INTERVIEW: Pale Seas

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Hollie Fernando  

Pale Seas

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SOUTHAMPTON’S Pale Seas are being tipped as…

PHOTO CREDIT: Denis Forkas Kostromitin

one of the most exciting and unique British guitar bands around. The group – with a line between words; a real bugger to get right on a computer – talk to me about their anticipated album, Stargazing for Beginners. Jacob Scott (singer and guitarist for the band) fields most of the responses and talks about the band’s development and why the band fell off the radar – just as things started to get exciting for them. I ask Scott about the influences of Pale Seas and what is coming in the approaching weeks; whether we can catch them on the road – and how it feels knowing the album is out there.

Someday, the latest single, is out there so I ask what it is about and what it means to them. The band select songs and albums that hit them hard; Scott explains which new artists we should investigate – and what it was like working with Chris Potter and Paul Butler.

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

Hey. We’re really good thank you. It’s been a great week so far.

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

So. My name’s Jacob Scott. I sing and play the guitar. On electric guitar, we have Graham Poole; on bass is Matthew Bishop - and on drums is Andrew Richardson.

We play music together in a band called Pale Seas. 

The lyric video for Someday is out. Can you tell me about the song and what inspired its creation?

Someday was written over a two-year period and we probably demoed it more than any other song on the record - around one-hundred times in total. It was recorded in three different studios before we finally felt we had the right version - in a medieval abbey on the Isle of Wight.

At its core; it’s an attempt to free myself from the pain of losing someone that I loved - and the struggle I had to accept: the reality of day-to-day life after losing them.

Stargazing for Beginners is your long-awaited debut album. Has it been fun putting it together - or was it quite a challenge?!

I personally would have felt pretty strange if it wasn’t a challenge: it’s one of the things I enjoy most about writing music. In my own experience, the music I like most - and the work I am proudest of creating - has been suffered for.

It doesn’t come easy and there’s always been something quite dark about the thrill of writing those kinds of songs for me.

I believe you were due to release the album a while back and went off the radar. Why did you guys disappear, as it were, and delay the album?!

We wanted to try and make something great - that’s all that’s ever really mattered to us. I feel very proud of us all for making the record we have but we’ve never seen getting an album out as an achievement.

it just had to be great to us...

Does now feel like the perfect time to release it? Do you think the hiatus has been good for your music?

Having the time away has allowed us to create something that reaches the level we set in all of our heads when we first started playing music together. I wouldn’t change a single note on this record. We don’t really pay much attention to how long it takes because people don’t know how long it’s taken when they’re listening to it - they just know if they like it or not. There was no great pressure for a Pale Seas album to come out.

To us, the pressure was making sure that when it did, it was special.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Hollie Fernando

The sounds running through the album is quite dark and deep. How much of that is down to producers Chris Potter and Paul Butler?

I think it needs to be inherent in the music in the first place for it to be enhanced...but, what both Chris and Paul do wonderfully well is frame and define the songs. They have an unbelievable instinct for the scale and emotion too: it just flows through them both.

We love them both so much.

What defines the songs on Stargazing for Beginners? What sort of moments and themes compelled the music?

I think (I thought) if I could show, someone, how much I loved them that they might come back - that’s what I thought this record could do. It’s a document of the way I thought I was navigating a period of my life, but in reality, I had absolutely no control whatsoever.

How did Pale Seas come together? When did you all hook up?

Graham, Matthew and myself met at college in Southampton and Andrew, we met on our first-ever night on tour playing with another band (several years ago). I remember all three of us were watching him play and he was hitting the drums so hard that his kick -rum was moving across was bouncing across the stage.

He had to keep on wrestling it back in time for the chorus…it was incredible.

Give me an insight into the artists you were all raised on? Which musicians and albums did you grow up listening to?

Jacob: There we so many people that influenced my taste when I was little. My mum was, and still is, huge on Marc Bolan and T. Rex - and my dad used to take me to see Dinosaur Jr. whenever they were over here. He turned me on to the Dead Kennedys, The Lemonheads; Nomeansno etc. My grandad used to play me a lot of Eddie Cochrane and Gene Vincent in the car, too. I used to go crazy for that stuff. I remember my uncle was very into Leonard Cohen, The Cure and Van Morrison, as well.

Graham: My mum grew up in Liverpool in the 1960s so there was a lot of The Beatles and The Hollies in the house, too. Then, I got into playing guitar - so it was nothing but Jimi Hendrix for quite a while.

Do you have any future gigs planned? Where can we catch you play?

We’ll be playing our biggest run of shows to date in November:

Thursday 16th - Leicester - The Sound

Friday 17th - Manchester - The Deaf Institute

Saturday 18th - London - Paper Dress Vintage Bar & Botique/London in Stereo

Thursday 23rd - Brighton - The Joker

Friday 24th - Sunderland - Independent 

Saturday 25th - Leeds - High & Lonesome festival

Saturday 25th (late) - Middlesbrough - Westgarth Social Club

Sunday 26th -  Nottingham - The Bodega

Wednesday 29th - Birmingham - The Sunflower Lounge

Thursday 30th - Glasgow - Hug and Pint

IN THIS PHOTO: Goat Girl/PHOTO CREDIT: Charlotte Patmore

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

Alex Burey would probably be top of my list. He writes the most beautiful, delicate; soulful music I’ve heard in years. I’ve fallen in love with every one of his songs...a very special guy.

Goat Girl are really exciting, too (lovely people, as well).

The new Gengahr tune, Carrion, is also really great.

IN THIS PHOTO: Genghar

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

Jacob: It would be Gene Clark – No Other

it still leaves me speechless - and I’ve listened to that record more than any other over the last four years. A beautiful ride.

Graham: Forever Changes by Love - for a couple of reasons.

It was the first time I’d heard so many different styles and elements marry together so seamlessly on one album. It was Psychedelia, Pop; Folk, Rock; Orchestral and Wild West sounds - all rolled into a selection of beautifully written songs. But, mainly, because hearing it for the first time also coincided with me moving to London for the first time - and listening to almost nothing but Love for an entire autumn...so it always puts me on a huge nostalgia trip.

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).

Jacob: Nolan Porter – If I Could Only Be Sure

Graham: Joni Mitchell – Carey

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Follow Pale Seas

 Official:

http://paleseas.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/paleseas/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/paleseas?lang=en

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/paleseas/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BwqDlOuXOJSy9CrvPJQIg

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/paleseas

INTERVIEW: Y.O.U.N.G

INTERVIEW:

 Y.O.U.N.G

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THE guys hail from different and disparate backgrounds…

but Y.O.U.N.G are pulled together by their love of music. Bringing Rock, Punk and Hip-Hop into the mix; they put all this magic and connection into the new single, Exposure. It follows from their tearaway track, What I Gotta Do. I ask the guys about new material and whether we can see more in the future. They talk about their Manchester base and whether there are any U.K. gigs this year – and what plans they have for the coming months.

Exposure looks at cheats and liars so I had to ask whether there was a certain U.S. President that inspired the lyrics. The guys talk about music and albums that are important to them; what advice they’d give new artists – and a special message for their fans.

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

HEY, there. Things are going great.

Feeling good and working hard on rehearsals! Plus, our single Exposure, had its first major radio-play this week - so we're still on a high. 

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

We are Y.O.U.N.G, from Manchester. There's five of us: Chez (Vocals/Guitar), Ben (Rap/Synths); Jamie (Guitar/Production), Tom (Bass) and Graeme (Drums). Our sound is a fusion; blending the genres of catchy Rock guitar riffs with Hip-Hop processed beats…with hints of Reggae and Ska – and, hopefully, creating something new and fresh! 

Exposure is your new single. Tell me about the song and how it came together? What are the themes and ideas that run through it?  

We're always working hard in the studio and have created loads of songs together -  but this one just stuck out ...

The guitar riff that starts off the song really sets the mood and energy. It's upbeat and in your face and we can't wait to play it live to everyone.

There is a sense that frauds and liars should out themselves, no?! How much of the track is directed at people like Donald Trump? 

When writing the track, we never thought of directing it towards political heads such as Donald Trump. To be honest; this guy gets enough air-time as it is! I wouldn’t say we’re a political band: we will leave all that to the politicians. Haha!

The song mashes the hard edge of Royal Blood and Hip-Hop with a sharp lyrical tongue. Is it hard effortlessly fusing disparate sounds like that?

You'd think so, right!?

It all just seems to come very naturally to us all because we’re all into different music and styles - it just comes together when we’re on stage. For music to progress and find something fresh, it’s all about inspiration from all different aspects of different genres.

Did you all grow up listening to eclectic music? Who are the artists you all look up to?

Our inspirations go from Green Day, Oasis; Newton Faulkner to Loyle Carner; Wu-Tang Clan and OutKast. We like to mix it up on our tour-bus playlist. Haha.

Jamie, our producer, listens to a lot of Electronic-style music, so there’s always a hint of Electronic in the production - but it's also very organic the way we play live and what’s on the records. 

I suppose you all come from different background. How did the band form and how do songs form? Do you all write separately – or do songs come together with all pitching in? 

The band started with Chez, Jamie and Ben doing the main core of writing - and then we added in Tom and Graeme at a later stage. Chez has known Graeme since primary-school and he lives with Tom; so it all fell into place very nicely. We all write together for Y.O.U.N.G and, separately just for fun, we also produce for other artists.

Your fanbase is rising and loyal. How much do they mean to you and what message would you give them? 

Ahhhh, we love the fans! They are actually great they do so much promo for us; send us gifts and (just) continue to put a smile on our face. We're so grateful.

A message to them: “We love you and we can't wait to meet you all on the road in the upcoming months".

What I Gotta Do is your previous song. How much of a difference have you noticed between it and Exposure? 

Not massively, you know. The fans love both songs, as we do. It just recently it got picked up by Radio X - so that's good.

What I Gotta Do was important to us at the time as it really set the precedent of what Y.O.U.N.G is about. It's more focused on processed beats: Exposure is more a (real) live track - in terms of the more Rock live-sounding drums - and the overall retro feel it has. But, all-in-all, there’s not too much difference between them: they both still sound like us!

Can we expect an E.P. this or next year, perhaps?

We're planning to release a few more singles - building up to an album next year. The plan is to release a steady amount of singles and an E.P. leading up to later next year. We’ve been working really hard in the studio the last few months and the ‘album’ - or collection of songs we have now - is something we are super-proud of.

We can’t wait for you guys to hear them!

What other tour dates do you have coming up? Where about are you going to be heading to? 

We're gonna be playing most of the U.K. and branching out to Europe - like Amsterdam, Paris and Germany.

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

Chez: Newton Faulkner - Hand Built by Robots

I know every word off by heart and have listened to it over one-hundred times in its entirety.

Jamie: Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers

I grew up listening to this album and loved the simplicity of it.

Ben: Newton Faulkner - Hand Built by Robots

I started listening to this album first when I was travelling and actually sailed around the Great Barrier Reef with Newton's sister - not just her, but she was there. I feel very connected to the words - and his voice is incredible.

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

 Don't give up and it takes time to find YOU as an artist. It’s taken us quite a while to really find our sound… but the main word to use is ‘PATIENCE’!  

Christmas is approaching. Do you all have plans already or will you be busy working? 

We all love Christmas: it's the best time of the year. I think Jamie's heading to New York so that will be alright. Haha!

How do you spend your time away from music? Do you all have hobbies? 

Chez: Football and the gym is a passion of mine and, if I'm not doing, that I’m'quite happy sitting at home stroking the cats. Haha.

Jamie: I like to travel in my spare time. I love visiting new cities, new countries (and discovering different cultures)!

Ben: I like to read books about energy and positivity: try to work on becoming zen. 

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).

Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne 

Arctic Monkeys - When the Sun Goes Down

Novo Amor - Carry you 

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Follow Y.O.U.N.G

  Official:

http://www.young-official.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/YOUNGofficialuk

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/YOUNGofficialuk

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrg3_40ceKl0IEcFeUlwM1Q

INTERVIEW: Tom Dibb

INTERVIEW:

 Tom Dibb

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FEW artists have the story and back-history…

of Tom Dibb. In his trust campervan, ‘Pickle’, he embarked on a long tour of Australia and it seems appropriate, given a song-title like Hit the Road, some of that should be unveiled. In fact; that song is actually about something deeper and more common – Dibb explains the song’s origins and what his new album, Ground, Up, is all about.

Dibb talks about upcoming gigs and the albums that have impacted him most; how he transitioned from a job in London to a life in music – and where things go from here…

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

Hey! Not too shabby, thanks.

We’ve been sending signed C.D.s out to all those who preordered the new album - and plugging the new tunes off at the moment. We’re also busy booking a tour for the New Year.

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

I’m Tom Dibb: singer-songwriter; campervan-dweller. I’ve been on the road for the most part of five years and it all began as a means to make a living doing what I love doing - and having a general appreciation for outdoor life and adventuring.

Hit the Road is out there. Can you talk about the song’s creation/origins?

I wrote Hit the Road a couple of years into van-life; having realised that, once we strip ourselves back to basics, most of us are far more capable than we give ourselves credit for. When we don’t have the means to pay - or rely on other people to do things for us - we can learn and evolve. We can break the mould; realise born-given potential and claim independence.

That’s what Hit The Road is all about.

It seems appropriate given your gigantic trek to Australia in your camper van! You were in ‘Pickle’ for fourteen months. What was the reason behind this mammoth feat?!

I wanted to branch out and get my songs heard across the globe...but in my own way.

I wasn’t prepared to take the route of T.V. talent shows or endless hours of social media. I’m at my best - and happiest - when I’m playing my tunes to people right there in front of me. For years, people said: “Tom.. you should be on the East coast of Oz: you’d go down so well there”. I figured it was about time I went to see. I’d drive U.K- to-Australia; playing in every country; everywhere I could en route - and use social media as a tool to share what I discover along the way.

I’d been touring the V.W. festival circuit for a couple of years when I started planning the tour - and had grown quite a following in that community because of ‘Pickle’ - so she had to be the bus that I would take across the globe.

Together, we would combine music, travel and experience new cultures…all into one epic tour. A Pickle Down Under was born.

What did you learn from your time on the road and is Melbourne, where you ended up, somewhere you can see yourself going back to?

I’ve learnt so much during my time on the road, and continue to every day, but if I were to shortlist some things learnt during the tour, they’d be:

1.  You never know what’s around the corner: everything can change in a spark.

2.  You don’t need to share a language in order to communicate. I got by with scraps of language when needed but I enjoyed the company of people - who became great friends with none at all. Music can also bridge gaps between people with social and cultural differences.

3.  I can give you a list as long as your arm about mechanical bits. I learnt to fix on a 1989 V.W. T25.

4.  You can surf on the Black Sea.

5.  Eating is not always a pleasant experience…

I can certainly see myself and the boys in the band returning to Melbourne - and all of Australia - to be honest. The original music scene there is thriving and a whole lotta fun - and with such a gigantic land-mass; there’s so much left to explore…

You visited lots of other nations. What were your favourite memories and tell me about some of the experiences you had on the road?

Some of my fondest memories are those of meeting new folk, who would become friends, and experiencing the most incredible hospitality from strangers.

One that comes to mind is when I’d just arrived in Georgia - without Pickle - as she was on a ship full of military cargo crossing the Black Sea. Foot passengers were a not allowed on board. On arriving at the airport in Georgia, I sat down at the laptop to plan the details of my next move. Two guys had already tried to hurry me off in a taxi to the best hotel in town (I didn’t get a good vibe from them) - when an older gent with a calm air about him approached me.

His name was David and, with no real understanding of one another’s language, I established he was telling me his house was 500 meters from where we were. He invited me to eat, drink and rest with his family. I trusted him and, within minutes, I was hanging out with the local men (his friends) in the village centre; drinking homebrew, eating smoked cheese; sharing tobacco and laughs.

I explained to David’s daughter (who spoke some English) that I needed to be in a place further north called ‘Poti’ the next day to collect my van at the port. She told me that her father (said he) would take me there and help me to find the van.

The following day, David drove me the whole 70-K.M. trip to Poti - and would not leave my side until we found someone at the port that spoke English and could assist me. On parting, David gestured that, once I had Pickle, back I should return to his home to stay with them again - and that I did. I played them a few songs in their home as a small thank you gesture - feeling a bit bowled over by their generous spirit and immense hospitality.

I experienced many instances of such friendly human spirit during my time on the road and have many stories of peoples generosity and hospitality in the most unexpected places.

Other experiences included isolation on the road. Not seeing anyone for days, and embracing being alone while surrounded by nature and beautiful landscapes, gets a whole different set of brain cells ticking. (When I had just entered Kyrgyzstan Pickle and I climbed the Otmok Pass; 3326 meters above sea-level and camped out up in the snow - having spent the previous night in the desert). When night fell, the wind dropped and it was silent: the moon and stars reflected off the snow, lighting up the landscape. I cooked, sipped on snow-chilled vodka and thought myself to sleep.

An hour or so after dropping off, I heard a rustling from outside. I had left some tins in a bag, under the van, rather than on the roof-rack - as I was not expecting much wildlife this high up. When I opened the sliding door; I saw a mountain fox disappear into the white. Being this close to a creature, that survives in such a harsh environment, was pretty special.

Ground, Up, your album, was released later last month. What themes and topics inspired the album?

Ground, Up is inspired by a lot of themes that, all together, tell a story of development and learning. There are points-of-view from my life a few years ago in London - relationship experiences, self-battles in times of personal change; thoughts on political climates, paths of discovery and tales from the road.

You used to work in London doing a regular job. Was there that moment you had enough and had to get out? What was the final realisation/point that you knew music was a better path?

The six-month stepping-stone of a job had turned in to a six-year one; attempting to build some form of musical career alongside. I was doing some gigs with one of the coffee shop companies and took a couple of weeks’ holiday to do a south-west coastal tour of them. I’d had ‘Pickle’ for a few years already and, so, I packed her up with the necessary gear for gigging and we set off to the coast.

I started off in Brighton and continued west; busking in-between cafe gigs and occasionally hitting-up impromptu opportunities to play my songs in harbor-town pubs. Just over half-way into the tour; I thought about how long I had before I was back at work – and, while doing so, I also thought about what I was doing. I was having a blast; sharing my music; meeting new people, making new opportunities; camping out in my van and making enough money to keep myself going.

I never went back to my old life in London…and that was almost six years ago.

Who are the musicians that inspired you when you were younger?

My old dear used to listen to Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading. I still listen to them today so I guess that’s the earliest: moving on to Bob Marley, Counting Crows; David Gray in my early-to-mid-teens and then Jack Johnson; Ben Harper and John Butler in my late-teens/early-twenties when I really started writing.

It seems, given the year you have had, there must be more material in your mind! Are you thinking ahead to another album/E.P.?

Absolutely. The Chapel Dog Records team, the boys in my band and I have already started recording the next E.P./album - and I’m working on a few fresh ideas, now. We’re looking at getting back into the studio January 2018 - for a potential spring release.

We’ll see how the tunes go…

IN THIS PHOTO: Craig Atkins

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

There’s quite a few Australian artists I met over there that are certainly worth a look.

Mr. Craig Atkins toured with us on percussion but is an awesome multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.

Tristan O’Meara makes didgeridoos and sings with a rare passion on songs with a Roots, Folk and Blues flavour.

Phil & Tilly - from the Isle of Wight - currently tour the East Coast as an acoustic duo, Upright Bass - guitar and awesome harmonies giving Byron Bay a taste of U.K. Surf-Folk.

This dude’s not new by any means but he took me under his wing - and if you like a dirty Blues with a husky Tom Waits-kinda vocal then The Mason Rack Band are a must-see. Awesome musicians; wicked-cool guys and man do they put on a show.

Do you have gigs coming up? Where can we come and catch you play?

In late-Jan/early-Feb 2018; my band and I will be out touring the new album, Ground Up. We’re currently booking gigs from Leeds down to London, including the 1st Feb at Mr Wolfs (Bristol) and 8th Feb at The Stables (Milton Keynes).

As for the rest of this year; I’m keeping it close to friends and family and getting my feet back on familiar ground. I’ll be hitting the streets busking - and the markets. I’ll be playing at Knebworth’s Christmas fair on the 12th November in Hertfordshire - amongst other dates (for a full gig-list, see my website: www.tomdibb.com).

I’ll be doing a few little old pub shows too - to enjoy an English run-up to Christmas.

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

Counting Crows - August and Everything After

I was given this album at a pivotal point in my life and, somehow, it made things make sense. It will always resonate with me…

Natty - Man Like I

I bought this album the summer I went off on that cafe tour (that changed my life).

Incubus - Morning View

I was seventeen when I got in my first band, ‘Kipdenooi’ influenced by Incubus and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Those were my first writing days - and a couple of the best years of my life so far. If it wasn’t for that band, I wouldn’t be doing what I am now.

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

It all depends on what you’re doing it for.

If you’re in it for the same reasons as I am, then be yourself; take influence but never feel the need to replicate. Keep pushing on: there will be good and bad times throughout but that’s what makes it real. Trust your gut. It’ll take a while to learn how to do this (I still am) but it’s always right once you can differentiate some instincts and feelings from others.

Play as much as you can. The more you play, the more opportunities will arise.

Christmas is approaching. Do you have plans already or will you be busy working?

Yeah. We’ll be working as usual. Christmas is the private party season for me - and playing those is always a hoot.

There are some Christmas-fair gigs on the run-up to the festivities - and the boys and I are playing New Years’. Other than that; it’ll be preparations for the New Year and enjoying a few days with friends and family…good-old English Christmas-style.

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).

