FEATURE: Flip the Record Over: The Best B-Sides Ever

FEATURE:

 

Flip the Record Over:  

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles

The Best B-Sides Ever

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IT may appear irrelevant in an age where we are…

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beach Boys

neglecting physical formats and getting our music from streaming sites – but there is a lot to be said about the humble single. There was a day when people used to buy singles and there would be a B-side – I am aware I sound quite patronising; as though this was hundreds of years back. It does feel like a product of an older time but, happily, there are modern artists putting out B-sides. This might be because there is a bit too much material around – not strong enough for an E.P./album but too good to waste – or the chance to retain some of music’s history and tradition.

To me, it allows the listener to hear those less-than-perfect tracks that were cut at the same time (as the album-worthy gems). Because of this, and looking back at some terrific music, it is a chance to show why B-sides should be brought to life. I collate those overlooked songs that definitely stick in the mind…

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Fleetwood Mac - Silver Springs

A-Side: Go Your Own Way

Year of Release: 1976

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Revolution Song

A-Side: Ballad of the Mighty I

Year of Release: 2015

Bruce Springsteen - Shut Out the Light

A-Side: Born in the U.S.A.

Year of Release: 1984

The Beatles – You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)

A-Side: Let It Be

Year of Release: 1970

Primal Scream - Velocity Girl

A-Side: Crystal Crescent

Year of Release: 1986

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

A-Side: Wouldn’t It Be Nice?

Year of Release: 1966

Radiohead - Talk Show Host

A-Side: Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Year of Release: 1996

Oasis - Half the World Away

A-Side: Whatever

Year of Release: 1994

Booker T & The M.G.'s - Behave Yourself

A-Side: Green Onions

Year of Release: 1962

Joy Division – These Days

A-Side: Love Will Tear Us Apart

Year of Release: 1980

The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?

A-Side: William, It Was Really Nothing

Year of Release: 1984

Franz Ferdinand – Shopping for Blood

A-Side: Darts of Pleasure

Year of Release: 2003

The Beatles – I Am the Walrus

A-Side: Hello Goodbye

Year of Release: 1967

FEATURE: The Void: What Is the Point of Music Talent Shows?

FEATURE:

 

 The Void:

IN THIS PHOTO: Cat Deeley is to host Sky 1's new talent show, Sing: Ultimate A Cappella

What Is the Point of Music Talent Shows?

________

I will bring in a selection of other journalists into…

IN THIS PHOTO: The judges (and presenter) from The X Factor

this piece because, when it comes to slating reality shows, you can never have enough criticism! This is not going to be a slagging-off-talent-shows-for-the-hell-of-it sort of article: I want to understand why they are popular and whether they hold relevance in 2017. Cat Deeley – someone I have a lot of time for and feel is extraordinary – is fronting a new talent show called Sing: Ultimate A Cappella. The idea behind it is simple: it is a singing contest without instruments; the performer is key and it brings in groups of all varieties. There are a few issues with this initial premise. Saying this is ‘all-new’ would be like saying singing contests are new: this has been done so many times it is formulaic. There will be judges, as you’d come to expect, and I can sense the demographic and demands you’d have of the judges – the ‘mean one’, that liberal and open-minded option; a couple of yes-men/women. Ever since Simon Cowell helped popularise Pop Idol all those years ago – I shall get to that/him in due time – we have been inundated with lazy rehashes. This new singing show is as old and worn as every other one out there. The premise itself is flawed as there is no demand for this type of performers in modern music. I admire – another aspect I shall get to – shows that concentrate on rare aspects of music and do not go for the mainstream. There are newly-devised concepts, more later, that puts a new spin on the format and has originality and purpose. The Cat Deeley-fronted singing/talent show will shine a light on something quite old-fashioned and anti-commercial.

A capella groups died with the dodo and have not been marketable for many decades. I admire a strong voice but there is not a viable and sustainable market for any a capella artists in this time – we have evolved and music does not proffer this type of sound. The likes of Boyz II Men were an exception but, yeah, it might be nice to see them back in the frame. If, conceivably, a group like that could be discovered – and they chose to refute an army of producers and songwriters – and made music on their own terms; that could spearhead something good. The only trouble is the judges and public will not go for that. What you’ll find, when the show comes to the final episode, the winner will be nothing like that. It will be a young white group that will be instantly – if a record deal is offered – controlled and manipulated by a record label. Even if the singers write their own music: the need to make something commercial and populist will mean they have little say. Also, music talent shows do not put the instruments at the forefront. All of the X Factor/The Voice-type shows focus on the voice – there are backing tracks but you do not have any real instrumentalists or musicians on these shows!

IN THIS PHOTO: Birmingham band Sons of Pitches team up with Deeley on her new venture

If, God forbid, any talent show should recognise a musician or anyone with an iota of personal talent and distinction – the bedrock of British television will crumble and we will find something genuinely worthy. I have endless affection for Cat Deeley but I feel her consummate professionalism, radiant personality and undeniable talents cannot cover the fact Sing: Ultimate A Cappella is nothing more than a re-derivation of every single singing show of the past decade-or-so – the format, composition and look is a carbon copy of all the talent shows you’ll ever see. I think the show is on Sky 1 but, to be honest, I can already predict its outcome and ending. The reviews will be mixed, at best (the tabloids, no doubt, will love it) and we will be subjected to the same faux-drama, tearful bullsh*t and cloying sentimentality we have had to stomach since the lamentable birth of Pop Idol. It is a sorry time when anything other than criticism and approbation meets the announcement of a singing talent show. I know the ‘winner’ of the show will get a record deal; release an album and never be heard from again – it will get a niche appeal and not see a second album demanded or required. If there is a second series – the blood does run cold – then the outcome will be repeated. I would like to say Sing: Ultimate A Cappella is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back – can we see this ridiculous pantomime and patheticness put to bed?! If Cat Deeley’s long-awaited return to our screens is a thing to celebrate: the substandard ship she is expected to sail will sink without trace.

An argument that states another failed singing enterprise would see the cure of a rife T.V. disease is as full of holes as a cheesegrater’s jockstrap. We have seen dozens of the sodding shows around the world and, despite critical attack and a distinct lack of place. Anyone who respects and loves music is driving away spirits that go for manufactured and cheap artists. We are struggling to breed those who have a real voice and anything significant to say. Pouring fuel on the fire of reality/singing T.V. shows is going to scar the music industry beyond recognition. Those who hate these shows rebel against it but it is almost the done thing for singers and artists to appear on these shows. I know artists who have performed/auditioned and always wonder why. It is never, as some claim, a good experience and harmless fun. At the back of the mind is that lure for fame and the sheen of T.V. – wanting their faces out there and getting a quick buck. I suspect the realities and poor living conditions of music are behind the desperation to get on these shows.

Musicians/singers have little chance for long-term success in an industry that is rival-hungry and shoulder-deep. Getting a record deal is near-impossible and forging an enduring career is even harder. Unsigned acts can make money through touring but, with venues closing around us, how much are they really making?! I do worry many realise how fraught and fractured music is and the only way to have any sort of career is through the cheap option. The thing is, when it comes to the contestants, their careers will never be long or inspiring. I have followed these shows since the beginning – the current trend (I know singing shows have been on T.V. for a lot longer) – and always wonder what happens to those who win the shows. Their albums come out and they rarely survive: those who do are never the best you’ll hear. How many of us, on a daily basis, would like to hear Olly Murs, Will Young; Leona Lewis or…hmmm…thought I could name a fourth! That’s the issue, you see: try and rattle-off a list of the winners and one will struggle (I am not actually sure if all of them WON, to be fair). That is another thing: if the runners-up and outsiders get more attention and success than the winners then what is the point of staging it as a competition?! The obituary of the singing contest format is there ready to be stamped. Talk about flogging a dead horse!  Before I conclude; I’ll look at others’ opinions and why I feel those underground/unique shows – that have the same intention as the mainstream shows – need greater oxygenation.

Nadia Khomami, writing for The Guardian, reviewed the recent opening episode of this year’s X Factor:

“Saturday night viewing has long been dominated by the battle between X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing, but with ratings for Simon Cowell’s music show at a record low, and an underwhelming line-up for the latest Strictly, the fight may be turning into one simply for survival.

Last Saturday’s launch of the X Factor had the lowest ratings for a debut episode since it first aired in 2004, with an average of 6 million viewers and a peak of 6.9 million for the ITV talent contest judged by Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.

The numbers were slightly better on Sunday with 6.5 million tuning in. But while both episodes made the X Factor the most-watched programme of the night, it continued the downward trend given the 2011 launch show pulled in 10.8 million viewers. Last year’s final was also the least-watched since the one in 2004.

“Contest formats have had remarkable longevity, and it’s natural that they’re going to tail off,” said Tom Harrington, a TV research analyst at Enders. “I wouldn’t say it’s a tired format, but it is becoming less interesting. Audiences had become overexposed to such shows”.

Is it, as the article suggests, a case of over-exposure and familiarity? Have we become so attuned to the endless cavalcade of T.V. singing shows that the core audiences are the only remaining – and the casual viewer prefers to watch something with a bit more clout? There are those who say the issues is not resigned to singing/music alone. I am one of a few who cannot stomach the likes of Strictly Come Dancing. I will not argue why that format is as flawed as The Voice, let’s say, but, for me, there are too many dance-related shows shooting up – every successful format has imitators and those who want to take it in a new direction. The difference is we are not being forced to buy dancers and what they do. We have to endure these talent show contestants putting their music out and vying for our attention – this is never the case with dance troupes and the Strictly contestants. Many could say there is pointlessness to shows where the winner is not taking further and takes part for the fun of it. The fact Strictly Come Dancing does not have that commercial edge and need to launch a star into the ether makes it a more popular option with viewers – happy to tune in and not find the future exposure of a satanic chart-hogging drone.

IN THIS PHOTO: One of this year's X Factor contestants, Berget Lewis

Another piece, that also investigated the opening episode of 2017’s X Factor, took a different stance:

“Cowell’s secret weapon in giving heart to his shows has always been the emotions of ordinary people. Whether it’s the grateful tears of a stardom-bound teen, or the grief of the contestant given more screentime if they’ll talk about their lost loved one. As an audience we need the emotional meat to bite into or it’s just the thin gruel of differently-abled singers.

But it was Cowell’s own anguish that provided the emotional full stop to Sunday’s episode. While filming the auditions in July, it was reported that his mother had died. He said she would want him to continue with the show and was back at auditions shortly afterwards. Although it wasn’t verbalised, the curious end to Sunday’s episode showed Cowell, just after an expressive audition from a young man whose best friend had died, breaking away from his fellow judges, apparently crying. Fernandez-Versini looked concerned and audibly dithered about whether to go after him. She didn’t and he disappeared off, a secret anguish lurking behind his aviators as the camera lingered on him.

The decision to wordlessly include his personal loss in the show is an odd one. But it does explain why he has had no compunction about using the sadness of others in this way. It’s all showbiz”.

IN THIS PHOTO: The current judging panel of The Voice

There is, I am well aware, a good way of making all these shows go away: turn the T.V. off! That is all well and good but my objection is not to their mere presence. My issue surrounds what they are doing to music and what they are telling young artists. Shows like The X Factor and The Voice are using their platform to embarrass and exploit young artists. I guess they know what it is all about but (the shows) are pulpits for harsh scrutiny, ritual tension and false ideals. Even if a show takes a ‘nice’ approach and goes easy on a contestant, one has to wonder whether this is being truthful and honest. The flip of the coin is the likes of Simon Cowell; someone who revels in his role as T.V.’s pantomime dame. He gets off on coruscating and chiding singers and reeling off his tired and copy-and-paste barbs. We can block the shows from our T.V. but that does not expunge them from the world. I am getting depressed by the artists I come across who have appeared on talent shows and highlight it as a career-high. That is worrying to hear and something that is making me sceptical about the future-potential of music. If artists who, I feel, could go far are saying they willingly go on to shows like The Voice then that makes me question my own values. Back in 2012, when there was a lot of criticism levied at T.V. talent shows, NME ran a piece:

“…However, the negatives that are levelled at The X Factor are misguided. The stress, bullying and vapidity that comes with it is not unique to Simon Cowell’s theatre of pop – all the X Factor is doing is televising what the music industry is like behind closed doors. If you’re in a supposedly credible indie band, you’ll be jumping through the same hoops as someone like JLS. It’s a grim, shit-flecked world behind the veneer of the records you like and, somehow, Simon Cowell has turned the ogre-ish world of music into a successful entertainment programme that, basically, is to music what wrestling is to professional sport.

However, the negatives that are levelled at The X Factor are misguided. The stress, bullying and vapidity that comes with it is not unique to Simon Cowell’s theatre of pop – all the X Factor is doing is televising what the music industry is like behind closed doors. If you’re in a supposedly credible indie band, you’ll be jumping through the same hoops as someone like JLS. It’s a grim, shit-flecked world behind the veneer of the records you like and, somehow, Simon Cowell has turned the ogre-ish world of music into a successful entertainment programme that, basically, is to music what wrestling is to professional sport.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying WWE, just like there’s nothing wrong with The X Factor. Yet, time and time again, the same half-baked criticisms are levelled at it. Cher Lloyd, this weekend, was bottled off stage at V Festival. Of course, bottling anyone off stage is an act of supreme cowardice because there’s always a better option (that option being that you can walk away and do something else, especially at a festival and, if your best option is to stand and watch someone you hate, then you’ve been an idiot for buying tickets to a festival with an awful line-up).

IN THIS PHOTO: The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin

So what if these acts don’t write their own music? Neither did Aretha Franklin. The Supremes didn’t write any of their greatest songs, yet, Chris De Burgh wrote every single foetid note of his. The assumption that ‘the best’ write their own material is bunkum. Just ask Elvis Presley.

Maybe the problem is that the process of graduating from a talent show is galling? The ‘best’ bands cut their teeth without them and rise to the top by sheer talent alone, right? Well, there are a huge number of acts that have graduated from talent shows. The Zombies won a record deal through a rigged talent show way back when. Ella Fitzgerald, Gladys Knight, James Brown and Michael Jackson all graduated from talent spots in Harlem. Are they lesser artists because they didn’t play the toilet bowl circuit for years?”

I agree that shows like The X Factor are simply opening eyes to what happens behind these closed doors but that is not a good thing. One can write an article about bad practices and exploitation. These shows are not ironically doing the same and making practical and important changes. Their ethos is to popularise and promulgate something seedy, commercial and cruel. It is not impressive and progressive creating shows that elevate the worst facets of music: it is contemptuous, pointless and offensive. Again, when the journalist talked about certain artists getting their break through these talent shows; I am full aware some great artists appeared on talent shows and went to music school. They are rare exceptions and, to be fair, the fact they have endured has nothing to do with those appearances – they did that with huge talent and originality.

IN THIS PHOTO: Let It Shine was not renewed for a second series/PHOTO CREDIT: Guy Levy/BBC

If there was a singing/music show that proffered artists and then let them get on with things then I’d be all for it. Artists like The Zombies did not succeed because of their talent show appearances nor did they take great pride from those times. These are rare exceptions and the vast majority of great artists did not go on talent/singing shows – how many legendary and reputable acts do you know who did?! I argue against the point that challenges the songwriting chops of the talent (on reality shows). Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin did not go on T.V. talent shows and put themselves in front of millions. There is a huge gulf between local talent ‘spots’ and televised circuses. Tonnes of great musicians go to battle-of-the-bands gigs and local talent contests. That is a different thing and has little in common with The Voice, for instance. Again; these acts used this as a platform and managed to ensure they were successful because of their own minds, direction and talent. If they had been given record deals off the back of their talent contest times then they would have been controlled and extinguished within a short space of time. Getting back to my point and one cannot say there is any parallel between Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin – who often use co-writers and sing rather than write. I know Eva Cassidy did not write her own songs and loads of top-notch artists had other writers. I am not debating that but I am not saying those who write their own material is best.

IN THIS PHOTO: Singer Fleur East has performed on The X Factor a number of times - and not translated that exposure to a popular and notable career

The fact Elvis Presley, Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin did not write their music does not hide the fact they became iconic because of their personalities, voices and potency. I do not object to T.V. show contestants not penning their own stuff. If the material they are singing is great then that is the main thing; if they have a driving and inspiring façade then that sticks; if they can inspire others and stand out from the crowd then that wins me – none of this is true; nobody who ever appears on singing shows will ever have anything like as much talent as Presley or Knight. These artists would not be seen dead on these shows so making any comparisons is pointless and misjudged. I accept there are a few good points to T.V. singing shows. For one, it does appeal to a certain audience who likes their music less potent and a bit more manufactured. They are entitled to their views and tastes so we cannot deny them. It is the sheer number of these shows that galls me. Two is bad enough – The Voice and The X Factor – but we have Sing: Ultimate A Cappella, Pitch Battle and God knows how many filtering through every channel you can imagine. I have heard there’s a few underground options that have the talent show aspect at heart but strip away all the cruelty, commercial and crass.

I am not sure if they have seen the light of day but the idea is to focus on bands/musicians who play their own stuff – whether self-penned or not; it focuses on authentic players – and gives them a record deal at the end. The voting is done by those who watch the acts in each show (a live audience) and the winner gets to make music on their own terms. Maybe I dreamt it but I know there are shows not that dissimilar that have been trialled. The way things are is not good as it is maddening to see T.V. singing shows survive and mutate. I am not against all talent shows but think, if you want credible music-lovers and the jaded masses to come in; offer something that takes the histrionics and emotion away and features musicians. They do not have to perform instruments necessarily but showcase artists that at least write their own material. Open it up in terms of genres – the T.V. options are too Pop-driven – and take away the farcical judging element. Have judges but staff the panel with proper music professional or fellow performers that know what music needs right now. If we had a couple of these variations – and stopped it there before too many said the same thing – that could replace the current order and make the T.V. singing talent show a watchable, worthy and wonderful thing. What we have now is so tired, horrid and pointless it is highlighting what fatigue there is in music. There is not a popular demand for the here-today-gone-tomorrow merchants and these brief careers. Eliminate the format and, if we are to have any singing/music talent shows on T.V., make sure they are formats that show up the…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

BEST and most beautiful in music

FEATURE: RedWineHead: Cool Artists to Watch in 2018

FEATURE:

 

 RedWineHead:

IN THIS PHOTO: The Big Moon/PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Maccabee

Cool Artists to Watch in 2018  

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THIS is a busy day for me in terms of writing…

IN THIS PHOTO: MALAIKA

but I wanted to start off by highlighting a few artists, I think, will be a big deal in 2018. I will do another such compilation later this year but it is worth giving backing to acts that have already made an impression – and look set to do so as we creep towards 2018.

I am excited discovering such an eclectic and promising bunch of peeps. Without further ado; a rundown of groups and artists that are going to make some waves next year….

________

PHOTO CREDIT: Emma Swann

Milk Teeth

Location: Stroud

Snippet:

(An interview the band conducted with DIY)

“Set in the middle of endless green, sheep-flecked hills, Stroud – a market town in Gloucestershire – is the sort of place where it’s entirely reasonable to find a different vegetarian cafe serving variations of tofu every second step. People pairing tweed suits with monocles isn’t even considered outlandish in these parts, and nightlife-wise, there’s a single sticky-floored club called Warehouse with a light-up dancefloor. Otherwise, the local music scene consists of born and bred bands gigging around the pub circuit, a man dressed as a jester playing keyboard covers on the high street, and the occasional failed attempt at hosting rural music festivals; before the fields are overrun with underage cider-swiggers, that is, and the whole thing gets closed down.

An anomaly to Stroud’s decidedly quiet reputation are Milk Teeth. Breaking the countryside hush with their raucous debut album ‘Vile Child’ last year, the band left behind their tranquil hometown to make a right beautiful racket around the world, supporting a dream roll-call of acts – from Refused and Against Me! to rising cult heroes Creeper – along the way. Now back where it all began, Milk Teeth are sat around their beloved park bandstand where they host regular meetings. Inexplicably, somebody nearby has a tame owl perched on their arm. A gaggle of baby swans are drifting lazily down a stream. And Becky Blomfield – Milk Teeth’s chief vocalist and bass-wielder – would quite like a cider, to be honest. “There’s a Tesco across there,” she says. “I’m down”.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MILKTEETHPUNX

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

MALAIKA

Location: Leeds

About:

"Originally hailing from Belfast and now residing in Leeds, Malaika’s saccharine vocals and jazz inspired melodies have quickly turned heads across the UK. After winning ‘Best Jazz/Blues Act’ at this year’s Unsigned Music Awards last month and supporting pop-soul sensation JONES on some of her Autumn tour dates, it’s no surprise why so many industry insiders are tipping Malaika as ‘one to watch’ for 2017 ."

Follow: https://www.malaikamusicuk.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/malaikamusicuk

Pale Waves

Location: Manchester

Snippet:

(An interview lead Heather Baron-Gracie conducted with NME)

Where do you see your band in five years?

“We want to have a Number One album. We just want to grow and be playing sold-out tours. I reckon we can do it. You’ve got to be positive and optimistic. We’re all in.”

Follow: http://www.palewaves.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/palewaves

Sofi Tukker

Location: New York

Snippet:

(An interview Sophie and Tucker conducted with NNW)

NNW: Your music has a lot of different sounds that make it hard to describe with just one genre. Is that something you set out to do?

