INTERVIEW: Brain Donation

INTERVIEW:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Sean Conroy 

Brain Donation

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THERE are areas of the world where I am discovering great artists…

PHOTO CREDIT: Sean Gallagher

and stepping away from London. Dublin is a city that has always produced fantastic artists: the new breed coming through retain that pride, innovation and strength. I have been speaking with Brain Donation about their upcoming E.P., The Second One, and whether we can expect some material from it soon; how the guys all got together; what Dublin is like for ambitious artists – whether there is a special reason behind the ‘Brain Donation’ name.

I learn more about the band’s creative process and how they have grown; what advice they would give to new artists; if they ever get time to relax away from music; some of the new and older acts that inspire their movements – what touring plans they have cemented already.

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For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are Brain Donation. We’re from Dublin and we play Alternative-Rock. Broad strokes aside; we make a sound heavily influenced by American Grunge music and British New Wave. We play with lots of energy and like to keep our music relatively simple - with the occasional overindulging musical hiccup.

Can I ask if there is a special story behind your name, ‘Brain Donation’?!

Well, when we first got together, AL already had the name and had done many childhood sketches (of logos) as a boy. In the end, we didn’t like the spelling of it so we just removed the ‘a’ from ‘deaf’ and spelt ‘leopard’ with two ps…and then we were good to go.

We actually went through a good few names at the start - but kept making the fatal mistake of telling them to people too soon and having them spoiled. We had quite a few gigs booked very early on so, eventually, it got to a point where we had to say ‘ok, whatever the next name we think of; that’s the one going on the posters’...

‘Brain Donation’ it is.

PHOTO CREDIT: Second Frame

The Second One is your upcoming E.P. What sort of ideas and stories compelled its creation? What are the main differences between this and your debut E.P.?

It’s definitely a more mature E.P. than the first one. Down to the finest detail.

We were only playing together for about two or three months when we recorded our debut. We recorded it ourselves in a friend’s house - and it was a very kind-of D.I.Y. job. It was also just odds and ends of songs we put together at the start.

Now we’ve been playing together for three years and we have our own little writing process. We tend to get the initial musical idea together in the rehearsal room and then we will take the ideas away and write lyrics and develop them a bit more. There’s always exceptions to that though. We demoed ten songs for this latest E.P. and we sent the demos around to our friends and to Ivan - who recorded the E.P. - to get a feel for what the best four songs would be.

Will there be any singles from the E.P. coming up? What do you have planned for the coming months?

We are releasing a video for every song on this E.P. - so there will be four singles. We’ll release one with the video and then spread the others out over the summer for promotional material for our festival dates and tour dates. We have been confirmed for a few festivals now in Ireland and, hopefully, we’ll be confirmed for a few more. We’re playing a good bit here and we are hoping to get over to the U.K. for some shows in the summer.

At the end of the summer, we will be going to Switzerland to play a few shows there as well.

PHOTO CREDIT: Second Frame

What was it like working with Ivan Jackman at Hellfire Studios?

Ivan’s great. Myself and Ollie had recorded with him while we were playing with another band and he mastered Brain Donation’s first E.P. - so we do always tend to have his ears on what we’re doing in some way shape or form. He has a Steve Albiniesque approach to the recording process: everything is done really natural-sounding, warm and roomy - which is exactly what we wanted.

How did you all get together? Was it a shared love of music and the same artists – or was there a special spark that brought the band together?

Myself and Ollie have been playing together since we were pups. Ollie and Alan played together in a band called Gypsy Rebel Rabble and they were playing a few shows in Berlin in 2013 - and myself and a few others went along for the trip. That’s when the three of us hung out for the first time and we all get along like a house on fire - but it was two years before Brain Donation materialised.

How the band came about was a bit unusual. Myself and Ollie had booked an Irish tour with our old band, The Stoney Brokes. About six weeks before the tour, that band broke up and, rather than fall out of favour with the promoters and bookers we were working with, we decided to get something together to do the tour. We actually, originally, were going to do a two-man acoustic thing - which is really funny now looking back because of what way the band went genre-wise.

Ollie told Alan about it and he said he wanted in - and it all just grew from there…

Dublin is your home. Is the city pretty active in terms of great music? What is it about the E.I.R.E. capital that keeps native artists rooted there?

Yeah; there is a lot of great music here. I’m sure everyone says their scene is full of great music but music is such a strong tradition here in Ireland - and we have such a vibrant festival circuit and live music scene.

In terms of being rooted now; I’d imagine it’s the same reasons that artists stay rooted everywhere. Home is home. I think a big thing is the support network we have here. We have so many bands and musicians and our population is quite small - so you do feel a great sense of community.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m really liking OTHERKIN at the moment! They’re doing a lot in the U.K. as well so, if you haven’t already checked them out, then I’d start there!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

We have our launch in Dublin on 23rd March and a handful of gigs around Ireland. Then, we only have a few bits and pieces before festival season starts. We’re playing in Switzerland with our friends Dirty Sound Magnet (who you should also check out) in September - and they’re helping us book some U.K. dates for the summer as well.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sean Gallagher

What do you all hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Woman of the year…

We have lots of little tiny goals - but the main one is to finish the year with some press coverage. Because of the D.I.Y. nature of our beginnings, we never really did much of a press push or paid much attention to that side of it.

We are also changing how we release music. After this E.P., we will be making releases much more often, on a song-by-song basis. Record a song, make a video; do promo and tour, rinse and repeat. There has been two years between both of our E.P.s. - and we don’t want that to happen again - so our main aspiration is to finish 2018 in a positive routine of regularly releasing new material for people to hear.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

We went to Eastern Europe last September and played ten consecutive shows. It was the first time we did something like that for so long and it really was such a lovely time. You can rehearse every day of the week, but nothing will get you as tight as just playing loads of shows: we came back from the tour and we were just impossibly tight.

A personal favourite memory for me is going back to a house party with a bunch of complete strangers and arriving at the house to hear that the people who were there already were listening to my band.

PHOTO CREDIT: Second Frame

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Delegate. Ask for help. Ask for advice. You’d be surprised how many people will be willing to help you. Also; support your own scene. Go to gigs, read about your peers; listen to the music they’re making and collaborate.

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you lads unwind?

The short answer to that is ‘no’.

Ollie, our drummer, has two side-projects where he plays guitar with people; he has two jobs and an array of hobbies. I do music production and Alan plays cover gigs and builds craft battle-stations for fantasy gamers (I tried really hard to make that sound cool).

I like hiking whenever I get the chance: Dublin is surrounded by mountains and sea so there are so many beautiful places for hikes. We’re all different, though. If we’re ‘unwinding’ together, it’s usually over a pint…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Sean Conroy

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

It’s pretty late and the guys are definitely asleep - so I’m going to be a bad sport and undemocratically say:

New Secret Weapon - Headmelt Radar

The Eskies – Napoleon

The Hot Sprockets - Right Spots

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Follow Brain Donation

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/braindonation

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/braindonationmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/braindonation

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4F0JQZMfKNcTzY6a5hRi7X

BandCamp:

https://braindonation.bandcamp.com/releases

INTERVIEW: Wieuca

INTERVIEW:

Wieuca

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FROM the chill and beauty of Austria…

it is off to Athens, Georgia – and a chat with the incredible band, Wieuca. The guys talk about their new E.P., Local Celebrity, and the ideas that inspired it. I ask how they came together and what the scene is like in Georgia; whether a bass player replacement disrupted the recording/band chemistry; if the U.S. band reckons they have grown since their debut – and whether they are coming to Britain.

I ask which artists inspire them and what tour dates they have coming up; if they all get time to chill away from music; what their aims are for this year – they provide advice for new musicians thinking of following in their footsteps.

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

Jack Webster: Bangin’. I saw the Drive-By Truckers twice.

Andrew Cleveland: Great. It’s rained every other day in Georgia. Perfect weather.

Jack O’Reilly: Good. Yourself?

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Jack Webster: Hey. I’m Jack: newest local celebrity to the Wieuca fam.

Will Ingram: I’m Will and I’m (just) a baby boy.

Andrew: Hi. I’m Andrew, A.K.A. ‘Ace’: second-newest addition to the squad, handling all the Electronic bleep-bloops.

Jack O’Reilly: Hi. I’m O’Reilly - and you know that’s the sitch.

Will: We also have a guy named Rob...

Local Celebrity is your new E.P. What can you tell me about its creation and the stories behind it?

Jack Webster: Will made my sister some dope kicks in exchange for a feature on Friendster.

Will: I draw trippy things on people’s shoes when trippy music isn’t paying the bills.

Jack O’Reilly: Cradle-to-grave; this record was made in a shorter span than anything else we’ve released to date.

How do you think your new stuff differs from your early material back in 2012? Is the new E.P., in your view, the best thing you have done?

Will: It’s probably the most ‘us’ thing we’ve done. When we started, we just played music we wanted to hear that didn’t exist - like Alt-Country mixed with Emo. The problem is, if you don’t know the exact points of reference (say, Texas Is the Reason and Whiskeytown) it kind of just sounds like Indie-Rock. Local Celebrity has been our most successful effort to smash very disparate styles together without losing what makes them distinct.

It marks the departure of long-time bassist and producer of Sam Kempe - and welcomes the arrival of Jack Webster and Andrew Cleveland. Was it a hard transition – or was it quite a revelation?

Jack Webster: While it’s refreshing and exciting to experience new-fangled band chemistry; I find it shatters the grand illusion a bit to join a band that you love listening to.

Andrew: I lived across the hall from Will last year and we would always jam on the sounds coming from the other rooms - so, this really just feels like an extended late-night beat battle.

Do you know whether there will be more material later in the year? Do you think that far ahead?

Jack O’Reilly: Some of us do, fortunately…

Will: Yeah. Get ready for the E.P. - that combines Black-Metal and K-Pop. I’m dead-ass.

Tell me how the band all got together and how ‘Wieuca’ came to be. What is the inspiration behind that name, too?

Robert and I had been playing music together since, literally, the day we met at eleven. When we both knew we were moving to Athens for college, it was like: ‘Alright, I guess let’s be a real band now’.

Is there quite a big music scene where you are in Athens, Georgia?

It’s huge for the size of the city. All your waiters are old hipsters pissed that their band never got famous.

Do you all have similar taste in music? Which artists are you all inspired by?

Jack Webster: Early Young Thug

Andrew: Prince, Nas and James Blake

Will: I hate music.

Jack O’Reilly: Definitely not. Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers and Ween.

IN THIS PHOTO: Magdalena 3 Vidas

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Jack Webster: B.Y.V./Y.O.D.

Will: Magdalena 3 Vidas - if you like Latina rappers.

Jack O’Reilly: TWEN.

IN THIS PHOTO: TWEN

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Will: We’re doing SXSW - just for the tacos and margaritas.

Jack Webster: ...and the Tito’s.

Will the U.K. be part of your plans? Have you been over this way before?

Andrew: I learned the word ‘queue’ from Netflix - so that counts for something, right? Plus; a couple of years back, Jack and I gave up coffee for tea in the morning.

Will: Actually, yeah; we’ve been planning for fall 2019. We’re scared.

What do you all hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Jack O’Reilly: Too personal...

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Jack Webster: The one that sticks in the mind (laughs) for me is covering a classic Wieuca jam (Low Probability) with my (other) band, Big Morgan, at the Guilt Complex release-show in May 2017.

Andrew: One time, Will and I saw this guy in McDonald’s spill three milkshakes on the floor over and over again - and he felt really bad about it.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Jack Webster: Come thru!

Will: Be anything except a new artist coming through. Go into rogue taxidermy.

Andrew: Always pull up.

Do you all get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Will: No chilling allowed. Don’t watch T.V. - and sleeping is for idiots.

Jack Webster: I like to cut the felt around town at local billiards halls and shoot dice very competitively.

Andrew: Sleep is the cousin of death but, yeah; I mean, I try to get my seven-and-a-half in. I really like old European cars.

Jack O’Reilly: A vod sod fills the musical void half-empty.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Jack Webster: The Who - My Wife

Entwistle (John) at his finest

Will: Gays 4 Donald by Pink Guy. Pretty much sums up the U.S.

Andrew:  James Blake - Love What Happened Here

Jack O’Reilly: Comment Elles Dorment - Jacques Dutronc

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Follow Wieuca

Official:

http://wieucamusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wieucaath

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/wieucaband

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wieucaath/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/wieuca

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ETy4vUQ0DVE0ESKgPjAfv

BandCamp:

https://wieuca.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: KTEE

INTERVIEW:

KTEE

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MANY would assume there is not much of a…

music scene in Austria. As KTEE proves; there are some fantastic artists performing over there right now. She talks to me about her latest track, So What, and whether there is more material later this year. I ask whether she feels she’s developed and grown since her teenage years; which artists/sounds influence her sound; why she moved from Vienna to Ireland – and whether it was hard rebelling against parents who did not want her to follow a path into music.

KTEE discusses tour plans and prized musical moments; whether there are plans regarding playing in the U.K.; advice she would offer new artists of the moment; a new artist we need to check out – how the talented songwriter unwinds away from her music career.

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

Hi. Good, so far. A lot of work: promoting a single is BUMM (smiles).

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

I am KTEE: a Pop artist from Austria. I totally love what I do and I am living my dream by writing songs, playing gigs; promoting my singles, giving interviews and being who I am (which is fun, sarcastic; ambitious, loving; hard-working, energetic…).

Your new track, So What, is out. Can you reveal the story to that one? What inspired the track?

So What is a very special song for me since the message behind it is one that is so important for me, personally - and I also think for many other young people: to do what you love, even if other people make fun of you or say that your dreams are stupid - or that you are not gonna be able to fulfil them.

Time is so limited here and that’s why it is so important to not waste your life by playing by the rules of others. The song also says that it is, of course, not always easy to ‘do what you love’ because we live in a world ruled by pressure; by people or a society telling you what is ‘cool’, ‘good’; ‘preferable’, ‘perfect’ and ‘desirable’.

Nobody is perfect and there will be obstacles in your way and you will make mistakes - but those mistakes make help you grow. As long as you always try to live your life by your own rules and know what is good for you and what’s not, you are on the right track.

It seems there is that defiance and sense of growth. Do you feel you have come a long way since your teenage years? Is music the way you make sense of all those hard times?

Oh yes; I have definitely grown a lot and I have come a very long way since my teenage years. Of course, music helped a lot! There was a time in my life where writing songs has kind of saved my life. It was my only form of expression.

Kind of self-therapy you could say…

Can we expect an E.P. or more material later in the year?

Of course: there is more music to come this year. You can expect a new song in May. We are already working on it (smiles). An E.P. is planned as well (end of the year).

I believe you used to record songs on a bulky red cassette player your mum gave you! How treasured are those early moments? Do you have any of those songs left/safe?

Haha. Oh yes; I love those tapes! I still have some of them, yes. So cute - my eight-year-old self practicing Celine Dion songs, trying to sound like her (smiles). If I could, I would go back in time and tell little KTEE that her dreams of becoming a singer and releasing her own songs will come true one day.

This cassette player was my favourite thing ever! I didn’t need a T.V., computer games…I spent so many hours with it in my tiny room. Thanks to my mum, I could listen to my own voice, analyse it and become better. Thanks, mummy!

Maria Neustift was where you grew up. Is there a big music scene in Austria at all? How does music differ there to, say, the U.K.?

Maria Neustift is veeeeeery very small; a very nice village in Upper-Austria. There is a music scene in Austria but not a very big one - and definitely not for English-speaking Pop music (smiles).

How it differs? Well; in the U.K., the live music scene is biiiig compared to Austria. When I was in London a few weeks ago, I played every evening. You can play there every day, which is amazing. Now that I am back in Austria, I miss this. We don’t really have that here.

I know you were keen to follow music but faced some competition and resistance from your parents. Was it hard convincing them you should study in Vienna and do things your way?

They wanted me to study, but not music (smiles). That’s why I didn’t study music. They said they would not support me if I decided to study music. So, in a way, I satisfied them by studying something ‘that made sense’ in their eyes but, at the same time, I was following my dream of becoming a singer/artist/songwriter. In the mornings, I went to university; in the afternoon, I studied and, in the evenings and at the weekends I wrote songs, connected with other musicians; played live and took part in competitions…

Now, my parents are very proud of me – at least I think they are (smiles).

After Vienna, you spend some time in Ireland. Is that when you decided music was your vocation? Was there a single moment that compelled that decision?

Yes. I spent some time in Ireland but that was before I went to Vienna - I was nineteen-years-old when I went there. No, actually: I’ve known that music is my vocation since I was eight-years-old.

However, in Ireland, I started to write my own songs and I discovered my love for experimenting with sounds, lyrics...

