FEATURE: Spotlight: Jaguar Jonze

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: SHE IS APHRODITIE

Jaguar Jonze

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WHEN I do these Spotlight features…

I try to include artists from a broad spectrum of genres. I realise that, mostly, I highlight solo female artists. Maybe I should feature more bands, but I feel that women are creating the best music around. That has been the case for years now – and I know that will carry on through 2023. Someone who I have followed for a little while now and respect hugely, Jaguar Jonze should be better known here. The Taiwanese-Australian based in Brisbane is a sensation! I really love Jonze’s music and admire her hugely as an artist and pioneer. Real name Deena Lynch, she has additionally worked as a visual artist and a photographer under the pseudonyms Spectator Jonze and Dusky Jonze respectively. There has been this period of recovery, transition and growth for the thirty-year-old. Born in Yokohama, Japan to a Taiwanese mother and Australian father, she moved to Australia at age seven. As a child, she experienced abuse and was later diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. By 2009, she was located in Brisbane. Come 2012, Lynch released her first album, Lone Wolf, as ‘Deena’. In 2015 came the second album, Black Cat. I wanted to include those difficult and upsetting personal details and her past professional releases to show where she has come from. As Jaguar Jonze, I feel we have this new stage and phase from a truly remarkable artist. I have so much respect and admiration for Jonze. Such an incredible inspiring and unbelievably talented artist, she (or Deena Lynch) is such a strong human being. Not to skip some key interviews and details, but there is a lot out there in the form of interviews. Jonze is such a fascinating and compelling figure. I discovered her music a few years ago. With BUNNY MODE, she released one of this year’s best albums.

Before coming to some interviews and reviews for the amazing BUNNY MODE, Primary Talent provide some details and biography about the truly wonderful Jaguar Jonze. This is an artist that everyone around the world should know and bond with:

“Life-changing serendipity happens only to a chosen few, and that moment took musician-artist Deena Lynch by surprise while playing an Iggy Pop tribute night in her native Brisbane, Australia. After witnessing the unhinged performance of a guy emulating Iggy, she knew she had to up her game. “So, I cracked down two tequila shots,” she recalls, and then transformed into a bona-fide banshee. “Everything I ever suppressed came spilling out. My shame and inhibitions broke down. I wasn’t afraid.” After that primal performance, she earned the nickname-turned-stage name Jaguar Jonze.

Signed to Nettwerk Records, Jaguar Jonze has released “You Got Left Behind,” “Beijing Baby,” and “Kill Me With Your Love” from her 2020 debut EP. At home in Australia, Jaguar Jonze has garnered the attention of The Music, Fashion Journal, Industry Observer and Tone Deaf, who writes "to sum up the creative explosion that is Deena Lynch into a neat little elevator pitch would have even the most qualified of journalists in tears." Jaguar Jonze was named by Cool Accidents as an “Artist To Watch” for BIGSOUND 2019 and was also named in Richard Kingsmill’s (Triple J) “Top 5 Artists from BIGSOUND 2019.” Deena is also a Triple J “Unearthed Feature Artist,” and made her performance debut on “Like A Version” for a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box,” alongside friends Hermitude. Jaguar Jonze also competed in Eurovision Australia Decides 2020 with her own original song “Rabbit Hole.” Abroad, after features on Spotify and Apple Music playlists, FLAUNT Magazine deemed her “nothing short of a manifold visionary.”

Jaguar Jonze’s music is multi-dimensional, representing her multicultural roots with her Taiwanese mom and her Australian Dad. Ultimately, Jaguar Jonze—and its adjacent projects, her narrative illustration project Spectator Jonze and her gender-subverting photography project Dusky Jonze—would become powerful ways in which Deena could process her most intimate vulnerabilities and traumas, while also using it to empower those around her to do the same. Her art in all facets, whether it be her music, visual art or photography is a logical extension of these vulnerabilities with each project mining depths of her personality”.

The pandemic was a tough time for everyone but, for Jonze, it was especially challenging. Even though 2021 was a fraught one that brought some definitely obstacles and darker moments (this is an interview I would advise people to watch), she did release some of her most important work to date. Refinery29 spotlighted Jonze in 2021 and talked with her about a tumultuous and eventful past eighteen months:

“To say that the past year-and-a-half has been tumultuous for Jaguar Jonze would be an understatement. The Australian musician, born Deena Lynch, recovered from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, broke her silence about a sexual assault experience, and continued creating her art at a time when the music industry is struggling during the pandemic.

"[It's] worthy of a soap opera, I think," Jonze described how her life has panned out over the last 18 months, during an interview with Refinery29 Australia.

"It wouldn’t even rate that well as a TV show," she back-pedalled. "It sounds ridiculous and so much wouldn’t normally happen in such a short space of time."

But the hardships that have tested Jonze as a person have also led to some of her most important work across anti-harassment and racism advocacy, fashion and of course, music. And she's proud that she carried herself "with grace and fortitude through each obstacle."

It's all brought Jonze to the current moment, where she's eager to celebrate the release of her new short film, titled ANTIHERO. The film features a visual collection of five songs from her latest EP of the same name, where she sports bright outfits and uses "apocalyptic-cyberpunk anime" imagery to convey the wave of emotions she recently rode.

Jonze began recording, designing and conceptualising the EP after contracting COVID-19 in New York in March 2020. During her 40-day hospital stay, she said she "felt like my whole world crumbled around me". Creating music for the EP was "a way to escape my excruciating pain, anxiety and uncertainty around my health, the music industry and the world," she said.

As she remained unwell for five weeks straight, Jonze struggled with the prospect of her music career being cut short. "I was told that not being able to return to the music industry after surviving COVID-19 was a real possibility," she explained. "I wasn’t able to sing like I used to, I suffered from shortness of breath and chronic fatigue, not to mention loneliness from being in solitary confinement for so long."

This experience inspired the powerful imagery we see in her short film. "I escaped into worlds of apocalyptic-cyberpunk anime and incorporated it as fantastical symbolism into the visuals of ANTIHERO," she explained. "ANTIHERO and its encompassing visuals are all in the mind and are not to be taken literally”.

PopMatters published an extensive interview with her earlier this year to promote BUNNY MODE. The debut full-length as Jaguar Jonze, I am not going to include it all. There are some sections that I want to highlight:

“The Taiwanese-Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and multimedia maven reveals a lot about her harrowing past. She’s a survivor of childhood abuse and, as an adult, was diagnosed with complex PTSD as a result of those experiences.

“The music is the opposite of blocking out traumatic childhood memories — that’s what I was doing my whole life and what was eating me up from the inside out,” she explains in response to a question about how the art form has helped change her life. “Music showed me how to take it out of my body and place it into a vessel outside of it — in song, melody, and lyrics. It allowed me to process what I had been through; instead of continuing to use the energy to suppress and deny it, I was able to heal, learn and move on.

“Music and art are important to me as it’s a way for me to have an honest dialogue with myself internally and with others in the world. I’ve spent my whole life being small and quiet, but now I have a voice. I hope others who have been through similar obstacles that I have, or feel isolated, or fighting for something bigger than they are, can connect with BUNNY MODE and know that they are not alone and that we can claim our power back.”

The album title is taken from a survival tactic she called “going bunny mode” during her youth, learning to stay silent instead of making herself heard by crying as a reaction to being threatened physically, emotionally, and psychologically. “This album is a journey of saying goodbye to that ’bunny mode,’” Lynch said in an April release announcing her upcoming LP. “Making this album has been this process of saying [to that tactic], ‘Thank you for saving me and allowing me to survive up until this point, but I don’t need you anymore.’”

 PHOTO CREDIT: SHE IS APHRODITIE

From Deena to Jaguar

Persevering despite facing personal and professional obstacles, Lynch has been forthright about the perilous trip she has taken. Born in Yokohama, Japan, on 12 January 1992, she was raised by her single mother, who is Taiwanese, and moved to Australia (her father’s homeland) while approaching the age of seven.

Since then, Lynch has lived primarily in Brisbane, where she currently resides and also has spent time in Melbourne, Sydney, and Orange County. In elementary school, the youngster met Brisbane’s Joseph Fallon, who would later re-enter the picture as her guitarist, leading the way for the musical late bloomer.

Lynch’s education background included studying engineering at the University of Melbourne and business at Bond University. “I fell into writing music and playing guitar late in life, and it wasn’t really something I had in mind,” Lynch admits. “I was walking home one day from university and passed a garage sale, saw a guitar, and decided to buy it. I had just lost a close friend of mine and struggled a lot with the grief, and the guitar and songwriting became my catharsis. They weren’t great songs, but it was an important part of my life where I finally found a way to express myself and found passion in that. … At first, I just wanted the music to be a part of my life, and over time I wanted it to be my whole life.”

 PHOTO CREDIT: SHE IS APHRODITIE

Initially using just her first name professionally, Deena was 20 in 2012 when she released the first of two independent albums — Lone Wolf. In February 2015, Black Cat followed, with Fallon on electric guitar and organ while Lynch sang and played acoustic guitar, keyboards, and organ.

“The guitar gives me the most joy to play, and I still write many songs on the acoustic guitar that I built myself,” Lynch notes. “I still don’t quite know how to play the guitar, I don’t know chord names or scales, but I always found the guitar to be so freeing because I can go with what sounds good and what sound I want to make on it.”

NAME GAME: So how did you decide to use Jaguar Jonze as your stage name/alter ego? Were you drawn more to the car, the cat or something else?

Deena: Ha ha, I’m definitely very similar to a cat in personality, and I have always been into cars growing up — but it is neither. Jaguar Jonze came about over time as a nickname that fans and friends gave me for how different I was on stage from real life. I’m like a big cat on stage — mysterious, ferocious, and dark, so it became this almost like a nothing name with alliteration. When it came to finding a name for my project, all the names I came up with felt so contrived, and I fell back on Jaguar Jonze. It was given to me, it meant something to me, and it suited the music I was creating, so I went with it.

 PHOTO CREDIT: SHE IS APHRODITIE

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Among the artists you loved growing up, whose songs motivated you to take the plunge?

Deena: Artists like Jeff Buckley, Johnny Cash, City and Colour, Portishead, Bryan Adams, Chris Isaak, and Paramore were artists I listened to growing up. Still, I loved a lot of different genres — R&B, K-pop, J-pop, heavy metal, indie rock, pop, folk, country, classical, and … anime soundtracks.

SUPPORT GROUP: Who have been your biggest supporters during not only your musical journey but also your courageous decision to advocate for change in the music industry?

Deena: My band — Aidan Hogg (bass/co-producer/synths), Joseph Fallon (guitar/string arrangements), and Jacob Mann (drums) — have been the biggest supporters of my musical journey and my decision to advocate for change in the music industry. They have always believed in me as an artist and have been by my side through thick and thin. That didn’t change through the advocacy and my decision to stand up to the industry. It also meant that they were at risk of those consequences too. The media and the public only see a certain side to the advocacy; my band has been there for me for the lowest moments and made sure I always had a support network through the ups and downs. I can never thank them enough — plus, they’re all talented human beings, and it’s a joy to write music and create any experience with them.

LABOR OF LOVE: If you weren’t making music for a living, what would you be doing?

Deena: I also love art — I love drawing, painting, photography, fashion, and film. At the bottom of everything, I feel like I am a storyteller, and my passion is in expression, no matter the medium.

JUST FOR FUN: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy the most when you’re not making music?

Deena: I love riding motorcycles both on the road and dirt. It’s a meditative space in my helmet where I can be present with my body and mind. And I love food way too much … not cooking, just eating. So I love discovering new restaurants and new flavors”.

Hard to put into words how exceptional Jaguar Jonze is as an artist and how amazing and utterly inspiring (as I have said earlier) Deena Lynch is as a person! I would advise you follow the Jaguar Jonze’s social media channels, watch all the music videos and interviews out there, and do some further reading. This is an introduction to an artist that some might not know about. BUNNY MODE is the album where she is set free and let loose. It is among the most essential and powerful albums released this year, that is for sure! The Guardian wrote this in their four-star assessment:

“I’m not gonna sleep below the glass ceiling,” Jaguar Jonze sings on her debut album, her voice barely a whisper.

Then, moments later with the volume turned right up: “You could’ve destroyed me, but then I got loud.”

This defiance is at the heart of Bunny Mode, an 11-track juggernaut that is cutting in its specificity. Its title refers to a survival tactic that the artist employed as a survivor of childhood abuse: a freeze response to any safety threats, like a frightened rabbit. The record is a middle finger to oppressors and abusers, as the artist – real name Deena Lynch – breaks free of their chokehold, rising anew.

The Brisbane musician, who released two EPs under the Jaguar Jonze moniker in 2020 and 2021, leans into an esoteric sound across Bunny Mode, fortified by the unbridled anger in her lyrics. Sonically and thematically, the record bears similarities to Halsey’s 2021 album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power – both take cues from industrial music, building unapologetically feminist narratives and rebuttals upon glorious walls of sound. Despite the experimentation and boundary-pushing, it’s all still underpinned by pop and a knack for melody, as on the passionate slow-builder Little Fires, which Lynch performed as part of Eurovision’s Australian decider in February.

While there’s much to like musically – Bunny Mode moves away from the loopy spaghetti western sounds of Lynch’s early work to experiment with darker, heavier sounds, and the singer’s vocal chops are, as always, impressive – the album’s real power is in the lyrical details. It’s another piece of the activism puzzle for Lynch, who has spent much of the last two years on the forefront of fighting for change as a leader in the Australian #MeToo movement, shining a light on misbehaviour in the music industry. It also explores the more personal process of healing and recovery following trauma.

These many facets are visible through different threads of the album: on one of the more downbeat tracks, Drawing Lines, Lynch sings silkily of the importance of setting boundaries. The fury is more evident on tracks such as Who Died and Made You King, all angular guitars and punchy electropop beats, as Lynch spits, almost mockingly: “You’re sick and a victim of your own disease.” It’s thrilling to hear the tables turned on the powers that be in this way – a reclamation of space, a bold statement of self-sovereignty.

The highlight is Punchline, which turns a sharp eye on to tokenism and racism within the entertainment industry. In a similar fashion to Camp Cope’s The Opener, the Taiwanese Australian artist regurgitates box-ticking sentiments from corporate bigwigs to reveal their hollowness: “We love culture but make sure it’s to our very liking / Make it milky, make it plain and not too spicy.” Over wailing guitars and layered vocals, Lynch makes herself in her own image, rejecting the condescension of the white-centric industry that still sees artists of colour as an exotic other.

Lynch’s cohesive world-building across the album makes for a compelling, absorbing and often intimate listening experience. Her many creative personas – musically as Jaguar Jonze, visually as Spectator Jonze and photographically as Dusky Jonze – swirl through the record, but she emerges as a singularity: a woman who has, despite everything, survived.

After all the noise and the rage, the fire and the passion, it’s barely a whisper, again, that ends the record. The instrumentals cut out for Lynch’s controlled vocals to deliver their final, stinging words to the patriarchy and all that enable it: “It’s always been a man-made monster only a woman can destroy”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: SHE IS APHRODITIE

I am going to round things off with a feature/review from Atwood Magazine. They went especially deep with BUNNY MODE (and Jaguar Jonze). I am predicting some really incredible things in 2023 for the Brisbane artist:

“Released June 3, 2022 via Nettwerk Music Group, BUNNY MODE is a radiant and raw experience – not to mention a jaw-dropping introduction to Brisbane’s Jaguar Jonze. The musical moniker for Taiwanese-Australian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Deena Lynch, Jonze has been actively releasing music (and therefore, enchanting audiences) since early 2019; her 2020 debut EP Diamonds & Liquid Gold set a high bar with its cinematic scope, inescapably intimate lyricism, and seamless blend of alternative rock and indie pop influences. 2021’s smoldering follow-up ANTIHERO EP revealed the darker side of Jonze’s artistry, with heavier electronic influences and haunting lyrics (“I’ve never seen wrong be done right… It’s a bit of a twist for me to be a masochist, giving in to be blind“) dwelling in a space of turmoil and upheaval.

Those themes are still present throughout BUNNY MODE, yet there’s a reclamative aspect to Jaguar Jonze’s debut album that goes beyond the reckoning and into a space of healing, empowerment, ownership, and renewal.

“It’s been a long and turbulent journey behind this record, from being a sexual assault survivor to then being thrown into the spotlight as a figurehead of the #MeToo movement within the Australian music industry,” Jonze tells Atwood Magazine. “The trauma, obstacles, and pressure I’ve had to overcome have been overwhelming. I’m so grateful to have music as a cathartic outlet for what has been one of the most testing chapters of my life. I’m also so proud of how that journey translated through each song; I have found my voice, found my confidence, sought my own justice, and I’ve grown so much as a person and as an artist.”

“My vision going into this record was to create a safe space for all survivors to seek refuge, but it changed over the course of recording BUNNY MODE. It’s also about giving yourself permission to feel anger, not be silenced, speak up, fight, and show what incredible things are achieved when we work together to heal and be at peace,” she adds.

“I’m proud of what I’ve created. Every decision on this album and the visual world around it has had so much purpose and intention. I care so much about everything because I need it to have meaning.”

 I hope ‘BUNNY MODE’ introduces me as a passionate person who wants to build worlds for us all to escape into and connect with.

Once a person who would become “still and quiet instead of crying out,” BUNNY MODE sees Jonze actively refusing to remain silent; in fact, the album is emphatically, undeniably loud in the best of ways as the artist wields wit, charm, stadium-sized pop, and searing punk energy to unveil her world and tell her stories. “This is a message to cut out the talk you do,” she feverishly sings in the assertive, explosive “Swallow.” “This is a message to dogs who said, ‘What?’… Go back home and swallow your own comedown.”

“BUNNY MODE was the name I gave to my symptoms of suffering from Complex PTSD, a condition I’ve been working through from a lifetime of trauma,” Jonze explains. “At the time, I didn’t know how to talk about it, and ‘bunny mode’ explained that it is when my survival mechanism kicks into freeze (rather than fight or flight). Like a bunny in the wild, I would act like prey, play dead and freeze when threats jeopardized my safety. This album is about thanking that survival mechanism for allowing me to survive until this point into adulthood, but also a farewell as I don’t need it anymore.

 This album is a journey of saying goodbye to that ’BUNNY MODE.’ Making this album has been this process of saying – thank you for saving me and allowing me to survive up until this point, but I don’t need you anymore.

I can’t swallow your pride

I can’t swallow your lies

I can’t swallow your ego

You don’t turn me on

You don’t turn me on with your paradise

Go back home and swallow your own comedown

From start to finish, BUNNY MODE sees Jaguar Jonze finding strength in her vulnerability as she assumes full control over the narrative.

Her music is catchy, captivating, clever, and cathartic all at once. From the high-energy charge in songs like “SWALLOW,” “WHO DIED AND MADE YOU KING?, “PUNCHLINE” and “CUT,” to the more tender nuance in songs like “DRAWING LINES,” the stunning eruption “LOUD,” and her breathtakingly beautiful Eurovision 2022 entry, “LITTLE FIRES,” Jonze leaves a lasting, lingering mark through each of these eleven emotionally potent, deeply expressive songs.

Keep your head up, dry your eyes

I know the world can feel unkind

Think about what we’ve survived

We shouldn’t have to compromise

I’m not gonna sleep below the glass ceiling

I don’t need to hear another bad reason

History won’t get a chance to repeat

You can’t take this from me

So I’m gonna be noisy and I’m gonna be proud

You could’ve destroyed me but then

Then I got loud, loud, loud

– “LOUD,” Jaguar Jonze

While she’s a proven expert at employing colorful metaphors and larger-than-life imagery to get her point across, several of these songs find Jonze shedding all pretense in order to be as explicit, blatant, and uncompromisingly direct as possible. “This body’s mine and not for you to touch,” she sings in the self-assured “NOT YOURS,” with lines like “What made you think that it would be okay?” and “What life and stories did you live to make my choices dissipate?” driving her message home with calm conviction and blistering bluntness.

“I didn’t think this song would ever be released, but it was the first song I wrote after my sexual assault by two producers three months before writing it,” Jonze says of that track. “It was a cry to claim back my body”.

Go and follow and support the magnificent Jaguar Jonze. She has a worldwide fanbase, and there is a lot of love for her in the U.S. and U.K., in addition to Australia. I think that, when she tour internationally, her music will reach even more fans. There is no doubting the fact that she is…

ONE of my favourite artists.

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Follow Jaguar Jonze

FEATURE: Inspired By… Part Eighty-Eight: Destiny’s Child

FEATURE:

 

 

Inspired By…

 Part Eighty-Eight: Destiny’s Child

__________

I don’t think…

that I have included any girl groups (or not many) in Inspired By… One always assumes they are influenced by a lot of other artists, but do they have an impact on artists that follow them. Whether solo or a group, it is clear that they do! One of the most influential girl groups of their generation, Destiny’s Child’s final and current line-up comprises Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Rowland’s debut solo album, Simply Deep, was twenty last month. Beyoncé released Renaissance this year, and William’s debut, Heart to Yours, was twenty earlier this year. Destiny’s Child’s debut single, No, No, No, was twenty-five last month. The line-up for that single (from the Destiny’s Child album) comprised Knowles, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett v(in the photo above). There has been a lot of talk lately about Spice Girls, as their second album, Spiceworld, turned twenty-five. Formed in the same year as that massive album came out, I always think Destiny’s Child were the leading girl group of that time. Much punchier, soulful, talented and varied, you can hear it through the five studio albums. By the time the final album, Destiny Fulfilled, arrived in 2004, all of the trio had released a solo album. In fact, Michelle Williams released her second studio album, Do You Know, in 2004! The iconic group have performed together since they split/disbanded in 2006. The last time they performed live together was for the 2018 Coachella festival (Beyoncé headlined, but she did numbers with Williams and Rowland). One of the most successful trios and greatest girl groups of all-time, I wanted to put out a playlist at the end of this feature with songs from artists who have followed Destiny’s Child or have been compared to them.

First of all, it is worth getting to AllMusic’s assessment and biography of the wonderful and hugely inspiring Destiny’s Child. The power, chemistry and connection they had – especially the trio of Beyoncé, Rowland and Williams – led to some of the best music of the ‘90s and the early-’00s:

“Destiny's Child rose to become one of the most popular female R&B groups of the late '90s, eventually rivaling even TLC in terms of blockbuster commercial success. Their accomplishments came in spite of several abrupt personnel changes, which were accompanied by heated, well-publicized feuds in the media and the courts. In fact, for a time, Destiny's Child were known for that drama just as much as their music. Once the group stabilized again, though, they emerged with even more hitmaking power than ever before.

Destiny's Child were formed in Houston, Texas, in 1990, when original members Beyoncé Knowles and LaTavia Roberson were just nine years old; the two met at an audition and became friends, and Knowles' father Mathew set about developing an act based on their singing and rapping, taking their name from a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Beyoncé's cousin Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland joined the group in 1992, and shortly thereafter they landed an appearance on Star Search, where they performed a rap song. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time being) when LeToya Luckett joined in 1993, and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston club scene, eventually opening for artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and Immature. Finally, in 1997, Destiny's Child were offered a recording contract by Columbia.