Keb' Mo' - Victims of Comfort

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Follow Tom Dibb

  Official:

http://www.tomdibb.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TomDibbMusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/tomdibb

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ColinResponseTO/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/tom-dibb

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3kLlLb40Y4Z3EFG87DEyl5

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtV1fUuOINdl-xl8uIAEwUQ

INTERVIEW: ColinResponse

INTERVIEW:

 ColinResponse

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IT has been fascinating finding out about…

Toronto’s ColinResponse. The name alone beckons intrigue but the man is dashing, compelling and a fascinating interviewee – someone who, as you will note, does not skimp on answer-detail! I ask him about his self-titled E.P. and comparisons to Bruno Mars and André 3000. He talks more about his five-piece band and what the music scene is like in Toronto – and what tour dates he has coming up.

ColinResponse is a hot name in music with a rich and film-worthy past. I ask him about his influences and when music arrived in his life; what advice he would give new songwriters – and whether he will have some time to chill at Christmas.

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

Man, I’m great.

My week has been a whirlwind. You know; I don’t know when one week begins and the other ends. People are like, “How is your weekend?” and I’m like “It’s not a weekend really: more like a week-continue” (laughs). But I’m doing great. Staying focused, praying; meditating - keeping my mind aligned for everything that is to come.

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

My name is ColinResponse. I’m a Pop-Soul artist from Toronto, Canada. I love music; I love people and I love what I do. Every day’s a journey and I’m excited to have more people involved in this journey - to go along with me.

Your eponymous E.P. is out on 27th October. It seems romance and relationships are at the heart of the work. How important was passion and love to the song’s best moments?

Wow.

Not to say it doesn’t exist in some brief instances of the work, however, I should make it clear that for certain: love passion and relationships are at the heart of the work (but romance is not).

With that being said, aren’t relationships at the heart of everyone’s work?! I feel like, whether it’s between someone or something, everything that we experience and share (as artists) is something that (is of) an expression and experience of one’s relationship- whatever the subject matter may be. So, if you ask how important passion and love was to my songs’ best moments, I would say it is of significant importance.

There are certain songs that particularly speak to romantic situations without a doubt. Some unrequited; however, some songs - like Something About Your Love, for example - you’ve just chosen to interpret it as romantic - when that song isn’t about anyone at all: it’s actually about my love and appreciation for music.

But that kinda further exemplifies my point: that everything we write is about relationships; whether it is about romance or not. I’ve left enough open in my music for listeners to interpret it as it best suits them. 

How important is it to you that the E.P. brings people together? Do you hope, through your music, there will be a sense of unity?

I don’t hope for anything - I never hope for anything...

I made a decision, some time ago, when I heard the infamous quote “Hope for everything, expect nothing” that I would live my life by the opposite. So, I “hope for nothing; expect everything”.  I’ll paraphrase by saying, when you hope for something, you can sit there without taking action. But, when you expect something, you can only expect it when you give reason to expect it - which means you must take action. So, I expect there will be a sense of unity and I expect to bring people together - because that was my intention - whether that be through the lyrics; whether that be through the way people feel or whether that be through anything for that matter.

But, what I do know is that I spent a significant amount of time ensuring there is congruence between what I am sharing and how I am sharing it - and that there’s a congruency between not only the music and the lyrics but (between) the song as a whole and myself as an artist…and, furthermore, congruence between myself as an artist and what I wish to express for the outside world to see.

So…I truly do have faith that my music and this album will bring people together….

You came second on Shaw TV and Fontana North's Urban Star televised talent search competition and first in the industry-vetted and fan-driven Hennessy Artistry's International Talent Quest. She Dances in the Rain beat some heavy competition, there. How important have those experiences been and what is it about your music, do you think, that makes it so easy to connect with?!

What is it that makes my music so easy to connect with? I should ask you! (laughs). I’m just making music that is honest, you know?!

I’m making music that expresses my intent and I spent a lot of time to ensure that I do that.  I’ve also spent a lot of time in general working on my skills regarding communication with others. That doesn’t mean I’m the best writer in the world - and I don’t even mean artistic writing - I mean just general writing; but I have spent a lot of time making sure that I do my best when it comes to not just delivering a message, but ensuring that the person on the other side understands the message.  I feel so many people confuse communicating with ‘saying what you mean’ – it’s not.

Communicating is ensuring that the person on the other end understands what you intended for them to understand (regardless of how clear you may think you are). I feel like I’ve done my best to do that through my music, harmonically and melodically – not just the lyrics. I did that by making sure I focused on conveying the message musically first, before even thinking about including the lyrics...because I believe they shouldn’t be delivering the message: they should only be reinforcing the message that my music delivers, or I’m not doing justice to the music.

Some people work the opposite way around, too, and have their music reinforce the lyrics - but there’s no magic formula. As long as it accomplishes the objective, then we good.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @philsphotocanada

Your music has been compared with the likes of Bruno Mars and André 3000. Are those artists you follow or do you want to be valued in your own right?

Well, I would go as far as to say that they’re not exclusionary: you could both follow them and be valued in your own right. I think it would be unrealistic to believe that both those artists, Bruno and André, didn’t have artists that inspired them – yet, we see them as artists in their own right. Personally, I’m a huge Bruno fan. I’m constantly impressed by him as a songwriter, producer and, most significantly, by the way he connects to his audience as a performer and artist as a whole. André is also dope but, to be honest, I never really knew André 3000 until really later on. When I was releasing some of my earliest music, I heard a lot of people saying that I reminded them of Andre and I was like, “Cool. I don’t really know much about the guy” (at least I didn’t think I did).

After looking back, I discovered there were tons of songs by him that I knew and loved as a kid - but I didn’t even know it was him or OutKast. They were just popular songs at the time. I was never an active music listener so a lot of my Pop influences came from what was in my environment. Now, knowing so much more about him, I think it’s interesting and I certainly see the similarities in the energy; the quirk and the fun he has in his music and his performance.

Looking back on your career – and where you are now - what is your favourite memory from your time in music?

NOW.

Every day, I pray and meditate and I reflect on the past - the recent-past; I reflect on the day before. As I reflect, I see so many amazing things happening. I have been working hard and I’ve been putting a lot of time and effort to get to this point and – so, it’s exciting (every day) seeing how the day before brought me to the place I am today…and, so, I’m grateful for all of that - and I feel like I will continue to be so.

Toronto is home. It seems the city is sporting so many interesting artists. What is it about the area that means we are seeing such a range of brilliant musicians emerge?

I tell you what I believe it is: it’s not just Toronto but it is the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area): all the suburbs surrounding Toronto - i.e. Mississauga, Brampton; Scarborough...

Around fifteen-to-twenty-five years ago, all of these places developing around Toronto, and of course Toronto included, I feel were home to so many families – and so many people whose parents came from other places wanted to give their children a better life than they themselves had. Now, when people mention the areas around Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga; Brampton...) - if you’re Canadian - you have an impression about those places. But, back then, when I was growing up, there was no reputation or expectation per se.  

I feel like so many people were being brought up in an environment where there was no ceiling on their imagination, you know. There wasn’t this idea that ‘if you were here, you were this’.
Canada is a young country and it’s also filled with multiculturalism – more particularity, Toronto. So, you’re getting people from around the world whom have a nature of fighting and looking to make the best of what they have.

When you have all these types of people from cultures around the world - all localized in one place - you better believe that their children are going to share similar attributes - or that those parents are going to instill the same values into their children. They came here wanting their children to live a better life than they had or to have better opportunities than they had. I feel like (that) the spirit of a belief that ‘you’re here for something great’ really shines through these artists and athletes that come out from the city and the surrounding areas.

One of the most powerful things in the world is the freedom and openness of the mind. At such an early age, when you’re put in an environment where there is no pre-conceived notion designed influence your behavior, all that is left is for you is to imagine where and what it is that you want to be. That’s why you see these pro basketball players, pro football players; musicians, actors...coming out of this small city.  The population of California is larger than Canada – one state has more people than our entire country. Yet; you keep seeing people pop out of here - that’s not a coincidence. It has become a breeding-ground for it - and I genuinely believe that’s why…
 

Listening to your music and it seems you were raised on an eclectic collection of artists. Who were the big acts you held dear when you were younger?

There were specific artists, to be honest. I know a lot of people were raised on different bands and stuff like that but the people who influenced me most…

Number one, Michael Jackson. No questions asked; 10/10; would listen to again, because he influenced both my songwriting and performance. The other people on par with influencing me, musically, are Nobuo Uematsu (植松 伸夫) and Koji Kondo (近藤 浩治). Both (of the latter) are video-game composers. I bought my first album for myself when I was eighteen or nineteen. Everything before that point I consumed by proxy of where I was - whether that was playing video-games, simply hearing the music blasting from my sister’s room or being in my basement when my dad was listening to Jazz, Reggae or Motown.

I am a product of my environment: I did play a lot of video-games and I do still love orchestrated music and Pop music  – very carefully, all those things have combined themselves into what it is you hear today.

I want to talk about the five-piece band that performs with you. How did you meet the musicians you play with and what is it like touring with them?

I met them at school; I went to school for music...

Over the eight years that I’ve been doing this; my team has had several reincarnations - as we continue to elevate what we are doing. People started to fall off; people decided they were going to move to their own path for their own particular reasons and, also, people, who were more aligned with our vision as a team, started to surface. There’s actually only one member of my band who has been playing with me since my very first show - and that’s Brian Dhari, my sax player. It’s been almost a decade of us doing this. 

The team’s strong and the team’s tight: everybody has a great level of care, compassion and emotional intelligence - I couldn’t be happier, honestly.

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

Well. We just finished a campus tour and it was crazy. Our next priority, right now, is the album release on the 27th Getting close to that date, we’ll be booking some more shows. So, if you wanna know where and when we’re playing, you can join our fan list…that’s where we do all our announcements: new videos,  new music; show dates and stuff like that. So, hit up: http://Fans.ColinResponse.com.

Are there any big plans before the year is through? Will you have a chance to chill before Christmas or are you pretty full-on until then?

(Chuckles) “Chill”... yeah, the only ‘chilling’ I’ll be doing is freezing my ass off when winter hits (laughs). It’s gonna be full-on; been doing a lot of work up to this point in time and, with the album releasing at the end of October, I’ll be pushing really hard throughout that time - and it’s gonna be a lot of work. It’s gonna be a lot of playing and a lot of planning for the future.

IN THIS PHOTO: Daniel Caesar

Who are new acts you recommend we check out?

Sheiz! Daniel Caesar. But, I feel like I can’t even say that anymore because I feel that everyone’s hearing him so much now, that it’s not really warranted for me to share anymore (laugh).

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

I’m gonna say, number-one, is Michael Jackson: Off the Wall

That record reminds me of my father: it’s the first record he’s ever shared with me.

The next one is gonna be Bob Marley and The Wailers: Legend

One of my best friends in middle-school bought that for me on my birthday - we had the same birthday. I wonder if I even got him anything...I probably did but his gift was certainly better and of greater significance.  

The final is going to be the original soundtrack to Final Fantasy XII, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

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

Am I qualified to give advice at this point?! Sure! (chuckles).

Well, here it is: some people say “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”; however, my mentor once told me: “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows what you need”. So, I encourage you to be open and ask for help: also, be willing to help. Remember: all these greats that we see did not do it alone, although the media makes it look like that; they all have a strong team behind them: a team of people who are just as skilled as them at what they do.

All these people working in-tandem are what enables that person - in the public’s eye - to raise to the level that they do (they’re held up by so many people. The only other thing left to share is that (there are) only three things that you need: Persistence, Consistency and Optimism. If you have those three things, your success is an inevitability.  So just remember: to ask for help, and throughout your journey, to be persistent and to be consistent and to be optimistic.

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).

My song choice is to further emphasise my previous statement - that you need only three attributes to find your own personal success:

Stay persistent, consistent and optimistic under all circumstances; regardless of what anyone else says. You need only these three things…Nothing Else…

Gatekeeper - Jessie Reyez

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Follow ColinResponse

  Facebook:

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Twitter:

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Spotify:

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INTERVIEW: Cub Sport

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Embelton

 Cub Sport

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I was not aware of the stories and emotions that infuse…

Cub Sport’s new album, BATS. Tim, the band’s lead, talks about how factors like his coming out affected some of the moments you hear – Chasin’ was the first song penned after that revelation. He talks to me about his relationship with band-mate Bolan (Sam); how the Brisbane gang got together – and how the music has developed since the early days.

I ask whether Cub Sport are coming to the U.K. and what the remainder of the year has in store; whether there is a song from the album that stands out in the heart – and how it feels knowing the band’s music translates (and is loved) around the world.

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

Hey! Doing well, thank you!

My week is off to a good start. Just hanging out at home with my dogs Missy and Evie; listening to music; catching up on emails - chatting to you!

PHOTO CREDIT: @jameshmatthews

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

My name’s Tim - I’m the lead singer/songwriter in Cub Sport. We’re an independent Pop group from Brisbane, Australia.

Our music is dreamy/warm/chill-Pop with some R&B/Soul influences.

Can I ask about the band-name, ‘Cub Sport’? Is there a particular story behind that choice?

When we launched the band back in 2011, we were called ‘Cub Scouts’ but, after receiving a legal letter from Scouts Australia, we swapped out ‘Scouts’ for ‘Sport’!

We ran through hundreds of different options - but 'Sport' felt like the right vibe.

O Lord is your new single and pretty beautiful. Tell me how it came together and what the background is?

The recording process for O Lord was really spontaneous - I just opened up a recording session, pressed record and started singing into the mic. I followed the vibe from the intro; recorded in the synths and developed it further. This song really came to life when we developed it in the studio with John Castle. He pulled out (all of these) drum loops he had archived from the 1990s; cut them up and built the beat that you hear throughout the choruses/verse. It’s the perfect balance of a chilled vibe but with a certain exciting energy to it.

It took writing and recording O Lord for my own feelings to really make sense to me. I wrote it a few months after coming out - it was a really intense time of blended emotions of joy and fear - I was finally in a relationship with the love of my life and it felt like I suddenly had everything – but, what I didn’t expect, was the feeling of then having everything to lose.

It’s a confusing combination of feelings to convey but this song brought some clarity to what I was experiencing.

The track has gained coverage from sources in Australia and the U.K. Is it quite humbling knowing your music is connecting with reviewers/journalists?

The response has been so encouraging.

I felt quite exposed releasing this song and sharing the context around it - but the way people have empathised and connected with it has been really special. 

I believe Chasin’, the next single, is coming soon. What is the story of that song and is there a reason Cub Sport are so productive right now?

Yes! Chasin’ feels like the start of the BATS story - it was one of the first songs I wrote that made it onto the album. I wrote it after coming to the realisation that I was in love with my best friend/band-mate Bolan (Sam). I had been away on a writing trip and missed Bolan a lot - I realised that I didn’t want to spend a single day of my life without him.

I had barely admitted to myself that I was gay - so there was a lot to work through. It felt like my life was kind of all over the place and I didn’t know what I was chasing in life or why - writing this song was a pivotal first step in being honest with myself and figuring it all out. 

As for our productivity; I guess I write songs to process whatever I’m going through. When I’m writing/recording, I’m never in the mindset of ‘okay, I need to write a song’. I kind of (just) try to let my feelings flow - and I find that I’ve been more productive since becoming comfortable with this process.

BATS is the new album. Give me an insight into the types of stories and events that go into the album? I believe an inter-band relationship/love inspired one song?

A large portion of BATS is based around the development of my relationship with Bolan.

It starts at Chasin’ - which is when I started to acknowledge that I was gay and in love with Bolan - to processing those feelings (Look After Me); to finally acknowledging the situation a year later (Crush) and then coming out and getting together (Bats, Solo II and Banyo Blue).

The development of our relationship, in conjunction with the overarching feelings of uncertainty that have surrounded me throughout most of my adult life, resulted in an inspired, emotionally-heightened time in my life.

I feel like I’ve been able to channel that into this album. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Savvy Creative

Is there a song from the album you all hold dearest? Which is the one that means most to you all?

Bats is a really special one for me...

I feel like it captures the warmth and energy of being in love - and I’ll be able to relive this exciting time forever through this song, in particular. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Rovel Hagos

Your music has evolved since 2016’s This Is Our Vice. Have there been big sonic and creative shifts in the band? Do you think you have got more confident since then?

Yeah, there definitely has been a big shift!

I recorded and produced a lot of BATS at home - and I was much more meticulous about making sure the way the songs sound made me feel the way I knew they needed to. I’ve become more confident in my recording/production skills (though I’ve got a long way to go).

I’ve learned to trust how I’m feeling and use that as a guide.

Brisbane is where you are based. What is the city like for new musicians?

Brisbane’s a friendly place for new musicians.

I feel like there are plenty of opportunities to play and get experience. When we recorded our first demos; Bolan and I drove around handing our demo C.D.s out to every single venue in Brisbane - and that’s pretty much how we started getting gigs.

What tour dates do you chaps have coming up? Are you coming to the U.K. at any point?

We’re touring Australia in Feb./March 2018. We’re just locking away some U.S. dates - and we’re in the planning stages for a visit to the U.K. in 2018, too!

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

E^ST’s new single, Life Goes On, is so beautiful!

I also loving Kllo’s song, Dissolve – super-emotive Pop!

Also loving how chill King Krule’s Czech One is!

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

Frank Ocean – Blonde

It came out just after Bolan and I got together - and has become a really significant marker of that time for us (especially Solo). We’ve given each other Solo tattoos and there’s a song on BATS called Solo III - that is based around the significance of that song for us.

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

Follow your vision and don’t be discouraged if not everybody gets it. Stay true to yourself and believe in yourself!

PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel Neil

Christmas is approaching. Do you all have plans already or will you be busy working?

We’ll be at home with our families - and dogs - for Christmas!

We’re playing a festival called Beyond the Valley over New Year’s, which should be super fun. Schoolboy Q and Mura Masa are playing too - so we’re super-excited to catch them.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rovel Hagos

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).

It’s just me…so I’ll choose four songs for ya?

E^ST - Life Goes On

Frank Ocean – Lens

Pool Shop - Can You Dream

HTMLflowers (ft. Banoffee) - Chrome Halo

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Follow Cub Sport

PHOTO CREDIT: Savvy Creative 

Official:

http://www.cubsport.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/CubSport/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/cubsportmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/cubsport/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vqMDhoigg5btfdPsPTVFt

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/cubsport

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: Josh Wheatley

INTERVIEW:

 Josh Wheatley

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IN an age where we are provided too much…

choice in regards which artists we listen to: there is something instant and unflinching about Josh Wheatley. The twenty-one-year-old Nottingham-based artist cuts through the misty confusion and illuminates the path with a crystal voice and sumptuous warmth. I speak to Wheatley about his new single, Chemicals, and what inspired the song. He discusses Nottingham and what the music scene is like there; if more material is due – and how his family guided his love of music.

I ask him about touring and what dates he has coming up; the albums he holds dearest – and whether each single he released (Chemicals is his third) improves and evolves.

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

Hello. I’m good, thanks! Not too bad…

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

I’m Josh. I write Indie/Pop music – sometimes, with a brooding twist.

Chemicals is your new track. Can you give me some details about its creation and crystallisation?

Chemicals is a song I’ve had for a few years...

I’d already produced my own demos, and even worked with someone on it, but shelved the song because I was never happy with it. It was only going in to work with Al Groves, and he sat down and listened to a bunch of my demos, when he picked out Chemicals (out of twenty/thirty songs).

It frames your angelic and unique voice. How easy/hard was it getting your voice like that? Which singers did you look up to as a youngster?

Too kind, thank you!

Erm…for me, it just took practice. I remember hearing people like Justin Vernon sing for the first time and it absolutely blew my mind – but, in reality, for me; my voice broke quite late on in my teenage years. 

Was your household, as a child, filled with great music? What sounds/albums were you exposed to?

Not to sound ungrateful to my parents, but it didn’t exactly shape my music taste.

My dad is a big fan of the band ABBA and Gospel music. The only thing I picked up from my mum was her like for James Morrison and Jamie Cullum. I remember hearing All at Sea - around the age of ten - marveling in the mellow quality of the record.

As a child, I was the least musical. My brother started playing guitar at age eight: I only discovered I could sing when I was forced to do so at school.

Chemicals is your third single. Are you noticing evolution and change with every new release?

Sort of…

I try not to think about that too much. I think each song speaks for itself - and that’s how I’d rather think about it. They’re each a different beast to me - and have all come from different places.

Will an E.P. or album be arriving next year, would you say?

Most definitely not an album, YET: maybe an E.P. - but I’ve already planned out the next single.

Nottingham is your base. What is the city like for new music and opportunities?

I’m not sure where I’d (necessarily) be if it weren’t for living in Nottingham.

The first show I went to see was Dry the River when I was fifteen (at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms). D.I.D (formerly known as Dog Is Dead) played as a surprise support. I’d never heard of them before and their set was incredible! They opened my eyes to the music scene in Notts. and how much vibrancy there is.

Your music has been played by some great stations and sources. How does that make you feel? Is it important having the likes of Janice Long (BBC Radio 2) support your music?

It’s always nice to have the support of someone like that. It makes making music easier when you’re nervous - and you think there’s no-one out there listening.

If you could formulate your own festival and could choose three headline acts of the moment – which artists would you put at the top of the bill?

No doubt about it; it’s got to be:

The National

Ryan Adams

Death Cab for Cutie

IN THIS PHOTO: Anteros

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

Super-into Anteros at the moment. I had the insane opportunity to open for them the other week and they’re THE nicest people.

Only today found an awesome band called Now, Now. Their song, SGL, is massive!

Phoebe Bridgers’ new album is incredible.

IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Bridgers

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

This is a really difficult question…

The National - Sleep Well Beast

Recently, this album has been permanently wedged in my head. To me, this album proves the resilience and work-ethic of bands.

David Gray - White Ladder

It’s an album that opened my eyes to singer-songwriters who use electronic elements. I had the opportunity to see David play at Cadogan Hall in December last year - and he was in phenomenal form.

Dry the River - Shallow Bed

For me, this album started everything. I first heard Shaker Hymns and (just) had to buy the album.

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

Play as many shows as you can.

Christmas is approaching. Do you have plans already or will you be busy working?