You successfully qualified in The Voice. How important was the time on that show in terms of your career and direction of sound?

It was not The Voice that is on T.V. but it was another competition called The Voice that we have here in Austria. However, I took part in a T.V. talent-show called Heroes of Tomorrow and was one of the greatest and most-important experiences I have made so far. I learned so, so much. I had voice training there (my singing technique improved); I got a lot of self-esteem and I overcame my self-doubts. I got a lot of great feedback and that pushed me in a way. 

I am so happy that I was part of that show!

Which artists were most important when you were growing up? Did you have idols and heroes?

As I mentioned before; Celine Dion was my hero when I was very young – and, also, Whitney Houston. When I got older, I started to love Pink, Jessie J and Beyoncé. I still love Jessie J’s voice and her attitude! She is a goddess, she is a queen (smiles)!

IN THIS PHOTO: AIVI

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Check out AIVI. She is a newcomer from Austria!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I have some gigs in New York in March - and I hope I’ll be in the U.K. again in May!

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

I wanna play a lot more gigs than I did in 2017. I wanna release my E.P. by the end of the year and I wanna reach as many people as possible with my song (that’s why I hope radios will play my song: for playlist curators to put it on their playlists...).

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

My first radio interview (thank you, Liferadio!),

The moment when we finished writing So What and realised it is an awesome song (smiles).

The London tour.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Never give up! Keep fighting and keep dreaming! Do what you love; no matter what it takes! You will fall on your face; you will fail and you will cry and be disappointed. People will judge you - haters gonna hate - and it is a tough business! But, if this is what you love, stand up; shake off the dust keep fighting!

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I have to admit that, sadly, I don’t have any free time. I work every free minute. Sometimes, in the evenings I watch T.V. - that’s relaxing (smiles). 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

AIVI – Shooting Star

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Follow KTEE

Official:

https://www.kteemusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KTEEsings/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kteemusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/16RDAkL9ygzmY49DzTXJCp?si=muopkLznS3a6Hy4KqvpyRQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/c/KTEEmusic

INTERVIEW: Just Like Fruit

INTERVIEW:

Just Like Fruit

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I always love going down to Brighton…

and hooking up with some tremendous talent. Today; I get to spotlight Just Like Fruit and discover more about their music. They reveal the story behind their latest song, Mama Said, and the themes that inspired their E.P., On the Door. They talk about Brighton and why it is such a pull for musicians; how they all got together – and whether there is going to be more material this year.

I ask what it is like being compared with the likes of Courtney Barnett; how they all chill away from the music scene; whether the video for Mama Said was fun to shoot; new artists we need to investigate – what touring plans they have for the coming months.

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

This week's been great, thanks. We've just released our new music video - which is very exciting. But, in general, we’ve just been cracking on with all that in-between stuff. Being a musician is a full-time job!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are five long-time pals making Rock ‘n' Roll music anywhere, at any time. 

Mama Said is the new track. What can you reveal about its origin and background? 

It's a track kind of about doing something exciting and being on the move, so it was probably written whilst being bored. It all started out on rusty acoustics and, therefore, had an old, rusty Country-romp vibe, which we found was still kind of there after we took away the acoustics – so, we added a couple of extra splashes of Country into the recording for good measure. 

The video looks quite high-wire and energetic! How did you come up with the concept? How much fun was it getting it filmed?!

We initially, actually, had a very simple and innocent thought that it would be fun to spend an afternoon chasing Taran around. Eventually, we developed that thought into a concept for a music video; adding a storyboard and a setting.

Everybody wants to be a cowboy for a day. 

What is a shoot like that like?! Does it make writing songs more appealing knowing you get to shoot a cool video (like Mama Said)?

Firstly; thank you for calling it a cool video. It's always a lot of fun imagining videos but it's usually much easier to envisage a video after the writing of the song - once everybody's played it a few times. Don't want to be prematurely telling the band that this new piano ballad has a video idea attached already cos we might (and usually would) speed it up and go and add some distorted guitar on there. 

The song is the latest release from the E.P., On the Door. What has the reaction been like to the E.P.? What sort of themes and stories inspired its creation? 

Pretty good thanks. We've sold them all - so it’s gone down as a success for us in that respect. The sort of themes that carry the E.P. through are live fast, live good and do right. 

Will there be more material later this year?

Most certainly. On top of a few more exhilarating music videos; we also have two singles for our songs Gone Gone Gone and Harder to Breathe in the vault that we are looking forward to releasing. It’s proceeding to be a very busy, fun and forward-looking period for us. 

Brighton is where Just Like Fruit is based. How did the band get together? What is Brighton like as a centre for music and creativity?

We all kind of met at different stages…

Kieran (Rhythm Guitarist) and Dion (Lead Vocalist) have always been next door neighbours in Streatham, South London. Dion and Taran (Lead Guitarist) met at this crazy-of-all-crazies festival called Smallworld as little kids.

As for the rest of us; we met studying music at college in Twickenham - where we became a band.

I know you guys source everyone from Courtney Barnett and The Rolling Stones as influences. Who are the artists you all grew up on?

Collectively, I think we could cite Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix; The Beatles and Led Zeppelin as definite-vital-vitamins whilst growing up. All 1960s influences. It kind of explains the Just Like Fruit sound when you see it on paper like this. Haha. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Octavian

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Octavian, our mate from London and Brighton, is killing the Grime scene at the moment. Definitely, he's one to watch! Stemming off from our love for Courtney Barnett; TRAAMS are a personal favourite when it comes to guitar music. They’ve been making some substantial, sensational; unforgiving Noise-Rock in the recent years. Love watching them play when they come to town.

Lastly; Noname from Chicago is also definitely one to watch that we really like. Very different from our music but, if you like a bit of smooth Rap mixed with jazzy vibes and poetic lyrics with great depth, then go check her out!

IN THIS PHOTO: Noname

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Our next gig is in Brighton on Friday 23rd at The Richmond alongside some great acts - under the prolific Brighton promoters, QM Records. Check our socials for further info. It's always a great event with QM Records! As for touring, keep an eye out on our socials as well for this festival season. We've already got a couple ones we're excited to announce soon...

Have you all got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Playing at Sofar Sounds a few times now has to go up there with the finest memories - simply because it’s different. You won’t see anything like it in the live music scene. That’s why it’s so special! Especially, when Peggy is your host! (Smiles).

Also; recording the video to our first single, Funfair, was a blast.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Stick at it; don’t give it a rest. If you’re anything like us, then you ain’t got much choice anyway! Ahah. But, honestly: enjoy what you’ve been graced with and drive it out of the skyline with no limitations. 

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind as a band?

The music is us chilling pretty much! Otherwise, we play a lot of cards and make questionable jokes. 

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Bob Dylan - The Man in Me (Dion)

The Replacements - Take Me Down to the Hospital (Kieran)

Kendrick Lamar - FEAR. (Ryan)

Steely Dan – Do It Again (Erwin)

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Sonata (Taran)

 

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Follow Just Like Fruit

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Justlikefruit/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/justlikefruit

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/just-like-fruit

INTERVIEW: AVEC

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Ludwig Seidl Captures 

AVEC

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THIS is not the first time…

PHOTO CREDIT: Gare de Lion

I have featured AVEC on my pages. She is an Austrian artist whose every move intrigues me. I speak to her about the latest single, Youth, and what the music scene is like in Austria. I ask what we can expect from the forthcoming album, What If We Never Forget, and what it was like hearing it back; how it feels getting respect from magazines and fans – if there is a new artist we should be aware of.

AVEC talks about performing with Sigrid and what touring plans she has; if we can expect to see her in the U.K. this year; some of the artists that compel her – and whether she has learnt anything from the recording process (of her new album and older work).

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

I am fine, thanks a lot - my week has been pretty good so far, thanks!

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

My name is AVEC. I am a singer/songwriter from Austria. I started writing my own songs when I was about fourteen-years-old. In 2015, I released my first E.P, Heartbeats, followed by the debut record, What If We Never Forget, in 2016.

I have been touring in Europe with my band and now I am working on the second record - which will be released in 2018.

Youth is your latest single. What is the background of that song?

The song, Youth, is a very personal song about my childhood; my young years and the struggle of growing up. On the one hand, you’re this innocent kid, staring at the moon and questioning life itself with all the love you could give and all the hate you have to cope with while, on the other hand, there’s a load of responsibility and insecurity to carry.

It is taken from the album, What If We Never Forget. Was putting the album together a good experience? Are there particular stories behind each of the songs?

Well. It was my first ever album production and my first time in a studio, so I really didn’t know what to expect at all. Plus, I was pretty young when we started the whole record and didn’t know anything about the process of ‘making a record‘. but it was a great experience - I grew a lot with this record and I’m happy with it!

Sure; every song has its own story and so does the whole record. Imagine every song tells a story and, if you put them all together, you can see how the whole record is connected within.

Do you think you learnt anything during the recording process? How did you feel hearing the album back for the first time?

Yes, a lot - I learned what I want and what I really don’t want; how my music should sound and in which direction I wanna go with this whole thing.

Well, it was kinda weird because I actually can’t listen to my own music - but, of course, I did listen to the album once or twice.

Your music has gained a lot of respect from big sources and labels. Is it humbling knowing your music connects with so many people?

It is still crazy and sort of unreal for me to accept the fact that there are people listening to my music and diggin’ it. You know, I never ever thought that this is going to happen because for me music was a hobby and nothing more. I started writing lyrics and music just for me and myself - to get those words out of my head and now I can share it with so many other people! I am so damn grateful that I got the chance to do this; to make music, to get my stuff out into this world and to move and catch people with my music.

This is the best feeling ever!

You have just performed alongside Sigrid at Eurosonic Noordeslag Festival. It seems there is an appetite for Scandinavian artists at the moment. Why do you think that is?

Well, let’s be honest: their music is just amazing. I don’t know who, but that doesn’t really matter, I guess. The Tallest Man on Earth, Kaleo; Asgeir, Hozier, Soak and many more… - they are all absolutely stunning!

Is there an exciting scene in Austria at the moment?

I’d say so, yes. We do have a really good music scene at the moment.

Do you recall the artists you grew up on? What music were you into as a kid?

I do. I grew up with a ton of great music: Michael Jackson, Sting; Phil Collins, Falco; Prince, Radiohead…and a lot of Blues and Country music - I still love it!

IN THIS PHOTO: Rosie Carney/PHOTO CREDIT: Deborah Sheedy

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Rosie Carney.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up? Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. this year?

Yes. Me and the band; we’ll play a couple of gigs during the summer and then we’ll be back on the road in autumn for a whole tour!

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Well. To release my second album; to play a ton of gigs and to have a great tour with my band.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be yourself, stay yourself - and enjoy what you’re doing

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Counting Sheep - Shakey Graves

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Follow AVEC

Official:

http://officialavec.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/officialAVEC

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/avec_music

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/officialavec/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6N8vbhxZ0CYJHd8WGJ9Snf

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/avec_official

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4vbbYmRRVuXGPlagPGIS6g

INTERVIEW: Winter Wilson

INTERVIEW:

Winter Wilson

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I have followed many duos through the world of music…

but few who have the same chemistry as Winter Wilson’s Kip and Dave. The fact they are married might account for that but, listen closely, and it is the simpatico and understanding they have when entranced in the throes of sound. I ask them about their celebrated album, Far Off on the Horizon, and how it feels knowing it connects with critics and fans; what they can reveal about the new single, Ghost – and what they are planning next.

The duo talk about supporting Fairport Convention and musicians they count as guides; what other gigs are coming up; if they have goals and ambitions to tick off before the end of the year; how they transitioned from Kip and Dave to ‘Winter Wilson ‘ – they end the interview with a couple of fine and soothing tunes.

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Hi, Kip and Dave. How are you? How has your week been?

We're both fine, thanks. Very busy - but that isn’t a complaint.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We’re a married couple based out of Sleaford, Lincolnshire - which is where Dave was born and raised. Kip is Scottish but raised in Holland, Scotland and England. We met through music and have been playing together for over twenty-five years.

As for the music...that’s a more difficult question. In the main, it’s based around acoustic instruments, but we dip in and out of the Folk/Country/Blues genre. We both share lead vocals and harmonies - as it comes naturally to us. One of the best compliments we get from live gigs is that our set has a lot of variation.

Can I ask where that name, ‘Winter Wilson’, came from? Is there a story behind that?

‘Kip Winter’ and ‘Dave Wilson’: it's that simple. We used to go to a pub that had regular live music and Mike the landlord asked us to do a gig one night. When we turned up, he'd advertised us as ‘Kip & Dave’ - which was a little too close to Chas & Dave for our liking; so we went with the surnames from then on.

Ghost is your new track. Can you talk a moment about its origins and how it came together?

Dave wrote it after reading a story in The Big Issue (a wonderful magazine that does a lot of good) about how changes that the Government made to housing benefit had caused some youngsters to fall through the net and finish up homeless. Ghost is one girl's story - but there are, literally, thousands.

I like the way the video is shot. There is a lot of emotion conveyed throughout. What was it like filming the video?

A guy call Graham Wilsoncroft shot the video - and it was good to do. It's not easy to maintain the emotional connection when you're singing the same song over and over whilst looking at a film crew.

(But Graham did a great job and we're delighted with the result).

We wanted the video to have a sort of ‘film noir’ feel, in keeping with the subject matter, and we think Graham achieved that really well.

Far Off on the Horizon is your latest album. A lot of the material addresses redundancy and making music for a living. Was it frightening transitioning from the world of work and embarking on a dream – or did you feel this is what you were always supposed to be doing?

What we do is a dream come true for both of us.

We’re very lucky that it's come at a time in our lives where we have no other major commitments, which has made it a lot less frightening than it could have been. We were both made redundant in our fifties and decided to take a gap year. We've played music, written and recorded albums as semi-pros for years...so we thought we'd work at building up the music for a year and then get part-time jobs to supplement what we make from our gigs and album sales. It's all gone better than we thought it would and, almost six years later, it’s still going from strength to strength...

Best gap year ever!

The record has already garnered positive reviews. Does that give you a lot of faith and drive?!

The reviews have been great and, in general, all of our previous albums have been well-received. As we promote ourselves, we tend to use other people’s words to sell ourselves - so the positive quotes help us a lot. It’s always slightly scary when you send a new album out for review, as you are obviously setting yourself up to be criticised. We make music that we enjoy performing - and it’s a bonus when other people like it too.

The two of you, obviously, have a natural connection. Do you work on songs together – or will one of you work on lyrics/music?

We are a married couple and spend our lives together by choice.

The jokes and jibes on stage are perfectly natural as that’s just how we are with each other all of the time. We're lucky that we are now able to work together as well. Dave writes all of the songs - but many come from ideas and stories that Kip has passed onto him.

Which artists inspired you before you took up music?

Dave: Words have always been important to me. I can remember buying David Bowie and Bob Dylan albums on vinyl and reading all of the lyrics. As a youngster, I was also a big fan of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones; Free and The Who - as well as everything that came out on the Motown label.

Kip: I’m also a lyrics person but I’m also inspired by anybody who can really interpret a song with passion. I adore Bonnie Raitt - but I’m also a big fan of Jacques Brel. We must have one of the most eclectic music collections in existence!

You are going to hit the road with Fairport Convention! How important are they in terms of their music?!

Fairport have had a tremendous influence on the U.K. music scene. You have look at what was there before they came onto the scene and compare it to what came after...

Folk-Rock didn’t exist before Fairport.

IN THIS PHOTO: Jason Isbell

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

One of the best writers we've come across in many years is Jason Isbell. He's very much from the U.S. Country/Rock scene but, whether you like that or not, check out his lyrics. Also, there’s a band from New York state called Darlingside. Their harmonies are stunning!

 IN THIS IMAGE: Darlingside

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

At the time of writing this, we are getting toward the end of our tour with Fairport Convention. Once that’s finished, we have a couple of weeks at home to catch up on admin etc. and then we'll be doing our own tour up and down the U.K.; over to Ireland and, then, Germany later in the year - and back to Australia and New Zealand next year.

Full details can be found on our website.

What do you each hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

2018 is set up nicely for us. We have plenty of gigs and we'll be working on new songs for future albums. If we can stay healthy and carry on as we are we'll be happy. We have no plans to take over the world.

Have you both got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

The current favourite is from this tour with Fairport. We played the Union Chapel in London - which is a stunning venue with an amazing atmosphere. We'd seen concerts from there on T.V. but never dreamed we play there ourselves. It clearly had an effect on Fairport also: they played a blinder that night and we joined them at the end to sing Meet on the Ledge with the audience joining in.

What a buzz that was.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Make music to please yourself and that you believe in: don’t be swayed.