The group made its recorded debut on 1997's "Killing Time," a song included on the soundtrack of the blockbuster Men in Black. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1998, featuring production by Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Its lead single, the Jean-produced "No No No," was a smash hit, selling over a million copies and topping the R&B charts. The follow-up singles -- "With Me" and "Get on the Bus," the latter of which was taken from the soundtrack of Why Do Fools Fall in Love? -- didn't quite duplicate the success of "No No No," although Destiny's Child would eventually go platinum (after the group's later success). Destiny's Child reentered the studio quickly, bringing in producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs to handle the majority of their next record. Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first number one pop hit (and second R&B number one) in the summer of 1999 and, paced by its success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the charts at number six upon its release.

That was just the beginning of the group's breakout success. The second single, "Bug a Boo," didn't perform as well, but the third single, "Say My Name," was another massive hit, their biggest so far; it hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts for three weeks apiece in early 2000, and made Destiny's Child a pop-cultural phenomenon. However, at the peak of "Say My Name"'s popularity, the group splintered. In December 1999, Roberson and Luckett attempted to split with manager Mathew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members -- Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin -- joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, the next Destiny's Child single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'," hit the Top Ten, and The Writing's on the Wall went on to sell a whopping eight million copies.

The personnel-turnover drama still wasn't over; in July 2000, just five months after joining, Farrah Franklin split with the group. The official reason was that Franklin missed several promotional appearances and concert gigs, although in later interviews she spoke of too much negativity and too little control in the group environment. Now reduced to a trio, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 weeks at number one. Destiny's Child were now indisputable superstars, the biggest female R&B group on the scene, and they quickly began work on a new album to capitalize. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from ripping each other publicly.

Beyoncé had long since emerged as the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in writing the material and even producing some of the record herself. While recording sessions were going on, Rowland released the first Destiny's Child solo track; "Angel" appeared on the soundtrack of Chris Rock's Down to Earth. Former members Roberson and Luckett also announced the formation of a trio called, coincidentally, Angel, and Farrah Franklin set about starting a solo career.

Survivor -- whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like the popular CBS reality series -- hit stores in the spring of 2001, and entered the charts at number one. The first two singles, "Survivor" and "Bootylicious," were predictably huge hits, with the latter becoming the group's fourth number one pop single. A cover of Andy Gibb's "Emotion" was also successful, albeit less so, and Survivor sold well -- over four million copies -- but not as well as its predecessor. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects, including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, shortly after This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over, Roberson and Luckett sued the group again, claiming that some of the lyrics in "Survivor" made reference to them (in violation of the earlier lawsuit settlement).

The first Destiny's Child solo album, Michelle Williams' all-gospel project Heart to Yours, was released in April and featured a duet with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. Meanwhile, Beyoncé won a leading role opposite Mike Myers in the third Austin Powers film, Goldmember, playing blaxploitation-style heroine Foxy Cleopatra; her first solo single, the Neptunes-produced "Work It Out," appeared on the soundtrack, and her full solo album, Dangerously in Love, became a huge hit upon release in mid-2003. Despite much critical speculation, the trio reunited the following year and released Destiny Fulfilled in November 2004. In October 2005, the #1's compilation was issued, followed by the Live in Atlanta DVD and CD sets in 2006 and 2007. The members continued solo careers. Rowland had considerable success with Ms. Kelly and Here I Am, both of which reached the Top Ten. Meanwhile, Beyoncé, who married Jay-Z in 2008, solidified her status as the planet's biggest pop star with the platinum albums B'day, I Am...Sasha Fierce, and 4. The group reunited in 2012 to record a new song, the Pharrell-produced "Nuclear," for the Love Songs compilation, which was released in January 2013 -- just prior to their halftime performance at Super Bowl XLVII”.

I don’t think we have heard the last of Destiny’s Child. There were rumours recently that an album might be in the works or they are coming back together. Great solo artists, I think, Beyoncé, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland are at their best when together! I think that Destiny’s Child could produce something epic for a sixth studio album. Let’s hope that this dream…

BECOMES a reality.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Twenty-Five Years of the MOBO Awards: The 2022 Nominees

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Cat Burns is among the nominees for the MOBO Awards 2022 (she is nominated in the Newcomer field), ahead of its twenty-fifth anniversary/PHOTO CREDIT: Adama Jalloh for DAZED 

Twenty-Five Years of the MOBO Awards: The 2022 Nominees

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BECAUSE the MOBO Awards…

 IMAGE CREDIT: MOBO Awards

is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary at the OVO Arena on 30th November, I wanted to look ahead to London ceremony by compiling a playlist of artists nominated in the various categories. This very special year, the strength of the artists nominated is at an all-time high! It is a magnificent field. Keep abreast of nominations and news via the MOBO Twitter account. In Wembley on 30th November, a very special night will happen! Go and also check out the official MOBO Awards website. If you do not know about the MOBOs and what the award ceremony represents and why it is so important, here is some history about one of the most impressive and essential award shows:

“Since its inception in 1996, the MOBO Awards has truly become one of Europe’s biggest Music Award ceremonies, and perhaps the most important and influential event for music makers and fans. Celebrating excellence in music for more than 20 years, MOBO continues its rich legacy and ongoing growth as the premiere outlet for recognising and honouring the artistic and technical achievements of exceptional British and international talent in the musical fields of Hip Hop, Grime, RnB/Soul, Reggae, Jazz, Gospel, and African music.

Global artists attending over the years have included Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Diddy, Jay Z, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Tina Turner, Sade, Lionel Richie, Usher, Sam Smith and Amy Winehouse, just to name a few. 

From the outset MOBO has played an instrumental role in the careers of numerous UK artists such as Stormzy, Craig David, Rita Ora, Ms Dynamite, Krept and Konan, Chip and Kano - giving them their very first big platform at the start of their journey to global success.

Beyond the awards, MOBO supports undiscovered talent in music via MOBO UnSung, and across the wider creative industries via the MOBO Season and MOBOvation Talks, alongside our newly established charity, MOBO Trust, which aims to support young people in the creative industries via a MOBO Fund and an all-new MOBO Academy”.

To honour all the nominees that were announced at the end of this week, I want to put their music together in a MOBO Awards playlist. From newcomers like Cat Burns nominated alongside Miraa May and Knucks, there is going to be a lot of competition this year. On its twenty-fifth anniversary, it goes to show that the influential award body and organisation is as crucial and impressive today as it has always been. The songs from nominees this year…

PROVES that in spades!

FEATURE: Come to Sparkle the Dark Up: Kate Bush’s December Will Be Magic Again at Forty-Two

FEATURE:

 

 

Come to Sparkle the Dark Up

Kate Bush’s December Will Be Magic Again at Forty-Two

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IT is that time of year…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush at the British Rock and Pop Awards, February 1980/IMAGE CREDIT: Mirrorpix

when I talk about Kate Bush’s magnificent Christmas song, December Will Be Magic Again. The song was originally recorded in 1979 and premiered during the Christmas Special in December 1979. I am not sure why there was a delay after that, because December Will Be Magic Again was not officially released until 17th November, 1980. Released as the follow-up to Army Dreamers (from 1980’s Never for Ever), it was a really fruitful time. In 1979, Bush took The Tour of Life on the road.. Maybe there was some demand from EMI for her to release a Christmas single. It is not a case of this being something she was made to do, resulting in a song that is forced, commercial and lacking in heart. In fact, as I shall explore when coming to the lyrics, it is one of her most interesting and bewitching songs. A beautiful number that has plenty of warmth, beauty and Christmas images, the sweetness is never too cloying. Whilst some regard December Will Be Magic Again as one of Bush’s weaker singles, others have placed it quite high in the pack. I think that it can definitely be placed when you hear the vocal. Similar in pitch to songs like Army Dreamers, there is a child-like innocence together with something more sensual and grown up. It is a wonderful song that I have a lot of affection for!

Reaching thirteen in Ireland and twenty-nine in the U.K., it was a fairly successful single from Bush. Not bothering the higher places on the chart, it did at least place fairly well and can be considered successful. Christmas singles are hard, as there is not a specific market for them and they are very much limited in their appeal and longevity. Harder to make distinct and enduring, I can see why Bush did not release too many Christmas songs. She did release another, Home for Christmas, but December Will Be Magic Again is her best of that particular type. Many would have liked the song to feature on an album or wider afield. That said, it did feature as part of the remastered series, where Bush put out her studio albums and lesser-heard songs/B-sides etc. No music video was ever made for the song. I can imagine something magical and incredible! Maybe inspired by The Snowman, an animated video would bring the lyrics and vocals to life in a very memorable way. The audio is phenomenal, but I do wonder why no video was ever released. Bush performed December Will Be Magic Again on television twice: the first performance took place during the Christmas Snowtime Special, broadcast by the BBC on 22nd December, 1979. In Bush, looking fabulous in a red suit, sits in a large wicker chair with red velvet upholstery, definitely made an impression! The second performance, during the Christmas Special, Kate, broadcast on 28th December, 1979, features Kate on piano and Kevin McAlea on keyboards and electric piano.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in London on 27th September, 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Bill Kennedy/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

The imagery Bush deploys leading into the chorus is incredible! I really love the chorus too and, again, the sort of images one imagines: “Ooh, dropping down in my parachute/The white city, she is so beautiful/Upon the black-soot icicled roofs/Ooh, and see how I fall/See how I fall/("Fall!") [backwards]/Like the snow/Come to cover the lovers/(Cover the lovers, But don't you wake them up)/Come to sparkle the dark up/(Sparkle the dark up/With just a touch of make-up)/Come to cover the muck up/(Cover the muck up/Ooh, with a little luck)/December will be magic again”. There is a mix of the traditional and uniquely Kate Bush in December Will Be Magic Again. It is a hard balance making sure a Christmas song appeals and stands out. If it too generic and obvious then it will not memorable. Make it too weird, oblique, or abstract and that will alienate a large amount of people. I think that Kate Bush got the balance just right! Written and recorded at Abbey Road Studio 2 with Preston Heyman on drums, sleigh bells and maracas, Alan Murphy on guitar, Kuma Harada on bass, and Bush on piano, the fact that December Will Be Magic Again was released two weeks before December and over five weeks before Christmas meant the song did not stay on the chart long. It would have been interesting seeing how the song fared had it been released closer to Christmas. In 1980, the number one song at Christmas was There's No One Quite Like Grandma by the Stockport-based primary school choir, St Winifred's School Choir. The song was a Christmas number-one single in both the U.K. and Ireland. In the UK, it pushed John Lennon's last single, (Just Like) Starting Over, to number two.

Not related to Kate Bush’s Christmas single, but I don’t think there was too much cheer in the air in December 1980. John Lennon was murdered on 8th December 1980, and I think that many artists were feeling the shock. Kate Bush herself would have been impacted. In general, some of the usual cheer and excitement for Christmas music might have been lost! It was a strange and tragic end to the year. Maybe it is as well that December Will Be Magic Again was released on 17th November, 1980 and it did at least provide some cheer and Christmas anticipation before quite a dark month for the world! December Will Be Magic Again’s B-side was Warm and Soothing. It is quite a basic song that is a typical B-side. Even so, it was the first song she recorded at Abbey Road Studios. So it is important in that sense. I love how lines like “Light the candle-lights/To conjure Mr. Wilde/Into the Silent Night/Ooh, it's quiet inside/Here in Oscar's mind” manage to be both literary and Christmassy. Bush is a lyricist who can project contrasting and arresting images with very few words. A song that I always say deserves more attention and respect in terms of her cannon and best work, you will hear radio stations start to play the song in the next couple of weeks. In fact, when we get to 1st December, I think that is when it will really rev up! Both chilly with its snowy imagery and warming in terms of the beauty and comfort Bush provokes with her vocals and composition, the majestic December Will Be Magic Again is…

A truly magical song.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Hello Mary

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Nolan Zangas

Hello Mary

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I am moving more into…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Olivia Wein

band territory this month with my Spotlight recommendations. I am trying to broaden away from solo artists. Today, I wanted to point out the incredible Hello Mary. The incredible New York trio write anthemic songs and have incredible chemistry and amazing stage presence. I am going to source a few interviews with them. Even back in 2020, they were starting to get a lot of buzz and hype. Two years on, and the trio (Helena Straight on guitar, Mikaela Oppenheimer on bass, and Stella Wave on drums) are amassing a big following and are being spotlighted by the likes of Rolling Stone! The first interview that I want to bring in is from KEXP. Hailed by the likes of Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, The Breeders, Belly) and harnessing a sound that is ‘90s-nodding but modern at the same time, it is no wonder the hugely promising Hello Mary are turning heads right now:

“Formed in 2019, Hello Mary self-released their debut album in 2020 when Straight and Oppenheimer were 16 and Wave was 19. The release established the band’s penchant for unpredictability, surprising melodic twists, and explosive instrumentation. Across seven songs, they flex their muscle for changing time signatures with perfect synchronicity, gratifying whiplash helped along by their composition that, sophisticated beyond their years, counterbalances sonic space with blindsiding moments of thunderous drums and guitar.

Since the debut, they’ve been refining their sound in the confines of the pandemic with impressive results: in addition to shows around city parks, they’ve opened for Sunflower Bean, Luna, Quicksand, Dehd, and Pretty Sick. Most recently, they teamed up with industry vet Bryce Goggin (Dinosaur Jr., Pavement) to produce their latest batch of ear-splitters, including “Stinge” and “Sink In.”

The two singles find the unsigned band dialing back the thrash of their earlier material, still packing the tracks with controlled blitz but in sparser environments that allow each of their individual talent to shine. It’s hard not to speak in hyperboles when Wave’s kick drum ignites every chorus across the pair of songs, when Oppenheimer slices through the fuzz with chugging basslines in “Stinge,” or when Straight’s searing guitar solo comes for you in “Sink In,” the only refuge from which is her crystalline voice that transcends the slick sludge. While the lyrics in their debut weren’t as robust as their instrumental offerings, resonant reflections on love and the loss of it now color the music, rounding out their initial explorations of loneliness and isolation with experience”.

Apologies to mess with the chronology, but I want to go back to 2021 and an interview from SHEESH!. Maybe the trio are not as known in the U.K., but there is a lot of love and attention for Hello Mary in the U.S. I know that the three-piece will be touring the world very soon. Even though they have a large array of influences, they remind me of a mix of Nirvana, The Breeders and Sleater-Kinney. I think we could see the group in films and on the screen, such is their appeal, aesthetic, allure and how they grab you with their music. The trio recently released the single, Spiral. Hello Mary release their eponymous album next March:

“It’s five in the evening on a Wednesday night in early January when the dynamic trio of Hello Mary roll into our Zoom meeting. The members immediately start to excitedly chat and laugh with one another as if it were a regularly scheduled Facetime call between three lifelong friends. It’s hard to imagine that they’ve been playing together and creating music with one another for only two years. From finishing each other’s sentences to the ease at which laughter enters every part of our conversation, there is an undeniable rapport between the trio that any well respected musical group would be envious of. There is a seriousness and buzz of buoyancy in the members’ answers, an indication of their respect for their craft and each other, as they patiently responded to the standard and not-so-standard interview questions tossed at them.

Stella Wave, Helena Straight, and Mikaela Oppenheimer make up the rock trio that is Hello Mary. The band delivers nostalgic sounds reminiscent of 90s and early 2000s rock bands, but to define them by one era or genre of music would be a disservice to their potential and musicianship as a 21st century rock band. As stated by Stella, the drummer and co-vocalist, “It’s just rock, fuck Indie rock, fuck alternative rock, it’s just rock.”

The trio are very clear and assertive over how they want their music to sound and to prevent Hello Mary from being forced into any pre-existing holes. Mikaela, the bassist who delivers hypnotic bass lines throughout their tracks, emphasizes the raw sound they strive to produce. “We’ve talked about it before [and] we try to steer clear of produced and glossy music. We record our songs exactly as they are, just [to have] them sound like a really good version of us playing it live.” The members want people to rock out and jam along with their music. As Helena, the guitarist and co-vocalist of the three notes, “My favorite feeling when listening to music is to feel emotionally connected to the sound.”

The band released their first album Ginger last year and are currently working on recording their second. Expect to hear more mature songwriting and a tighter unison throughout the tracks as the trio have advanced both lyrically and in their musicianship. “Our songs are going to keep getting better [and] hopefully we can make a career out of it,” Helena further emphasizes. “I hope, even if this band goes nowhere or we don’t pick up or get big which would be a big bonus and a really fun way to make money and live, I would still choose to play music with Helena and Mikaela. I feel so good doing it and it’s so fun and fulfilling,” Stella chimes”.

I want to move to a feature and interview from LADYGUNN. They featured this awesome trio back in March. Consisting of some quick-fire questions, I thought it would be interesting to drop it in. We get to learn more about their tastes and inspirations:

“Hello Mary?

Mikaela and I met in the 6th grade…I got into music because my dad played the drums. There was always rock music playing at home growing up, so that’s how I got into it.  Mikaela and I started making music together in middle school.

A defining moment for the group?

Helena and I were a part of the Brooklyn Music Factory…after that we started off on our own.

Inspiration?

The Breeders, Big Thief, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead…we’re all over the map!

A favorite spot?

My basement.

How often do you guys practice?

Twice a week.

What comes to mind when you think NYC

Listening to music on the subway.

A favorite band?

The Strokes!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Nolan Zangas

Punk rock?

If you think you’re playing it…you probably are. There’s something unique about it.

A favorite closet item?

Blue jeans…we don’t have any black ones.

A memorable story?

There was this guy that wanted a Hello Mary t-shirt, and we all got on our bikes and delivered it to him in Brooklyn. It was the hottest day of the year.

Apples or Pears?

Pears honestly, but we’re trying to eat more apples.

How does your last album compare to the latest?

The last album that we have out has some cool moments, but it’s not that great in comparison to our latest. I think we’ve all become better as musicians.

A favorite from the album

‘Ginger’ is the most fun to play…but ‘Mary’ is cool too.

Some weirdness?

It was upstate…I was laying down and I felt like there were spiritual entities all around me. I started crying, and then laughing hysterically afterwards”.

I will end with a recent interview from Rolling Stone. Showing that Hello Mary have reached a new level and are getting love and support from some major outlets, they are going to blow up come 2023! This is a band that everyone needs to keep a close eye on:

“THEY SAY THAT rock is dying, guitar solos are old news, and kids today don’t like that kind of noise. OK, sure — but have they heard Hello Mary?

The New York trio’s self-titled full-length debut, out March 3, is a blast of distorted chords, sunny harmonies, and all-consuming angst that will renew your faith in the hopelessly dated and/or timelessly classic sounds of alternative rock. Hello Mary is an instant contender for 2023’s most bracing entrance to the stage, sharp and self-assured. Oh yeah, and the band’s two founders — singer-guitarist Helena Straight and bass player Mikaela Oppenheimer, both 18 — just graduated from high school this summer.

Drummer Stella Wave, 22, admits her expectations were low when someone first sent her a link to the songs that Straight and Oppenheimer had been writing as a twosome. “They were both 15, and I was 18,” says Wave, who was a college freshman in Westchester County at the time. “I don’t know how much you remember about that dynamic, but it feels huge. When I realized how young they were, I was like, ‘This might be kind of weird.’ But then I listened to the demos that they put on SoundCloud.”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Hello Mary in Brooklyn, October 2022/PHOTO CREDIT: Jessica Gurewitz

She was intrigued enough to come meet Straight at her parents’ house in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. It didn’t go very well. “Helena opened the door and was so quiet,” Wave says, laughing. “She was so painfully shy. We practiced and it felt like pulling teeth, honestly, to get any reaction. She later told me that she almost canceled on me because she was so nervous.” (“I freaked out because she was older,” Straight confirms.)

Straight and Oppenheimer had been close pals since middle school, when they met through an extracurricular program for musically inclined Brooklynites. Both of them were introspective kids, and they bonded over mid-2010s favorites like Courtney Barnett, Car Seat Headrest, and Twin Peaks — “classic indie stuff,” Straight says — along with older picks from the decades before they were born.

“I remember when Neutral Milk Hotel came on my Pandora for the first time and I was like, ‘This is crazy,’” Oppenheimer says.

“And I was like, ‘Oh my God, my dad plays this all the time,’” Straight says.

Their taste was highly unusual in their peer group, where Top 40 pop ruled the day. “I still love Taylor Swift — I’m sitting on a Taylor Swift blanket right now,” Straight says. “So I could relate to people that were into that stuff. But Mikaela and I had a separate connection that we didn’t share with anyone else.”

Soon they’d broken off from the other students in the music program to start Hello Mary, which became the main focus of their early-adolescent lives. They’d spend hours at Straight’s house practicing in the basement as a duo; in the summer before ninth grade, they went up to the tiny attic to record some demos with Straight’s dad on drums.

Wave, a few years ahead of them, had grown up in another part of Brooklyn on a similar diet of parentally approved guitar weirdness. She recalls listening to “a lot of Pavement” — her mom’s favorite band — along with Luna, Galaxie 500, Yo La Tengo, and more. “I remember in elementary school being embarrassed because my mom DJ’d some Valentine’s Day dance, and having a talk with her before: ‘You can’t play your music. You have to play pop hits so that the kids like me,’” Wave says. By her own teens, she was getting into heavier bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Breeders”.

Maybe better known in their native U.S. and around New York/Brooklyn, there is this expanding consciousness of the amazing Hello Mary. With their music being shared on social media and loads of people raving about them, you need to check them out! The Hello Mary album is out next year, and new single Spiral is among their very best work. I can guarantee that, right away, Helena Straight, Mikaela Oppenheimer and Stella Wave’s wonderful music will capture your heart…

AND move your body and bones.

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Follow Hello Mary

FEATURE: A Gem from the Archives: Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four: The Simply Unbelievable Wow

FEATURE:

 

 

A Gem from the Archives

Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four: The Simply Unbelievable Wow

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AS I will say a lot going forward…

I am doing a load of anniversary features, as six of Kate Bush’s albums turn different ages this month. I will come onto albums like Before the Dawn and 50 Words for Snow. Today, I am coming back to Lionheart one final time. Her second studio album, it is forty-four on 13th November. Appearing only months after the debut, The Kick Inside, it reached number six in the U.K. Arguably the best song on the album, Wow was released as single on 9th March, 1979. It reached fourteen in the U.K. Lionheart is an interesting album. Its title was derived from the song, Oh England My Lionheart. It is not really an album about Englishness as such. Instead, and what makes it so interesting, is the fact that Bush managed to make it sound different to The Kick Inside. Slightly more adventurous and eccentric than The Kick Inside, Wow seems to be the most obvious single from the album. As Bush did not have a lot of time to write new songs for her second album, she had to return to the archives and work up songs that were written earlier and were overlooked for The Kick Inside. It is hard to believe that she already had Wow in her vault! Wow received mostly positive feedback. Some were not impressed with the lush production. Sounds were especially sexist and rude with their review, expressing the fact that people fancied Kate Bush and this was no reason to buy her music! I don’t think there is anything to criticise about Wow. Produced by Andrew Powell (who produced The Kick Inside) and assisted by Bush, it sounds wonderful!