T: I don’t think intentionally we were like, “Let’s make a genre bending thing.” I think we sort of just made it and thought it would be some artsy niche thing and then more people liked it and listened to it than we thought.

S: Most people called it Pop.

T: We don’t really know what to call it but we like that. A lot of our new songs are I think equally as hard to categorize but in totally different ways and it’s fun. We just get to be creative and do stuff that people aren’t used to hearing things together. We just kind of do whatever we want and if we like it we hope other people will like it.

S: It doesn’t mean anything is off limits.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sofitukker

Ms Banks

Location: London

Snippet:

(Exert taken from Source)

"Ms Banks, a South London native of Nigerian and Ugandan heritage, brings her own unique perspective to the UK Grime scene. Her rhymes are authoritative in nature and speak on her experiences growing up in the ‘hood with a predominantly male circle. Banks smokes weed, finds it uncomfortable presenting herself in an overtly sexual way and loves a challenge, but prefers to keep things classy. These traits make her stand out in an industry determined to make her fill the feminine stereotype. She feels that her gender only boosts her popularity and isn’t worried about breaking into a male-dominated industry.

Ms Banks has been rapping since she was 12 years old, inspired by her uncle who used to rap over drum and bass beats. Her real name is Thyra with a silent H, so the comparisons to the American supermodel turned businesswoman were inevitable. Adding the Ms to the Banks was her way of formalizing her take on the name and Ms Banks was born. She began songwriting at the age of 15 to vent her experiences and help herself through troubled times. These songs formed her debut mixtape Once Upon A Grind, which came out in 2014.

Her big break later came when her radio host friend encouraged her to start recording in the studio at 18. From there, she was invited to open mic nights and started to build her social media presence, including posting popular covers on YouTube. Since then she has collaborated with the likes of Tinie Tempah and JME and stacked up quite a few awards. At this point she is happy to be an independent artist and doesn’t want to sign to a major label anytime soon".

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msbanks94/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsBanks94

Goat Girl

Location: London

Snippet:

(An interview the band conducted with DIY)

Unassuming they may be, but “shit” is one thing they’re not. What began as a folk group boasting “three part harmonies and guitars” has gone on to become one of the most talked-about new bands – an impressive feat for a group with only two songs released under their collective name. It’s been a natural evolution, one that’s landed the outfit in the middle of a whirlwind of South London-stamped hype – not that they’re paying their acclaim any attention. “It’s good not to look into it too much,” Ellie - who also goes by ‘L.E.D.’, because why not - ponders. “It’s just a natural thing. We didn’t decide to form a band, we just all like making music with each other.” Being touted for great things right from the word go isn’t that uncommon. While Goat Girl sound sure to be on the path to something spectacular, the group make no illusions about where they find themselves right now. “I think that record labels want to snatch up ‘the next big thing,’” Lottie considers. “They’re trying to find this new scene that’s happening with the younger generation.”

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ukEEwzjucRtFTxiw2DrDZ

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

PHOTO CREDIT: Steph Wilson

ALASKALASKA

Location: London

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview the band conducted with DIY)

"ALASKALASKA only formed a year and a half ago, but already this six-piece have built a cult following from a handful of dates in their native London. Short but sweet, these low-key shows are rammed with sweaty punters all raving to a monstrous groove. Everyone leaves elated, totally enraptured with the band’s jazz-infused art-pop that blends disco, funk and R&B into a rambunctious new sound. Anything but the icy exterior their name suggests".

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/alaskalaskamusic

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

Caleb Kunle

Location: Dublin

About:

"Born in Lagos, Nigeria where he spent his childhood as well as Laois, Ireland. In Ireland at the age of 8 Caleb Kunle began writing music whilst participating in several choirs. 
At age 10 Caleb was part of a urban music group named "Illrics", under the alias "Lyrical Kingpin" he rapped whilst adding soulful melodic chorus to compliment the hardcore hip-hop vibe of the group. The group lasted for 4 years, leaving them with an unreleased album and a lifetime of experience.

Caleb Kunle branched into more electronic sounds, which lead to the project titled "When I was 17". Seeking more diversity he began playing the guitar and branched into his current sound, Soul-Afro-Electro Pop".

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/calebkunle

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

GIRLI

Location: London

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview GIRLI conducted with The National Student)

“Despite dressing head to toe in bubblegum style, GIRLI’s sickly-sweet pop couldn’t be further from sugar 'n' spice and all things nice—videogame melodies and autobiographical lyrics create an angsty cyber-pop cocktail that breaks convention. The opposite of a wallflower, the London-based singer/rapper/producer’s tunes demand as much attention as her neon pink hair and eyebrow combo.

Citing her influences as “Riot grrrl and punk bands like The Slits and Blondie, rappers like M.I.A, lyricists like The Streets and Arctic Monkeys” the self-proclaimed sassy songstress started making music when she was 15.

“I wanted to do something where I could perform and say shit I wanted to say, it was a trial to see if I could express what I wanted to in that way.”

Follow: http://www.girlimusic.com/

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

Wildwood Kin

Location: Exeter

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview Wildwood Kin condcuted with HMV)

“You can understand the Haim comparisons with trio Wildwood Kin. Comprised of sisters Emilie and Beth Key and cousin Meghan Loney, the band have the same close-knit harmonies and turn for a catchy chorus as the Haim sisters, but there's something a lot more British about this threesome, more steeped in early folk and country.

They release their debut album Turning Tides today and we sat down with them to find out how it all came together... 

How did the experience of making your debut album compare to what you’d imagined it would be?

"When we started recording, we'd actually set out to record an EP because we'd had some older songs that we were desperate to record, but soon after starting to record and experiment with newer sounds, we were encouraged to write for a full debut album. At first, it was quite daunting, a debut album is a massive thing, but we've taken our time over it and are really excited to share it with everyone!"

Follow: https://wildwoodkin.co.uk/

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

Skinny Living

Location: Wakefield

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview singer Ryan Johnston conducted with Yorkshire Evening Post)

“Last year Skinny Living released an EP called 3 on their own label; they also gained their first taste of playing on a bigger stage when selected to support Jake Bugg at the First Direct Arena. “When we all got on stage it was so calm, we all felt really comfortable, which is strange because in a lot of other gigs we’ve felt more anxious before we got on stage,” Johnston says. “It felt like the bigger stage was more comfortable because you could move around. When we walked out in the crowd there was all these people screaming at us, so I think it was just that moment of everyone being really excited and us feeling welcome on the stage and them wanting to hear us play. It set the bar for us and we’ve been chasing that buzz ever since.”

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkinnyLivingUK

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

PHOTO CREDIT: Sonja Horsman (for the Observer)

HMLTD

Location: London

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview the band conducted with The Guardian)

“Blinking into the sunlight for an interview are British frontman Henry Spychalski (mullet and eyebrows dyed blue, cut-glass accent, wearing a military cap and sunglasses), guitarist Duke from Paris (silver nail polish, leopard-pattern buzzcut, nifty moustache), and drummer Achilleas from Athens (flowing dark curls, piercing stare intensified with eyeshadow); left in the studio are guitarist James, bassist Nico and keyboardist Zac (most of them prefer not to use their surnames).

While hip-hop and R&B have been flourishing, in recent years much rock music has been floundering towards irrelevance. How can they make a bunch of men with guitars exciting again? “For a long time now guitar music has been looking backwards instead of trying to recontextualise itself,” says Spychalski. “It hasn’t been paying attention to what’s happening in trap and hip-hop and electronic music, so it hasn’t kept up with how the majority of people look at music.”

One solution is subverting listeners’ expectations within each song: their first single Stained starts as playful camp rock, morphs into a dramatic postpunk anthem, and culminates in an all-out feast of noise and distortion, courtesy of a sample from experimental hip-hop group Death Grips. “People’s attention spans are a lot shorter than they used to be,” says Spychalski. “With streaming you listen to about half a song and then flip to another one. So it’s important that our music flips between a lot of different things, or else people are going to turn to something else”.

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/happy-meal-ltd

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

Terror Jr.

Location: U.S.A.

Snippet:

(An exert from a piece by Riverbeats)

“Terror Jr. appeared seemingly out of nowhere back in March 2016. Their song, “3 Strikes” was featured in Kylie Jenner’s advert for her lip-gloss line which premiered that fateful Thursday. That very same day, the group made their first tweet, declaring themselves “Born”, posted their first Instagrampicture, and uploaded the aforementioned song to their newly created Soundcloud.

This, along with a handful of other potential clues, led fans and critics alike to speculate that Lisa Terror was actually Jenner herself. The theory circulated strongly for a while, but was dismissed by the band and Jenner.

Terror Jr. is presently signed to the new collective, EFFESS, which Singer-Vine runs with Snow. The name itself is a play on Snow’s initials and stands for “Every Fucking Feeling Equals Something Special”. From Kiiara, to Gallant, to SZA, Rita Ora and more, Snow and Singer-Vine’s combined experiences and skills are amplified when they work together and Terror Jr.is no exception.

Their sound is a fusion of dreamy yet sometimes darker dream-pop colored with plenty of references to drugs and sex, all laid over bright synths and and occasional heavy bass work with plenty of saccharine autotuning to top it all off. The imagery they employ to accompany their albums is quite fascinating”.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/terrorjrmusic

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

Dream Wife

Location: London

About:

“The pop punk trio - Alice, Bella & Rakel - Dream Wife formed within the walls of art university in Brighton. When they left uni that's when the rocky roads of Dream Wife kicked in full speed: Their reputation as one of the best new live bands in London is already cemented following tours with Sleigh Bells, The Kills and their recent US triumphant stateside debut on tour at SXSW which earned them praise from NPR, DIY, Stereogum, Nylon, Entertainment Weekly etc. Armed with razor sharp pop tunes and a take no prisoners punk attitude they’re are known to elicit pure chaos at their raucous live shows”.

Follow: http://dreamwife.co/

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

The Big Moon

Location: London

Snippet:

(An exert from an interview the band conducted with Interview Magazine)

“In 2013 Juliette Jackson was waitressing at a cocktail bar in London, writing songs on the side and seeking out a band that needed a bass player. She'd been in groups before but had never been the songwriter or frontperson, so the prospect of either seemed like a stretch. When she hit a wall ("Nobody needed a bass player," she recalls) and widened her search—she asked friends and friends of friends if they knew anyone who played an instrument or wanted to learn how—she found three collaborators: Celia Archer (bass, vocals), Soph Nathan (guitar, vocals), and Fern Ford (percussion). Together they formed the Big Moon in 2014, but before they sat down for pints and to practice, a tracklist was already in the works: "It took me quite a long time to find everyone, or to build up the courage to try to find everyone," explains Jackson, who became the band's lead vocalist and one of its guitarists. "So we had five or six songs before we even existed." 

Last week the four-piece released their debut LP, Love in the 4th Dimension(StarTime International/Columbia). Recorded live, it's a playful and boisterous indie rock record that satisfies an itch for self-revealing, relatable songs and invites the listener to jump around. Interview recently spoke to Jackson and Archer by phone ahead of the album's release, before the band came to the U.S. to perform at SXSW for the first time. They were dreaming of what they'd drink (beer, margaritas), what they'd eat (Mexican food, Doritos), what they'd wear (shorts), and the prospect of meeting celebrities (like Snoop Dogg or President Obama, who both have a standing offer for a free the Big Moon T-shirt.)”.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/commoonicate

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

IDLES

Location: Bristol

About:

“IDLES met as a quintet at the death of the indie scene in Bristol and began making visceral and sometimes unlistenable post-punk to a growing crowd. They began with their own club night Batcave and practicing religiously until they felt they had found their sound and their live show; with that in check they have now completed their first album and are savaged in hunger to play their music. They want to give themselves and their art to the audience in a concise and violent way unrivalled by their peers. They have no qualms in terrifying and entertaining in the same breath. They celebrate their influences in a vitriolic and belligerent sound that is both familiar and new. They are a nose-bleed on the ears and they're here to show you they care”.

Official: http://www.idlesband.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/idlesband

Betta Lemme

Location: New York

About:

“A Montreal Native of Italian origins, Betta Lemme is a vocalist, songwriter and producer. Betta quickly learned to play any instrument set in front of her. Her three native tongues of English, French and Italian have been incorporated into her music and elusive disposition. Betta made her recording debut as a featured vocalist and writer on Sofi Tukker's "AWOO”.

Follow: https://www.bettalemme.com/

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

FEATURE: Beauty in an Age of Denial: Some of the Most Striking Music Venues in Britain

FEATURE:

 

 Beauty in an Age of Denial:

IN THIS PHOTO: Belfast's Empire Music Hall

Some of the Most Striking Music Venues in Britain

________

EVERY band and artist who is compiling their tour dates…

IN THIS PHOTO: The exterior to Wilton's Music Hall, London

tries to get out there and bring their music to a range of people – at different-sized spots that are easy to conquer and impress. Maybe it is a lack of cachet and name – but few artists have the opportunity flex their musical muscles at some of those immaculate, eye-opening venues around the U.K. I have found, every time an artist doe gig at such a spot, the reaction is the same: their minds are blown and it goes down in their memory for years.

I am interested in these incredible locations and why more musicians do not play them. Maybe it is the reverence and dignity – any music might defile the quietness and splendour of the surroundings. Any new act looking for a nine-date series of gigs (perhaps with two dates at the best venue) would do themselves good to investigate these wonderful locations.

(All biographical information about the venues taken from their official website/Wikipedia)

_________

Leeds Town Hall

Location: Leeds

About:

“Until early 1813, the Moot Hall at the top of Briggate was the seat of Leeds Corporation and was used for judicial purposes. It was replaced by a new court house on Park Row, Leeds.

Leeds went through a period of rapid growth in the first half of the 19th century and by the mid-19th century it became apparent that the court house was no longer large enough for the functions it performed. In July 1850, Leeds Borough Council decided to build a new town hall and established a committee to assess the opinions of Leeds' inhabitants as to the building of a new municipal hall.

In order to finance the town hall, the council proposed to sell shares in the building to the value of £10 but the proposal failed. The council then proposed introducing a specific rate levied to fund its construction although it was not introduced until after the November 1850 local election, and most residents who would have paid the tax at the time lacked voting rights. The town hall was approved in January 1851 when Alderman Hepper put the motion to the council and it was carried by 24 votes to 12.[2] It was intended to represent Leeds' emergence as an important industrial centre during the Industrial Revolution and symbolize civic pride and confidence”.

Follow: https://www.leedstownhall.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeedsTownHall

The Empire Music Hall

Location: Belfast

About:

There are ample spaces one can appreciate beauty and stunning architecture – it is a city that continues to reveal a colourful crysalise. Ulster Hall is one such venue but one cannot ignore the Empire Music Hall. It has that Wild West-esque theme and one half expects an old piano to play itself – as can-can girls entertain the enraptured crowds. Arcane Roots The Dears and Low have played there – it is a hot and popular stop-off for some of music’s most captivating talent.

Follow: http://www.thebelfastempire.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/belfastEmpire

Wigmore Hall

Location: London

About:

“Wigmore Hall, one of the world’s great concert halls, specialises in chamber and instrumental music, early music and song.

Having recently celebrated its 115th Birthday, Wigmore Hall is livelier than ever, offering music-making of outstanding quality and an array of activities in the broader community. With its infectious sense of adventure, it consistently captures the public imagination and broadens its audiences’ horizons.

Wigmore Hall’s focus is on great musical works, best experienced with a powerful sense of immediacy. The repertoire extends 250 years on either side of Beethoven (born 1770) – from the Renaissance to contemporary jazz and new commissions from today’s most exciting composers.

Bringing this music to life are the world’s most sought-after soloists and chamber musicians. Wigmore Hall also provides a showcase for exceptional young artists — some making their professional London debuts — and remains an essential platform as their careers flourish”.

Follow: https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wigmore_hall

Royal Lyceum Theatre

Location: Edinburgh

About:

“The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is Scotland’s leading producing theatre. With a strong reputation for excellence in classical, contemporary and community work. The Lyceum is committed to developing Scotland’s considerable indigenous talents while presenting the best of international drama. In Season 2016/17, under new Artistic Director David Greig, the company is producing 10 full productions making it one of the largest producing companies in the United Kingdom.

The company has been resident at the Royal Lyceum Theatre since 1965 and has been shaped by artistic and associate directors including Tom Fleming, Ian Woolridge, Kenny Ireland, Bill Bryden and Richard Eyre. Throughout its long history, the company has welcomed many stars to its stage including David Tennant, Alan Cumming and Emily Mortimer to Tony Conti, Ian McKellan and Marlene Dietrich. In Season 2015/16 the company celebrated its 50th anniversary with an acclaimed season programmed by outgoing artistic director Mark Thomson which included the award-winning, sell-out return of Brian Cox & Bill Patterson to the Scottish stage in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot”.

Follow: https://lyceum.org.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyceumtheatre

Wilton’s Music Hall

Location: London

About:

Wilton’s Music Hall is a gem in the heart of London and the oldest grand music hall in the world. It presents a year round programme of exceptional live music and world-class productions alongside learning and participation work that engages the local community and schools. 

The Grade 2 Star listed building recently completed a 4 year capital project with support from Heritage Lottery Fund and numerous trusts and individuals. This project, designed by Tim Ronalds Architects, recently won a RIBA 2016 National Award, RIBA London Award 2016, RIBA London Conservation Award 2016 and RIBA London Building Of The Year 2016.

Follow: https://www.wiltons.org.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WiltonMusicHall

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Bombed Out Church

Location: Liverpool

About:

“Since 2007 the church has been operating as a managed ruin and multidisciplinary arts venue with a programme of curated events, community engagement and creative learning projects. A gateway building within the city, crucial to both its past and present, the Bombed Out Church is a place for everyone. 

A committed team from diverse backgrounds have devoted tens of thousands of hours to keeping St Luke's Church open to the public and reinvigorated by the arts. Bombed Out Church has been supported on its route to international recognition by a dedicated community of friends and volunteers as well as notable names such as Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. Together, Bombed Out Church stands as testament to history and to the spirit of Liverpool”.

Follow: http://www.bombedoutchurch.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bombedoutchurch

St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Location: London

About:

“St Martin-in-the-Fields is a landmark church in the heart of London. It is a hospitable, vibrant and forward thinking community with worship at its heart. Located on the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields is steeped in beautiful Georgian architecture which has been imitated across the world.

Whether you are joining us for worship, enjoying a delicious apple crumble in the Cafe in the Crypt, or relaxing to classical music in a candlelit church, St Martin’s offers everyone a warm welcome in the heart of London”.

Follow: http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smitf_london

Wylam Brewery

Location: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

About:

“Our home at the Palace of Art in Exhibition Park is the last remaining building from the 1929 North East Exhibition. The Exhibition was an ambitious project built to celebrate and encourage Craft, Art and Industry at the start of the Great Depression.

Having remained almost derelict for nearly a decade the building has sprung back to life as a fully operational working Brewery.

Alongside the Brewery there is a Brewery Tap, which is open to the public Thursdays to Sundays inclusive.

The Grand Hall plays host to Live Music, Weddings, Pop Up Events and more …

Church music is provided by a professional quartet of singers at Sunday morning services and a voluntary choir at Evensong. The voluntary choir, open to all, sings regularly on Sunday Evenings and has up to 24 members. The choir was started in 2005 by the current Director of Music, Jonathan Bunney. The voluntary choir has sung at Guildford Cathedral and further cathedral visits are planned for the future.[10]

Current churchwardens are Thomas Hardin and Wil James.

St Giles is pleased to play host to companion groups who provide food and drink for the body, mind and spirit. From 2pm to 4pm on Saturdays and from 1.15pm to 3.15pm on Sundays the Simon Community hold a mobile street café in the north churchyard to dispense tea, coffee, sandwiches, fruit, cake and words of advice, seeking to reach out to the most unreachable.[11] During the week, various self-help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, meet upon church premises to assist those with addictions”.

Follow: http://www.wylambrewery.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wylambrewery/

PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Oldham

The House of St. Barnabas

Location: London

About:

“Our home at the Palace of Art in Exhibition Park is the last remaining building from the The House of St Barnabas, at 1 Greek Street, Soho, is a Grade I Listed Georgian building in London[1] notable for its rococo plasterworkinteriors and for other architectural features.

Since 1862 the House has been run as a charity to help those who have experienced homelessness.[2] The name of the organisation was changed from the "House of Charity" to the "House of St Barnabas" in 1951.[3] The building functioned as a hostel for women until 2006.[4]

The not-for-profit members' club at The House of St Barnabas opened in October 2013”.

Follow: https://hosb.org.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hostbarnabas

FEATURE: The Paperless Music Office: The Decline of the Magazine Industry

FEATURE: 

  The Paperless Music Office: The Decline of the Magazine Industry

________

IT is not merely music magazines, I guess, that are under threat in this current climate.

one of the saddest pieces of music-related news was hearing how Rolling Stone magazine was up for sale. This is how the Variety reported it:

“Until recently, Wenner Media was among the largest independent publishers still operating primarily in the print field, with titles Us Weekly and Men’s Journal rounding out its portfolio of magazines. In April, American Media Inc. (AMI), publisher of the National Enquirer, Star, and Men’s Fitness, among other titles, bought Us Weekly — for a reported $100 million, a fraction of the $300 million sale price for a 50% stake that Wenner paid to Disney in 2006 — and Men’s Journal in June (financial terms were not disclosed, but according to an insider, the deal nearly fell apart).