I'm in the middle of arranging a show (to play) near Christmas, which will hopefully be announced soon. Also, I’m working on the next single (for next year).

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).

The National - Day I Die

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Follow Josh Wheatley 

 Official:

http://joshwheatley.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/joshwheatleymusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/joshisok

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3KDfQlQKgUAOF1nlaQwN1X?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/joshisok

FEATURE: Minds Over Matters

FEATURE:

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

Minds Over Matters

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TODAY is a very important one for anyone who has to deal…

with a mental health problem. It is World Mental Health Day and, rather than this being a chance to ‘make space’ for the issue: many are sharing their stories and revealing their struggles. There are a couple of reasons why I wanted to mark World Mental Health Day. For a start; there are many musicians who suffer mental health issues – and many other psychological disorders – and have to keep their illness s secret. Some of the biggest names in music go through mental health struggles. In fact, when researching for this piece, I came across an illuminating piece in the Independent. In it; Nothing but Thieves’ frontman Conor Mason revealed his struggles – and the way pressure and expectations sit on his shoulders:

I don’t want to be the guy to burst the bubble around the typical view of a rock ‘n’ roll frontman. The sexed-up, drug-fuelled lothario; the party animal who doesn’t give a monkeys about anything but himself and the road.

But we can’t all be in ‘Towers of London’. The way I work is somewhat different, because, I suppose I’m just made of different stuff. I’ve never seen myself as an alpha male stereotype, so instead of trying to fit that mould I find myself swaying effortlessly towards the opposite. I see myself as the frontmum of the band instead of frontman, a sensitive chap who wouldn’t bark at a fly - and I’m cool with being an anti-cool figure.

IN THIS PHOTO: Conor Mason/PHOTO CREDIT: @NBTConor

When the going gets tough, that archetypal male survival mindset doesn’t kick in for me, I don’t ‘man up’. I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean. Grin and bear it? Shout at it? Lash out at it? Does it mean ignore your issues and don’t speak to anyone about what you’re facing? Feel it but don't show it?

I just can’t do that. I’ve really tried, but as I’ve grown up I’ve realised how much cooler and frankly healthier it is to be open and express myself. I just try and be myself and not care about what people think of me, so in turn that makes me sensitive to everything, I care a lot. Ironic really.

The music industry is an alternative reality. It can give you a hall pass to deal poorly with normal life. This doesn’t account to everyone in the industry, not by a long shot, but a large number of musicians I meet have problems they suppress and never deal with correctly. I have friends who have messed up their marriages, hooked on drugs and women because it’s so readily available on the road, using them to block out difficulties in life. For people who come into this lifestyle as kids it's a bewildering, with no rule books and very little guidance, but that's the price of having the best job in the world, creating and performing music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

It is a candid and revealing feature – read the entire thing; it is a very good read! – but, rather frustratingly, embed between the paragraphs are adverts, inane posts and banners! It seems, even when discussing something as serious as someone’s mental health issues – it cannot be given its own space without being wrapped around irritating garbage and spam. It is not the fault of the newspaper/website itself but it is annoying seeing a great and open piece spoiled by advertising/money-making distractions. As someone who suffers from mental health issues; I find myself being overlooked and buried, to an extent. It might seem like a rather bad metaphor but I am the advert inside the article: the minor bird trying to get its voice heard. For me; mental illness defines me and what I have done since I was young. It struck me when I was about eighteen and has been responsible for a lot of bad moments – some good in there, too. I can confidently say the reason I am a music journalist is because of my mental illness: it is debatable whether I would be as driven and single-minded without it. That sounds rather destructive but (poor mental health) has translated into something productive and, I think, good. Many assume musicians have very little to be worried and down about. As we can see from Conor Mason’s piece; there are downsides and perils being part of a band – the slumps and endless hours; the huge expectations and stress. I have found my mental health issues exacerbating for a number of different reasons.

My blog is becoming more popular and, with it, the requests filter in wildly. I rarely say ‘no’ to anyone so it means my days – away from the full-time job – are spent emailing interviews and writing. My weekends are consecrated to the pursuit of music-writing and there are few hours spent away from the laptop. I can detach and tear myself away but I feel guilty if I take moments off and it would cause me stress – I have not had a ‘day off’ in over a year. Many see my pieces come out and assume I am happily typing and everything is breezy. In actuality, if one positioned a camera in my room – no office or suite: a small-ish room in a normal house – they would find a man who suffers a lot of stress. Every Internet drop-out and website issue causes me near-heart-attack-levels of anxiety and stress. I can be incredibly cold and distant in these times. In fact, a lot of my writing life is spent isolated and jettisoning human contact. That is my decision but I feel, aside from family, there is nothing that offers fulfilment or any connection – writing is an outlet where I can be myself and express what is inside me. My social skills are not great and there is a sense of awkwardness and lacking coordination – in terms of conversation and relationships.

We rarely consider music professionals and what goes through their mind. Depression, anxiety and poor mental health are not reserved to certain professions and sectors! It is an indiscriminate beast that feasts on the noble and hopeless alike. Among my musician contacts; I have seen everything from bipolar affective disorder and B.P.D. (borderline personality disorder) cause irreparable damage and change. A lot of musicians get into the industry in order to normalise and stabilise their mental health issues – putting it into song and finding a like-minded community. This, to me, is a side of music that is overlooked: how much support and love there is online. Perhaps the average workplace is less aware and educated about the depths and true heartache of depression, let’s say. I am not suggesting everyone in the music industry suffers mental health problems but the statistics are more alarming than the national average. It is said one-in-four (or one-in-six, as other outlets claim) of us suffers mental health issues at some point in our lives: I find that statistic rather patronising and myopic. There are a LOT more people than that who would knock that statistic – the fact people do not disclose their illness means the figure is rather biased and misleading. Musicians do not have a propensity for depression and psychological disorders - but one can draw a link between creatives and emotional unrest.

I found myself the outsider at school and had to foster a reality outside the social cliques and bike-shed-dwelling cool. I feel like an outsider still but have managed to find a sense of tribe and family (outside my own). The fact it is online is both a blessing and curse. Being able to connect with so many people who understand my problems – and share my weaknesses – is rewarding, comforting and humbling. Strip away the words and what is left is emptiness. These people are not real – they exist, but not in my daily life – so any friendship is ersatz and/or tenuous. Many on there I have a fondness for and respect them greatly: once the laptop is off; the hollowness strikes hard. Maybe social media and dependence on the Internet have made it harder to tackle mental health issues and worsened our sense of loneliness and addictiveness. One of the other reasons my mental health issues have become more pronounced is associated health issues – painful legs and chest cramps among them. Some might say that is a precursor to heart problems but I identity (these symptoms) as physical manifestations of depression. I can empathise with the plight and complexities of mental health problems; the realities and sadness many of my peers feel. We often ignore musicians and their minds because we bond with the words and music – few consider the personality and skin behind the sounds.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Today should not be a one-off day where we feel obliged to shine a light on mental health struggles and people who undergo psychological illness. It is a way of opening up and taking stigma out of depression. Not only do people feel embarrassed or reluctant to open up to someone: many associate mental health problems with depression alone. Few realise the range of sub-categories, associated ailments and full psychological platter. I have mentioned borderline personality disorder but there is bulimia, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress – so many other problems one can face. Perhaps few feel confident talking about their mental illness through fear of recriminations and ignorance. I often hesitate because, often, there is a sense of cliché and lack of understanding – not from family but other people in society.

I do not reveal quite how bad things are but I recognise things need to change. Knowing I am not alone is a relief but it can make me feel even more alone. The more people diagnosed with mental health problems; the harder it is to treat and speak to all of ‘us’. Today is not for the few and the misaligned: it is for anyone and everyone who has any mental health problem. Rather than hide it away and feel embarrassed by any perceived sense of ‘weakness’ – this is a chance to talk to other suffers and get your story heard. So many musicians undergo all manner of mental health problems and it can be hard talking about it. There is so much pressure on their shoulders and their daily existence is so busy and stressed – maybe that is making things worse?! I do worry we are putting too much pressure on musicians and that, in turn, is causing many to suffer needlessly. Lots of love to anyone and everyone who has to feel the daily sting of mental health’s cruel whip – massive respect for sharing your experiences and being brave. Not only does it help others come forward and feel less alone about their problems. Importantly; the more we talk about mental health issues, the quicker we can reduce…

THE number of people who have to suffer silently.

INTERVIEW: Brian El Dorado and The Tuesday People

INTERVIEW:

 Brian El Dorado and The Tuesday People

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ONE does not encounter a seven-piece…

In music but, when you do, it is always an experience! I speak to Brian El Dorado and The Tuesday People’s leader about music in Melbourne and how he got the band together. He speaks about the new album, Wildfire, and inspiration behind some of the songs; the artists the band are compelled by – and whether the band members all grew up in musical households.

I learn more about a unique musical force and one that is preparing to take the music world by storm! El Dorado tells me about future gig plans; whether the guys are coming to the U.K. – each member chooses a song that is especially personal to them.

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

Fantastic! I’m on an airplane, now, flying home after a great pre-tour holiday on the Sunshine Coast (Australia).

Been fishing, boating; swimming and chilling - even practising a little for the tour; singing in the shower.

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

I am Brian El Dorado; band-leader of The Tuesday People. I am the main songwriter, rhythm guitarist and singer. I organise the band; do all the nitty-gritty and bring the show together.

Before we go on; I have to ask about the name ‘Brian El Dorado and The Tuesday People’. It has a bit of a cult vibe to it. Who came up with the name and is there any special meaning behind it?

I came up with it - or it came up with me.

I am hoping we can also get a bit of a cult following. My wife grew up in a cult so, yeah, maybe I am the cult leader - although; one wife is enough for me. L.o.L.!

‘El Dorado’ is a reflection on the city-of-gold-myth. ‘The Tuesday People’ stems from a book I read once. It’s about making the most of every moment and living your life aligned with your highest calling.

The band is a seven-piece. How did you all get together? How long did it take to get that bond and brotherhood cemented?

The band started as a four -piece on the first album but we hired some horn players on a few tracks. I really dug the vibe with the brass, so for this album, Wildfire, we got the horns in on every song. We also got Adam Rudegeair in on the keys - which has been fantastic as he is an extremely versatile virtuoso player. Having Adam and Kumar Shome on lead guitar is a real powerhouse solo section.

Pretty much everyone who plays in The Tuesday People is actually Jazz-trained and heavy-hitting on the Melbourne scene. It is a lot of work juggling seven players for rehearsals and gigs but we pull it off with our mutual love of music and performance. It’s not a real egotistical band. It’s more about the music and just having a good time.

Underneath that, of course, it is (just) pure expression. The best place to be: in the moment and on breath, sound and rhythm.

Melbourne is your base. How good and productive is the scene like there right now?

Melbourne is a buzzing music and art metropolis...

It is thriving and full of musical diversity. This can be seen and heard live any night of the week. For instance; two weeks ago, I went and saw a band perform in an African restaurant with about thirty punters. That band consisted of the keyboard player and bassist from Hiatus Kaiyote. The last time I saw these guys was at BluesFest with 15,000 people in front of them.

So, yeah, that is what I am talking about. It is crazy how much music there is here - that was a Sunday night!

Wildfire is your latest L.P. What does the title symbolise and what kind of subjects inspired the songs?

The title was based upon the fire that is in us all: the same fire that comes from the core of the Earth. It is about a hunger that is different than being hungry for food or desire: it is a soul hunger; a soul fire. Do not get me wrong…we are not arsonist! It also seems to have something to do with a reoccurring dream I have about wildfires burning - but that is another story!

The songs’ subject matter (on Wildfire) mainly deals with psychology, I guess, and the different states of mind people can be in. There is not a lot of storytelling on this record. It is a bit more introspective; however, there are exceptions. Freeway was written in homage to the daily work commute. Halloween was written about an argument with my wife at a Halloween party. I guess Money to Burn also reflects on the greed and individualism that seems to have plagued a lot of western society.

The album is your most diverse work and straddles genres. What was the reason for this cross-genre approach?

I think the genre-bending has to do with my writing approach. It is also not dissimilar to our first record, Eclectric, in that manner - a title that was based on being 'eclectic' and 'electric'. I do not ever write songs thinking I am going to write a Funk song or a Rock song…or Soul or Blues…

I just write with my instincts and let it come out the way it wants to. When I then take this to a group of highly capable Jazz musicians; you can come up with all kinds of things! Honestly, if you think this album is diverse, the next one will blow your mind! I have already written twenty-eight songs for it!

Going to have to start culling soon!

Do you have a love of all styles? How eclectic were your childhoods in terms of the music you discovered?

We are extremely eclectic...

I come from Ohio (in the U.S.A.), the home of old-school Funk; Kumar’s family comes from India; the rest of the band is Australian - and probably scattered with European heritage. Melbourne is a diverse place! Really, though, Kumar and I have done most of the work - and he is often the first person I show songs too. I have worked with him for nearly ten years.

He is a talented musician and capable of brilliance in any style and I mean that: Kumar is next-level world-class.

I believe you have a string of dates to promote the album. Where will you be headed?

We are doing a small East Coast run in N.S.W./A.C.T.; in Sydney and Canberra - as well as seven dates throughout Victoria in Warrnambool...Rye, Ballarat; Bendigo, Castlemaine; Melbourne and Geelong.

What is touring like for you guys? Do you get a kick out of it? What is the best bit about touring?

The best thing about touring is playing heaps of shows and having a good time: the hardest part is being away from home, family and friends.

Honestly, though, you cannot beat getting to do a lot of what you love the most. That’s what life is about - if you can create that for yourself, I reckon.

You coming to the U.K. soon and playing for us? Are you all fans of British music?

HA, are you kidding me?!

There is nothing I would like to do more than get on a plane with the band to London-town! It would be pure magic, the absolute best. The flights are not cheap, though. I reckon we will get there one day. You people will not know what hit you! One of our drummers has played Glastonbury a few times in another band – so, yeah, see you in a few years when we headline! It’s going to be a ripper show….

Seriously, though, we are also big fans of lots of 1960s/1970s British Rock music. It really led the way for the whole globe. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones; Queen, David  Bowie; The Who and Pink Floyd etc…the list could be longer….

It is also no coincidence that massive artist like Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley did not really get massive global recognition until they came to London. It must be a cool place, indeed.

What are you chaps up to this Christmas? Do you visit family or have other plans?

We have a show at a local venue booked in just before New Year’s Eve. I imagine we will also be inundated with presents from fans - and busy opening Christmas cards filled with cash and pictures of nude humans. No really, I am joking. It’s hot round here come Christmas; so I imagine a beer or two will be had. 

There are some fantastic beaches just out of Melbourne - so a bit of swimming will be in order, no doubt.

IN THIS PHOTO: City Calm Down/PHOTO CREDIT: Liam Thomson

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

There is a great band in Melbourne called Laneous I saw the other night. Our drummer from our first album plays in City Calm Down. They are kicking lots of goals and coming your way in November, I believe. I also really dig a band here called Curse Ov Dialect.

There is an awesome band supporting us on tour, from Melbourne, called China Beach. They are rad. Kind of like the Bee Gees-meets-Tame Impala. Also; I heard a great song the other day by a singer named BATTS.

Really, for new, though, you cannot go past US!

 IN THIS PHOTO: BATTS/PHOTO CREDIT: Michelle Grace Hunder: Photographer

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

This is a hard question!

I guess it changes over time but I currently cannot really go past Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ double-album, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus.  For song-depth and intensity, it is really as good as it gets. Sonically, it blows my mind in the way the music was recorded and the level of musicianship. It crosses many genres.

It is purely about the music and the expression - and this, to me, is what music is about. It is the real deal, like all their records. Nick Cave is one of those artists - like Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen (or John Lennon): their music transcends time and space. It is not Pop.

It is real art and will be here forever.

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

Work your ass off - but have fun doing it!

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).

Brian: Beastie Boys – Pass the Mic

Kumar: Van Halen – Hot for Teacher

Adam: Prince – Alphabet Street

Chris: Queen – The Prophets Song

Anthony: The Cat Empire – How to Explain

Lachie: Maceo Parker – Shake Everything You Got (Pt. 1)

Sean: The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter

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Follow Brian El Dorado and the Tuesday People 

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/brianeldoradoandthetuesdaypeople

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/BrianEldorado

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/el_durrito_burrito_fiend/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6W5rz1bBS3tqWICWwnJ1Mk

BandCamp:

https://brianeldorado.bandcamp.com/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/brianeldorado

INTERVIEW: Rogue Sector

INTERVIEW:

 Rogue Sector

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IT is a hard imagining what a new duet with Nico would sound like…

but Rogue Sector have managed to make it a reality. For the new track, Spare the Words, they have been able to fuse Nico’s voice into their song – Paul and Andrew explain how that was made possible. They talk about their passion for her music and what we can expect from their upcoming L.P., The Ministry of Love. I ask about their favourite sounds and how they found their newest member, Ellie.

They talk about the video for Spare the Words and what the future holds; advice they would offer upcoming artists – and what the music scene is like in St. Albans (where Rogue Sector are based).

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

Paul: Fine, thanks…busy! 

We’re working hard on our debut album, The Ministry of Love.

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

We are Paul Freegard (Sounds, Machines and Production); Ellie Jones (vocals); Andrew Trussler (Songwriter, Sounds and Co-Production).

Stark and minimal Electronica is our thing!

Give me an insight into the new song, Spare the Words. Is there a story behind the song?

Andrew: Yes. I was lying in bed one day recovering from a throat infection - and listening to Nico’s Marble Index. The final track, Nibelungen, is Nico singing unaccompanied. There’s this line “Will you spare the words for me to hear?” that just snagged in my imagination for some reason.

I had the idea that, maybe, I could write a new song around that line and create a beyond-the-grave duet with her. The ‘haunted’ aspect of the idea really appealed to me. I didn’t want it to be a cheap gimmick: it had to stand up as a song in its own right. Sometime later, the lyrics came to me - after a friend’s relationship had ended badly.

Paul: It was very eerie working on this track in the studio as it, sometimes, seemed as though Nico was in the vocal booth! We made the drone that runs through the song by sampling Andrew bowing a cymbal with a cello bow.

I like to think Nico would’ve have appreciated the atmosphere it created...

IN THIS PHOTO: Nico

It, as you've said, samples a vocal from iconic singer, Nico. What is it about her voice that meant you included it in the song? Which period of her career do you love the most?

Andrew: I love Nico’s solo work: there’s nothing else like it...

I’m also a big John Cale fan and I really like the arrangements and atmospheres he created around her songs (he produced/arranged most of her solo albums). Her vocals have gravitas and a spectral quality that I’ve always appreciated. She had a turbulent and unsettled personal life and she was deaf in one ear - but she wrote some beautifully twisted songs.

Her records are the kind you put on after midnight. My favourite track of hers is Frozen Warnings (from Marble Index). She was born to sing that as much as Sammy Davis Jr. was born to sing Mr. Bojangles.

But, there are other great songs throughout her career that I love too: Sixty Forty, Janitor of Lunacy; You Forget to Answer…to name just a few.

Paul: She also did an unsettling version of My Funny Valentine on her last album, Camera Obscura. Unsettling but beautiful.

The video is quite cinematic and memorable. Whose idea was the concept and what was it like shooting the video?

Andrew: The song, itself, is a kind of séance; so we decided to extend that idea to the video as well. The concept for the video was cooked up by us and the director, Rua Acorn.

Paul: We converted our basement studio into a temporary film-set - and the video was shot on a shoestring budget in one day.

Andrew: Rua and I edited the video and my brother added the ghostly special-effects.

It features footage of Nico. Was it hard getting permission to use the images and what did you think when you saw the video back?

The exclusive footage of Nico that’s in the video is all thanks to the Mancunian experimental musician, Eric Random. He’s been a hero of mine for years; having produced many interesting albums - as well as collaborating with Cabaret Voltaire and Genesis P-Orridge. But, throughout the 1980s, he was also a member of Nico’s band, The Faction, while she was living in Manchester.

Eric and I had become friendly on Twitter so I asked him if he had any video footage of her that we could use.

Paul: To our surprise and delight, he let us have a V.H.S. of a gig Nico and The Faction played in Switzerland in 1986. We started cutting this into (the) Spare the Words video and it was thrilling - Nico seemed to be lip-syncing to the track!

Andrew: Eric was great. He didn’t want any money - just an ownership credit regarding the Nico footage. He’s a really sound guy and is still producing great music. His latest album, Two Faced, is really good.

Have you all been together for a while? How did Rogue Sector come to exist?

Paul: We started working as a duo in late-2015. We’d known each other for a few years and had occasionally talked about making music together. There was a point when the idle-chatter stopped and we actually got into the studio and began experimenting. We hit it off straight away and it all went on from there...

Ellie is the newest member of the group. Paul and Andrew. How did you meet her and what is it about her vocals that attracted you?

Andrew: It was thanks to Pete Jones - who plays in Department S. He asked us to do a remix of their 1980 hit, Is Vic There? – then, a track called Age of Control (from their latest album). We’ve, since, become good friends. We were looking for a singer and Pete suggested his daughter, Ellie.

As soon as we heard her voice, we knew she was perfect for Rogue Sector – and, happily, she really liked our sound. So; we got her into the studio and she did the vocals for the entire album in just three sessions. She’s brought such a lot of personality to the proceedings and is great fun to be around too.

We’re so lucky to have found her.

Paul: Unfortunately, she recently had a nasty fall while she was away in Berlin and has damaged her back. She’s on the mend - but temporarily out of action.

Tell me about the artists you are both inspired by? What music were you raised on?

Andrew: The bands I loved as a kid were The Banana Splits and The Monkees. I got hooked on The Beatles, too. Then, one Christmas, my mum and dad gave me a BBC Radiophonic Workshop L.P. - featuring the Doctor Who theme tune and incidental music from the show. It was, simultaneously, fascinating and scary!

It had a huge psychic impact on me: I’m convinced that the Radiophonic Workshop sort of indoctrinated me (because they were also doing a lot a music for kids’ programmes and T.V. for schools, at the time).

