is shocking seeing those figures and what they represent! I am sad to see the decline in venues and how factors – such as noise and lack of funding – means more and more doors are closing. Whilst there is little we can do to stem the flow of closures; I wonder why anyone would object to paying to see live music of any form. Few people are that hard up: most of us can stump up a few quid now and then to support musicians.

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

As I said earlier...live music is something we live and grow up on. Those who are serious about their sounds will go around the country/world and pay any money to see their favourite new acts. There is a huge discrepancy between underground artists trying to make a living and those established and famous. A couple of years ago; an article came out that highlighted how much we are paying to see big artists:

“For Beyoncé’s Formation tour, it was in excess of £100. For Björk's recently announced Royal Albert Hall show in London, it's £99. At Radiohead’s three night run at north London’s Roundhouse, it was £70. As fans continue to count – and question – the cost of top level tickets to see their favourite artists live, it begs the question: are gigs getting too expensive?

“I think it’s fair to say inflation for ticket prices has been running above that of other things, especially other sectors of the industry,” says Mark Sutherland, editor of industry magazine Music Week. Statistics bear that out: between 1982 and 2012 the average cost of a gig ticket increased by 400 per cent, and according to Statista the worldwide average cost of a concert ticket now stands at $78.77 (£59.94)”.

Another article, a year later, showed how much money is being brought in because of live music:

“More people than ever are flocking to watch live music, with attendance at concerts and festivals at an all-time high.

A new report found that there has been a 12% rise in audiences at live music events over the past 12 months, bringing £4bn in to the UK economy and providing a welcome boost for the music industry.

UK Music’s study, Wish You Were Here, found that audience numbers had hit 30.9 million, up from 27.7 million in 2015, with 4 million people attending the ever-growing number of British music festivals in 2016. It is further evidence that the live sector is one of the most vibrant and profitable parts of the music industry, and it is through ticket sales and merchandise that most musicians generate the majority of their revenue.

The research found that people were increasingly willing to travel from other parts of the UK, and even from abroad, to attend live music events. Music tourism rose by 20% in 2016, and almost 1 million people travelled to the UK from abroad specifically to attend concerts and festivals, spending an average of £850”.

It is clear there is an appetite for live music and going to festivals/venues! I wonder whether most people prefer to attend festivals – so they get to see more artists and enjoy the benefits of great sites and the (hopefully) good weather?

If it is a once/twice-a-year thing; the relative cost spreads out and is easier to manage. The past few months have shone a light on the split between smaller venues and bigger artists/festivals. We pay steep prices for bigger gigs because the artist has a larger set and more ambitious backdrop. I have paid a rich sum to see Queens of the Stone Age but I know, when I booked, they would have a lot of musicians on stage with them – and commanded those fees because, well…they could. There are articles advising how one can start their own music venue. It is easy to get the wheels turning – but how easy is it to keep them turning years from now?! There is never going to be an end to live music and venues: we will always get a fix and be able to see someone play somewhere. We all know the cracks are forming in the spine of live music right now. Until a remedy is formulated; those who have a justifiable reason to charge punters should be paid without grumbling and people questioning their motives. Too many are playing for little/no money and, when other costs are extracted, they are left with very little. The fact so many streaming sites offer music for nothing makes it even harder to turn music into a viable career.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Rews

I do not earn a lot – below the natural average, for sure – and have to make allowances and cuts here and there. My bank balance is in the black but I am still struggling to save a lot. The duo I was alluding to earlier is Rews. They have commanded air-time on BBC Radio 1 and played, among other festivals, Glastonbury. The pairing of Collette Williams and Shauna Tohill are being talked-up in impassioned tones. The duo is tipped to go all the way and make it in the business. Each new single brings buzz and electricity; it gets onto the radio and it shows they grow stronger with every movement. They are the archetype that highlights the issue: a great act who will make it big, starting their careers and trying to get their music out there. Even though they are making a little bit from online streaming/merchandise: there is not a lot of money coming in the Rews camp. They will continue to make music and tour, regardless of a few ignorant people and obstacles. The fact of the matter is, they shouldn’t have to! If we do not support new artists and smaller gigs; they will not get to the mainstream and play larger gigs – threatening the rigidity and lifespan of live music. The only reason we have big stars playing these awesome gigs is (the fact) they played smaller gigs – and got paid for it whilst they were at it!

It is shelling out money to see artists every week/month. Most of us, who love music, want to see as much as we can – often held back by demanding lives and a lack of energy. The cost has never really been an issue. Most new artists are not charging more than ten or twenty quid to see a full, expansive set. That is cheaper than seeing a film – in most parts of the world; for two people, perhaps – and a lot less expensive than seeing a big star miles away. The value for money one gets is exceptional. So many venues are platforming artists without charging any fee at all – finance is raised by promoters and labels paying the venue; extra food and drink takings add to the coffers. Let’s hope this ‘rough’ period for venues subsides and there is some form of stability and long-term prospect. Like it or not - to the doubters - there is an inherent truth: the only way live music will continue is if there is money to keep venues going. Music cannot exist, full-stop, if artists are unable to get their music out to people. Spotify and YouTube only do no much; radio can only reach a certain audience – live music is where you can see artists close and get a sensation like no other! So, the next time you see an artist advertised with an entry price next to their name…rather than have a hissy-fit and vomit in the toilet – the sheer audacity of a musician charging human beings to hear songs an artist paid money to make in the first place! – get your head out of the bowl, and your arse, and get some perspective! Music does not need those too tight and stupid to complain at everything in the world: it relies on the bloodstream of loyal gig-goers who want to ensure the forum of live music is not something, very soon…

WE will put to bed for good.