Currently, a diminished Rolling Stone staff occupies a small area on the second floor of 1290 Ave. of the Americas. It has been rumored that Gus Wenner had surveyed a variety of commercial spaces in Brooklyn to which he could potentially move operations. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Business Week, he lamented: “Long-term, I don’t want to be in the business of solely relying on ad revenue with the way things are changing so rapidly.” BBW cited a nearly 10% drop in newsstand sales while online traffic in the U.S. for RollingStone.com had declined by 28%".

PHOTO CREDIT: Duane Prokop/Getty Images

Ultimate Classic Rock weighed in on the news:

"The New York Times reports that publisher Jann Wenner, who co-founded the magazine in 1967, has agreed to pursue a sale that will leave Rolling Stone out of his hands for the first time in its history — and although Wenner and his son Gus, who’s taken on a leadership role at Wenner Media in recent years, have both expressed a desire to stay on after they strike a deal, they’ve conceded the possibility that the new owners may opt to move on without their involvement.

Paraphrasing Bob Dylan, the elder Wenner told the Times that “if you’re not busy being born, then you’re busy dying,” conceding that as a 71-year-old at the helm of what was once a pointedly counterculture publication, he believes “it’s time for young people to run it.” Both Wenners also admitted that given the current state of the publishing industry, their company’s position isn’t where it needs to be in order to “grow the brand” the way they’d like.

The Times‘ report outlines the ways in which Rolling Stone‘s influence has waned and reputation suffered over the years, as well as touching on some Wenner business deals that have undermined the company’s publishing presence while eroding its ownership stake in RS. It isn’t hard to understand why Wenner might decide to seek out a new owner with “lots of money” to breathe new life into the magazine — but it’s also easy to see why the prospect of a sale is cause for sadness among those who remember its glory days.

“That sense of the magazine editor’s hands on the magazine — that’s what’s going to get lost here,” predicted veteran Rolling Stone critic and editor Anthony DeCurtis. “I don’t know who’s going to be able to step in and do that anymore".

This does not mean the end for the beloved journalistic institution but does paint some worrying shadows. To me, like vinyl; music magazines are the physical format that we all grew up on. I remember buying editions of Q Magazine, MOJO and NME. Each publication has its own vibe and one can get a nice balance of the mainstream best and those working away underneath the hoopla. Maybe, like music itself, there is an inevitability music media will become digitised and be more computer-based. It was one of the joys of my early years: rushing to the newsagents and buying the latest edition of NME – sifting through the pages and looking at the reviews and cool features. That magazine is still around but has had to make it free. The fact Rolling Stone is being sold indicates financial burdens and some uncertainties. In fact; I do not know the fate of the U.S. publication – I assumed they would be fine and find new owners who can help jettison and secure the magazine. It is hard to say how its fortunes will play out but I hope there is an injection of finance and guidance that gets the magazine back on track. To be honest and open; Rolling Stone has never failed to provide striking covers and interesting content. Creative Industry Hub backed up the article (above) with their views surrounding NME give-it-to-them-for-free approach:

IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash

“It’s been a sad few days for music fans from the previous generation and beyond, as NME announces that their circulation has decreased from 300,000 to 15,000. In order to keep the classic publication and legacy alive, they’re being forced to distribute it as a free magazine in hope of gaining a bigger distribution and making the deficit back through advertising instead.

This all sounds too familiar. NME is now using the Spotify model of, ‘give it away for free, and make the money back in advertisements.’ That consumer greed and the lack of willingness to pay for intellectual property, i.e. music is a sick thought, but sadly, this is the reality of music and media in our generation.

PHOTO CREDIT: Anna Wenner

The world is changing as websites move over to digital territory. According to Yorkshire Post, ‘to generations of music fans, it signals the end of an era,’ and I agree. ‘Then, it was an essential part of the pop landscape, promoting the likes of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones and putting them in the line-ups of its annual Poll Winners Concert.’

Again, I agree. And other music magazines such as Kerrang! have struggled also, since the arrival of the digital revolution. But we’re all guilty of it. I used to be an avid, and almost religious buyer of the Kerrang! when I was a teenager, but with social media and the internet, there is no need for me to pay for information any more, and lots of music fans would agree”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I know people have to move with the times and accept the way an industry evolves. It is easier now to get up-to-the-minute updates and a range of new items and articles. We use the Internet for our news – and do not buy newspapers…oh, wait, yes, we do. All of us can access breaking news when it happens so, acknowledged we buy newspapers, then why is our music press under such pressure? Newspapers can contain content their online pages do not and one might get puzzles, articles and conversation-pieces that are solely in the newspaper itself. I worry we are bastardising music and stripping it down to its electronics. The mechanicals and engine are rusting: physicality, soul and complexity have been replaced by something simple and easy. We can apply this theory to music and the way we buy it. C.D.s are still fairly popular but their appeal and sales figures have waned over the years. I buy C.D.s a lot and prefer to have something in my hand that I can actually feel. That may sound odd but many people have the same passion. This is why vinyl has come back into the fore: one can hold a record and get a sense of where it came from and the people who put it together – other than the artist themselves. I have the same reaction with music magazines and press. I want to go down to a newsagent and explore the collection of magazines and what is written on the cover. I get hooked by a great interview of big piece of news shouting from the skin.

IN THIS PHOTO: Zane Lowe interviewing Chance the Rapper

There are complexities to the argument and we cannot overlook how expensive hiring journalists can be – and the cost of arranging interviews attending gigs. Those expenses are the same in an online forum but I suppose being able to produce so many new and ever-changing pages/articles a day means the reader gets greater regularity and consistency. You do not have to wait a week for something to come out in printed form – sometimes, some of the articles are outdated by the time they hit the shelves. Rolling Stone has, in past years, faced legalities and issues regarding interviews and some of their pieces. If they were to do that online – and not have it printed – it would be easy to retract and remove that offending piece. It is a lot harder when it is in printed form and can throw up a lot of new legalities and offences. I can see the downsides of music magazines and how they are not as relevant and progressive as they should be. That is not their fault: one can only do so much with the printed word. I can accept the limitations and the fact the modern world is becoming digital but we cannot cast away the traditions we put down. I mentioned how we buy physical music and newspapers: D.V.D.s. still exist and they have not been completely extinguished because of the Internet. While I can get on board with a balanced argument: there is another side to things...

PHOTO CREDIT: iStock

Journalism is an industry always-growing and appealing. The more musicians that come through the greater the demand for pieces appearing on sites/magazines. We still have publications and newspapers with a large music section so I wonder why magazines such as Rolling Stone are facing threats. Music has become a paperless office and editors are keen to reduce overheads and streamline production. Upcoming journalists want to write for the large and popular magazines and follow in the footsteps of the greats. It is aspirational being a writer/contributor for a magazine: online sites seem less personable and more reductive. Too many writers are told to limit their word-count and produce something punchy and bite-sized. Magazines have time to wallow and bring the reader a more immersive and detailed experience. We cannot abandon great magazines and make everything music-related digital. It is soulless and, whilst it may be more updated and versatile – money plays too much of a part of things. Everything coming down to cost and affordability is what is strangling a lot of the promise and soul out of music. Rolling Stone needs to address its controversies and legal issues but, if you take them away, you have a trusted and fascinating source for music. In my mind; the best part of discovering new music and reading about the week’s event is giving that magazine in your hand. I love to pour over an article and sac each line. Maybe there is a different chemical process when reading from a screen but you cannot beat the feel and experience of reading a music magazine.

Some argue there is tabloidisation and a lack of teeth in the British music press, for one. The current mainstream best is not as explosive as Punk and the huge movements we experienced before – there are not many artists with something important to say that could lead to a front-page-worthy headline. Even if that were true – there might be few who would argue against – there are plenty of marvellous and original artists in the underground that can kick-start magazines. If we turn more column-inch and time to the underground acts it will only put the spotlight on the next generation but guarantee there is always something worth buying – people will pick up magazines get more into the written word. Even with music; I think we should be encouraging people to spend less time in front of computers and more time reading. It is easy to list arguments why we cannot allow the likes of Rolling Stone to face peril and (possibly) close their doors. If that were to happen – or they would change drastically – we would lose one of the last big music magazines that can…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lu-Hai Liang

ATTRACT more people into music journalism.

INTERVIEW: Outsider

INTERVIEW:

 Outsider

________

IRISH artist Outsider…

talks to me about his self-titled E.P. and the new single, Míol Mór Mara. I ask about the use of Gaeilge in his music and whether he considers that ground-breaking - Míol Mór Mara, Gaeilge-sung, is the first time such a track has been featured in a video game (FIFA '18). Outsider tells me about that and what how he views guitar music now – and whether it is too dominated by the middle-classes. He looks ahead to touring and plans for the remainder of the year – and what it is like being signed to Warner Music.

I delve deep into a fantastic young artist and, in return, and provided an honest, open and revealing interview from someone who is making big impressions already.

________

Hi, Outsider. How are you? How has your week been?

I am fighting a chest infection at the moment but my week has been incredible - lots of people getting in touch about the new E.P. and wanting to talk.

The lead single, being on the FIFA soundtrack, takes me to a lot of new ears.  

 For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

The best way to get to know me is to listen to my music and come to my shows – it’s all online. Send me a D.M., too, and introduce yourself - I will more than likely respond at some stage.

I am trying to be like Henry Rollins and reply to messages as much as possible.

 

Míol Mór Mara is the new track. Can you explain what those words mean and hat inspired the song?  

‘Míol Mór Mara’ means ‘sea whales’ and translates literally into English as ‘giant beasts of the sea’. The song is about a child with Down’s Syndrome I worked with when I was suffering from huge heartbreak - and it had a profound influence on my life. The kid was so inspiring and pulled me out of a dark place really just by spending time with him. It's got a lot of biblical references to Jonah and the Whale - which is symbolic of diving into the sea of the unknown and becoming something far greater than yourself in a spiritual sense.

The song has deep layers of symbolism and subconscious meaning and people are responding to that…they are connecting to the human element.

Your self-titled debut E.P. is where the song was taken from. What was it like recording your first E.P.? What experiences and lessons did you learn from the process?

It was arduous at times because it was recorded, engineered; mixed and produced by myself and ATLAS (My producer). just people working with big mixes was a challenge; our ears burned fast. Most bands don't even mix their own record: it gets done for them. That sounds lovely and easy but I am a control freak – it’s easier to let me be there in the long run.  I learned that you can never predict how a track might evolve and I learned to slow down a little, take my time but, overall, I enjoyed it and I want to get back in there.

The song is featured on the FIFA '18. How did that opportunity come about and is it an important honour?

You would have to ask my publishing company exactly how that came about...

I just get to hear the good news. It’s a big honour: I am the only Irish artist on it; it’s a World Cup FIFA, which is huge - it makes me the first person to introduce the Irish language to mainstream video-gaming. Making history…that’s a huge honour.  

The soundtrack is stacked, too: the standard is great.

It is the first time a Gaeilge-sung song has been used in a video game. Is it important you retain Gaeilge roots and include it in your music?

Yeah, it is. Gaeilge is seen as a dying language in our country - maybe 20,000 speakers. Now, FIFA will bring a small piece to over 80-million people. The Irish government couldn't achieve that if they wanted to. You will have kids all over Ireland seeing Irish being used on a game they are obsessed with - and, hopefully, that will influence them to use the language more. Sometimes, I don't use Gaeilge. It’s not a personal crusade: I mean I will do it if I feel like it.

With Miol Mor Mara, the words felt important to me before I ever wrote the song, ya know. The first time was with Young Gods of Na Sionna. I will probably write whole songs in Gaeilge. It’s hard to explain, actually…good question. Super Furry Animals had that album in Welsh (Mwng). That was cool.

I of don’t know why I am doing it but that’s how I operate lately: I don't question my lyrics.

 Being based in Ireland; you must see a lot of talent around you. What is the scene like where you are? Do you think Ireland is a part of the world that gets overlooked in terms of music?

I think Ireland can get overlooked sometimes, but not right now.

Right now, there are eyes on Ireland because of the amount of successful bands here - Hozier going global changed that. No-one saw that coming. Check out Wyvern Lingo’s I Love You, Sadie - they (the band) are Irish girls. But yeah, Girlband, James Vincent McMorrow; All Tvvins, to name a few, are building fanbases I love Pleasure Beach, too. It’s a diverse scene, though. The styles are insanely different - which I like.

No-one seems to be doing the same style, really.

You are signed to Warner Music and released  Míol Mór Mara through W Songs. Do the labels give you a lot of freedom and what is it like being under the Warner Music banner?

I have total freedom: in fact, some people in Ireland told me not to use Gaeilge as it wouldn’t get radio play - whereas the people at Warner love it and really encouraged it. I think that decision speaks for itself when it ends up a globally-respected soundtrack. This is a business; you can talk all the sh*t you want about art - but good guitar-music does not record cheap and you won’t sustain for long if you are under the illusion it does. That’s why guitar music is middle-class-dominated right now. They are the only ones that can afford it - unless a label helps you. I am working-class, so I am very fortunate to have the support I do. The original punks had better gear and studios than most bands now.

You can believe the myth or face the truth.

It seems poetry and the beauty of language is important to you. Was music or poetry big in your early life? How crucial is language and how you convey it to your music?

Yes, I love poetry...

I started with lyrics and then learned guitar. The lyrics are unbelievably important to me. You will hear references to James Joyce etc. on the new E.P. The next E.P. has references to Wallace Stevens, Philip Larkin; Lord Byron, William Butler Yeats. I love the Pixies’ lyrics. The way they combine Spanish and English; making up words. It’s cool.

Expect that from me.

Many have compared you with great artists like Bruce Springsteen and War on Drugs. Are these artists you gravitate towards?

Yeah, I do.

People are always gonna hear something they know.  But to be honest, when I was a kid, I liked my dad’s traditional Irish music taste: The Chieftains, The Dubliners. In my teens, I loved Punk music and Post- Punk. I was never a Springsteen fanatic but I always sang like him a bit and, two years ago, I got this flashback of when I was five and my Auntie would have me and my brother dancing around the room to Dancing in the Dark. That kinda stuff gets internalised in your core. She was complaining that Springsteen had changed his image and everyone was against him now.  I love Springsteen but forgot that I did for a long time.

The War on Drugs are great. They are really in their prime. If ya listen to Wagon Wheel now - where he sounded exactly like Dylan - to (new songs) now where he has his own dream-like world created…it’s a cool journey.

They were able to evolve.

Is there going to be more material in months to come? Are you working on anything new at the moment?

Yeah, expect a new E.P. in 2018 - I am working on a new batch of songs, alright.

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Wyvern Lingo (I Love You, Sadie) and check out Twin Peaks (Making Breakfast).

IN THIS PHOTO: Wyvern Lingo

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

The Jesus and Mary Chain – Psychocandy

It taught me Punk could be ethereal. I think I sing like Jim Reid but people say, like Springsteen, the melody for Míol Mór Mara is in the same register as Upside Down.

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

It taught me that someday, with enough time and money, you can make music devastatingly beautiful and to aim for that.

The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

 It’s why I play bass and whisper on songs.

What tour dates do you have coming up? Where can we see you play?

I had to cancel one last week because of this chest infection. Keep an eye on my social media, it will all be there.

 What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?  

The best art takes time and the best guitar music takes a hell of a lot of time. That has been proven over and over.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here

Wyvern Lingo - I Love You, Sadie

_________

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INTERVIEW: AKA George

INTERVIEW:

 AKA George

________

THE meteoric rise of AKA George…

could have derailed his career and made him lose focus. He has, in a short time, turned down the chance to work with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rogers and seen legions of fans flock his way. The East London-based songwriter is a huge talent who can straddle genres but, on his current single, provides huge rush and funkiness. Stone Cold Classic has the potential to live up to its name and lodge itself in the minds of the masses.

So many people are responding to AKA George’s music so I ask him about his career and what it has been like so far – and why he chose to refuse Williams’ and Rogers’ deal and remain an artist on his own terms. AKA George talks about acts like The White Stripes and Muse; shares the memory of a particularly ‘eventful’ gig – and what gigs he has coming up.

________

Hi, AKA George. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m doing well, thanks.

I’ve just come back from a Sofar Sounds gig and I’m eating a veggie chili. My week has been busy - I’ve been rehearsing every day for my 4th October gig at Camden Assembly - in a tiny, sweaty room with four other guys...

...twelve-hour days; too much sweat.

PHOTO CREDIT: B@no1funkyhenry

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m George. I’m twenty-three; I’m from the countryside but now I live in East London. I write songs and I play a lot of instruments.

Stone Cold Classic is your new single. What can you tell me about its origin?

Stone Cold Classic started with a guitar riff...

I was in my room trying to play Let’s Dance by David Bowie but then I changed it up a bit and took some effects off - and it started to sound more like INXS or Blur. I recorded it there and then. I had a Spotify playlist called I’m Amazing which I created for songs that make you feel like a champion. Things like Stronger by Kanye West or Sexyback (Justin Timberlake) - you know, things that make you go “HELL, YEAH”. I guess I was listening to that when I wrote the lyrics to Stone Cold Classic. It’s about believing in yourself and owning your life.

The key lyric in my song though is “If I repeat it, maybe I’ll believe it” - because, at least for me, there’s always something lurking in the back of my mind telling me I’m not as good as I think I am.

The video looks like a blast. Did you play all the instruments on the track – as it depicts you jumping between them – and how much fun was it to shoot the video?

Yep, that’s me on all the instruments.

The video was super-fun to make. That room is actually my studio - it’s in East London and it is SMALL. It gets unbelievably hot in there when it’s just me but, when you stick a few people and some lights in there, it’s like a FURNACE. In-between each instrument we would all pile out just to breathe for a few seconds! I was aiming for something that felt real: just me in the studio doing my thing.

The recording process for the song was very quick and instinctive - and that’s what I wanted to get with the video, too. The vocals on the finished song were one take - recorded live, just holding the mic and moving around the room.

It just felt right.

I hear elements of The White Stripes and Ramones in your music. Who did you grow up idolising and obsesses over?

Seven Nation Army was a BIG song for me.

Once, me and my mate Christy decided to do an impromptu version of it at a talent show. We were at a home-schoolers festival, and earlier that week we’d done a great cover of Feeling Good (in the style of Muse) which everyone loved. Christy was like, “Fuck it, we’re amazing; let’s do White Stripes, no rehearsal, tonight.” I’m like “Hell yeah, I’ll even do it topless. AND I know the face-paint lady and I’m going to ask her to paint some cool angel wings on my back…the girls are gonna love us.”

We get on stage; there’s about two-hundred people watching (all parents). Christy starts the riff. He’s out of tune. I start singing. The mic’s off. I’m suddenly very aware that we never discussed how to start the song…or end it. My wings are melting under the stage lights. Girls don’t love us...needless to say, it didn’t go as well as we’d expected.

Our egos took a hit that night (it’s ok; I got mine back). 

Your music has gained millions of YouTube views and social media love. How important is that kind of backing and does it all seem a bit daunting?

It used to daunt me, yeah.

A couple of years ago I had tens of millions of views - but all the numbers freaked me out and I took everything down (much to the dismay of my managers). This time, I feel like it’s a solid build. Numbers aren’t everything and I don’t think people should judge on them, but it is fantastic to see people support you - so yes, I guess they are important. 

I know you have turned the chance down to work with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rogers. Was that so you can retain independence and not be led too early in your career?

Looking back on it now, I know it probably seems crazy not to have taken those offers - but I really didn't know who I was as a musician and songwriter then. I was scared of being something that people jumped on and then jumped off a few months later. I really felt the whole YouTube thing was a novelty: an unnatural way to build a career in music. Even the word ‘viral’ was an alarm bell to me – because, if anything in nature goes viral it’s a disease, isn’t it? I think I knew in my heart that if I took my chance, then it would all crumble within a year or two. It was a risk but it paid off.

Now, if I work with other people, I know who I am. 

PHOTO CREDIT: @huntershootsinlondon

Was there an ethical and commercial quandary turning an offer like that down?! Will you work together down the line, do you think?

If you believe in what you’re doing you don’t jump at the first glimpse of fame.

I’ve always seen things long-term - this is my life. I’d love to work with Pharrell and Nile Rodgers but at the right time - and for the right reasons.

You are unsigned at the moment. Do you think about looking for a record label or do you prefer working without that pressure and expectation?

Not at all. I think a bit of pressure and expectation is good for me.

I’d like to be signed by a great label - preferably a big one. No artist I’ve seen has managed to sustain a career without a label - at least not to the level I’m aiming at. For now, I’m concentrating on becoming a better performer, songwriter and person.

All that other stuff will follow naturally.

PHOTO CREDIT: @kristina.emily

Can we expect an E.P. next year? How far ahead are you looking? 

Yes. I’m releasing an E.P. early next year with some songs I’m really excited about.

They still have a level of attitude but with more melodic elements and slightly more electronic production. I really want to set things alight with this next collection of songs!

Watch this space...

There are so few genuine voices and exciting artists with their own voice. What do you think of the big artists and does music lack any real bite and direction right now?

There is some great Pop music out there but, yeah, the general slew of music does lack bite at the moment.