So, in later life, I was drawn to all kinds of sound/music experimentation in songs - and gravitated towards bands like Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire; Kraftwerk, Einstürzende Neubauten; John Cale and Nico...so, the Radiophonic Workshop were just as big an influence on me as The Beatles.

Paul: When I was a kid, my mum’s friend gave me the entire Beatles’ singles collection - but my sister smashed them all up with a hammer. On a more positive note: I remember seeing Once Upon a Time in the West and being entranced by the Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Also; the Roobarb cartoon was memorable for the distorted guitar soundtrack.

You are based in St. Albans. What is the music scene like there and is it quite easy getting gigs?

We see quite a few local bands play live and enjoy them, too. I’d say the ‘scene’ is mainly guitar-based bands. Nothing wrong with that but there isn’t a particularly visible Electronica scene.

We need to find some friends!

Do you have an E.P. or album coming up? Will we hear new material before the end of this year?

Andrew: Yes. We’re in the midst of recording our debut album, The Ministry of Love. It’s due to be released in April/May 2018. The title-track is finished and has already had some airplay on local radio. We’re planning to make a video for it very soon. By the end of the year, there’ll be some new tracks, too.

Watch this space!

Do you have any future gigs planned? Where can we catch you play?

Paul: No gigs planned at the moment, but we’re trying to figure out the best way of putting a live show together - and hope to start gigging next year.

IN THIS PHOTO: Earl Sweatshirt

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

Andrew: Earl Sweatshirt. He’s taken ‘chopped-and-screwed’ Hip-Hop to the extreme on his album, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside. It’s claustrophobic and menacing in the best sense; particularly the track, Grief. The beats are irrational and the song is always on the verge of falling apart. I really appreciate the bare-bones-minimalism he employs.

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

Paul: Reproduction by The Human League

It was the first album I ever heard that had a slant on the human condition and a social commitment. It summed up the period in which I grew up and made me realise I wanted to be a producer. They also pulled off a cover of You’ve Lost That Lovin' Feeling by The Righteous Brothers, which totally blew me away - because it was so different and equally as good.

Andrew: Music for a New Society by John Cale

It is s a perennial favourite of mine. Cale originally went into the studio with the idea of recording an album of songs with solo piano and guitar accompaniments. But then, mercurial as ever, he went back and tore the whole thing apart; deconstructing the songs until they were these bleak and beautiful tracks with dismembered arrangements.

I mentioned, earlier, how much I loved The Beatles and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop as a kid - and this album is like a nightmare marriage of the two. It showed me how much you could experiment with the song format; how you could shake it up like a kaleidoscope and get fascinating and original results in the process.

My favourite track on the album is Thoughtless Kind - which is like a dystopian vision of Auld Lang Syne. At times, Cale strips things down to just the click-track, maniacal laughter and distant bagpipes. It sounds as if it’s being performed in an asylum - and I wouldn’t change a thing!

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

Paul: Find your own sound and DON’T try to fit in. Find a record label that you admire and respect and try and make music better than theirs. Go against the grain. Don’t tolerate managers that try to mould you.

If you’re a Pop band…good luck with that!

Andrew: Life is fleeting, so put your body and soul into it and get on with it! If you’ve got something to say, say it. Aim high! Even if you fail, you’ll have a much more interesting life than if you just play safe.

Make your own luck and take people’s advice with a pinch of salt…including ours!

Christmas is approaching. Do you all have plans already or will you be busy working?

Obviously, we’ll be helping Santa on Christmas Eve. But, we’ll be in the studio for the rest of the Christmas period - as we have a deadline to meet for the album release.

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).

Thoughtless Kind by John Cale

Paul: Muse by OCAD

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Follow Rogue Sector:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/roguesector?lang=en 

INTERVIEW: Other Creatures

INTERVIEW:

Other Creatures

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DUBLIN newcomers Other Creatures…

have released their debut single, Luxembourg - from their upcoming The First EP. It is a confident song that entices a stunning E.P. I talk to the band about the debut track and what inspired it; what the music scene is like in Dublin – and the bands/albums they are inspired by. I learn more about the dynamics of Luxembourg and the sort of trials they had to overcome when recording the music; what it has been like working with Trout Records – and what kind of sounds we can expect to hear on their debut E.P.

Fionn, who takes most of the answers tips a few acts to watch out for; what their diary looks like over the coming weeks – and how it feels getting praise from some pretty big sources.

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

Good, thank you. We hope you’re well too...

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

We are Other Creatures from Dublin. We’re a three-piece – guitar, bass and drums: Konrad, Fionn and Dave. We’ve been a band for five years - but have known each other, and played music with each other, since school.

Can you tell me the story behind the new single, Luxembourg? Is there a tale attached to the song?

Fionn: It’s one of the earliest songs we have that has survived to this E.P. and, as I remember it, came together pretty quickly. Structurally, it’s cheating as the whole thing just repeats itself – but it makes the song long enough to work.

It opens every show...

It is taken from The First EP. What other songs and sounds can we expect from it? What was it like recording it?

We recorded the songs in a professional studio over three days and everything came back flat and stale. We were debating what to do next and Konrad decided he’d get to work building a home studio in our practice space.

It was only ever an experiment but he started to find the sound we were after and, over about two weeks, we got everything recorded.

Then, in the mixing process, a computer crashed and we lost everything. Third-time-lucky; we recorded everything again; Konrad mixed it himself…and that’s the finished product.

It is released on Trout Records. Are you excited working with them and what is it about the label that attracts you?

It’s a Dublin label with a roster of great bands...

They only take on bands they want to work with and were one of the first to ever approach us - and encourage us about what we were doing. I get the sense melody and physicality are important muses for the band.

Give me an insight into the music you all grew up listening to.

It would be a long list...

For melody: The Beatles, Pavement; Jeff Buckley and Pixies.

For physicality: Led Zeppelin and Nirvana.

You are all friends. Was there a particular moment/spark when you realised you needed to set up Other Creatures?

We got together in Konrad’s (place) one day in the summer and set up the equipment. It was fun so we didn’t stop.

Already, your music is getting into the head and hands of some big publications. Does that give you the boost to keep going and aim high?!

It gives the songs a better chance of being heard – that’s the reward.

Dublin is where the band is based out of. Is the city a great place to record and gig? Give me an insight into the magic and mystery of Dublin…

Dublin has great venues, big and small. You can get from your practice room to a stage in the city pretty quickly.

Dublin will always support live music. It’s relatively small for a capital city as well, so you begin to discover familiar faces.

What tour dates do you chaps have coming up?

Next up, we are playing a Trout Records showcase in the Islington (in London); 14th November with Tandem Felix and Tomorrows.

I can imagine live performances are where your music comes to life strongest. What has the reaction been like so far (on the road) and is gigging where you feel happiest?

We love to play live - and the reaction has been great.

There are tough gigs but we’re a really simple setup - so we can usually just plug in and go. I think that’s part of the appeal of the band, in a way.

IN THIS PHOTO: Bleeding Heart Pigeons

Who are the new artists you suggest we check out?

Bleeding Heart Pigeons; Katie Dey; Benjamin Clementine.

IN THIS PHOTO: Katie Dey

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

The Beatles - The Beatles - 1967-1970

That’s right: the best of The Beatles. It was the first of theirs I listened to.

Dave: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

Because, fu*k you, it’s Rock and Roll

Konrad: Grace – Jeff Buckley

Because (Grace by) Jeff Buckley is excellent

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

Don’t expect anything from music: nothing’s happened until it’s happened.

Enjoy it...

Christmas is approaching. Do you all have plans already or will you be busy working?

Too early to discuss Christmas...I refuse.

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).

Fionn: Perry Como – Glendora

Dave: The Thrills – One Horse Town

Konrad: Katie Dey – Debt

_________

Follow Other Creatures

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/othercreatures/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Other_Creatures

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0NkjQpCcpkuTDbWqyhSf1c

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/othercreatures 

FEATURE: Albums to Watch Out for in October

FEATURE:

IN THIS PHOTO: St. Vincent

Albums to Watch Out for in October

________

WE are comfortably into October and have already…

IN THIS PHOTO: Julien Baker

witnessed some great albums come through. The nights are drawing in and there is definitely a winter vibe in the air. It is the time to get properly into music and ensure everyone is aware of all the biggest and best records due for release this month...

_________

Beck – Colors

Release Date: 13th

Label: Capitol

Producers: Beck, Greg Kurstin and Cole M.G.N.

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

William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala

Release Date: 13th

Label: BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Producers: Rick Rubin and Billy Corgan

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

Robert Plant – Carry Fire

Release Date: 13th

Label: Nonesuch Records Inc.

Producer: Robert Plant

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

Pale Honey – Devotion

Release Date: 13th

Label: Bolero Recordings

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

P!nk – Beautiful Trauma

Release Date: 13th

Label: RCA

Producer: Steve Mac, Jack Antonoff and Max Martin

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

St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION

Release Date: 13th

Label: Lorna Vista Recordings

Producer: St. Vincent, Jack Antonoff and Soundwave

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/St.Vincent/

Jessie Ware – Glasshouse

Release Date: 20th  

Label: Island

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

Lindstrøm - It's Alright Between Us as It Is 

Release Date: 20th

Label: Smalltown Supersound

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

Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights

Release Date: 27th

Label: Matador

Producer: Julien Baker

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

Weezer - Pacific Daydream

Release Date: 27th

Labels: Atlantic; Crush

Producers: Butch Walker; Johny Coffer; J.R. Rotem and Toby Gad

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

FEATURE: Write On… Incredible Music Blogs Worth Following

FEATURE:

 

Write On…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay 

Incredible Music Blogs Worth Following

________

MANY people wonder whether the music industry...

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

is suffering because of the digitisation of the press. In fact, it is not really viable sustaining the physical press due to purchasing and production costs. The diaspora of music journalism has seen it migrate from the printing press to the Internet. It means we can get our music news and reviews instantly: none of the waiting for the magazine and becoming impatient. In a sea of music blogs – more coming into the market by the week – there are many great and noble; even more average ones; even more bad ones, it seems. Depending on your tastes and proclivities will determine which blogs you go looking for. I find the more all-round and multi-genre sites cater to music-lovers who have a broad scope.

With that in mind...I bring those blogs that everyone should keep in their ‘Favourites’ list.

_________

Pitchfork

 Founded in 1995 by Ryan Schreiber, who was working in a record store at the time, the magazine developed a reputation for its extensive focus on independent music, but it has since expanded with a variety of coverage on both indie and popular music artists. Pitchfork publishes daily reviews, features and interviews - as well as real-time music news coverage. Pitchfork has developed one of the web's most devoted and loyal followings, in the process spawning Chicago's annual Pitchfork Music Festival and the online music video channel Pitchfork.tv.

Website: https://pitchfork.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pitchfork

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

Indie Shuffle

 We’re a diverse group of people excited about sharing music. We’re not about 10-point ratings or giving bad reviews. You might not agree with all of our tastes, but hopefully a few of us can help you find something new. At Indie Shuffle, we believe humans are better than robots when it comes to music discovery. Think about it. How many of your favourite bands were recommended to you by a friend? That’s why we’ve assembled a team of international writers to bring you the best music, including indie rock, hip hop, electronic, and everything in between. It’s music discovery powered by real people. Consider us your new best friends.

Website: https://www.indieshuffle.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/indieshuffle

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

Consequence of Sound

Consequence of Sound is a New York and Chicago-based online music, film, and television publication. Since its inception in 2007, CoS has reported on all of music’s breaking news, in addition to hyping new artists and cracking highly anticipated lineups for music festivals across the globe. In 2014, Consequence of Sound expanded its coverage into film with daily reviews and features in addition to breaking news updates.

With a committed staff of just over 50 writers, editors, graphic designers, and photographers, CoS continues to successfully push its way ahead of the engaging and highly competitive new media market.

Website: https://consequenceofsound.net/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/consequence

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

 Drowned In Sound

Over the past 14 years, Drowned in Sound has established itself as “the first port of call for music obsessives” (The Observer). The site’s authoritative reviews and interesting interviews with everyone from Bjork to Paul McCartney have won many awards, whilst the irreverent community on the site’s forums have generated 5million different topics of discussion.

Our Wiki says:

DrownedinSound.com, or DiS, is a UK-based music webzine dedicated to new, independent, innovative and groundbreaking music, as well as the best from established artists and international talents.
DiS is one of the leading tastemakers in the UK, with an average of 500,000 unique users every month, and operates a critically celebrated independent record label - DiS Recordings - instrumental in launching the careers of Bat For Lashes, Kaiser Chiefs and Martha Wainwright. DiS recently signed a joint-venture deal with BSkyB to launch many new sites and upstream content into various parts of the Sky system.

DiS started in 1998 as The Last Resort (which was essentially an emailed blog) but was relaunched as DrownedinSound.com in 2000. It is managed by Sean Adams

The freelance writing team is spread across the globe, with contributors based in four continents - North America, Asia, Europe and Australasia. The site is largely based on contributions from unpaid writers and has an integrated forum to allow for discussion and comments on interviews, news and reviews. It also includes a user-rated database of artists and bands as well as details for most live music venues (big and small) in the UK. Aside from space for comments, there are separate forums for general discussion, music related discussion and advertisements for people requiring bands or musicians. The site has over 100,000 registered members.

Website: http://drownedinsound.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drownedinsound

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

The Line of Best Fit

The Line of Best Fit is the UK's biggest independent website devoted to new music.

From bedroom blog beginnings ten years ago, we're one of the world’s most trusted voices for music discovery, read by more two million people a month who come to the site to find their new favourite band.

Follow our Discovery playlist on Spotify - updated weekly - to find out what we’re listening to right now.

Oh and we got our name from a song on Death Cab for Cutie's You Can Play These Songs with Chords.

Website: https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bestfitmusic

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

Ditto Music Blog

Introducing Ditto Music

We're an online digital music distributor with a proven record of getting unsigned artists into the UK Top 40, and the world's biggest artists into the world's digital stores.

We're musicians ourselves: we understand, care and have won awards for our customer service. We give you everything a record label can offer and value no one can match. Wherever the next innovation in online music distribution is, we'll find it and make it easier for you to get your music out there, heard and sold.

We're Ditto. And the world is listening.

Ditto Music distribute your music online and into the charts. We were responsible for the first ever unsigned artist (Koopa) to break the UK top 40 singles chart in 2007. We now distribute over 30,000 artists including Ed Sheeran, Paul McCartney and Finch.

As well as digital distribution to hundreds of key stores, we provide you with the tools to succeed and build a brand behind your music.

Website: https://www.dittomusic.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dittomusic

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

 Louder than War

In 2010 we decided that there was a space for a new type of website that didn’t follow the preconceived rules of music.

We were bored of genres and the conventional history of music; we liked so much music and we wanted to communicate it.

We didn’t realise how many people agreed with us and the site has become one of the fastest growing, award winning music websites in the UK.

Our Manifesto:

1.       Fast forward to the future

We are always looking for the new noise, the next buzz, we have no borders, no boundaries – all the musical skree of the 21st century is ours to celebrate.

2.       Old, new, borrowed and blue

The future does not mean a fear of the past – we have a wonderful archive of classic features which we will exhibit; movers and shakers from any period always burn brightly.

3.       The world is ours

No corner of the planet is beyond bounds. Norwegian death metal, Brazilian freak punk, Baille funk, Mexican quiff bop, English punk, electronic pop, Angolan Kuduro music, north African hip hop, the foulest bedsit dubstep, Manchester lad bands, Turkish gypsy music, Goa Trance, Japanese freak noise, African rhythms, Karnatik folk, Greek Mohawked anarchists and Indian metal hardcore – it’s all in here and more; we celebrate the classic Anglo American axis but we are not constrained by it. We are open to suggestions. We are open.

4.       Do you believe in the power of rock n roll?

We still believe in the power of music and we still believe in the counter culture.

5.       New blood for young skulls

We actively seek new talent to compliment the old. Great writers from the past rub shoulders with youthful first-timers. We are open people.

6.       I am the resurrection

We have no truck with the loose talk of pop culture being over. It’s not even started yet. These are fractured times and we are in the wild west of technology. There is an information overload and we are loving it.

7.       Keep on moving

We travel a lot and we have writers from all over the world. We love the idea that technology can disseminate information about raw, very human music. The primitive is everywhere- the music business is over. We are the Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady’s of the 21st Century – the internet is our highway.

8.       But we have no fear of the mainstream

There is great pop to love as well. We love the Beatles, modern girl pop and obscure Indian snake charmer music at the same time. We have Kraftwerk, WuTang, System Of A Down and Crass and a million others on our ipods. We love pop music and we love noise. It’s our choice.

9.       Ignore alien orders was once written on a guitar

In 2011 it would be written in cyberspace.

10.   The old models of rivalry and competition are banished

We actively encourage our readers to enjoy our comrades work in the likes of The Quietus. We are all mere portals conveying information.

11.   The first rule of this Write Club is that there are no rules

12.   Words are my weapons

The writing will be informative but also emotional. I want people who are immersed in culture and want to fire you up with their love of it.

13.   Music is one of the last things we have left

No-one owns it. We can all make it. And we can all celebrate it. It is beyond the accountant’s grim fingers.

14.   People once wanted to save the world now they are saving up to buy it

We are a break from that.

15.   We are punk

Website: http://louderthanwar.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louderthanwar

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

Clash

Clash Music is a dynamic independent media group with established platforms in both print and digital media, with a diverse Live calendar that includes festivals, international music events and bespoke events organised for brands. The group encompasses Clash Magazine, ClashMusic.com and Clash Live Events.

Clash has consolidated its position as a leading UK and international title within the music, fashion and film sectors. While music continues to diversify and evolve, Clash endeavours to represent the crossover appeal of different styles and sounds. We feature the best new and emerging bands alongside established and popular acts and legends of the industry across our multiple media platforms - magazine and online; and through live events.

Clash Magazine is a multi-award winning music magazine that launched to critical acclaim in 2004, combining underground and mainstream music genres that includes fashion, film and entertainment in its subject matter.

ClashMusic.com is a definitive online guide to leading music andmusic trends – covering the best of breaking to established artists alongside news, reviews, features, image gallery and forums, in addition to a collection of the best content from Clash Magazine.

Website: http://www.clashmusic.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clash_music

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

Dots and Dashes

 Dots & Dashes is an award-winning, London-based editorial, independent music publication, concerning both the upcoming and established.

Website: http://dotsanddashes.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dotsanddashes

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

 Make It in Music

 Make It In Music (’MiiM’) is a Music Industry Resource Company set up by Ian Clifford, ably assisted by Amanda McGowan. Between us we have 30 years of frontline global Music Industry experience.

After working tirelessly to find, develop and hone young talent for many years, it became glaringly obvious to us that the young hopefuls always had the same questions and always made the same mistakes in their quest for fame and fortune. 

That quest has only become harder in the last few years with the turmoil caused by the extended death throes of the long-serving Artist and Record Company model. Nobody knows quite how the explosion of the digital age in the Music Industry (downloading, social networking, the death of the CD etc) will play out. There are theories and there are potential new models, but for now, the future is clouded.

It was always difficult, in any age, to get a band together, learn to write and play, and then attract enough attention to get a shot at success. It’s even harder now that the record companies have less money and even less room for manoeuvre. But….there are now some truly feasible alternative ways to reach your future fans and even ways to financially sustain yourself outside of the record company model. 

Some bad, and a little good then - but the same things remain true whether you try to go it alone or look to get signed. You need to work out how to be good enough and you need to find a fanbase.

It’s the lessons that we can impart to help in that quest that led to the creation of MiiM. Having worked as a music lawyer, artist and producer/songwriter manager, record label owner, music publisher, promoter and more, there are few things that Ian hasn’t seen in the Music Business. With No.1 records on both sides of the Atlantic and first hand experience in Rock, Pop, Indie, Hip-Hop and Dance (and even a little folk!) that knowledge can be transcribed to any artist in any genre. From a technical legal starting point, through the creative process, making the record and ultimately marketing it and the band to the public, we can share our knowledge of all of it. 

Amanda has more than one degree in Psychology - an immensely helpful training both in dealing with artists and also in understanding what makes people become fans. Years of on-the-road touring and street team marketing, both in the moshpit and at the front edge of the digital frontier, make the value of her insight to any emerging artist incalculable.

Website: http://www.makeitinmusic.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakeItInMusic

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

 Pigeons and Planes

 Here’s the basic idea: Pigeons and Planes is a music discovery site, brought to you by COMPLEX. It's where you can keep up with new music, across all genres and from all corners of the globe. We put you on to good music made by good artists, whether they’re established stars or rising newcomers.

We get asked what the name “Pigeons and Planes” means a lot. The idea was to incorporate two things that are complete opposites but also have something in common. In this case that common thing is flight. A pigeon is the perfect symbol for the starving artists who are trying to survive in a world that wasn’t made for them. They’re mostly ignored, mostly unwanted, and there are a lot of them. It’s a tough life, but they survive however they can and when the time comes, they take flight.

The planes represent the mainstream artists—finely tuned machines associated with major corporations, a global reach to the masses, and serious money. We could stretch this on for days, but use your imagination. Pigeons and Planes.

Website: http://pigeonsandplanes.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PigsAndPlans

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

Aquarium Drunkard

 Based in Los Angeles, Aquarium Drunkard is an eclectic audio blog featuring daily music reviews, interviews, features, mp3 samples and sessions. Originating in 2005, digging globally, the Drunkard bridges contemporary sounds with vintage garage, psych, folk, country, soul, funk, r&b and beyond.

Helmed by Justin Gage, the site has since spun off Autumn Tone Records, the Aquarium Drunkard Presents series, the Lagniappe Sessions and the weekly, two hour, Aquarium Drunkard Show airing Fridays on SIRIUS/XMU (channel 35), Noon-2pm EST. Gage is a working music supervisor for film and music consultant. He authored the 2009 guide/travelogue Memphis And The Delta Blues Trail.