I can imagine Kate Bush writing the song. Concerning the music business and showbusiness in general, she was always compelled by the stage, T.V. and film. There is humour, running through one of her best songs. I love the fact this song was maybe never going to see the light of day. Not seen as right for The Kick Inside, I assume Bush wanted to write new material and would never revisit songs previously written. Too good to be forgotten, Wow is a classic that, alone, makes Lionheart such a remarkable listen. Its ten tracks are all magnificent and varied. In future Lionheart features, I might discuss the album in general and how it came so soon after The Kick Inside. Here is what Kate Bush said about the magnificent Wow:

“I've really enjoyed recording 'Wow'. I'm very, very pleased with my vocal performance on that, because we did it a few times, and although it was all in tune and it was okay, there was just something missing. And we went back and did it again and it just happened, and I've really pleased with that, it was very satisfying. (Lionheart Promo Cassette, EMI Canada, 1978)

'Wow' is a song about the music business, not just rock music but show business in general, including acting and theatre. People say that the music business is about ripoffs, the rat race, competition, strain, people trying to cut you down, and so on, and though that's all there, there's also the magic. It was sparked off when I sat down to try and write a Pink Floyd song, something spacey; Though I'm not surprised no-one has picked that up, it's not really recognisable as that, in the same way as people haven't noticed that 'Kite' is a Bob Marley song, and 'Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbrake' is a Patti Smith song. When I wrote it I didn't envisage performing it - the performance when it happened was an interpretation of the words I'd already written. I first made up the visuals in a hotel room in New Zealand, when I had half an hour to make up a routine and prepare for a TV show. I sat down and listened to the song through once, and the whirling seemed to fit the music. Those who were at the last concert of the tour at Hammersmith must have noticed a frogman appear through the dry ice it was one of the crew's many last night 'pranks' and was really amazing. I'd have liked to have had it in every show. (Kate Bush Club newsletter, Summer 1979)”.

I think that Wow should have charted higher. I know that Bush did quite a few vocal tracks for the song. She was looking for a perfect sound and, being in the studio with her, the musicians and crew must have been amazed by her commitment! A song that she knew would resonate and would make an impact, Wow is still played a lot today. Definitely one of her more popular songs, I am glad that it was not confined to the archives forever. I imagine it might have made an appearance as a possible B-side but, with EMI wanting a second album so soon after her debut, Bush had no choice but to dust off this remarkable song. I love the lyrics and how intriguing they are. I wonder who the ‘Emily’ is that Bush refers to in Wow’s first verse: “Emily.../We're all alone on the stage tonight./We've been told we're not afraid of you/We know all our lines so well, uh-huh/We've said them so many times: Time and time again/Line and line again”. Although there are clear nods to acting and the stage, it is quite brave that, this early in her career, Bush released a song that concerned how artists can be messed around and pushed relentlessly: “Ooh, yeah, you're amazing!/We think you are really cool/We'd give you a part, my love/But you'd have to play the fool”. It is such a fascinating song that is the third on Lionheart. I always wonder why it was not the opening song! That said, Symphony in Blue is a gorgeous opening track. In lieu of how Bush’s 1978 consumed her and how busy she was, you can almost look at the song as an artist recognising that the music industry is harsh and can set you up for a fall. Perhaps more concerning other artists, you get the sense Bush herself was already feeling a sense of strain and disenchantment by the end of 1978. As Lionheart is forty-four on 13th November, I wanted to highlight one of its standout tracks. A beautiful song that hypnotises the senses, it is amazing, wonderful and…

TRULY unbelievable!

FEATURE: In Search of Peter Pan: A Delightful Song and Rarity in Her Catalogue: Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four

FEATURE:

 

 

In Search of Peter Pan: A Delightful Song and Rarity in Her Catalogue

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz 

Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four

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FOR this penultimate feature…

on Kate Bush’s Lionheart, I wanted to highlight a song that not many people talk about or really know about. Turning forty-four on 13th November, there is a particular track I have written about before, but I wanted to explore from a different angle. Not only is Lionheart and underrated album that many people pass by, the ten individual songs are brilliant. All very different, it showcases the range and variation of Kate Bush’s songwriting. So utterly imaginative and spectacular, I love her vocals, compositions and lyrics throughout her second studio album. Before getting to a song from Lionheart that has a particularly interesting aspect to it, here is a 1978 interview snippet where Bush discussed the 1978 album:

“Maybe I'm a bit too close to it at the moment, but I find it much more adventurous than the last one. I'm much more happier with the songs and the arrangements and the backing tracks. I was getting a bit worried about labels from that last album; everything being in the high register, everything being soft, and airy-fairy. That was great for the time but it's not really what I want to do now, or what I want to do, say, in the next year. I guess I want to get basically heavier in the sound sense... and I think that's on the way, which makes me really happy.

I don't really think there are any songs on the album that are as close to Wuthering Heights as there were on the last one. I mean, there's lots of songs people could draw comparisons with. I want the first single that comes out from this album to be reasonably up-tempo. That's the first thing I'm concerned with, because I want to break away from what has previously gone. I'm not pleased with being associated with such soft, romantic vibes, not for the first single anyway. If that happens again, that's what I will be to everyone. (Harry Doherty, Kate: Enigma Variations. Melody Maker, November 1978)”.

The song in question is the second on the album. In Search of Peter Pan is a track that is going to be new to many people. Not one of the singles from the album, it is an older song that was used for Lionheart. Bush wrote three new songs from the album, but she had to bring in older songs because of the short gap between the release of The Kick Inside in February 1978 and the release of Lionheart on 13th November. There are a few reasons why I love In Search of Peter Pan. For one, it is another case of Bush being compelled and moved by literature. Throughout her career, Bush took from books, films and T.V. shows. There is magic, childlike wonder and beauty on this song. As it follows the more sophisticated and perhaps more mature and deeper opening track, Symphony in Blue, it acts as a nice contrast and different palette. Throughout Lionheart, there are so many moods and different sounds working alongside one another. This is what Bush said about the majestic In Search of Peter Pan:

“There's a song on [Lionheart] called 'In Search Of Peter Pan' and it's sorta about childhood. And the book itself is an absolutely amazing observation on paternal attitudes and the relationships between the parents - how it's reflected on the children. And I think it's a really heavy subject, you know, how a young innocence mind can be just controlled, manipulated, and they don't necessarily want it to happen that way. And it's really just a song about that. (Lionheart promo cassette, EMI Canada, 1978)”.

One of the songs that Bush performed live during The Tour of Life, even though the title might suggest something whimsical and innocent, there is actually darkness and serious tones on the song. Bush’s description of the proves that. The lyrics, as you would expect, are extraordinary. One of music’s best and most original lyricists, the lines draw you into the song: “Running into her arms/At the school gates/She whispers that I'm a poor kid/And Granny takes me on her knee/She tells me I'm too sensitive/She makes me sad/She makes me feel like an old man/She makes me feel like an old man”. My favourite verse actually comes a bit later in the song: “He's got a photo/Of his hero/He keeps it under his pillow/But I've got a pin-up/From a newspaper/Of Peter Pan/I found it in a locket/I hide it in my pocket”. Aside from some arrangements and expected assistance with compositions and input from her musicians, Bush wrote and composed every track on her ten studio albums. Some might say this is no big deal. Think about artists in general and certainly the most popular ones of all time. There are very few examples of one artist writing all the songs without co-credit and collaborators. Bush is a singular talent who did not want or need others in the mix. In Search of Peter Pan is a rare example of other people’s words briefly coming into one of her songs.

One cannot really say that In Search of Peter Pan is a co-write. Bush uses some famous lines from Pinocchio’s When You Wish Upon a Star at the very end: “When you wish upon a star/Makes no difference who you are/When you wish upon a star/Your dreams come true". Although there are only a few lines in there, it is this incidence of Bush sprinkling in words from someone else/another source. I think it adds a lovely and fantastical wonder to the end of the song. Actually, I think the only case where there is a proper co-writing credit for a song is Flower of the Mountain from Director’s Cut (2011). Originally The Sensual World from the 1989 album of the same name, Bush reworked the song and included words from James Joyce’s Ulysses for Flower of the Mountain. She wanted to use Molly Bloom’s stunning soliloquy for The Sensual World but could not get permission. When she was granted access by the Joyce estate – I think any limitations or restrictions had expired by then anyway! -, the words were included in the song. Can you even call that a co-write!? There is definitely another writer on Lionheart’s under-heard gem. A song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington and first recorded in 1939, it appeared in Pinocchio in 1940. I love the fact that Bush used some of the immortal lines for this song that has Peter Pan at its heart! Peter Pan was made into an animated Disney film in 1953, so there are further examples of Bush being influenced by film once more! As the stunning Lionheart album is forty-four on 13th November, I wanted to use this final feature about it to highlight one of its best tracks. Following Symphony in Blue and leading into Wow, here was a tremendous opening trio of songs that were very different to the opening three songs – Moving, The Saxophone Song and Strange Phenomena – of The Kick inside. Taking its lead from J.M. Barrie’s novel and inspired by how a young innocence mind can be just controlled and manipulated, In Search of Peter Pan is…

A beautiful and striking song.

FEATURE: Don’t Stop Now: Dua Lipa’s Move Into Acting…and the Artists That Should Follow

FEATURE:

 

 

Don’t Stop Now

IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa at the 2022 Grammys/PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Leekley

Dua Lipa’s Move Into Acting…and the Artists That Should Follow

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MAYBE it is a minor notion…

IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa and Henry Caville in Argylle/PHOTO CREDIT: Apple TV+

but major motion pictures with respected and mainstream artists in the role are becoming more common – though they aren’t as common as you’d imagine. I will finish with a few artists who people would love to see hit the big screen. Or at least spend more time on there. This has been motivated by news that Dua Lipa is moving into acting. Whereas contemporaries like Taylor Swift have inevitably stepped into roles and look set to take their talent and gravitas to cinema (Swift had a brief role in this year’s Amsterdam), there are others that are surely primed for that transition and transition from film to music. Lady Gaga and Harry Styles have appeared in films with mixed results. As NME report, Lipa has said that her first role is baby steps:

“The pop star plays an undisclosed role in Apple TV+‘s forthcoming spy thriller Argylle, which is slated for release next year, opposite Henry Cavill.

Lipa has addressed her acting debut on a recent episode of her podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service on iHeartMedia.

Speaking to Schitt’s Creek creator and star Dan Levy on the episode, Lipa reflected on shooting the film. “I had a really great time, and it was really exciting, but I think for me it’s like baby steps,” she said.

“I think that’s also just, like, the best way to discover yourself as well. Rather than throwing yourself in the deep end with something that maybe you can’t completely tackle head on. Like, I think my biggest fear would be taking on a really big role and being, like, fuck. Now I have to, like, be an actor and feel these emotions and feelings on camera, when I haven’t, like, you know, brought myself up to that point yet. But definitely really exciting.”

The film, which adapts the currently unpublished novel by Ellie Conway, features an ensemble cast of Cavill and Lipa alongside Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara and Ariana DeBose, with John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson.

According to a press release, the film “follows the globe-trotting adventures of a super-spy named Argylle across the US, London and other exotic locations”.

Vaughn (Kingsman) is on board to direct from a script written by Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman), produced by Marv and Vaughn’s regular collaborators Adam Bohling and David Reid, as well as Fuchs. Zygi Kamasa, Carlos Peres, Claudia Vaughn and Adam Fishbach will serve as executive producers.

Meanwhile, in other Dua Lipa news the singer revealed recently that she feels more in “control” on her forthcoming new album than ever before”.

This looks like an interesting project! As a major artist whose latest album, Future Nostalgia (2020), took her to a new level, Dua Lipa would have had offers for film and T.V. projects. I have said for a long time how Lipa would make a natural film actor. A lot of big artists do, as they are on the largest stages and, through their videos and music, adopt different roles. I know the disciplines are different, but as everyone from Halsey, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna and even Justin Timberlake have shown is that they can tackle a range of different roles with aplomb!

I think Argylle is a film Dua Lipa will slip comfortably into (sorry!). She has a charisma, conviction, allure and screen command that is very obvious from videos and interviews. From her live performances, we can feel this very accomplished young women who has an exceptional ability. Her physicality brings her songs to life, and she turns her shows into spectacles. Maybe the small role she has at the moment is a little more modest, but by channelling her multiple gifts, I think she will get people watching closely. There are definitely going to be more roles off. Lead roles too. I think that Lipa is sensible that she is not getting ahead of her. Not to keep comparing her to others, but I think of Lady Gaga, an exceptionally natural and acclaimed actor. Award-nominated and with terrific versatility, I can see Dua Lipa enjoying the same sort of success. There is a natural and very obvious spark that she will bring to the screen. It gets me thinking about other artists that could ably go into acting. I know Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) has said she would like to take on acting roles. I could see her doing some incredible T.V. series and films. Taylor Swift has had a few film roles, but she is going to enjoy some huge lead roles soon. Keeping with Pop, and Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish seem like they are made for the screen. Kendrick Lamar would be such a powerful and awesome actor.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tinashe/PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Martin for THE FACE

To me, Tinashe would be sublime and such a phenomenal actor. Again, someone who I could see just owning various roles and being award nominated. This is just me throwing out names, but I think they would all be a success. I am not suggesting we flood films and T.V. roles – big series on streaming sites would also be a perfect place for wonderful artists to show their chops – with artists, but there is something about them that add something special. Coming from music, they bring new angles and layers to roles. Used to adopting different personas and sharing a lot of the same disciplines actors are taught, there are so many potential stars out there. Even though Teyana Taylor is a successful actor, musician, director and dancer, she is someone who absolutely explodes and ignites the screen. I hope that she has in mind some roles in 2023, as I can distinctly picture her in some particular film roles. The Harlem-born superstar is someone who could win multiple awards for acting roles.

IN THIS PHOTO: Teyana Taylor/PHOTO CREDIT: Carl Timpone/BFA

Whether you’d imagine Billie Eilish being Debbie Harry in a Blondie biopic, Dua Lipa going onto be a bad-ass spy in a thriller, Tinashe stunning in a complex physiological drama or Kendrick Lamar starring in a 1970s-set comedy-drama that brings to mind the classic films of Spike Lee, there are pairings that we can all imagine. Taylor Swift seems like she would be able to do screwball comedy as well as horror, romantic comedy or pretty much any other film genre. From historical pioneers, LGBTQIA+ icons, famous musicians and fictional roles, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the world of music and acting. How they are naturally linked and yet there are not as many artists in acting roles as you’d imagine. I think that Dua Lipa is going to get a lot of great reviews for her work in Argylle. She will definitely blossom as an actor. Who knows just how huge that side of her career will get. As we move into 2023, I predict that artists major and upcoming will step into film and T.V. roles. Some terrific performances have been turned in this year by beloved artists, so next year will not disappoint. Just make sure that you…

KEEP your eyes peeled.

FEATURE: Revisiting... Billy Nomates – Billy Nomates

FEATURE:

 

 

Revisiting…

Billy Nomates – Billy Nomates

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AS she recently…

announced the release of her second studio album, CACTI (due on 23rd January), I have been thinking about the eponymous debut from Billy Nomates. The moniker of Tor Maries, Billy Nomates was released in 2020. I would advise people go and buy the album, as it is a remarkable debut from the British songwriter. Mixing politics, personal and societal lyrics with her distinct and incredible vocals and something danceable and catchy, there is nobody on the scene like Billy Nomates. If you have not heard the debut album, I would strongly recommend it. I am going to come to a couple of reviews for the album. Prior to that, there is an interview from NME to promote her debut. For many, it was the introduction to this amazing artist. I have selected a few segments from it:

“Originally slated for release in May on Invada Records, the you-know-what pandemic has meant that the record has now been delayed until August 7. “I initially freaked out,” Maries admits. “I thought back in April that the world may never be the same — will we just wait forever if we delay? But it was a good call.”

It was on the train home from her final day in the studio producing the record alongside Invada’s Geoff Barrow (also of Portishead) and Stu Matthews that she first read about coronavirus, such is the album’s symbiotic relationship with the pandemic. Indeed, in the post-COVID reality that is now beginning to dawn on us, her tales of class struggle and social inequality are set to ring truer than ever.

“I’ve never really had money, but I was the poorest I’d been a couple of years ago after working a load of minimum wage jobs,” Maries explains. “I was miserable and poor and unfulfilled: I couldn’t write about fancying someone or anything nice. I thought: ‘If I’m going to write again, I have no option but to write about “ah, it’s all crap“.’”

Maries says that she considers herself to be on the edge of working class, but she does rue the absence of the full range of voices in music. “You don’t see a lot of working class people in any arts, you have to really look for it. You’ll instantly notice them, though, because there’s a tone of voice that’s allowed to come through that you haven’t heard for a long time.”

One of the most visible examples of this in recent years is Sleaford Mods, and frontman Jason Williamson appears on the bitterly sweet Billy Nomates track ‘Supermarket Sweep’. Aside from the obvious kinship that they share musically, the two artists also have roots in the East Midlands (Maries is originally from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire) as well as another more pivotal connection.

“I went through quite a bad depression stage,” Maries says, referring to the inception of the Billy Nomates project in early 2019. “I had a few months where a relationship had broken down, I was sleeping on my sister’s couch, I’d gone into a real funk and just didn’t want to leave the house or see anyone. I saw Sleaford Mods were coming to Southampton, so I just got a ticket by myself. I remember being in the crowd watching the warm-up band — Liines, a really good band — and some drunk guy shoved me on the shoulder and shouted: ‘It’s Billy no-mates!’ I’d just started recording at the time and I didn’t have a name. It’s genuinely one of those moments that I’ll never forget. That guy was a fucking genius”.

An album that was well reviewed by those who heard it but not shared and talked about as much as it should have been, I wanted to alert people to Billy Nomates’ eponymous debut. I am interested to hear what we might get from CACTI – she released the saboteur forcefield single recently – and how it differs from Billy Nomates. Here is what Loud and Quiet observed about a mighty debut album – and one of the best albums of 2020:

“Tor Maries only embraced self-prioritisation recently. Meaning: she’d spent a life not always putting herself first. The songwriter, who originates from the pork pie capital Melton Mowbray, spent years performing in groups around Bristol – there was some success, but little satisfaction.

It was only when Maries moved to Bournemouth, bought a ticket and flew solo to watch Sleaford Mods in 2019 – in a neat piece of circularity Jason Williamson pops up to rap about meat on ‘Supermarket Sweep’ – Maries decided to go it alone (she owes the moniker to a drunk man calling her “Billy Nomates” at that very show).

Billy Nomates is therefore what happens when you discard outside perceptions, pause people-pleasing and discover the power of self-expression. That’s why when observers question why Maries sometimes sings with a U.S. accent, she simply counters: it’s because I want to. Why not? Damn right.

These songs are Tor Maries’ experienced truth, then. ‘Modern Hart’ – a melancholic track that feels like a telegram to her old self – provides the opening. “Anyone can do it,” she sings over a grimy, Kim Deal-esque bassline.

It’s a subtle start, but things soon spice up with a string of acerbic and entertaining pot-shots. ‘Hippy Elite’ is about wanting to be more active in the climate emergency, but also needing to cover the household bills. ‘Happy Misery’ takes aim at anti-productive nostalgic mindsets (see also: Gazelle Twin’s ‘Better In My Day’) and ‘Supermarket Sweep’ a song about how the mundanity of financial survival chips away at aspirations. There’s the catchy centrepiece ‘No’ – about the empowering discovery of resistance.

Such everydayisms could come across as corny, but like her pals Sleaford Mods the songs are authentic, authoritative and frequently funny. They also pack a consistent and timely reminder: “Forgotten normal people are a force to remember”.

A really great album that warranted more exposure at the time and should be played and explored more now, Billy Nomates is so satisfying and rewarding. In their hugely positive review. Louder Than War recognised the quality that runs through Billy Nomates:

“A stark, black and white video appeared for No in March this year, just as things started to get a little strange. Just before the great toilet roll and hand sanitiser shortage. A video for FNP appeared in early June; Tor dancing in an otherwise empty field and singing about all the, “forgotten normal people”. The latter felt particularly apt when it dropped in the midst of the Barnard Castle, eye test fiasco and the governments increasing ambivalence towards the general population. As we head into summer, Billy Nomates has arrived with an album of innovative post-punk, defiance and danceable dissatisfaction.

Modern Hart bursts into life with Tor’s vocals riding over an insistent bass line and a wash of atmospheric synths. “He knows the codes to crack/ he watches me break my back/ I’m a slow learner” she sings before adding “but I’m getting the hang of it”. The lyrics are an undeniable highlight throughout the album; an engaging mix of anger, wit and storytelling. “One time I cycled all the way home/ because this planet is our only one” sings Maries on Hippy Elite “but nobody saw it and I felt all the worse for it”. A brilliantly sharp and genuinely funny post-punk belter about trying to do your best for the environment but never being good enough for the wealthy, hippy elite.

Tor builds each track with guitars, drums, bass, programmed beats and electronic textures. You can almost picture her jumping from one instrument to the next, relentlessly pinging around the room. Every track crackle’s with creativity. The jittery rattle of Happy Misery evokes the Monty Python ‘4 Yorkshiremen’ sketch – Ohhhh we used to DREAM of livin’ in a corridor! Tor snarls and struts through a bitter tale of tainted nostalgia and living in the past, “back in my day/ I had nothing/ we lived in happy misery!”

Most songs don’t last much longer than 3 minutes; bursting with ideas while retaining a tight, punk-indebted sense of economy. Tor’s vocals switch between singing and a kind of snarled spoken word. The propulsive No sits at the heart of the album with a simple but powerful message; “No is the greatest resistance/ No to your nothing existence”. A defiant two-fingered refusal to succumb to damaging digital narratives, sexism and media manipulation. Supermarket Sweep tackles the seemingly never-ending black hole of a dead end job and features a guest appearance by Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson. The unexpectedly gentle chorus offering a particularly melancholic inner dialogue, “Maybe the monotony is here to stay he thought”. A great piece of songwriting and an all too relatable tale.

The punkified electro-pop of FNP delivers another empowering clarion call before Mudslinger takes aim at busybody curtain twitchers over a glitchy, electro-punk backing. Call In Sick lurches into view with drum machine beats and menacing synths as Maries tries her best to pull a sickie, “See I’ve been up all night/ with one of the worst cases this town has ever seen/ and if I come in Debbie/ if I come in Debbie/ I’m gonna take down the whole team”. The excellent Fat White Man rumbles in with a bluesy guitar riff and a superbly sleazy tale of a lecherous, red-faced executive. The cigar-chomping, once untouchable, dinosaurs rolling down the road and out of town for good.

Wild Arena is built around a sparse, repetitive drum loop and subtle synth interjections. Tor’s vocals all the more startling with the tense, minimalistic backdrop. It doesn’t feel as immediate as the other tracks yet emphasises the spirit of discovery and experimentation at the albums core. The album comes to a close with the breathless thrill of Escape Artist; Nomates sneering and swooning as she looks for the nearest exit in the midst of another unremarkable week. Of course, the magic here is that throughout the album, Billy Nomates takes all the unspeakable blandness and frustration of everyday life and turns it into something fun, exciting and damn near magical.