Give it all you've got and get out there and enjoy it. If you can do that you've succeeded: it's not all about sales figures. Also, if you want to get gigs, get out there and be seen. In the first year after our day-jobs went, we probably did more floor-spots than gigs - and it really paid off in bookings for subsequent years.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We like to meet up with family and friends; usually around good food and music. We have nine grandchildren - so there's always something to keep us busy. We also love going to see live music - be it in a pub or on a concert stage.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Dave: Jason Isbell - Cover Me Up

Kip: Bonnie Raitt’s take on Dimming of the Day. Can’t be beaten!

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Follow Winter Wilson

Official:

https://winterwilson.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/winterwilsonmusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/winter_wilson

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2TedaFltDnvB0byPFwIYW4

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc3kHHCnah1dI2tuOkZdbFg

INTERVIEW: Nele Needs a Holiday

INTERVIEW:

Nele Needs a Holiday

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HER name suggests someone who needs to take a break…

and have a recharge. I speak to Nele Needs a Holiday about the origin of the name – and why, having worked tirelessly recently, the singer-songwriter is ready for some downtime. She talks to me about her new single, We’ll See, and growing up in Belgium. I ask what the music scene is like there and how it differs to London (where she lives now) – and which artists inspire her.

The songwriter discusses her next moves and touring; how she manages to detach and relax away from music; why this week has been a rather productive and busy one; a new(ish) artist we should all get our ears around – Nele Needs Holiday provides some useful advice to songwriters emerging on the scene.

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Hi, Nele Needs a Holiday. How are you? How has your week been?

I'm good, thanks! I'm working on a musical right now - which is the loneliest thing I've ever done. Staying in with only my piano to talk to, laughing at my own jokes. Can't wait to go gigging again!

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

I write hyper-realistic Pop songs about stuff nobody dares to talk about - songs like I Love You But I Google Other People. Some might call it funny: I call it the truth.

Can I ask where that name came from? Is there a reason for the moniker?

Don't tell anyone...but my real name is Nele Van den Broeck. Catchy, right? Sounds like I'm some kind of German princess, but it's actually a really common name in Belgium. I like the sound of Nele Needs a Holiday because it's both happy and sad…like my music. Also, cause it's true.

That name is starting to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

We’ll See is your new single. What is the origin of the track and story behind it?

I've been in so many relationships already where one or both parties are simply unable to commit. The song is about three romantic word that are all-too-often said in the relationships: not ‘I love you', but ‘we will see’ - words that signalise how hard it is to stay with one person, cause you still have the feeling there might be someone else; someone better, just around the corner. You just have to pick up your phone and swipe a few fellows on Tinder. How on earth can you connect to one person if it’s that easy to find the next one?!

I still don’t know...

I like the video! You have a Madonna-cum-Marilyn Monroe look. Do you take inspiration from icons like that? Was it fun shooting the video?!

Thanks! For once in my life, I wanted to know what it feels like to be a blonde bombshell. Quite frankly; it feels exactly the same as being myself. Whatever wig you're wearing, underneath it, it's just the same old brain driving you crazy.

Shooting videos is my favourite thing in the world. There's this whole team working for days on three minutes of beauty. Makes me feel like a princess.

I love it.

It seems you are in great form right now. Will we see some more material later this year?

I'm working on Nele Needs a Holiday: The Musical. It's the story of me moving to London and the many unfortunate encounters I had with the music industry; dating in a big city and austerity - making it impossible to live a life that is more or less that of a grown-up. It will play at Latitude and will have a run in Edinburgh under Big in Belgium. I know I'm not supposed to say I'm nervous: so I'm just saying I'm excited.

Belgium is where you hail from. Is the nation quite a productive one for new music? Was it easy getting your music heard there?

There's some fantastic music happening in Belgium but it never crossed the Channel, because of a little thing called Anglo-Saxon cultural hegemony. I knew that if I wanted to conquer the world, I had to move out of Belgium at a certain point. I think a lot of Belgian artists are too modest. Luckily, I don't have that problem.

Are you based in London full-time? What are the main differences between the music of Belgium and Britain?

I live in a flat share in Greenwich together with Bob - the mushroom in the shower. Totally glamorous. I take the Eurostar (about) every other week to play concerts in Belgium and the Netherlands - and, sometimes, I'm there for longer periods. The concept of ‘home’ is a tough one for me...anywhere I lay my head, I guess...

The music is not that different, I would say. Maybe in Belgium, it's a little bit more built around beats: whereas in Britain it's still cool to play the guitar.

Over a beat, that is.

You have elements of Paloma Faith and Björk in your work. Is there something about these artists that compels you? Which musicians did you grow up listening to?

Thanks! I like those comparisons, they are cool.

I don't know how I would have gotten puberty without music Eels - all the times I've sung Beautiful Freak for myself, alone in my bedroom (I can't count them).

I like music by beautiful freaks.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There is a seventies songwriter called Dory Previn. Hardly anyone has ever heard of her and I wonder why: she's fantastic. To me, she's right up there with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. She's one of the best lyricists I've ever heard.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

Come to Latitude! It will be ace!

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

I hope I don't get pregnant...

Apart from that: I hope I write the best musical I've got in me.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Work on your banter. Honestly...so many musicians are so bad at it. If you're half-decent, you'll stick out.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I'm a bit of a science nerd. I love to watch documentaries about the universe, black holes and stuff. Helps me to put everything in perspective.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Anything?

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, please.

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Follow Nele Needs a Holiday

Official:

http://www.neleneedsaholiday.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NeleNeedsAHoliday/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/neleneedsaholiday/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/NNAHoliday

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1BCRY2szkW4oM4aOFSRDLQ

YouTube:

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

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/neleneedsaholiday

INTERVIEW: Greta Jaime

INTERVIEW:

Greta Jaime

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MY heart goes out to artists who tackle music…

at such a young age. Greta Jaime is only seventeen and has, already, made a name for herself – as a unique songwriter and extraordinary live performer. She talks to me about her route into music and the inspiration behind the new track, Static (Exchanges). She discusses her passion for Jimi Hendrix and what music she was exposed to as a child; whether there are any gigs coming up – and how she has improved/changed since her debut single, Lost in Mexico.

Greta Jaime tells me how she relaxes away from music; how it feels to get recognition from fans; whether there is any advice she would offer songwriters coming through the ranks – whether we will see her play some Hendrix-like flaming solos on stage anytime soon!

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

I’m great, thanks! It’s been a very busy, exciting week.

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

I’m a musician and songwriter from North London.

Static (Exchanges) is your new single. What is the tale behind it?

The story behind that song is kind of a unique one: it actually stemmed from a poem I had written called Stones. A few days later; I was working on an instrumental on my laptop and I had made this sort of brooding drum beat. Then, I kept singing part of the poem over it - which was the line “I’m still throwing stones to safety”.

From there, the song came together super-quickly because I realised I wanted to write about indifference and the growing distance that I was experiencing with someone at the time.

The single has already garnered acclaim and attention from radio and streaming sites. Is that quite pleasing to see?

Yes. It’s amazing! When releasing this song, I definitely didn’t expect it to get the response it has had.

Will there be more material to follow? What are you working on?

Yes. I have the next single that will be released in a few months – and I have an E.P. in-the-works, too!

Do you think you have taken steps since your debut song, Lost in Mexico? Have you grown in confidence, would you say?

I definitely think, since releasing that song, I’ve been able to evolve, musically, and have just had a chance to write a lot more. When I wrote Lost in Mexico; it felt like a song that sort of (just) fell out of me and, at the time, it was so different to anything else I had written. After releasing something so honest; it makes it easier for me to be open and to write about anything I like.

You are only seventeen. Is it quite daunting stepping into music so young?! Does the fact you’re a teenager give you a unique perspective on life?

I think it is daunting, in the sense that you’re trying to figure out how you can translate the way you hear the song in your head to the finished product. I got started in music production and recording demos because I couldn’t figure out how to explain what I wanted the song to sound like - but I could play the different parts and piece it together that way. I think, as you’re growing up, you experience so many new things in a short space of time.

Writing songs can be a good outlet to capture the sentiments that come with that - and give them their own space to live.

I know you developed a passion for Jimi Hendrix when growing up in North London. How did you first come to hear his music? What is about him that provokes a reaction?

I think, the first time I heard about him, was through my parents (who were big fans). I remember them watching a documentary about his music and just being drawn to his playing. I think, also, the way he was able to express himself so fluidly with the instrument was so appealing for me - because he made all of his playing look really intuitive. 

Will we see any Jimi Hendrix-like flaming guitar solos and histrionics in the future, do you think?

I may have a few tricks up my sleeve for the future…but, I mean; if you have any spare guitars you want me to burn - please send them my way! I love evolving the live show and adding new elements to keep it exciting. Having free reign over the set is part of what I love about playing live - because I can change and develop things over time depending on the reaction from an audience.

Which other artists did you respond to when you were younger? Do you tend to prefer older, classic artists – or do you have a fondness for modern acts, too?

When I was younger, I listened to anything I could get my hands on really. I played guitar for a while before I started writing; so I was introduced to a lot of classic artists like Eric Clapton and David Bowie through that. At the moment, I listen to a lot of modern acts, too, because I think there are so many exciting artists pushing boundaries and merging genres in a unique way.  

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

I would love to do a tour. I’m actually finishing my A-levels at the moment so gigs are temporarily on hold. But, if everything goes to plan; there should be some more shows in the summer!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Lots! Hopefully, I can collaborate more with other musicians and producers.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I only recently started playing shows but, last year, I was lucky enough to play Camden Assembly - and that was definitely a huge highlight for me. Living in North London, I’ve passed the venue so many times - so being able to play there meant a lot.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’m not sure if I should really be giving advice yet but, if I had to; I would say it’s important to constantly create and work on your craft. I think, if you’re able to keep your head down and constantly work to improve, it’s much easier to create opportunities for yourself and keep up with an industry that is evolving so quickly.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not really! If I’m not making music, I’m most probably consuming it but I like that. My sister gets paranoid my earphones will get tangled around my neck when I fall asleep - so I should probably stop doing that…

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Only one is so hard to pick - but a song I’ve been loving recently is Pills by St. Vincent. I got to catch her set at Green Man Festival in 2015 and she is incredible (also, yes; I am biased because she plays guitar.)

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Follow Greta Jaime

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/GretaJaimeMusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gretajaime/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Greta_Jaime

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1DiuOn7SEOz9p3cjGCURDx?si=6H6Sey16TueI726ufml6mA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1fmfR-08lyef_DOzzs_-3A?view_as=subscriber

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/gretajaime

INTERVIEW: Cloud

INTERVIEW:

Cloud

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HE debuted with the incredible L.P., Comfort Songs…

and has made steps and leaps since then. That is not to indicate Cloud lacked in early promise: his latest album, Plays with Fire, is a tight and evocative collection of songs that deal with nostalgia, optimism and naïveté. Cloud discusses his early life in Long Island and relocating; ideas and stories that go into his latest work; how Plays with Fire differs from Comfort Songs - what ambitions Cloud has for the rest of the year.

I learn about his musical tastes and which new artists he recommends; whether there is a central theme/mantra that defines Plays with Fire; if he is planning on playing in the U.K. soon – providing some helpful advice for upcoming artists.

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

Hello. I am well. My week has been a bit non-stop: sixteen-hour days and whatnot - but with great momentum. Finally settling down for the weekend where I plan to watch a lot of movies and, maybe, go to the park and read. 

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

Certainly. My name is Tyler Taormina and I make music as an exploration. My profession is in film-directing and my films are quite musical. I’ve been making songs with my L.I.-born collective, Practice Room Records, since 2009. With different collaborations, I’ve made over ten records with that gang of genuinely amazing people. 

I hope that my music finds those who share a similar experience and can be a tool for them as well; to explore and manage the pain and joy of growing. 

Plays with Fire, your upcoming album, is out on 9th March. What kind of stories and themes inspired the songs?

This record tracks the movement into what is called the ‘real world’; where institutional structures become less obvious and accountability runs high. I wanted to focus on this crossing-over, so to speak, from a spiritual perspective: how does the purity of youth remain with the friction of the ’real world’?

It is a tight, nine-song album that draws upon diverse influences. Which bands and sounds influenced the music? Are there any acts that you take guidance from?

There’s a wide range of musical acts that I take from here. From Fleetwood Mac to My Bloody Valentine, Leonard Cohen; Yo La Tengo, Bedhead; Mazzy Star, Neil Young…the list is quite long. This is the first Cloud record that doesn’t have a seamless sort of narrative-like quality to it. Instead, I’d like for it to read as a collection of songs; a mixtape of stylings I’ve really appreciated over the years. 

Happer’s Laugh, the opening track, opens with the words “True strength needs love…”. Do you think that is a bit of a band mantra?

Absolutely. I like to think of that track (as though) being on rowboat in the dark, rowing steadily into a complete unknown - a darkness. The lyrics to this song are guidelines to meditate and not be forgotten - which will prove, throughout the record, to be a difficult task. 

Two Hands Bound and Wildfire have already been released. Will there be more singles out before the album’s release?

Well. There are two leading singles and one following the album. But, also, plenty of treats as well along the way. 

How do you feel Plays with Fire differs from your 2013-debut, Comfort Songs?

My ideology has formed many iterations since those younger years. I’ve almost become a real person since then. Less naïveté, for sure. As I mentioned earlier; I wanted this record to be a sort of collection of songs: a mixtape rather than a cinematic-type album like Comfort Songs. Lastly; I find that Comfort Songs has themes that many people can latch onto, understand and relate to - whereas Plays with Fire and, even, Zen Summer - from a few years back - are a little more specific in the subject matter. 

It seems you have made an effort to do something different from your previous work. Is it hard pushing in different directions?!

Well. It’s not a very intentional or conscientious process. I’m in love with so many different types of music: that when a different chapter of my life begins; I can always attribute it to different stylings that have influenced me. A breakup album can bring out the Emo-Revival and Jazz influences in me. A spiritual ‘awakening,’ so to speak, can invoke the Dream-Pop and Krautrock side of me. Ha.

I guess, being thrust into the real world and wrestling with how to keep it cool in that context brought me to a range of new artists and sounds. 

You are based in Long Island. In the U.K.; one of our big radio stations, BBC Radio 6 Music, has recently celebrated New York music. Is Long Island a busy and active area for great music?

I don’t live there anymore, actually: I’m in Los Angeles and have been for a little while... 

It’s a strange generational question and sort of harkens back to the movie, The Big Chill. Most of the people I know who were really killing it in L.I. years ago have moved away. In N.Y.C.; a lot of them are still making great music which you should check here. But, many of those bands have slowly been putting down their instruments for new adventures. 

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

The Needs just released their new album called Not That Fun - which is incredible. Also; Male Unbonding has this album called Gratuitous that will really rock your world. 

Lastly; Oren Pine put out his first album called Sad Tiger - which shows a lot of promise for a great artist to emerge in this world. 

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

One album…I could never…

But; one album I love is Victorialand by Cocteau Twins. It keeps me in touch with my imagination in a beautiful way. 

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up? Will you come to the U.K. this year?

We’ll see. I think I’ll have a few gigs in the L.A. area with the release of the album. I’m not sure if I’ll be heading to the U.K. - but it seems unlikely, unfortunately. 

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

I hope to finish my first feature-length film, Ham on Rye, and see it get accepted to an exciting festival so I can continue on to make the next one - which may be a Christmas movie about family and transgression. 

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

All the best memories conflate together as one - where I’m playing a show with my friends in the band and in the audience as well. Everyone sings along with much excitement for all that is and all to come. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Value art, not capitalism. Realize that they are antithetical and realize capitalism’s presence in the ‘art world’ - and especially the music industry. 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Well, thank you so much. I appreciate this interview...

Play the song Trem de Farro (Trenzinho) by João Gilberto. That song is magic. 

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Follow Cloud

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/musicbycloud

Instagram:

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Twitter:

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Spotify:

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BandCamp:

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PRESS PHOTOS OF CLOUD:

 Carson Lund  

INTERVIEW: MURDAH SRVC

INTERVIEW:

MURDAH SRVC

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IT is exciting coming across an artist who…

goes beyond music and creates their own universe. I have been learning about MURDAH SRVC and what the project entails – and how songwriter CHE brings elements of Asian culture and Anime into his world. I ask about the story behind Icarus – the new single – and shooting the video in London; whether there is going to be more material coming down the line – when Japanese art and culture came into his life.

MURDAH SRVC discusses influences and where he goes from here; whether there are any tour dates coming up; whether the intrepid artist has a favourite memory from music; advice he would give to new artists – ending the interview with a fantastic song.

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Hi, MURDAH SRVC. How are you? How has your week been?

Pretty good. It's been an eventful week. Working on the latest release, Icarus, and arranging the next one...