I think part of the reason is a lack of intent and originality. People like to jump on a sound: particularly now with the ability to see via analytics/numbers how well it went down last time. It doesn’t matter though - the real ones know what they’re doing and they have the strength to put their neck on the line, speak up and trust in themselves. They’re the true stars.

Anything else is just here today, gone tomorrow.

How does the rest of 2017 look? How will you be spending the next few months? Any tour dates approaching?

Well, there’s the 4th October gig at Camden Assembly which is taking up most of my time at the moment - as I am rehearsing and programming new songs. The rest of 2017 will be spent writing and getting together the new E.P. Also, every now and then, I do a secret gig somewhere and I would like to put one of those in before Christmas.

They’re great nights and we cram loads of people into a small space - and hang around talking afterwards.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sigrid

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

I really like Sigrid - she’s pretty cool.

There’s a guy called Steve Lacy that I like as well - he records everything on his iPhone.

He’s not a new artist but I supported Kwabs last night at the Sofar gig and he was incredible. His voice is soulful and he had great jeans. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Kwabs/PHOTO CREDIT: James Marcus Haney

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

All That You Can’t Leave Behind by U2

Because it reminds me of my dad and it is full of great songs.

Sam’s Town by The Killers

Because it’s the album I used to play over and over by myself growing up in the country. 

Yeezus by Kanye West

Because I’d never heard anything so explosive and cutting-edge before.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now? 

Try VERY hard at the beginning. Then, when you’re good, don’t try so hard. 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Yesss. Please, could you play a new song by Foo Fighters called T-Shirt. It’s huge.

Thanks for the questions x

_________

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TRACK REVIEW: James Leonard Hewitson - Sometimes

TRACK REVIEW:

 

James Leonard Hewitson

 Sometimes

9.4/10

 Sometimes is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/jamesleonardhewitson/sometimes

GENRE:

Pop

ORIGIN:

Hartlepool, U.K.

____________

WHEN it comes to talking about James Leonard Hewitson…

I am compelled to look at a number of different subjects. I want to look at artists whose music gets played on T.V. – thus, affording them greater exposure – and influences/sounds that differ to what is out there. I will look at instant songs and big choruses; how rare they are and the results that can arrive; acts releasing singles whilst working on a record – the music from the North and how we should be focused there; male songwriters and those capable of making the singer-songwriter genre more interesting. I am not sure it Hewitson has a Twitter account but I cannot see one for him. It seems odd that, in this day and age, artists overlook the importance of Twitter. I may have missed his account – and whether there is an odd tag/handle – but I feel Twitter is the most effective way for any artist to get their work shared. It is hard enough getting songs spread and enjoyed if you are on all the social media platforms. For Hewitson; there is a definite quality that deserves a wide audience. So much of music is about marketing and exposure so, with that being accepted, there is a definite need to get your music on all the platforms you can. Hewitson is an artist with a great sound and someone who has years ahead of him. This might be a detour from what I wanted to talk about but I am compelled by Hewitson and his future. I know there will be some great times ahead but his songs are strong enough they can get to international audiences. Maybe I am being a bit over-the-top but I feel Hewitson could get to a huge market is he put his music on Twitter. What I find is Facebook and streaming sites are not as connected and joined as they should be. Twitter makes it a lot easier to get music out there fast and has a lot more musicians on it – by which, I mean one can connect with and follow them easily and share their music, too. James Leonard Hewitson is in a great position where he has a unique blend but needs to exploit all the channels out there. The reason – I knew there was a reason! – I am mentioning Twitter and augmenting popularity is because Hewitson is already under many people’s radars.

His songs have been played on T.V. shows and this means a range of listeners are checking out what he is about. Say what you want about Made in Chelsea – and I normally do! – but it does feature some pretty cool music now and then. The good thing about the show is the audience it pulls in. It is an addictive brand that sees a wide demographic, voyeuristically or not, look at the lives of the rich and elite. Maybe the music is part of the background but, if a musician gets featured there, that is a big step. It is not only the kind of people who appear on Made in Chelsea that watch the show – in fact, the viewing figures cross social classes and areas of the country. The fact Hewitson has a song on the show ensures it gains new fans but gives him the confidence to keep going. I am always wary when songs get on T.V. shows and whether it genuinely benefits an artist. In Hewitson’s case; he has his music on Made in Chelsea: Ibiza, too, and that must give him a boost. Getting music played on T.V. gives the artist financial benefit (although not as much as anyone would think) and it is a great way of spreading the word quickly. I was a bit miffed he avoids Twitter but, perhaps, getting his songs on T.V. is a good alternative. He has also featured on Tattoo Fixers and, whether you like the show or not, that is a new audience. I cannot guess the sort of audience that would watch BOTH shows but there is not going to be a great overlap. E4 is a minor station but it has a growing, young audience. I watch now and then and have tuned into Made in Chelsea – for the sheer pleasure of seeing rich and posh people get their heart broken and tears shed.

That might sound cruel but so much of the show is set-up and faked one wonders whether any of it is real. Because of this, I often drift into the background and see what songs are being played. They are vastly more interesting than the banal conversations that spew from the mouths of the Chelsea toffs. I mention Tattoo Fixers because, one imagines, a rather different subset watches the show. I imagine the viewers of this show would be a bit more into tattoos and less fascinated by rich people gallivanting around the world – a sense of exploitation and mockery is involved on both shows. The reason I mention both shows is because of the diverse audiences. Not only does this mean James Leonard Hewitson’s music has flexibility and variation but it is making its way to a massive audience. Film would be the next logical step and I do not think Hewitson’s music is limited to a narrow brand. One might think Hewitson is reserved to documentary/reality shows but those shows attract a young audience and that can extend to other sources. I hear his latest material and hear someone whose songs have real reach and depth. I can envisage them on the big-screen and scoring some fascinating film scene. If a musician has faith from T.V. broadcasters then it shows they are taking a step in the right direction – let’s hope this fortune continues for Hewitson. Three different songs have been played on three different shows so I know Hewitson will take pride from that. What it shows is people are connecting with his songwriting and there is something in the music that has a popular appeal. Many might overlook influence when it comes to new artists but, in the case of Hewitson, it runs through the D.N.A. of what he does. Reviewers have compared his (previous music) to The Fall and Gang of Four; there is a blend of Psychedelia and Surf-Rock; some 1990s’ bands and U.S. Rock.

It is interesting discovering the lineage of a musician and, in Hewitson’s case, he is someone who has grown up on some fantastic sounds and impacted him greatly. I am interested seeing names such as The Fall and Gang of Four line-up against one another but, to me, there is a lot more at work. I can imagine Hewitson sifting through vinyl and being fascinated by his parents’ music. There is some modern work in his own material but such a range of different artists. This sort of variety could only come from someone who curiously investigates every strand and area of music. So much of today’s sounds are marketed and commercial. The harder, Rock-orientated bands are generic and boring. I find a lot of those artists without any commercial pretence can be rather stiff and unengaging. It is hard manufacturing music that retains some sense of individuality and interest but is strong enough to connect with a wide remit. Hewitson takes little patches from classic acts and the coolest from past days and mixes that with his own vision and voice. Influence is as important to an artist’s music as anything and can separate them from the pack. I am not one who likes acts who mimic others or have so little about them. This is not the case with Hewitson: he is a strong and accomplished musician whose instincts and songwriting skillset perfectly mixes with a love of the finest musicians from the past. This all comes together in a wonderful explosion of harder and softer sounds. One experiences colour and energy; there is weirdness at moments but conventional wisdom at others. You can get a real blast of something fresh and then, the next moment, soothing and contemplative vibes. I love how Hewitson has such a wide taste in music and is unafraid to mix all of that into the pot. I hear bits of Surf-Rock in his bog choruses and some incredible 1990s guitar music in some of the verses – a spirit of Punk and Indie nestling and sparring in other parts. It is a fantastic and colour-bomb explosion that gets under the skin and into the heart.

Let us move on in a minute but, for now, remain with the low-key arrangements and lo-fi charm of Hewitson’s music. I will look at one of his more-recent tracks soon enough but I am fascinated by his style and sense of cool. I mentioned how so much of today’s music is ruled by a rigidity and boredom. It has been a while since I have experienced anything mainstream-worthy that gets me excited. It is always a case of the song starting promisingly and then fading into the distance. Other times, one can hear promising areas but the complete thing is inconsistent. Maybe it is a bad period we are in but things are very serious and unengaging. A few musicians manage to create something interesting but they are in the minority. New musicians – those in the undergrowth and away from the mainstream – are always more reliable in this area. You can argue there is a commercial need for music that calms the spirits and spikes the brain but, in my view, we need something more compelling and escapist in hard times. I feel big bands and the exposed are not delivering any lyrics that discuss what is happening in life. It is possible to provide fun and exciting music whilst escaping banality. James Leonard Hewitson, with his double-release, Sometimes/Experience Song, provides humour, intelligence and wisdom but gives the listener a real kick of fun and fascination. I wanted to move to look at artists who create songs with big choruses and huge songs. Hewitson is not someone who values shallowness and easy joys above deep music. What we find is a young talent who can document something personal and intriguing with a sense-lifting, bold sound. That is a hard trick to get right and one few artists are attempting. Listening to Sometimes – the song I felt would suit a review – and I am attracted to the chorus - which seems to rush straight into the imagination and provoke all manner of visions.

The entire song, in fact, has a real energy and spark but it is the chorus that really gets into my mind. One is left humming and singing along with it but, listening to the entire song, there is something quite rich and nuanced working away – a track that carries a lot of clout and seriousness when it needs to. You may look at the previous sentences and thoughts – when looking at Made in Chelsea – and think Hewitson’s music is perfect for those shows because of its fresh attack and youthful vibes. Maybe that is what the shows picked up on but, tying that with his influences, and you know there is a lot more at work than you might think. If a musician can create two distinct worlds (in their music) and make them mix and coexist then you have a fantastic compromise. Hewitson brings summery vibes with his natural warmth and engagement but underneath is a soulful and thought-provoking talent whose music contains so many different layers. Stations like BBC Introducing and appeared at Stockton Calling, Evolution Emerging and Twisterella Festival. There is a lot of love for his sounds and so, because of this, I have been hooked to explore further. Hewitson has performed in London and has a lot of fans in the North. It seems there are no limits for his music and that fantastic sound has resonated with the masses. This, again, is a rarity and those musicians that can cross borders and tastes are to be commended. I feel Hewitson succeeds because he does not follow the crowds and do what he thinks will ‘sell’. A lot of acts are too concerned with survival and, in their minds, that means replicating the acts one finds in the mainstream. Hewitson recognises he needs to compromise to an extent but never devalues his own talent and background by saying what everyone else does. Mixing together his favourite artists and that handy knack of penning big songs and one has a musician that has the opportunity to ensure and inspire others – someone we will be hearing more from in the coming years.

I am not sure whether Hewitson has an album arriving in 2018 but I do know he is working on more material. If one looks at previous songs like Dream Person (a song that featured on E4) and Care Less, Love Less (Antifolk in its ethics) then you can see an artist who has a great mobility and ease. His songs are never the same and one always gets a different sensation with each number. That is the same with his double A-side release: so many ideas working away; none remind you of anything that has come before. The Screen is another older track that has a real personality to it - addressing the overuse of social media. Thinking about that song might answer my questions when it comes to his lack of Twitter account and visibility there. So far, we have seen some great music arrive from him and it now comes to the point when they could all be put together in an album. There are, conceivably, eight or nine great numbers that he can put into an L.P. I would like to see that and maybe Hewitson is working on that right now. What I do find with modern music is how much of the promotional run-in is to do with singles. By that, I mean an artist releases a series of singles before an album arrives. There was a time when acts brought out a couple of songs and then the album would be released. Now, artists cannot afford to record an album that soon so fill the gaps with singles – ensuring they have popularity and can gauge what people think of them. I would like to see more musicians taking risks and releasing albums sooner. Maybe that is a marketing and financial consideration but I feel musicians are programmed and guided to release a minimum number of singles before an E.P./album. In Hewitson’s case; he has enough material for an album but I feel he is waiting to see what the reaction is going to be.

Modern music is so tough and money is so sparse – it is not always optional to release an album right off the bat. Hewitson has established himself and is getting to a lot of influential people right now. I am sure his 2018 will be a huge one and I cannot wait to see where that takes him. I am interested hearing from Hewitson because he is based in the North – an area that does not get as much attention as it should. I find music is split between London and the North. It seems any artist based outside the capital has to struggle a lot harder to get their voices heard. What I find, when looking at the North and South, is a lot more originality stemming from north of London. I have spent a lot of time investigating Yorkshire musicians and, with them, one finds artists willing to take bigger risks and push the possibilities of music. Their spectrum is galvanised and striking; they blend older genres and are not so beholden to the structure and conventions of the mainstream. That might seem like a binary, black-and-white vantage point but there is some wisdom in it. I know there are London artists that have real talent and originality. It is not the case all acts from the South are less interesting and have fewer great ideas. I am aware there is a North-South divide and that is something that unsettles me. Such is the focus on London it means few northern artists get a look in. Hewitson is based in Hartlepool and an area many do not look at. Liam Howe – a producer who has worked with the likes of Lana Del Rey – is, perhaps, the biggest talent and most recognisable person to come from Hartlepool in recent years. I know well enough there are brilliant acts in Hartlepool but, for someone like Hewitson, he will get more attention if he were based in London. The grooves, slacker vibes and stunning songs mean it is sad to think artists need to move here simply to be seen and approved.

I shall end my introduction soon but, to end, a look at male songwriters and how the best of the breed is making singer-songwriters more interesting. I always think female solo artists are stronger but, in the case of James Leonard Hewitson, he has his band The Relevant People around him. He is, essentially, the lead and focus - but having those extra bodies affords him more freedom and possibility. Maybe that is the answer to remedy the (comparative) lack of great male solo artists: getting yourself a band but keeping the focus on yourself. That may seem contradictory and pointless but there are plenty of sole songwriters who flesh their music out with extra players. I am being a little down on male songwriters but I feel female acts are more interesting and diverse. One gets the beauty of their voice but, when it comes to mixing sounds, they are braver and more intriguing. Too many male songwriters lack real vision and the desire to create something fantastic. There are a few great male songwriters but I am drawn more and more to females. Why I wanted to bring this up is because acts like Hewitson add a real spark of imagination and passion into what they do. I have mentioned how wide-ranging his music is and that is a good enough reason to get excited. There is nobody like Hewitson in music at the moment and that can all change. It does not take a great leap of imagination to go from something quite ordinary to extraordinary. Hewitson’s love of older music and his natural experimentation means his current sounds are already ahead of the competition. I find myself soulless when faced with solo artists who all sound alike and never really inject any punch into their music. Hewitson is a rare breed but someone giving me a lot of faith. I would like to see two things happen with this being accepted. He is a proud northern artist but his exposure is coming from London/southern T.V. shows and bigger gigs.

The fact he has made it to shows like Made in Chelsea is to do with his talent and skill.  I would like to see more people take notice of those away from the capital. It is not true the best are based in London…that has never been the case. I am annoyed so many labels and newspapers keep themselves isolated to London and do not look for talent elsewhere. I would also like to see artists like Hewitson embraced more and his music become more commercialised. By that, I mean he should be given big airplay and set as an example of how to do things – rather than be sold and cheapened by record labels. I shall move on now but am interested there are splits when there do not need to be. How many of us are aware of those many artists who emanate from areas like Hartlepool? There are some great acts there and some excellent venues. Maybe the fact the media does not look that far up the country means so many have to come down to London – or quit music altogether. I hope Hewitson does not abandon his home but, at the same time, I hope he spends some time down here. If the only way he can get proper exposure is to come to London then that is better than nothing. Hewitson has such strong music because of how he was raised and his innate abilities. The popularity and visibility has a bit to do with London but his local reputation helps. I am wandering off the course but wanted to get that off my chest. Hewitson is one of the strongest new artists around and I hope he gets adequate respect into 2018.

There is a real interesting clash of notes and sounds in the introduction. The strumming and percussion are unconventional and they have an element of older-days. One gets Punk incorporations and acts like The Velvet Underground. Gang of Four and Lou Reed’s solo work comes out but, truly, that is never the biggest takeaway in those early moments. It is such a vibrant and compelling start that your feet and heart are instantly and actively enlivened. Hewitson comes to the microphone and, when one hears his voice, you get something unexpected. Most male songwriters have a very familiar voice and it is never that deep. Hewitson reminds one of, yes, Lou Reed, but there is so much more at work. Before a single word has been sung you are involved in the song and interested by its every move. Sometimes, it seems, the hero needs nobody – maybe the solitude and advantages of solemnness not being lost. The song is lo-fi which means the vocals have that real physicality and proximity. They are not buried in layers of production and, as such, it is easy to gain access to the soul and truth of the song. Our hero is a mass of contradictions as he claims he needs no one but often comes home for company. His mind is confused and entangled and questions race. The percussion drives and strikes whilst the hero lets his voice wander and muse. It is an interesting marriage of fast-slow/broad-specific. The lyrics offer a window into his mindset and the current state of affairs. He is looking for clarity and a real degree of direction. I feel Hewitson needs somebody but, as he claims, he is fine on his own. He, at least, requires another set of hands and eyes to get him on the right road. Maybe this malaise and confusion is as a result of a bad time or harsh breakup. Adam Soper, Steven Hart; Josh Ingledew and Michael Kitching provide impressive backing and ensure the words are provided the maximum amount of passion and intelligence.

As the song carries on; there is no real decision being made – more a series of wonderings and confusions. Maybe things are not as evident and obvious but, I don’t know…perhaps, the hero is unworried about his current predicament. There is no need to really rationalise these conflicts or cure any ailment. He is laying it out there and not keen to raise any moral lawsuits – life creating tortious interference and harshing his mellow. The man is a bit of a slacker but is not someone who idly wanders and does not care about things. Essentially, our hero does have these contradictions in his life but is not letting it get him down. I do wonder whether he needs that stability because, this blowing-aimlessly-in-the-breeze dichotomy is not providing any direction. There is simultaneous simplicity and enigma in his words. Our man goes to work but that does not seem to satisfy his desires. Sometimes he needs people around him and other times that loneliness is best for him. Chris McManus mixes and masters the song perfectly – I should use that in past tense but you know what I mean. It is a fantastic song that has a great and hypnotic beat and some fuzzy guitars. All the instruments combine perfectly but have separate agendas. The boys all blend natural but each has a chance to step out from the pack and do their own thing. Hewitson, and that voice of his, brings so much candour and personality to the lyrics. There are few words but the ones we do hear seem to take on a new perspective each time they come around. By the closing moments; you are sucked into this world and motivated to help the hero find his way. Not many people would know where to start but it seems, as I have mooted, maybe the hero is going through life and not concerned with settling things. It is one of those songs that seem to be simple and not really bothered with depth but, the more you listen, you discover a man who is trying to figure things out. Sometimes is a terrific song from a songwriter who has a long future ahead of him. Superbly backed by his band; there is no denying the chemistry in the ranks. I cannot wait to see how he develops next year and where his talent takes him – it seems he will go very far in the industry!

I will end this very soon but wanted to look back on my points about variation and big songs – and where James Leonard Hewitson can head. Hewitson plays The Tyne Bar (in Newcastle-upon-Tyne) tomorrow and has a date in Middlesbrough soon. In the past few weeks, he has played around Manchester and the North but a couple of gigs in London. I like the fact he is getting dates nearer to home and I hope that carries on into next year. With talk of new material upcoming; I wonder whether the diary is going to get busier – and where popularity takes him. The local crowds will want to see Hewitson perform but there will be demand from further south. I know international audiences will want to be listening to his music and want to see him at some point. Next year is a pivotal one for Hewitson and one where he will take some big strides. His music has already been featured on prominent and popular T.V. shows and been taken to heart by radio stations. There are not many who produce music that appeals to more mainstream sources and retains its sense of cool and unique flair. I predict Hewitson will perform a lot more in the South but will have more gigs in the North. His life will get busier but this is not a surprise. The fact his music produces so many different reactions and emotions is because of the artists he follows and the music he loves. Hewitson wants to be known on his own terms and seen as separate but one hears embers of others when listening to his work. Every new song brings something sensational to the ears. I have been hooked on Sometimes because it elicits so much heat and electricity. The lyrics get you digging deep and there is so much fascination and appeal.

I know that has come from years of performance and honing but there is an instant and natural ability to Hewitson. He knows how to bond with a listener and produce music that remains in the mind. There are great northern songwriters out there and many are not being given enough backing. I feel Hewitson would be further along if the media looked at areas like Hartlepool, Newcastle and Middlesbrough. One may fight and say it is uneconomical and unwise trying to cover that much ground but there are plenty of journalists out there. If we allow music to become geographically homogenous...then that is going to lead to issues – music not at its most optimal and equal. I want to see changes but the fact musicians like Hewitson are doing great work might help redress the problem. It is wonderful hearing songs like Sometimes come out because they have that popular edge but sound unlike anything out there in music. Experience Song is the other half of the double-release and testament to the abilities of a rare and fine songwriter.  I am excited and pumped by Hewitson’s music and know next year will see many more opportunities and achievements, Hearing his music heard on T.V. is satisfying but his real pleasure and sense of place comes from playing across the country and performing to a range of crowds. The demand for that close connection will rise in 2018 and introduce fresh eyes to one of our most promising songwriters. There are few like him and, considering the beige and boring mass obsessing the mainstream today, musicians like James Leonard Hewitson are…

WHAT we really need right now.