Clocking in at little over half an hour, Billy Nomates has made the kind of album you’ll find yourself playing again-and-again. Some much-needed respite from the never-ending Tory endorsed nightmare that is 2020. You can hear the boundless energy that Tor puts into every song and that kind of enthusiasm is pretty infectious. Make no mistake, Billy Nomates has just delivered one of the most exciting albums you’ll hear all year. What’s more, you get the feeling that she’s only just getting started”.

Although Tor Maries has been recorded music for a while now, with Billy Nommates, she has created one of the most potent and impressive forces in British music. I think her second album will top her amazing debut. That said, the 2020-released Billy Nommates is one everyone should hear. It is a wonderful album more than worthy of…

A second spin.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Måneskin

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

Måneskin

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I am not late to the party…

but I thought, as Måneskin have just announced news of an album, I would feature them in Spotlight now. This incredible and fascinating force are an Italian Rock band formed in Rome in 2016. They comprise of vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio. The band rose to prominence after finishing second in the eleventh season of the Italian talent show, X Factor, in 2017. Måneskin won the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 for Italy. They are an incredible band who put the controversy, excitement, and thrill back in a Rock scene that has seriously been lacking it for years! Before coming to interviews they have been involved with this year, DORK reported news of an upcoming Måneskin album last week:

“The official release date has been revealed – January 20th, 2023 – but no other information has been made available yet.

The Italian rockers recently debuted a new track, ‘Kool Kids’, at their Mexico City concert. This newest tease at new material follows the official release of their current single, ‘THE LONELIEST’, earlier this month.

The surprise announcement was made via Spotify’s social media accounts earlier this afternoon, with the band quickly confirming the news themselves. They have supplied the artwork for the release, which shows all four members of the band being leaped over by a character in a blue skirt

No other information has been provided.

Måneskin continue to tour the US & Canada throughout the remainder of October and November”.

It is hard to know where to begin with Måneskin! They are such an interesting and compelling band when it comes to the music and interviews. Stylish and raw at the same time, they have the Italian characteristics of passion and panache! Rather than being specific to various age groups and taste brackets, there is this widespread and easy charm and power to their music that will hook in people from across the generations and nations. I think that 2023 is going to be a huge year for them! With celebrity fans including Angelina Jolie, they are primed for massive things! Because they introduce us to the band, I want to start off with an interview with Vogue from earlier in the year. Måneskin were talking about the success of their song, Supermodel, and their rising success:

“Even if you’re not familiar with the musical sensation that is Måneskin, there’s a better than good chance you know that Angelina Jolie and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt were among the 70,000 fans who gathered to see the band play at the Circus Maximus in their hometown of Rome a few weeks ago because TikTok and the tabloids had a field day reporting it.

If introductions are in order, Måneskin (pronounced “moan-eh-skin”) is an Italian rock band with a Danish moniker (meaning “moonshine”). It was formed in 2016 by bassist Victoria De Angelis (who is half Danish, which explains the band name), guitarist Thomas Raggi, lead singer Damiano David, and drummer Ethan Torchio.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Måneskin: (from left) Ethan Torchio, Victoria De Angelis, Damiano David, and Thomas Raggi, in New York, July 2022/PHOTO CREDIT: Fabio Germinario/Courtesy of Arista Recordings

The foursome participated in a local talent contest and busked in Rome prior to competing on Italy’s X-Factor in 2017, where they placed second. Three years later they won the San Remo Festival and then the Eurovision Song Contest with an explosive and glam performance—complete with laced aubergine leather, platform boots, bare chests, and heavy eyeliner—that brought the house down. It was May 2021, the world was coming off a year in lockdown, and the band’s sense of fun was infectious. Not long after, they received an invitation to open for the Rolling Stones in L.A.

They’re back in America this week for a SiriusXM Small Stage performance, and it’s fortunate that all of Måneskin’s members have reached the legal drinking age because they have a lot to cin cin. Their hit single “Supermodel,” produced by Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, is currently number one on alt-radio and is on track to becoming the song of the summer. On top of that, it was just announced that the band is up for two MTV Video Music Awards (best new artist and best alternative). All that and a Gucci wardrobe via Alessandro Michele himself.

Theirs is not a gritty rag-to-riches story, though it follows roughly that of the apocryphal American dream that so many Italians left to pursue in the States. “We’re living a dream, that’s for sure,” conceded frontman David on a Gucci-clad visit to Vogue, “but in a different way. We don’t feel like we’ve been discovered. We dug every inch of this hole we’re in. We worked a lot to get here, so of course we are happy, but on the other side, pardon if I’m a bit cocky, but we feel like it’s well deserved.”

Deserved, yes (the band’s devotion to its craft is revealed in their 2018 documentary)—but also seemingly out of left field. An Italian glam punk-rock band? Who would have thunk it? Italy is known for many things—fashion, artistry, food, and fabrics, among them—but youth culture not so much. And at least outside of Italy, it’s not at all known for rock and roll. Måneskin surprises at every turn, defying expectations again and again. Whether it’s your taste or not, David’s bluesy voice cannot be denied, nor can the band’s sheer joy in what they’re doing. In a short time they have manifested their rock-star dreams, transitioning from playing a role to owning it.

At first sight, what most marks Måneskin as Italian is their Guccification. But in almost every other way, they have flipped the script. So much that is exported from Italy is given the stereotypical and nostalgic dolce vita spin—it’s all Roman Holiday, Sophia, Gina, and Michelangelo’s David. Måneskin’s viewpoint is more global, particularly anchored in a guitar-heavy 1970s sound in the style of British and American rockers. David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, Slade, and the New York Dolls come to mind.

Though Måneskin channels the sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll vibe developed in the dive bars and gritty environs of New York’s Lower East Side, the four have a more evolved attitude toward health and self-preservation. Artificial stimulants don’t seem to be part of the equation, despite a tempest in a teapot at Eurovision. (A photo of David leaning over a table led to allegations of cocaine use. He denied the claim, and a voluntary drug test confirmed that.) Unlike the anti-heroine of their summer hit, the band members, who have been constantly on the road and in the spotlight, are in need of a vacation, not rehab.

The song, by the way, is not about a specific person but a composite of poseurs the band met during their time in Los Angeles. “A lot of people think that the song is actually about a supermodel, but it’s not,” David stresses. “The supermodels in the ’90s…are supercool, supersmart, super focused. They were living this weird, crazy lifestyle, but it was authentic and natural [to them]. The song is about people faking to be supermodels. We saw a lot of people who had no money, no skills, no nothing, pretending to have money, skills, and networks, and that was super funny for us. They were actually pretending to be supermodels.” While we were on the topic, I asked each member to identify their real-life favorite ’90s super. De Angelis, Raggi, and Torchio are all team Kate Moss; David’s pick is Carla Bruni.

Fame is now part and parcel of the lives of all the Måneskins, and maintaining a personal life is challenging, says David. There’s also the matter of sustaining the person and the persona; fashion and heavy eyeliner are important parts of the latter. This foursome is a ’70s-style fever dream, with a preference for tattoo-revealing open shirts and flared pants. They don’t shy away from some BDSM in their wardrobes or lyrics, either—listen to “I Wanna Be Your Slave” from the band’s second album and the remake featuring the Me Decade icon Iggy Pop for proof.

In some ways, fashion and society today are very close to the ’70s, a decade defined in part by fights for social justice, feminism, and sexual liberation. “There were a lot of artists then in the rock or punk scenes who were trying to break the norms through their music. In style and aesthetics they were very revolutionary, also for society, not just for fashion,” notes De Angelis. “Unfortunately you still have to fight for many of the same topics from that time. They’re still actual now, and you still have to stand up and speak up for them.”

Gen Z’ers all, the band wants to communicate a message of freedom. They also want to share their passion for classic rock with their fans. As David said in a 2017 interview, “Our band is a translation of music from the past into modernity.” Consider the version of Elvis Presley’s 1968 hit “If I Can Dream” they did for the Baz Luhrmann Elvis movie. Måneskin’s cover of the Four Tops’ 1967 song “Beggin’” has more than a billion listens on Spotify.

Covers remain an important part of their performances, even as the band writes and performs original work. It’s an approach that syncs with their mission of bridging old and new and, in the context of their upbringing, seems to have a particularly Roman slant. Everywhere in the capital city, antiquity is in dialogue with the present. At the same time, nostalgia has never been more of a force in popular culture, both before the pandemic and today. De Angelis suggests that their loud, raucous form of play was the post-lockdown antidote many needed. On top of that, their glitter and glam speak to the escapist party mood many designers are now exploring.

Though Måneskin promotes a message of acceptance and works a genderfluid aesthetic, their world contains some basic binaries: new-old, Italian-English, public-private. Which leads me back to that person-persona divide. For David, the two coexist: “I think it gets back to the [idea that] two different things can live at the same moment and be equally real in the same way. I feel like I’m completely a different person onstage and offstage, but I don’t feel like I am faking anything in either situation. It’s just a part of me that comes out. When I’m offstage I’m very introverted, and onstage I’m crazy. It’s just two parts of me that are equally true and real. It’s just the context that changes”.

In May, NME shored up a lot of Internet space to dig deep into the music and lives of Måneskin. The band stated how there is not really anyone like them keeping Rock and Roll’s flame alive. That said, as they make apparent, you cannot kill the genre either. I have selected a few sections from the fascinating interview:

“Eurovision might seem a strange turn for most rockers, but mass appeal and pure entertainment lay at the heart of this band’s DNA. They formed in Rome in 2016 “to have fun and fill up our afternoons,” David explains. Soon they were busking; playing any school hall, dingy bar or street corner that would allow them. “It got pretty serious in a very short amount of time,” says De Angelis. “Even though we were very young and it was like a dream, we were always aiming for something bigger.”

Their first major move was to enter the Italian version of TV’s X Factor in 2017, finishing second. Why X Factor? “Basically, we were sick of carrying instruments and amplifiers on our fucking shoulders,” replies David, candidly. “We saw an opportunity and we just jumped on the train.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Fabio Germinario for NME

Defending the move, De Angelis argues that the show in her home country doesn’t have the same reputation for trite pier-side entertainment as it might here in the UK. “Here it’s cool,” she argues. “It’s the only X Factor that allows real bands to play, or at least it was the first. It gives you the opportunity to show off something real. We did whatever we wanted to do.”

The four-piece have gained a reputation for their larger-than-life performances (one setting the tone with David pole-dancing) and they still regularly air their longstanding covers of The Killers and Franz Ferdinand at Måneskin shows today – to the giddy delight of some and aggressive derision of others. David pragmatically describes the show as “full immersion training from professionals” in getting “five years of experience condensed into three months”, while Torchio says they used it as “a trampolene” to fame. The tactic worked. “Just three months earlier we were playing on the streets,” recalls De Angelis, “then we had a sold-out tour.”

“Having breakfast at Chris Martin and Dakota Jones’ house – that was pretty ‘What the fuck!?’” – Victoria De Angelis

Still, it seems attitudes towards talent shows have shifted anyway. Harry Styles started out as a product of X Factor with One Direction, and now he’s headlining Coachella and just released one of the most warmly received albums of the year.

“Our generation doesn’t feel the urge to label everything,” says David. “They just want to enjoy your music, enjoy your journey and follow you in whatever you do. Harry Styles is the perfect example. He had the biggest fanbase with a boyband, and now is one of the most respected and worshipped artists in the world. He deserves it because he has been able to make that happen for himself. It’s literally what an artist should do: be true to yourself.”

When Eurovision came, the Måneskin train was already chugging ahead with gusto in Italy, where they’d shifted over one million records with their two Number One albums 2018’s ‘Il ballo della vita’ and ‘Teatro d’ira: Vol. I’ from last year. ‘Zitti E Buoni’ had already clocked 45million streams before the competition.

Now they’re following in the footsteps of ABBA and Celine Dion as one of the most successful ‘Vision off-shoots of all-time. Their cover of The Four Seasons’ ‘Beggin’ alone recently achieved one billion streams on Spotify. “That’s fucking crazy,” laughs David. “That’s fucking ‘Despacito’ or fucking ‘Levitating’! It’s a fucking hit!”

It’s also an audience in their millions discovering the band afresh, probably unaware of their X Factor and Eurovision past. Godfather of punk Iggy Pop recorded vocals for a new version of the sleazy sex-rock smash single ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’ a month after its initial release last year, and you can’t imagine him sat at home screaming “DOUZE POITS!” at the TV.

“When he recorded that, I was like, ‘Fuck – he’s singing my lyrics with my melody, my structure, and it’s fucking Iggy Pop’,” says David. “He trusted me, and that was the best moment ever.

Raggi agrees: “It was just crazy because he’s a fucking legend. He was so humble and kind. He was really into this shit.”

Another icon who’s “really into this shit” is Mick Jagger; the septuagenarian rocker anointed Måneskin with his seal of approval when they supported The Rolling Stones last year. Jagger recently upset some rock purists when his big lips declared that the new breed of rockers such as Doncaster tearaway Yungblud and dayglo rap-punk Machine Gun Kelly made him feel like “there is still a bit of life in rock‘n’roll”.

Yet this is “a very old-fashioned way to see it,” reasons David: “Nobody is ‘keeping rock’n’roll alive’. It’s just impossible to kill. In my head what we’re doing is very different to what MGK is doing, which is very far from what Yungblud is doing, which is very far from what Willow Smith is doing, but a lot of artists are bringing back that kind of sound and energy: distorted guitars and real drums, to fucking play with a band with real analogue sounds, stage-diving – all the rock’n’roll shit. Music is just developing. Everything is colliding and mixing in a good way”.

To finish, ironically, I want to take things back to the start. Of this year that is! In February, Kerrang! profiled and chatted with Måneskin. After their Eurovision victory in 2021, the band were ready to own and destroy 2022 with their unique and incredible music. It has grown bigger and bigger from them since this interview predicted great things:

“Okay, well here’s what’s going on. Currently, Måneskin attract 38 million monthly plays on Spotify, a number that places them in the Top 40 of the most streamed artists in the world. For anyone looking for context, in the same period lowly upstarts Metallica had just under 18 million plays. Obscure have-a-go-heroes such as David Bowie (15.5 million), The Rolling Stones (21 million) and The Beatles (25 million) are all dining on the Italians’ dust. Their label says the last artist they saw rise like this was Katy Perry.

“Seeing our numbers grow so much in such a short space of time is crazy,” admits Victoria. “Especially when you consider the kind of music we play, considering that some of the songs are in Italian. The numbers are crazy and we’re very grateful for that.”

Måneskin – whose line-up is completed by drummer Ethan Torchio and guitarist Thomas Raggi – spend so much time expressing gratitude that it can sometimes feel as if our interview is with a troupe of children’s television presenters. Nice young people one and all, the group formed as teenagers in Rome in 2015; by the time they won Eurovision they’d already issued two albums (Zitti e buoni is the opening track on their second LP, Teatro d’ira: Vol. I, released in March).

 PHOTO CREDIT: Aidan Zamiri

Eurovision wasn’t even the first TV competition the quartet had entered; playing cover versions of songs by The Killers and Franz Ferdinand, in 2017 they finished second in the Italian edition of The X Factor. Burnished by this success, the quartet’s first European tour was seen by more than 140,000 people.

Even so, it was the night in Rotterdam that truly lit the touchpaper. On a chilly Saturday morning via Zoom, Måneskin talk (happily) about having been given almost no time to see the sights in what is their first visit to New York. Who knows, they say, maybe later they’ll have a chance to take a stroll around Central Park. A few nights earlier, the group appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; four nights hence, they’ll be guests on The Ellen Show out in Los Angeles. After headlining concerts at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, and The Roxy in LA, on November 6 the Italians stepped onto the stage at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as special guests of The Rolling Stones.

For a group whose average age is just 21, the change in circumstances is surely startling. As well as much else, it can be as startling for a band to get more than they expect as it is to receive less.

“Of course we’re aware of that,” nods Damiano. “We’re aware that it’s tough and that you have to be mentally prepared and mentally strong, and not everybody is capable of living this kind of life. But I would say that we are [capable] because we’ve prepared ourselves for five years. We’ve been friends since we were really young. We know each other very well. We know the best parts of us. We’re able to help each other every time something feels like it’s too heavy or too stressful or something. I feel like you have to be able to understand your limits and set boundaries when you need to rest and disappear for a little bit and focus on your personal life”.

If you have not followed Måneskin, then you really do need to. A band who are far from a novelty or what one would associate with a former Eurovision act, they are the real deal. Combining aspects of Glam fashion and excess with Rock swagger and attitude with songs that are definitely among the most essential and finest around, they will be legends of the future! Go and connect with…

THE sensational Måneskin.

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Follow Måneskin

FEATURE: Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four: The Weird, Wonderful and Unique Full House and Coffee Homeground

FEATURE:

 

 

Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four

 The Weird, Wonderful and Unique Full House and Coffee Homeground

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AHEAD of its…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz

forty-fourth anniversary on 13th November, I have already written features about Lionheart. I have one or two more coming up. For this one, I want to include two songs that not many people talk about. The reason I am highlighting them is because they signal the biggest shift from her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside, in terms of style and mood, I think. By that, I mean they are more eccentric, anxious, and experimental even than anything that came on that debut. Track six is the brilliant Full House. The penultimate song, track nine, is the equally brilliant Coffee Homeground. I have written about both tracks before but, as I want to unite them, these are gems that Bush did not really talk about. A B-side for Wow, you can tell that Full House was one of the new songs written for the album. As there was an expectation Bush would release a quick follow-up to The Kick Inside, that left her very little time to write new material. As it is, three of the ten tracks are original. I feel she would have made the album a track or two longer if she had more time. Both Full House and Coffee Homeground have paranoia and weirdness at their heart. Perhaps signalling Bush’s stress and fatigue regarding the busy year (1978) she had and what she was going through, psychology is at the heart of these tracks. The other new track, Symphony in Blue, opens Lionheart. Although there is some sadness, it is a beautiful song that showed Bush was able to produce masterful and truly stunning songs very quickly. Symphony in Blue is one of her greatest songs.

I feel Full House and Coffee Homeground are less regarded in a sense. I reckon they could have been likely singles. I would have loved to have seen what Bush came up with if there were videos. Hammer Horror was the first track released as a single. It has a good video, but I feel many saw it as a weaker version of Wuthering Heights. Maybe something not quite as striking as that song. In terms of the potency of the video and originality, maybe Full House would have been a better choice. In any case, it is a song that packs a punch and looked inside the mind of an artist under a bit of pressure. Rather than Full House being a strained song and one that is exploitative, it is a fascinating window into Bush’s songwriting. Whereas The Kick Inside looked mainly at love and desire, there is something a bit different and deeper when it comes to Lionheart. Consider lines from Full House that could be Bush talking about her younger self being replaced by something changed. She seems to want to return to a simpler life: “I am my enemy/Mowing me over/And towing the light away/Somehow it just seems to fit/With that old me/Trying to get back again”.  An ecstatic, wracked and electric chorus brings the song to life and elicits reaction. It is another reason why I would have loved to have seen a video! Bush mixes the oblique and personal throughout. It is a wonderful track that few people talk about. I love her lyrics: “By questioning all that I do/Examining every move/Trying to get back to the rudiments/(If they nig and they nag, I'll just put in the boot)”. Showing what range and quality there is through Lionheart, Full House is an example of her incredible songwriting talent. Even though there is no video, Bush did perform Full House as part of The Tour of Life in 1979. It was brilliant visualised there. I also think it is interesting the song opens the second side. After the gentle (sort of) title track, Oh England My Lionheart, we are taken in a very different direction with Full House. Sort of like the switch between Wuthering Heights and James and the Cold Gun on The Kick Inside.

A song that leads us into the finale, Hammer Horror (I have always been unsure about the sequencing on Lionheart), Coffee Homeground seems like a companion piece. Less autobiographical in some ways, it does feel more extreme and wilder! The images and lyrics are trippy, murderous, colourful, crazy and intelligent. I am not sure where Bush wrote Full House, but we do know she wrote Coffee Homeground in the U.S. Thanks to the Kate Bush Encyclopedia, Bush did reveal the origins of Coffee Homeground:

“['Coffee Homeground'] was in fact inspired directly from a cab driver that I met who was in fact a bit nutty. And it's just a song about someone who thinks they're being poisoned by another person, they think that there's Belladonna in their tea and that whenever they offer them something to eat, it's got poisen in it. And it's just a humorous aspect of paranoia really and we sort of done it in a Brechtian style, the old sort of German [vibe] to try and bring across the humour side of it. (Lionheart Promo Cassette, EMI Canada, 1978)”.

It is amazing that Bush managed to get Coffee Homeground from that interaction from the cab driver! Rather than it being purely based on him, I think there is a sense of Bush feeling pressure or lost in a foreign country. Maybe wary of people and paranoid: “Offer me a chocolate/No thank you, spoil my diet, know your game!/But tell me just how come/They smell of bitter almonds/It's a no-no to your coffee homeground”. Again, this is not a chance to reveal some insecurity and unhappiness. Coffee Homeground is a remarkable song! It almost whirls and waltzes like a fairground ride. A step on from anything on her debut, I picture Bush thinking of the song in the hotel room and putting the words together gradually. Her wording and lyrical twists and turns are amazing!

In actual fact, as I have noted before, the Kate Bush fanzine, HomeGround (set up in 1982) takes its name from that Lionheart song. I am not sure whether I have ever heard Coffee Homeground played on the radio. It is a Bush deep cut that should be better know. Another song that would have had an incredible video. Bush did also perform this during The Tour of Life. This being Kate Bush, there is something classical and almost literary about her lyrics! Consider these lines: “Well, you won't get me with your Belladonna - in the coffee/And you won't get me with your aresenic - in the pot of tea/And you won't get me in a hole to rot - with your hemlock/On the rocks”. One (of many reasons) to listen to Lionheart is the consistency and the variation when it comes to subject matter and sounds. Even though it came out the same year as The Kick Inside, Lionheart does sound like a different album. Songs such as Coffee Homeground are perfect demonstrations of Bush’s unique talent and the way she can create her own worlds. Her lines and lyrics draw you into the song: “Maybe you're lonely/And only want a little company/But keep your recipes/For the rats to eat/And may they rest in peace with coffee homeground”. Ahead of Lionheart’s forty-fourth anniversary on 13th November, I wanted to spend some time with it. The final feature will be more general and less track-specific, but I was keen to highlight two of the three new songs that Bush wrote for Lionheart. They sort of seem linked by a  feeling of dread and paranoia, even though Full House seems more autobiographical, whereas Coffee Homeground is more musically experimental. Lionheart reached number six in the U.K. and it has been certified Platinum. A remarkable achievement given the constraints and lack of time Kate Bush had to explore and create something fresh! I think a reason why she does not see Lionheart as an album representative of her is that it was quite rushed and Andrew Powell was producing. She would exert more control for 1979’s The Tour of Life, and she co-produced her third album, Never for Ever, with Jon Kelly. Bush should be very proud of Lionheart. Full House and Coffee Homeground are two incredible songs from…

A remarkable artist.