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

My name is CHE and I'm a singer/songwriter. I've been doing music for a while now. In 2017, I started my new project, MURDAH SRVC.

MURDAH SRVC is an audio-visual project inspired by Japanese culture. When did your love of Japanese art/culture begin?

I grew up watching Japanese Anime on T.V. during the 1990s.

I was so into it that I started drawing Manga myself. I wanted to do this for a living until I went to college. So; I got a Bachelor degree with a Major in Japanese Language, Literature and Culture - then moved to Japan for a while.

Icarus is your new track. What is the inspiration behind that track?

MURDAH SRVC is music and Manga. So, every song is related to the Manga and the other way around. You can read the Manga or listen to the music separately but, when you do both, you get the whole picture. Musically, the track takes inspiration from artists like Massive Attack, SOHN; The Weeknd, Frank Ocean - and it talks about the struggle of the main character to leave his comfort zone and go the extra mile.

You worked with producer Marco ‘John Lui’ Pettinato on Icarus. What did he bring to the song?

Marco produced all the tracks for the MURDAH SRVC project. I went to his studio with demos, most of them only piano and voice, and he added his vision to the table. I wrote like, eighteen songs: we chose five. We come from different backgrounds, so I'm very glad I had the chance to work with him - because it was very exciting to compare ideas and I think the result is (pretty) unique with a distinct sound.

The video was shot in London. Was it fun to do? Do you feel London’s diverse landscape and people is the perfect place to explore your love and fascination of Asian culture?

The video for Icarus was shot in London last December by London-based director Giovanni Musumeci. It was a lotta fun to go to Chinatown and shoot in the middle of the street with people taking pictures of me. London is a melting pot of cultures and, if there's anything you might be into, you’re gonna find it there.

Is London somewhere you gravitate towards? Is the city the perfect place for an ambitious artist to create and thrive?

Definitely. London is inspiring for every artist and it's one my favourite cities in the world. The competition is crazy because there's so much talent and, every night, there is an open mic with amazing musicians. So, to me, this is very challenging...

It makes me wanna perform a better show than the night before.

Is it true Icarus is part of an E.P. arc? Will there be more songs coming? What is the idea/narrative of the E.P.?

In a moment of time when people attention span is very low; I decided to release this E.P. one song at the time with a video along with it. The first single is Running on the Surface and the video, edited by Colla/Vinilica, is a collection of Anime frames from some of my favourite series: Cowboy Bebop, Evangelion; Akira and newer ones like Ajin and Your Name.

Icarus is the second single - and, soon, I will release the third one called Medusa (and so on).

The songs are all about the characters of the Sci-Fi Manga which I've been drawing myself and will be released later this year - in episodes of thirty-two pages each.

Can you tell me how music came into your life? Which artists did you grow up on and idolise?

I was into singing since I was a child but, in my teenage years, I heard the voices of Marvin Gaye, Al Green; Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder - that completely changed my perspective and taste. Then, when I was a little bit older, I fell for Electronic music as well; so that's why I define my genre as ‘Future Soul’: Soul music from the future.

IN THIS PHOTO: Goldsmoke

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Lately; I discovered a duo of brothers from London, Goldsmoke. They make very good Funk/Soul with an Electronic vibe to it. Nick has an amazing voice!

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

In 2017; I had gigs in U.K., Germany and Italy. Now, I'm concentrating on new releases - but I'll start touring again soon; so make sure you check my social media to be updated.

What do you hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

As a musician, to tour as much as I can to bring this project to as many ears as possible. As a human being, to be a good father and husband…and to learn new things…always.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

The first time a crowd of hundreds sung all the lyrics of a song I wrote. That made me understand how powerful and uniting music can be.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be well trained. Don't copy anybody else's sound. Find your own vision and stick to it: if it's something genuine, people will recognise it and follow.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

As I said before; when I was growing up, I wanted to be a professional comic writer. Now, I draw for the MURDAH SRVC project - but it's more a therapy for me. To relax. Other than that, I love to travel with my family, try new food; see art exhibitions and read.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

I Believe in Music – Donny Hathaway

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Follow MURDAH SRVC

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CHINATOWN PHOTOS:

Giovanni Musumeci

ALL OTHER PHOTOS:

Chiara Longo

FEATURE: 10,000 Hours and Counting… Work, Passion and Ambition: The Playlist

FEATURE:

 

10,000 Hours and Counting…

Work, Passion and Ambition: The Playlist

_________

THEY say you need to put 10,000 hours of work/practise into something…

in order to become world-class. Whether that is music or literature; producing, art or anything else – that seems to be the amount of time it will take to achieve ‘perfection’. The 10,000-rule seems arbitrary - but many hold stock in the theory. I have been running my blog since 2011 and I have calculated, since then, I have completed my 10,000 hours. Whether that is writing or researching; working on various ideas and whatever – I have reached that goal. It is debatable whether I am world-class (I feel I have a long way to go) but it is interesting looking back at all the time I have spent on my blog. Because of this; I have collated songs that talk about writing and music; working hard and reaching out; moving forward and achieving dreams – some that look at the pitfalls of music and writing in general. Here is a playlist that, not only spotlights graft and a passion for music but provides a rich variety of songs…

TO end the weekend on a high.

FEATURE: Two Eyes Blind: Why Amanda Platell’s Remarks Regarding Stormzy Are Flawed

FEATURE:

 

Two Eyes Blind

IN THIS PHOTO: Stormzy/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Why Amanda Platell’s Remarks Regarding Stormzy Are Flawed

_________

THERE has been a bit of a storm brewing regarding…

IN THIS PHOTO: Amanda Platell/PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Thompson (2013)

Amanda Platell’s article about Stormzy. I was going to mention racism and race-based judgement in the title but felt, for legal reasons, it was best to avoid that terminology. If you have not read the feature already, then you should give it a read. I am not prone to reading Daily Mail’s online opinions – I would sooner have my pubic hairs waxed off! – but this piece got my goat and sparked something. Criticising the website for displaying something factually-flawed and ignorant would be like slagging off a Donald Trump for being an egomaniacal A-Hole: we know what we are in for and are not foolish enough to believe things will change. The site/paper is famed for its sheer stupidity, panic and hate-spreading agendas (maybe this is more libellous than anything else I will write!). I associate the readership of the Daily Mail with Tory-voting middle-classes that want everything the way it is: keep out those nasty foreign people and praise everything P.M. Theresa May says. They are in their own little bubble and, so long as the world is in their image and beneficial to them – everyone else is an enemy and worthless. There are exceptions to the rule but, for the most part, their readership is as slack-jawed and pointless as you’ll get.

The latest much-rake from Amanda Platell is aimed at Stormzy and his comments at this year’s Brit Awards. Despite the fact he was the best thing about the night – aside from some near-the-post saves and dives from host Jack Whitehall – he spoke truth and articulated the feelings of many of us in the U.K. I am not accusing Platell of racism although I am pretty sure, were a white artist like Ed Sheeran to make such remarks – she would not take to her laptop and accuse him of being a tax-dodging, over-privilege hypocrite. The article started by laying out some of the facts – looking at his family and what he achieved at the Brit Awards:

“Mum emigrated from Ghana to Britain in the hope of giving herself and her family a better life. And she succeeded. On Wednesday her son — now known as grime rapper Stormzy — won two top gongs, for best British male solo artist and best album at the Brit Awards for pop music”.

Despite the fact her grammar and punctuation are flawed: she went on to state some ignorant and strange opinions:

“If ever there were proof that whatever your background, this is a country that provides opportunities, Stormzy is it. He is a formidable talent. Accepting his awards he thanked God, his family — and then proceeded to attack the Tory Government”.

It is true Stormzy has overcome the odds and made a great life for himself: that final insinuation he should be thankful for the Tory government and has no real right to attack anyone is laughable. As I said earlier in the article: if this were a white Pop artist making saying the same things as Stormzy did – attacking the government and calling them out regards the Grenfell Tower fire – would they be subjected to the same scrutiny and judgement?! Stormzy’s wealth and success have not been easy and he has not been handed anything in life – working tirelessly to get his music to the people and not stopping there. Platell’s comments and thoughts did not end there…

“What was most shocking about this was its bile and ignorance.

The PM has never called anyone ‘savages’ let alone the victims and survivors of Grenfell. Her government has committed £58 million to helping victims of the Grenfell tragedy and more will follow. And yet Stormzy’s message was that, as some vile form of retribution for Grenfell, Theresa May’s house should be burnt down to see how she likes it”.

Stormzy’s point is that May’s government have reacted too late and handled the entire situation with serious apathy and lacking care. Maybe his wording – calling her a ‘savage’ – could be better articulated and phrased. His points regarding the Government and their mishandling of the tragedy are right-on!

IN THIS PHOTO: Prime Minister Theresa May/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The fact she has pledged that money comes AFTER the fact and is a result of huge backlash and condemnation. An artist like Stormzy has experienced life on estates and knows the type of existence the survivors has led. He knows the kind of folk who live at Grenfell and is entitled to react violently to the Tories and their ignorance. Platell, as I will show, goes on to look at Stormzy’s wealth and opinion he is hypocritical to stick his nose in the Grenfell case when he lives in luxurious surroundings. Musicians are not on this planet to simply parrot their songs and go home at the end of the day. They are entitled to their opinions and are allowed to say what they want to – so long as it is legal. If we suppressed the free thought of musicians and criticised them every time they attacked the government; we would not have any form of expression and many people would riot. I am sure Amanda Platell has thrown criticism at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and taken shots at him! What is the difference between a rich person like her attacking Labour and a musician like Stormzy attacking the Tory party?! Platell mentioned Stormzy’s education – he excelled and did well at school – before he started rolling with drug addicts and falling into bad crowds.

PHOTO CREDIT: Press Association

His tale is an inspiring one for anyone who has been in a bad situation and yearned to make something of their life. Although Platell does highlight the good work Stormzy does – in the smarmiest and least sincere manner possible – but...her piece is filled with anger and falsehoods. Before I get to the crux and conclusion – here is another snippet that enraged the senses:

“For all his life Stormzy has happily benefited from the health care, housing and education opportunities the government, whether Tory or Labour, has provided.

Today, as he relaxes in his £2 million flat, employing accountants who specialise in ‘ultra-high-net-worth individuals’ and ‘overseas companies and non-domiciled individuals’, is it asking too much that he show a scintilla of gratitude to the country that offered his mother and him so much? Instead of trashing it”.

It is laughable to think the fact Stormzy has made a life for himself should preclude him from highlight how the Government handled the Grenfell tragedy. So, in essence; if you benefit from free healthcare and do well; you manage to live somewhere safe and forge a career – you should keep your mouth shut, be thankful and say ‘thanks’ to our leaders?! I am in a semi-okay place in life and I appreciate what I have been provided: I am never going to remain silent and think the Government have done the best for me and this country. The U.K. is wealthy and well-off but being let down by our Prime Minister and the way she orchestrates business.

IN THIS PHOTO: Grenfell Tower/PHOTO CREDIT: Rick Findler/PA Wire

Millions of us were outraged and upset by what we saw at Grenfell. A lot of us voiced our disgust and levelled that at the Government – Amanda Platell and her Daily Mail cronies did not write a piece eviscerating the British public and their opinions. I bet there are a few Daily Mail readers who have even stronger views on the matter than Stormzy himself. Isn’t it ironic Platell should judge Stormzy so harshly and overlook a proportion of her readership?! Her attitude and piece display a general ignorance, mainly in the gutter press, that suggests musicians who have made money should count their lucky stars and be grateful for what they have. Stormzy is not, as she pictures, a lounging star who has millions and lazes around in his mansion all day. His family struggled to get to this country and had to overcome incredible odds. It was unlikely Stormzy would be noticed and make a life for himself in Britain. The fact he has risen to the position he is (is) down to endless graft and raw talent. The music he makes reflects the realities of the nation and highlights issues that need addressing and improving. A lot of what he says is for people like Grenfell’s residents: the befallen and struggling who are trying to make a good life for themselves and do not hurt anyone.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The fire that claimed seventy-one in June 2017 cannot be ignored and diminished. I understand there have been some negative reactions that have made the press. Yesterday; it was reported council workers who are monitoring the aftermath of Grenfell are being attacked and (having their meetings) hijacked by protestors – a natural reaction but something that doesn’t help people trying to change things. It is all well and good having the Tories saying they are committed to funding renovation and improvement following the fire. They are implementing changes so that safety measures are in place for all high-rises; better checks conducted and homeless residents rehomed and looked after. The fact there was nothing done BEFORE the fire took hold – knowing Grenfell was unsafe and prone to fire – and the hours afterwards cannot be forgotten. If there has been an instant reaction and a proactive approach right after the tragedy – many would have commended Theresa May and her staff. All of this rhetoric and promise has come after a severe backlash and protest from the public. I was aggrieved at Amanda Platell and her piece because it suggested Stormzy has been handed a lot and has a lot of money in the bank. Maybe he should be more grateful he is wealthy and should recognise the fact the Tories are committed to helping those who have suffered a considerable loss. All of this is crap, of course. It was uneasy reading the words that were aimed at a young black artist who has overcome a lot and entitled to speak for people who do not have a platform like his.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I feel Stormzy was right and, although his words were furious and accusatory; Platell’s insinuations and words display huge ignorance against people like Stormzy – voicing anger many of us in this country feel. There is some good news in all of this. If you have missed the latest update - Stormzy’s recent Tweet, calling for people to sign a petition that appointed additional panel members to an independent public enquiry, has surpassed the target 100,000 signatures - it is all detailed here:

“Stormzy has tweeted "job done" after a petition calling on Theresa May to take action to build public trust in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry reached the milestone of 100,000 signatures.

The grime and hip hop star called on his more than one million Twitter followers to sign the petition demanding Mrs May use her powers to appoint additional panel members to the independent public inquiry.

Within a few hours of his tweet, the petition had registered more than 100,000 signatures - the number required for the petition to be considered for debate by MPs.

It was started by Adel Chaoui, Karim Mussilhy and Sandra Ruiz, who were bereaved in the tragedy, and want a more diverse make-up to the inquiry.

In a joint statement, they said: "This week the public have shown they've not forgotten about Grenfell.

"Just as they supported us in the immediate aftermath of the fire, when local and national government response was lacking, they've backed us again - and demanded the voices of the survivors and bereaved are heard".

It is very obvious people have signed this petition because they feel the same way as Stormzy. Many of the people who signed the petition are in the same situation as Stormzy: they might be better off and have a bit of money in the bank. Many would have struggled oppression and faced obstacles building a life for themselves in this country. The fact a proportion of those signees have made a life for themselves and build a sense of comfort means they are prone to the same criticism Amanda Platell levied at Stormzy. Should they be criticised and judged for having angry reactions about the Government and their handling of Grenfell?! Of course not! Stormzy is not the kind of man who will be affected by the article and feel the need to be a bit more passive and calm. The fact he has helped bring change and open discussion is a good thing; he has made a success of his life because of the music he makes: songs aimed at the affected and the lesser-off. The fact he is more productive and universal than our Government – who have no idea about Grime and what the genre stands for – speaks volumes. Amanda Platell’s opinions might have slipped many by but highlight the feelings of some rather foolish and ignorant members of the press. Stormzy has whipped up support and togetherness; he has got people motivated and reflecting the opinions many of us have. He has done more good in the past few weeks than the likes of Amanda Platell have achieved in years. That, when you think about it…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

IS the greatest irony of all.

FEATURE: The Revolution Will Be Televised (and Staged): Modern Musicals, Music T.V. and Fresh Focus

FEATURE:

 

The Revolution Will Be Televised (and Staged)

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

Modern Musicals, Music T.V. and Fresh Focus

_________

BEFORE I end the weekend with something meatier…

and more general – I wanted to look at the areas of the media that require a serious injection of modern music. I will end by talking about music T.V. and why we need to think about creating more options. Before then, I have been recalling my first-ever theatre memory. It must have been the mid-1990s – or slightly before then. Whatever the year; it was a trip to see Grease in London that introduced me to musical theatre and its potential. I am not a fan of musical theatre by any means but, thinking about the way it brings music to demographics and people that would not normally listen to – it got me thinking about modern equivalents and why the stage is as important as the studio. Although I am a bit ho-hum regarding classical musicals; I do like Grease and think it has a pretty kick-ass soundtrack! Greased Lightnin’ and You’re the One That I Want are instant smashes; Summer Nights and Sandy are pretty awesome. Those songs, and that musical, gives me an idea of what life was like for some in the 1950s. The ‘greasers’ movement in the U.S. captivated youths looking for a sense of understanding a new identity. Look at Grease and the two tribes – Danny and Sandy’s groups – coming together and interacting. That building romance is at the heart of the musical/film. Whether you connected with the original 1971 stage show or the 1978 film – everyone will have some exposure to the musical.