Noteworthy AD guest contributors include: Robyn Hitchcock, Will Oldham, Dungen, Jim James, Lower Dens, Steve Gunn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Psychic Temple, Patterson Hood, James Elkington, Mark Kozelek, Allah-Las, Spooner Oldham, Jon Spencer, Kevin Morby, Joan Shelley, John Vanderslice, Akron/Family, Steve Earle, White Fence, Anton Newcombe, Mikal Cronin, The Sandwitches, Hamilton Leithauser, Parquet Courts, Gordon Gano, J. Tillman, The Antlers, Jason Isbell, Richard Swift, The Handsome Family, Daniel Hutchens, Frida Hyvönen, Castanets, Drive-By Truckers, William Tyler, William Elliott Whitmore, Tortoise, Father John Misty, Kikagaku Moyo, The Broken West, Lucero, Horse Feathers, Rodriguez, Bowerbirds, Port O’brien, Portugal The Man, Frankel, Roadside Graves, Josh Rouse, Throw Me The Statue, The Whigs, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Fruit Bats, James Jackson Toth, James Husband, Bear In Heaven, Japandroids, The Minus 5, Megafaun, King Tuff, White Hinterland, Wolf People, The Deadly Syndrome, Dean Wareham, Frog Eyes, Doug Paisley, Everest, Lotus Plaza, The Ruby Suns, The Jim Jones Revue, Chris Cohen, Sunset, Elf Power, Bobby Bare Jr., Breathe Owl Breathe, Ben Weaver, The Autumn Defense, Robert Ellis, Hacienda, John Grant, Wooden Wand, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Skygreen Leopards, Matthew E. White, The Amazing, Porcelain Raft, Tashaki Miyaki, Night Beds, Daniel Romano, Chris Forsyth, Sonny & The Sunsets, Bobby Bare Jr., Of Montreal, Eric D. Johnson, Jolie Holland, Benjamin Booker, Daniel Bachman, Ultimate Painting, Jennifer Castle, Alex Bleeker, Diane Coffee, Jess Williamson, Ryley Walker, Gruff Rhys, Rickie Lee Jones and many more.

Interviews: John Cale, Pere Ubu, Peter Buck, Brian Wilson, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Dwight Yoakam, Alan Vega, Adrian Sherwood, Michael Chapman, Dave Davies, Nick Lowe, Robyn Hitchcock, Protomartyr, Yo La Tengo, David Crosby, Jeff Bridges, Neko Case, Träd, Gräs & Stenar, Cass McCombs, Tom Jones, Jah Wobble, Idris Ackamoor, Paul Major, Bill Fay, Mike Watt, Lift To Experience, Joan Shelley, Woods, Laraaji, Bill Vitt, Vic Chesnutt, Kris Kristofferson, Mary Timony, Terry Allen, Henry Rollins, James Elkington, Cody Chesnutt, Lou Barlow, Willis Earl Beal, No Age, Psychic Temple, Jody Stephens (Big Star), The Weather Station, Lambchop, Richard Buckner, The Olivia Tremor Control, Kevin Morby, Jim White, Silver Jews, Elyse Weinberg, John Mulaney, Matthew Sweet, Chris Robinson, The Hold Steady, Merle Haggard, Moon Duo, Joanna Brouk, Centro-Matic, K. Leimer, Alejandro Escovedo, The National, Beth Orton, The Felice Brothers, Scott Fagan, Shearwater, Howe Gelb, Real Estate, Anton Newcombe, AA Bondy, Brendan Benson, Twin Peaks, The Low Anthem, Pere Ubu, Nathan Bowles, Jay Farrar, Shirley Collins, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Circulatory System, Ethan Miller, Condo Fucks, Jason Lytle, Akron/Family, William Bell, The Moondoggies, Telekinesis, Megafaun, Phosphorescent, Charlie Louvin, Castanets, Dan Auerbach, Benji Hughes, Cheap Trick, The Walkmen, Mikal Cronin, The Rosebuds, Horse Feathers, Mercyland, Blitzen Trapper, Kelly Hogan, Damien Jurado, DeVotchka, The Whigs, The Broken West, Car Seat Headrest, Quintron, Calexico, Hayden, Eric Bachmann, Patterson Hood, Arcade Fire, Whitney, Beach House, Skygreen Leopards, Portastatic, Born Ruffians, Twin Peaks, Animal Collective, The Antlers, Kelly Hogan, Foxygen, Mikael Jorgensen, Futurebirds, Lissie, The Love Language, Five Eight, Dale Murphy, Foxygen, Menomena, Corin Tucker, Destroyer, Superchunk, Beachwood Sparks, Lucinda Williams, Wooden Wand, Margo Guryan, The Growlers, Father John Misty, Chris Cohen, Steve Gunn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Chris Stamey, Angel Olsen, Camera Obscura, Bobby Whitlock, The Baptist Generals, Daughn Gibson, Van Dyke Parks, Califone, Gary Numan, William Tyler, Doug Paisley, Peter Walker, The Rock*A*Teens, Christopher Denny, Castanets, Dwight Twilley, John Lurie and many more.

Website: http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aquadrunkard

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

FEATURE: Armistice: Security at Music Events in the Wake of the Las Vegas Shootings

FEATURE:

 

Armistice:

 Security at Music Events in the Wake of the Las Vegas Shootings

________

STEPHEN Paddock is a name few of us…

IN THIS PHOTO: Stephen Paddock/PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Paddock/WOFL

will forget in a hurry. Without provocation or any clear motif; the supposed gentle and quiet retired American opened fire at a Country music in Las Vegas – killing fifty-eight gig-goers before taking his own life. He wounded hundreds more and scarred everyone who would have attended that night. The chronology of the event – and the fall-out – has raised question of security at big events. If one wants to examine moral hierarchy and where Paddock falls in comparison to a terrorist; it raises a lot of questions and opens debate. Instantly, when the deaths were reported, there was that clear distinction between his actions and that of a terrorist. It is, obviously, a case of domestic terrorism but, as he was a retired gentleman not attacking the government, newspaper headlines were a lot less judgemental and accusatory. If this were a Muslim attacker who implanted himself at the event and blew up dozens of people; there would be few surprises and people labelling him a terrorist. That would be a fair assessment but there is little difference between a white, non-terrorist killing the same number of people. It doesn’t matter whether the attacker was a nice guy who snapped: it makes his crimes no less horrifying and atrocious.

IN THIS PHOTO: Police near Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, following the attack/PHOTO CREDIT: NBC News

Rather than provide Paddock the oxygen of publicity; it is better to look at gun control and the way we police music events. I am not suggesting we need to barricade music events and search every single human being within a five-mile radius. It is hard to say why Paddock took it upon himself to meticulously plan the spree and ensure he could not be brought to justice. It was not someone reacting in the moment and losing control: this was a detailed and thorough attack intended to eradicate as much life as his ammunition would allow – or until the Las Vegas Police Department got to his room. Who knows how many he could have killed and maimed if they had arrived later? Maybe there would have been fewer deaths had that reacted quicker? The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says that anyone has the right the bear arms – that right shall not be infringed. It is clear the centuries-old Constitution needs to be evaluated and discussed. It is no good every President condemning a gun attack and saying we need to see fewer incidents – then not doing anything proactive. The gun lobbyists will always revolt and the illogical sentiments of gun owners – give up their arms and they are vulnerable to attacks; defenceless to defend themselves – has the loudest voice.

The American police need to armed, to an extent, but that throws up issues of bias and impartiality. Why are they allowed guns and everyday citizens prohibited?! It gets tangled and litigious before we even delve into the logistics and legalities. The tragedy in Las Vegas follows from the bombing at the Manchester Arena. Many might say they are isolated events and not going to be repeated. There have been enough near-misses and close-calls to worry the average music-goer. Many would say music and the triumphalism of the fans means sounds and a common bond is more powerful than hate and terrorism – this is true, I’ll confess. It does not matter how steel-hearted and lion-like fans are: if there are insufficient security measures then future attacks can happen. I know terrorism affects more areas/locales away from music – and there are domestic incidents where many are killed – and a few incidents a year does not an epidemic make. Nobody could have seen Manchester occur but following the massacre at the Bataclan back in 2015; there should have been stringent measures put in place at ALL music venues around the world. Things have got tighter recently but I am concerned things need to get even more proactive and visible.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Bataclan, Paris

A full-on police presence might seem alarming and off-putting for people who want to relax and enjoy music. It is a hard line to draw but we cannot be naïve and relaxed when it comes to the threat of terrorism and security. The attack in Las Vegas has highlighted how attacks are not reserved to terrorists of Muslim origin. I am attending a big concert in November and, whilst I am looking forward to it, always find myself wondering whether a rogue element can enter the arena and create chaos. It is paranoia but one can be forgiven for being overly-vigilant during these times. Does extra security and armed police create a deterrent or does it provide psychological unrest - and exacerbate nerves among those trying to filter out the possibility of violence? Again; this is a contentious debate but one that needs to be brought to the table. Paddock’s Las Vegas attack was hard to predict because we profile attackers and, given the most recent terrorist attacks, have a view of the nationalities and religions of those who perpetrate such deed. Paddock was acting alone and not part of a terrorist cell. The U.S. security services will be called into questions and asked why this man was allowed to amass an arsenal and fire at people without any warning and surveillance.

PHOTO CREDIT: TripAdvisor

Paddock positioned himself high above the crowds in a hotel room (at Mandalay Bay) and there was no way he could have been stopped instantly. The fact he managed to get all those guns into his room and fashion a perfect environment to kill people returns to my (slightly fatuous) desire for widespread cordoning. We talk about massacres at music events because of the sheer scale of loss. A lot of fear is percolating in the music industry and, if artists and fans are reluctant about attending events, that compromises the integrity and future of music itself. On street-level, there is no way of realistic preventing all terrorist attacks. The latest vehicular-related attack in London, whilst not terrorist-related, did raise issues whether we need to secure the city better and how far we need to place measures. Attacks are more utilitarian and simplistic than they used to: homemade devices can be easily fashioned and many people are simply driving vehicles straight at people. It is easy enough to prevent any attacks we saw in Las Vegas. That was so devastating because of the proximity of the event and the hotel Paddock stationed himself in. Here, there are few big arenas where an attacker can prop themselves above. It seems extreme but having armed police at each event would create more security than fear.

IN THIS PHOTO: Scenes outside the Manchester Arena following the attacks

If they were positioned sporadically – and any nearby hotels/vantage points monitored – that would secure the peripheries. Every gig-goer needs their person searched so any explosive devices and weapons can be detected. There would be few other ways a would-be attacker could carry out any violence. There is little we can do about our roads and public transport but, at the very least, venues need to go further with their security in light of the attacks we have witnessed in the past year. All of us live in an extreme world where violence and terrorism is becoming more familiar and common than ever before. It is not foolhardy to be over-protective if it means any potential attackers are deterred from striking. Whatever the solution is; too many people are fearful of stepping into venues and seeing the artists they love. It is not right we live in a time when the worst elements of society can claim lives and carry out their evil agenda. Perhaps there is no way to completely stop the problem but we can do something to stem the flow. I worry there will be another attack before the end of this year and, with security being at the level it is, no way of saying which concert it will take place at.

PHOTO CREDIT: The Press Association

Most of the attacks happen at Rock and Pop concerts – where more people attend – and I wonder whether it is the ethics and message these artists are sending out that attracts a violent response. Of course, stopping them from performing is insane but there needs to be increased police at these kinds of shows. Whether we are under-resourced or stretched; it is a matter of national security and we, here, do not have the insane levels of gun violence as the U.S. The overriding spirit of togetherness and defiance takes a lot of the fear away. People are not going to be put off by attacks but, at the same time, we need to safeguard those who do go to concerts. For now, and as we carry on with our business, there needs to be more debate in parliament. I fear the current regime is not aware or that bothered about music event security but they should be. Attacks might be rare but they are not extinct. The fact they do happen should raise enough alarm bells. Our biggest music events should not be defined by fear and bloodshed: they need to be about the music, spirit and memories created by the artists we go and see. That happens at the majority of events but changes need to happen. When they do, and there is a more consistent security contingency in place; this means we can all…

PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock/KR MEDIA Productions

REST a lot easier

FEATURE: The Thirty-Second Rule: Do We Need to Drop Advertising from Music Sites?

FEATURE:

 

The Thirty-Second Rule:

 Do We Need to Drop Advertising from Music Sites?

________

THE reasoning behind the first half of the title…

explains my opinion when it comes to advertising. We are told we should never eat food that has been dropped on the floor and remained there for longer than six seconds…or is it eight?! Anyway; we are given a very short time before it is safe to eat a hot dog that has been dropped on a carpet festooned with dog hair, rat droppings and dirt – and that is just the contents of the hot dog! It seems rather arbitrary given precise time because, for one, we never time it when we drop food and it is impossible to say exactly when a piece of food will spoil – I disregard the rule when it comes to sucking wine out of the carpet when I spilt it! My views on advertising differ, mind. We can quibble regarding the validity and purity of food – when it hits a sullied surface – but I am advocating we remove all advertising from music. One of the biggest disappointments from my time running this blog is seeing certain bands and artists give in to advertising.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

They have promoted brands and gained money from doing something rather nauseating and sell-out. None of them has taken pride from doing that but it seems like they have no choice – money is so tight they are doing it to fund their new record. I understand there is a school of thought that suggests music can enhance adverts and bring new music to young generations. I am not a fan of music being used in advertising, either. To me, the best way to discover new music is through the old-fashioned method of self-discovery…in the sense one buys records and looks on their own. Music is great in film and T.V. and is used to heighten a scene and convey emotion. There, the intention is to score a scene – one cannot do that with silence – and it is good mixing Classic scores with contemporary songs. Things are very different when it comes to T.V. advertising.

Here, there is no need to elevate a scene and articulate emotions dialogue cannot convey. All adverts are cheap, boring and/or embarrassing. Only a small few from history have managed to amaze the senses and stick in the memory – the fact they are flogging something like Guinness or Levi’s detracts from the artistic quality and visionary scope. I know great directors can cut their teeth/expand their C.V. directing adverts but it seems there are very few current legends. I would argue against the fact we need to have music in advertising: it is not the best way to bring music to people and is not what advertising is for. I think many assume advertising on streaming sites is a good way or bringing products and essential services to the people – that is the only rationale I can apply to that ‘logic’. I am happy to pay for streaming music on Spotify; for the sheer sense of freedom and not being harassed.

Before then, for every song, I was subjected to a violating and irritating advert for some crap or other – I have forgotten what it is for and happy I have, too! I understand why Spotify run adverts: they want to generate money and, if someone is not willing to pay for music, that is the way they earn their cash. Many are avoiding paying for the service but how is advertising going to convince them otherwise?! The tactic is, to avoid the adverts, you have to pay to get rid of them. That is like saying the only way to stop someone poking you in the eye is to buy their brand of sunglasses! The point of adverts is to promote a service and provide information to the public. If the only reason you have adverts on your site is to get people to pay then there is something ironic about the whole thing. One of the worst things about Spotify is that, in the past, they have produced adverts (audio) that feature a woman, in harrowing detail, talk about the time she was raped.

I don’t think it was an aimless and weird experiment: there was a service and reason why that was included on the site. Not only does one have to endure adverts but they have to listen to things that are upsetting and come without warning. Not only do the adverts feel obtrusive but they are very hard to mute and get rid of. You cannot bail and skip the adverts and, in a state of anger and distress, the user goes elsewhere or spends less time on the site. Before, one could get most of the way through an album before they had the advert pop in – now, it is, maybe, two or three tracks. I know Spotify needs to pay artists and, if they are to avoid the controversies of fair equity and compensation, that is what needs to be done. There are a couple of issues inherent. For one; I do not think advertising revenue is sufficient granted the amount of music that is streamed from the site – and the money that should be going to artists.

Acts DO make money from the site but it seems like a paucity. One needs to generate immense streaming figures to earn a tiny bit of money. Rather than force people to watch adverts and get annoyed: there should be a campaign that outlines the bonuses of Spotify and offers new tiers of membership and payment. Rather than get people to pay annual/monthly subscription – there are problems there – get them to do it with every song they download. It seems unfair the huge stars that command millions of streaming figures, and have a lot of money already, get the same sort of cuts as everyone else – and benefit most from Spotify. I feel, as a Premium user, I still do not pay enough. I use Spotify every day and feel like I stream more than I pay for. There are some that pay a subscription fee and do not really get value. If you are a casual user – streaming a couple of tracks a month – then is it fair they need to pay what they do?!

It seems there is a disparity between the new artists – who do not really earn anything from streaming sites – and the big artists who can easily amass money in no time. It is clear there needs to be a rethink and restructure but advertising is not the way to go about things. Everyone is annoyed by them and it is a reason why many are flocking elsewhere. There are ways advertisers can showcase their services on Spotify without it being embedded every time someone plays a song. We could have a separate section of the site that runs adverts or, for people who are using the site for free, they can be promoted to pay for what they are listening to – unless they do, they will be denied access. It seems harsh but that would get more people paying. Some do endure the adverts in the knowledge they can continue to use Spotify for free.

SoundCloud has started to put more adverts into their service. There was a time I could navigate and play songs without that interruption but, for some artists, they have adverts included. I am not sure whether this is a conscious decision or a service SoundCloud are trailing. We know money is a premium and there needs to be more given to artists. If people are ignoring adverts, thus, missing the point of them entirely; then what is the reason for using them? The worst offender of the pack is YouTube - that is where the title of this piece stems from. Everyone is familiar with the perils of YouTube. It offers a free service but, before you know it, a song you are listening to has an advert preface. There are no markers on videos that say there is going to be an advert – it would give one the chance to mute and avert their eyes. Whereas Spotify allows the user a chance to pay to get rid of adverts: YouTube forces one to ensure any hideous advert they want to throw our way.

Ironically, when sourcing this Variety article - the page was riddled with banners, adverts and all kinds of crap. I had to carefully click things away before I was sucked into their paid advertising.

“YouTube is getting rid of one of its first paid content models: The Google-owned video site announced Tuesday that it is discontinuing its paid channels initiative, effectively killing the option to sell the content of individual channels to paying subscribers. Instead, YouTube is expanding its sponsorship model, making it available to all YouTube Gaming creators and testing it with some creators within the main YouTube app.

YouTube first introduced paid channels in 2013 as its very first move into the subscription business. Initially launched with a few dozen content partners including the Sesame Workshop, NatGeo Kids and DHX Media, paid channels allowed creators to set their own price for subscriber-only channels on the service.

However, there were signs early on that YouTube’s audience didn’t care much for these paid channels, and the initiative has since been overshadowed by YouTube’s other monetization options, including the site-wide YouTube Red subscription service. At the last count, less than 1% of creators were making use of paid channels, according to YouTube.

One of the ways YouTube is now looking to replace paid channels is a patronage model. YouTube began testing sponsorships with select YouTube Gaming creators in late 2015, and is now making this additional revenue stream available to all of YouTube Gaming. Users can sponsor a creator for $4.99 a month, and in return get custom chat badges and custom emoji as well as access to a sponsor-only chat. Creators can even give them additional perks through third-party integrations”.

The scheme they trailed has not worked but it seems fair, if you want to watch a channel or subscribe to a vlog then a small fee is not out of the question. We could all afford a fiver a year to have unlimited access to our favourite channel, surely?! Not only would the creators get revenue but we could avoid adverts.

As it is; these channels rely on advertising so we get it shoved down the throat. What I object to is having to struggle and search endlessly to get rid of YouTube adverts. There is no easy link or button on the site that means we can block adverts. If there IS a way to get rid of adverts then why make it so hard to find?! There are few things more annoying than watching a video from, say, Jeff Buckley, and having to sit through a crappy advert for a dismal song – or a brand-new trainer, for instance. Nobody WANTS to see it and we are not going to drop what we are doing to see that advert! Most of their adverts are thirty seconds in length and some can be cancelled/skipped after five.

That is not always the case: some last over a minute and other thirty-second adverts force you to stay with them. During this time, we all mute the advert or look away – thus, defeating the objective of running that advert. I would be more than willing to pay for YouTube as I use it every day, too. My Spotify subscription is not too high so supplementing that with a YouTube payment is not going to break the bank. I would stick with the site and am more likely to leave given all the adverts I am made to watch. The fact nobody out there likes the adverts means they are being met with hostility and objection. Like Spotify; why not introduce a payment option that gives users the chance to pay for what they watch and dispense with the adverts. The way things are being run means musicians are not being fairly paid and people are being harassed with endless adverts and stuff they do not want to see/hear. I propose getting people to pay more for what they stream/view and putting advertising elsewhere.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

YouTube could easily have an advertising channel – if someone was sad enough to want to see adverts – and earn money that way. If users are not paying for the adverts, or buying products being advertised, then I struggle to see any logic. I suspect people’s personal details are being accessed every time they watch an advert. All of us have experienced banners and adverts flash up on Facebook – when we have watched a video on YouTube that has an advert with it. There has to be a better solution because, from the feedback I have heard, everyone wants to get things changed. Adverts are horrid and needless. Whereas music can be useful and needed in film: adverts and brands have no place in music.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

If one does not want to pay to stream/view music then that is their issue. It is not really fair assuming they want to watch adverts in exchange for a free service. Nobody is being given the option of paying for YouTube subscription and I feel many would sign up if that option was provided. Even if an advert is a thirty-second video; it appears people, myself included, have had enough. Money can be generated from the public and advertisers can have their wares included on these sites – away from the music and in a bespoke menu/sub-site. By giving people options and restructuring the way sites like Spotify and YouTube are funded; we are benefitting the public and artists. The users deserve a hassle-free environment – if they pay for services – and the artists need greater remuneration. Let’s sort things out and get rid of adverts so the people who use these sites can…

CONCENTRATE on the music alone.