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Follow James Leonard Hewitson

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jamesleonardhewitson

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jamesleonardhewitson/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/jamesleonardhewitson

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https://open.spotify.com/artist/1bk3TCy7ZdoAmtS54RnYGn

INTERVIEW: James Ghareeb

INTERVIEW:

 James Ghareeb

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I have been speaking with James Ghareeb about…

his latest track, Do It with Luv. The single’s artwork depicts the songwriter slumped on a sofa – on a lawn - surrounded by debris. I wondered whether that image tied to the song’s themes and, indeed, what the song was about. I ask how his music has developed since 2015’s Hanging from the Stars and whether his time posting to Vine – an eclectic selection of cover versions – strengthened him as an artist.

Ghareeb reveals his gig plans and the music he is inspired by; what the Chicago-raised musician is up to later in the year – and what the local scene is like where he is based in Peoria.

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Hi, James. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey, I’ve been great.

Just got back to Chicago from rehearsal - for my next gig out in Peoria.

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

I am a Pop singer from Chicago. I am relocating to Los Angeles. I have an awesome band that plays with me that give Reggae and sexy vibes.

Do It with Luv is the new single. What can you reveal about its inception and was it based on a particular girl/event?

Surprisingly, it was not about a girl: it was more about life today and the struggles that the world is going through. It’s about spreading love and appreciating the goodness in the world - rather than letting negativity take over.

The artwork sees you slumped on a lawn, surrounded by the remnants of a living room. Is that a predicament you’ve faced and has love, in the past, left you a bit uprooted and shut out?

Not necessarily.

It’s more about the goofiness of the video and how to have more fun in life - it’s meant to inspire people to be more carefree.

PHOTO CREDIT: @joshuaburch

Your road into music was when you uploaded short clips to Vine. What was the reason for this and can you remember the first video you posted?!

L.o.L. I don’t remember the first video I posted...

Vine was a great way to share original and covers. I connected to a lot of people from it and actually made a few great friends from it. 

Many of the songs you tackled were by mainstream Pop artists. Is that where a lot of your current inspiration comes from – or do you find yourself taking influence from various other areas?

To be honest, I don’t find much inspiration in Pop artists' work - except for John Mayer, of course. A lot of my inspiration stems from Folk. For a long time, I’ve gone to Ben Howard, Bon Iver and JP Cooper for my inspiration.

How would you say your music has developed since 2015’s Hanging from the Stars? Have you grown more confident as a performer?

I have definitely grown as a performer and a musician.

My work now sounds a lot more professional and structured - with many more diverse sounds and instruments.

Your sophomore release is approaching. Can you tell me how you came to work with Tony Ghantous and what tracks will be on the new E.P.?

I’ve been working with Tony for a couple years and I am very blessed to have him and his experience. I, unfortunately, can’t give away much detail - but a couple of my favourites are Colours and Get the Whole World High.

Peoria, Illinois is where you were raised. (It seems pretty bitching). What is it like for an aspiring musician and how has the landscape and people inspired you?

To be honest...Peoria is not the best place to follow your dream.              

But, if you truly believe in yourself, others will start to believe in you. With that being said; I began to be inspired by the emptiness I felt. Watching people start to believe in me made me stride so much further to what I truly want.

Also...the silent cornfields do kinda help sometimes. L.o.L.

What kind of music did you grow up listening to? How important are periods like 1990s’ R&B to your current sounds?

If we are being honest, there was definitely a time where I put on a jean-jacket and sang Usher in the mirror.

I, of course, love my NSYNC and Backstreet Boys.

Your fanbase is loyal and large. What message would you send to them right now?

I would first off say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you...

Second of all; I would say if you have a dream; make sure you are doing everything in your power to make it come to life.

What tour dates are coming up? Any plans with regards coming to the U.K.?

I have a very big show with Matt Nathanson, coming up this October, and I also have a few in Chicago.

As for the U.K.; I hope I make it out there after the album drops (for a European tour).

IN THIS PHOTO: Dermot Kennedy

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Hands down Dermot Kennedy and Tom Walker.

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Every Kingdom by Ben Howard

It helped me through very low times.

How to Save a Life by The Fray

The 1975’s first album (The 1975)

It helped me to not care about what people thought. Matty is a true inspiration.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Keep grinding: if you want something bad enough, you will get it.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Play Deep the Water by Lewis Watson

<

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Follow James Ghareeb

 Official:

http://jamesghareebmusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/jamesghareeb

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/JamesGhareebMusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jamesghareeb/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1oGhuPxh5IUrixh5a6XkKe

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesghareeb

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/jamesghareeb

INTERVIEW: AFFAIRS

INTERVIEW:

 AFFAIRS

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ANY Manchester band excites me but there is something…

about AFFAIRS that stands out. I speak with vocalist James Robinson who talks about future gigs – the band plays on Friday 27th October at Café INDIEpendent; on Saturday 4th November at Night & Day Café, Manchester. The band have released the video for the new track, Gracious World, and reveal what they have planned for the year ahead. I ask Robinson about the AFFAIRS' start and what the music scene is like in Manchester.

He provides me an opportunity to get to know a rare force who have already gained support from a range of great radio stations – D.J.s like Chris Hawkins are among fans of the group.

________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Good, thanks.

Busy as usual working on new material – which, we hope, you can hear very soon. We’re also rehearsing for our next Manchester headline show on Saturday 4th November at Night & Day Café (Manchester) which, of course, we can’t wait for.

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

We’re AFFAIRS; a Manchester-based five-piece made up of Liam (Guitar/Vocals), Dan (Guitar/Synth); Jack (Bass), Michael (Drums) and James (vocals).

Our sound has probably best been described as Doom-Pop. 

What is the derivation of the name, ‘AFFAIRS’? Are there any scandalous and sneaky affairs you guys have had – or is it something less naughty?

Too many to mention, to be honest – we’re all complete scoundrels, though that’s purely coincidental. I think Liam came up with the name originally – we liked the connotations of the word but also how it doesn’t really give much away about what we sound like.

Gracious World is your new one. What is the story behind the song?

It’s basically all about rejecting the idea of being tied down to a mundane, nine-five existence – sticking two fingers up at that philosophy and going out and seeing all the world has to offer. There’s a lot of sh*t going on - but the world still has a lot of beautiful things in it if you go out and look for them. 

The video, of the band playing the song, looks like it was a good shoot. Where did that take place and what was it like filming the video?

We filmed the video in Brunswick Mill in Manchester; a couple of floors above where we used to rehearse. We had fun filming it, though it got very warm up there. It was actually filmed by a very talented friend of ours, Matt Cochrane of Little Motel – check out his stuff!

It seems, in everything you do, you challenge the mundane. Would that be fair to say?

It’s certainly a compliment.

I think we just enjoy doing our thing and expressing ourselves in our own way. If that’s challenging the mundane, I’m happy with that.

Can you remember how the band got together? Did you know, when you starting jamming, you would have all this success?

The band started at Hull University and we bonded over our tastes in music and the desire to create it ourselves.  I don’t know if we knew how things would turn out when we started - but we’ve always believed in what we’re doing.

Your songs resonate with taste-makers. What does it feel like getting big love from D.J.s like Chris Hawkins and John Kennedy?

It’s definitely great to have their support – always nice when people dig what you do, especially when they then play it on national radio!

Looking down the list of stations that have played your music; your catchment area is massive. Why do you think your music translates so readily and widely?

We have an excellent P.R. team.

Seriously, though; l I don’t think our music has a particular regional sound to it which could explain a wider appeal. We also get about a fair bit and have played shows all over the place - so I guess people have got to know us.

How is Manchester’s music scene shaping-up at present? Is it quite a fruitful and exciting time being a Manchester band?

I’d say it’s always a fruitful and exciting time to be in a Manchester band as I don’t think the city has ever stopped producing quality music. There are definitely some big movements going on at the moment though.

I would recommend keeping an eye on Scruff of the Neck Records - who are working with some of the best.

What is it about the city that attracts so many people in?

The people here are some of the best in the world, and the city is just a constant hive of art and activity – there’s literally always something going on.

Is there going to be an E.P. or album down the line? Do you feel, as a band, you have enough material for a really solid L.P.?

We’ve got a few ideas in the pipeline and I definitely think the material’s there - but you’ll have to wait and see for that one.

Can you talk about the live dates you have approaching? What can one expect when coming to an AFFAIRS show?

We’re headlining Night & Day in Manchester on Saturday 4th November with three other great bands – Indigo Velvet, WEEKEND WARS and TUSCAN SUN – and it promises to be a big one. With any AFFAIRS show, we can promise energy, emotion and an immersive experience.

IN THIS PHOTO: Larkins

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

...the three I mentioned previously who we’re playing with in November....

We’re also digging Holy Oysters, Cassia; Larkins and Swim Mountain at the moment.

If you each had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

It’s fair to say that Foals’ Total Life Forever is an album that was hugely influential on Dan and Liam (as songwriters and musicians).

Two Dancers by Wild Beasts will always be special to me – it’s a great album but was also the first time I listened to their music. Hayden Thorpe’s beautifully unique vocal was like nothing else I’d heard and, as a singer (though my voice is nothing alike), it gave me encouragement that a unique vocal style fronting a band could be a success.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

It’s a bit of a cliché but be true to yourselves; believe in what you’re doing and, most of all, enjoy it – because if you don’t, you can’t expect anyone else to.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Cheers! All of these can be found on our Autumn Spotify playlist:

tonite – LCD Soundsystem

Wait for Me – Swim Mountain

Lupo – Cairobi

Lure – Holy Oysters

Day I Day – The National

_________

Follow AFFAIRS

 Official:

https://www.affairsband.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/affairsband

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Affairsband/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/affairsband/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1PxzE0tuy651LX3o0ZLnXO

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/AFFAIRSVEVO

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/affairsband

INTERVIEW: Erin & The Wildfire

INTERVIEW:

 Erin & The Wildfire

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THE intrepid and pioneering clan of Erin & The Wildfire…

is led by the soulfulness and beguiling allure of Erin Lunsford. The band is based out of Charlottesville, Virginia – an area which, for the wrong reasons, has been in the news lately. I ask the guys about the recent terrorist/hate attack and what their response is. I was more eager to know about their new album, Thirst – and what we can expect from it. The latest single, Great Love, has a fascinating backstory – one Lunsford describes with great clarity and richness of language!

The band selects songs and albums that mean a lot to them and I get a great window into a group that both unique and relatable – and ask where their music will take them in the next couple of months.

________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been? 

Our week has been v. productive so far.

We had a vocal sectional practice and a horn sectional last night. We’ve got three shows later this week that are part of our album release tour - and we are enjoying the September weather in Virginia!

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please? 

Hello, Music Lovers! Erin & The Wildfire is an energetic, goofy; Funk/Soul band from Charlottesville, Virginia - and we cannot wait for you to listen to our first full-length album!

How did you all come together? The band has a great chemistry. Was that an instant thing? 

Nick, Matt; Ryan and I met in 2011 at UVA in a student recording group called ORecords, and the musical chemistry was there from the start. I was the President at the time and I had to pick people to play on various songs we performed at the end-of-semester showcases. We jelled from the beginning and all had a shared passion for performance (and dad jokes).

Saxophonist and pianist Garen Dorsey joined the band in 2016 after we played together in a Jazz-Opera in Charlottesville - written by local trumpet prodigy, John D'Earth.

The most recent addition is the magnificent trumpet player, background vocalist; flautist and pianist Austin - who we heard would be a great addition through the grapevine. 

 

Great Love is your new track. What is the song all about and can you reveal a bit about its creation? 

Great Love was the last tune we wrote before recording the album - but it has one of the oldest origin stories.

When I was a fourth year at UVA, I got dumped…hard. It was devastating and unexpected and everything you might find after a first love heartbreak. At the time, I was doing an independent music study at the time with my favorite professor/teacher (ever), Dr. Ted Coffey. I confided in him/ugly-cried through our meeting about my hurting heart - and he shared a story with me about one of his breakups. He said he'd been dumped on Christmas Day by the person he saw his entire future with and that he felt like he'd never love again in the same way. BUT, he said he never knew the greatness a love could have until his most recent relationship: "The love I have now is a Great love."

I have held those words in my heart since then and call on them when I've felt hopeless about romance. Dr. Coffey also told me in the same meeting that this would not be my last serious heartbreak (L.o.L.). #wisdom.

It is taken from the forthcoming album, Thirst. What kind of themes and experienced inspired the tracks? Was it an easy album to put together?! 

Thirst is about my quest for love: but this leg of the journey turned up all misses; the epitome of unrequited love. I'd say a quarter of the songs are about one person in particular who I chased for a couple/few years. The song, Thirsty, was the first in the series of longing songs followed by Nothing Drowns You Out; Meant for Me, One Woman Show and, finally, Great Love. Longing turns to obsession turns to insecurity - turns to anger turns, in the end, to a surrender of sorts with Great Love.

This album wasn’t exactly easy to put together - it took us several years. The last recording we put out was in 2014 - and we have been mulling over our songs and writing new things since then.

Is there a song from the album that is particularly memorable and important? 

Every song is special in a unique way to us: from the backstory to its evolution into a fully developed piece of music; but there are some really fun moments on the records beyond the songs themselves. Top-three for me are: 1) Nick’s laugh at the end of Hot Slice - because it’s so authentic and I think it’s a nice snapshot of our mood during recording (silly). 2) My dad’s voicemail from 2007 hidden somewhere in the album… oooooooo. It’s very sentimental for me and I hope other people relate to having memorable dad voicemails on your phone from ten-plus years ago? 3) Rodell Toliver’s funky voiceover in Every Single Song on My CD Is Gonna Be a Hit Pt. 1. (Yes, that’s the full title). Rodell is a talented guy and he made that song complete when he added his voiceover. Took him two tries?! He’s the man.

Not to mention he had the stomach flu while he recorded it!

How does Erin & The Wildfire write the songs? Do you all pitch in or will each member take a different song? 

Our songwriting process usually starts with me - I generate the melody, chords and lyrics for a song and then we arrange and fill in the song as a group. It’s a challenging but fulfilling process. I usually find inspiration when I'm on long drives. I have a huge 'note' in my phone that I keep adding lyrics to as they come - but I mostly record on my phone voice memo app. I can't say it's the safest process - I'm usually driving 75 M.P.H. on the interstate when a hook hits me and I have to get to voice memos on my phone - before it's gone from my brain forever.

Recently, we’ve been doing sectionals for horns and vocals to try to write and practice more carefully - and it’s going swimmingly!

PHOTO CREDIT: G. Milo Farineau

It is quite a long and ambitious track. Was it hard putting it all together or did it flow quite naturally? 

I assume you’re talking about our single, Great Love, that we just dropped. This tune was definitely out of our comfort-zone when we first tried it out but, at the same time, it was one of the most intuitive writing sessions we’ve had recently.

The thick rhythm change at the end of the tune was a new idea for us but it came together easily - and it’s one of the most fun moments of our live set for me. 

Charlottesville is where you are based. What is the music scene like there? Are there a lot of opportunities and cool places to play? 

Charlottesville, VA is great and the music scene is lovely here. It's home. But, dang, the dating-pool is small! (see: One Woman Show, Great Love).  Charlottesville has some excellent venues including The Ante Room, The Southern (our personal favourite) and a couple larger venues we’ve been lucky enough to play a few times each – The Jefferson Theater and The Pavilion.  

Charlottesville’s scene is growing and we are excited to be a part of it!

How did the band react after the riots that took place in Charlottesville a few weeks back? Was that a shocking thing for you all to see?  

A12 was an incredibly sad day for all of us...

Unfortunately, we had a show about four-hours away from home with almost no cell reception - so we were frantically trying to get in touch with our friends and family who were on the ground at the terrorist attack (and our van broke down that same day so we were scrambling to get home/find a mechanic/be near wifi to make calls etc.).

It was shocking and upsetting for us but we cannot imagine the distress and the heartbreak that the black community of Charlottesville must feel after such an ugly display of racism by Nazis and K.K.K. in their own backyard. However, we are especially proud of the resilience and grace with which our fellow C-villians and Charlottesville musicians have handled the trauma.

One week after the attack, I participated in a Come Together Charlottesville Concert that was put together by Charlottesville all-star musicians Jay Pun and Jamal Milner - hosted by The Jefferson Theater. The concert featured local musicians from a variety of genres and backgrounds and even one of the A12 victims, Micah Washington, who was brave enough to share her voice on the stage that night. We raised $7000 for the victims of the terrorist attacks but more money is needed to help get these people back on their feet.

You can donate and learn more here.

What tour dates do you have coming up? Where can we come and see you play? 

Oooooh girl; we got some shows comin’ - and more to be announced soon: 

9/21: The Camel, Richmond, VA

9/22: Chiles Peach Orchard, Crozet, VA

9/23: Starr Hill Brewery, Roanoke, VA

10/1: Jibberjazz Fest, Summit Station, PA

10/12: 622 North, Blacksburg, VA

10/13: The Southern, Charlottesville, VA

10/14: Boone Saloon, Boone, N.C.

10/20: Velvet Lounge, Washington D.C.

11/24: Rives Theater, Martinsville, VA

PHOTO CREDIT: Rick Krajnyak

Are there any plans coming to the U.K.? Have you played over here before? 

WE WISH!!!! ALL CAPS, O.M.G.

We would love to do a European tour and come to the U.K.! I’ve done a radio interview for a station there in London - when we released our last recording in 2014. Can we hang out with you guys if we tour over there?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Illiterate Light/PHOTO CREDIT: Photo Joe: Joey Wharton

Who are new acts you recommend we check out? 

We’ve been really enjoying Illiterate Light, Theo Katzman; Midnight Snack, Shagwuf; Anna Ash and Joey Dosik.

We could go on forever…

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Ash/PHOTO CREDIT: Brandon Jones

If you each had to select the album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

Ryan: Strange Mercy by St. Vincent

It pulled me out of a rut of appreciating only older music and revitalized my interest in trying new things - especially with guitar tones and technique.

Garen: Voodoo by D'Angelo

The album is flawless. The vocals, the instrumentation; the horn arrangements and the production.... absolutely nothing on the record is out of place - and the grooves are, somehow, ahead of and behind the beat at the same time. Never been out of my rotation for longer than a few weeks.  

Nick: Mine's Brother, Sister by MewithoutYou

It was the first time I realized how powerful a coherent record could be. Each song goes perfectly into the next and there’s a consistent sound without anything feeling like the same song. Listening to the drums on that album was also the first time I realized you don’t need crazy chops to have a powerful sound.

Matt: Outkast's The Love Below (one-half of a double-album: the other record is Speaxerboxxx)

It's a masterclass in thematic unity. Few albums that I know of do as good a job of exploring/employing such a wide range of styles and influences while still maintaining complete artistic cohesion throughout the work.

Austin: Earth Wind & Fire - Greatest Hits

Because catchy leads equally good backups.

Erin: Little Sparrow by Dolly Parton

It still brings tears to my eyes and reminds me of my first experiences with music. This album was my first glimpse into the soul of a truly masterful songwriter - and an expressive and unique singer. Dolly Parton's spirit inspires me to spread joy. Little Sparrow was the first album I really studied and learned with my mom growing up. The first tune I ever learned by myself for voice and guitar at age eleven was Marry Me. 

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now? 

I’d say just keep swimming.

We’ve been at it for six years now and it’s tiring, not gonna lie. Music performance is a constant series of highs and lows but, if you dig it, you dig it. I feel at my most alive when I’m performing with my friends and connecting with an audience - I crave it, actually. I’d tell them Fame is not the goal: being in the moment is the goal.

I’d also tell them: don’t listen to me because I’m a nobody - go ask someone more successful who knows what they’re doing. 

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that). 

We have been using this playlist to keep track of some of our favs recently. (Thanks so much for talking with us!).

• Something - Lalah Hathaway & Snarky Puppy

• Atomic Bomb - William Onyeabor

• Don’t Huzzle for Love - The Apostles

• In My Room - Jacob Collier

• Pray for Rain - Pure Bathing Culture

• Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna

• I Try - Macy Gray

• What’s Up - 4 Non Blondes

• Sunday Morning - No Doubt

• Back Pocket – Vulfpeck

_________

Follow Erin & The Wildfire

 Official:

https://www.erinandthewildfire.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ErinAndWildfire

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ErinandtheWildfire/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/erinandthewildfire/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/03NHhY1mdWC3Hf9uJEnomj

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8j8JBYzPOKZrrB7xwweRQ

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/erinandthewildfire

INTERVIEW: Cherryade

INTERVIEW:

 Cherryade

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ELLA and Alex are the bodies, souls and brains behind Cherryade and talk to…

me about their new single, Blah Blah. They are a fresh and colourful Pop act that looks set to make big footprints in 2018. I ask them about their future plans and how they got the duo together. The guys discuss the combinations and sounds that inspire their own music and how their songs come together – whether it is a natural thing or takes a lot of time to get together.

Alex and Ella tell me about the albums and legends that have moulded them; why their music has such a rich and instant chemistry; why they have worked with a range of different producers – and those new names we need to open our eyes to.

________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Ella: Good thanks. I just got back from Rome!

Alex: Busy!

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

We're a new Pop duo from London.

Ella: Popping cherries everywhere!