FEATURE: The March Playlist: Vol.3: Bridges Plays His Hand; Sigrid Bluffs Raw – Then a Swift Burke and Some Eels Slip in and Take the Pot

FEATURE:

 

The March Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Sigrid

Vol.3: Bridges Plays His Hand; Sigrid Bluffs Raw – Then a Swift Burke and Some Eels Slip in and Take the Pot

_______

THERE is no beating around the bush…

IN THIS PHOTO: Leon Bridges

with this week’s selection of new songs! Not only are there fresh offerings from Pearl Jam, Leon Bridges; Kate Nash, Eels and Alexandra Burke – Sigrid has a new track out! Courtney Barnett, GIRLI; Taylor Swift and Halsey are also out there doing the music world proud – quite a spread and banquet (of) of-the-moment offerings!

It is a big week for big music: titans and promising newcomers rubbing shoulders and providing the eager listeners something essential, compelling and hugely exciting!

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

________

Sigrid – Raw

Pearl Jam – Can’t Deny Me

Leon Bridges - Bet Ain't Worth the Hand

Kate Nash – Life in Pink

Courtney Barnett - Need a Little Time

George Ezra (ft. First Aid Kit) – Saviour

Taylor Swift - Delicate

The Magic Gang – Take Care

Nimmo - Too Late

The Tallest Man on Earth – “An Ocean”: When the Bird Sees the Solid Ground

Frank Turner - Blackout

The Chainsmokers – Everybody Hates Me

Eels – Premonition

PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Maccabee

Emily Burns – Girlfriend at the Time

GIRLI – Play It Cool

Q-Tip and Demi Lovato - Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Sunflower Bean – Human For

Fickle Friends – Bite

Tom Rosenthal – Was It You Who I Saw?

The Vaccines – Surfing in the Sky

Yungen (ft. Jess Glynne) – Mind on It

Banfi – Future

Alexandra Burke – Summer

Halsey (ft. Big Sean, Stefflon Don) - Alone

Dana Vaughns – Underneath

PHOTO CREDIT: Holly Andres

The Decembrists – Cutting Stone

The Fratellis – Told You So

SOHN – Nil

Hayley Kiyoko – Let It Be

Amy Shark – Sink In

Imagine Dragons - Next to Me

Emma Blackery - Dirt

Leif Vollebekk - Into the Ether

Troye Sivan – Strawberries & Cigarettes

Fangclub – All Fall Down

Little Boots and Lauren Flax – Picture

Yazmin Lacey – 90 Degrees

Anna Lunoe – Blaze of Glory

FEATURE: “A Music Journalist Is, Simply, a Failed Musician…Right?!” Confessions of a Content Writer

FEATURE:

 

“A Music Journalist Is, Simply, a Failed Musician…Right?!”

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Confessions of a Conten Writer

_________

ONE assumes those who spend their professional time…

slagging off other artists are failed musicians who never fulfilled their dreams. Many, bitter people, fail to distinguish between those who fall into those categories and those who have a genuine desire to succeed in a particular field. It all harks back to that maxim/saying: “Those who can’t, teach”. It is an idiom, actually, and it is a truncated version of a phrase from George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman. I know a lot of music teachers and singing coaches who get that accusation. Many assume they have taken that job because their aims of being a professional singer burned out. In fact; the most-common occurrence of that flawed assumption is aimed at music critics. If Mr./Mrs. So-and-So gives an album a two-star review and pours scorn on its ideology – there is that pack mentality to attack and disparage those who dare degrade a terrific musician! They have it in their heads she/he wanted to be a musician but couldn’t quite hack it: they fell into writing and can be all smarmy hiding behind their keyboards! As I type this; I am listening to Oasis’ Be Here Now – and the track, D’You Know What I Mean? That is a classic case of fans heaping negativity on reviewers who dared to snub the third album from the Manchester icons. At the time, the album was received with pomp and celebration, mind. It was Oasis during their heyday and many assumed, before they even heard the record, it would be a masterclass – as their previous two albums were...

IN THIS PHOTO: The cover of Oasis' album, Be Here Now/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Many reviews, through fear or without listening to the album, give it big reviews and threw hyperbole and superlatives at every song. Crowds queued around the blocks to pick up the record – a time, in 1997, when we flocked to record shops, hot in anticipation and fever! The album had some boss tunes – the aforementioned opener, Stand By Me and All Around the World do the job! – but it was re-reviewed in retrospect. It was/is too cocaine-laden and confident: a collection of over-long boasts from boys full of braggadocio and ego – not as honed and appealing as an album like Definitely Maybe. The first two records from Oasis were full of anthems and urged people to get together and celebrate life: their third record was crammed with chest-pumping songs that had little substance and inspiration. I saw a few reviewers criticise the band’s motives and, as you’d expect, people went for the throat. It seems to be the same in the modern day: if a critic expresses their opinions, they are open to judgement and offensive spit. There are some critics, granted, who are cloth-eared c*nts. They will not be named but, when genuine excellence is presented to them; they scowl their faces as if they had been offered a night of sex with Piers Morgan!

Most music journalists get into the profession through music – many of them have been in bands and had their time in the sun. I am sure there are some, like me, who are jealous of those who get on the stage and feel the adulation from sweaty and delirious audiences – feeling that love spread through their bones; the confidence and sense of validation they get cannot be easily quantified. Music, in general, is a tough profession and one cannot say why people do what they do. I am sure there are some writers who are a bit regretful they never had the chance to be in big bands or own the stage. The response to that is not to go into journalism and jab at every artist out there. For me; music journalism was a way of filling a hole. I started songwriting at sixteen and could never get it together in that sense. I still have a bit of stage fright and do not have the confidence to get into a studio and belt a tune out. I know my limitations and are not repressing rage through the medium of sarcastic one-star reviews. I would love to get into music and record – maybe down the line someday... – but it would be in the form of an Electronic/samples album…something that didn’t need me to sing or tour.