TRACK REVIEW: Sarah Cripps - Leave Behind

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Sarah Cripps

PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Nolan

 Leave Behind

9.3/10

 Leave Behind In is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/sarahcripps/leave-behind-1

GENRES:

Indie; Country; Roots

ORIGIN:

Toronto, Canada

RELEASE DATE:

September, 2017

___________

IT is back to Canada…

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

and an artist who has a very interesting background. I will talk more about Sarah Cripps but, before then, a few different subjects. Listening to her music and I am reminded of the classic album, Rumours (Fleetwood Mac). I am compelled to talk about Canada and the proliferation of music coming from the country at the moment; Country music and variation of the genre; making a record whilst embarking on turbulent times; changing the game and not following worn narratives – embracing weirdness and turning the bleak times into something positive. Rumours is, without a lie, one of the greatest albums of all time. It is a record that amazes millions but I hear few come out and name it as an influence. To be fair; there are legions of musicians who incorporate elements of the album into their own game but they do not actually highlight the record as a muse. Maybe that is because of the subliminal and unconscious inspiration of the music – they do not need to mention it as (the music) is ingrained in the psyche and flow. Cripps, in an interview she conducted not too long ago, mentioned the album and how it has been a pivotal record in her life. It is interesting hearing it mentioned because, for me, it is something that deserves highlighting and proper investigation. The reason I wanted to talk about it was because of the complexities and nuances on the album. Songs are not stilted and samey: one receives an array of different textures and styles throughout Rumours. From the rushing Rock of Don’t Stop to the Country vibes of Never Going Back Again; the multi-part The Chain through to the trippy and swaying Gold Dust Woman – a real bonanza of invention and the spectacular. The band, going through a torrid and uncertain time, managed to create an album that is cohesive, insanely good and timeless. It is amazing it got made and managed to reach the public.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

Any other band going through relationship splits and disagreements would have created something sloppy and unfocused. It is not a surprise Rumours has translated into the hearts of most and been adapted by modern musicians. I am not sure when it came into Cripps’ life but, hearing about her album and the influences she incorporates; it seems Rumours is a big factor. I can hear many threads of the record on the single, Leave Behind. If it is the representation and guide of what her L.P. will contain – it is likely to be a fantastic and truly immersive experience. Those are words I do not say about many artists but they apply in this case. Before moving onto a new subject; it is worth noting, on her latest track, there are no signs of any fakery and commercialism. I will chat more about Cripps as a genuine star but, like Rumours, there is nothing ordinary and processed about her work. The industry feeds off people who are able to get into the studio and get their voice fed through the machine. Listen to any of your modern-day Pop stars and you can bet, if you asked them to perform live, their voice would not sound anything like it is on the record. There are few out there who can genuinely hold a tune and refute the luxuries and drugs of the studio. Performance-enhancing gadgets and devices seem to be eaten up by modern idols – but it does not end there. So many other genres and acts process their vocals and do not really feel a need to be genuine. This is the opposite of what Sarah Cripps wants to achieve. Having read about her, and listened to her older sounds, she is determined to be seen as a real and worthy artist. There is no desire to have her voice treated and take away the emotion and passion we can hear on record. Leave Behind is a typical slice of brilliance that focuses on that instrument.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

Leave Behind is the lead-off single from Cripps’ self-titled album and highlights her natural abilities in full flow. I was reading an interview - that she features on her Facebook page - where she was at a nearby breakfast joint and a waiter misunderstood an answer she gave to a question – one concerning the lack of Auto-Tune on her record. I am not sure if that is a clever line to raise a point but it seems, when hearing any musicians speak, the public expect there to be a level of doctoring and distortion. I am not saying every artist is a fake and fraud but it seems amazing we live in a time when so many of the biggest artists feel the need to take the easy road into music. If you look at all the biggest songs of the week – those that get the massive YouTube views – and you will see they all belong to Pop stars. There are Rap and Hip-Hop artists but there is a real split between the commercial, big-label names and the proper artists who do not want to conform. I am not suggesting your Taylor Swifts and Katy Perrys represent the entirety of the Pop market – they can both perform live and demonstrate true talent – but there are so many young artists who do not have the confidence and ability to actually sing. It is a rather worrying statistic and one that needs addressing. The type of people who listen to the processed performers are young girls, normally. They might not have aspirations of getting into the music industry but there will be many who have that dream. If they think the way to do that is by being dishonest and relying on money and looks – rather than talent and ability – then that is sending out a bad message. Many can argue that is the way the mainstream has always been but I have noticed it being exacerbated over the past few years.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

Sarah Cripps does not feel the need to strangle the life out of her voice because her story is one that demands a raw and real interpretation. I mentioned an interview she conducted but it raised a couple of interesting revelations. Cripps has had a dark few months/years and struggled to find a clear footing and defining light. We all go through the rough patches but, whatever her circumstances, it appears music has been the way to channel that sense of hurt and confusion into something productive. Because of that, her vocal is queen and something that shines through in everything she does. It seems, looking at Cripps, she has the potential to be a big star. There are many different aspects that mark her out as a future inspirer. Not to address shallow subjects but she is a very striking artist who can buckle the knees on looks alone. I know it is shaky ground mentioning beauty and highlighting that as a reason to follow a musician but Cripps is an alluring and beguiling presence that gets into the heart. Her music is fantastic and deep and her social media pages revealing and informative. Over the past few months; she has been updating her pages regarding the new track – and the video for it. I have been looking elsewhere and it would be nice to know more about her and the day-to-day stuff. Maybe she is concerned with the business side of things – not making her social media too personal – but I would like to know more about where she lives and what is going on with her. She is a stunning artist but I wonder whether there is a hesitation when it comes to being too open. Maybe there is that feeling that, if there are too many details and revelations, it detracts from her music and true purpose. I am fascinated learning more about Cripps and how her music career began. The music provokes imagination and speculation: finding where the heroine started her life and what drives her would give fans/journalists a better insight.

Country music has been in the news recently following the awful shootings in Las Vegas. I am going to write about it later but feel the genre has been pushed into the limelight for the wrong reasons. Against the horror that was witnessed recently; I have been interested discovering more about Country and the different flavours and strands available. It is a genre that still gets people balking and resisting. Maybe they have that old view of the music and the type of artists that perform: the likes of Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, perhaps. Country is not a simple and predictable forum, to be fair. Modern Country does have a little bit of that but most artists are incorporating other sounds into the mix; keeping it fresh and unpredictable. Most artists, the leading ones at least, come from Nashville and other parts of the U.S. It is rare finding a Canadian artist that source from Country music. Maybe I am wrong: there might be a lot of Canadian acts who are projecting their own blend of Country. Cripps puts Indie and Alternative undertones into her music but, against that, shades of Country. It is interesting seeing it all come together but it is not surprising when thinking about Canada. In the coming weeks, I am issuing a moratorium on Canadian acts as I am featuring them quite heavily. It is nothing against the nation but it seems a large percentage of my current workload is based in Canada – for a British journalist, it seems rather odd. The U.S. is a larger music market, so it would make more sense spending more time there. Before I do; I wanted to write about Sarah Cripps as she is a talent that warrants greater interpretation. Not only is her personality and story intriguing: she performs the sort of music one does not often hear these days. It gets me thinking about Canada and why there is such productivity and diversity.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Nolan

No matter what part of Canada you go to; you can guarantee the nation will bring sensational music to the earlobes. Canada does have huge swathes of wilderness – where one will not find too much music – but the urban areas will be more productive. Most of my Canadian features tend to revolve around Toronto/Ontario. It seems a lot of the best music is coming from there and, whatever is in the air, it is inspiring artists to push the envelope. Over the past few weeks; I have featured everything from Garage and Rock to Pop and Alternative. The area is as varied and meaningful as any other part of the world. There does seem to be a ‘Canadian mantra’ that goes something like this: we will not conform and follow the worst traits of music. There are plenty of U.S. artists who are determined to succumb to the instincts of commercialism but something different about Canada. It appears the artists here are not willing to sell a part of themselves to get rich, quick. I have mentioned how varied Country music is but that is also true of the Canadian landscape. I think social and political aspects are as meaningful when it comes to the role of the musician. If one lives in a nation where the leader is hopeless or a raving nut-job – the U.K. and U.S. spring to mind – then that will create stress and daily tension. Maybe there is not a strong link but every musician is going to be moved and affected by political happenings. In Canada, where they have a decent and noble leader, it means the nation is far less stressed and uncertain. There are issues in Canada but they are in safe hands, for sure. If you live in a nation where you do not have to worry all the time; that means you can concentrate on music and make it the way you want to.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squire

Sarah Cripps album was created during a rather worrying and dark period in her life. Every one of us goes through times we feel fractured and lost. It is difficult making sense of things and trying to turn all those swirling feelings into something fully-formed and inspirational. Referring back to the interview she conducted near her home; it seems Cripps is willing to open her wounds and talk to journalists about the bad times she has gone through. Leave Behind, effectively, is the shedding of one skin and the embrace of a new one. During the recording of her songs; it seems Cripps was conforming to ideals and being who others wanted her to be. In any society, there is a feeling a woman has to fit into boxes and follow a certain path. It must have been a lot to take in for a woman who wanted to make music in her own way – free from pressures and being labelled. I am not sure how much of these pressures concern personal roles and areas away from music. What I mean is, it is possible Sarah Cripps might have felt pressured into looking and behaving a certain way. Perhaps the stress was internal and the problems stemmed from her personal life. Relationships and work pressures are important: the need to be a certain person and act a particular way can put a strain on anyone. All of these possibilities and pains hit Cripps hard and lead her to assess her life. Making music is her way is the next step to a better, clearer life. Young women are often judged and meant to act the way society want them to. This is true in the music industry so it is no wonder the sounds of Leave Behind - and the album as a whole – are original, personal and forward-thinking.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

Cripps is among a group of artists who have turned negative situations into progressive positives. She has, as she said, embraced weirdness and made that count for her. Cripps felt pressure to out her album out quickly and, affected by the pressure, made it on her own terms. More and more musicians are striking against the need to rush-release records and do it the way a label/management company want. Being introduced to David Martin (her producer) sort of turned things around. Arranged by Sony Publishing; it all made sense. Cripps might see it as fate – although there is no such thing: things do not happen for a reason or guided by divine intervention – but, in reality, it was a stroke of good luck and the reward for her own hard work. It is easy to see fortune and realisation as pre-destined but that does not give Cripps credit. She has worked hard and long to make music on her own terms so, meeting a great producer is the result of seeking and curiosity. When Martin met Cripps; he was impressed by her strong-willed drive and vivacity. The feisty kid that came to his attention has blossomed into a confident woman who has found comfort and understanding. That relationship was sparked years ago and since her E.P. in 2011; they have turned her art into something heralded and adored by radio stations and fans alike. Her upcoming L.P. is the once-in-a-lifetime record that is the summation and result of her years of hard work and dedication. The music she is making right now is the truest assessment of who she really is. If other artists are creating records that can get them to the mainstream pretty sharp: Cripps is writing songs that resonate in her heart and mean a lot. It is impressive the Canadian artist is following her own course but no surprise, considering the issues she has faced. Anyone who has had to face doubts and the need to assess themselves would make these sorts of changes.

Before I come to the song itself; it is worth mentioning artists who, all things considering, find their own way and turn their past into something extraordinary. There are so many artists out there and it can be really hard deciphering who the truly worthy are – so many average options in the pack! I do get a little bogged down by artists that sound the same as everyone else or have a very familiar background. In truth, Cripps’ realisations and revelations are the same as many others - but the way she has turned her experiences into something positive is not THAT familiar. I see a lot of artists take the pain and turbulence and make music that is very dark and seething. That is quite a risk when one thinks the point of music is to raise spirits and provide something nourishing – that is the way I think about it, anyway. For Cripps, she has wrestled against conformity and searched for a producer who can take her music to the next stage. That has happened so now, in songs such as Leave Behind, she sounds assured and comfortable. I have mentioned albums like Rumours and how important they are to her. It is clear the effect that album has had on Cripps and it is wonderful hearing all the strands and emotions stir and bubble in a colourful and stunning concoction.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

There are yearning vocals and impassioned sighs in the opening moments of Leave Behind. The vocal is rich and sonorous and mixes in romance, contemplation and possibilities. It is interesting investigating the depths and contrasts in her voice. There is that passion and tenderness but a definite strength and defiance. The flames, as it is said, wrote the heroine’s name and she can’t look now – keen to leave behind all that was helpless and torched. She has been left blind and seen all the signs form; the danger and caution were there – now, there that desire to step somewhere safe and start a-new. For me, I hear elements of Stevie Nicks and Alison Krauss in Cripps. The latter comes through when one thinks of Country music: the former, comparing Cripps’ music to that in Rumours. The voice is superb and luscious. It runs like an ocean and has warmth and candour. The composition is supportive and atmospheric but does not encroach on the vocal. It is chaste and refined but there are some aching strings and pattering percussion notes. It all blends into the mix and forms something brooding and sensual. It is impossible to hear the voice and not be stunned and affected by its beauty. Cripps, when she sings, is looking to cast away the terror and danger she faced along the way. There are few that can deny the meaning in her lyrics. The words escape possible stereotype but do maintain a nice balance of familiarity and the personal. One can identify with the metaphors and images spoken: the heart-aching and tremulous vocal provides a spark of imagination and drive to the song. In the early stages; the song draws you in and you hear about the plight and struggle of the heroine. As much as you bond with the music and the lyrics – it is the vocal that really hits the mark. I have made comparisons to people like Alison Krauss but that would do a disservice to Cripps. She has her own sound and direction but one notices a sheer quality shining through.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

The messages that come through in Leave Behind stem from the years of questioning Cripps experienced. It is difficult turning those darker times into something positive. Cripps is someone who wants to embrace the weirdness and darker times but there is no sense the listener is being dragged down and tormented in the song. It is a moment that reveals the pains and doubts but looks ahead and saying goodbye to those hard times. Many will be able to get on-board with that and connect with the music. The humming, layered backing vocals heighten the song and provide extra chills and thrills. It is a gorgeous and sumptuous sound that gets into the brain and takes the imagination somewhere else. One closes their eyes when listening to the song. So caught are you by the entrance of the vocals you lose yourself, briefly. I was following the song and the heroine ignoring the warning signs. There is a degree of the oblique throughout Leave Behind. The heroine is not garrulous but does not reveal the truth behind the words. I wonder whether there were relationship quarrels or issues with self-identity that led her to assess things and make those changes. It is the transformation and betterment that comes through in every note. That velvet and chocolate-like vocal is warm and nourishing but one notices a certain pain and accelerated heartbeat. Maybe things are not as settled and secure as they should be. Cripps has work to do and things do need to alter. “Don’t forget me” is a mantra that is backed by a male voice (not sure whose) and given a real sense of stir and shiver. Perhaps relationships are playing into things as the heroine wants to be remembered – but she needs to do her own thing and get out of where she is. The only thing Cripps is leaving behind is the madness of her mind – it seems she does not have an attachment to much else.

A desire to be more positive and strong is hard to shake off. In the final moments, those intentions get hotter and heavier. The percussion gets harder and more intense as the strings howl and vibrate. The vocals heighten, too, and the song reaches a real crescendo. It is an intoxicating experience to the very last second and one is reluctant to step away from the track. Maybe it has taken years to get to where she is but if her forthcoming album sounds like this – many people will be delighted. I am a fan of Cripps’ music and know she has the potency and abilities to take things as far as she needs to. Leave Behind is a song that will strike many. We can all relate to some of the words being spoken but I feel there is a unique and troubled heart beating at the core of the song. It is a fantastic track that gets under the skin and stays in the memory for a long time to come. I have gone back to the song and always feel a sense of security when listening to it. More than that; my mind wanders in different directions and I sense new elements and truths throughout. It is easy visualising the images Cripps sings and I feel she has provided her all in the song.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

I have spoken a lot about Sarah Cripps and how her music has come together and evolved. She is an exciting talent and someone I want to hear more from. A lot of her social media posts concern her new song and there is little about touring. I wonder whether she is going to be touring through Canada and doing local shows at the moment. When her album takes hold – and people start to learn more about the woman behind the songs – that will get the demand high. The U.S. waits for her and I wonder how much connection there is between the U.S. and Canada. The nations have a bit of a rivalry going – the U.S. teases and bullies a bit – so I do wonder, genuinely, if Canadian artists are afforded smooth passage into America. Canada has plenty of great venues and cities but Cripps will want to get her music out the world. I know the U.K. will take her to heart and there are ample locations she could get exposure in. We are taking a lot of international talent in – sounds like I am describing an animal sanctuary here! – but we need to open our doors more foreign talent. The U.K. is keen to distance itself from Europe but, when it comes to music, minds are more open. I am excited seeing how Cripps progresses and what next year holds in store. There will be music coming and she proves, on Leave Behind, there is a lot of ammunition and fire in her soul. That can only be a good thing for someone who has spent a long time getting where she is. During the time she was recording and working on her material; she was watching and embracing a love of classic Horror films. She would practice special effects and work with make-up; put that sense of unease and drama into a song that urges the listener to feel a sense of nervousness but, also, embrace something positive and pure.

Before taking this down; I wanted to congratulate Cripps for coming far in a short period of times. I know she has been making music for over six years but it seems like she has developed and evolved significantly this past year. The Toronto resident is someone who wants to make changes in the music industry and compel other acts to think about what they are recording. I have chatted about Auto-Tune and how there was the expectation Cripps would take that course. She has not, of course, but there are many of her peers that do. It is worrying seeing it happen in the music industry but acts like Sarah Cripps will act as guidance to them – what can be achieved when you strip the machines away and embrace the power of music and the voice. It is going to be exciting watching Cripps step into 2018 and how far she will come. I want to see her in the U.K and whether songs like Leave Behind will get international airplay. It is a wonderful time and I am not surprised Canada has produced a fine artist. Before I leave this review, and wrap up my ‘Canadian phase’ for a while – I want to get people listening to Sarah Cripps and her stunning music. There are few out there like her so we need to promote her work as much as possible. Leave Behind is a fantastic song that embraces and assesses the pains of the past and shows the young heroine is very much…

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

LOOKING to the future.

_______

Follow Sarah Cripps

PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Squires

Official:

https://www.sarahcripps.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/sarah_cripps

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sarahcrippsmusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sarah_cripps/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJifa9LQ8ekNc7eNIr23zbw

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sarahcripps

FEATURE: The Ultimate Superlative Playlists

FEATURE:

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

The Ultimate Superlative Playlists

________

I have been very serious and angry on the past few features….

so it is about time for something a little less aggressive and, well…FUN. I have been listening to a lot of Spotify playlists and find their recommendations somewhat mixed. I like their current Ultimate Party Playlist, but I wanted to look at a few other avenues: uplifting bangers, those sensual, beautiful songs; tracks from the best albums of the past four decades; a cocktail of stunners – and the finest songs from this year (so far).

________

The Ultimate Bangers Playlist

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The Finest Songs to Seduce

Songs from the Best Albums of the Past Four Decades

The Finest Music Cocktail Ever

 PHOTO CREDIT: HOLGER LEUE/GETTY

The Best Songs of 2017

IN THIS PHOTO: Lorde/PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Whitton

FEATURE: Vive la Révolution! Why We Need to Bring the Spark Back into Music

FEATURE:

 

Vive la Révolution!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Oasis 

Why We Need to Bring the Spark Back into Music

________

MUSIC really sucks right now…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I’ll qualify that: it really sucks! I don’t mean the quality is lacking but there is not the same character and contention we had a couple of decades back. There is no getting away from the fact – nobody can argue or offer reasoned counteraction – that the 1990s were the best! I know people who think the decade’s music was overrated and poor – I hope they die of some genital infection in the very near-future. The 1990s, on the contrary, was the last time the music world was king of the world. Outside of the music business; everything in culture and entertainment seemed to be at its peak. Legendary sitcoms/comedies Friends and The Simpsons were either starting out or at their very peak – the former started in the 1990s whilst The Simpsons was at its very best in the decade. Fantastic filmmaking and the most innovative comedy ever – I haven’t even mentioned the likes of Seinfeld and Frasier – were inspiring the masses and bringing joy to millions. Politics were fraught but, luckily, by 1997; we welcomed in a Labour government – a much-needed revolt that spawned a sense of optimism in Britain. Of course, there were issues and turbulent political times; bad economic slumps and social tensions.

That is only natural but what struck me was the quality of the music emerging. I am willing to negotiate with someone who feels the 1970s is the finest decade for music – I cannot get behind the notion the 1960s was all that. What defined the 1990s was the fact big genres and movements began then. Grunge might have originated in the late-1980s but it hit its peak in the early-1990s. Fantastic Dance music was ruling the waves and it was the last time an innocent and substantial form of Dance music was popularised. Now, there is far too much shallowness, sexuality and plastic sounds (in the genre). If one types in the words ‘best albums of the 1990s’ then you will get a sense of the treasures and moments of genius that sprung through.

From R.E.M.’s Automatic for the People and Radiohead’s OK Computer; Beck’s Odelay and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic – masterpieces and pioneering records that changed the face of music. Take away those L.P.s and you still have dozens of records that could easily challenge for the medal places. We have seen some world-class albums over the past few years but I wonder whether, in years to come, we will look back with the same fondness that we have of the 1990s’ best. I doubt it and wonder whether technological development and changing tastes mean we cannot reclaim and match the same energy and originality. The albums I have not mentioned – from the 1990s – are Pulp’s A Different Class and Oasis’ Definitely Maybe. One can toss their follow-up, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? into the debate. I will come to that but, looking at music from the 1990s, I am fascinated by everything from the ascension of Rap and U.S. bloc parties – everything about the culture and times is astonishing.