There are two reasons why musicals hold a very important place in modern culture. We get an insight into an area of life we do not have exposure to normally: there is a different form of music one would not normally hear on the radio. Musicals like Grease and Chicago, for instance, might seem dated by the very fact they are set in the past. They have been showing for many years now and we are all familiar with the classic songbooks. Whether you are a fan of West Side Story or The Phantom of the Opera – they are great forms of entertainment that deserve greater oxygen. It seems musicals, in the past, have been reserved to a certain type of theatre-goer: those who are a bit, say, reserved about modern music but find some form of connection with theatrical music. That may seem a generalisation but most of the people I know (who attend musicals) are a bit unadventurous with their music tastes. One of the reasons I wanted to start by talking about musical theatre is the way humour, satire and politics feed into musical theatre. Modern examples like Hamilton are thrilling audiences and picking up awards all over the place. That rapped-and-sung-through musical talks about the American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. It is a tough, real and dazzling show that uses music and song to illustrate a vital and formative part of U.S. history. We have more escapist and fantasy-filled musicals around but, in a time where we need people to react to what is happening around us; the more realistic musical is favoured.

The Book of Mormon, sure, is a comedy but it looks at two Mormon missionaries who travel to Africa to preach the Mormon religion. Maybe the message is not as serious as Hamilton – it does help make musical theatre a broader and more popular realm. A lot of the established musicals put off people like me because they are a bit stuffy and old-fashioned. The fact the multi-Tony-winning Hamilton has broken records mean there will be a lot of similar-minded musicals emerging in years to come. I would like to see other areas of society provided a musical theatre twist. There is a lot of conflict and division in the country right now. There are racial tensions and we have political conflict; separation regarding Brexit and a lot of divides forming. Look back at the Punk movement in the 1970s and the sort of explosion that happened then. Imagine life in the 1960s and a tale of domestic abuse and one girl’s chance to escape through music and popular culture. Those are three quick pitches but have potential to sound modern, appealing and raw. In terms of genre; one could see another U.S.-based musical that went into a racially-divided neighbourhood and has a Hip-Hop soundtrack…bringing in newly-penned songs and classics from the 1980s and 1990s. If it were British; we could have a 1990s-set musical that forged two Britpop clans together in a humorous setting. Ideas swirl around the heads but that is the point: there is demand and thirst for new musicals that broaden the sonic palette and update the classics.

One of the biggest drawbacks of musicals – aside from the fact they are unrealistic by nature – is the type of music we hear. The songs are often soft and melodic; they are big, showy numbers that are not designed to change minds and impart wisdom. Musical theatre has the potential to change minds, bring about change and provide education. We are living in a divided time so I wonder, as mainstream music struggles to respond; musical theatre could fill that gap. The stage is powerful and, why there is less of an audience compared with radio and streaming sites; that human connection and interaction is potent. Given the violence, racism and splits around the world – can we ignore that in favour of something lighter and less abrasive?! Not only does musical theatre have the potential to bring history and social divisions to the people: there are bands and artists who warrant their own musical. We can educate younger people – and those with rigid tastes – about great movements and artists who have come before. If I were to put any forms of music up on the stage, I would like at the aforementioned Britpop movement; Grunge in the 1990s and 1980s Hip-Hop. Whether (the musical) used pre-recorded music and wrote a story around popular songs or had an original score influenced by the time in which it is set – it would bring people like me, who usually avoid musicals, into the theatre!

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Katherine Brickman

I am a big fan of bands like Oasis, Blur and Pulp: artists who were huge in the 1990s and talked about life where they lived. We could have – unless it has already been done – a musical that looked at two different neighbourhoods during that time. Changing the storylines and nature of musical theatre to a more modern and relevant template would recruit a lot more people. I find many musicals a bit uninspired and static – too many that do the same thing and aim for a particular audience. There are areas of society, music and life that are not being exposed and documented. I am buoyed by the success of Hamilton but there have been some criticisms regarding its story – too expositional and tired at times – and numbers. I cannot argue as the production picked up eleven Tony Awards and is a worldwide sensation! Every one of us can formulate and imagine which artist/time period we’d like to see on the stage: whether that is the form of a societal narrative or a humorous interpretation of a treasured time. Music T.V. and music shows are another great way of bringing music, old and new, to the people. My entire piece reacts to an electronic diet and the way we consume and discover sounds. I watched the one-off Old Grey Whistle Test earlier in the week and watched, with closed hands around the eyes, the latest Brit Awards.

The latter was an awkward affair with ill-paired presenters and performances either forgettable or marred (Kendrick Lamar’s muted performance for T.V. audiences, as an example). There were some unwanted winners and needless surprises on the night. Aside from Stormzy getting two awards and triumphing; Jack Whitehall doing a great job at presenting – it was a forgettable and boring night that was more about drunkenness and embarrassment than the quality of music. In fact, thinking about it: how many decent and endlessly watchable options are there now?! I argue there should be a BBC Radio 6 Music version. That is not because I am a huge fan of the station: the fact is, they pride quality over commercialism and have seen some wonderful live sets in their studios. We could skim away shows like the Brits and Q’s award show; get rid of NME’s night and have a proper award show through BBC Radio 6 Music. It could have some live performance and focus on the best music around. There would be no commercial chart stuff in there; it would be all about the great acts out there who miss out on all other nights of the year. It is a suggestion but it is clear we need a music award show in some form – this seems like the best option for those who have a genuine passion for great music.

Music T.V. is the last area where a semi-revolution/overhaul can take place. I predicted the return of The Old Grey Whistle Test last week would be a success and popular choice. Many people revelled at the inclusion of archive footage and performances from the likes of Peter Frampton and Kiki Dee. ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris was back in control and presented the three-hour live show. It was a great night and reminded us why we need a show like this back on T.V. I wonder whether BBC will be smart enough to television and commission a new series of the show. It does not need to depart too much from its classical formula. The studio could be the same and the presenter, whether Bob Harris or someone else, would take care of the introductions. We would have archived footage from previous shows but there is an emphasis on presenting the best new and legendary artists in the studio. The emphasis would be on great artists from all genres - concentrating on electricity, excitement and serious chops. It would be good to see established artists performing their hits: underground, unsigned artists nestling alongside the best of music’s past. You could have music news running alongside and other features peppered in – concentrating on a classic album and having interviews – and create a really good show. It could be a one-hour thing that played once a week at around 9 P.M. I would love to see it return to the screen – as would many others out there.

It would showcase music’s past and bring it to new ears; we would have fantastic new bands/acts playing their stuff and (hope to) create the same kind of progression as we saw back in the 1970s. These are all ideas I think would be feasible and achievable. I am not suggesting putting on a music T.V. show and new musical theatre would revolutionise music and change the world as we know it. I worry the music industry is too focused on the digital and not as expressive and wide-ranging as it can be. We have great musical theatre, award shows and music T.V. out there. There is not as much as there should be and that is something that can be changed. I am confident, if we modernise and expand musical theatre; that will bring in new crowds and lead to a bit of a revolt. There are few genuinely alright award shows but we could get rid of the worst ones and create something genuinely decent and watchable. Throw in a fantastic music T.V. show and it is a good way of kickstarting a move towards more traditional and varied scene. There are many other avenues we could explore when it comes to music: interview shows and a music-based T.V. show (a drama or comedy); a website and, well…anything else. It is good to think about music’s power and how it can influence the world. There are fantastic stories and brilliant artists out there; formats that can be exploited and chances to push music to new heights. It might start with a new musical but, if we keep the pressure going; this could lead to…

INCREDIBLE change and progression.  

FEATURE: The Hipsters Shall Have Their Revenge on Shoreditch: Why Being ‘Cool’ Is Not All It's Cracked Up to Be

FEATURE:

 

The Hipsters Shall Have Their Revenge on Shoreditch

 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

Why Being ‘Cool’ Is Not All It's Cracked Up to Be

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MY final two pieces of the weekend…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

will, for one, look at music made by black artists – and why they deserve more credit than they actually get. I want to address, oddly, musicals and whether there has been a massive reinvention over time; why more artists deserve their own musical…and the way more people are embracing a side of theatre that was reserved to a certain fan/type of people years ago. Before I get to that; I am being faced with a lot of artists who project, rather overtly, ‘cool’ energy. Whether it is the way they treat electronic sounds or the manner in which they project themselves. You get the impression they are angling for a soundtrack spot on Made in Chelsea. You know the type of artists I am talking about: the men are either clean-shaven and wear the skinniest jeans and jackets possible; the women wear 1950s dresses and drive around in a V.W. Polo. The music, worryingly, is designed for these type of shows and racking up the Spotify figures. You listen to artists who have genuine integrity and make music that is natural to them: too many are crafting songs aimed at fitting in with the East London crowds. I can’t be too hard on the area: it is somewhere I want to work in and have a lot of respect for sounds coming from there. What I mean, is those boutique coffee shop-dwelling types who put almond oil in their beards and would vomit blood were they ever asked to shop at Lidl rather than Waitrose.

Take away the too-hip-for-school clubs and bars where all the tables are bespoke – the drinks fancily-named and the patrons reeking of arrogance – and you are left with a very fractured community. I love music that makes me feel cool – not so keen on those who are more eager to please labels than write something meaningful to them. Electro-Pop is one of the fastest-growing genres in music. It provides artists the chance to play solo or as a duo (or trio); there is variation and room for invention; the music is inoffensive and has plenty of commercial bang. As I said; I am keen, around this time of year, to embrace music that brings in the sunshine and reminds one of summer. Last year; acts like Justice and M83 produced heady, fulsome jams that stayed in my head. Unfortunately, there was a wave of artists who produced skeletal, generic Electro-Pop that would make the most leather-clad beard-stroker drop their extra-hot-with-stiff-foam-vanilla-and-nutmeg-cappuccino with a high-pitched squeal. The themes (these artists released) did not stray too far from the average and plodding: songs about jilted hearts and the reckless nature of their lovers. Some did stray from the pack but, by and large, there was not a great deal of difference. This concern is not only reserved to Electro-Pop – there are other genres, like Pop and Indie, where artists are more concerned with image and style.

In fact; many new Rock/Indie bands are breaking out their old denim and patching the f*ck out of it! I cannot blame streaming services like Spotify but there is some truth: the slick and ultra-new nature of the site promotes those artists who pout the biggest and wear the oh-so-trendy fabrics of popularity. I have written, in the past week, about the nature of coolness and whether music can be seen as a guilty pleasure – I have penned pieces regarding language and the quality of modern songwriting. I am a non-denominational music fan who opens his heart to anyone willing to make a serious go of things. Because of that; my vinyl collection if rammed with classic L.P.s and lesser-heard oddities. As I approach new musicians; there is a bit more trepidation than I’d like. I am guilty of interviewing a few bands/artists who fall into their trap. So many people are looking at the Spotify petrol gauge and concerned, if they do not promote a certain gloss and popularity, they will sink and be overlooked. It can be challenging going against the grain and pursuing something that is deeper and more original. I look at the modern charts and there is a three-way divide. You have the camp who are producing good music and doing things their own way. There are others who either designed their music according to the rules of streaming services and T.V. shows – always keen to pen the latest who-gives-a-donkey’s-rectum song that gets people nodding their heads but does not remain in the mind.

The other side of the coin is those who release music that copies what is seen as popular and radio-friendly. These players are about fitting into cliques and getting their music heard in the trendiest joints in town. Maybe there is more of a North-South divide: London artists, and those down this way, more to blame than those further up the country. I am finding, annoyingly, a lot of artists in northern cities forsaking local ideals and sacrificing their roots. You get artists in working-class areas pulling out the keyboards and performing some of the vaguest and most anodyne sounds you are likely to hear. I can think of no other reason bar the fact (these artists) want to get onto certain playlists and create something commercial. This may sound like another shot at those who value streaming figures and Internet notoriety above musicians who want to craft something genuine. It is difficult to succeed and grow in the modern time and not have one ear listening out to the hum of the streaming machine. That word, ‘cool’, can be a bit misleading. One can say a band like Pink Floyd or The Beatles are cool; Radiohead and Roy Orbison are cool – do any of these artists set out to be that way?!

Their appeal and allure is as a result of the originality of their music and the fact they have created a legacy. 1960s bands like The Beatles, I guess, were the equivalent of a lot of bands we see now. They were designed to appeal to a certain market and look a certain way. The thing is, against the marketing men and the need to appeal to young women – the guys penned music that broke boundaries and shook up the world. I would not object to the pretentiousness and oiled facial hair was it not for a distinct lack of quality. My ethics would be shaken but, if a modern artist – who wanted to be cool and fashionable – were to write something fantastic and mould-busting…that would be okay. From The Fonz through to James Dean: icons, real and fictional, have defined what it is to be ‘cool’. Nowadays; we do not really have idols like that or idols of coolness. The coolest music, in fact, is that which rebels against the predictors and prides quality and impact over anything else. I can throw the best Rap, Hip-Hop and R&B artists into that category. I shall not name-and-shame any artists directly – unless I need to borrow money from them in the future – but there are too many calibrating and configuring their music according to the codification and gospel of the modern cool.

Whether that is a song that can nestle neatly into a Friday Spotify playlist or a perfect cut to soundtrack a reality T.V. show – it is all a little bit icky, pointless and dangerous. I would have though Rock and Indie bands would turn their noses up at any suggestion they were trying to create a fashion brand. Maybe it is not only streaming services that are culpable of such sins. The world is becoming more homogenised and, when you think of an area of the capital like Shoreditch and Hackney – there are a lot of new bars opening that play the sort of music I am putting under the scalpel. Areas are becoming posher and cleaner; people are attuning themselves to a new sort of high-street and more upmarket reality. I have voiced concerns Grime and Rap clubs are being marginalised because they are too gritty and real for the young generation. When I try to visualise the embodiment of the uncool and tragic try-hard; it is usually a white male. There are female and black artists who are, tragically, trying to conform to those who want their music a certain way: the majority of the guilty are white men.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Maybe we have come too far to reverse these trends and force rationality to those artists who want to be popular and cool. I know every genre/style has its fans – and everyone should be proud of what they hear – but how substantial and meaningful are artists who direct their music at the hip and exclusive? In a way; they are producing music to generate money for all the wrong reasons. I think artists collaborating with brands and companies can be a good thing – getting music to different people and making it more visible is great. There is a line between those trying to do something good and those aimlessly following the crowd. Many might argue the music I have mentioned is not doing anyone any harm. It is connecting with some people and has its place in music. My objection is not with the desire of the artist, per se, but the lack of quality and guts. If you are going to make music for streaming sites and to win popularity…at least make it decent! It is the saggy-breasted nature of the sounds that make the whole endeavour questionable and flawed. I am a big fan of all music but go out of my way to follow those who do not give a damn about hitting streaming records and producing thread-bare Pop/Electro. From the gleaming, white-toothed female Pop artists to the trying-too-hard-to-be-cool duos cranking out something fizzy, buzzing and bland – where does it all stop?!

In a way; the music industry is a bit like school. We are told, in a way, the best way to become popular is to fit in with the cool kids. Those who hang solemnly around the bike shed or smoke a bit of weed after class has ended are weird loners or things to be judged: those who ride with the cool girls and click with the cliques are the optimal ideal. I am about as cool as a Piers Morgan-branded enema so one can claim there is some bitterness and long-stored hate spewing out at those who court popularity and success. I have grown a lot and my concerns are purely musical. We should not be encouraging artists to make music a certain way and provide the (false) notion hitting streaming highs and getting your music on the screen is the dream. If you want to be that artist, then that is your choice: we should not project that as something good and worthy. There is, mind you, a part of me that wants to reason and yell at artists who give us shallow music without any depth and point – beyond getting a certain crowd fired and excited. Within the gentrified streets and independent cafes; the chrome bars and fusion cuisine – there is music out there that perfectly scores a very bohemian, middle-class and lamentable lifestyle. I yearn for genuine passion and originality; a brand of music that does its own thing because it is the right way to do it. In essence; I want the bullied overweight kid in the playground to stride up to the cackling, always-laid jock and…

KICK the skinny cigarette right out of his smirking mouth.

INTERVIEW: HEGAZY

INTERVIEW:

HEGAZY

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I do not get many opportunities to interview…

artists from New York. I have been talking with HEGAZY about their E.P., Young. I find out the themes and ideas that compelled the work; which song each sister favours; what it was like being raised in a multicultural household – and why Leila and Omnia decided to start recording music together.

I ask them about their influences and the lure of N.Y.C. They talk about their father’s influence on their music; why they took a break from music; if they are coming over the U.K. this year – some cool artists we should watch out for.