I feel like I have taken a shot at music and have no lasting regrets. Journalism is my chance to get involved with the music world and have my say – even if it is a bit back-seat and passive. I love discovering new acts and keeping busy. I can be a little less angered because my role involves being positive and reviewing great music. I write reviews for Too Many Blogs and have had to dish out one or two less-than-polite reviews. For the most part; I am free to choose my workload and, if I criticise an act, it is always constructive. I am never full-on-mean or hold any form of spite. I am seeing a lot of colleagues – professional and unpaid alike – who are still exposed to the social media-driven scapegoating. They (critics) are accused of being failed musicians and not knowing what they’re talking about. It makes me wonder whether people value the minds and words of music journalisms, We are seeing a dwindling sphere of printed journalism and a lot of websites come up – they vary in quality and relevance. At a time when albums are readier and more available than ever; can we truly say critics and journalists are a spent force?! It is good to browse and make our own minds up but I am always keen to do research before buying an album.

I may not agree with the evaluation (of the journalist) but it is good to have differing opinions and see if there is a consensus. I am not bothered by any accusation of sour grapes and failed career plans. If anything, this is true: music journalism is less stressful and more fulfilling than recording music. I do not have to worry about raising money to fund my career – although, being unpaid is a little annoying – and have the luxury of turning down requests. I can take days off (but never do) and am not exposed to the worst anxieties and pressures of music. Instead, I get to interact with musicians around the world and have greater freedom and range. My life consists of sitting at a laptop which denies me the chance to get out into the open and connect with people: at the same time, I am not trudging up the country and spending a lot of time on the road. On balance, I feel I have the best of both worlds. I get to go to gigs and hear the best new music around. The real reward is helping a new artist see their music reach new artists and get exposure. Some of my proudest moments come when I review/interview an act and they are overwhelmed by the words and assessment. That may sound arrogant - but it makes me feel a lot better and drives me forward. One cannot underestimate the pleasure you get when interacting with a musician.

Keeping active by promoting brilliant artists is one of the best decisions I have made – even if there are downsides. The constant screen-time can foster fatigue and isolation but I make sure I balance out the work with some time outside. Having done this for over six years; I am in a position where I am looking to build my blog and take it in new directions. Music journalism is, unfortunately, an endangered beast and requires conservation, funding and compassion. We need all the good and ambitious writers we can get right now! I can understand those who hold a certain cynicism for journalists who criticise everything and seem to doubt everything that comes from the music world – there is no real reason being a journalist if you approach everything with negativity and anger. I did not get into journalism to piss on musicians and rally against those who are doing what I cannot. Most journalists are in the game for the right reasons: they want to add their voice and do something genuinely good. We are at a time where there are divisions and debates forming. Rather than questions journalists for being tough on certain acts; we need to urge focus when it comes to tackling the issues in the industry – everything from sexism and mental-health issues to racial disparity and the security of live venues. Music is a community and we all need to be supportive of one another. Music journalism is something we should be encouraging young writers to go into; emphasising the good points and how much good it can do. I am, hopefully, proof you can help others and help a lot of good artists out. Those who claim music journalists are failed musicians – and filled with bitterness and regret – need to turn that negativi energy and realise people like me are here, not because our music careers have flamed out, but because this is the only…

THING we want to do!

FEATURE: What ‘Sophomore Slump’?! Second Albums That Amazed the Critics

FEATURE:

 

What ‘Sophomore Slump’?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

Second Albums That Amazed the Critics

_________

THERE is an actual phenomenon…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

known as the ‘sophomore slump’. In musical terms; it states those who produce exceptional debuts and get critics hot with that first-time brilliance will slow and disappoint when it comes to the follow-up. Maybe that is a sign of too much pressure and expectation; getting lucky right out the gates – or people building unrealistic visions of the artist. The years have been littered with artists who failed to live up to the brilliance of their debuts...

We had The Stones Roses’ awkward Second Coming. There was The Strokes’ Room on Fire – and the fact it transposed Is This It (their debut) in terms of appropriate critical summary. Guillemots’ Red (2008) was a shadow of 2006’s Through the Windowpane. There are some albums that come along and, either maintain the genius of the debut or goes that one step further: defies all of the odds and show that early flash of brilliance was no fluke!

I have assembled a collection of the best second albums: those that kept the public hooked and, with it, brought in new fans…

ALL ALBUM COVERS:

Getty Images

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Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

Release Date: 25th July, 1989

Label: Capitol

Genres: Alternative; Hip-Hop

Debut: Licenced to Ill (1986)

Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

Release Date: 11th September, 1973

Label: Columbia

Genres: Rock ‘n’ Roll; R&B

Debut: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)

Amy Winehouse – Back to Black

Release Date: 27th October, 2006

Label: Island

Genres: Soul; R&B; Neo-Soul

Debut: Frank (2003)

Radiohead – The Bends

Release Date: 13th March, 1995

Labels: Capitol; Parlophone

Genres: Alternative-Rock; Indie-Rock

Debut: Pablo Honey (1993)

Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model

Release Date: 17th March, 1978

Label: Radar

Genres: New-Wave; Power-Pop

Debut: My Aim Is True (1977)

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II

Release Date: 22nd October, 1969

Label: Atlantic

Genres: Hard-Rock; Blues

Debut: Led Zeppelin (1969)

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Release Date: 28th June, 1988

Labels: Def Jam; Columbia

Genre: Hip-Hop

Debut: Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987)

Kanye West – Late Registration

Release Date: 30th August, 2005

Labels: Roc-A-Fella; Def Jam

Genre: Hip-Hop

Debut: The College Dropout (2004)

Blur – Modern Life Is Rubbish

Release Date: 10th May, 1993

Labels: Food (U.K.); SBK (U.S.)