For me, the last great wave of British Rock/Indie was during the 1990s. Oasis, sadly long-defunct, created two of the era’s biggest records in 1994 and 1995. Oasis’ debut arrived in August of 1994 and, upon its release, was a smash. The defining single, Live Forever, seemed like a pearl dropped from the sky. The band, when discussing the album on the documentary, Supersonic explained how the song seemed surreal. Noel Gallagher walked in with it and played it to the guys. Nobody could believe it was happening and HE wrote it. Gallagher talked about writing the song and the fact it came straight to its head. It, alongside tracks such as Cigarettes & Alcohol and Shakemaker, were anthems of the time and galvanised the young. Live Forever has taken on its own legacy and life owing to its uplifting nature and inspiring lyrics.

It was chanted at concerts then; it was chorused at Oasis’ famous Knebworth gigs – every time it is played, someone, somewhere, sings the track. It is a moment of defiance and seizing the moment. The song does not care about conversation and pointless details: it is about living for the day and having a great time. Oasis, by the time of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? has established themselves as one of Britain’s most important bands. They stood toe-to-toe with Blur – their infamous Britpop battle of 1995 gave Blur the victory – and were seen as the great working-class band of the day. Oasis’s second album pushed Indie music into the mainstream and changed the nature of Rock. Gone were the leather trousers and posing heroes: in were light ballads and huge songs that has an actual message. By the time the band split – 2008’s Dig Out Your Soul was their final album – their best days were behind them. It is sad the band ended but it was inevitable. They had, in their career, cemented something unbreakable and shown what was possible.

Those early albums were the zenith and apex of working-class Rock truth and, alongside contemporaries Pulp, Oasis were talking about what was happening in society. Pulp’s album, Different Class, released in 1995, talked about common romance and class mismatch; drugs and modern youth – art and culture in all its forms and flirtations. Jarvis Cocker, the pencil-thin poet and beguiling frontman, detailed the nuanced and complex rhapsodies tangible in the working-class suburbs. Flirtations, late-night liaisons and marital disharmony was laid out in a rich and tapestry-like tableau that brought together so many different sounds, stunning vocals and quotable lyrics. Different Class embraced the Britpop spirit but was a true and unflinching insight into the working-classes and the realities in Britain. There were other albums of the time that did this but few as effectively and hypnotically as Different Class. Maybe Cocker is that once-in-a-lifetime writer but, as Oasis showed, it was possible to have other artists articulating the flesh and bones of a less-glamorous lifestyle.

Oasis were the more bombastic, accessible option: Pulp, the poetic and intellectual counterbalance. Both bands were spearheading a countercultural movement – one where preening fakes and facile music was part of the landscape. “We don’t look the same as you” goes Different Class’ opening track, Mis-Shapes. That was a perfect distillation of Pulp in the music industry. Whilst there was a lot more industriousness and quality in the scene back then: the sort of music Pulp were putting down seemed foreign and a bolt of lightning. I bring these examples in because we live in the most tense and precarious time in recent memory. I was alive during the mid-1990s and do not remember the world being as fractured and toxic as it is now. The Labour government didn’t come in until 1997 but, until then, there was the need to revolt and restructure the government.

It seemed like politicians were not speaking for the masses: today, that is heightened and underlined with every crooked speech and fake promise. Terrorism is an ever-present threat – including a possible attack on London today – and the U.S. President (Trump) is leading the world towards a nuclear apocalypse. Having a raving derelict helming the world’s most powerful nation would be enough to provoke a Pulp/Oasis-like attack: the fact we have a hopeless Prime Minister making our decisions should steal the deal. Throw into the mix climate change/disintegration and terrorism; sexism, racism and the prevalence and negative impact of social media on human relations – rich pickings for a modern-day orator to shape that into an epoch-defining record, no?! One would think that is enough fuel and impetus to lead a sonic attack. I, for one, would get behind a record that tackled these themes and tried to connect the people together. I know there are some incredible Rock/Indie acts like Wolf Alice and IDLES – who have a political and social bent in their music – but there are few, if any, who have the populist edge and skillset of the 1990s’ best.

I guess, as I speculated at the top, the scene has changed so we cannot duplicate the same majesty and sensation we had in the 1990s. The reason albums like Different Class and Definitely Maybe struck a chord was the fact they were new and inspiring. They brought the people closer and said what few other records did – at a time when the nation needed true guidance and compelling messages. Our world is more dented and anxious than it was back then. We need a modern-day Common People (Different Class) or Live Forever to get the music industry on a track it needs to flow. I know music does not have the power to change the system and remedy all the evil being felt and seen around the globe.

What I know, for sure, if the fact music has the strength to elevate lives and eradicate pains; compel other like-minded acts to do something different and try and make a difference. In a time when our current government is hanging by a thread: one feels a well-timed and definitive record could be the difference! The only way we are going to bring about a true vein of quality and progression is questioning the current system and the values we hold dear. The mainstream is a weak and gossamer-thin cobweb that still proffers the hollow and vacuous. Rock is not dead but it needs a serious loan of purpose: bands and artists coming along and steering it clear of icebergs. Away from that; we have great albums/music but what is lacking are the huge artists who genuinely made a change. They do not have to talk about the working-classes and northern life – what it is likely living on council estates and navigating a labyrinth of social misconstructions and hopping-over-the-fence romantic escapades. In those albums; one could immerse themselves in something fantastical, evocative and brilliantly alluring. Now…where are those artists?!

IN THIS PHOTO: One of the most promising bands of the moment, IDLES/PHOTO CREDIT: Crack Magazine

I do not believe we have gone too far the other way and the 1990s’ peaks were a product of the time. Every musician has the opportunity and means to record an album; the times we live in are crying out for the common philosophers and anthem-penning heroes/heroines. The production sounds would not be the same as they were back then but that is the only thing that has changed. Many are disincentivised creating something that strikes against the government and steps off the garden path of love-and-romance-with-a-side-order-of-self-flagellation. That would be awfully risky and one would not like to risk their record deals and Spotify streaming figures! The unsigned artists are doing their best to have their say but I am worried their progressions and procession will be delayed by the clogs in the system. Change can only come about when artists take a stand and do something radical.

There is that desire in the public and I wonder how many reflected rumblings are detectable in the dressing rooms of the music scene?! Times are bad and music has a role to play. I do not want to listen to music that is escapist and deflects away from the real issues on the table. I want to see that cocksure rebellion where musicians speak about working-class struggles and political stupidity; the less-heard elements of romances and the way the world is unfolding. I think, only when that happens, can we truly call the music industry – the sounds we hear; I think sexism and other issues will not be eradicated that easily – truly progressive and inspiring. We do have a few artists who provide hope and promise but, when you consider how many musicians we have in our midst, that is really…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

NOT good enough.

FEATURE: Resident Needle: Vinyl and the Art of Community

FEATURE:

 

Resident Needle:

 Vinyl and the Art of Community

________

THE title might confuse those who…

are expecting a mash-up of a record and the established video game/film franchise, Resident Evil. Although the pun has no connection with anything gory or gaming: I wanted to look at the way record shops, and the best out there, are promoting a sense of community and conversation. In fact; the first word in the title refers to Resident. Whether you name the store ‘Resident’, ‘Resident Records’ or ‘Resident Music’ – it is a must-visit for anyone with even a passing interest in music. I will mention other record shops but for me, tantalisingly close to Brighton; I make the trip down to Kensington Gardens, Brighton to get myself into the place. Recently, in a feature conducted by VR; Resident was deemed the seventy-sixth record shop in the world – not too shabby when you consider the sheer wealth of alternatives around the globe. Before I offer my own thoughts; I’ll provide exposition from the piece:

“What’s the story? Resident is a record shop that proves you don’t need gimmicks, flash marketing or an “angle” to be a great record shop. Doing the basics better than most, Resident opened its door in 2004, the brain child of Derry Watkins & Natasha Youngs, who first met stacking the CD shelves of the local Virgin Our Price where they worked.

Now husband and wife (what better indication of the shop’s love for music could you want?), the pair set about drafting a more independent alternative in the city, evolving to stock a huge selection of genre- and generation-less new music, catalogue titles and tickets to local gigs, some of which take place in the shop itself.

Located on North Laine, the shop doubled in size in 2015 as Resident moved in next door too, expanding its vinyl offering which is now staffed by 12 employees who also help oversee informative newsletters, a vibrant online shop and the end of year ‘Resident Annual’, collecting the best new albums from the last twelve months.

In short, Resident is about as prime an example of independent spirit that you’ll find, a shop that reflects and represents the best of the town it inhabits”.

The North Laine-appointed store, looking at it from the outside, is perfectly situated in one of Brighton’s thriving side-streets. Off the commercial and rather ordinary high-street chains – and rising homelessness, too – one finds a cleanliness, character and colour when traversing the legendary Laines. It is rather fortuitous, for me and many, Resident is located directly opposite another of Brighton’s treasure troves: the majestic, I-could-easily-blow-a-year’s-wages-in-ten-minutes-flat-mate, Snoopers Paradise.

I always, rather neridshly, find myself singing Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise when nearing the shop – and I haven’t been committed, yet! – and it is somewhere I could quite happily bankrupt myself in. One enters a Narnia of bric-a-brac and vintage clothing: old records and 1940s/1950s homeware – a veritable bounty of bygone treats and must-have wonder. When one staggers out, blinded by an empty wallet and multitude of seducing images, there is Resident waiting across the way – one wonders whether that was a cunning tactical move when it was opened! Once one is through the doors of the city’s best music shop – and one of the world’s finest, as we have seen – you are in the presence of people who really know what they are doing. There are few peripheries and baubles adorning the walls (a lot of record shops tend to paper the walls with posters, memorabilia and crap; it distracts the punter from the business of buying) and the colour-scheme is tasteful and calming. One sees a mixture of whites, blacks and paler greens – you can tell I’m a bloke because I cannot find a word to describe the gradations and shades of colour (even though black and white are not true colours). The store is arranged so the C.D.s are in the right-hand area (as you walk in) and the serving area/tills are in front – one has plenty of space to roam and browse in a large and welcoming environment. Since its expansion a couple of years back; it has allowed the shop to do what it does best: provide the most comprehensive selection of vinyl this side of the M25.

Nick Cave has been heard yelling down “Resident is the best fuck*ng record shop in Britain!” I am not sure whether that is fabled or reliable intel but I can well see it. The man lives nearby and knows his vinyl! That should be proof and testament enough – the fact of the world’s greatest-living songwriters gives it his loud, expletive-ridden seal of commendation! Rather than write a passion-piece about my favourite record shop: instead, a look at how Resident, and other brands, manages to bring people in through a number of different methods. Of course, there is the sense of selection and availability. When I go into shops like Resident; not only do I find the album I was going in there for – there are those weird and wonderful L.P.s and long-forgotten rarities. They do 7” singles and far-out records – catering for those who like it rare, whacked-out or away-from-the-mainstream.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ashley Laurence

There is, in essence, an emphasis on quality and refinement. One will not see crappy Pop albums and naff 1980s Hair Metal festering the shelves there! I love local record shops but find they rely too heavily on the second-hand offerings of their clientele. When one gets in the shop, they are cramped and struggle to move down the aisles. They should hire osteopaths and chiropractors because, after ten minutes of flexing, bending and clambering – one's bones and skeletal composition is compromised and traumatised. I have never been in Resident during an in-store or signing. I can imagine there is a bit of a squeeze but, during the week/weekend, one can time it so they can move around without behind violated. The sort of people who go to record shops are serious music-lovers and not your casual browsers. They want a space they feel comfortable in and are not forced to hurry along and move out the way. It is great the Brighton hotspot has doubled since its opening. I have not been for a few years but I definitely notice the difference.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay

The sheer sense of space is one of the reasons it has such a loyal fanbase. As I said; the selection is immense. I have, in the past few months, armed myself with some terrific records and, in one case, spent more than I was intending to! One of the criticisms of shops like Resident is the fact the produce is so expensive! Vinyl needs to appeal to new generations but is it feasible when the average album can run you close to twenty quid – in many cases, one can shell over twenty-five quid or more for a single album. If one goes to Resident’s homepage or visits their Facebook page - then you can keep informed of all the latest happenings and developments.

IN THIS PHOTO: Wolf Alice

I shall return to the issue of cost and economy but one of the best things about Resident, and all good record shops, is the way they bring artists and people together. Despite a convivial and calm atmosphere; it can be quite sterile and studious flicking through stacks of immaculate vinyl. One needs something engaging and interactive every now and then. Kelela’s new album, Take Me Apart is Resident’s Album of the Day so, if you want to snap that up, you can. Whilst there; have a look at what is coming up – the staff are very approachable and happy to discuss things happening in the shop. I was kicking myself I missed the recent – and much-discussed – in-store from Wolf Alice. The live performance from artists is a reason Resident is so well-regarded. The band’s just-released gem, Visions of a Life, has gained spectacular reviews and could well top the end-of-year lists in a couple of months. The fact they have managed to craft something so essential and visionary on their second attempt shows they are one of our best bands.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Having them in your store is an honour and I wondered how their sound came across in a relatively modest space – listen to their album and there is plenty of howling strings, bombast and moshpit-worthy thrashes. I saw photos from the gig and Ellie (Rowsell) and chaps, at points, were sat on the counters playing. It was very ‘cosy’ but, from the reviews, they turned in a blinding set. The North London quartet is one of many who are/will walking/walk through the doors. There are some other sets happening before the end of the year; so it is definitely worth following the store when you can. What impresses me about record shops like Resident is the fact they have a passion for live music and discussion. I find streaming is too impersonal and one does not really discuss their downloaded album with someone on the Internet.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Music is becoming more processed and faceless as the years tick by: ensuring we have traditional record shops expanding is an encouraging antidote to the rise and ruination of digitisation. I go into record shops and feel there is a real, instant mini-community. Customers shoot the breeze with others – even if they have not met – and, considering few of us randomly converse with people on the street, we can walk into a record shop and guarantee we connect with another human being. It is a shame there is not (even more) room for Resident as, building on that, they could craft something that mixes a café/salon but has the records at its heart. Maybe that sounds corporate and unwieldy but I would be happy to sit in the store – buying, of course – and engage with others in a more relaxed and seated setting. I don’t know about the logistics but I am pleased record shops, the best out there, make you feel open and lacking inhibitions.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The idea of an eighteenth-century-style coffee shop – where noblemen and the common could debate poetry, politics and the proletariat – are long-dead but, as we get sucked into the yellowed jaws of the machine…record shops are one of the final bastions of cultural conversation and musical discourse. Sure; gigs are where we can do the same but how many shops/coffee shops will you frequent and be able to discuss music and live gigs – without feeling as exposed as if you had your nipples swinging in someone’s face?! I have been to stores like Rough Trade East and Flashback Records and get the same impression: people do not cloister themselves and balkanise; there is that desire to link-up with passing trade and provide their own insights into records we should own. It is a unique setting that needs to survive – now more than ever before!

IN THIS PHOTO: Rough Trade East (London)

All Age Records and Casbah Records provide different-sized settings and their own flair. If you are in the capital; check them all out and get involved. I worry the idea of a traditional, old-fashioned (if that is fair?!) record shop will be a dying breed. If we want to see the form out of captivity and preserved for decades to come: rent prices need evaluating and these small businesses require a guarantee of guardianship and security. That will not happen under the Conservative government but if/when Labour get in; one expects them to tackle these issues and ensure the high-street’s best record shops do not fall prey to scrupulous landlords and the perils of gentrification. The finest record shops around the country are those where rent is manageable and the flow of customers is steady – a slight tear in that delicate fabric could see their hoardings boarded and the doors closed forever.

I am worried the best record shops around are no safer than your average shop. It is a depressing thought but, rather than stress about fiduciary ideals, let us promulgate the multifaceted joys of the humble record stores. If the likes of Resident are able to have empirical ambitions – doubling in size is something few retail outlets can boast! – whilst retaining modesty and the comforting position they hold in Brighton (nestled among a string of wonderful shops and businesses) then that is the best of both worlds. The fact they, and their vinyl neighbours, are mixing the finest shopping experience with live gigs and in-store events mean the record store is preserving its multifunctional, community-based ethos. That is hard to do in a modern-age: space is limited and people are relying on the Internet for sociability and ‘human’ connection. Perhaps I am naïve thinking record shops could grow into a one-stop place for conversation, music and performance – essentially, turning them into live venues and café-type settings; disintermediate the big businesses and utilise the space they have. Venues are threatened and fewer music-based options are visible on the streets.  

IN THIS PHOTO: The Maccabees played an intimate gig at Resident back in 2015/PHOTO CREDIT: Ashley Laurence

The fact Resident has been awarded honours and virtual decoration may seem soporific to those not familiar with the wonders of records. Those who know their music, and realise how capricious and fragile the industry is right now, are eager to champion their local record stores and ensure their future is beyond contention. For me, the best record shops are a place one can indulge their passions and discover brand-new and older music. You can have a chat with a fellow shopper and talk to the staff about the week’s releases – and those rare gems other, mainstream music shops do not stock. If we devalue the relevance of record shops then we are threatening the physicality and human touch that is inoculated and purged from the current climate – where we want our music streamed, downloaded and available right in front of our (square) eyes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sound Matters

The special population of (passionate) music-lovers know wherefore I speak and can, I hope, relate to the nuances and functionality of record shops. They are more than mere places one can buy records: they are habitats one can feel a sense of belonging in; a bespoke arena where one does not feel a tit when they argue which Kate Bush album is the best (The Kick Inside, of course!). On top of this, if you are in the right place at the right time – if anyone has a time machine so I can see Wolf Alice?! – you can witness a great in-store that will remain in the hippocampus for years to come. These are sacred and quintessential pleasures that we all need and should…

NEVER let go of!

TRACK REVIEW: Wild Ones - Invite Me In

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Wild Ones

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

Invite Me In

9.4/10

Invite Me In is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/topshelfrecords/wild-ones-invite-me-in

The album, Mirror Touch, is available from:

https://wildones.bandcamp.com/album/mirror-touch

GENRE:

Pop

ORIGIN:

Portland, U.S.A.

RELEASE DATE:

6th October, 2017

___________

AS I delve into a great U.S. band…

it raises some questions in my mind. For a starter; the group have a number of intriguing aspects I wanted to talk about but it is where they are from, and how long they have been together, that interests me. I will discuss longevity and how few bands actually survive a number of years. It is hard, in this business, to guarantee any longevity and stability. I have seen some incredible bands call time for various different reasons. It can be tough predicting the future and, regardless of how stable things appear; there is that chance things can go wrong. That sounds rather gloomy and negative but this is the truth of the music industry. Two big-profile acts, Wild Beats and The Maccabees, have called time in the past year-or-so. It is distressing seeing established bands end things – we do not really know the reason behind either’s split. It sent shockwaves through music and questioned why established bands, under no critical pressure, ends things. We all get safe and secure with our musical tastes and never really think things are going to go wrong – where the band/artist gets out of music and things change. It is rewarding and encouraging discovering bands who manage to endure and prosper. I wanted to bring Wild Ones in because they seem as solid as they ever were. Together for over seven years; that can seem like cat years in terms of musical lifespan – maybe there is something in the water over in Portland. I think the band have managed to stay together is because they’re friends. There is a solid and unbreakable connection between the players that translate to the music. As competitive and tough as the industry is; it is great seeing certain acts continue, unaffected. Wild Ones have a solidity and understanding that means music and friendship come before any politics and stress. I am sure there have been misunderstandings and harder times in the ranks but I expect the Portland band to survive for a very long time.

I am always cheered when a band goes from strength-to-strength and evolves their music. I am listening back to earlier work from Wild Ones and seeing their sounds build and change. They keep their solid and core sound but add in new elements and dynamics. Confidence and assuredness define everything they do. Another reason I bring this discussion up is because many are questioning whether solo artists are stealing focus. I am among the group who feel solo acts are taking ground and producing better-quality recordings. There was a time, years back, when bands ruled the roost and there was no chance the best solo artists could match their appeal and quality. That has changed and, since the beginning of this decade, the rulership and reign of the solo artist has solidified. This is not to say bands are obsolete but there are fewer interesting alternatives than before – few that manage to say anything relevant and exciting. Anyone who thinks that is hyperbole needs to compare the music of past decades – the themes being sung about and the type of albums being produced – and what we have now. There are fantastic groups around but there are not as many greats as once was. Wild Ones seem like a different breed and a group that manage to establish quality and nuance whilst projecting important and deep messages. One of the big things that troubles me about the band market is the lack of artists who are talking about politics and what is happening in the world today – getting people together and penning songs that endure through the years. It has been a while since I have heard a mainstream band I am compelled to track and follow through their careers. The best results come from the underground: one cannot get the same mixture of explosions and curiosities from the mainstream. I am excited taking my mind further across the water and discovering U.S. bands like Wild Ones.