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

Hey! It’s been great. We just released our first E.P. as a duo - so we’re pretty ecstatic!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are HEGAZY: an Indie-Soul/Pop twin-sister duo based out of N.Y.C.

Young is your debut E.P. Can you reveal the themes and inspiration points for the E.P.?

Young is a coming-of-age story...

All the songs reflect our experience(s) finding our way in the world as millennials in light of all the social and personal challenges we’re facing (economic uncertainty, falling in/out of love and the current climate of racism/xenophobia in our government). It sounds heavy - but most of the record is pretty light-hearted and hopeful.

Which songs do you each connect hardest, would you say?

Leila: Track-three (Smolder) is the most personal to me. It digs into how young love changes into adult love over the course of a long-term relationship and all the worries that come with this evolution (i.e. is it ok if the butterflies are gone? Are we just becoming boring adults?). It speaks to the record’s overarching theme of ‘growing up’ and what that means. 

Omnia: The first single off the E.P., Alive, resonates with me the most. I wrote it about quitting my day-job in the music business to pursue my own music full-time. So many people stay in situations that are unfulfilling just because it’s the safest option - and this song was about breaking free; not only of the corporate world, but of our own sense of security, which can hold us back from achieving what we really want most.

As twin-sisters; I can imagine you two shared a love for music. When was the moment you decided to form the family-named HEGAZY?

We formed HEGAZY after the death of our father, Ashraf Hegazy, in December 2015. He always wanted us to work together and, in the year before his passing, we were already heading in that direction. Once he passed away, we became a band quite, naturally. In the years leading up to his passing, we had already been living together in an apartment, writing songs in adjacent rooms and going to each other for feedback. When our songs started to sound more alike, it made less sense for us to be separate - and we both knew that we would be better received as a duo.

We named the band after our father’s/our last name, because he always insisted that we were stronger together. He was right.

You were born to a Brooklyn-Italian mother and Egyptian father – growing up on Staten Island. How influential were your parents’ backgrounds to your own music? As first-generation Arab-American twins; was it quite confusing growing up in Staten Island – or did you feel a sense of belonging?

Our parents’ backgrounds definitely reflected the music we were exposed to at the time and we’d like to think that everything we’ve listened to has contributed to our music in some way. Our mom loved Billy Joel and Disco music and our dad played classic Egyptian music around the house as well as recitations of the Quran, which are very melodic in nature. Growing up on Staten Island, which has a large Italian-American population, was an interesting experience. We, ourselves, were half-Italian - but we didn’t quite fit in with our peers because we also Egyptian and Muslim. We looked nothing like our mom, who has blonde hair and blue eyes, but looked more like our father - he had darker skin and North African features. When 9/11 happened; we were in the sixth-grade and we experienced a lot of bullying as a result. Other kids called us ‘terrorists’; ‘Bin Laden’s daughters’, etc.

It was a pretty rough time and that experience has stayed with us.

It seems you embarked on different paths before forming HEGAZY. What did each of you learn in your respective music roles during that period?

Leila: I have always been a vocalist first and foremost and, in our time apart; I gravitated towards R&B/Soul music because of the vocal prowess needed to sing in that style. In the meantime, I played piano and learned/listened to a lot of Jazz music - all of which really helped me to grow as a musician. I went to college for music composition and songwriting, which was a difficult thing to learn in a classroom setting. My songwriting got better because I was constantly writing - that was my job as a composition student and I loved it. It was also during this time that I started performing at venues in N.Y.C. and recording my solo records.

I learned so much about writing, performing, recording and navigating the music business - and all of these experiences have laid the groundwork for HEGAZY.

Omnia: I went to school for music production and music business (NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music) while continuing to work on being a singer-songwriter. It was there that I learned to produce myself, record and edit my own vocals…and see my own visions through from beginning to end. When I work with a producer now; it helps to have the vocabulary to be able to communicate the sound I want and to listen to mixes and masters with the ears of an engineer. I learned so much about the music business and what it takes to be a D.I.Y. artist in my four years of college.

The Arab Spring was also the backdrop of my college experience; so I found myself writing a lot of very political and socially-conscious Pop music. I used my songwriting to vent about my frustrations with the world. This has definitely followed me into HEGAZY.

Do you feel, when you reunited in 2012, you were stronger and more rounded musicians/humans?

Definitely. Had we never gone our separate ways for school as teenagers/young adults, we would never have figured out who we were as individuals and musicians separate from each other. Our band now has such a diverse pool of influences and our differences have made our music that much stronger.

How inspiring is New York and its varied communities? Is its diversity the reason the music scene is so fresh and evolving?

New York has a million different kinds of people and it’s amazing to be a part of that diversity. At the same time, we believe that gentrification has played a big role in the music scene here in the past few years. Although our style (Soul/Pop) is pretty timeless and will always have a place: the type of music that is considered ‘cool’ has shifted to genres typically preferred by white people (Electro-Pop, Indie-Rock, etc.). This isn’t to say that there aren’t people of color engaged in these musical styles: it’s just to say that when people from outside N.Y.C. started moving here in such large numbers, this changed the scene pretty dramatically. So, truthfully; a lot of the music you’re hearing from our city these days isn’t being made by native New Yorkers.

But, this city is evolving and if there’s one thing all New Yorkers (native or transplant) have in common, it’s that we’ll all be racing to keep up! It’s both exhausting and exciting.

Leila and Omnia. You two seem very different – in terms of music and personalities. Does that difference extend to music tastes? What do you each listen to away from HEGAZY?

Leila: Sure. I will always lean towards the Soul realm; but I’ve also gotten a little more inclined towards Electronic music in the past year or so. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of music from my peers who are making waves (Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Mitski; Luna Shadows and Verite to name a few). All of these artist were classmates of mine from either high-school or college - and they’re amazingly talented songwriters/artists. Listening to new music keeps my perspective fresh, regardless of genre.

Omnia: I listen to so many different things on my own time and don’t like to classify my musical tastes - because they’re constantly changing. At the moment, I’m listening to a lot of Vulpeck (they’re so funky!) and Larkin Poe (they’re a kickass sister-duo from Atlanta). Last year, I was listening to Sia and St. Paul and the Broken Bones on repeat. The year before; it was Alabama Shakes and Emily King (though this is still my go-to when I just want to feel good).

I also listen to a lot of alternative Arab artists like Mashrou Leila and Yasmine Hamdan and try to keep up with what’s happening on the ground in Indie music around the world; especially, in the Middle East. I’m still a violinist at heart and totally dork-out on Classical music (Antonio Vivaldi is my favorite composer; he was so intense and listening to/playing his works invigorates me).

How important is your late father with regards your music and working together? Was he an instrumental guide and voice for you both?

Our dad is our muse - and we try to remember him when if/when we experience conflict with each other in the process of building our band. He had a fascinating life and his story inspires us to go after what we want without fear. He moved to the U.S.A. at seventeen years of age knowing no English; he did every odd job to make ends meet (all while going a little too crazy with his newfound ‘American freedom’ at first); finished college and made a life for himself. We also used to argue with him constantly about religion and politics – and, even if it seemed that no one was growing at the time, we all grew because of it.

All of these lessons have shaped who are as people and artists.

IN THIS PHOTO: Larkin Poe

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

YEBBA (Abbey Smith), Gabriel Garzón-Montano; Jacob Collier, Jaime Woods; Deva Mahal and Larkin Poe (fellow sister-duo).

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

Leila: The Seven EP by Emily King

This record makes my heart melt every time - and it’s my go-to whenever I need to calm down. The vocals are beautifully delicate and lush and the songs are stunning…

Omnia: Oum Kalthoum means the most to me (no particular record; because she released mostly recordings from her live performances) because it reminds me of spending time with our dad. I enjoyed listening to Arabic music with him and, when I hear Oum Kalthoum songs like Inta Omri or Alf Leila w Leila, there’s a feeling of being in his presence again.

Can we see you on tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up? Will the U.K. be among your plans?

We’re playing at The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia on March 2nd and Rockwood Music Hall on March 16th (in New York City). We’d love to take our music across the U.S.A. in 2018 and plan to do so in the fall.

The U.K. would be such an ideal place for our music - so when we tour Europe it will be part of our plan.

What do you both hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

Leila: As we mentioned above; I’d love to tour, see more of the U.S.A. and the world. Traveling is always helpful, on a personal level.

Omnia: I hope to be more mindful in 2018 amidst all our big dreams and professional goals, which can be a challenge. For me, this means meditating every day and pausing before responding to things. This is easier said than done and takes constant practice.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Leila: I opened for a sold-out Allen Stone show in N.Y.C. a few years back and the crowd’s energy was unbelievable. That was the best performance experience I’ve had - and I’d love for HEGAZY to share in that.

Omnia: I performed at Women in the World Texas a few years back and got to meet Gloria Steinem - who was speaking at the event! Her dressing room was right down the hall from mine and I still wonder if she could hear my embarrassing vocal warmups before I went onstage.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Leila: Make music that you like to listen, not music that you think people want to hear…

Omnia: You are your own boss and you need to embody that when managing your own career! Don’t wait to be discovered by someone else: work on building your base one fan at a time and making real connections with the people who dig your music. It’s not an easy path to be an artist, but there will be moments when you’re reminded of how much it’s worth it.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Leila:  Jacob Collier – In My Room

Omnia: St. Paul and the Broken Bones - I’ll Be Your Woman

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Follow HEGAZY

Official:

http://hegazyband.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hegazyband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/hegazyband

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hegazyband/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1NSX9n3FgiR9mnwE2OcF3z?si=V_4rjU8yQKiumDyA51ul4Q

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvwbzjGQrbZzmUX-dIzryuw

BandCamp:

https://hegazy.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Heavyball

INTERVIEW:

Heavyball

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THE chaps of Heavyball have been talking to me…

about their concept album, When Can You Start? It was released last year and looks at the routine of everyday work and the need to break free. The guys chat about their treasured musical memories and the song, Top of Your Game, and whether each has a standout song from the album. I ask the band about making music in the Midlands and whether there are any tour dates – and a new artist they recommend we check out.

The band choose albums that mean a lot to them; they share their advice to new artists and what they hope to achieve, as a band, this year; whether their own experiences with work influenced their latest album – they talk about London and its influence on them.

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

Iball: Alright thanks, mate. Ducking and diving. You know how it is…

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are the greatest band to come out of Nottingham since Paper Lace. We are New-Tone band pulling together influences from Ska, Rock and Indie. We are a group of mates making the music we want to hear.

We just hope other people like it as well.

When Can You Start is your new, concept album. What kind of themes and ideas can we expect from the album?

It’s about a nobody that’s everybody - stuck in a job he hates, slowly seeing his life for what it is and desperate to do something about it. It’s bleak but to an upbeat soundtrack. We are a right laugh on a night out, I can tell you. There is a lot going on in the world right now - and we wanted to capture our version of Britain today.

I know there is a tip to the drudgery of the average working week. Were you inspired by your own work experiences to write the album?

Is my old boss reading this?! No? Cool; then absolutely, 'yes'. I have rotted behind far too many desks. Working is a con.

Is there a song from the album that, to you, defines what it is all about – that one you could never get rid of?

Tricky one as they all tell different parts of the story. If I was to choose it would be No More 9 to 5. Without it, the album wouldn’t have the release it needs. Actually…it’s probably the shortest song on the album called Retail Is Detail.

If you just listened to that you would get the idea...

Top of Your Game is already out there. What has the response been like to that track? Was it fun shooting the video for the track?

Frosty: It’s been very positive, so far, which has been great. We opened our live sets with it on the last European tour just after the album had come out and it has been going down very well. We didn’t shoot a proper video for this track. A video is available online but we don’t make an appearance. We did shoot a video for the Perils of Midweek Drinking - which is also out at the moment and doing well. That was about as good a video shoot as we could ever hope for. It was us in a pub drinking for a few hours. What more could we have asked for?!

The album itself has really done well in Germany and Austria - it’s been in top-40 in the D.J. charts in both those countries for the last four weeks.

You guys formed in Nottingham. How did you all find one another and get Heavyball rolling?

Matt and Habs are brothers - so they had no choice but to know each other. Johnny is a childhood friend of the pair of them, so they have known each other all their lives. When they all relocated to London, they found me meandering the streets of Bromley - with nothing but a guitar in my hands.

Is Nottingham a great place to make music? Was it easy getting gigs in the early days?

Bigface: We actually formed in London when we all ended up living there at the same time - so that’s a difficult one to answer. I hear it’s a good scene and Dean Jackson (BBC Introducing East Midlands) has been very kind to us. That’s particularly surprising considering he had the misfortune to teach me for two years!

Jimmy Sommerville applauded your version of Smalltown Boy! Was it humbling hearing that? Is that a song that you all love and admire?

I always loved that song. It’s a great song melodically and rhythmically but the story it tells intrigued me. I suppose everyone has felt they don’t fit in at some point and that resonated with me. Jimmy’s voice is (still) brilliant, so it was an absolute honour to hear him say that.

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Buster Shuffle – five young lads from Bradford. Punk-Pop, I suppose. Great.

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

Habs: It changes all the time - but albums that bring back great memories are always good…right now, it’s Power in Numbers by Jurassic 5.

Iball: For me, it would be The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths

Funny and bleak.

Bigface: The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

No need to say any more really…

Frosty: Probably Jimi Hendrix’s Are You Experienced? or Axis: Bold as Love

They changed the way I wanted to play guitar.

Can we see you tour soon? What gigs do you have coming up?

We have a couple of acoustic gigs coming up - then we’re playing the London International Ska Festival over the Easter weekend (on 31 March) which has a great line-up. After that, we’re back in Europe; starting with Cologne (Freedom Sounds Festival) and Bochum in April.

The likes of (BBC Radio 6 Music’s) Chris Hawkins has named you as one of the best live bands around. Does that kind of praise give you a lot of drive and heart?

Habs: Absolutely. We love to play live. From the point of view of writing, you never really get a song right until you’ve played it in front of people. That might be where you think ‘we need to make more of that intro’ or maybe ‘ah, sh*t; that final chorus goes on for far too long.’ More often than that, playing live really gives you a sense of how to make a song connect with people - so you know what to push for the next time.  

What do you each hope to achieve, personally, in 2018?

To keep playing and recording music that I would want to listen to.

Iball: I want to get back on the oche and play some quality darts: I’ve been too busy to play.

Frosty: Just to keep on pushing forward with what we have achieved so far; more gigs and European tours - and see if we can get ourselves out to some new places.

Have you all got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Iball: After a not-so-packed gig in Essen in Germany; we shared digs above the venue with another band, The Phantoms, from Norway. Top bunch of lads - and there were about twenty of them! We bought a few crates of beer from the bar and sat up taking turns playing songs and singing all night. It was a really unexpected highlight of the tour. Music is a great leveller: two bands from two different countries getting on brilliantly over a few beers and passing a guitar around.

Habs: We always love playing in Europe: it’s basically like being on a stag do with a sense of purpose. Travelling around and playing and staying in different places always brings a lot of interesting people and comic moments. Clambering down scaffolding outside the old SS Kaserne barracks in order to get to our next gig. On the last tour, in Nuremberg, we stayed overnight above the place we’d just played. The next day, we needed to be on the road at 8 A.M. as we had a long, long drive to our next gig. The problem was that when we got up, we realised we couldn’t get out of the building or even get downstairs because every door had been locked…

The band’s plan was to go back to bed and try and make the problem go away but our ever-resourceful tour manager saw there was some scaffolding on the side of the building. In the end, we all made our escape by clambering down three flights of scaffold with our kit, instruments and leftover beers…an excellent hangover cure.

Bigface: In Austria, a few years ago, the hosts took us for a massive Schnitzel (not a euphemism) which was so big I couldn’t finish it. The restaurant wrapped it in tin foil - which I stuck it in my guitar case backstage. Turns out, I’d accidentally stuck it in an identical guitar case belonging to one of the other bands on the bill that night - who were flying back to Canada after the show.