Genre: Britpop

Debut: Leisure (1991)

Carole King – Tapestry

Release Date: 10th February, 1971

Label: Ode

Genres: Soft-Rock; Pop

Debut: Writer (1970)

Nirvana – Nevermind

Release Date: 24th September, 1991

Label: DSG

Genres: Grunge; Alternative-Rock

Debut: Bleach (1989)

Weezer – Pinkerton

Release Date: 24th September, 1996

Label: DGC

Genres: Alternative-Rock; Power-Pop; Emo

Debut: Weezer (1994)

Adele – 21

Release Date: 24th September, 2011

Labels: XL; Columbia

Genres: Soul; Pop; R&B

Debut: 19 (2008)

Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Release Date: 19th February, 1998

Labels: Merge; Domino

Genres: Indie-Rock; Lo-Fi

Debut: On Avery Island (1996)

Madonna – Like a Virgin

Release Date: 12th November, 1984

Labels: Sire; Warner Bros.

Genre: Dance-Pop

Debut: Madonna (1983)

Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

Release Date: 27th May, 1963

Label: Columbia

Genres: Folk; Blues

Debut: Bob Dylan (1962)

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Release Date: 14th February, 1994

Label: Matador

Genre: Indie-Rock

Debut: Slanted and Enchanted (1992)

FEATURE: 78/52/20/20: How Musicians Can Take Guidance from Psycho’s Famous Shower Scene

FEATURE:

 

78/52/20/20

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

How Musicians Can Take Guidance from Psycho’s Famous Shower Scene

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LAST night…

PHOTO CREDIT: AP

78/52, a documentary that focused on Psycho’s legendary shower scene, was broadcast on British T.V. Alfred Hitchcock’s most-famous film was provided with a forensic autopsy: filmmakers and actors assembled to provide their take and views on the starling centrepiece. From those involved in Psycho directly to those who take huge guidance from Hitchcock’s masterpiece – they were keen to provide an analytic, blow-by-blow account of the scene. The documentary’s title refers to the seventy-eight camera set-ups and fifty-two cut-always that went into the grisly overture. It has been years since I last saw the film and couldn’t remember every detail of the shower scene. It was interesting watching 78/52 and seeing experts examine every angle (literally) and the techniques involved. Janet Leigh entered the bathroom following a desperate detour to the Bates Motel. Greeted – rather chillingly – by Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins); Leigh (playing Marion Crane) checks into her room and decides to take a shower. Beforehand, we look at Bates’ creepy interactions and the chilly emptiness of the motel – mentions to his unseen mother build that sense of discomfort. Everything leads to this biblical, multi-angled crescendo. Crane disrobes and steps into the shower; she turns the water on and then there is an empty space in focus – we wonder why the camera decides to rest there. Apart from the sound of the running water, there is no other sound – Bernard Hermann’s chilling, rapturous score does not strike until the appearance of Bates.

PHOTO CREDIT: AP

The fact we focus on the door is because of what happens next: Bates, dressed as his (dead) mither enters and rips back the curtain. We see Crane’s screaming face in close-up and no real facial details of Bates – instead, there is this mushroom-shaped head and shadow. The sense of terror comes from insinuation and imagination. The blade is seen elevated but it never enters the flesh – there is, actually, one frame where we see the knife penetrate Crane’s stomach. Rather than a sustained, physical attack – producing blood and ripping through flesh – there are flashes of the knife and suggestions…without seeing the knife go into the ill-fated heroine’s body. In 1960; nobody had encountered something as terrifying and awe-inspiring. The scene took seven days to shoot and an immense amount of detail. Hitchcock wanted to get the sound of a knife entering flesh just right. Many melons were tested but only the one had that precise sound. Chocolate syrup as used as blood and, the fact the scene (and film) was shot in black-and-white makes it more frightening. The sight of red blood would have been too gory and would have lacked something. So, then…what does this all have to do with music?! I was watching the documentary and amazed at how revolutionary the scene was in 1960. People were running out of the movie theatres and there was, when it premiered, sustained screams and panic.

IN THIS PHOTO: Alfred Hitchcock/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

A filmmaker like Alfred Hitchcock does not slack when it comes to directing. Psycho’s best-loved scene took endless perpetration and care – the kind rarely seen in films to that point. One could argue that fastidiousness and invention was needed to make the scene perfect. I wonder whether today, in a fast-paced music industry, composers and writers have the time to write music in the same way. Listen to the way Bernard Hermann’s stabbed strings elevate and add to the shower scene – a masterful combination that only heightened the electricity and terror. The last time we saw anyone expend Hitchcock levels of detail and work into a single piece was, perhaps, The Beatles. Listen to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and you can see how much effort was expended. The Beatles slaved to get their sounds right and pushed the studio to the limits. They worked day and night and changed the face of music. Tape was cut and taped together; new instruments were spliced and tape slowed down – single songs took multiple sessions and personnel to realise the visions of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. That album was a revolution back in 1967: the fact there has been nothing like it since raises questions. The modern music scene is packed and inspiring but, to my mind, we have not heard a phantasmagoria and epiphany to rival that Beatles masterpiece.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles/PHOTO CREDIT: Apple Music/Getty Images