Before I come to look at Portland/Oregon; I wanted to look at messages in songs and what groups are talking about right now. Wild Ones do not have the political messages and anthems of the greatest bands but, in an industry where there is homogenisation, they create songs that stray from the pack. I guess that is one of the things I have noticed: politics and socially aware anthems, when we talk of original and populist themes, have been replaced by psychological investigations and reflections of the self. Love is a huge commodity but there are very few who write songs about what is happening in society and how the world is changing. I am not sure why this is but, perhaps, bands/artists do not know how to write an effective and meaningful song – when thinking about politics and channelling the splits and divisions that run through the world. Whilst it is sad seeing a lack of substantial commentary; I am pleased artists like Wild Ones do not feel the need to conform too readily and do what everyone else is. Mirror-touch synaesthesia and the psychological experience of empathy is something they have looked at in their new album. In basic terms; it is when someone feels the same as someone else. For example; when someone touches their cheek, the other person would feel that sensation. It is an odd condition but one many people experience. For Wild Ones; they use that effect to talk about empathy and how people can turn into those around them. How could we know ourselves when we become everyone else in public? It is an interesting question that people are not raising. It is fascinating seeing how certain artists are trying to change music through lyrics. I will talk about Wild Ones’ music and compositions but the subjects they are raising is unlike anything around.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

Are we trying to homogenise our musicians and make the scene more ‘accessible’ and disposable?! It is easy talking about love because everyone can relate and it is not too taxing on the brain. If a band starts looking at unusual sensations and meaningful areas – is that a risky venture that could put off casual and young listeners? There is a danger there but, if music is to push forward, artists need to be braver and more original with their material. Wild Ones show what can be achieved when throwing away the rules and doing something they believe in. I wonder whether this method is how the music industry will grow and rebel. I have been hankering for artists that talk about what is happening around us but, if there is going to be an overhaul of the mainstream and the relative banality; the underground needs to be provided more exposure and attention. I think acts like Wild Ones – given what they are writing about – will influence others and have the scope to get other acts thinking about their music. Maybe the side-route is the way we can cut away at the proliferation of love and commercial sounds; bring about something real and thoughtful – provide music with a greater degree of meaning and direction. What we have now is fine but it is not going to be inspire generations to get into the industry. Thinking about something like mirror-touch synaesthesia and I wonder how many other acts are trying something as daring? Listening to songs from Mirror Touch – the band’s latest album – and it is filled with a variety of themes and avenues. Nothing is slight and predictable. We get a range of songs that look at psychology and personal emotions; aspects that make you think and songs that remain long in the memory.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

I keep putting off Portland but I shall leave it to the end of the introduction. D.I.Y. artists are becoming more visible for a number of reasons. Wild Ones have a bit of Pop polish and sheen but that is intentional. It is a fine line walking between professional and digestible and rawness. Fans and music—lovers want something that has personality and is unlike anything else but if a song is undercooked and too sketchy then that risks castigating the masses and seeing only a few people remain. I am full of respect for bands who produce and record their own music because it does not rely on the labels and means there is greater freedom. I have spoken to many unsigned artists and wonder whether they are chasing a deal. Many want the money and backing of a label but those who are opposed say they have the chance to do write music how they want – the label not breathing down their necks at every chance they get. One is always aware, when signing that deal, the bosses are going to manipulate the artist so they are ready for the mainstream. It is dangerous allowing a group the chance to think for themselves and do something that might see them as the outsiders. Wild Ones have a solid sound and direction but I feel, if they let others have their say, that will take away their ethics and unique strands. Few artists want that so they have to take control and find their own way. Self-producing can be a great way of learning more about the music industry and acquiring new skills. Acts that produce can, in time, do so for other artists and have a lot more options in the future. The members of Wild Ones know how to put a song together and have a passionate bond to the anatomy of the music they create.

I love a great D.I.Y. sound but, as I explained, it can be tough creating a sound when you have that balance of professionalism and underfed. I am not suggesting everything D.I.Y. is a little underwhelming but it allows an act the chance to produce music the way they want to – and takes away the nauseating shine and glee of modern studios. When you find someone who gives you a little window into the modern studio but takes away all the layers and polish – THAT is when you have something good in the midst. Wild Ones want to retain their integrity and not sell-out to the big-bucks contracts so many of their peers are chasing. Danielle Sullivan (keyboardist) Thomas Himes; drummer Seve Sheldon, guitarist Nick Vicario and bassist Max Stein have been around long enough to know what they are doing. They are not in a position to crumble and go running for a label. That is good because, listening to their music, and it sounds unlike anyone else. Whilst the band split up and write different parts in isolation: everything comes together in the studio and is a magnificent force. Many artists are getting hung up on following the ‘popular’ option and writing about themes that have been done to death. It may sound a bit weighty listening to songs about isolation, psychological sensations and empathy – some would be wary of stepping into music that has that intelligence and peculiar D.N.A. Props must be given the Oregon band that has eschewed the easy and are writing music that makes the listener think and challenge conventions. The established order is not really saying anything that is really interesting and unexpected. I am excited by Wild Ones and what they are putting out. Long may their reign continue and let’s hope they do not feel the need to change their course and compromise. Invite Me In, their latest track, is a stunning song that challenges the mind, but gets the voice ringing and the body motivated.

Before I go onto the song itself; I want to talk about U.S. music and artists from Portland. I am torn as to whether the U.K. or U.S. is producing the best music right now. If one looks at the best albums of last year and we cannot help but notice a U.S. dominance. Whether you were affected by Beyoncé’s Lemonade or Bon Iver’s 22, A Million – there were few British albums that could rival those heights. We produced a few great albums but nothing that challenged the best of America. This year, with Benjamin Clementine and Wolf Alice releasing career-best records; I feel the balance will be redressed come the end of 2017. I admire work by Queens of the Stone Age (Villains) but there are few other competitors that can hassle the best of British. It is odd seeing how music changes from year-to-year but it is clear, regardless of the mainstream best, the U.S. is providing some of the best music in the world. I do not often get to explore various states but it has been a long time since I have been to Oregon. Portland is a virile and fertile city that has given us The Dandy Warhols, The Decemberists and She & Him – Ages and Ages and Radiation City. Newer acts like Adventure Galley are worth a shout. They are multi-instrumentalists that can bring the party and are making their names heard. Their music is getting stronger and they seem like a band that can get nationwide acclaim. And And And are a rowdy Portland band that is among the hardest and most exhilarating groups in the business. AgesandAges – another A-heavy group – is a harmonic experience that compels you to sing along and has energy to spare. It shows what diversity there is in Oregon and cities like Portland. Lost Lander and Pure Bathing Culture are great bands breaking through. Radiation City are another promising force and, between them, they are putting the state on the map and showing what quality there is.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

Other areas of Oregon are providing great music, Albany among them, and it is a state that should not be ignored. I am not sure what the current trends are there – in terms of sounds favoured – but it appears Oregon is experimental and loves artists that do not chase dollars and commercialism. Portland is the biggest musical city in the state but there are other locales that have tremendous music buzzing from them. Wild Ones are among the very best of Oregon and have the potential to get big attention. I wonder whether the band is keen to explore other parts of the U.S. Oregon is situated north of Nevada and south of Washington. California and Canada is either end of them – not too far to travel if they hop on a plane – and they have states like Montana and Wyoming to their right. I am not sure whether they are states where there’s a big music scene – I always associate them with hunting and the rural back-roads – but Washington and Nevada are big draws. Las Vegas, in the news for the wrong reasons lately, has a huge music scene and there are plenty of opportunities for them. L.A. would require the guys to get on a plane, perhaps (it would take longer than half a day to drive there) but Seattle is a lot closer. They have a perfect base to reach the biggest parts of America. Situated where they are; there is a healthy local scene but other states that could attract them. As their album is out there; I wonder whether Mirror Touch is going to get itself out there and to the population. I have never been to Portland but know there is a lot of respect for the city. The artists that live there know there are chances to perform – I will talk about the venues when closing – and ample opportunity to get into the national consciousness. I have listed artists who are making waves so it cannot be too long before some of them ascend to the major leagues of music.

Invite Me In starts with shimmering electronics and a sense of the unexpected. It is like wandering through the city at night and experiencing the flicks and flecks of neon lights; the rush of distant traffic and the far-off hum from a late-night bar. There is a sense of solitude and self-reflection in those early notes. Given the fact Wild Ones wrote the song in parts – various members writing different parts – that separate does not show on the song. It is a solid and honed song that gets into the head from the very off. It seems, when the heroine comes to the microphone, there is a man that is not opening their heart and door. It appears he is closed-off and a little cold to the touch. Maybe it is not a man – the first few words bring me to that conclusion – but the heroine is affected and in need for some compassion and sanctuary. The early thoughts of Invite Me In appear to be that lack of connection and different personalities. Her affecting and tremulous voice has sweetness and honey but seems to carry a certain burden. It seems, actually, this is not the first time our girl has been in the house (or where her man is). Maybe there are tensions and a sense of mistrust but they have been together for a while. There seems to be a routine in terms of the domestic situation but a definite sense of affair and adultery. The heroine wants the boy to place her above everyone else – not letting anyone else take her place. That is a fair assumption and understandable but one is knocked off their feet by the sweetness and purity of the vocal. Words that talk of doubts and tensions are not usually afforded such an ethereal and soft edge. The vocal is trembling and delicate but has a huge amount of soul and complexity. Backed by lifting electronics and a sense of shiver – the composition bursts with colours and a strange energy.

From the opening notes – a little chilly but very interesting – the music becomes more layered and detailed. The band do not stuff too much onto the plate but provide so much addictive sway and breeze. It is hard to describe the chorus but one smile and thinks at the same time. I get shades of En Vogue when listening to the chorus. The vocals coo and buzz. There is a sense of harmony and weaving that reminds me of the U.S. group. One gets a sense of R&B and Soul and, paired with the hot and exciting electronics, is hard to resist. The heroine wants her man to forsake all others and deliver love to her. It is a pure mantra and one that is not filled with any malice and accusations. I mentioned how Wild Ones dig deeper than most artists but many might assume a song about love is not that original. On their L.P., they are keen to explore psychology and more original areas but, here, they bring something fresh to relationships. Every band/artist will talk about love at some point so it is only natural Wild Ones would. What they do is subvert expectations and what we are hoping to find. Most acts would put too much energy and elements into the music. Their lyrics might come across lumpen but here, rather than succumb to clichés, the group provide something personal and interesting. The vocals stand out above everything else and capture the heart. Invite Me In does what it says but is not a case of the heroine pining for the man. One knows there is more to the song and a back-story that is worthy of further exploration. I got a sense of 1960s Pop when the chorus swung in. It is a huge sound that brings so much to the mind.

PHOTO CREDIT: Brandon Herrell 

The voice lifts and strikes; there is a balance of sweetness and attack; the percussion rumbles and the lyrics make you wonder. Our girl is looking for answers – “Don’t you feel like a fraud sometimes?” – and is reluctant to open her door. Maybe the trust has gone and the ‘door’ refers to her heart. If hers is broken then, maybe, reluctance is going to creep in. As the song comes to its end; the vocal waves continue and infuse every sense. It is hard to refute their draw and attractiveness. One gets a real hit from the sound but, rather than leave it there, looks deeper into the song and what is happening. I am not sure whether compromise was found in the relationship struggle but it appears the heroine is in a new phase of her life. Maybe men have let her down and, rather than be shut out and pushed away, she wants to be let in. Every new relationship brings problems but she is not willing to be alone for no reason. It takes a lot of discussion but, from what I hear, there is little fairness and compassion coming from the hero. The doubts that niggle her mind are clear but one feels she has not given up hope. Those words sound rather downbeat but the composition is a burning and fireworks-display thing that lifts any stresses and gloom. I listened back to the song to get that giddy and infectious rush into the head. Invite Me In is one of many treasures from Mirror Touch and proof the Portland band are among the finest out there. If you have not experienced the brilliant music of Wild Ones then ensure you wrap your ears around the fantastic sounds of Invite Me In. It is a song, ironically, that draws you in and keeps you are.

PHOTO CREDIT: Martha Tesema

Let’s end things now but, as Wild Ones are an American band, I wonder whether they are coming over here anytime soon. The U.K. is an attractive market for musicians but it takes a lot of money and planning to make it a reality. There are many who want to tour over here but the sheer effort and money required to fund it is staggering. I wonder whether Wild Ones would be interested in doing a string of London gigs to get their feet wet. They would only need to be here a few weeks but maybe they have the funds to subsidise that. I would like to see them perform at a few gigs here and make their music known to the British public. If they go down well – which they should – then they could get gigs in Bristol, Manchester and Leeds. There are so many different places Wild Ones could gain new fans. I guess the U.S. is large enough so they’ll want to explore as much as they can. I am staggered by the size of America and how many options are open for artists. If Wild Ones afford themselves the chance to get to the East Coast then they could stamp out some authority in New York. It might appear like the state is a little rough and Rock-orientated – that would be a generalisation and over-simplification. I love the music of New York and feel Wild Ones could do well there. What they are producing is more common to areas like Portland and L.A. – a tonne of Los Angeles acts favour darker lyrics and the sort of compositions being thrown out by Wild Ones. New York has plenty of acts who perform similar sounds. It is tough managing your music and the importance is with the local crowds. Portland is great because it has so many platforms and great venues – it does have a lot of competition, at the same time.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

There is always room for great acts so it is not the case few will be able to succeed in Oregon. The state is as supportive as any and, when it comes for places to gig; Wild Ones have a few options they could explore. Mississippi Studios and Bar Bar is a great space that puts up many great artists. Maybe few there has the same sound as Wild Ones but the venue is very open-minded and keen to support hungry musicians. McMenamins Crystal Ballroom is a stunning space that is gorgeous and memorable. It is a fantastic venue that many local bands have cut their teeth in. Aladdin Theater is another wonderful venue Wild Ones could venture to. They might have already explored these spaces but I wanted to highlight venues that are ready and waiting for Portland acts. The Know and Rontom’s are smaller and more intimate venues that could appeal to Wild Ones. The Know, down NE Alberta Street, is a little grungy and edge but it houses some fantastic bars Portland bands could gain experience in. Doug Fir Longue and Valentines are fantastic spots; Crystal Ballroom another option. Between them; we have a range of sizes and styles for any act to investigate – there is no set theme and look when it comes to Portland’s venues. I urge Wild Ones to tick as many off the list as they can but, as I have mooted, they may have already covered all of them. If they can conquer the local scene – which seems likely and imminent – then they can take their music between the states and further afield. I have been amazed by the band and, whilst I am not reviewing their album, I compel people to check it out. The themes and sounds revealed throughout stick in the head and will get you revisiting – to see what you missed and capitalising on the best moments. It is an accomplished L.P. from a young band who has been around a long time now. They have survived all the hurdles and issues that trip many artists and seem stronger and more defiant than ever. I cannot wait to see where they go from here and whether they change their sound and incorporate new aspects in the coming months. What they have now is pretty solid and has gained them a lot of love. I admire their D.I.Y. personality and how they want to make music that is true to them. Few artists are doing this but, if you want to avoid the demands of a record label, that is what needs to be done. It has worked wonders on the track, Invite Me In. I will end this now but want everyone to check out the stunning sounds of Wild Ones. They have many more years in front of them and are shaping up to be…

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

ONE of America’s finest new groups.

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Follow Wild Ones

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Hernandez

Official:

http://www.wildonestheband.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wildonestheband

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/wildonestheband/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wildonestheband/

BandCamp:

https://wildones.bandcamp.com/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/wild_ones

INTERVIEW: XY&O

INTERVIEW:

 XY&O

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I have known about the boys of XY&O…

for some time now – the man who manages the band designed my website (for blog/music-related fact-hunters). I have followed their music and notice, as their popularity increases, their sounds become more confident and explorative. The guys talk about their E.P., Powder Rooms, Vol. 1, and what comes next – one assumes further volumes (or the title is a bit of a tease!). I learn about their formation and how Spotify, where their music picks up huge streaming figures, impacts their career.

Skip, Tudor and Nick talk about music tastes and what gigs are in the diary; whether they actually did meet at the University of Exeter – as the rumour goes… - and what music they all grew up on.

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

Hello, people of the Internet. It’s nice to pop in and say ‘hello’.

Our week has been an odd one. Somehow, we managed to appear on national television from Nick’s bedroom - whilst maintaining some sort of composure. Also; we featured in all of our dads’ favourite newspaper.

So, all in all, a successful week!

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

We’re a D.I.Y. band from Cardiff. We attempt to make music that makes you tap your feet.

Is it true you all met at the University of Exeter? Can you remember that day you all came together?

We actually didn’t all meet at the University of Exeter - I think that’s a story that has been thrown around a bit.

We’re all from South Wales and met through producing/writing music locally – but, the first demos that we threw together (Low Tide, included) were constructed in Tudor’s Exeter dorm room.

Skip, Tudor and Nick; you work out of Tudor’s bedroom. Is that where all the songs take shape? What is the advantage of taking a D.I.Y. approach?

Tudor’s home studio is where a lot of the songs take shape. Occasionally, we start at Nick’s house but we all usually like to write individually and then meet up and share ideas in person -usually an idea that we like will get bounced around between the three of us - then we’ll all record our parts separately at home and take it from there.

I think it’s fair to say that Tudor’s place feels like the home of XY&O, though.

XY&O are unsigned. Is that something you are proud of or is there a desire to find a suitable label?

I think it’s more a question of flexibility than pride.

The way the climate of this industry has changed in the last few years means that it’s more sustainable than ever for any band to take the D.I.Y. approach. In our case, we’ve always liked having the flexibility to do what we like without answering to a label. The rapid expansion of streaming sites like Spotify make it easy for small artists to monetise their art - and that’s what has allowed us to keep working on what we love – that’s all that matters to us.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nadine Ballantyne

Nick. You are still studying at the University of Reading. Is it hard balancing studies and music?

I actually finally managed to finish my degree a couple of months ago...

It was tough. In the past, I’ve always made time for music but trying to maintain that level of commitment, whilst doing a degree, was too much to handle if I’m honest. It was tough to go from playing Glastonbury in the summer to studying derivative securities for another year. I enjoyed my time at university but it definitely felt like I was living some sort of weird double-life: there was a couple of times when we were playing gigs the night before deadlines/finals.

The weirdest part of it is actually now that I’ve finished; this is the first time I’ve been able to spend all my time focused on music - and it’s a really weird feeling.

Power Rooms, Vol. 1 is out now. What themes and stories inspired the E.P. and what has the reaction been like so far?

It’s very early days but the reaction has been positive, yeah!

From a lyrical point of view, the songs on the E.P. are all based on real-life interactions that I’ve (Skip) had. It’s the same on the songs on Vol.2 and Vol. 3. Some of those were up-close and intense - and some were just fleeting meetings that left a mark. The songs are all about people, specific people...

Myself included.

You launched it at The Finsbury. What was the gig like and is it a venue you guys have played before?

The gig at the Finsbury was amazing.

It was our first time playing at there and I honestly don’t think it was possible for us to feel more welcome there. The promoters went to town plastering the place with XY&O banners and posters - so the place looked like a bit of an XY&O-fest! I’m pretty sure even the food menus had pictures of us on the back – so, all in all, we were super-appreciative and humbled by the amount of effort everyone had put into the promotion leading up to the gig. What was (also) amazing to see was quite a lot of genuine fans that had come from all over London and beyond to watch the gig. At first, we assumed the crowd consisted mostly of friends and random locals.

It wasn’t until after the gig we realised we had a cluster of fans looking to buy merch. and take pictures with us - which was really pretty surreal.

Are there going to be any singles from the E.P. in the future?

So. We’ve decided to structure our releases slightly differently this time around...

We plan to release two more volumes of Powder Rooms; each one containing two-three tracks. We love the idea of juxtaposing styles and textures so you can expect to find the tracks on each volume to have quite different feels to each other. This also reflects our unique individual tastes in music; sometimes the only thing connecting one release from the other is the fact it’s the same three guys behind the production and lyrics (and performance) every time.

What type of music did you all grow up to? Who are the artists that made an impression when you were young?

Skip: Prince, John Martyn; Fleetwood Mac, The Cure and Arcade Fire are some of my favourite artists. I also owe a huge debt to bands like Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World and Kings of Leon - who sound-tracked my childhood and teenage years.

Nick: Counting Crows, The Carpenters; Jimi Hendrix, The Clash. A band that made a huge impression on me was Bombay Bicycle Club. Their debut album was some of the best guitar-based music I have heard.

Tudor: Eminem, Coldplay; One Republic, Bill Withers; Dr. Dre, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder. I had a fascination with Rap during my early-teens - which has recently been rekindled by the likes of Kendrick (Lamar) and J. Cole. If this Haze-Pop business doesn’t work out; I’ll be looking to be the next-big-thing in Hip-Hop (haha).

It is clear, judging by the millions of Spotify streams, there is a big demand for your music. How does it feel to know your music gets so much love on Spotify?

It’s a nice feeling knowing that people appreciate your music.

We all use Spotify day to day and there’s nothing more satisfying than flicking on a playlist and discovering great new music: it’s nice to know that there’s people out there who feel that way about us. It’s also inspiring to find our music being played so much in the States. There’s no doubt that American culture and music had a big influence on us during our earlier years so, to find such a big portion of our streams coming from that part of the world, really is amazing.

It also kinda crazy; the Internet and the likes of Spotify have allowed us to reach corners of the world we have never and may never even visit!

It is coming up to Christmas. You guys have any plans at the moment?

We’ve been called the Princes of Summer before when, in fact, it literally couldn’t be more opposite. Aha. We’re all secretly fans of winter (maybe due to our pasty complexions) so I think we’ll be praying for snow! Aside from snow-praying and Father Christmas-expecting, we’ll be doing lots of what we love: writing songs and experimenting with new ideas in our music production.

We’ve got some really exciting projects simmering at the moment - so, these next few months will consist mainly of finishing these songs to the best they can be.

Powder Rooms Vol. 2 E.P. is in-development. When can we expect to see that?

We have the songs for this volume ear-marked and (almost) ready for the world to hear. There’s a little more recording to do and some mix adjustments to make but, otherwise, they’re on-track (forgive the pun).

We can’t give a release date for Vol.2 yet as we’re still in the process of releasing more content to compliment Vol.1. We have a music video coming out (it involves toys) for Mesmerised, most likely, in early-November. After that, an acoustic, live shoot of us performing Mesmerised and Low Tide with a choir!

Expect to see that in December.

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

Tudor: Bob Marley – Exodus

It holds a special place in my childhood memories. This was always playing around the house when I was really young - and all night at every gathering on my mum’s side of the family. Meaningful, impactful and beautifully performed music.

Skip: Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak

Everything about it was incredible: the lyrics, the sounds, the concepts…the flow. It changed the way I thought about music.

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

Believe in what you do and others will believe in you. Remember: it’s music, so it’s subjective. Everybody has an opinion but the artists who succeed are the ones who stay true to their art.

Learn as much as you can about the business of music, but ultimately, make the music that you believe in.

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).

Hall & Oates - Out of Touch

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Follow XY&O

Official:

https://www.xyando.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/xyando/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/XYandOmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/xyando/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/636Zdq45wjoYRFToU0t3Gb

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/xyando

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3e1VnZAjERNpuVctFXtWCg?feature=watch