We haven’t spoken since.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Find a niche…Punk; Metal, E.D.M…whatever – generic Indie is a very difficult scene at the moment. If you want to make any money, get a laptop and become a D.J. Sad times.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Long Shot Kick De Bucket – The Pioneers

_______

Follow Heavyball

Official:

http://www.heavyball.net/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Heavyball/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/heavyballreal

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/heavyball

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0W6fj7JBD2iLpuq1Is1PC1

YouTube:

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

TRACK REVIEW: Żabel - Sloane Square

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Żabel

PHOTO CREDIT: Alanisko Photography

Sloane Square

9.3/10

IMAGE CREDIT: @alanisko  

Sloane Square is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/zabel-music-696927161/sloane-square-zabel/s-ni7zI

GENRE:

Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

9th February, 2018

_________

WHEN trying to capture all the elements…

of Żabel onto paper; there is a lot to talk about. I will discuss artists who unite colours and strands together – collated from their past and present love. I will also look at Maltese artists who move to London and the way Maltese music is being overlooked. I’ll investigate creating Pop that has a mainstream nod but goes beyond that; stage presence and creating a persona for the audience; using credibility and popularity to do something good – ending with a bit about albums, influences and the future. Żabel, to look at, has the projection and candour of a modern-day Pop artist. I normally avoid artists who, I think, will stray too closely to the generic and formulaic. Artists like Lady Gaga and Rihanna appeal to me in one way: on the other; there is little beyond their music that captivates and interests any part of me. I am always fearful when addressing young Pop artists because there is always that risk you can find little to discuss and recommend. Żabel is an artist who has the brightness and energy of the best Pop artists out there but subverts expectations and goes beyond the ordinary. Whilst there are elements of Żabel’s look and fashions moulded around existing stars – the bright and colourful hair could have been adopted by Katy Perry or Kesha; the allure and playfulness by Dua Lipa or any of her peers – there is something unique we find. The projection and look, which I shall come to, is part of an artist who wants to make a change in music. The music itself, from Żabel, puts together the best of the modern bunch with older sounds and suggestions. One gets impressions of local Maltese music and the sort of thing she was raised on; those bigger, more commercial artists like Lady Gaga. There has been accusation that Pop music, these days, has lost any sort of edge and appeal. If one wants something deep, engaging and interesting – there are other genres out there.

Żabel describes her sounds as ‘Wavy Pop’ – a collation of sounds and textures she has found throughout the years. You get layers of Rock and Electro buzz; there is Pop core and Indie recollections – all stirred and patterned in a very vivid and smoky pot. You listen to Żabel and get this instant hit from her music. That might suggest something shallow and easily forgettable. A lot of modern Pop has that basic sound and, because of it, the music does not linger and impact. Żabel balances the urgency and hooks of modern Pop but goes a lot further than that. As a songwriter; she puts her personality onto the page and is unwilling to engage in hyperbole, boring clichés and the usual fare. I feel Pop is transforming so that young artist are being given more respect. There is less dependence and demand for those flavourless artists who create banging songs with processed vocals; hook-y choruses and easy-to-appreciate lyrics. There is some of that about but, in 2018, the likes of Sigrid (long-mentioned here), Mabel and Billie Eilish (ditto) are taking a lot of the credit. They are aspiring and fresh-faced but offer the listener something more personal, intelligent and nuanced. Maybe their music leans towards dour and anxious at times – relating to their confessions and personal struggles. Rather than race too far down the hole of serious and wracked: Żabel keeps things bright, uplifting and positive. That is quite a hard balance to strike: keeping the listener invested enough with the subject matter whilst providing something more engaging and spirited in the music. Perhaps that is what we will be seeing more of in modern Pop. What gets to me about Żabel is the way she can take quite ordinary/familiar and shine it up. Other genres are being proffered right now – away from Pop – so it is important the new breed of Popstars recognise what the public want and adapt accordingly.

The past few months; I have spent a lot of time looking at British, Canadian and American artists. It seems most of my time is split between the U.K. and North America. I have looked at Maltese artists in past years but it has been a bit of a while. Perhaps the biggest Maltese Pop artist I know is Chess. She has family roots there but is based in London. The same is true of Żabel. Many of us do not recognise there are industries and scenes in other parts of the world. We get fixated on North America and the U.K. but forget there is a wide and interesting music scene in other parts of Europe. The fact these areas do not have the same money, labels and radio stations as the U.K. – and venues for that matter – means they get overlooked. It is a shame there isn’t the opportunities for artists to remain on Malta and survive as a fully-fledged artist. That said; there is a wonderful music scene shaping up there. Most of the sounds you will hear are Pop/Rock-based – there are not many Hip-Hop and Rap artists there! – and it is influenced by the music of Britain and America. These tastes come from the radio stations and artists we have over here. The thing I have noticed about Maltese artists is the personality they put into music. There is something brighter, sharper and more heartfelt about the music. That might seem a cynical and dubious claim to make. A lot of British Pop artists aim their music at the charts or what they feel the radio stations are looking for. There is some of that pressure in Malta: the culture is different and there is not the same infiltration from the mainstream. The people, the sunshine and the geography enforce songwriting and lead to something more vivacious and alive.

I will move to look at other subjects but, when thinking of Malta, there is a clear link between there and here. Artists come to the U.K. because they feel they have a better chance of survival and recognition. It is unusual to see a Maltese artist remain there and grow big – so the transition and move to Britain is the next natural step. That said; one cannot overlook the importance of Malta and why the country is producing wonderful artists. There is less pressure on the island; the people are friendly and there are some great venues like Bridge Bar and Black Gold Saloon. The Garage and Casey’s Bar are hotspots; the Malta Song Festival and Jazz Festival is putting the country back on the map. There is a rising music scene inspiring young hopefuls to pick up a pen and get out to the people. I have spoken about Maltese artists before and always have the same takeaway: they have great talent but need more exposure and opportunity. That is no fault of Malta itself. The country is trying to build a bigger industry and open these venues for young artists to play. Żabel learnt a lot from her time over there. It was only a matter of course, after being spun on radio (more later), she would feel the pull and lure of the U.K. The young artist has made some big moves the past few months and one wonders what the next step is - I hear suggestions there is an album coming later this year. The big Jazz and Pop scene in Malta means it is a part of the world more of us should look towards. Żabel is the embodiment of all that is happening in the country right now: the colourful output and varied songwriting; that fusion of island-made sounds and mainstream-ready tastes. I feel Żabel will go further than a lot of artists from Malta. She has had a great music upbringing and grew up around some wonderful artists. All of that comes to the fore when you hear her tracks.

It has been a successful and busy time for Żabel. She has been played on Channel Radio and enjoyed a stint on the talent show, Don’t Stop Me Now; prime-time T.V. shows and some of London’s best venues. Although she has been in the industry for a few years now; this year is going to be one of the busiest for her. It is amazing to look at Żabel and how far she has come. Her days on talent shows (thankfully) are over – that was back in 2010. I am not a fan of artists who appear on talent shows but I understand it is important exposure. You cannot blame someone for wanting to bring their music to a national T.V. audience. One has to accept that those shows create temporary artists and are not the best way to find the artists of tomorrow. Fortunately, that experience has not affected the pull and longevity of Żabel. She has used it as a springboard and learnt a lot from it. Before her album, VITA, reaches us; we have the exceptional single, Sloane Square. People have already heard it but many more will want to see that song come to life. What strikes me about the song is the way it takes personal origins – mixing love and a rare meeting with more general themes – and fuses that with familiar sounds. The strong voice shines and there is a nice balance of gloss and raw energy. I find a lot of modern Pop still tries to put too much gloss and shine into the pot. You do get artists who take the layers off and let natural talent come through – it is rarer and less common than you’d hope. I have been looking for Pop artists who produce songs big and affecting but go deep enough to keep me invested. Żabel has affection for everyone from Queen and The Beatles to SIA and Eminem. That might sound like a difficult brew to coalesce and unify.

Before I look at Żabel’s stage mannerism and looks; I will finish by nodding to what she will produce in the future. I’ll end the review summing her up but, looking ahead to her music in 2018; it seems like there will be many opportunities before her. Already featured on great radio stations; it seems like many of London’s biggest stations would play her music – Manchester, for that matter. Żabel is unsigned and, to the best of my knowledge, there is not a P.R. company pushing her music out to the people. There is a lot of ammunition in Żabel’s locker. I have seen many Pop-based artists come and go: it seems Żabel has the staying power many modern artists lack. I have mentioned how there is an album mooted in the form of VITA. Sloane Square is a cut from that and, as we go through 2018, there will be more offerings from the record. One has to wonder, before and after that album’s release, where the Maltese artist will go. There will be gigs and, given her growing stature; there’ll be opportunities around the capital. In a busy and packed industry; the artists who want to remain and get gigs need to go further than your average artists. I am confident Żabel will get her music out to the people and build her reputation. Right now, she is doing sterling work regards the songwriting itself. Her music is appealing and can cross genres; it is accessible enough for Pop radio stations but had sounds that will engage the cooler side of the dial. Reacting to the industry’s changing demands regarding Pop artists: here is an artist equip to survive and build her portfolio as we move through 2018. I am excited to see which artists will break out and take the imagination. I feel personality and persona are the aspects that will win the race. That takes me to a very noticeable side of Żabel’s music.

Many of the biggest Pop artists of the day have their own fashions and looks. You think about SIA and Lady Gaga and they have a very noticeable and clear look. Extend that to Rihanna and Katy Perry – all of the major stars have some form of unique fashion and on-stage personality. Their shows are big and bold; they are trying to appeal to a mass audience and put something different on the stage. What appeals to me, in that sense, is the way they can create a character and identity that differs from who they are away from the stage. Isabelle Luca Borg is the woman behind Żabel. You get two different people when you look closely. Borg is the rather shy, yet ambitious songwriter who has grown up around music and integrates different shades into her own ideas. Away from that, you have Żabel. She has already performed at the 02 Shepherds Bush Empire and taken that captivating personality to the people. I am interested seeing where Żabel can take that bright and tantalising look. She has the clothing and make-up; there is a new person and confidence that comes out – someone many young listeners can take inspiration from. Many might think an artist like Żabel could not appeal to somebody like me – a slightly older, male listener. There are some aspects reserved to young girls and women; most of what Żabel does is targeted at a specific and tested audience. A lot of what Żabel does on stage is down to that identity she has crafted. It is difficult producing something bold and exciting without replicating the fashions of Lady Gaga and her peers. Żabel has her own identity but, if you look closely, there are some recognisable tones that will appeal to fans of the biggest artists out there. I have been mentioning the word ‘Pop’ a lot through this review. It would be unfair to see Żabel as a pure Pop artist. She goes a lot further than most modern-day Pop artists. You get, as I said, Alternative, Indie and Rock ideas mixed within the Pop. There is emotion and energy; colour and fizz – a nourishing recipe that has gained Żabel a lot of fans.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alanisko Photography

I will address the song soon but, before then, all of what I have already mentioned could be used to do a lot of good. Żabel has made an impact in Malta and brought her music to the U.K. Although the Pop tide is turning to artists looking inside themselves and going away from commercial avenues; I feel this is where Żabel can fit in. She has songs under her belt that are resonating with D.J.s, producers and fans. Sloane Square is a song that hints at bigger things. I am not sure how many gigs she has already played but there is every chance she will take her music up and down the country through this year. She has come a long way in the past few years and learnt a lot from her time in music. The music is getting stronger and her performances more rounded and striking. The way Żabel writes and delivers her music not only acts as guidance to new musicians coming through – it will inspire her younger audience and give them direction. Modern artists should think closely about what they are putting out and whether they are making music for themselves – or they have the aim to help their listeners and act as role models. Another fine aspect of Żabel is the modesty she has. There is no ego regards the musicians: humbleness and a hard work which means she differs to a lot of the mainstream artists around. Many people have been excitedly chatting about the young artist. She has crafted some excellent songs but, in my view, Sloane Square, is the most interesting and developed song Żabel has put her name to.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alanisko Photography

The vocal takes a while to come back in but, when it does, looks at Sloane Square and its relevance. It reminds the heroine of a special person and something deep and meaningful. I got impressions of a love affair or meeting that happened there – and how the two have drifted apart and cannot reignite that fuse. Prior to the vocal coming through; there is a build-up that creates impressions, imagery and ideas. The music is subtle and crackling. Occasional, mannered beats and twinkling electronics – darker and lighter ideas – mix together to provide images of Sloane Square. I heard twilight and moonlit suggestions come through in the notes. The song does not race in and takes its time getting to the listener. The introduction sets the scene and makes one think about the song and what it means to them. The electronic moments are seductive and intriguing; there is a softness and sense of expectation that puts you in the mood and gets the mind thinking. What resonated with me is the way Żabel let the music speak first and, when she does come to the microphone, there is a calmness and maturity. She is remembering this special place and what it means to her. I am not sure whether Sloane Square is a meeting spot for two lovers – their place and position in a busy city. Maybe it is the first meeting and where that date began. Whatever the reason and impact of the London location; every listener can relate to having a very meaningful place in the world. For an artist that has a bright look and bold personality; Żabel produces a song that puts its heart out there and does not feel the need to aimlessly embolden and run. That is a reflection about the changing nature of Pop and how artists are maturing. This rather adult approach to love does not mean the song lacks interest, memorability and fun.

The vocals harmonis and the composition shimmers and entices. The heroine remembers that meeting in Sloane Square but there is a void and need for someone to return. Home is where the heart is, she says, and there is somebody missing from her life. I am not sure whether the heroine is talking about a long-term lover who has left her or gone abroad; maybe she is referring to the way we can get caught up in the romance of a place and time but leave it all too soon. She is there waiting for her sweetheart to return but her words are hanging in the air – a supplication and plea that requires an artist. Before she gives in and thinks about moving on; we get an itinerary from the heroine as she travels home. She takes the Tube and negotiates the District Line; walking to her place and complete with a heavy heart. When she gets to her door; there is the man waiting for her. There is a vulnerability to the song, as well. It seems a lot of what is being talked about is theoretical and imagined. She wants the romance to work and find satisfaction but that longing and desire is being overshadowed by disappointment and a lack of respect. Maybe the man did turn up or he left her waiting – I think there is that dreaming and hoping but nothing tangible and real. When things go bad, the young woman still goes to her mum to find that comfort and solace. It has been a hard time for Żabel and she has put her heart out to someone who does not appreciate it. The heroine has waited and assessed her life. Home is most important to her and the recollections of Sloane Square seem to be rooted in the past. In a wider sense, Sloane Square is about belonging and where home really is. Thinking about the heroine’s travels on the Tube and trudging home makes me think about her life in Malta and adapting to a scary new life.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alanisko Photography

There is that connection to family - but Żabel has moved to a new nation and getting buried beneath feet and rushing bodies. I have seen many artists talk about transition and change and, when you look at Żabel’s latest cut; she is finding who she really is and needs direction. She is making music here and showcasing her stuff to the people. Maybe Żabel has a love/sex life and being social but there seems to be deeper issues and problems that are coming to the surface. That desire to return home is bubbling away and compelling her decisions.  I would love to see a video for the song as it would bring new light and insight to a song that has a personal edge but, at the same time, will connect with many other people. I got the impression Żabel was content in London but missed some of the comfort and familial wisdom she had in Malta. I am not sure whether her family are over here or in Malta still. It seems, in some form or other, there are those conversations that are keeping her level-headed and moving forward. The production and composition are never too intrusive and dominant. It is all about the vocal and letting the lyrics shine. At times, the song moves from Pop to Soul/Gospel – dropping the background and letting the vocal stand alone – and then it goes back to something hotter and more insistent. Sloane Square is a fantastic song from a young artist who puts an original spin on common themes. What position Sloane Square takes on VITA has yet to be seen. I am not sure what other songs will be featured alongside it but the latest track from the Malta-born artist has turned heads and captured hearts. It is a brave confessional from someone reacting to the challenges placed before her – the need to look at what’s important and where she feels home is.

Take a look at her social media pages and you see a young artist embracing music and excited to see what comes next. She brings a sexy and bold show to the people and has been performing around London. Her latest song has collected thousands of plays and getting to many new ears. The sets are well-received and critics are responding to an artist throwing her everything into music. Żabel has seen her music get onto the radio and pick up reviews. These steps are important for someone who has dreamt about success since a girl and worked exceptionally hard. It has been a tough road for Żabel but all her hard work and effort is paying off. Moving to the U.K. is a risky and strange move for anyone – not least someone who grew up on Malta and enjoyed a very different way of life. Żabel is settling into London and has been here a while now (about five years). The capital is welcoming to anyone who wants to get their music to a broad and hungry demographic. I have seen many artists come and go but, when thinking of Żabel; there is every reason to suspect she will be in music for many years to come. Her album is due later this year and she’ll want to see how Sloane Square does and what reaction it receives. The song is a lot deeper, more interesting and fresh than a song about love where the heroine gets her heart broken and regrets meeting the guy. I cannot wait to see what more is coming from Żabel. She has so many ideas and song brewing; some real passion and that desire to get out to as many people as possible. If you have not discovered the music of Żabel and what she is all about – make sure you remedy this and listen to Sloane Square. Here is a young star working in an industry/genre that has many players but very few who does things…

QUITE like her.  

_______

Follow Żabel

Official:

https://www.zabelmusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zabelmusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/zabelmusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ZabelMusic

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/zabel-music-696927161

FEATURE: I.O.Q. Is the ‘Internet Age’ Having a Detrimental Impact on Our Language Skills?