There have been genre-defining albums and works that have challenged convention. I cannot think of an album that has incorporated the level of detail and genius as Psycho’s shower scene. Many might feel it an unfair comparison. That scene was very short - and it would be impossible to give that much attention to a full-length record. I am not expecting musicians to pull a Hitchcock and create a masterpiece eleven or twelve times over – maybe a single song would benefit that sort of time and attention. I would like to think, years from now, music experts will be dissecting a song and studying its bones and formation. Even the most detail-orientated and fulsome songs do not have the same degree of detail as a Hitchcock scene. I know film employs visuals (in addition to sound) so directors need to think about every consideration and aspect. Music is not necessarily simpler and less complicated than film. I wonder whether modern artists have the money and time to put something so enticing and complicated together. The Beatles, back in 1967, moved music on as much as Alfred Hitchcock did with film in 1960. Technology has moved on so much: the modern musician has everything at their disposal. It is easy to create symphonies and mix samples; push boundaries and create huge soundscapes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I wonder whether something big could be created – that takes music back to basics but pushes the limits of what we think possible. Maybe it would involve various microphones being draped and treated (different in terms of make and age) and taking a Beatles-like approach to music – slicing tape and slowing down certain section of a track. I am always looking for music that defies convention and compels songwriters, generations from now. That may be a big ask but I wonder whether it is actually possible. If it could be done fifty years ago; surely we have the capacity now to create something wondrous. There are some brilliant songs/albums arising – nothing that really provokes me to pick it apart and discuss it with like-minded peers. Maybe a full-on documentary about a single film scene is a bit excessive: one cannot argue Hitchcock’s finest single moment is undeserving of such passion. Music warrants someone coming along that wants to make a real change and push the industry forward. Even if it was a single song; having a visionary come along and shake the rules up would be a breath of fresh air. It may not come from Pop or Alternative sides of music: perhaps a Classical artist or Folk songwriter will take up the challenge and do something mind-blowing and inexplicable. I cannot be the only one who wants a musician to pen something that makes the listener sweaty and confused – just how can something like this be explained?! The impact Psycho’s shower scene had on unsuspected audiences in 1960 is still being talked about today: in 2018; there is a desire for something as arresting and stratospheric. I know there are artists out there who could create something huge and industry-changing. The interesting will be seeing…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

WHERE this breakthrough comes from.

FEATURE: Memories of NME: Why the Death of the Print Version Is a Tragic Milestone

FEATURE:

 

Memories of NME

ALL IMAGE/PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images/NME 

Why the Death of the Print Version Is a Tragic Milestone

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LAST Friday has been talked about…

by all and sundry in the media. For some sixty-six years; the NME has provided the music-hungry public with its fix of news, reviews and features - Friday saw the final printed magazine arrive. I have seen journalists come out and give their reasons for loving NME. I have been reading Mary Anne Hobbs’ piece for The New York Times - and why the end of NME’s print version is a tragedy. She worked at the magazine and recalled some great times. One experience, interviewing Nirvana and trying to put a piece together to impress her editor, found her retreating to a room and slaving over the interview – transcribing the conversation word-by-word and putting the hours in. Cigarettes were smoked and endless cups of coffee consumed. Hobbs painted a picture of the NME office in the early-1990s: meagre wages and people working every hour possible; crammed into the office, looking for that latest scoop. The setting sounds draconian but, as she explained; it was about the love and passion for music. I have been looking at tweets about NME’s R.I.P. From musicians and D.J.s through to producers and music fans – there have been so many sad and regretful expressions on social media. It is sad to see the printed magazine go out of circulation: the online edition will continue to run, well…for a very long time. Maybe the end of NME’s famed hard copy is a sign of the times: music journalism is online and there are few surviving magazines.

To me, there are childhood memories and good times associated with NME. For me; it came into my life at aged eleven or twelve (around 1995) and the infamous Britpop battle between Oasis and Blur. Seeing the gnarly Gallagher brothers squaring to Damon Albarn and his crew was a giddy delight. This was pre-Internet – well; music websites, anyway – and I would go and buy the magazine at the weekend. It was an essential purchase and, as soon as I was at the newsagents; I would take the magazine to a coffee shop and pour over every page. It was not just the headline news and the cover that fascinated me: every page provided some intriguing and worthy. The magazine was not as advert-heavy back then – it has become more commercial in recent years – and, if there were some, they served a purpose. One could find like-minded people to connect with – those looking for band members – and there were some great stories and titbits. I was always hooked on the reviews: the latest smashes being given a good going-over by the journalists at the time. Writers like Hobbs and Stuart Maconie helped bring the magazine to the masses and add original voices – you could feel their passion and personality coming through on the page. Rather than have a squad of faceless, rank-and-file writers producing anodyne and expressionless words: here, one could discover a haven of sharp minds and driven souls.  

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I have been hard on NME and how it has changed over the years. I feel it has come to the point where it is about advertising and making things as commercial as possible. There are some good articles/interviews but there is something lacking. Many have voiced their concerns and highlighted a decline in standards and appeal. I am with them, to an extent, but feel NME’s allure and quality come in its printed form – the fact they had to give it away for years signals it was destined for the pile. Maybe it can be revived but it seems unlikely I guess. The reason I am sad to see the end of NME’s ‘traditional’ format is the memories that flood to mind. After the 1995 Britpop heyday; I saw the end of the movement and the directions bands like Oasis, Pulp and Suede were taking. The 1990s, in fact, was a great period for musical discovery and eye-opening moments. I remember the late-1990s and the changes happening in British music. Blur were still going but my favourite period was the embrace of American guitar music and the bands coming out around that time. The Libertines arrived at the turn of the century and there was an exciting British Hip-Hop/Rap movement waiting in the wings. In fact; my memories of NME chart back as far as the early-1990s.

IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana/PHOTO CREDIT: Press

I have faint memories of Nirvana gracing the covers. The Grunge overlords were natural stars and inspired a generation of musicians. Seeing something as grand as the U.S. trio staring back at you – with a cheeky grin – remained in the mind and made you want to dig deeper. The interviews had a unique edge and always involved the reader. One did not experience the usual, tired-and-tested questions and formulas. There was genuine wit and intelligence; the questions were original and the artists, justly, responded. The magazine represented a sense of rebellion and exclusivity. There was chatter in the school playground and, if you did not have a copy of NME in your possession, that marked you out for questioning and ridicule. There were those who opted for Pop options and fluffier magazines – Smash Hits was a favoured publication for many. Because of its sense of cool and authority; those who read NME were part of a ‘tribe’. We all stuck together and felt connected. Someone who thinks the same as me and follows the same music – those important realisations got me through school and bonded me closer to those I would have, otherwise, have ignored. It was a perfect ice-breaker and weekly forum. We (me and a selected group) would converge to the playground – or a playing field somewhere – and flick through the pages. There was the Blur and Oasis camps (I was in the former) and those who preferred American Alternative – those who opted for British outsiders.

One of the thrills NME provided was that narrow and dirty feel. The magazine was not that huge – compared with something like MOJO – and it felt pretty light. Not only was it perfect for swotting school bullies – it was easy to fit under the arm and you didn’t have to spend all day reading it. The pages were thin and there was the illicit feel of flicking through and seeing some in on your fingers. I followed NME through the 2000s and tracked the birth of bands like Arctic Monkeys. Each time a new bunch of heroes were proffered and featured; I would rush down to the shop and get the skinny about their latest work. Even when NME was moved online; I was keen to get the printed version and get that authentic, genuine feel. There is nothing like the build-up and anticipation of the magazine: waiting feverishly so you can grab a copy and scurry away to a safe hiding spot. The fact that has come to an end leaves me feeling emptier and lonelier. I speculated how NME’s decline was only a matter of time. Even if a change of editor and ethos has reshaped NME and offended some of its regulars; the legacy left, and the memories we all have, cannot be overlooked. The fact it lasted nearly seven decades is an impressive achievement, indeed! I am thankful to have been part of the fanbase; to have grown up when British music was coming to the forefront – the fact I found company and that sense of belonging. For someone struggling to adapt to the changes in life and the challenges of school – having NME in my hands was a lifeline and a huge motivation. Rather than bemoan the changing times and declining standards: a passionate and thankful nod to a musical hero…

FELT much more appropriate.  

FEATURE: The Mother’s Day Playlist

FEATURE:

ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash

The Mother’s Day Playlist

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TOMORROW is the day we…

celebrate the mothers in our lives and, with it, reflect on the past. All of us have our own plans and ideas for tomorrow – and how the day will be spent. As we look ahead – I am sure there are some who have forgotten tomorrow is Mothering Sunday (in the U.K., at least) – I have been thinking about appropriate music for the day...the songs that provoke images of motherhood/mums; appropriately-named/themes songs that fit perfectly alongside one another (one or two that are a bit spicy). There might be songs I have missed out (I am sure there are!) but here, for casual delectation, is a Mother’s Day-themed/inspired playlist that…

CONTAINS something for everyone!

FEATURE: Women in Radio: Why the Male-Heavy Industry Needs Challenging

FEATURE:

 

Women in Radio

 IN THIS PHOTO: BBC Radio 6 Music's Mary Anne Hobbs/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Why the Male-Heavy Industry Needs Challenging

_________

I was looking online at The Pool…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

and came across an article that suggests we, as a nation, are getting a bit tired of equality and gender-parity! Around two-thirds of the public, here, feel feminism has gone ‘too far’ – and we should cool down a bit. It is worrying when you look at that stat: there will be many women in that sixty-six-and-a-bit-percent majority. This week; we saw International Women’s Day arrive and, with it, the chance to oxidise and expose discussion and debate. There is no pantheism and simple answer regarding feminism/equality: the only way to nourish improvement and compel evolution is to highlight the disparities and formulate constructive architecture. We have been battling through a tundra of ignorance for decades (or centuries, more likely) and unable to find true progression. There are small changes occurring, but, as The Pool’s article outlines; some worrying (ignorant) statistics should shock all of us into action:

“…Actually, hold up, we don’t need to imagine a hellish future in which feminism has gone too far; we are, according to most British people, living in it. Yes, according to a new survey carried out by Sky News for International Women’s Day, 67 per cent of British people think feminism has either gone too far (40 per cent) or gone as far it should go (27 per cent).

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

So, here we are: the gender pay gap, when part-time and full-time workers are considered, stands at 18.4 per cent. Each week, two women are murdered by a current or former partner in England and Wales. Half of British women have been sexually harassed at work. But feminism has gone too far”.

The final six words of this extract should be delivered with a certain inflexion – think an L.A. teen upping the sarcasm-o-meter to a full-blown eleven. Maybe there is fatigue and weariness from some factions – given the fact feminism and gender issues have been thrust into the limelight this past week – but a beleaguered apathy is akin to severe ignorance and acceptance. The ferromagnetic material of the apathetic is exactly what the debate does not need. I am lifted by small transformations occurring in the music industry. I can see, yes, there are more women being recognised in the mainstream. The new wave of Pop queens – Sigrid and Billie Eilish among them – are joining contemporary favourites like Lorde. There is a malingering and fetid racial bias – I shall cover that in a future piece – but, of course, that is not going far enough. There is a pledge – it seems like a loose-tongued drunken promise; holding no weight and proof – that, by 2020, festivals will have a fifty-fifty gender balance. That year seems strangely ironic and prone to scrutiny: will there be proper hindsight and clear vision only two years from now?!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I am wandering from the busy city streets of focus and straying too far onto country paths, alas. My point remains: I am not buying the fact people – festival organisers and the bodies who wield power – will make good their promise. I have talked about gender equality a lot and will continue until music is a level playing field where moronic preferences and the male obsession takes a hike – I am aware my fingers might bleed before that actually happens! I have discussed women in music before but, compelled by women in the industry discussing the percentage imbalance; I felt reinvestigation was prudent and sage. I will come to look at a crew of BBC Radio 6 Music talent that gets me angry (in a good way) – a female army that proves why the male-dominated radio industry needs T.L.C. I have addressed other angles of music – from festival line-ups and playlists through to award nominees and the fight women have in music – but radio is an area that is still fostering discrimination and rogue practice -  the fact one cannot see the faces of the women being (near) marginalised does not make it fair or acceptable. There are some phenomenal female D.J.s working away from the major – i.e. BBC – stations.