FEATURE: Station to Station: Fee Mak (BBC Radio 1Xtra)

FEATURE:

 

 

Station to Station

PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Fee Mak

Fee Mak (BBC Radio 1Xtra)

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THERE are a couple of things…

 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

I need to get out of the way before moving onto pouring praise over the subject of this feature. I started this feature a while ago. It is designed to highlight amazing D.J.s, presenters and broadcasters. I did number each feature but, as I have sort of lost count, I am going to abandon the number bit of it! I also have been quite negligent when it comes to broadcasters across BBC Radio 1’s sister stations. BBC Radio IXtra is a station that is very much up my alley! Cutting-edge, contemporary, cool, but with a hint of the vintage, throwback, and decades-spanning, one D.J./broadcaster I am very fond of is the amazing Fee Mak. Her Sunday breakfast show is such a treat! Alongside station colleagues like Nadia Jae (BBC Radio 1Xtra) and Sian Eleri (BBC Radio 1), she is one of the finest presenters in the country. One reason why I am highlighting Fee Mak is that I think she will be a radio legend of the future! Kicking things off at 7.am. on a Sunday, I guess many listeners are recovering from the Saturday night and need something soothing and uplifting. Rather than it being a show to fit in with the assumed demographic of BBC Radio 1Xtra, it is such a wide-reaching show! I think BBC Radio 1 and its sister stations is a lot broader than it has been for years when it comes to the music played, the target audience and the range of D.J.s there.

BBC Radio 1 Xtra (or just 1Xtra for short) is a station I have tuned into a lot more because of people like Fee Mak. So infectious and passionate about the music she plays, I do predict that she will D.J. at festivals around the world next year. She’d be awesome at Glastonbury 2023. Like titanic D.J.s such as Honey Dijon, I wonder whether Fee Mak has an album in her. Maybe a compilation series that she curates. I know her colleague Trevor Nelson is prolific when it comes to these compilations. Fee Mak’s eclectic tastes and undeniable knowledge for the music she spins would create demand and curiosity if she ever were to consider an album of her favourite Sunday morning jams – or a broader album of her choice tunes from across the years. I am going to snatch from an interview she gave this year, as it is always fascinating knowing more about young and exceptional broadcasting talent. Alongside peers like Nadia Jae, Joelah and KeKe, and Snoochie Shy, there are these extraordinary women who are changing the game! I love listening to Fee Mak as her voice is so warm and friendly - but she has this charm and enthusiasm that makes the listener feel like they are a mate of hers! You tune in and, without needing to read the room and get a feel of what the show is about, she is there to (metaphorically) throw her arm around you, give you a hot brew and welcome you to a Sunday morning or brilliant music, humour, and this incredible connection. Such a natural broadcaster, D.J. and future icon, go and invest some time exploring Fee Mak’s work!

In the course of researching, I have watched videos of Fee Mak, and there is the odd podcast she has appeared on. I personally would love to hear more podcasts with her on. Maybe she will do a weekly one down the line where she plays music, chats to guests – musical or otherwise – and we learn more about her beginnings. A one-on-one interview would be great to, as Fee Mak is such an immense talent and someone who enriches you the minute you hear her speak and play such stunning music! A strong and hugely talented broadcaster who is going to inspire so many other people to get into radio, I can’t wait to see her career blow up. Thinking ahead, but I can see her doing T.V. – if they ever do another music show to rival Later… with Jools Holland – and more radio shows too. Prior to coming to the interview I mentioned earlier on, I want to bring in some background and biography. First, go and follow Fee Mak on Instagram and Twitter. It is clear that the awesome and enormously promising Fee Mak is someone with a very long and golden future:

“Fee Mak is a Radio and TV Presenter based in London. She is the host of the BBC 1Xtra Breakfast show on Sunday's, 7-11am.

Fee started her presenting career at CSR 97.4FM, the student station for the University of Kent. Alongside her BA (Hons) French and Business Administration degree, Fee presented a weekly show showcasing the best up and coming new talent. Her shows included early music from the now established Ramz and Zone2.

Fee was picked up from her university radio shows by Westside Radio 89.6FM in London. And after only a few demos, Fee began to cover shows, followed by a permanent weekend slot on Saturdays. Her skills developed at Westside under the mentorship of the then breakfast show presenter Shayna Marie (Capital Xtra) and drivetime show host Rebecca Judd (Apple Music 1) leading to presenting the drivetime show ‘The Jam’, Monday to Friday. During Christmas 2019, Fee hosted Drivetime on BBC Radio 1 after being selected through their Presenter search. This led on to a month of Early Breakfast on Radio 1 alongside daytime cover shows. Shortly after, Fee made her debut on BBC 1Xtra where she deputised throughout the daytime schedule before landing the Sunday Breakfast show, 7-11am in July 2022.

During Fee's career in broadcast she has done many projects for digital platforms such as hosting the music show 'Hype Right Now' on Kiss TV (4Music) and interviewing a number of established acts and performers online, which includes comedian and broadcaster Kojo Anim, Ray Blk and Loski.

As a host, Fee has presented a variety of live events which includes the Urban Talent Show at Westfield London, Earls Court International Film Festival, live in-game for London Lions, London's oldest carnival 'Hanwell Carnival' and the inaugural Young Ealing Foundation awards.

Music has always played a predominant role in her life and from a young age, Fee has appreciated all music genres through various creative avenues. At the age of 8, she was a junior associate at The Royal Ballet School as well as a ballet girl on the Westend musical, Billy Elliot at 10 years old. Likewise, she expresses her creativity through fine art and was invited to showcase her work at an exhibition in London.

Having come so far, in such a short space of time the future looks increasingly bright for Fee. She is one of the UK’s most exciting young broadcasters”.

I would love to chat with her one day! A brilliant and adored presenter on Westside Radio, and one of the jewels in the crown at BBC Radio 1Xtra, she spoke to Fourth Floor earlier in the year about her work on Westside Radio, a prized BBC Radio 1 moment, promoting and saluting terrific new women in music coming through, and what happens next. Here is someone that everyone needs on their radar!

“AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALISE THAT YOU WANTED TO BE A PRESENTER? AND HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN SOLELY RADIO THAT YOU’VE BEEN INTERESTED IN?

I never really planned on being a radio presenter but radio and music have always been a part of my life. I remember listening to Ricky, Melvin and Charlie every morning on the way to school and loving their vibe and chemistry on air, I also danced competitively for over 10 years (ballet, tap, street etc) and was exposed to different genres of music. But it wasn’t until I discovered Soulection Radio in 2015 that I really wanted to pursue radio. Their weekly radio show changed my life by introducing me to new sounds and artists from all 4 corners of the world (Goldlink, Masego, Kaytranada, Sango etc) and I would think, ‘Wow, Joe Kay has the best job ever’.

COULD WE HAVE SOME INSIGHT INTO YOUR JOURNEY UP UNTIL THIS POINT? HOW DID THIS ALL BEGIN?

I started my weekly university radio show, #LowkeyWithFEE at CSR 97.4FM (University of Kent) to showcase the best up and coming talent. I had little to no radio experience prior to creating my show so I was winging it 97.6% of the time but it was the perfect distraction from uni stress. I enjoyed discovering new artists and sounds, so my shows included music from the hottest artists in the scene right now like early Ramz, Knucks, DC, Zone2, Scribz Riley and more.

Using the advice of my best friend, I uploaded my shows on mixcloud as a way to put my content out there for people (whoever they were) to consume. Sometimes I would forget people were actually listening to my shows until the station manager of Westside Radio scouted me. This is was the push I definitely needed because my presenting style at university was 2 packs of ass (garbage)! I recorded demo after demo to develop my presenting style, then covered shows, followed by a permanent weekend slot. I was gassed and grateful. After a few months of presenting my weekend show, I was given the drive time slot which is BIG especially when taking over from Rebecca Judd (Apple Music 1 presenter).

THAT IS A SICK JOURNEY YOU’VE HAD! IT’S EASY TO FORGET THAT STUFF ONLINE CAN FIND ITS WAY TO ANYONE IN ANY INDUSTRY. SO NOW THAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING THE DRIVETIME SHOW FOR A WHILE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT BEING A PRESENTER AND IS THERE ANYONE THAT YOU LOOK UP TO FOR INSPIRATION?

My favourite thing is that I can wholeheartedly be myself and people love me for that. The one thing I knew I wanted to do in life is to get paid to be myself! I’m too stubborn to wake up and do something I don’t care about day after day. Presenting allows me to bring my personality and my love for music to my shows and you can’t learn that.

I have so many inspirations like Rebecca Judd and Shayna Marie who both came from Westside Radio too! I spent a lot of time shadowing their shows and learning from them, as well as covering their shows. Other inspirations are Clara Amfo, Sian Anderson, Henrie and Nadia Jae. Black women who are all different but absolutely killing the game in their own way!

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE ARTISTS THAT YOU ENJOY PLAYING ON YOUR SHOW?

I am LOVING the girls in the scene right now, so my shows definitely include artists like Miraa May and Bree Runway. You can’t go wrong with Victoria Monet and Snoh Aalegra too! Scribz Riley is new to some but real ones know he’s been mashing in work from time, so I’m currently spinning his new track too. There’s too many!!!!

YEAH MIRAA IS TOO COLD. THE UK WOMEN ARE DEFINITELY KILLING IT RIGHT NOW.

YOUR ENERGY ALWAYS RADIATES THROUGH THE SPEAKERS AND I THINK THAT YOU DO A GREAT JOB AT KEEPING YOUR AUDIENCE ENGAGED WHILST ALSO MAINTAINING PURE POSITIVE VIBES. I REMEMBER OVER CHRISTMAS YOU WERE ABLE TO COVER SOME SHOWS ON BBC RADIO 1, HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW EXCITED WERE YOU WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AROSE?

Awww thanks!!!!

Mate, that experience is honestly a testament to God’s faithfulness. For ages I was applying for work experience at the BBC, as a producer or presenter and every time I never heard anything back. This time around I had no expectations, I told myself, ‘If I don’t hear anything back, it’s not that deep, something better will come along’ but at the same time I was thinking, presenting on Radio 1 would be lit! I applied anyway and left it. When I got a call back, I thought ’Naaaaaaaaaa! Are you dumb?!’ And the rest was history.

I was gassssssed and grateful because my journey isn’t how the average radio presenters career starts off. I had just graduated before taking over drive time at Westside and now I’m hosting two drive time shows at BBC Radio 1?! Please bear in mind that I also had NO CAREER PLAN following university. Mad mad mad word to Afro B.

I GUESS THAT LEADS PERFECTLY ON TO ASK; WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE AND CAREER SO FAR?

Graduating at university is up there. For one, I don’t consider myself an academic at ALL. I was the average student at best, so graduating with a 2:1 reassured me that I really can do anything I put my mind to. It was 4 years of pure madness but I learned so much along the way, discovered myself and my career path too!

Another proud moment is obviously hosting drive time BBC Radio 1 too. Absolute scenes!

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO BREAK INTO THE RADIO INDUSTRY AND BECOME A PRESENTER?

Do it for the right reasons. When you’re passionate about something it shows and people see/hear it. Clout is killing my people and it’s so obvious when people are doing things because of trends or to be popping.

Start NOW! When I speak to other aspiring presenters, I always encourage them to just start. Use whatever resources you have, however you can and just do it. People spend too much time planning and day dreaming and less time being practical.

Networking is super important! I used to hate the term but it has enabled me to build genuine relationships with clean hearted people in the industry not just because of what they do but for who they are! I guess that kind of links into my  final piece of advice, BE NICE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRUGGLES THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED ON YOUR JOURNEY, ESPECIALLY AS A BLACK WOMAN IN A LARGELY WHITE, MALE DOMINATED SPHERE?

A lack of representation at bigger radio stations is a struggle for a black woman like myself. For example, over Christmas I received nasty DMs from strangers regarding the way I speak on air (e.g. not pronouncing my t’s like the true East Londoner I am) and I realised that a lot of listeners on certain stations are so used to hearing a particular type of presenter that a new voice rattles them. So I think it’s super important that young, fresh talent is introduced to bigger stations not just to tick a box but to genuinely diversify the talent.

THEY DID WHAT?! PEOPLE GENUINELY HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS IN TERMS OF REPRESENTATION WITHIN RADIO AND THE MEDIA AS A WHOLE?

Small small. Although, it shouldn’t take a man dying at the hands of the police and global protests to happen for big corporations to wake up and fight for change.

I know things won’t happen overnight. However, it’s going to take a lot more than removing the term ‘urban’. I just pray it’s not performative and that real change is taking place and being implemented behind the scenes.

AMEN!

ON THE TOPIC OF SOCIETY & ITS DOWNFALLS, HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED THE INDUSTRY AND HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THE ISSUES THAT SURFACED WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME ABOUT?

I believe it’s made a lot of people reevaluate their priorities and work smarter instead of harder.

With everything in life, I approach it in a calm minded manner - panicking doesn’t change anything.

I was advised to buy a mic, which was the best investment I made because I could still do VoiceOver work and record my radio show from home. Even though pre-recording from home can be so long, it meant I was consistent in presenting which is helpful in the long run.

AND FINALLY, WHAT CAN LISTENERS EXPECT FROM FEE MAK OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?

You might see me on your tv screens or on a national radio station again but one thing’s for sure is that big tings a gwarn!!”.

Such a loved and infectious broadcaster, presenter and D.J., the pure love and passion Fee Mak exudes through the airwaves for her listeners is wonderful to hear! I have mentioned her in the context or her Sunday morning show on 1 Xtra, because that is where I discovered her. Not to overlook her essential work on Westside Radio, but this is someone primed for bigger roles on national radio. I have speculated what 2023 can bring. Maintaing her roles at the moment but, who knows, some huge D.J. gigs and a few cool interviews. Maybe cover slots on BBC Radio 1 or some screen time. Sky’s the limit when it comes to this exceptional human! There was a lot of curiosity when BBC Radio 1 shook up the schedules back in 2020, and how people like Fee Mak and Sian Eleri would fit in – and whether they would be loved and make an impact. Two years later, Fee Mak can look back with huge pride on all she has achieved! Someone who will be in radio for decades more, check her work out. I especially think she adds something unique and unforgettable to Sunday mornings…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Gray

ON 1Xtra!

FEATURE: The Battle of the Bands: Round One: The Cardigans vs. No Doubt

FEATURE:

 

 

The Battle of the Bands

PHOTO CREDIT: jontyson/Unsplash 

Round One: The Cardigans vs. No Doubt

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THIS is a ten-part series…

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Cardigans

where I pit bands against one another. Like you get in high school, this is a battle of the band where I compare stats and ratings to determine which of them comes out on top. I may include Blondie for the second round, as they are one of my favourites! There will be no tournament and knock-out; just a winner in each round. I am starting out with two great bands who had their best moments in the 1990s. American heavyweights No Doubt, led by one of the coolest women in music, Gwen Stefani, take on Swedish icons The Cardigans. With Nina Persson at the front, this should be a close tie! Here, I match two great and influential groups in this first round of…

 IN THIS PHOTO: No Doubt

THE Battle of the Bands.

____________

The Cardigans

Band Members: Lead Singer: Nina Persson, Guitarist: Peter Svenssonb, Bassist: Magnus Sveningsson, Drummer: Bengt Lagerberg and Keyboardist: Lars-Olof Johansson

Origin: Jönköping, Sweden

Year of Formation: 1992

Studio Albums: Six

Singles: 20

Most Successful: Lovefool (re-issue, 1997): U.K.: 2; U.S. (Alt.): 9

The Iconic Video (75M YouTube Views, 04/11/2022):

Lovefool (From First Band on the Moon, 1996)

The Four Best of the Rest:

My Favourite Game “Stone Version” (from Gran Turismo, 1998)

Carnival (From Life, 1995)

I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need to Be Nicer (From Super Extra Gravity, 2005)

Erase / Rewind “Director's Cut” (From Gran Turismo, 1998)

Their Three Most-Streamed Songs (as of 4th November, 2022):

Lovefool: 376,664,327

My Favourite Game: 122,696,610

Erase / Rewind: 70,329,128

The Cardigans Spotify Twelve-Song Mixtape:

The Best Album:

First Band on the Moon

Producer: Tore Johansson

Release Date: 17th September, 1996

The Standout Song: Lovefool

Second: Your New Cuckoo

Review:

“LATE 1996 and the glorious POP! uprising in Indieland is subject to a counter-revolution. The Boo Radleys retreat into art-wank experimentalism. Blur grumble ominously from the studio about their new 'dark' direction. Lush announce plans for an Einsturzende Neubaten collaboration. Possibly.

The general 'thrust' of these Britpop quislings' 'argument' appears to rest on the patronising premise that wilfully uncommercial music is better per se than proper pop music with tunes and everything. Why? Er, well, y'know, it doesn't get played on the radio, my kid sister doesn't prefer it to Peter Andre and, er, that's about it really. Still, never mind. Let the Britpop boys return to their bedrooms and the nether regions of the only chart that counts, if that's what they want; the Swedes will surely save us. And right on cue, here come those chirpy Cardigans, the one band you can rely on not to make a 'difficult' second album full of neo-jazz experimentalism, tales of pain and betrayal and doom metal cover versions.

Er, except that's precisely what they have done. The difference is, it hasn't made The Cardigans uncommercial, and it has made them even better.

True, 'The First Band On The Moon' may come as a bit of a shock to those expecting a breezy collection of summery pop tunes like last year's two-million-selling 'Life'. But 'Life' was actually a sweet'n'simple compilation of their first two Swedish albums, which rather sneakily left out all the weird'n'nasty bits. Here, however, are The Cardigans in all their Ozzy-worshipping, ex-boyfriend-abusing, ambient cocktail jazz-embracing glory.

Yup, there's a dark side to '...The Moon'. 'Your New Cuckoo' starts off sounding like Mike Flowers then lunges headlong into an embittered tale of rabid infidelity. 'Step On Me' is a menacing, claustrophobic slump through self-loathing. 'Iron Man' is the Black Sabbath song. But they all sound like heavenly pop hits regardless.

And there's also a brighter side: the dizzy disco of 'Lovefool', Nina's Disney theme matinŽe queen routine on 'Great Divide', the magnificent flute solo (no, really!) on 'Choke'...

And sometimes, there's the two together. Like 'Been It', which manages to combine a melody so sweet it's almost sinister with jarring rock beast guitars and lyrics ("I've been your sister, I've been your mistress/Baby I was your whore") straight out of a Brookside subplot.

The Cardigans, then, are still a pop group, if no longer a POP! group. But that's just dandy, because they're advancing rather than retreating to the indie womb, challenging the mainstream rather than chucking in the towel and, most importantly, still writing genius pop songs rather than noodling around in no-tunes land. Because that's what they do best and that's what makes for the best music. And, contrary to (un)popular belief, the only place for the best music is in the hearts and charts of the general public and the only worthwhile 'revolution' is an over-the-counter one.

8/10”– NME

The Underrated Gem:

Gran Turismo

Producer: Tore Johansson

Release Date: 19th October, 1998

The Standout Song: My Favourite Game

Second: Erase / Rewind

Review:

“I'm not ashamed to admit that the Cardigans grabbed my attention not with their spacepop hit "Lovefool," but with their deliciously sexy vocalist Nina Persson, and the way she beckoned me seductively from the video of the same name. I knew she wanted me, and her ocean- blue eyes yearned to whisper "Jag alskar dig," in my hairy ears. I played hard- to- get back in 1996, when they released First Band on the Moon, and I contine to play hard- to- get, safe in the secret knowledge that Nina fights through every day, yearning for my touch. Believe me when I tell you, Nina, absence breeds anticipation-- we must wait for the proper moment for our Scando- American vibes to be combined like a tasty black- and- white milkshake. We must wait...

Our delicious waiting is made even more appetizing by the Cardigans "new" release, Gran Turismo. The sounds I hear disturb me, though. Where the Cardigans seemed so on top of their game on Last Band, Gran Turismo gives me a Nina that seems to have grown morose from her waiting. The light, sharply- arranged and smilingly ironic attitude that saturated their previous effort has metamorphosed into a self- concerned dragging effort devoid of the featherweight happiness that the Cardigans have been notable for.

Leaning more heavily on distorted guitars and electronica tidbits, most lyrics circulate thematically around breakups and regret. Nina's vocals are fitting to the subject, but where the Cardigans' past tracks about disappointment would often initially sound like a romp through the fertile fields of first love, Gran Turismo regretably strips away this facade. Let's be clear, though-- Gran Turismo isn't a bad album, it's just a distinct downer when compared to their earlier records.

I continue to wait for Nina to come to me. I feel her need for me is most urgent now, still sharpening our desire. Yet, I wonder-- is it all my fault? Could Nina be sending me a message? Should I go to her, gathering her close and soothing her fears, smoothing the sugary- coating that she refused to give to Gran Turismo? Come to me, Nina, come to me... -James P. Wisdom” – Pitchfork

A Cool Interview:

A Great Live Performance:

Ratings:

Coolness: 8

Consistency: 8

Songwriting Quality: 9

Iconic Lead: 7

Originality: 9

Total: 41/50 

No Doubt

Band Members (Final line-up): Lead Singer: Gwen Stefani, Guitarist: Tom Dumont, Bassist: Tony Kanal, and Drummer: Adrian Young

Origin: Anaheim, U.S.

Year of Formation: 1986

Studio Albums: Six

Singles: 22

Most Successful: Don’t Speak (1996): U.K.: 1; U.S.: 1

The Iconic Video (942M YouTube Views, 04/11/2022):

Don’t Speak (From Tragic Kingdom, 1995)

The Four Best of the Rest:

It’s My Life (From The Singles 1992-2003, 2003)

Trapped in a Box (From No Doubt, 1992)

Just a Girl (From Tragic Kingdom, 1995)

Settle Down (From Push and Shove, 2012)

Their Three Most-Streamed Songs (as of 4th November, 2022):

Don’t Speak: 510,022,938

Just a Girl: 200,403,553

It’s My Life: 108,088,757

The No Doubt Spotify Twelve-Song Mixtape:

The Best Album:

Tragic Kingdom

Producer: Matthew Wilder

Release Date: 10th October, 1995

The Standout Song: Don’t Speak

Second: Sunday Morning

Review:

“Led by the infectious, pseudo-new wave single "Just a Girl," No Doubt's major-label debut, Tragic Kingdom, straddles the line between '90s punk, third-wave ska, and pop sensibility. The record was produced by Matthew Wilder, the auteur behind "Break My Stride" -- a clever mainstream co-opting of new wave quirkiness, and, as such, an ideal pairing. Wilder kept his production lean and accessible, accentuating No Doubt's appealing mix of new wave melodicism, post-grunge rock, and West Coast sunshine. Even though the band isn't always able to fuse its edgy energy with pop melodies, the combination worked far better than anyone could have hoped. When everything does click, the record is pure fun, even if some of the album makes you wish they could sustain that energy throughout the record. Tragic Kingdom might not have made much of an impact upon its initial release in late 1995, but throughout 1996 "Just a Girl" and "Spiderwebs" positively ruled the airwaves, both alternative and mainstream, and in 1997 No Doubt cemented their cross-generational appeal with the ballad hit "Don't Speak” – AllMusic

The Underrated Gem:

Rock Steady

Producers: Nellee Hooper/No Doubt/Ric Ocasek/William Orbit/Prince/Sly & Robbie/Steely & Clevie Release Date: 11th December, 2001

The Standout Song: Hey Baby

Second: Hella Good

Review:

“Despite the title, Rock Steady is a collection of songs that reveal the heartbreaking nature of romance, of love that clings out of desperation. Intimate revelations are wrapped in ska beats, dancehall rhythms and mellow melodies. Betrayal lies at the heart of the nursery rhyme Detective, while insecurity negates the sauciness of Waiting Room, which features the sweeping harmonies of an on-form Prince. Underneath It All that captures the essence of singer Gwen Stefani's gamine charm, as she paints a smile on a relationship fraught with anxiety. "Somehow I'm full of forgiveness, I guess it's meant to be," she sings, her pain showing through the sweetness of the Sly and Robbie production. This is a great pop album, catchy and funky in all the right places, and Stefani's attitude shines brightly as she sums up: "Sometimes I just think Cupid is taking the piss. Betty Clarke” – The Guardian

A Cool Interview:

A Great Live Performance:

Ratings:

Coolness: 8.5

Consistency: 7.5

Songwriting Quality: 8

Iconic Lead: 9.5

Originality: 8.5

Total: 42/50

THE WINNERS:

Rather than there being absolutely No Doubt about the outcome, the Californian band pip The Cardigans by a whisker! The exceptional Swedish songwriting and brilliant band led by Nina Persson are just out-muscled by the iconic cool of Gwen Stefani and co.