​​​​​​​

Blah Blah is the new song. It sounds quite dismissive and has a definite attitude. What provoked the song and how did you make it sound so addictive?!

Alex: Haha, thank you! We always use our music as a way of venting - so the attitude and general bitchiness is something that just comes naturally to us.

Ella: We’re nice in real life, we promise.

How does a song like that come to be? Do you both work on lyrics and write music separately? What is the process for the duo?

With this song, we were working with an amazing producer/songwriter called Dillistone and we all just sat down together drinking tea and bouncing ideas around. He was looking after a really cute sausage dog at the time - which I think helped a lot!

What was it like working with Dillistone on the track? Did you feel safe being with such a talented producer?

Alex: I genuinely think he's one of the most talented people we’ve worked with so far. He was just full of ideas and a nice guy.

It seems, even this early, you have cemented a desirable and instant sound. Is that because of the chemistry with Cherryade?

Ella: Well we've been drinking the stuff for a long time - so I think that’s bound to of had some kind of weird, chemical effect on us...

Alex: It's the additives!

Ella and Alex. Can you remember when you met? How did you discover you had similar music tastes?

Ella: We've been best friends since school!

I used to bully Alex for being ginger in the playground till I realised he had all the new C.D.s I wanted. So, we became friends and I got him to burn me copies of everything. It was great!

Alex: We also both hated that Catholic school and, once we got a bit older, started venting our thoughts into GarageBand demos - whilst getting drunk on cherryade and vodka before nights out.

Hence the name. Haha!

In terms of other musicians; who are the artists you are inspired by?

Ella: Lil’ Kim was my childhood hero! I think Grimes is awesome too.

Alex: Definitely MIA. I think that was the first gig we went to together.

Cherryade have worked with a range of different producers. Is this because you don’t want to repeat yourself - or do you feel you are free to experiment with different names?

We just love working and collaborating with different people. It’s important to us to always develop our sound and switch things up.

Ella: I think this is the best way to develop. You have to branch out and try new things and we learn something new with every song we make.

Is there more material coming? What can we expect as we head into 2018?

Alex: Yes!

Ella: We’re really going to up our game 2018: lots of stuff to come.

IN THIS PHOTO: Baby Tap

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

There's a guy called Baby Tap who's really fun and crazy. He's got a song called Hillary Duff - which is amazing.

Alex: Dominique is great as well. I’ve had her song, Use Me, on repeat.

Ella: There's a girl from Norwich called Ginny Dix as well - who has an AMAZING voice.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ginny Dix

If you each had to select the album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

Lil Kim’s Hardcore

I got it when I was eight and I had no idea what it was about - but it was pink and my favourite thing.

Alex: Ahhh, this is so tricky… I absolutely love Britney’s (Spears) Blackout album so let's go with that.

It was just really unexpected and genius Pop. I want us to make an album with Danja!

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Ella: Make spreadsheets and email everyone…

Alex: …literally…everyone.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here.

Ella: Baby Tap - Hillary Duff

Alex: Dominique - Use Me

_________

Follow Cherryade

 Official:

https://www.cherryade.co.uk/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/cherryademusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/cherryademusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/cherryademusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Z4zth26FtZ4lK2Yu9nBgV

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgHyJWhn_5Nr1nxzgjgT-6w

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/cherryademusic

INTERVIEW: Pale Honey

INTERVIEW:

 Pale Honey

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IT has been a joy speaking with Pale Honey.

The Swedish-based twosome, alongside Anders Lagerfors, create stunning and emotive music. They talk about how artists like Josh Homme and Radiohead are influential; what the music scene in Sweden is like and how they came to meet one another. The guys discuss their favourite albums and their new album, Devotion. Get These Things Out of My Head is the current single from it – they talk about its origins and history.

I ask them about tour dates and whether we will see them play the U.K. They reveal how they have evolved (in two years) since their E.P., Fiction, and what themes are explored on their new album; a great new act we should check out – and how their week has shaped up.

________

Hi, girls. How are you? How has your week been?

Hello there! We’re just great.

One of us is in Art School and the other is studying so, we have been keeping ourselves busy; planning for the album release - and tried the D.J.ing career at a Foo Fighters show in Stockholm.

All good, in other words.

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

We are Pale Honey; a Swedish band with Tuva Lodmark (on guitar and song) and Nelly Daltrey (on drums).

We enjoy beer and making music together.

Can I ask about the name, ‘Pale Honey’? Is there a particular source of inspiration for that choice?

Unfortunately, there is no epic tale of adventures behind the name: we simply decided on it because we thought it sounded good. ‘Honey’ was a particularly beautiful word to begin with but we had to add at least one word more – and, after some thinking, we decided on ‘Pale’.

Smash them together and you’ve got ‘Pale Honey’.

The album, Devotion, is out on 13th October. What can you tell us about the themes and ideas expressed on the album? What was it like recording and creating the music for it?

Besides being released on a dangerous date: the album sums up about two years of work that we started with after the release of our debut album.

It has been written between tour dates; at home and in the studio - and we’ve been very open about the songs and have been sure to give them and ourselves time to grow during this period. The overall theme is interaction, relationships between people or the relationship to yourself. However, we are open with interpretation and if a song reminds you of something entirely else than what we sing about - then that is correct too.

We were sure to give each other time to reflect and encouraged each other to try out whatever was on our minds – and, so, it was a very recreational album to record; especially since some things that are in the final mixes are taken straight from the demos.

It seems, looking at track-names like Why Do I Always Feel This Way? there are regrets and anxieties. Was it a particularly tough and transitioning time for the both of you – in terms of relationship and self-doubt?

It is a continuous process to get to know yourself and how you relate yourself to others.

In some way, yes, it was a tough time but it was tough back when we recorded the first album as well. It all comes in waves and by creating music we can put the feelings into context. It can be frustrating wanting to write ‘the perfect song, but in the end, we’re proud of what we put out.

This time around we really worked on supporting each other and as all songs are connected to us, personally. We worked on bringing forth what we really wanted to express. Even though some songs might seem to have a very set theme; we’ve worked with being open to interpretation and how we as a band could relate differently to certain situations or themes. The lyrics are all taken from our own lives, thoughts and feelings – and, if that is not a tough thing to do, then why even bother.

It’s all about expression and exploration.

What was it like working with Anders Lagerfors on the album? What did he bring to the record?

Anders has been working with us since we recorded Fiction E.P. a few years ago. Back then, he was the cool, sound technician ready to take on work as a producer – and, after some time, he decided to join us for a tour in a combi-car filled with three others and full backline… and we’ve been kind of stuck together since. Live, he rocks the guitar and sampler; filling out the roles that neither of us other two can physically do - while playing our own instruments. In the studio, he’s back to being the producer and has great ideas that we weave together into the songs.

It is a very open collaboration where we just dig into ideas and record whatever comes up.

Get These Things Out of My Head is out. Can you explain a bit about the song and where that originates from?

It is - and we are very happy about it!

The song started as a dark demo with a tonewheel organ just rolling out the melody and the pumping drums and, from there, we kept building on it. Tuva does the song melodies and, with this particular song building into something energetic but menacing, we decided to go all in for the desperation. The lyrics ended up being about O.C.D. and the frustration surrounding the state - not being in control or unable to break free from something, swapped from another; calmer demo song.

It has been two years since your eponymous debut. Do you think you have become more discerning and precise since the debut? What are the main differences one will hear on Devotion?

We do think so!

Some of the songs on our debut album we wrote as part of learning our instruments. Being on tour really made us shape up and practice by doing. For Devotion, the only older song is Golden - which was a candidate for the first album but didn’t really come together until the second album. We’ve put a lot of work into the songs of Devotion and left some candidates out - as we wanted the songs to fit together as well as they could. While not necessarily calling it discerning, we’ve simply moved on from the first album and the experiences and created a new one. Some would call it a more ‘mature’ album and we’re definitely not disagreeing - since the debut has songs collected from when we were teenagers and stressed with finishing the album.

Devotion is more well-thought-out and personal in the way that we let everything take its time and tried; rewrote and rearranged things until they sounded as we wanted. The lyrics are a real upgrade from the debut - where we didn’t have the courage to change whatever came into our minds when recording the demos.

That is something that, hopefully, people will notice the most.

Tuva and Nelly. How did you both, and Pale Honey, come together? What was it about one another that led to the formation of a duo?

We met at the start of the eighth-grade of high-school and played different instruments together as we got to know each other. It expanded to playing outside of school too and, after trying to play with others who had ideas too different from our own, we decided to get a fresh start by being just the two of us. That is probably where the duo feeling comes from but we consider ourselves to be a band - no matter how many or few we would create music with.

The roles are fluid when writing, recording and everything else that involves us. But, live, you will see us mostly playing our respective instruments.

Gothenburg is your base. It seems there is a lot of great music coming out of Sweden. Why do you think that is and is there a big scene where you are based?

Ah, the wonders of the socialistic Sweden.

We’ve wondered about this before and we would like to start off by saying that we are very lucky to have the time and opportunity to create and explore. For us, it was about finding each other and crossing paths with passionate people that kept encouraging us to make music. If more people are excited about music, it becomes contagious. Forget about the asshole musicians who brag about themselves and bring down others: the ones that support each other are the ones that are worth remembering and that have a blast together. In the end, we think, or at least hope, that music for us Swedes is all about having fun or having some way of expressing yourself.

We’ve got it pretty good here and, so, most of the Swedes could find the time to create and play music without it having a negative effect on their lives.

Who are the musicians you both grew up on – and inspired you to get into music? Do you both share similar music tastes?

When we met in high-school, we kind of flirted with each other showing each other cool bands we enjoyed listening to. Nelly showed Tuva Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal. Tuva introduced Radiohead and Jimi Hendrix (yeah, Nelly was the cooler one). So, Josh Homme has always been a great inspiration - whatever he has done has been perfect.

Nowadays, we have pretty similar music taste but we both are drawn in different directions - and that makes our creative process fun and enriching! Everyone gets a veto when we are out on tour and blasting music in the car.

What tour dates are coming up? Any plans with regards coming to the U.K.?

Yeah, we’ll do London (The Old Blue Last) the 7th November. We’re looking so much forward to that - the best burger we’ve had on tour was in England as well, and so, we really are the lucky ones to have been booked. The previous gigs we did in London have been fantastic and, as the 7th is the only date we have set in the U.K. so far for the tour, there are no excuses for showing up! Even our cowbell will be there.

The tour dates so far are the ones below, and more are currently being added and awaiting to be announced:

05/10 Linköping, SE @ John Doe; 27/10 Aalborg, DK @ 1000 Fryd; 28/10 Copenhagen, DK @Ideal Bar; 02/11 Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves; 03/11 Malmö, SE @ Plan B; 04/11 Jönköping, SE @ Hush Hush Club; 07/11 London, U.K. @The Old Blue Last; 11/11 Tollered, SE @ Smedjan; 15/11 Uppsala, SE @ Katalin; 16/11 Bollnäs, SE @ Bollnäs Konserthus; 17/11 Gothenburg, SE @Pustervik; 24/11 Oslo, NO @ Ingensteds;29/11 Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Strand

IN THIS PHOTO: ShitKid/PHOTO CREDIT: Arvid Sjöö

Who are new acts you would recommend we check out?

One day, we’ll find all the cool kids before everyone else does but, until then, we are enjoying ShitKid.

We have to let out the not-so-secret fact that we are still exploring already well-established bands ourselves - so keeping up with the unpolished gems is hard.

If you each had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would it be and why?

Tuva: In Rainbows by Radiohead

Because that’s the best album that’s ever been written.

Nelly: In Rainbows is a masterpiece - but I’ll go with Kashmir’s E.A.R

I listened to it a lot at a certain point in my life.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Keep having fun; get to know others and be kind.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

What a nice opportunity! Nelly thinks the world needs more cowbell - so let’s go for Do You Wanna Rock by Danko Jones

For Tuva; the song is Drone by Chastity Belt!

_________

Follow Pale Honey

 Official:

http://www.palehoney.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/palehoneyband

Facebook:

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

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/palehoney/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vINmZdKrgF32tSV2adC7q

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/palehoneyband

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/palehoneymusic

FEATURE: Madonna: For One, For All, For Everybody

FEATURE:

 

Madonna:

 Madonna: For One, For All, For Everybody

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THERE are few who can argue against the notion…

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna (in 1983) during 'The Lollipop Session' shoot/PHOTO CREDIT: Deborah Feingold

Madonna helped transform music upon her arrival. The reason I am focused on her is that, on 6th October, it will be thirty-five years since her single, Everybody, was released. That was the lead-off track from Madonna's eponymous debut album and a song that helped kick-start a legendary and enduring career. Holiday would arrive a year later but one cannot underestimate the importance of Everybody. The album, Madonna, was well-received by critics and gained a huge number of fans. In 1982, aged twenty-four, Madonna was living in New York and trying to establish a music career. Her then-boyfriend Steve Bray, whom she was living with, became the drummer in her band - and, between them, they changed styles in an attempt to find their niche. Madonna had a rough tape with three songs on it including Everybody – and, after splitting with Bray and being dropped by Gotham Records (Madonna was signed to them but dropped as they were unhappy with her direction), she took matters into her own hand. Frequenting the Danceteria nightclub in New York; she convinced D.J. Mark Kamins to play the song, Everybody. The song went down well and from there Kamins decided he would get Madonna a record deal. Taking it to the boss of Island Records, Chris Blackwell – on the understanding Kamins would get to produce it – it was rejected.

They went to Sire Records who offered Madonna a deal and $5,000 in advance - $10,000 in royalties for every song she wrote. The twelve-inch single of Everybody was produced by Mark Kamins at Blank Tapes Studios, New York, and recorded and their own cost (Madonna helping foot the bill). Madonna and Kamins had misunderstandings during the sessions: each differed in regards what they wanted from the song and the direction it would take. It was, despite the uncertainty, released and became a big Dance hit. It was the start of a fantastic career and, whilst not her finest single, was the introduction of a stunning and iconic talent. Madonna was offered an L.P. deal following Everybody’s success and the incredible album, Madonna, was released. She was influenced by Dance-Pop and Post-Disco at the time but struggled to shake Disco – some of the album’s songs dated and using equipment that came off as dated. Madonna looks back at the album as a missed opportunity. She hoped she would have dispensed with the Disco obsession and added a bit more variety in there. It is a bit harsh from someone who, whether she knew it or not, had created a fantastic debut album. Everything was the song that started it and showed what a talent we had in our midst.

By July of 1983 – when her eponymous debut was released – her name was well-known and she began to rise the charts and minds – touted as a future star and someone to watch closely. If reviews, in some quarters, were mixed then it would not be long until she gained the sort of praise and adulation she warranted. Her debut was a success but Madonna wanted to take control for her follow-up, Like a Virgin. The label was not ready to give her that freedom so drafted in Nile Rodgers – not bad if you need a producer to help make a hit record! That ambition and determination from Madonna was impressive to see. In an age where we see many of our mainstream stars keen to employ a multitude of people to make their music pop and shine – it is worth remembering one of music’s most iconic talents was eager to steer her music from an early stage. Steve Bray and Madonna co-wrote five songs – Madonna writing a further one herself – on the album and it is a big step from her debut album - in terms of confidence and production. There is a lot more variation and more standout songs. Into the Groove, included for the 1985 re-issue (issued outside North America) and Like a Virgin resonated with her young audience. Her knack for producing a timeless and instant Pop classic meant, upon its release, Like a Virgin saw teenagers queuing the block to get their hands on the album.

The same way teenagers queued for The Beatles’ records in the 1960s: there were masses hustling and bustling to purchase Like a Virgin. The confidence from someone so young gave many, including a lot of female fans, inspiration and guidance. Material Girl, the album’s lead-off track (and second single), is one of the most recognisable songs of the era. If some felt the irony in the song did not match the social and political climate of the time; other recognised it as a song that perfectly highlighted Madonna’s situation and rare talents. She claimed, like many, how materialism plays a big role and she had that zeal for possessions and success. The kind of men who would have been around her wanted the same things – the more meaningful aspects of life not as important. In a time when the Reagan/Thatcher era reigned: Material Girl is the antithesis of all they were promoting. Material Girl remains an iconic song and one that influenced so many people. Like a Virgin, another huge smash, had tease and sensuality. Madonna, not a virgin at the time, liked how the words did not quite make sense – how can anyone be like a virgin?! – but had a huge amount of fun playing with it. Although the biggest songs from that album did not have Madonna as a writer – she understood how the lyrics connected to her and what they meant. Madonna was a hit and that rare breed: the street-smart singer who had the glamour of Marilyn Monroe. Witty, teasing and strident: few artists could claim to have that same pedigree and variation.

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna in 1984

Few female artists were exerting their sexuality in the mid-1980s – it was the male artists who were the most ‘confident’ and accepted in this sense. Like a Virgin opened the door for an artist who did not want to be a girl and commercial puppet – different from the controlled Pop stars that were projecting a sweet and twee image at the time. True Blue was released shortly after Like a Virgin. The prolificacy of Madonna was incredible at the time. This sense of expeditiousness did not lead to sloppy and hurried material. True Blue was a different beast to what had come before. Madonna became bolder and more confident at this time. She addresses issues like teen pregnancy and the ups-and-downs of life. Married to Sean Penn at the time; she produced the album with Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard. There was more incorporation of Classical music in order to attract older listeners – who were jaded and sceptical of her past work. That mix of youthful and mature meant it became a hugely influential work in the vanguard of late-1980s/early-1990s Pop. The global success of the album meant Madonna’s celebrity rose. The album spent thirty-four consecutive weeks at the top of the European Top 100 Albums chart and was the top-selling album of 1986. Like a Prayer and Erotica capitalised on True Blue and saw her gain the acclaim she had been craving. Unlike her early career; Like a Prayer was released after a three-year gap.

Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard and Prince on the album and took a more involved role than at any other time – co-producing and co-writing all the songs. Like a Prayer, as the title might suggest, is a more introspective work and dealt with subjects like her mother’s death – she died when Madonna was young – and familial bonds. The album was a turning-point that saw the superstar change from the colourful and cute girl of Madonna to the adult and accomplished woman of Like a Prayer. Such a transformation over the years meant critics referred to Madonna as an ‘artist’ – as opposed to a Popstar. 1992’s Erotica was the sound of Madonna embracing something she had denounced for years – a calculated and cold figure. The album tackled sex and romance through the guise of her alter ego, Mistress Dita (inspired by actress Dita Parlo). A couple of songs address AIDS – Madonna had two close friends who were affected by the disease - but, for the most part, Erotica tackled sex and physicality. Madonna set up her own Maverick Records and released the album on the label – showing how keen she was for autonomy and control of her own vision. It was another big step and a surprising turn from an artist impossible to predict. The artists who, only an album or two earlier, has been talking about sex and satisfaction was discussing love and relationships.

IN THIS PHOTO: The cover-art for the Erotica track, Rain

Madonna was in her thirties at this time so it might have seemed inappropriate to project the same persona as the Madonna-era sweetheart. That said, it would have been as easy to produce something safe and commercial – as she was the biggest music star on the planet at the time. Bedtime Stories, released in 1994, took Madonna into ballad territory and saw the complete change from sexy and vixen-like Pop artist. 1994 was a year when huge albums from Oasis (Definitely Maybe), Green Day (Dookie) and Portishead (Dummy) defined the times. It would have been a huge misstep recording an album that eschewed that and continued her 1980s sound. Madonna needed to move with the changing times and tastes and, in Bedtime Stories, produced an album that ably slotted into a fantastic year for music. Another four years past but, the difference between her previous gaps and this was the fact 1998’s Ray of Light was the biggest transformation and evolution of Madonna’s career. Released by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records; its recording began after the birth of Madonna’s first child. Babyface, Patrick Leonard and William Orbit assisted with production and it was Orbit’s inclusion that defined the album. The English producer took Madonna’s music in a more Dance-orientated direction. There were hardware issues – recording halted until equipment could be fixed – but, once it was all running, the Electronica, Techno-Pop fusions (with Trip-Hop and House) were worth the wait.

Vocally, Madonna showed greater breadth and depth than ever before: lyrics more spiritual and deeper than previous records. Mysticism and spirituality played a big role with Hinduism, Kabbalah and Buddhism guides for Madonna. I love Madonna 1980s work but feel Ray of Light is her finest track. Few artists have the same durability as her so it would have understood were Ray of Light to be a final fling too far. As it stands; the album is deemed one of the best of the decade – one of the best from the legendary U.S. artist. Madonna’s name can be found on every track and it continued her desire to see her work projected and represented the way she wanted it to be. The adventurousness and maturity from Ray of Light impressed critics – the album scored massive reviews and won four Grammy Awards. The album reached number-one in many critics and the blend of softer Pop numbers and deep, immersive Electro numbers demonstrated what variation Madonna had in her arsenal. Ray of Light helped bring Electronic music into the mainstream. To that point, aside from one or two artists putting out similar albums, Electronic music was reserved to raves and underground parties. Madonna solidified and visualised a wonderful movement that was allowed to breathe and evolve. It seems everyday and unremarkable today but, back in 1998, Ray of Light was a hugely vital work.