IN THIS PHOTO: Goldierocks/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Emma Conybeare works for Capital XTRA and is an infectious and passionate talent. I will not present the showreels and resumes of all the women I am naming: my point is you can look them up and hear what I mean; I can attest to the fact they are stunning and worthy of great focus. Conybeare has been in the industry a short while but is one of the most engaging and talented young D.J.s in the business. Gemma Atkinson co-hosts Key 103’s (Manchester) breakfast slot – and brings her classic voice (a smoky and gravelled allure mixed with a warmth and accessible humour) and knowledge of popular music to those lucky enough to listen in. Atkinson, alongside her acting work, has a glittering career in radio – and could progress to a mainstream station before too long. Come to London and the likes of Goldierocks and Iko Cherie are responsible for wonderful moments and incredible shows. Vick Hope works on the Capital FM breakfast broadcast and, look at smaller, boutique stations and there are some great female names – Hoxton Radio has Charlotte de Carle, Elspeth Pierce and Laura Fraser on its team. Kate Lawler is on Virgin Radio; Sarah Champion, Leona Graham and Emily Dean can be heard on Absolute Radio. Articles from 2013 and 2014 (and again) - show things were pretty bad a few years ago: they have not really improved as we head through 2018...

IN THIS PHOTO: Emma Conybeare/PHOTO CREDIT: @EmmaCB_

Look at this article from last year and, when looking at how many women-helmed (last year) the biggest weekday shows on BBC Radio 2 (zero) – it makes me wonder why that is. Of course; it is not only a gender divide that has garnered headlines: the disparity in pay has come into focus. This article highlights some shocking statistics. A few male D.J.s agreed to take pay-cuts (to bring their salary more in line with their female peers) but it seems those (noble) gestures are few and far between. It is a faulty syllogism to suggest because things look okay on the surface – if radio has a visible physical manifestation, in that sense – then the on-air talent is okay. The BBC provides the biggest and most-popular stations in the U.K. I am not well-versed in the law and lore of BBC Radio 3 and 4 but I know there is a gender gap there. One has wonderful shows like Woman’s Hour – and presenters like Elizabeth Alker on BBC Radio 3 – but there is still the proliferation of male-led shows. The music industry, even in radio, is still a boys’ club. There is festination and a lot of ear-plugging: those who have a say and propensity to turn away are not redeeming their morals in any noticeable way.

IN THIS PHOTO: Claudia Winkleman/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1 have differences in terms of their music and style but they have a similarity: there are few female D.J.s on the networks. Aside from the fact there are few black faces on either station – again; I shall not get into that now – one notices an absence of female D.J.s BBC Radio 2 has the exceptional Zoe Ball, Claudia Winkleman; Liza Tarbuck and Ana Matronic – another few female D.J.s but, compared to the men; they are still in the minority. Many of the producers on the station, and BBC Radio 1, are men – the female producers are, in my mind, the finest but are still part of the minority. BBC Radio 1 boasts Annie Mac, Adele Roberts and Clara Amfo – Annie Nightingale makes occasional appearances. I look away from the BBC at stations like Radio X and, aside from being a white majority; you get the men staring back at you – that is no different with the BBC. I listen to Annie Mac and Sara Cox (forgot to mention her earlier) and am amazed by their talent, draw and knowledge – I find myself more impressed by their shows than anything their male colleagues come up. The same is true of my favourite station: BBC Radio 6 Music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Clara Amfo/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

This piece has been compelled by the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs and Lauren Laverne. The former, the ‘cover star’, is among the finest voices on radio. Those smooth, alluring and caramel tones are matched with a serious love of music and a professionalism few rival. Listening to her is nearing the summit of what music should be: those who are endlessly passionate and ensure music is their life. I can apply this maxim to every female D.J. I have mentioned: their indomitable spirit and pride is being overlooked (and under-paid). Hobbs’ eclectic music tastes extends to Nils Frahm and Kendrick Lamar; Hard-Rock, Alternative and anything else one can throw into the mix. She is among the hardest-working and popular D.J.s on the station – part of a female minority that, one suspects, has a lighter pay-cheque than her colleagues. A reason BBC Radio 6 Music is my station of choice is (the fact) there are more women in the ranks. I will mention Amy Lamé, Cerys Matthews and Nemone – alongside their producers – but the likes of Lauren Laverne are outweighed by a majority of men. Laverne has spoken about radio, in essence, still being dominated by the boys. The stations (BBC Radio 6 Music) is a tight-knit and familial station but one cannot overlook the facts: the majority of talent on the station are men.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lauren Laverne/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Pictures

One can argue a majority is not, necessarily, a bad thing – the fact it is a healthy majority calls into question general recruitment and factual blindness. Laverne’s show is one of the (main) reasons I make ‘6’ my daily ear-accompaniment. She is endlessly cheery warm and bright; keen to uncover the best new music and throw her arms around the extensive bosom of the industry. Not only does she host a weekday morning show: away from the station, she helms the aforementioned (The) Pool and speaks at events – works for other stations and hardly takes time to rest. All of this energy-expending and extra-curricular work could cause burn-out and jaded shows: the fact she produces first-class shows every week means radio, regardless of statistics and pay, means everything to her. Like Hobbs and her BBC Radio 6 Music peers; the job and all the benefits of the station keep them where they are. I love the station - and, actually, have them tattooed on my arm – and every D.J. there is crucial! Bold, wonderful and captivating D.J.s like Hobbs and Laverne make it what is it – one would like to see more of them. I am a big fan of Nemone and Amy Lamé: two of the best D.J.s on the station. Both provide a unique spin and are essential personalities on the station.