FEATURE: Re-Release and Revision… Celebrating Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Six

FEATURE:

 

 

Re-Release and Revision…

Celebrating Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Six

__________

ON 10th November…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in an outtake from The Whole Story shoot/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush

the Kate Bush greatest hits album, The Whole Story, is thirty-six. Through the years, the album has been released on L.P., C.D., tape, and Minidisc (in 1998). A 180-gram vinyl edition was released by Simply Vinyl on 30th October, 2000. My exposure to the album came in the form of the VHS. That was my first exposure to Kate Bush. The VHS had videos of the album’s songs on them. There was one difference that I will mention (also, an extra video (not included on the audio version), for The Big Sky, was added). The video for Wuthering Heights was a revelation! There was something about the choreography and the setting of the video. Bush, wide-eyed and ghostly. It was a  turning point in my life when it came to music and how I saw it! You can get a copy of The Whole Story on vinyl, but the cost is quite steep. Ahead of the anniversary of the album, I want to discuss a couple of different aspects. Before I get to it, here is a link to interviews where Bush talked about The Whole Story:

“Yes, I was [against the release of a compilation album] at first. I was concerned that it would be like a "K-tel" record, a cheapo-compo with little thought behind it. It was the record company's decision, and I didn't mind as long as it was well put together. We put a lot of work into the packaging, trying to make it look tasteful, and carefully thought out the running order. And the response has been phenomenal - I'm amazed! (Kate Bush Club newsletter, Issue 22, December 1987)

It wasn't chronological because we wanted to have a running time that was equal on both sides, otherwise you get a bad pressing. In America, where I'm not very well known, they didn't realise it was a compilation! ('Love, Trust and Hitler'. Tracks (UK), November 1989)”.

It would be nice if The Whole Story were re-released on vinyl. She remastered her catalogue in 2018, and I feel a new edition of The Whole Story would be a great introduction to fans. I will end with thoughts on the album and why, thirty-six years after its release, it still remains powerful and one of the best greatest hits albums. There are a couple of limitations and drawbacks with the album. Even though the video for Wuthering Heights was included, the audio version of the song featured a new vocal by Bush. Perhaps conscious of its higher register and the way some people satirised it, Bush wanted something that made her feel and seem less child-like and young. I feel the original vocal is one of her very best and should have been left. For her first greatest hits collection, having one of her  most important songs remain intact would have been better. Also, as the album was released a year after Hounds of Love, there was a lot to choose from in terms of the songs. I have already written about the single released from the album, Experiment IV, Bush wrote this especially for The Whole Story. I do think there should be a remaster of the greatest hits album, as we have not really seen anything like it since. There has been chronicling of Bush’s work after 1986, though there has not been a greatest hits collection.

I have written about this before when looking at The Whole Story but, as we prepare to mark thirty-six years of this collection, it is interesting how there has bene no real further revision. Bush’s success this year must make her think that a career-spanning album or compilation could be welcomed. As she told Tom Doyle in a 2006 interview, Bush thought that the idea of a greatest hits was naff. She said no way. It was a crap suggestion. The man - whose name is not revealed -came back with all this research. A convincing amount of hard work changed Bush’s mind. She was sold and, as it turned out, The Whole Story reached the top spot and became Bush’s biggest-selling record. She is glad that she had her hesitancy reversed and allowed The Whole Story to go ahead! Bush is not a great fan of revisionism, but at least remastering The Whole Story would be a start. What I wanted to conclude with is how much respect and adulation the album received. I guess the success of Hounds of Love in 1985 and 1986 carried into November of 1986. She was very much at the forefront of public affection and critical approval. It is funny, as Hounds of Love might have been her first album – her fifth at that point – that unified people in that way. Whilst Hounds of Love did not get all great reviews in the U.S. (even though it was a critical success there), British press raved! When The Whole Story came up, Bush’s popularity was at an all-time high. Even though there were twelve tracks on the album, critics were stunned by the vast quality. Recognising her gifts and genius, they were stunned at the variation and consistency that The Whole Story offered! NME noted how Bush was streets ahead of her male peers. Andy Strickland, writing for Record Mirror noted: "A monumental tribute to this craziest, coziest girl-next-door. (...) One of the most refreshing compilation LPs it would be possible to put together".

I am dropping in a few videos that would have appeared on the VHS edition of The Whole Story. Not only did the public and press get the audio delights of Bush’s career in the compilation. It was a rare occasion to piece together her ever-evolving and growingly ambitious videos. It is quite fitting that Bush, who was being mocked, facing sexist questions, and being reduced to her looks in 1978 and actually through her career, was now being heralded as a goddess and British innovator! 1986 was a watershed year when this once-derided and misunderstood artist was being elevated. Not everyone was in Bush’s camp and, to be fair, there was respect for all of her albums until this point. There was definitely a shift in the way she was perceived and the impression people had. Linking together a selection of her best songs together did provide the complete picture. The whole story. In 1986, that was definitely true. Bush has released five studio albums since 1986. There has been a lot of activity and new material. I do think that there should be some form of retrospection. Bush could not object. In lieu of new material and plans for an eleventh studio album, she would surely allow there to be something in the way of a new collection,. In recognising how important The Whole Story was for me, in the sense it introduced me to Kate Bush, it also sees me looking ahead. 2022 has been such a packed and crazy year for Kate Bush. Once more thrust back into the limelight – though in a very different way to 1985 and 1986 -, fans all around the world hope that…

THE story is not finished quite yet.

FEATURE: Looking Ahead to Fifty-Five Years of The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour Double E.P.: Ranking the Six Tracks

FEATURE

 

 

Looking Ahead to Fifty-Five Years of The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour Double E.P.

Ranking the Six Tracks

__________

I have written a feature previously…

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles set off by coach to the Westcountry to film the Magical Mystery Tour movie/PHOTO CREDIT: Potter/Express/Getty Images

about The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour. It was released as an album in the U.S. in 27th November, 1967. It consisted of songs from the film soundtrack of Magical Mystery Tour, plus some singles from the band. In the U.K., on 8th December, 1967, it was released as a five-track E.P. Many do not consider Magical Mystery Tour to be cannon when it comes to The Beatles’ music. Maybe not as recognised as their studio albums, I do really love the E.P. Six very different and incredible tracks, I think that it should be re-released on vinyl and remastered. Later in the same year as The Beatles released the seminal Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearst Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour was going to suffer in comparison. Perhaps goofier than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the E.P. is trimmer and does not include songs like Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane (both of which are on the U.S. album). Regardless, I wanted to look ahead to the fifty-fifth anniversary of Magical Mystery Tour as an E.P. by ranking the six tracks. They are all fantastic, but I think there are a couple that stand out from the pack – and most people can probably guess which one I am going to put at the top spot! Before getting to the song rankings, here is some information from The Beatles Bible, about Magical Mystery Tour’s filming and recording:

“Released as a six-song double EP in the United Kingdom and an 11-song album in the US and elsewhere, Magical Mystery Tour was the soundtrack to the television film of the same name, which was first broadcast by the BBC on 26 December 1967.

In the wake of the death of Brian Epstein on 27 August 1967, The Beatles found themselves suddenly without direction. Whereas since 1962 they had been carefully guided by their manager, at the peak of their career they were unused to making their own business decisions or having absolute autonomy over their future.

On 1 September 1967, five days after Epstein’s body was discovered in his London home, The Beatles met at Paul McCartney’s house at 7 Cavendish Avenue in St John’s Wood, London. The previous day an announcement had been issued stating that the band would continue to be managed by NEMS Enterprises – now under the guidance of Epstein’s brother Clive – until further notice.

During the 1 September meeting The Beatles agreed to continue with Magical Mystery Tour, a project begun in April shortly after the completion of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Crucially, this was a time when McCartney began steering many of the group’s decisions, encouraging them to continue during a period in which they might easily have collapsed amid a lack of direction.

I was still under a false impression. I still felt every now and then that Brian would come in and say, ‘It’s time to record,’ or, ‘Time to do this.’ And Paul started doing that: ‘Now we’re going to make a movie. Now we’re going to make a record.’ And he assumed that if he didn’t call us, nobody would ever make a record. Paul would say, well, now he felt like it – and suddenly I’d have to whip out twenty songs. He’d come in with about twenty good songs and say, ‘We’re recording.’ And I suddenly had to write a fucking stack of songs.

John Lennon, 1972

Anthology

McCartney’s concept for Magical Mystery Tour was to produce a television special about a group of ordinary people taking a mystery trip on a coach. The film would take in various locations in England and France, and would be mostly improvised and take advantage of the encounters they had on the road.

Magical Mystery Tour was Paul’s idea. It was a good way to work. Paul had a great piece of paper – just a blank piece of white paper with a circle on it. The plan was: ‘We start here – and we’ve got to do something here…’ We filled it in as we went along.

We rented a bus and off we went. There was some planning: John would always want a midget or two around, and we had to get an aircraft hangar to put the set in. We’d do the music, of course. They were the finest videos, and it was a lot of fun. To get the actors we looked through the actors’ directory, Spotlight: ‘Oh, we need someone like this, and someone like that.’ We needed a large lady to play my auntie. So we found a large lady.

Ringo Starr

Anthology”.

To celebrate a big anniversary for an undoubtably excellent E.P. and a vital moment in Beatles history, I am borrowing from The Beatles Bible once more when it comes to song information and details. Whilst there are Beatles fans who write off Magical Mystery Tour or do not consider it essential listening, I would argue that the E.P. and L.P. versions…

SHOULD not be forgotten.

______________________

SIX: Blue Jay Way

“Written by: Harrison

Recorded: 6, 7 September; 6 October 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineer: Geoff Emerick

Released: 8 December 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on:

Magical Mystery Tour

Love

Personnel

George Harrison: vocals, Hammond organ

John Lennon: backing vocals

Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass

Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine

Peter Willison: cello

‘Blue Jay Way’, George Harrison’s songwriting contribution to the Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack, was written while he was waiting for The Beatles’ publicist Derek Taylor, who was lost in fog in the Los Angeles canyons.

The song was composed in the Hollywood hills on 1 August 1967. Harrison was visiting California with his wife Pattie, plus Neil Aspinall and Alexis Mardas. They were staying at a rented house in Blue Jay Way, high in the Hollywood hills, which belonged to the manager of Peggy Lee.

The Beatles’ former publicist Derek Taylor had become delayed on his way to meet them. The jetlagged Harrison found a Hammond organ in the house and began writing the song as an outlet for his ennui.

Derek Taylor got held up. He rang to say he’d be late. I told him on the phone that the house was in Blue Jay Way. And he said he could find it OK… he could always ask a cop. So I waited and waited. I felt really knackered with the flight, but I didn’t want to go to sleep until he came. There was a fog and it got later and later. To keep myself awake, just as a joke to pass the time while I waited, I wrote a song about waiting for him in Blue Jay Way. There was a little Hammond organ in the corner of this house which I hadn’t noticed until then… so I messed around on it and the song came.

George Harrison

Harrison’s stay in the house was arranged by Brian Epstein, who called The Beatles’ attorney Robert Fitzpatrick to enquire whether a house could be leased. Fitzpatrick persuaded the owner of the house, another entertainment attorney named Ludwig Gerber, to lend Harrison his LA residence.

Ludwig Gerber was a former US Army colonel who had managed Peggy Lee for many years. He was also a film producer and lawyer. In his house there was a Hammond S-6 organ, which Harrison used for writing the song while waiting for Taylor to arrive.

In the Magical Mystery Tour film, Harrison ‘performed’ the song while playing a keyboard chalked onto the ground. One of the movie’s most psychedelic sequences, Harrison’s appearance is subjected to dated camera techniques involving prism refractions to create multiple images” – The Beatles Bible

FIVE: The Fool on the Hill

“Written by: Lennon-McCartney

Recorded: 6, 25, 26 September; 20 October 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineer: Ken Scott

Released: 8 December 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on:

Magical Mystery Tour

Anthology 2

Love (iTunes bonus track)

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, bass, recorder

John Lennon: harmonica, Jew’s harp

George Harrison: acoustic guitar, harmonica

Ringo Starr: drums, maracas, finger cymbals

Christopher Taylor, Richard Taylor, Jack Ellory: flutes

The ‘Fool On The Hill’ was Paul McCartney’s major contribution to the Magical Mystery Tour EP and album. In the companion TV film it appeared over a sequence shot on a hilltop near Nice in France.

Now that’s Paul. Another good lyric. Shows he’s capable of writing complete songs.

John Lennon

All We Are Saying, David Sheff

The song was composed on the piano at McCartney’s father’s house in Liverpool, “hitting a D 6th chord”.

‘The Fool On The Hill’ was mine and I think I was writing about someone like Maharishi. His detractors called him a fool. Because of his giggle he wasn’t taken too seriously. It was this idea of a fool on the hill, a guru in a cave, I was attracted to.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

The Beatles’ 1968 authorised biography contains a lengthy passage in which writer Hunter Davies observed Lennon and McCartney as they composed ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, at McCartney’s house in London. A fascinating insight into their songwriting processes, it showed how they were content to be distracted while waiting for inspiration to arrive.

Paul then went back to his guitar and started to sing and play a very slow, beautiful song about a foolish man sitting on the hill. John listened to it quietly, staring blankly out of the window, almost as if he wasn’t listening. Paul sang it many times, la la-ing words he hadn’t thought of yet. When at last he finished, John said he’d better write the words down or he’d forget them. Paul said it was OK. He wouldn’t forget them. It was the first time Paul had played it for John. There was no discussion.

The Beatles, Hunter Davies

McCartney decided to go to France to film the Magical Mystery Tour sequence, taking with him Mal Evans and cameraman Aubrey Dewar. Despite having no money or passport with him, he managed to talk his way through customs. The sequence was filmed in the mountains near Nice, shortly after sunrise.

I just ad-libbed the whole thing. I went, ‘Right, get over there: let me dance. Let me jump from this rock to this rock. Get a lot of the sun rising. Get a perfect shot and let me stand in front of it.’ I just had a little Philips cassette to mime to and roughly get the feeling of the song. There was no clapper because there was no sound… It was very spontaneous, as was the whole of Magical Mystery Tour. Later, when we came to try to edit it all, it was very difficult because I hadn’t sung it to synch.

We shouldn’t have really had just one cameraman, it was anti-union. That was another reason to go to France. The unions wouldn’t have allowed it in Britain, nor probably in France, but they didn’t know we were doing it.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles” – The Beatles Bible

FOUR: Your Mother Should Know

“Written by: Lennon-McCartney

Recorded: 22, 23 August; 16, 29 September 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineers: John Timperley, Geoff Emerick, Ken Scott

Released: 8 December 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on:

Magical Mystery Tour

Anthology 2

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass

John Lennon: backing vocals, organ

George Harrison: backing vocals, guitar

Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine

‘Your Mother Should Know’ was written by Paul McCartney at his home in London. It took its title from the screenplay of A Taste Of Honey, and the music harked back to Busby Berkeley showtunes and the golden age of music hall.

I wrote it in Cavendish Avenue on the harmonium I have in the dining room there. My Aunty Jin and Uncle Harry and a couple of relatives were staying and they were in the living room just across the hall, so I just went to the dining room and spent a few hours with the door open with them listening. And I suppose because of the family atmosphere ‘Your Mother Should Know’ came in. It’s a very music-hall kind of thing, probably influenced by the fact that my Aunty Jin was in the house.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

It’s likely that ‘Your Mother Should Know’ was briefly considered for the Our World satellite broadcast of 25 June 1967. The Beatles went instead with ‘All You Need Is Love’, a simpler message and one more readily understood by a worldwide audience. But the idea of a big old-fashioned singalong clearly stayed with McCartney when planning the Magical Mystery Tour film.

The big prop was that great big staircase that we danced down, that was where all the money went: in that particular shot on that big staircase. I said, ‘Sod it, you’ve got to have the Busby Berkeley ending,’ and it is a good sequence. Just the fact of John dancing, which he did readily. You can see by the fun expression on his face that he wasn’t forced into anything.

Paul McCartney – The Beatles Bible

THREE: Flying

“Written by: Harrison–Lennon–McCartney–Starkey

Recorded: 8, 28 September 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Ken Scott

Released: 8 December 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on:

Magical Mystery Tour

Personnel

John Lennon: vocals, organ, Mellotron, sound effects

Paul McCartney: vocals, guitar, bass

George Harrison: vocals, guitar

Ringo Starr: vocals, drums, maracas, sound effects

A mostly instrumental recording with wordless vocals from all four Beatles, ‘Flying’ was recorded as incidental music for the Magical Mystery Tour film.

Originally titled ‘Aerial Tour Instrumental’, it was the first Beatles recording to have a songwriting credit featuring all four members.

‘Flying’ was the only Beatles instrumental released by EMI. The group had previously recorded ‘Cry For A Shadow’ in Hamburg in 1961, and ‘12-Bar Original’ during the Rubber Soul sessions in 1965.

In the Magical Mystery Tour film, ‘Flying’ was used to accompany landscape scenes of Iceland taken from an aeroplane. These sequences were unused outtakes from Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr Strangelove.

Paul McCartney revealed the background to ‘Flying’ in Barry Miles’ biography Many Years From Now:

‘Flying’ was an instrumental that we needed for Magical Mystery Tour so in the studio one night I suggested to the guys that we made something up. I said, ‘We can keep it very very simple, we can make it a twelve-bar blues. We need a little bit of a theme and a little bit of a backing.’ I wrote the melody. The only thing to warrant it as a song is basically the melody, otherwise it’s just a nice twelve-bar backing thing. It’s played on the Mellotron, on a trombone setting. It’s credited to all four, which is how you would credit a non-song.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now” – The Beatles Bible

TWO: Magical Mystery Tour

“Written by: Lennon-McCartney

Recorded: 25, 26, 27 April, 3 May, 7 November 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineer: Geoff Emerick

Released: 8 December 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on: Magical Mystery Tour

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass

John Lennon: vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, percussion

George Harrison: vocals, lead guitar, percussion

Ringo Starr: drums, percussion

Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall: percussion

David Mason, Elgar Howarth, Roy Copestake, John Wilbraham: trumpets

Recorded just four days after the completion of the Sgt Pepper album, ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was Paul McCartney’s attempt to maintain momentum within The Beatles and to give them a new direction and sense of purpose.

John and I remembered mystery tours, and we always thought this was a fascinating idea: getting on a bus and not knowing where you were going. Rather romantic and slightly surreal! All these old dears with the blue rinses going off to mysterious places. Generally there’s a crate of ale in the boot of the coach and you sing lots of songs. It’s a charabanc trip. So we took that idea and used it as a basis for a song and the film.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

Inspired by Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and their LSD-fuelled bus, McCartney decided The Beatles should try something similar. He devised a rough concept for the new project, which would involve the group travelling around the England in their own coach, filming whatever took place.

I used to go to the fairgrounds as a kid, the waltzers and the dodgems, but what interested me was the freak shows: the boxing booths, the bearded lady and the sheep with five legs, which actually was a four-legged sheep with one leg sewn on its side. When I touched it, the fellow said, ‘Hey, leave that alone!’ these were the great things of your youth. So much of your writing comes from this period; your golden memories. If I’m stuck for an idea, I can always think of a great summer, think of a time when I went to the seaside. Okay, sand sun waves donkeys laughter. That’s a pretty good scenario for a song.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

The resulting TV film was a mess, and critically panned, though the soundtrack double EP (expanded to a full album in the US) was a best-seller.

‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was co-written by John and I, very much in our fairground period. One of our great inspirations was always the barker. ‘Roll up! Roll up!’ The promise of something: the newspaper ad that says ‘guaranteed not to crack’, the ‘high class’ butcher, ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ from Sgt Pepper. ‘Come inside,’ ‘Step inside, Love‘; you’ll find that pervades a lot of my songs. If you look at all the Lennon-McCartney things, it’s a thing we do a lot.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now, Barry Miles - The Beatles Bible

ONE: I Am the Walrus

“Written by: Lennon-McCartney

Recorded: 5, 6, 27, 29 September 1967

Producer: George Martin

Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Ken Scott

Released: 24 November 1967 (UK), 27 November 1967 (US)

Available on:

Magical Mystery Tour

Anthology 2

Love

Personnel

John Lennon: vocals, pianet electric piano

Paul McCartney: bass guitar, tambourine

George Harrison: electric guitar

Ringo Starr: drums

Peggie Allen, Wendy Horan, Pat Whitmore, Jill Utting, June Day, Sylvia King, Irene King, G Mallen, Fred Lucas, Mike Redway, John O’Neill, F Dachtler, Allan Grant, D Griffiths, J Smith, J Fraser: backing vocals

Sidney Sax, Jack Rothstein, Ralph Elman, Andrew McGee, Jack Greene, Louis Stevens, John Jezzard, Jack Richards: violins

Lionel Ross, Eldon Fox, Bram Martin, Terry Weil: cellos

Gordon Lewin: clarinet

Neil Sanders, Tony Tunstall, Morris Miller: horns

John Lennon’s final masterpiece of 1967 found him at his surrealistic, sneering best. ‘I Am The Walrus’ was included on the soundtrack of the Magical Mystery Tour TV film, and first released as the b-side of ‘Hello, Goodbye’.

Lennon had wanted ‘I Am The Walrus’ to be The Beatles’ next single after ‘All You Need Is Love’, but Paul McCartney and George Martin felt that ‘Hello, Goodbye’ was the more commercial song. The decision led to resentment from Lennon, who complained after the group’s split that “I got sick and tired of being Paul’s backup band”.

The song was written in August 1967, at the peak of the Summer of Love and shortly after the release of Sgt Pepper. Lennon later claimed to have written the opening lines under the influence of LSD

The first line was written on one acid trip one weekend, the second line on another acid trip the next weekend, and it was filled in after I met Yoko.