It brought Electronic music to new audiences and got it out of the basement. Other important breakthroughs – spiritualism and meditation brought into mainstream music; Indian fashions (which one can see in the video for Frozen) assimilated – meant the always-influential musician continued to break ground and push boundaries. Songs such as Frozen and Ray of Light showed the polemic nature of the album. The former is a rushing and heady smash that talked about the changes – fast and consistent – that shaped Madonna’s life. Motherhood, spirituality and creative shift all reflected in a song that became a huge hit when it was released in May (1998). Frozen talks about cold and emotionless humans and was deemed a masterpiece by many critics. Such a difference from what one was accustomed to: the song stunned many and showed what a chameleon-like presence Madonna remains. Frozen has simple themes/lyrics but is a grand statement and one of the finest songs from Madonna’s catalogue. Six albums have been released since Ray of Light and, whilst none have equalled the majesty of Ray of Light, they have shown Madonna is someone in no mood to slow and resist – 2000’s Music was a perfect start to the decade and another incredible release. That record stepped away from pure Electronic and brought in new genres like Country and Folk. The need to remain agile and moving meant it gained critical acclaim and was another big-selling release.

Standouts Don’t Tell Me, Music and What It Feels Like for a Girl became radio staples and brought Madonna’s music to new audiences. American Life, released in 2003, did not receive massive applause but many noted it confrontational style and need to move forward – taking another step in terms of creativity and style and pushing her music forward. Confessions on a Dance Floor was a more successful release and, out in 2005, was the tenth studio album from Madonna. 1970s Disco meant it was a completely different album to American Life and brought in Stuart Price as a co-conspirator. Critics lauded the return-to-form for the Queen of Pop and returned her music to the core audience and original discovery – the 1980s, when her early albums embraced Disco and the clubs. Maybe the fact it was her tenth album – and over twenty years since her debut – but there was a pleasing circulatory about Confessions on a Dance Floor. In many ways; the albums that followed mirrored Madonna’s early-career trajectory. From the Madonna/Like a Virgin dance and discovery of Confessions on a Dance Floor came the more charged and revealing Like a Prayer/Erotica themes of Hard Candy. Admittedly, as the title shows, it is a more middle-aged version of that but no less saucy and provocative. Collaborators like Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake ensured Madonna remained current and contemporary: Hard Candy was a move towards R&B (something not explored in previous released).

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna during the Music photoshoot

The songs are not as controversial and boundary-pushing as Erotica and Like a Prayer but are autobiographical and reflective. Madonna, on Hard Candy, mixed sweetness and boldness without offending and shocking – remaining focused and solid. MDNA, referencing the drug MDMA (ecstasy), brought in a number of producers and, compared to her previous few albums, was a messier and less impressive work. There were highlights but showed defiance and attack. This was the first post-Guy Ritchie record and saw the divorced Madonna in a different headspace to, say, Music. 2015’s Rebel Heart found Madonna returning to the peak days of the mid-1980s and early-2000s. The songs are sturdier and less scattershot. The quality, whilst not to her high standard, is more noticeable than it was on MDNA and critics found Rebel Heart a more satisfying and consistent body of work. Who knows when the next Madonna album will appear but one is unlikely to predict what it will contain. The astonishing talent, since her debut, has not stopped or stood still for a moment. Everybody is almost thirty-five but remains that spark that lit the fuse – and the explosion that followed. I am excited to see what comes next but felt compelled to look back and chart the amazing music career of Madonna. I have not mentioned her epic stage shows but her sense of performance, theatrics and show(wo)manship is undeniable. A staggering icon who has changed music – let’s hope this continues for many years to come! On 6th October, when Everybody celebrates that anniversary, it provides everyone with a chance to look back on the career of Madonna and see just how far she has come. Many have tried to emulate her but, since that 1982-introduction, there has been nobody in music…

QUITE like her.

INTERVIEW: The Kondoors

INTERVIEW:

 The Kondoors

________

JESS and Gavin are a wonderful duo that makes up The Kondoors.

I have known them for a while and can appreciate what a solid and impressive force they are – a married couple of the same musical soul and mind. I wanted to talk to them about their upcoming single, Mr Rain. It is out on 6th October and talks about the resolution of love; the light at the end of the tunnel. I quiz the duo on their musical background and how they met; whether we are going to see any more material later this year and what they have planned.

They discuss the artists who have helped mould them and the people influential to them; how their careers have evolved and how their paths intertwined and merged.  

________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been? 

Hi! Yeah, we're good thanks.

It's been incredibly busy few weeks for us. We just came back from Wales recording our album!

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

Yes. We are The Kondoors, A.K.A. Jess Greenfield and Gavin Conder. We are married - despite our different surnames. Haha! 

Mr Rain is your forthcoming single. What can you tell me about the song and how it came to life? 

That song came about after Gav was playing around with the first few chords when I was making dinner one night.

It was really catchy and knew he was on to something. It took a while to write it as we'd keep coming back to it adding bits and scrapping them. The idea behind it really was that we wanted to write a positive uplifting song that reflected the positive shift in our relationship.

We had been through so much sh*t and it felt like we had turned a corner. 

Jess and Gav. You are a couple. Were you in a duo together before embarking on a relationship – or was it the other way around? 

No. We met nearly fourteen years ago through a mutual friend who was running a band.

Gav was fronting it and they were looking for a female singer. That's when we first sung together (then). Once we became a couple (not long after), we thought we'd do some stuff together - just singing covers to earn money. It was only recently really that we wanted to make a real go of things, musically - doing what we wanted and putting our heart and soul into it.

Does being in a relationship make songwriting easier? How much of your relationship and experiences with love enforce your music? 

It is basically the crux of everything we write about, to be honest.

It is not easy to write together initially as we argue but then we somehow stumble on an idea or lyric and then it flows.

Sometimes, the songs pull on so many experiences and feelings that they are hard to sing. 

Can we expect an E.P. or album from you guys in the coming months? 

Yes, both!

Our E.P. will be out at the end of the year and we have just finished our album - and that will be out next year. We did the album at Monnow Valley in Wales live with a nine-piece band and co-produced it with Paul Stacey (Oasis/Black Crowes).

Tell me how you both got into music. Did you both start out coverings or were you part of bands? 

Gav: I guess I got into music initially for the Rock and Roll aspect of it. I didn't start singing till I was about seventeen and I managed to get into a Soul covers band - and I realised that I could make a living out of it. I had always written songs though and always knew I wanted to be an artist. I began to meet really great musicians who introduced me to other great musicians and so on.

That's, in the end, how I met Jess. I always loved 1970s Soul and Rock - so it feels great to be writing and performing music of a similar style.

Jess: I was always around music from a very early age. My dad is a musician and I spent a lot of my childhood going around music shops and watching his gigs. I remember first going to Ronnie Scott’s aged (about) three or four! I realised I could sing aged fifteen and, after that, there was nothing else I wanted to do. I started off in covers bands and then doing lots of sessions etc. (same as Gavin).

Our lives have been incredibly parallel with each other. It's weird!

Who are the musicians that influenced you both, growing up? How important are your early experiences with music? 

Jess: Well; number-one is my dad. He not only taught me about great music but great feel and a strong work ethic. All the music he and my mum played have shaped who I am a musician. I grew up listening to lots of Latin and Soul; Funk and Rock - George Benson, Miami Sound Machine; Donny Hathaway, Stevie and so many more (from my dad) - and lots of World music and, of course, artists like The Beatles and Paul Simon from my mum.

Gav: I always loved bands like Pearl Jam and Metallica growing up. My parents were into Rock and then I heard Stevie Wonder - and my eyes were opened. 

I can see you guys have performed some great gigs lately. Which dates stick in the mind and what have your recent gigs been like? 

Probably the Meraki Festival in St. Albans.

It was our first time on a main stage and it felt amazing. Our most recent gig was at Pizza Express in Holborn and it went down really well. We sold it out too, so that was good!

The Kondoors have so many fans and get a lot of love on social media. How much does that mean to you and what message would you give to them? 

It means everything to us. Really.

To know that people like what we do and tell their friends about it is incredible. We would like to say the biggest thank you - and to keep supporting us as that's what keeps us going.

Have you got any plans for later this year? Will you get much chance to spend with family at all? 

Jess: I am doing a tour with John Illsley from Dire Straits for a couple of weeks, so that will be fun. Mainly though, we will be getting finishing touches done on the album.

What tour dates do you guys have coming up? 

We don't have any tour dates yet. I think next year we will do more live stuff.

IN THIS PHOTO: Rider

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Yes; our friend Rider. She's incredible, both vocally and as a producer. She writes the most epic, heartfelt Pop.

Also; Vivienne Chi. Such an original artist with a really distinctive sound and voice.

If you each had to select the album that means the most to you; which would they be and why? 

Jess: Probably Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morisette

What an amazing album. I think I had felt every emotion listening to that album. I think it helped me get through my teenage years, to be honest -  amazing songwriting and vocals.

Gav: Hard question. Probably Voodoo by D'Angelo. The playing on it is incredible - and he's like the modern-day James Brown.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

It's a tough world to get into. Keep your eyes on what you want and don't be scared to do stuff yourself. Don't ever wait for anyone. If you believe in what you do and do it; someone will step in and help you with your journey.

Be nice and know what you want.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here.

Jess: I Believe (When I Fall in Love) - Stevie Wonder

We walked down the aisle to that song after we said our vows on our wedding day.

Gav: Circles by Vinegar Joe

It's just a great song. 

_________

Follow The Kondoors

 Official:

http://www.thekondoors.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thekondoors

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thekondoors/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thekondoors/?hl=en

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/39g2xWWF8DlrxwySF50uWZ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNrfai6a3ywMFEcZWROQ-2w

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-kondoors

INTERVIEW: Sarah Hiltz

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Michaelis 

Sarah Hiltz

________

CANADIAN artist Sarah Hiltz talks to me…

about her new track, Without You. She is a singular talent whose voice is very much her own. A blend of different genres; she has echoes of greats like Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell. I chat to her about the new single, Without You, and what we can expect from her forthcoming album, Beauty in the Blue. I find out about Hiltz’s musical past and the artists she is inspired by; what subjects inspire her music - and whether she is coming to the U.K. anytime soon.

Hiltz talks about long-term collaborators, Jordan Michaelis and David Puzak, and what the Canadian music scene is like; why her new album returns to a Folk sound – and which memories of the year stick in her mind.

________

Hi, Sarah. How are you? How has your week been?

Busy, busy! (And a little sad).

I always feel a bit melancholy and nostalgic when September rolls around.

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

Yeah! I’m an independent Canadian musician, based in Toronto.

I draw mostly from Folk and Jazz influences. Most of my songwriting focuses on finding a way to communicate the complexities of human relationships.

Without You is your new track. What can you reveal about its background and inspiration

Without You came after a long period of watching someone close to me struggle with severe depression. I’m kind of a slow processor, so it took me a long time to realize how much I was also affected by proximity. I think most of us don’t want our own pain to negatively affect the people close to us - but love doesn’t work that way. It hurts to see someone you love suffering; their pain doesn’t stop with themselves.

So, the song is kind of my way of saying, ‘hey, I’m on this road with you and we either fight or we fail together’.

It seems, from listening to the track, there is that difficulty balancing the effects of depression and maintaining a contented relationship. Was it quite hard putting that onto the page?

Yeah. It took a long time for me to be able to find the right way to describe my internal thoughts.

I spent a lot of time focusing outward; trying to tell myself ‘this isn’t about me’ - which is maybe true, in some way - but you can’t live life close together and not be deeply affected by each others’ pain. I think for me to be a better source of support - it was important for me to recognize that. But, also, important to find a way to communicate that in a way that, hopefully, doesn’t sound like blame.

I was going more for solidarity.  

The album, Beauty in the Blue, is approaching. Can you tell me the stories and influences on the record? How much of your travels – and time as a travelling musician – go into the album?

It plays a big part, I think...

In Canada, there’s a program for artists to perform onboard our cross-country train in exchange for travel. I’ve done that trip several times and quite a few songs on the album are a direct result of that. Some of them are inspired by people I met: some are made of lyrics that I wrote while on the train… aside from all the strangers you meet and get to know on the train; it’s also really inspiring to see Canada that way.

There’s a lot of built-in time for reflection with nowhere to go and little in the way of distractions - which helps me to focus in on writing lyrics.

On it, you work with long-term collaborators Jordan Michaelis and David Puzak. What was it like working with the guys on the record?

Oh man, so great.

I love playing with them both - they sense so well where I’m going and what I’m trying to do. I’m so grateful I was able to have them in the studio with me. More than just laying down parts; they helped me express something beyond what I could capture alone - it wouldn’t be the same record without them.

It’s also the first time I’ve produced a recording that sounds like what I’m feeling or thinking - and that has a lot to do not only with Jordan and Dave and Kevin (Engineer and Co-Producer); but with everyone who worked on the album being willing to engage with the central message or theme of each song.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jo Elis

The L.P. sees a return to Folk-driven sounds. Was this a conscious decision or did the experiences you went through demand a more contemplative and emotive direction?

In a way, it was a conscious decision.

Before we started recording, Jordan, Dave and I had been playing as a Folk-trio for a couple years. After a bunch of shows around Toronto - and a tour in Ireland and the U.K. - we had developed a certain energy - and I wanted to capture that dynamic in the studio. Most of the beds for each track are the three of us playing live in the studio.

After that, I wanted to fill in the gaps with whatever felt most natural and, usually, that was something that fell inside of a modern-Folk kind of sound. 

Is there a particular song on the album that encapsulates the entire spirit (of the record) – the one that has a particularly strong connection?!

I feel a pretty strong connection to them all.

They all seem to take turns being the thing that best expresses where I’m currently at - show-to-show, day-to-day. But, I do think of I Took a Risk as the sort of thesis statement for the record as a whole. It talks about a need to do things for myself, in my own way, and the sometimes-paralyzing self-doubt I experience after making a decision to do just that.

It’s the song that expresses my desire for clarity - and all the songs that follow are examples of me trying to find it in a particular situation.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jo Elis

You are based in Toronto. What is the music scene like there and is it a part of the world, you think, more eyes should be trained on?

In terms of creators, I think it’s a really special place.

Toronto is home to such a wide variety of people from all over the world so the scope of music is really diverse and unique. It’s so interesting to hear where different genres and traditions meet and overlap. In terms of the industry, it’s a challenging place to survive as an independent musician: the city being as expensive as it is (the rent here, I tell ya!)

Who are the artists that compelled you to get into music? Can you remember the first musician that stuck in the mind and struck the heart?

Haha, yes. But I was really young, okay?

I think the first female musician I became aware of was Amy Grant. I remember my parents playing one of her cassettes at home and I was in the living-room and listening to it thinking, ‘I want to do what she’s doing when I grow up.’ She was just so cool with her leopard-print jacket and long, curly hair! I was three-years-old then and that was the moment I decided I wanted to sing.

I also have very early recollections of Neil Young and, having grown up an hour from Detroit, a lot of Motown artists (Martha and the Vandellas; early-Stevie Wonder) that have dug into my subconscious.

PHOTO CREDIT: Tammy Foster

What tour dates do you have coming up? Any plans playing the U.K. this/next year?

I have a release-show on November 7th in Toronto and some dates in Western Canada later this year. I’m considering a return to the U.K. next fall but it’s unconfirmed at this point - still exploring to find the right venues and see if it will be feasible or not.

This year is nearing its end. Which memories have stuck out as being particularly special?

One really special night was the beginning of this year: I rang in the New Year on a train somewhere close to Edmonton, Alberta with a group of travellers from all over the world. As the night got later, and people started heading to bed, I was up in the dome car (where the roof and walls are all windows) with a just a few people.

Eventually, one of the staff came up and handed us the last open bottle of champagne - and said he was going to bed. We polished it off and sat watching fireworks over the city from a distance - and talked about the people we love and about music.

That night definitely stands out.

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Some of my favourite Toronto artists - Running Red Lights, Megan Bonnell and Abigail Lapell.

IN THIS PHOTO: Running Red Lights

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis

This was the first record I heard by Miles Davis - and it was like nothing I’d ever heard before. I love the vibe, the arrangements and the melodies. You can really feel the energy of the group…even after all this time.

Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris

I never get tired of this album. Her voice is so unique. I love the songwriting and storytelling but, also I love, love, love the production by Daniel Lanois. It’s a Folk/Country album - but isn’t overly earthy or rootsy.

There’s something mysterious about it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Michaelis

Emily’s D+Evolution by Esperanza Spalding

I heard the first single off this record – One - and was just floored by the melody. Esperanza Spalding is constantly pushing musical boundaries: every record she makes has its own special thing. I can hear the Joni Mitchell influence on this one and, as a fan of them both, it’s really interesting to hear that influence through Spalding’s lens. It’s also encouraging to hear someone as established as her make a record so outside-the-box.

It really defies categorization.   

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Create as much as you can. Don’t let perfectionism stop you from completing something and moving on.

I’m still trying to learn that lesson - but I can see where it’s held me back.   

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

New Jerusalem by Cam Maclean!

Cam and I met as teens in our hometown - we took guitar lessons from the same teacher. I’ve always loved his songwriting - but this new recording may be my favourite-ever of his.

_________

Follow Sarah Hiltz

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Michaeli 

Official:

http://sarahhiltz.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/srhiltz

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/srhiltz

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/srhiltz/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6v7CWQlGkyYa52Yc8ehmMX

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/srhiltz

BandCamp:

https://sarahhiltz.bandcamp.com/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/srhiltz

INTERVIEW: HIGHLIVES

INTERVIEW:

 HIGHLIVES

________

IF a band can accrue a large following on social media…

they are in a good position of authority. That may seem axiomatic but HIGHLIVES’ credibility and popularity stems from the strength of their sound – not some shallow sense of fame and looks. The boys are, admittedly, not ugly but they trade on quality music. I talk to the guys about their new single, Nothing Left, and what the song is about; whether there will be an E.P. following and what their tour diary is looking like.

I ask about how they connect emotions and relationships to their music and how their new music differs to the 2015-released E.P., Misguided Youth; how they all got together at the start – and what the origin of that unique band-name is.

________

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please? 

Ben: Hey. We are HIGHLIVES: a Pop-Punk band based in Bristol, U.K.

What is the origin of that band-name, ‘HIGHLIVES’?

Liam: The name was decided before the band was fully-formed - we just thought it sounded cool.

Tell me about the single, Nothing Left. What compelled it and can you remember the moment it was written? 

Ben: Liam came over to my house with the lyrics finished and within half an hour we had the majority of the song written. After that, we went to Jordan’s to record a demo and came up with some lead guitar - and over time; James came up with the bass and Steve wrote the drums.

How connected to personal realisations/experiences is the song?

From my own interpretation of the song; I feel that it is about giving it your all in a relationship and it all falling apart anyway – which, I think, a lot of people can relate to.

It has been premiered here and the U.S. Is it flattering having American sources backing your music? 

I think it’s crazy how people in other countries are listening to our music - let alone media outlets working with us.

Is this single going to lead to a new E.P. or album? 

We don't have any plans set in stone yet but we are always writing new material - so there may be something coming soon.

How does your new material differ, it at all, to your 2015-E.P., Misguided Youth? 

Liam: Nothing Left, in particular, is a lot more Pop-y than most of our previous stuff. We've never really stuck to one sound though - so it's difficult to compare them as each song we put out tends to be very different to the last.

Can you tell me how you all got together? Was it an instant chemistry in the HIGHLIVES camp? 

We all met through friends or friends of friends...

It took some time to learn how to work best with each other- but, now, ideas bounce quite easily off of each other. We often stick to particular ways of doing things like songwriting and organising shows - because we've figured out what works best for us as a collective and makes us most productive.

Did you all share a love of the same acts (when you met)? Who are the artists you all grew up listening to?

Ben: We all like different bands. Growing up, I always loved Sum 41, The Offspring; Blink-182 and Good Charlotte. The first C.D. I ever owned myself was Blink's self-titled album.

Who are new acts you recommend we check out? 

Better than Never: best band ever!

If you had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would it be and why? 

All Killer No Filler by Sum 41. My dad has owned the album for as long as I can remember and I've always loved it.

Finally, and for being good sports, you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that) 

Learning to Swim by Better than Never

__________

Follow HIGHLIVES

 Official:

http://highlivesuk.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/highlivesuk

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/HighlivesUK/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/highlivesuk/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ci7ueg0h2IfN6KBiQaGoj

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/HighlivesUK/videos

BandCamp:

https://highlives.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Michael Oakley

INTERVIEW:

 Michael Oakley

________

ONE cannot begrudge the excellent Michael Oakley for…

slightly delaying sending back my interview. He was, rather selfishly, getting married and moving to Canada. I speak to the Scottish-born musician about his new video, Turn Back Time, and what it was like to shoot. Oakley chats about the concept and the stories within his E.P. He is a fan of 1980s music and has a real passion for the synthesiser. I ask him about the artists he grew up with and what it is about the 1980s that strikes him.

Oakley reflects on recent changes in his life and what the future holds; whether there will be new tour dates – and what advice he would offer any new musicians emerging.

________

Hi, Michael. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey…well, funny you should ask... my week has been totally crazy!

I just got married to my amazing, beautiful wife in Canada - and we have spent the past week with my family and her family (which has been really nice).

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

I'm a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland and I love writing and producing retro-sounding, 1980s-inspired Electronic music.

What can you tell me about the song, Turn Back Time? What is the inspiration behind it?