IN THIS PHOTO: Amy Lamé/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I have a lot of love for the boys on BBC Radio 6 Music (including the scamp Shaun Keaveny) but find myself drawn more to Lauren Laverne and Mary Anne Hobbs – in terms of their depth of knowledge and the way they can captivate the listeners. The same can be said of Cerys Matthews, Nemone and Liz Kershaw. Tomorrow marks BBC Radio 6 Music’s sixteenth birthday – Kershaw will broadcast a musical party from 1 P.M. – and, as the prodigious teenager reaches the age of consent – one hopes its youthful energy and curiosity side-steps prurient interest and focuses on balancing the books and bringing more women to the station. Behind-the-scenes is music news presenters like Claire Crane, Elizabeth Alker and Georgie Rogers; producers such as Jenny Smith (Chris Hawkins) and Helen Weatherhead (Mary Anne Hobbs) - fantastic people who help make the station what it is (Rogers’ recent piece for International Women’s Day was one of the finest I have heard on the station). I am not sure what the 2017/2018 statistics are – total number of women on radio as D.J.s and producers – but there is not a marked step-up from the bleak findings of 2013/2014. Maybe it all stems back to the problem: the white, middle-aged man still owns music and is, therefore, less likely to buck trends and instigate revolution. Gender inequality starts at school - and the fact it is rooted in childhood days means, in a way, we are expected to accept it from our earliest times...

IN THIS PHOTO: Liz Kershaw/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Things need to change and those at the top need to change their recruitment and ensure more women are brought to radio. I can see no justifiable reason why men are favoured above women: if anything, there is greater nuance and pleasure listening to a female D.J.; they have more about them and are more engaging on the mind and ear. Music has gender-imbalance in every crevice and, the fact so many are getting ‘bored’ of feminism, does not fix the problems we have. If we are going to make changes and ensure there is a level playing-field for men and women; something as simple as reversing hiring policies needs to happen. Men are no more profitable and attractive to the listener than the women – even if shaky stats and research show otherwise – and there is a demand for more women on the radio. If small steps were made then that could make a big difference. It takes voices and protest to get things rolling: constant monitoring and reviews to ensure things do not lapse and slack. If we can do that then, I think, the industry will be a stronger beast – if it is only correcting the gender misalignment in radio. I, as would many, expect this to happen very soon; we all need to make an effort to see change happen. If that will happen, I am not sure: if it does not, then we need to as why and challenge those who block betterment. Even if some are weary of the ongoing debates around sexism: few can deny areas like radio need to see more women included and…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

REAL progress happen.

FEATURE: The March Playlist: Vol.2: A Sadboy in the Club

FEATURE:

 

The March Playlist

 IN THIS IMAGE: Hinds 

Vol.2: A Sadboy in the Club

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THERE is a nice mixture of…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lily Allen

bigger tunes and some lesser-known ones this week. Manic Street Preachers and Lily Allen introduce new material; there are fresh slices from Hinds and Beach House; a cool video from Wolf Alice - and songs from Dream Wife, The Shires and Plan B.

In addition; you can sample numbers from Young Fathers; Albert Hammond Jr.; Anderson.Paak, Kylie Minogue and Editors – with many more in there to choose from!

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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Wolf Alice – Sadboy

Hinds – The Club

Manic Street Preachers - Dylan & Caitlin

Lily Allen - Higher

James Bay – Pink Lemonade

PHOTO CREDIT: James Pearson-Howes

Simian Mobile Disco – Hey Sister (Short Version)

John Newman – Fire in Me

Kylie Minogue – Stop Me from Falling

The Shires – Guilty

PHOTO CREDIT: Hollie Fernando

Gengahr – Is This How You Love?

George Ezra - Hold My Girl 

Vince Staples – Get the F*** Off My D***

Wiley – Remember Me

Years & Years – Sanctify

Ady Suleiman – Loving Arms

Plan B – Guess Again

Liv Dawson - Talk

Camila Cabello - Never Be the Same

Albert Hammond Jr. – Tea for Two

Kojey Radical – If Only

David Byrne – Dog’s Mind

Editors – Darkness at the Door

Lewis Capaldi (ft. Jessie Reyez) - Rush

Flyte – Moon Unit

PHOTO CREDIT: Scarlett Carlos Clarke

Matt Maltese – Greatest Comedian

Moose Blood – Such a Shame

Young Fathers – Border Girl

Dream Wife (ft. Fever Dream) – FUU

Dizzee Rascal – Ghost

Samantha Harvey – When It Comes Down

Anderson.Paak – Til It’s Over

Ocean China – Chinese Assassin

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.patrickgunning.com/

Sea Girls – Eat Me Whole

Bon Jovi - When We Were Us

Island Club – Sober

Caitlyn Scarlett – Ornaments

FEATURE: 100 Songs: The International Women’s Day Playlist

FEATURE:

 

100 Songs

 ALL IMAGES: Getty Images

The International Women’s Day Playlist

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TOMORROW is International Women’s Day…

and, in the music community, a perfect time to recognise the brilliant women, past and present, who have made an impact on all our lives. I have collected one-hundred songs from one-hundred female artists/fronted-groups – from the 1940s to the current time. It is a genre-hopping playlist that proves why sexism in music is so infuriating and archaic – a miasma and disease that needs burying for good. I have chosen one-hunred songs because it is a centuruy since women were granted the vote in the U.K. Ensure, however you mark the day, you show your love and support for the brilliant female artists who have made such an impact on music - and will continue to…

FOR centuries to come!

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