John Lennon, 1980

All We Are Saying, David Sheff

‘I Am The Walrus’ was a composite of three song fragments. The first part was inspired by a two-note police siren Lennon heard while at home in Weybridge. This became “Mr city policeman sitting pretty…”

Hunter Davies recounted the beginnings of the second part in his authorised 1968 biography of The Beatles:

He’d written down down another few words that day, just daft words, to put to another bit of rhythm. ‘Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the man to come.’ I thought he said ‘van to come’, which he hadn’t, but he liked it better and said he’d use it instead.

The third part of ‘I Am The Walrus’ started from the phrase “sitting in an English country garden” which, as Davies noted, Lennon was fond of doing for hours at a time. Lennon repeated the phrase to himself until a melody came.

I don’t know how it will all end up. Perhaps they’ll turn out to be different parts of the same song – sitting in an English garden, waiting for the van to come. I don’t know.

John Lennon

The Beatles, Hunter Davies

The lyrics

‘Walrus’ is just saying a dream – the words don’t mean a lot. People draw so many conclusions and it’s ridiculous… What does it really mean, ‘I am the eggman’? It could have been the pudding basin for all I care. It’s not that serious.

John Lennon

Anthology

The song’s title came from Lewis Carroll’s poem ‘The Walrus And The Carpenter’, from the book Through The Looking Glass. Lennon later realised with dismay that he’d identified with the villain of the piece.

It never dawned on me that Lewis Carroll was commenting on the capitalist system. I never went into that bit about what he really meant, like people are doing with the Beatles’ work. Later, I went back and looked at it and realised that the walrus was the bad guy in the story and the carpenter was the good guy. I thought, Oh, shit, I picked the wrong guy. I should have said, ‘I am the carpenter.’ But that wouldn’t have been the same, would it?

John Lennon, 1980

All We Are Saying, David Sheff

The eggman of the chorus – while possibly a reference to Carroll’s Humpty Dumpty – was more likely The Animals’ lead singer Eric Burdon, following a particularly notable incident recounted to Lennon at a London party.

It may have been one of my more dubious distinctions, but I was the Eggman – or, as some of my pals called me, ‘Eggs’.

The nickname stuck after a wild experience I’d had at the time with a Jamaican girlfriend called Sylvia. I was up early one morning cooking breakfast, naked except for my socks, and she slid up beside me and slipped an amyl nitrate capsule under my nose. As the fumes set my brain alight and I slid to the kitchen floor, she reached to the counter and grabbed an egg, which she cracked into the pit of my belly. The white and yellow of the egg ran down my naked front and Sylvia slipped my egg-bathed cock into her mouth and began to show me one Jamaican trick after another. I shared the story with John at a party at a Mayfair flat one night with a handful of blondes and a little Asian girl.

‘Go on, go get it, Eggman,’ Lennon laughed over the little round glasses perched on the end of his hook-like nose as we tried the all-too-willing girls on for size.

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

Eric Burdon with J Marshall Craig” – The Beatles Bible

FEATURE: Lost in Transition... The French Dissolution: Kate Bush's Lionheart at Forty-Four

FEATURE:

 

 

Lost in Transition…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush at the Lionheart launch party in 1978. Lionheart has its international launch at the 14th-century Ammersoyen Castel, two hours' drive from Amsterdam. After dinner, in the grounds of the castle, Leo Bouderwijas (the President of the Association of Dutch Phonographical Industries) presents Bush with the prestigious Edison Award for the best single of 1978 (Wuthering Heights). Bush is also presented with a platinum disc for sales of The Kick Inside in Holland

The French Dissolution: Kate Bush’s Lionheart at Forty-Four

__________

I have another Lionheart feature…

coming ahead of the album’s forty-fourth anniversary on 13th November. Some might wonder why I am putting out quite a few features for an album that was rushed, and Kate Bush was disappointed by. Even though it is a paler (if more ambitious and wide-reaching) version of her debut, The Kick Inside, then there is a lot to love about it. This feature, actually, is more a look at some of the problems and reasons why Lionheart did not gel and was a little unusual. I am going to end with some positives regarding the album. Before I get to the feature and explain why I am notching up my Kate Bush features in terms of regularity, it is worth thanking Tom Doyle! I have been inspired to write this feature because his amazing Kate Bush biography/book, Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush, is out - and it has scooped some positive reviews and loads of love through social media. I would not usually recommend people buy a book on Amazon rather than via bookstores and other sites but, in this case, you can get Doyle’s book for £10 at Amazon. Even if I am a bit conflicted – as he will get less money if the book retails less than on other sites? -, then I hope the lower price does provoke Kate Bush fans and those unfamiliar with her work to invest and grab this excellent tome! Such an original and multifaceted approach to her incredible career and unique creative genius, I have read what he wrote about Lionheart.

Actually, because I am immersed in Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush, so many feature ideas have come to mind. I am going to sprinkle them between other Bush pieces, as I still have a few anniversary bits concerning albums like The Whole Story (the 1986 greatest hits album) and 50 Words for Snow (her most recent studio album released in 2011). I am also gearing up to do some Christmas bits around Kate Bush, a round-up of an eventful and hugely successful 2022, plus a couple of anniversaries that happen early in 2023 – including the forty-fifth anniversary of Bush’s debut single, Wuthering Heights, in January; the album it is from, The Kick Inside, is forty-five the following month. It is amazing that less than nine months after her debut album came out, Bush released her second album! That would never happen today! I am not sure she had much say or desire when it came to that decision. EMI, doubtless capitalising on the momentum and huge success of The Kick Inside and Wuthering Heights’ unstoppable brilliance – but, as I will write in a future feature, the song received plenty of mockery and bad reviews – put Bush back into the studio. Rather than returning her to AIR in London, Bush and band were dispatched to Super Bear Studios, Berre-les-Alpes, France between July and September 1978. The studio was sadly destroyed in 1986, yet the owner, Damon Metrebian, had fond memories of Kate Bush recording there. I think those dates are right, because Bush was still promoting The Kick Inside heavily in July 1978! How did she get her head around the fact that she was promoting her debut whilst working on her second album?!

I think this is the main reason why Lionheart seems rushed. It was! As I have said many times, even though she only had opportunity to write three new songs – including the remarkable opening track, Symphony in Blue and the anxious and slightly mad Coffee Homeground -, she could not have salvaged and controlled the direction of Lionheart. Assisting production with Andrew Powell (who produced The Kick Inside), her second album was a pivotal moment. It made Bush aware of the fact she did not want to produce with anyone else/Powell (I will explain why soon), and she also needed to do things her way. Maybe going to France was designed to provide Bush with a break and a different climate to help cope with the huge demand and rush. It sort of backfired. I feel Lionheart would have been a bit more stable and better if she was in London and working back at AIR. Tom Doyle documented Lionheart and its problems. Chapter 13 of Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush is entitled ‘Lost in France’. It sort of says everything about the L.P. As Bush said – and Doyle wrote – “No offence to the musicians on the second record, but there was conflict between myself and Andrew Powell in the way that we saw it”. Whilst Bush wanted her band (including Del Palmer and Brian Bath (who is seventy on 30th November) to play on the debut, Andrew Powell favoured more experienced musicians.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in an outake from the cover shoot for Lionheart/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz

Having worked with Palmer and Bath as part of the KT Bush Band in 1977, she knew they’d gel. But maybe they needed more time on the stage and studio. She had hoped, I think, the success of The Kick Inside would earn her a little more sway when it came to personnel. I don’t think Andrew Powell was quite the domineering and misguided controller of Lionheart some paint him as. If the location was different, the band and working methods seemed relatively unchanged after The Kick Inside. The sort of if it ain’t broke then why fix it approach. Bush wanted to change. If not change, then perhaps a realisation that she had from the start: to work on an album with musicians of her choosing. Not to piss people off; she would be more comfortable around them and be able to communicate her ideas to them more effectively. She held no ill feelings towards those who are on Lionheart – including David Paton and Ian Bairnson -, but she felt distant. A cog in the machine rather than the thrust and architect (as Graeme Thomson noted in his excellent Kate Bush biography, Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush). Moved from the Eat Wickham Farm her family resided in to the similarly-named 44 Wickham Road, Bush lived with her brothers Paddy and John. They each took a floor of the house, whilst Kate was on the top floor. It is a cute and familial scene where you had the siblings all under one roof! Brian Bath was asked to the Brockley flat to work on songs for Lionheart (I am paraphrasing and getting this detail from Doyle’s Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush).

The Kick Inside suggested birth and new life: an artist beginning her ‘journey’ and creating (audio) life. Lionheart’s title points at a determined and emboldened woman ready to take a leap. Only twenty when Lionheart came out, Bush’s intention was very much to assert more say and start to craft music in a more independent fashion. Perhaps a little tired of others moulding her sound and vision, early designs were geared around a new band and a fresh start. That wasn’t to bear much fruit. Bush’s father, Dr. Robert Bush (Beatles earworm alert!), helped construct a demo studio at East Wickham Farm where songs could be worked on. About five years later, Bush would return again to the family home and, perhaps with new skills learned and independence desires at their peak, constructed a bigger and more ambitious recording barn for Hounds of Love (1985). Who knows what Lionheart could have been if her plans had actually worked out?! Songs – including Lionheart’s first (if unsuccessful) first single, Hammer Horror – were worked on. Bush was being encouraged by her family and Brian Bath. Tips and suggestions were given and, by all accounts, the working set-up and earlier days (around June at the so-called Summerhouse Studios) were promising! I will not directly quote too much from Doyle’s book, but it is interesting what he says about France. A chosen recording destination/tax haven for artists including Elton John and David Bowie (two heroes of hers that did not have a great relationship themselves…more on the John/Bowie beef in another feature!), it seemed like a weird setting for Kate Bush’s music and trajectory. Having promoted The Kick Inside around the world through 1978 – the same month test recordings were happening for Lionheart; Bush was also promoting The Kick Inside in Japan! -, she needed some focus and routine. Traveling to France was probably the last thing she needed in a year where her air miles were insane! If the climate, romance and landscape seemed conducive to fresh creative life and relaxation, the summer holiday was about to turn sour. A potential French revolution became a fresh dissolution.

There had been a loose agreement between Andrew Powell and Kate Bush for her to use her musicians, including Paddy Bush (who appeared on The Kick Inside (he is seventy next month) and all post-Lionheart albums excluding 50 Words for Snow). Del Palmer was to be there, as was Brian Bath. Almost a KT Bush Band reunion, the demo sessions back in the U.K. meant there was some drive, sheen, conviction and solidity to the early recordings. Promising seeds being planted and, as Doyle points out, perhaps this was a reward for the way the KT Bush Band had developed their act prior to steeping into AIR to record The Kick Inside, thus, giving her some invaluable experience and training that would feed into those sessions. There did seem to be distractions. With a pool and sun at their disposal feet away – often, Bush would be sunbathing topless, which must have been eye-opening for those not expecting such a ‘relaxed’ compatriot! At one point, Bush attempted to break a wine glass by singing as high as possible (she was fortunately talked down from that potential ledge and avoided having glass explode in her face!). There were fun and cool vibes at times for certain! The heat and lack of air conditioning and necessary ventilation impacted on the musicians’ concentration and playing. Unusual requests and working demands were new to the inexperienced band, and there were some frank words (no pun intended) and cracks showing. Lionheart is unique in the sense that two different band line-ups played on it. Bush’s guys were packed home when an EMI representative travelled to the studios in France and realised things were not working out. Musicians who played on The Kick Inside were drafted in. Awkward moments where the two bands were with one another and had to be civil whilst there was obvious tension and disappointment.

One need only look at what Bush was doing in 1979 to realise what a breaking and turning point Lionheart was. Embarking on The Tour of Life – a spectacle that Bush was very much involved in from the ground up and had a say in everything -, the idea of recording in sweaty studios with musicians not her first choice for a producer who was on a different page held little long-term appeal and practicality. Not that Bush was a perfectionist, but Powell noticed how the guide vocal for Wow (the remarkable second single from Lionheart) was very musical. Maybe digging her heels in and trying to be more of a producer, Bush did so many vocal takes to make the sound more dramatic, nuanced, complex and of her liking. Maybe it was a purely musical decision, but I feel some of her frustration towards Andrew Powell meant she spent a lot longer on the song than she would have otherwise done. If she was keen to push on with new material and break from her debut, the fact that she had a Prince-sized safe and archive full of unreleased and unrecorded song ready to go seemed to make more sense to Powell. Bush did say in an interview how Oh England My Lionheart – one of the older songs written long before the album was recorded – was her favourite on the record. She soon distanced herself from it, perhaps feeling it was jarring, juvenile and not what she wanted for her second album. If new songs like Coffee Homeground and Full House point at paranoia, something darker and more complex than what came before (Symphony in Blue a more mature and almost philosophical update of the songs on The Kick Inside), then tracks like Oh England My Lionheart were almost twee by comparison. I love the song a lot - but one can see where Bush was coming from!

If Andrew Powell wanted a The Kick Inside 2 or Bush to record old songs not considered for her debut, Bush resolutely was looking to evolve and move on. Perhaps also trying to prove to critics who mocked her high vocals and hippy image that she was not so easy to define and pin, Lionheart didn’t help in that sense! As Tom Doyle notes, there was a sense of deflation and disappointment. Having finished recording in France in August 1978, mixing took place in London in September. Bush, wanting to remain normal and fetch sandwiches and walk the street, was now so famous she was being advised to stay inside. Perhaps another reason why she was determined to do The Tour of Life the year later and very much get out there and not be confined and directed! If the singles were not as successful as those from The Kick Inside (Wuthering Heights was a number one; Moving was a number one in Japan), the album did get to a not-too-shabby six in the U.K. If it was a failure compared to her supernova debut, looking back now, I think it is truly remarkable Bush made an album so wonderful given constraints and such incredible time limitations! She did say “I was thinking, y’know, I don’t want to be produced by someone who sees it differently to me”. She recognised how integral producing was regarding the sound and shape of a song. It seemed illogical to write these unique-sounding songs only for someone else to craft them in their image and distil them (not her sentiment, but that is the shape of things!). Even if Lionheart’s recording and reception was far from ideal and overly pleasurable, the aspiring and already-talented producer learned enough from two studio albums. 1980’s Never for Ever did see her co-produce with engineer Jon Kelly, but the experience was much more pleasurable this time around. Perhaps because they were the same sort of age, rather than there being this generation and age gap between her and Andrew Powell.

Chapter 13 of Tom Doyle’s magnificent Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush discusses Lionheart as a classic ‘difficult second album’. I know Bush and her musicians had some good moments, and there would have been some terrific revelations in the studio. Despite the hot weather and mountain air, it was clear that London – the smog and stress of it all – was where Bush needed to position herself for album number three. Lionheart is forty-four on 13th November (some sites erroneously list 10th November). Bush’s memories of the album must be dim now. I wonder whether she has any fond recollections from that summer in France. The fact she was simultaneously still promoting her debut album and was pulled and pushed all around the place, coupled with disputes and conflicts involving the choice of musicians for Lionheart, surely must have soured some of her memories. Whilst not my favourite Kate Bush album, it is one of her L.P.s that I love more and more each time I visit it! The reason the header photo for this article is Kate Bush at the at the Dutch release party for Lionheart is because she said the album was stronger than her debut, and the atmosphere was more what she was looking for (check the video below where she talks about it). As I have said before loudly: Lionheart is so underrated and excellent!

At least several of the tracks here equal some of the best from The Kick Inside (including Symphony in Blue and Wow). Tere are really interesting songs that show Bush was a songwriter impossible to pigeonhole or predict! The cover (shot by Gered Mankowitz, who photographed Bush in from 1978-1979) is one of her best. At ten tracks, it is a lean album. I think the sequencing is not excellent. Rearranging a few songs would make Lionheart stronger and more consistent (why end the album with Hammer Horror, when it should have been a song like Full House?!). Bush’s vocals are more confident and varied compared to The Kick Inside and, given more time and control, she could easily have topped that remarkable debut. There are what-ifs and questions. Rather than chase ghosts or predict alternative scenarios and realities where Lionheart would have been this wonderful and well-received smash, I actually wanted to urge people to detach and delete other people’s views and the story behind the album. Instead, as it is forty-four on 13th November, go and stream or buy the album! Whether you are a diehard Kate Bush fan or are brand-new and need guidance regarding which albums to get, you will see that there is plenty of promise and quality. Andrew Powell’s production is not terrific, but I think there is more than enough to recommend when it comes to Lionheart! A gorgeous album with some exceptional songwriting, the unfairly maligned and ignored Lionheart does deserve new love and contextualisation. Neither an album that constantly makes you go ‘wow’ or one that is a horror, Kate Bush’s Lionheart…

IS far from a disappointment.

FEATURE: Inspired By… Part Eighty-Seven: Smokey Robinson

FEATURE:

 

 

Inspired By…

Part Eighty-Seven: Smokey Robinson

__________

HERE is another legendary artist…

who I have not yet included in Inspired By… One of the greatest songwriters and most soulful voices ever, Smokey Robinson has definitely made an impact on artists who have followed. I am going to end with a playlist of songs from artists who are similar to Robinson – or they have definitely been influenced by him. Before I get there, AllMusic provide a biography of the legendary artist:

“Berry Gordy founded Motown Records, but one could argue that Smokey Robinson was the man who first pushed America's most iconic soul music label toward greatness. As the leader of the Miracles, Robinson was one of the very first artists signed to the fledgling label in 1959, and while he racked up many hits for it with the Miracles and as a solo act, Robinson was also an invaluable behind-the-scenes talent who wrote songs, produced records, scouted and groomed talent, and served as a vice president at Motown from 1961 to 1988. Robinson is one of the most iconic figures in American R&B; his work helped defined pop-oriented soul, his lush, romantic R&B ballads literally gave quiet storm its name, and no less an authority than Bob Dylan has called Robinson "America's greatest living poet."

William Robinson, Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan on February 19, 1940. He grew up in Detroit's Brewster housing project, and picked up the nickname "Smokey Joe" from his Uncle Claude, which quickly stuck. Robinson first developed an interest in music by investigating his mother's record collection, which included classic sides by Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker. Robinson's mother died when he was ten, and since his father was frequently on the road making his living as a truck driver, young Smokey was looked after by his older sister Geraldine, and in his early teens he began singing, performing in informal doo wop groups with his friends.

In 1955, Robinson assembled a vocal group called the Five Chimes, which featured his schoolmates Clarence Dawson, James Grice, Pete Moore, and Ronald White. In 1956, the group adopted a new name, the Matadors, after Dawson left and Emerson Rogers took his place, and a year later, Rogers and James Grice left the lineup, and Claudette Rogers and Bobby Rogers (respectively Emerson Rogers' sister and cousin) stepped in. With their new co-ed lineup, the name the Matadors was considered a poor fit, and they began calling themselves the Miracles. A guitarist, Marv Tarplin, joined the act in 1958, and the Miracles began making a name for themselves on Detroit's R&B scene.

In 1958, Robinson met Berry Gordy, a Detroit-based songwriter who had penned several hits for Jackie Wilson and was looking to make a name for himself in the music business. Gordy was impressed with the Miracles and Robinson's talents as a songwriter; he helped the band land a deal with End Records, and the Miracles released their first single, "Got a Job" (an answer song to the Silhouettes' hit "Get a Job") later that year. While the single sold well in Detroit, it didn't make much noise nationally, and follow-ups on End and Chess fared no better. Robinson believed he and Gordy could do better themselves, and he urged Gordy to follow through on his idea of forming his own label. The Miracles became the first act signed to Gordy's new record company, Motown, and in 1960, their song "Shop Around," written by Robinson, was the first Motown single to become a nationwide hit.

Through the '60s, the Miracles were a frequent presence on the pop and R&B charts, scoring hits with such songs as "Tracks of My Tears," "Mickey's Monkey," "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Going to a Go-Go," "Ooo Baby Baby," and many more. As Robinson became recognized as the creative force behind the group, their name was changed to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles in 1966. Robinson also shared his talents with many other Motown acts; he wrote "My Guy" and "The One Who Really Loves You" for Mary Wells, "My Girl," "Get Ready," and "The Way You Do the Things You Do" for the Temptations, "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I'll Be Doggone" for Marvin Gaye, and "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" for the Marvelettes, among many others. As a vice president at Motown, Robinson was also a key part of the label's management and production team, and helped guide the company into being one of the most successful independent American record labels of all time.

Robinson fell in love with Claudette Rogers not long after she joined the Miracles, and they were married in 1959. By 1969, Robinson was growing tired of dividing his time between his family, Motown, and the Miracles, and he decided to retire from the group so he could spend more time at home and less time on the road. He postponed his departure when "Tears of a Clown" (recorded in 1966) unexpectedly became a major hit in 1970, but a year later, he launched a "farewell tour" with the Miracles, though the group would continue without him (and Robinson would write one of their latter-day hits, "Floy Joy").

After a two-year layoff, Robinson returned to the recording studio with his first solo album, 1973's Smokey. The album found Robinson focusing on midtempo romantic numbers as well as more mature and personal themes, which would carry over to his second solo effort, 1974's Pure Smokey. Robinson scored a pair of major R&B hits with 1975's A Quiet Storm, the title tune and "Baby, That's Backatcha," and the former tune would give a name to the sort of polished, romantic R&B that was becoming Robinson's stock in trade. Robinson was no longer as consistent a hitmaker as he once was, but he continued to make his presence known on the charts with tunes such as "Cruisin'" (from 1979's Where There's Smoke) and "Being with You" (from the 1981 album of the same name). The year 1987 was a memorable one for Robinson -- the album One Heartbeat would score a massive hit for him with the song "Just to See Her," which also earned him a Grammy, and he was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (though the rest of the Miracles were not, much to his consternation). But this came near the end of an important era for Robinson -- in 1988, Motown was sold to MCA, and Robinson stepped down as vice president. In 1990, he recorded a final album for Motown, Love Smokey (Robinson received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy the same year), and he signed with SBK Records for 1992's Double Good Everything.

The end of Motown came during a turbulent period for Robinson -- in the mid-'80s, he developed a serious addiction to cocaine, and his marriage to Claudette ended in divorce in 1986. While Robinson would kick drugs shortly after the end of his marriage, following the commercial disappointment of Double Good Everything, he wouldn't record again until 1999, when he recorded Intimate for MCA's revived Motown label. In 2004, Robinson (who cited a spiritual reawakening as a key factor in giving up drugs) recorded a contemporary gospel album, Food for the Spirit, and a collection of standards, Timeless Love, followed in 2006. Robinson returned to the smooth soul sounds of his '70s and '80s solo work with 2009's Time Flies When You're Having Fun, released on his own label, Robso Records; several tracks from this album were matched with remakes of Robinson's Motown hits for the collection Now & Then. In 2014, he released a Verve album, Smokey & Friends, for which he remade 11 of his most popular compositions with a roster of duet partners that included Elton John, James Taylor, Mary J. Blige, and Jessie J”.