Turn Back Time was written at the end of 2016 when I was seeing a girl I used to know from high-school - and we were getting on great…or so I thought. She cut me off and started seeing someone else without telling me - and I found out from one of her friends that it was because she didn't think I was all that interested in her…which I was totally surprised by. I was left with an overwhelming feeling of wishing I had made more of an effort and not been so cautious - maybe things would have been different if I had.

So; that was definitely the starting point for the concept of the song and, while writing it, I thought a lot about how, when you break up with someone and move on, you still sometimes have those moments of remembering how you felt when you were with them - when things were good and wishing you could be back in that moment; even just for a little while to feel the way you used to feel and remember what it felt like when they loved you. 

Musically, I wanted the song to have a John Hughes movie soundtrack feel to it - so, I started playing with those kinds of sounds to build the emotional backdrop for the lyrics.

It seems to, appropriately, hark back to the 1980s. What is about the decade, and Electro music, that appeals to your creative sensibilities?

Well, for me, the 1980s is the greatest decade for music…

It's a time when everything was really vibrant, colourful and larger-than-life. It's the decade which has always emotionally moved me the most - and hit me in the feels - and made me feel warm and fuzzy inside for sure - as well as sparking my lifelong love for synthesisers. 

The video looked like it was awesome to shoot. Where was it filmed and whose concept was it?

Yeah. I had the most amazing time shooting my video!

It was filmed in Long Beach, California with my great friend Brad Kinnan and Joshua Paul Millar. When Brad and I met to talk about it, we didn't really know initially what the concept of the video was going to be - other than getting a DeLorean car and revolving it around that! I then had an idea of the video revolving around a happy relationship but, at the end, you find out the girl is really dead - and what you were watching was my memories. I liked the idea of that being a sort of metaphor for what it feels like when someone you love walks out of your life...

Certainly, the person you knew and shared your life with no longer exists: the way you knew them and all you're left with is memories. It was Brad's girlfriend Madison who suggested we make the video mostly first-person perspective; from me having the memories and focus on the girl in the video, Camille Prior - who was absolutely fantastic as my dead girlfriend.

She brought a wonderful charm and melancholy to the video that was perfect. The DeLorean was great because I'm a HUGE Back to the Future fan, but for me, Camille is the centrepiece that really made the video incredibly special.

Looking at the video and it seems you have a future as a bit of an actor. Has going into T.V. and film, as an actor or composer, ever appealed to you?

Haha! Well you know I felt quite at home being filmed, believe it or not. I thought I would get all self-conscious and flaky when the camera started rolling - but I managed to slip into character and, luckily, it translated back well on scree…so, phew!

I don't know if I'll be making a cameo appearance in Game of Thrones anytime soon, though.

Is it true your sister got you into the synth. music of the 1980s? Do you give her royalties for that great tip – or tell yourself you would have discovered the music without her help?

Well... I had to wait till she went to work first before I could sneak in and listen to it!

Then, make sure I had dusted my fingerprints off all the L.P.'s and put everything back EXACTLY how she left it when I was finished. L.o.L. 

IMAGE CREDIT: Tony Skeor

Who are the artists from that time that first struck your ears?

New Order, Pet Shop Boys; Depeche Mode, Erasure; Duran Duran and Tears for Fears were definitely the first artists that I got obsessively into.

I still love them now just as much as when I first heard them.

How instrumental was the music you were brought up to where you are now? Do you think music peaked in the 1980s – or is there something about the decade that stands out to you?

I would say that, contrary to what a lot of people I know, think; I really believe this is a great time for new music right now. We live in the recycled generation where, creatively-speaking, we're taking the most beloved elements from past decades; fusing them together to make something completely new - but with modern production techniques.

I also think it's great that anyone can now buy a laptop and start making music easily - and have access to the kind of creative studio tools which weren't easily available and affordable ten or twenty years ago.

Everyone has a level platform to express themselves with, musically - and that, in itself, is amazing.

IMAGE CREDIT: Tony Skeor

How much of your E.P. deals with personal events and romantic fall-out? Was there a time, when everything was going wrong - and you felt that music was the best way to make sense of things?

Yes, absolutely.

I started writing California shortly after a very painful break-up with someone I was in a long-term relationship with. I was completely lost in every way - emotionally and spiritually. The one good thing that came from that was that I started writing again after a long period of not doing so. I felt I had something to say and needed a place to channel my despair - and writing music was my kind of cathartic way of processing everything going on in my life.

Every song on the E.P. is a love song in all the different shades you can have: a love lost, a love found and a love you're trying to find. I didn't intend to write music again for anyone else to hear except me - which I think is why it's so retro-sounding. I decided to make the kind of music I loved listening to when I was a kid just for me - and I was shocked and overwhelmed at how well my music been received so far. 

California is the name of the E.P. You took a trip there to see John Glenn Kunkel from The New Division. How did you two spark up a friendship and how important is his friendship to your life?

Well. Apart from being a massive fan of The New Division; I had also heard and loved John's solo-work on other projects; so I contacted him in the middle of 2016 and, from that, we started talking - and I asked if he would help me with my album which, thankfully, he agreed to do!

John is one of the most talented guys I've ever met and it was a real honour for me watching him work in the studio. He's the melodic master when it comes to getting detail on a track and finding what parts melodically complement each other - and changing parts that don't so that the music flows and builds naturally.

I think I drove him crazy towards the end of the sessions with my overly-obsessive ways when I'm in a studio working! But John is one of only a few people I trust enough to just sit back and let him take complete creative control on my songs - when I feel I have taken them as far as I can and need direction to get me back in ‘the zone’.

I'm heading back to Los Angeles in a few weeks’ time so it will be great to hang out with John and my fellow bro-ducers who helped me on the album - but this time, in a non-musical capacity but, knowing us, we'll probably end up working on something one of us has started! 

IMAGE CREDIT: Tony Skeor

What was it like recording in California? Did it provide some reflection and was it the perfect place to rebuild and find some peace?

California, for me, is the most beautiful place in the world. I travelled over 6000 miles to record my album there, in Los Angeles, with some of the most amazing musicians I've ever met - and to have a life-changing experience.

It's definitely the best thing I've ever done and was great to step outside my normal life back home; to finish what I started but, you know, I went there thinking all I was doing was recording an album and having an extended holiday - when really what I was doing was making some great new friendships - and meeting and falling in love with my now-wife. 

IMAGE CREDIT: Tony Skeor

How did it feel heading home after that time? Were you in a better space or was there a lot to sort out?

When I returned home, I was initially elated from my trip but quickly I felt frustrated and unhappy.

I think I thought I would go away and do what I wanted to do: have a holiday and come back to my old life refreshed and ready to carry on as normal. In reality, my experiences had changed me and I couldn't continue with my old life.

I connected with my true calling again and fell back in love with writing music - and I guess with life, also. I had met someone wonderful that I wanted to be with permanently who lived half the world away.

So, yeah, that was hard to deal with because I felt trapped - and it took a few months to slowly transition away from that and leave Scotland.

Glasgow is your home. What is the city like for a musician such as yourself? Are there a lot of artists who play the same kind of music?

I'm now living in Canada with my wife but Glasgow will always be my homeland: I just haven't had enough time to miss it yet.

I think there are a lot of musicians living in Glasgow but opportunities to be successful and break out are very limited. You can try to build a fanbase online independently however, depending on what style of music you make, it can be almost impossible to break through without any help and outside support. I was lucky that I was in the right place at the right time when I started writing again. I sent the first song I finished, Rabbit in the Headlights, to online music station New Retro Wave and, to my surprise, they loved it and put it up on their station.

The reaction I got from that was unlike anything I have ever experienced - and I think the video is now sitting at 150,000 plays…which is insane. 

What tour dates are coming up? Where can we come and see you play?

I can't wait to play live but, as yet, I haven't got any plans to tour until 2018 - so watch this space…

IN THIS PHOTO: Ulrich Schnauss

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Artists I've been listening to recently are Ulrich Schnauss, The New Division; Missing Words, FM-84; The Midnight, Talamanca and deadmau5.

PHOTO CREDIT: Brad A. Kinnan Photo + Video

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would it be and why?

Ulrich Schnauss – Goodbye

For me, Ulrich Schnauss is the king of Electronic music. I don't think anyone makes a synthesizer talk as expressively and emotionally as he does. It's hard for me to pick one favourite Ulrich album but, if I was pushed, it would be this. Goodbye is a hauntingly beautiful album. 

Jimmy Webb - Ten Easy Pieces

Although I love Electronic music and retro-sounding stuff; I also have a love for Acoustic singer-songwriters. Jimmy Webb is one of those songwriters from the golden-era who wrote for Frank Sinatra and Glen Campbell. He never took the centre-stage and always wrote songs for other artists. On his fiftieth birthday; he decided to record himself singing his ten most-popular songs - just him on the piano…and it's one of the most beautiful albums ever recorded. 

Depeche Mode – Violator

This is the band and album that changed my life. When I first heard Enjoy the Silence, as an eight-year-old kid, I knew immediately that electronic music and synthesizers were my future as a musician. If The Beatles spawned a whole generation of kids in the 1960S - to want to pick up a guitar - then Depeche Mode are the band that spawned a generation of kids in the 1980s - to want to pick up a synthesiser. I love this album so much that I have the rose from the album cover tattooed on my arm. 

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now? 

Always keep your music and artistic expression pure.

Don't get side-tracked, mentally, with making money from your music - or how other people are going to respond to your music. You're making music for the love of doing it and for you and no-one else. You then sell that love you have for it more than the actual music itself. It doesn't matter if you aren't talented enough or don't have the right equipment - or if you don't really know what kind of music you want to make and lack direction. All that will come in time as you develop but, right now, make a decision to be creative with what you have - and keep moving forward.

I used to be in bands before writing and singing my songs which, looking back, weren't great but it was all part of my developmental journey. I still don't think I have reached that point yet where I feel accomplished or anywhere near as good a writer as the people I listen to and respect – which, I think, is a good thing.

There’s always room to grow - no matter what level you're at.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

John Waite - Missing You

This is one of my all-time favourite songs. I'm a sucker for a power-ballad…

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Follow Michael Oakley

 Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MichaelOakleySW

Facebook:

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Instagram:

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SoundCloud:

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INTERVIEW: Ali Tommis

INTERVIEW:

 Ali Tommis

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THERE is no doubting Ali Tommis is a busy man right now…

what with the video for Leave It All Behind fresh in the ether – it was released on Sunday. He talks about the E.P. of the same name and the kind of music he grew up listening to. I ask him about his E.P. and what it was like recording it; why it has a piano-driven feel and the sort of events that compelled its best moments. He discusses his musical progression and how he transformed from a hopeful young artist to someone who is gaining a lot of attention.

Tommis looks ahead to tour dates and reflects on the time that has passed – and recommends a musical name worth keeping our eyes out for.

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Hi, Ali. How are you? How has your week been?

Good, thanks.

Got rained on a lot but it was good to get a great magazine feature this week - and a lovely blog review. Also, have been getting things ready for the Leave It All Behind video premiere this Sunday (17th September).

For those new to your work, can you introduce yourself, please?

Sure.

I’m Ali. I’m twenty-five and I write my own music, sing - and plonk away on a piano. Apparently, I began playing the piano when I was three but, to be honest, I don’t remember.

Can you tell me about the upcoming E.P., Leave It All Behind? What stories and events inspired the songs?

I think it was more my situation that inspired the songs rather than particular events or stories. I wanted to be a musician at seventeen but went to university and did a degree in Business - as a ‘back-up plan.’ When I graduated at twenty-one, I was like ‘ok; now, music.’ I was naïve about how difficult that would be. I love music and I love writing and making music - and trying to forge a career out of it has been the hardest thing I have ever attempted to do.

I think Leave It All Behind is about finding the strength to leave your old life in order to strive to live a life of your dreams - and the struggle of doing that.

There is an accompanying video shot in Portmeirion. It is home to Festival No. 6 and was where Supergrass filmed (the video for) Alright. What was it like filming there?

Amazing!

An incredible place to film and I never expected them to say ‘yes’ when I asked! Huge thanks to the location manager Meurig Jones who, not only allowed us to roll around on pedal go-karts, but escorted myself, my mates and the film crew around all day on a golf-buggy…absolute star! Incidentally, the golf-buggy has a guest starring role at the end of the video.

Joshua Leo Dorfman directed it and he and his film crew were really in tune with my ideas - and a great bunch of lads. The final edit that Josh produced is amazing and really shows the passion he has for filmmaking.

Also, two of my best mates from uni, Ed and Jamie, made the mammoth journey from Aylesbury (in England) to appear as the people chasing me in the video. I was really humbled by so many people coming together to help me make this video - and am still filled with such enormous gratitude to everyone that helped!

Is there a track on the E.P. that especially resonated and means a lot to you?

Ooh…that’s tricky. They all mean a lot to me and my favourites change all the time...

At the moment, I would say the ones that resonate the most are Leave It All Behind and The Fear.

Leave It All Behind as it really captures the moment I’m in now: a real drive to make music my career; but also something that many twenty-somethings can hopefully relate to: as in the line “Wearing a brand new look to see the same old view, guess you miss what you never even knew.”

The Fear (too) as it is a song about battling self-doubt and fear - something we all face and that, as a musician, I have faced a lot. Someone told me the other day that the song really resonated with them so that meant a lot to me - as I always want to make music that connects with people.

It is piano-driven and relies on a huge musicality and sense of feel. How early did music come to you and what compelled you to start performing?

Well. My dad is a guitarist and my mum a pianist - so I was born into a very musical household. I was always doodling on the piano at a young age - though a real interest and passion for music didn’t begin to develop till I was about fifteen when I found an old Crossroads: Best of Bon Jovi album - and discovered I could play the piano parts.

Do you remember the artists you grew up listening to and heard around the house?

I remember my parents listening to things like Sting and Chris Rea - Sting is amazing.

My own taste began with the Best of Bon Jovi album when I was fifteen: I realised that’s probably the least-cool band going. Those choruses were so big and unapologetically anthemic that it was just exciting. I was thinking ‘what is this’? The fact that my dad didn’t like them made me listen to them more: good old teenage rebellion. That evolved into Coldplay, OneRepublic; Thirty Seconds to Mars, John Mayer and Stevie Wonder.

I played their songs on the piano and really became obsessed with how songs were made; what chord progressions were being used; what key was the song in; what was the highest note the vocalist was singing.

I became such a music nerd (and haven’t stopped).

You began songwriting aged seventeen. Eight years on; how do you think your music has changed and evolved?

I think when I started songwriting, I hadn’t developed my own style - so I was imitating the people I was listening to a lot more. Now, I like to think that, hopefully, it’s more me that you’re hearing rather than somebody else.

How does music drive and move you as a person? What does it mean to you, personally?

It’s hard not to sound like an X Factor contestant here...

It’s what I feel the most at home doing. I feel, when I’m writing and playing music, I’m being true to myself. I think nothing has the power to move people like music doe: it’s the most powerful medium in the world. I don’t know what I’d do without it (Hopefully, that wasn’t too cheesy).

What tour dates do you have coming up?

I’d love to say I had a sell-out tour coming soon but, at the moment, I’m playing local venues around the North Wales area. Hopefully, this E.P. can be a catalyst for playing bigger venues - and going further afield for gigs.

Your fanbase is growing and show you a lot of love. Is it important having that support and how does it affect you?

Absolutely!

It’s the fuel to keep going. In music, there are no guarantees no matter how much work you put into something. It is daunting. So, when one of my songs gets played on the radio - or when people say they can’t stop listening to one of my songs - or that a song struck a chord with them...

It inspires me to keep working.

How does the rest of 2017 look? How will you be spending the next few months?

I’m looking forward to releasing the video on the 17th - and the E.P. on the 22nd. I’ve had great feedback so far so off the back of the release. I hope to start gigging further afield and really getting this music out there as much as possible.

Towards the end of this year, I’ll be working on new material (as well).

IN THIS PHOTO: Quarterlights/PHOTO CREDIT: Natasha Barrett

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

There’s this new band from London area called Quarterlights that’s fronted by my friend, Ollie Clark.

He’s a phenomenal musician and plays pretty much every instrument going. For Quarterlights, he plays the keys and sings. Their songs are fantastic and they’ve got a new video out for their track Why Don’t You Like Me? Catch it here.

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Tough question….

I have to say that James Bay’s 2015-album, Chaos and the Calm has to be one my favourites

Such a classic, authentic sound - and phenomenal songwriting. His voice and guitar-playing are next-level - so definitely that’s got to be up there.

John Mayer: Where the Light Is (is) such a fantastic live album

His guitar-playing is, in my opinion, the best of his generation. He does three sets - acoustic, trio and full-band - that are all amazing. I lived off that album in university!

Finally; I’d say the 2009 album, This is War, by Thirty Seconds to Mars

Insane vocals and choruses. I remember seeing them at the Big Weekend in 2010 and thinking that they wouldn’t be able to play the songs well live - because of the vocal difficulty. I was very, very wrong! (The fact that they were being sued $30 million by EMI at the time makes it all the more impressive).

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Not sure I’m in the best position to answer that question but I’d say just keep working and believing in your music!  

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Ah, great!

It’s gotta be Closer to the Edge by Thirty Seconds to Mars

That drumming and those crazy vocals! Never gets old! Thanks for having me!  

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Follow Ali Tommis

 Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AliTommis

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AliTommis/

Instagram:

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SoundCloud:

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YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VXtZCSaKlw0_IFInw6sig

FEATURE: Gemma Louise Doyle: Reason

FEATURE:

 

Gemma Louise Doyle

 Reason

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LATER in the week...

I will look at acts to watch right now; a bit on Marc Bolan and forty since his passing – fashion in music and how that has evolved through the years. Right now; a look at someone whose life has been saved by music – in a semi-literal and real way. I have interviewed Gemma Louise Doyle before and, in lieu of reviewing her new track, a chance to promote a song/artist who dedicates her all to music. I have listened to her music in the past and always find myself drawn to the power and magnetism of the voice. Gemma Louise Doyle has a multi-octave voice and has performed all around the world – she speaks multiple languages and is a cross-genre artist who can apply her unique and flexible voice to anything. There is a biography later in the piece – for those who want more – that shows where she has come from and how her career has progressed. Doyle almost died when she was younger and told she only had hours to live.

Coming back from that would scar many and cause them to retreat a lot. Instead; the talented and curious singer used her recovery as a chance to embrace music. Her previous work – like the album, Inspire – show what a passion there is in her heart. One listens to her music and feels the full effect of that four-octave voice: an itinerant imagination and huge soul that manages to take the listener somewhere special and eradicate any stresses and problems. It is a magnetic and emotional experience. Reason is the story of Gemma Louise Doyle’s survival and subsequent pursuit of music. It has taken a while to write the song but it is dedicated to her fans and followers – who have stuck by her and been rewarded with words of compassion and inspiration. Reason (and its creation) is explained by Gemma Louise Doyle:

“Co-written with former member of Iron Maiden, the song is based upon the true story of how music saved my life. For the first time, I've got the single on iTunes, Spotify and hundreds of platforms. I will have more music distributed soon”.

Here's the iTunes pre-order link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/reason-single/id1280959733

There's also a preview on her website: www.gemma-doyle.com

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About Gemma Louise Doyle:

PHOTO CREDIT: Debbie McGregor Photography

“Gemma Louise Doyle is a unique, international music artist, who says that music saved her life.

Gemma believes that we all have significant talents & abilities in our lives, which are our purpose, to share and help people, making the World a better place. 

Having once spent nearly 5 years recovering from a life-threatening illness, Gemma discovered that her voice could uplift people, inspiring them to make a change, and be happier. 
As she began to sing from a hospital bed, Gemma started receiving messages of praise & gratitude from other patients, which gave her the strength and courage to fulfil her dream of singing on stage and inspire many other people across the World.

A determined young talent, Gemma has spent the past eight years performing for audiences, live in Las Vegas, London, and across the globe. 

Today, Gemma commits all of her time, travelling to events, creating music, videos & positive messages for her followers.

Gemma has focused the past few months into developing her new record, called Reason, which she is about to release. The song was created & recorded in London, with a close friend, a former member of World famous bands; Iron Maiden and Cutting Crew, who Gemma met through mutual friends in New York. 

The single is written, based upon multiple sources. One of which is Gemma's experiences, how her musical talent gave her a reason & motivation to live. She says that the song is also for her supporters and audiences, who continue Gemma's belief & determination to achieve her dream.

Having a versatile 4-octave singing range, despite being a tiny frame, the song and power of her voice, surprises listeners, incorporating elements of Pop, Rock & Inspirational Crossover music.

You can pre-order the single now, by visiting Gemma's official website www.gemma-doyle.com, where you can also hear more of Gemma's music, and find out where you can see her appearing live.

You can also follow Gemma's journey, receive updates of new music and watch videos online, at Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and many of your favourite social media platforms. 
All of these links to follow, can be found at Gemma Louise Doyle's website www.gemma-doyle.com

Contact Details:

www.gemma-doyle.com

gemmalouisedoyleint@gmail.com

07757 216112

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Follow Gemma Louise Doyle

Official:

https://www.gemma-doyle.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/gemmalouisedoyleprofessionalvocalist/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/gemmaldoyle

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gemmalouisedoyleofficial/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/GemmaDoyleOfficial

Patreon:

 www.patreon.com/gemmalouisedoyle

Instagram:

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SoundCloud:

 https://soundcloud.com/gemmalouisedoyle