To show the impact and importance of the magnificent Smokey Robinson, below are songs from artists who have definitely been influenced by the great man. Simply one of the greatest ever artists, there is no doubt that Robinson will continue to inspire legions of wonderful musicians. Here is a selection of the…

ARTISTS he has inspired.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Skylar Stecker

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Kigon Kwak for Wonderland. 

 Skylar Stecker

__________

HAILING from Tampa, Florida…

the amazing and hugely talented Skylar Stecker is someone that I want to recommend to everyone. She has a massive fanbase already, but I feel that she may not be that well-known to some in the U.K. The twenty-year-old is already an established artist and actor. In 2015, Stecker released her debut studio album, This Is Me. In March 2019, she independently released her second album, Redemption. I think that Stecker deserves a major label release, as she is an incredible artist who could penetrate and infiltrate the mainstream and stand alongside the biggest artists of today. There is no doubting her passion and commitment. Someone who I recently discovered, I wanted to bring in a few interviews so that we can learn more about the multi-instrumentalist and multi-talented Stecker. She has actually been releasing music since 2013, so here is someone who started out incredibly young! I think that she will be releasing music for decades more. It is always amazing finding these very young and prolific artist making an impact now. Those you know will only get better and grow bigger. I am going to finish with an interview from earlier this year. Before that, there are a couple of older interviews that are worth sourcing from to give us background, context and a sense of development.

Back in April last year, Wonderland. spoke with Stecker about her music. They were curious, being nineteen at the time of the interview, how she navigated the industry at such a young age. Redemption is one of the best albums from 2019. It is one that deserves new exposure now:

“The excitement and confusion that comes with newfound feelings can be overwhelming, to say the least. Whether you catch yourself smiling at your phone one too many times or overthinking everything your crush says and does, the process of liking someone can be both draining and euphoric. 19-year-old singer Skylar Stecker is here to remind you that you’re not alone with her latest track “Questions”. A display of pop perfection, the track has it all. From the singer’s ethereal vocals to the romantic lyrics – which are steeped in longing and complex emotions – we are provided with sultry sounds and an introspective look into Stecker’s love life.

“Questions is a special song to me because I wrote this song alone during quarantine with someone special in mind,” states the young star. “The words and melodies just fly out of me effortlessly and I was able to finish this song in one day. Then I sent it to my friend and producer Jordan Manswell who took the production to another level.”

At the tender age of 19, Skylar’s boasts an outstanding resume. From taking to the stage at The Today Show and shooting to the top of the Billboard Dance Charts in record-breaking moves to mastering the guitar, drums and piano from the confines of her own bedroom, the singer’s raw talent is evident. And, with a string of new music releases on the horizon, the young star shows no signs of slowing down.

Check our interview with Skylar below…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Kigon Kwak

Hey Skylar! How has this past year been for you? How has it affected your creativity?

The past year has had its challenges, but it also allowed me the extra time at home to learn how to produce and produce vocals, as well as spend more time mastering the drums!

You’ve been performing and singing for years, how did you first get into music?

I entered a talent show when I was 9 to play the piano, which turned into me singing instead and from there on I was obsessed with trying to find venues where I could continue to perform and be around music in any capacity. That led me to performing National Anthems in College and then at Pro Sporting events. Eventually, I moved to California to pursue a singing career.

You’re 19-years-old and have already released your second album, what is it like navigating the industry at such a young age?

In many ways starting at such a young age was a blessing. Being young allowed me to be able to be like a sponge, and soak up knowledge

from people without judging where I was creatively. I explored different genres while also continuing to hone in on my writing and my vocal skills.

You were signed as well before becoming independent, why the change and do you prefer it?

What I have learned through that experience is that it’s more about the people involved and if it’s the right fit at the right time. As an artist, I have continued to evolve and the most important thing to me, regardless of being with a label or being independent, is that my voice and vision are heard.

Congratulations on your new single “Questions”, take us through the production process? What was the inspiration behind the song?

Questions is a special song to me because I wrote this song alone during quarantine with someone special in mind. The words and melodies just fly out of me effortlessly and I was able to finish this song in one day. Then I sent it to my friend/producer Jordan Manswell who took the production to another level.

What do you want people to take away from your latest single?

I want people to just enjoy the feeling of the song as a whole. It has a very sensual vibe that taps into the feeling we all get at the beginning of a relationship.

Looking back on your previous singles, how do you think this one differs from your last?

With every single I release I try to give the listener more snippets of who I am and what I am experiencing at that moment.

You’ve had so many accolades over the years! What’s been your biggest pinch-me moment?

Definitely performing on The Today Show!

You have more music lined up in the pipeline, what can we expect from your future projects?

You can expect a lot more music and my next single out this summer!”.

RAYDAR spoke with Skylar Stecker late last year when she was promoting her amazing E.P., Earth Signs. An artist who is so prolific and always impressive and original, there are few out there as promising and exciting as her:

“A self-taught multi-instrumentist, Skylar is one of the youngest artists to top the Billboard Dance Charts and saw early success from pop ballads such as “How Did We” and “Only Want You.” The rising artist is becoming widely loved for her honey-drenched vocals and occasional song covers. Her 2019 project Redemption was well-received and served as her first full-length release as an independent musician. Songs like “Let It Pour,” “Don’t Test Me,” and the title track rose as fan-favorites from the project.

Earlier this year, Stecker unveiled her EP aptly titled Earth Signs, a 7-track offering with a lone feature from Lucien Parker that the trials and triumphs of navigating a new relationship and learning about how to deal with feelings that she had never experienced up until that point in her life. Fast forward to now, Skylar is working on her next EP slated to arrive during the summer of 2022 with more content to follow. Keep your eyes peeled for the young promising songstresses as she carves out her own space in pop-infused R&B.

We spoke with Skylar Stecker about being an independent artist, new music, relationships, and much more! Check it out below.

I know that you’re originally from Florida but moved to Los Angeles to pursue music. How did the different cultures on top of being so laser-focused on music affect who you are today?

I feel like it helped me to adjust and not be too attached to things. The number one thing I take away from it is being able to live in the moment because I’m a forward thinker, but at the same time, I have to reel myself back in and really live in the present. Where I’ve lived, all these places have given me perspective and stories to tell in my music.

Prior to being an independent artist, you were signed to Cherrytree Records in a joint venture with Interscope at a fairly young age. Is there anything liberating about putting out music on your own now?

I think before, I didn’t feel as attached to certain things or songs because I didn’t 100% write them or they didn’t reflect how I felt for other political reasons. There’s always a sense of disconnect from not having full ownership. Now, with the music release, it’s definitely a bit more nerve-wracking because I can’t put that weight on other people’s shoulders. Obviously, I have a team around me, but the responsibility lies within me but it’s also really exciting because I get to create my own story.

Considering you decided to be more vulnerable on Earth Signs, how long did it take to perfect this EP? Did it feel any different compared to your previous works?

I was going through my first real serious relationship and basically “Superman” was the first song I wrote on that project. After that, everything just came so easy to me and I knew I wanted to use that as the blueprint for the rest of the EP. I created stories around my life experience and also that person that I was experiencing these things with. It’s funny I named it Earth Signs because I’m actually an Earth sign and I got into that stuff during quarantine as well.

Can you walk us through what your songwriting process is like?

It really varies, I definitely keep a tight circle of music creators. I really love to try to lock in with people and do as much as I can with them because it feels like a family and the music comes out more authentic. I think that’s translated in my music and songwriting, but I’m also starting to do a lot at my home studio as well. Due to COVID, I learned how to vocal produce and do stuff like that which has been really really helpful.

A good bit of your music focuses on love, dating, and intimacy—what is your definition of modern love?

That’s a very good question! I would like to know the definition of love! For me, my number one thing is that I lead with my brain. Love is being able to be yourself and have that person be able to see you who you are fully. Not the persona that you start off with because we’re always worried about saying the right thing. Love is that comfortability, and I know that I definitely fall in love with someone when they show consistency that matches me.

What are some key points and components of your music that you would like your fans to pick up on and enjoy?

I think the number one thing for me is that I’m trying to find my way. I feel like we’re all humans and no matter what we’re going through, we’re always trying to figure it out. I think my music reflects that whether it be love or tribulations in some other areas of life. I just want to be very transparent and honest about the mixed emotions and thought processes that we go through.

I see that you also have a pretty unique sense of style, what are some of your go-to brands or sneakers these days?

I love Jordans! I started with one pair and now I have a whole collection and it’s dangerous. Every time I see new pair online, I’m like oh god. My style is definitely comfort but I try to find shoes or accessories to spice it up a bit. I love Nike, Adidas, all the sportswear brands, and really nice jewelry whether it be hoop earrings or something of that sort.

I have a stylist that I’ve been working with lately and he’s been getting me out of my comfort zone lately. I think that’s the cool thing about fashion, you can always reinvent and evolve. I’m definitely a sweats person but when I wear a dress you’ll catch me in the car getting my flick on.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your younger self?

The number one thing I would tell myself is to be patient with everything. I think in life, to get the greatest reward you definitely have to have your fair share of work. Stay steady and look at every day as a way to grow. There are always going to be challenges but try to make the best choices. I’d also say listen to your gut because there will always be people with opinions and not in a bad way. Just take them as a grain of salt in comparison to your own.

Obviously, your younger years are in the rearview, so what are some long-term goals you have set for yourself?

Long-term, I want to do a lot. I want to do the GRAMMYs and hopefully I can get there. I really just want to continue to grow and evolve as an artist. I think embracing change is good and I want to be able to best translate that in a way that I can look back and have a sense of contentment that I was able to do all the things I wanted to do”.

I am going to wrap things up there, actually. I would recommend you follow Skylar Stecker on social media, as she is such a fascinating artist whose music cannot readily be compared with anyone else. I would encourage anyone to listen to her songs, as they are so engaging and memorable! There are videos and live tracks I am unable to include as I will run out of space and opportunity. For that reason, go and look at her YouTube channel and all the amazing videos on there! Sounding already established and confident, it is amazing to discover this in a twenty-year-old. I think, as she moves through the next few years, we will see more albums and E.P.s from this wonderful artist. As I said, I hope there is some interest from big labels – or a label that is a perfect fit for her and treats her with respect. Her work deserves as much love and attention as possible, so I do hope that the next E.P. or album spreads around the world and we see her hit the road. There are definitely going to be people in the U.K. and Europe who would be interested seeing Stecker in the flesh. Such a talent and loved artist – check out her TikTok videos for a start! -, we will hear a lot more from her. I am glad I discovered Stecker’s music, as I have got to know more about her career and start. Because of that, I have bonded with this truly stunning artist. I am predicting some immense and wonderful things for Skylar Stecker…

IN 2023.

____________

Follow Skylar Stecker

FEATURE: With Love to Bertie: Kate Bush’s Aerial at Seventeen

FEATURE:

 

 

With Love to Bertie

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for Aerial/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton

Kate Bush’s Aerial at Seventeen

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I am winding up…

my anniversary features for Kate Bush’s Aerial. Her return following 1993’s The Red Shoes, Aerial was released as a double album on 7th November, 2005. It has been interesting looking deeper at one of Kate Bush’s best albums. I have already talked about the gap between The Red Shoes and Aerial. I have also explored various songs on the album, in addition to the second disc suite, A Sky of Honey. What is at the centre of Aerial’s brilliance and wonderful scope? It is an album as ambitious as Hounds of Love (her 1985 masterpiece), but it has a different sound. If the singles and first side of Hounds of Love is quite propulsive and has a definite rush, the second side, The Ninth Wave, is dark, scary and emotional. In contrast, Aerial’s first disc has one or two bolder and racing songs (King of the Mountain kicks off Aerial beautifully!), but it seems more personal and emotive. Contemplative, gorgeous and steeped in nature and the open, A Sky of Honey has the feeling of an artist as incredible as she was in 1985 but, fifteen years later, her music was taken on fresh meaning and energy. I think it is good to compare Hounds of Love and Aerial, as both albums are extremely important and personal. The former was a bit of a rebirth for Bush. After the exhaustion and endless hard work put into 1982’s The Dreaming, Hounds of Love found Bush finding new space and inspiration.

Things changed in terms of her living conditions, work rate and the how she recorded. Hounds of Love is as fantastic as it is because she was surrounded by family and had a studio at her family home. It allowed her the environment to make some of the best music from any artist ever! Similarly, with home very much at its heart, Aerial is as fantastic as it is because of the importance and influence of family. Rather than her parents, brother and boyfriend (Del Palmer) fusing into Hounds of Love, there is someone who I feel not only influenced most of Aerial, but also subsequent albums and Bush’s return to the stage with 2014’s Before the Dawn. Her son Bertie was born in 1998 (I am not sure which month). Before then, Bush had started working on Aerial - but his birth certainly changed the direction and meaning of this hugely important album. There is one song that is very much about him. I feel A Sky of Honey is Bush imagining the course of a summer’s day with her new son. Songs on the first disc, including Pi and A Coral Room, I feel, can be linked to Bertie. It is the eponymous song that is very much about her treasured new son. As she revealed to Ken Bruce in a 2005 interview, there was always going to be a song about him on Aerial:

“He's such a big part of my life so, you know, he's a very big part of my work. It's such a great thing, being able to spend as much time with him as I can. And, you know, he won't be young for very long. And already he's starting to grow up and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out on that, that I spent as much time with his as I could.

So, the idea was that he would come first, and then the record would come next, which is also one reasons why it's taken a long time (laughs). It always takes me a long time anyway, but trying to fit that in around the edges that were left over from the time that I wanted to spend with him.

It's a wonderful thing, having such a lovely son. Really, you know with a song like that, you could never be special enough from my point of view, and I wanted to try and give it an arrangement that wasn't terribly obvious, so I went for the sort of early music... (Ken Bruce show, BBC Radio 2, 3 November 2005)”.

Whilst Bush has said Aerial is her favourite album, she never really revealed the reasons why. It is personal to her, but I think it is because it was recorded and released at such a happy time! With so much expectation on its shoulders, there could have been disappointment. Maybe it was because The Red Shoes was not quite Bush’s best and most acclaimed album. If she had departed with a phenomenal album, some might have felt a tinge of underwhelm with Aerial. One cannot really compare The Red Shoes and Aerial. So vastly different, I think Bush starting a family really did something to her creative vision and recording! Perhaps her warmest sounding and feeling album ever, it is beautifully produced (by Bush), ewngineered (by Del Palmer) and arranged. I do not love every song on Aerial, but the overall album is flawless. Everything works perfectly together! Of course, not every song is about Bertie. I feel he was very much in Bush’s mind when she was writing and recording these songs. There is no doubt that her young son infuses the material throughout, and he definitely gave her motivation to keep recording! 2011’s 50 Words for Snow features Bertie, as does its predecessor, Director’s Cut. Now that Bertie is twenty-four, one wonders whether he will feature on his mum’s next album – if there is one that is! Maybe a vocal duet, some guitar playing or something else, it seems strange to imagine Bertie as a grown man or not appearing on an album by his mum! MOJO named Aerial their third-best album of 2005. Aerial received a BRIT Award nomination for Best British Album in 2006. Bush was also nominated for Best British Female in the same year. Such a remarkably successful album (it charted at three in the U.K.), this was a music icon in peak form twelve years after her previous album! Although many factors go into Aerial, I think her new bundle of joy, Bertie, was a constant inspiration and source of influence. For many reasons, Kate Bush fans offer Bertie…

OUR love and appreciation.

FEATURE: Second Spin: Leona Lewis - Spirit

FEATURE:

 

 

Second Spin

Leona Lewis - Spirit

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THERE are two reasons…

why I have selected Leona Lewis’ debut album, Spirit, in this Second Spin. For one, it was very underrated and I think it deserves some new focus and play. Many critics did love the album, but there were a few that were mixed or had some negative things to say. It is a shame because, whether you are a Leona Lewis fan or not, there is more than enough to enjoy and respect about her debut. Her fifth studio album, I Am, was released in 2015. I wonder whether she will record another studio album. Let us hope so! Spirit came out on 9th November, 2007. As it is fifteen soon, I wanted to include it for reassessment. For a bit of background: Lewis achieved recognition when she won the third series of The X Factor in 2006, earning a recording contract with Syco Music. Her winner's single, a good cover of Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This, reached number one in the U.K. and broke a world record by reaching 50,000 digital downloads within thirty minutes! In February 2007, Lewis signed a five-album contract in the United States with Clive Davis's record label, J Records. In spite of the fact there was so much anticipation around Spirit, many critics did not give it the praise it deserves. The public reacted differently. Reaching number one in the U.S. and U.K., Spirit was the sixth-biggest-selling of 2008. It was best-selling debut album by a female artist in the U.K., and one of the best-selling albums in U.K. chart history. The best-selling album by a female artist in the twenty-first century, the incredible and unbeatable success of Spirit contrasts to the critical reaction. Maybe there was a lot of hype and too much in the way of numbers and record breaking for critics to judge it on its own merit.

I think many were reacting to Spirit in the context of The X Factor and seeing it as a talent show album. Instead, listen to Spirit as an album by a great young artist whose incredible vocal abilities are at the fore. Even though Lewis did not write a lot of the material on Spirit, it does sound very pure and personal. Not a case of a reality show winner singing songs by others in a rather lacklustre way. She makes every track her own! I know Leona Lewis and her huge fanbase will mark Spirit’s fifteenth anniversary on 9th November. She was only twenty-two when her debut came out. That isa a remarkably young age to deal with such pressure, acclaim and responsibility! Already hugely promising at the start, her music has developed, and her confidence has grown through the years. Perhaps her best album is I Am. Even though there were some mixed reviews for her most recent album, there was a lot of praise and new affection for Lewis. I think that Spirit is an incredible album in many ways. I want to bring in a couple of reviews that, whilst pointing at some flaws, definitely praise Lewis as a performer and talent. This is what SLANT said in their 2008 review:

“Quick (and mostly useless) fact: Last week, Leona Lewis, winner of Simon Cowell’s U.K. talent show The X Factor, became the first British female artist to top the U.S. singles chart since 1987, when Kim Wilde transformed the Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” into a dance-pop classic…and then quickly faded into obscurity. If all goes according to Cowell’s plan, however, Lewis’s career trajectory will be a little more like Mariah Carey’s. Not only does Lewis share with Carey a multiracial heritage, but she’s also got the voice—albeit, one with a slightly less impressive range and timbre.

The #1 hit in question is “Bleeding Love,” penned by teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder; it’s the kind of pop song that announces itself from the very first note (in this case, a distorted organ), and though it’s an utterly by-the-numbers pop ballad, Lewis delivers vocally, and the track’s crunchy drum loop gives the illusion of edginess, something her debut, Spirit, desperately needs. The album alternates between similar heavy-beat ballads and more traditional adult contemporary mush; “Angel” falls into the former category (it’s yet another lazy copy from the “Irreplaceable” assembly line, and someone needs to buy Stargate a new drum machine for Christmas…2006), while “I Will Be,” a cover of an Avril Lavigne song produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin (who takes a step even farther away from his “…Baby One More Time” past), is dangerously middle-of-the-road. Though the 21-year-old’s faithful, capable rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” proves that the timelessness of the song should remain unquestioned, the album’s adult-skewed material sounds even more jarring next to two fresh new tracks, the bouncy and youthful “Forgive Me” and urban club jam “Misses Glass,” added for American consumption. Drippy songs like “Footprints in the Sand,” which was co-written by Cowell himself and is based on the Christian allegorical text “Footprints,” might draw comparisons to Carey, but it’s the Carey of 15 years ago, not the one Lewis is currently trying to fend off at the top of the charts”.

A phenomenal commercial success in the U.S. in addition to her native U.K. (Lewis was born in Islington, London), huge songs like Bleeding Love makes Spirit enduring to this day. Even if you are not a fan of this type of music or have heard of Leona Lewis, I think you can play the album and find quite a few tracks that hit you. It is not perfect by any means, but it is an impressive debut from one of the U.K.’s most popular and important artists of the past fifteen/twenty years. This is what AllMusic said in their review:

“The truest test of Simon Cowell's power within the music industry circa 2008 was not whether American Idol could produce a star in its seventh season or if its U.K. cousin, The X Factor, would have another success in its fifth season -- it was whether he could turn Leona Lewis into the international superstar he so clearly believed she is. Lewis was the third winner of The X Factor -- the Cowell-driven replacement to Pop Idol in Britain, a replacement that came to be because he wanted to own a significant piece of the show -- and one of the key differences between Factor and Idol is that the judges can mentor the contestants and therefore have a stake in the outcome of the show, more than they do on Idol, where the judges merely comment.

Rightly impressed by Lewis' multi-octave voice -- reminiscent of a warmer, earthbound Mariah Carey -- Cowell continued his mentorship after the conclusion of the show, making her the first contestant in the whole Idol/Factor enterprise that he personally shepherded through the major-label process. He struck a deal with Clive Davis -- the executive producer behind all the American Idol projects, the producer who publicly bristled when Kelly Clarkson tried to take control of her career through her original compositions -- and the two launched a grand plan to break Lewis in her native U.K. first, then slowly roll her out in the U.S. a few months later, via an appearance on Oprah and a slightly re-sequenced and remixed version of her debut, Spirit.

That U.S. version drops the bonus track of Leona's version of "A Moment Like This," her first hit single that is not so coincidentally a cover of Kelly's first big single. If Kelly became a thorn in Davis' side, Leona Lewis seems happy, even eager, to play the major-label game, singing anything that comes her way, never lodging a complaint when she has to cut a couple R&B-flavored tracks to appeal to the American market. These tunes -- "Misses Glass" and "Forgive Me" -- are just slightly glitzier than the rest of Spirit, surely bearing heavier rhythms but not to the extent that the beats obscure Lewis' voice, as the whole point of Spirit is to showcase her singing, particularly those high glory notes that are all the rage on Idol/Factor.

Unlike most Idol/Factor alumni, Lewis can hit those big notes but make it seem easy, never straining her voice and building nicely to the climax. Unlike most divas, there is a human quality to her voice, as she's singing to the song, not singing to her voice. Then again, this was also true of Mariah Carey on her 1990 debut, which Spirit greatly resembles in how the handful of R&B-oriented songs camouflages how this is almost entirely a stuffy middle-of-the-road pop record. Not only that, but Spirit is so old-fashioned it sounds as if it could have been released in 1990 and compete with Carey's debut for the top of the charts; her first single, "Bleeding Love," opens with a crawling organ that recalls the muted gospel of "Vision of Love," even if the skin-crawling lyric "you cut me open and I keep bleeding love" wouldn't have suited the Top 40 in 1990.

I can appreciate how some people highlighted flaws on Spirit. Maybe lacking too much personality difference and development throughout the album, the emphasis is on the sheer power of Lewis’ voice, rather than range or diving too deep into her vocal gifts. That is a shame, as I think she could have produced a lot more if allowed to have more of a production and writing say. I feel Spirit has many highlights and should be commended because of its success and how it clearly resonated with millions of people. Turning fifteen on 9th November, people need to give this another spin. For someone like me – who really does not bond with winners of The X Factor and reality show winners’ albums -, I was not a big fan of Leona Lewis’ debut in 2007. I have grown to really appreciate it and the beginning of the professional career for a mighty talent. Spirit is appropriately named, as the album…

HAS that in abundance!