FEATURE:

 

I.O.Q.

 ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash

Is the ‘Internet Age’ Having a Detrimental Impact on Our Language Skills?

_________

TOMORROW will be a very positive and productive day…

where I will champion and celebrate great things/people in the music industry. One thing I wanted to raise, and have noticed, is how attitudes and mentalities are being altered by a reliance on digital outlets. I interview a lot of artists via email and often send out questions on a Word document. I know many of us are not always accurate regards grammar and punctuation – I am not perfect by any long shot – and am finding a lot of errors and problems cropping up. Some artists put a huge effort in and, for the most part, the answers I get back are accurate, require little editing and seem perfectly good. There are a few, however, whose command of their native tongue seems lacking. I will get documents riddled with simple errors and poor English. As I type this; I am second-guessing everything and wonder whether I am getting to the point quickly enough (probably not!). I think the Internet is a fantastic thing and has progressed humanity in so many ways. We can reach the entire world and have a greater access to other people than we did decades ago. It is wonderful being able to reach someone in another country or hearing any song you want within seconds. I have written extensively about the Internet addiction and the consequence on our mental-health – so I shall not tread that ground too much when making this point.

I have received some documents back where I have had to pick through the answers - and spent longer editing than I did writing. Some would argue this is not too much of an issue considering most interviews are verbal and it is a journalist’s job to proof-read what a musician writes. That is fair enough but I wonder, as we become more digital and less physical – are we losing an ability to communicate with others and articulate the same way we did years ago?! The deepest and most meaningful connections I make are when I speak to someone directly and engross in conversation. The Internet and social media are wonderful but I fear my time spent there is chipping away at my language skills and ability to write as sharply and proficiently as I want. Not only are some musician’s written responses lacking – when it comes to basic language and accuracy – but there are more concerning realisations. As a journalist; I look at artists’ pages and how they promote music. Some of the content/responses I see are troubling, to say the least. Many so-called ‘fans’ are posting hurtful and offensive comments at the artists: in fact; the sort of language and interaction I am seeing more frequently leaves me troubled. Many might say this is the way things are going: the fact so many can retain a sense of anonymity and protection – behind their screens – means their inhibitions are eroded.

We know there is bullying and harassment online; people are less afraid to offend others and, connecting that to music; are we losing basic language and interaction skills. I love writing but I feel myself getting a little rigid and lost at times. I lack the fluidity I would like and find my ability to be concise and clear does lack now and then. Maybe offensive comments and Internet trolling are not related to music directly – they do show there is a problem in the way we communicate and conduct our lives. I am a little worried the Internet and social media are damaging me as a writer. It is an invaluable networking tool but, as I spend most of my free time in front of a screen…I am out in the open less and not really communicating with other people. I am more confident, relaxed and open when face-to-face with someone: the insular nature of the Internet means I am losing basic abilities and struggling to ween myself away from the digital community. One of the other worries I have is the nature of songwriting and how language is used in music. There are some fantastic songwriters out there but I feel, as we regress and retreat into the online more – there are fewer standout lyricists; fewer original songwriters who challenge convention and stand aside from their peers. Certain areas of music (in terms of genre) have some brilliant poets and linguistic jousters who keep the English language very much alive and well.

Maybe it’s me, but I feel Pop music is becoming simpler and less articulate by the year. Mainstream artists are struggling to break past clichés and stereotypes; the lyrics one hears are filled with lazy metaphors and samey suggestions. That might be a sign of commercial demands but, tied into my worries around interviews and the standard of the written word – I am concerned the quality and standard of songwriting is declining. The people I have included in my blog – all of them – do not fall under this accusation (that is not me protecting my back: I am looking out at other musicians). There are incredible songwriters around but I am rarely struck by brilliant wordplay and phenomenal couplets. A lot of songwriters, when they are not performing and traveling, are dedicating their lives to the Internet and online demands. The fact they are not spending as much time socialising or reading means their ‘conversation’ and learning comes from the Internet. Social media sites are filled with lazy statuses and people abbreviating wherever possible – pages of poor language and negative expressions. If we expose ourselves to this more and more; that means the way we write and speak is affected. I am noticing something happening in music. Maybe it is not a lack of intelligence and innovation: language is more ‘punchy’ and not as compelling as once was. As I say; tomorrow, I will move onto positive aspects but this has been playing on my mind – does the digital age mean we are not really expected to write as acutely and eloquently as we used to?!

I have read some shocking answers but do not blame any artists – it is a trend that is becoming more common. Mainstream Pop, for the most part, is at its least inspired and I am finding myself more interested in compositions and melodies than language and lyrics. Many will pick this piece apart and come to conclusions: my views are subjective and one-dimensional; my writing is not up there with the greats of literature! You would be right regarding the second point: I feel we do not necessarily place the same value on language and expression as, say, when I was younger. Perhaps we cannot blame the Internet and social media for a deterioration of interaction and language skills. It is clear we are less communicative and connected – ironically! – than ever and, in my view, letting basic abilities rust and fade. I find myself, at times, recalibrating and trying to remember how to have an actual conversation. The remedy for this would be getting out there more and forsaking the grip of the Internet: for people whose stock and trade rely on it; that compromise is a lot trickier to accept than you would think. I am a huge fan of words – in case you hadn’t guessed! – but worry we are less articulate, profound and arresting than decades ago.

Where we have made leaps in terms of technology and the way we can reach the rest of the world; have we, ironically, isolated ourselves and replaced, in many ways, physical interaction with a synthetic version?! I can see the way songwriting has changed and long for armies of songwriters who push past the ordinary and really get into the mind – there are far fewer than I would like, that is for sure! All of this comes back to the way we use the Internet and whether digital outlets provide the same intellectual nourishment and stimulation as, say, books, newspapers and human socialisation. Maybe there is no easy solution but it is evident advances and benefits of technological advancement have compromised other areas of our existence. Language is a beautiful thing and it is always evolving. We are communicating differently – many would say we are more engaged and curious than days before the Internet. From my viewpoint, seeing songwriters emerge and working as a journalist; there are problems emerging – at the very least, there is a ‘laziness’ that is affecting my work. I notice the quality of my work slip and realise it is because I spend so much time away from other people. I do not read as much as I should and isolate myself to a degree. Music amazes me and I think we have come a long way in so many other areas. The industry is huge and open; there are so many sub-genres and fascinating angles; some incredible artists and big breakthroughs. My concerns only apply to a small portion of the industry – and I am hopeful things will change and a revival will occur. Maybe the modern age means language has permanently changed and this is the way things will always be. I acknowledge there are a lot of benefits and positive evolutions; alongside that is a decline in language and the written word that…

CAUSES genuine alarm.

FEATURE: First We Take Berlin… How the German Capital Is Proving an Ideal Spot for Musicians

FEATURE:

 

First We Take Berlin…

 ALL PHOTOS (unless stated otherwise): Unsplash

How the German Capital Is Proving an Ideal Spot for Musicians

_________

THERE are certain cities in the world…

that prove ideal and truly alluring for people. Depending on what you want from your life; there is somewhere on the planet you can go. In terms of music; there is always that conflict between desire and affordability. A lot of us would like to fly off to L.A. and spend a few years there – if only for the great weather and landscape! I would like to spend a bit of time in Melbourne and go to New York; maybe bed-down in London for a bit and then head to Manchester – if I could do that within the spaces of a few years, that would be cool. All of that sounds ideal but the sheer cost of ambitions tend to pull most of us back! I always monitor where musicians go and why they decide to settle in a particular part of the world. Many still go to the more predictable and familiar areas of the world – New York, London and Los Angeles are favoured spots. More and more, I am discovering artists, especially British, are relocating from the U.K. and moving to Berlin. I ask musicians, when interviewing them, why they are drawn to the city. It seems, on paper, a random choice for someone to go to. The answer I get back is always the same: it is less expensive and the way of life there is calmer and easier to deal with. In essence; many feel Berlin offers the same sort of cosmopolitanism and culture as, say London and New York, without the constant crowds and sense of suffocation.

Rents are high over this way: it is far less aggravating and stifling over in Germany. I have never been myself but, from every account I hear; the German capital is a lot more accessible to artists. Rent prices are still forcing a lot of people out of London. Many would argue you could go to Manchester or Brighton would be a more local option – if you are in the U.S.; surely there are other, nearer-by areas you could go to?! Costs are not the only thing ambitious musicians are wary of when choosing a lifestyle. In fact; it is not only fresh artists moving to Berlin: many established and settled artists find the appeal of Berlin too much to resist. I can understand why people would want to go to London and settle there to further their music. The city offers opportunities and endless venues; there are fantastic stations, labels and avenues in London: do artists get the same options over in Berlin? Although there are no stations quite as high-ranking and popular as BBC Radio 1 or 2; there are some great local brands such as radioBERLIN and Star FM; FluxFM and 98.8 KISS FM Berlin that offer artists a platform and a voice. Radio On broadcasts to Amsterdam and London and is an insomniac’s dream: a twenty-four-hour station that started from pirate roots; it has grown to become one of the most in-demand options in Berlin.

Radio Rixdorf leans more towards the alternative and unique – favouring unusual sounds and that which strays away from the mainstream. Reboot.fm is a fantastic station that offers great music, information and news. You can toss RadioBerlin 88.8 Statdtstudio and Pirate Cat Radio into the mix! Savvy and knowledgeable artists can make the most of the radio stations in Berlin and be involved with the best in the U.K. and U.S. The Internet means any artist can interview with any D.J. around the world. Streaming services and music-sharing websites mean music can get into the hands of British and American producers without the artist being located there. In terms of festivals; there is Lollapalooza Berlin (8th and 9th September) and Fusion Festival 2018 (to the North of Berlin). Berlin has a great mix of venues, too: from underground spots like Monarch and SO36; Loophole and 8mm – one can find something more overground and varied in terms of the musical options. The underground clubs provide Electronic and Dance; some Punk and Pop: venues like Quasimodo provides excellent Jazz whilst Piano Bar Van Gough provides a subtle and sophisticated blend of piano music and cocktails. Berlin provides that balance of energy and spirit; quieter, calmer spots where one can relax. I know areas like London and L.A. offer the same split but, when you look at Berlin; everything seems different and more appealing – not that I will ever change my mind regards London!

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

There are a few downsides to Berlin that I can see. It is good there’s an influx of varied artists heading over that way. British bands and solo artists are heading that way; original groups and dynamic producers are living there – artists and talent who have been in the business for years/decades are adding their voice to Berlin. I feel the scene is diversifying but, at the moment, there is still a heavy leaning towards Dance and Electronic. We think about Berlin and hear electronic buzz and sweaty dancing; pummelling beats and something youth-orientated. There is truth to that but, more and more, something new is being added into the scene. I worry there is still an over-dependence, in terms of the venues and stations, on E.D.M. and Trance. Maybe that is a sign of the demographic and tastes of Berlin: a younger crowd who yearn after liberating and propulsive music. There is a building Jazz scene but there are genres that hardly get a voice in – Hip-Hop, Rap and Rock are not as big as they are in other parts of the world. One can argue Hip-Hop/Rap is strongest in the U.S.; Pop and Alternative better here, maybe – Australia is an underrated gem that gives attention to all genres. Berlin is not as broad-minded and busy as London – one of the benefits of a huge population that sources from various nations and races. Berlin does have diversity but, compared to London and New York and it lacks the same punch and scope. That is not the fault of Berlin: it is a smaller city and, as such, needs more foreign recruitment and influence.

The affordable rent and prices are tempting artists to the German capital. A sixty-square-metre place, with living-room and plenty of flexibility, will set you around about 600/800 Euros P.C.M. 600 Euros is around about 528 of our British pounds. That may sound expensive but you match that with the same flat/house in London and the saving is immense! This website gives a clear breakdown of food and rent costs; it throws in all the utilities so that musicians wishing to live there know what they are getting themselves into. Even considering somewhere like Manchester and it seems Berlin is quite a good choice! There are expensive parts of Berlin but districts like Mitte, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf provide fantastic cafes and coffee houses; brilliant history and monuments; technology and a clash of more traditional houses and new-builds. You can do the research yourself - but, if one accuses the Berlin music scene of lacking huge diversity: you cannot claim the topography and geology of the city lack that needed variation! Young and affordable areas of Berlin, like Friedrichshain, can offer quiet and solace for those who want to escape from the energy and options of the locality – the engaging crowds and party atmosphere. London, in my view, is rife with choice and ideas for those who are fussy and not quite sure exactly what they want.

You can go to the South for Grime music and great clubs; choose a spot in the North and find more community and familial vibes – embrace the trendiness of the East and something cooler and more cutting-edge. Berlin has the same broadness but, if anything, provides less stress and struggle in the most built-up and packed areas. Even the centre of Berlin seems less daunting and fearful than an average night down in Piccadilly. For those songwriters looking for inspiration and new direction; Berlin’s museums and art galleries like East Side Gallery and KW Institute for Contemporary Art show the dichotomy of classical and modern – ample fodder and ammunition for hungry artists! This link/website shows the quick pros and cons of living in Berlin:

Pros: 

- Very multicultural city where you're more likely to meet a non-German than a German in some areas. 

- Diverse cuisines that's delicious and affordable. Berlin's the place to try out Michelin-starred restaurants without costing an arm and a leg. 

- Low cost of living means that you can easily and comfortably live in Berlin for less than 1000 Euros a month. 

- Easy to get around with: transportation, bike, car-sharing. 

- A great place to collaborate on creative projects. It's a hub of designers, programmers, developers and artists. A lot of people are freelancers so they're open to new projects and trying things differently.  

- There's something to do to suit every lifestyle. You can go clubbing on a Sunday afternoon or spend an evening doing a screen printing workshop. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Cons: 

- Red tape and bureaucracy. Although this can be experienced in other cities, the fact that a lot of people who work in government jobs don't speak English means an extra hurdle to get over. 

- Berlin doesn't have much of a corporate or business industry. Which means that finding a job can be a bit tough if you're not fluent in German. Although startups offer a lot of native English jobs. 

- Because the cost of living is low, so are the salaries. When compared to other German cities like Hamburg, Munich and Dusseldorf, Berlin salaries are usually 20-30% lower. When you're living in Berlin, you're here to enjoy the city rather than to save a lot of money.    

- Berliners can be a bit impolite. You won't get a thank you for opening the door for someone else. And you can forget about smiles and small chitchats when it comes to customer service. This doesn't apply everywhere and it is slowly changing for the better. 

- The city isn't appealing in winter as it's cold, windy and very gray.

Many can argue the impolite nature of (some) Berliners is matched by those of London – maybe, the low wages would put some people off. The bad weather and greyness of the city (during winter) means many might want to go somewhere warmer and more colourful when it gets cold. If you think about low wages as the biggest downer of the city: the majority of good points and benefits explains why people are flocking there and changing their lives. The lower rents and inspiring population – despite some ruder elements – outweighs anything negative and offputting.

Musicians can look at sites (like this and this)  to get a more detailed impression of the German capital. Berlin does have its drawbacks and limitations but, when artists compare that to larger cities in the U.S. and U.K. – they find the positives are huge and there is plenty of potential. The furore and ambiguity surrounding Brexit might make it difficult for some to relocate to nations like German, I think the pantomime politics of the U.K. is leaving many in no doubt: things are crumbling and the nation is losing its identity. Germany has its conflicts but, by comparison, it seems more stable and all-inclusive as Britain…and the U.S., for that matter! You can call the people less-than-polite but the government in Germany wants the nation to grow and integrate with the rest of the world. Can we really claim that is the way things are over here?! Berlin is not powerful enough to make every musician abandon their home and go over there. What I AM noticing is more and more musicians seeing all the benefits of Berlin and finding the temptation impossible to refute. I will go and visit the city and see what all the fuss is about: so many musicians prefer the way of life there and what is happening right now. You can scoff and feel Berlin is inferior compared to bigger cities like London but, when you see the number of musicians/artists going over there, there is clearly something…

MAGICAL in the water!

FEATURE: Mad Hatters and Timely Hares: Why March Is a Fantastic Month for New Albums

FEATURE:

 

Mad Hatters and Timely Hares

 IN THIS PHOTO: David Byrne/ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES: Getty Images

Why March Is a Fantastic Month for New Albums

_________

WE are only a portion of the way through 2018…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Nash

but there is much to get excited about. There have already been some corking albums out – including Field Music and Tune-Yards’ year-bossing cuts – and that is no danger of stopping! I am going to write some traditional features later but, right now, I wanted to look at a collection of albums that will make March a wonderful and memorable one. The winter is still here and struggling to take a hint: the need to look forward to something promising is hot and heavy.

I bring together the best albums we can look forward to next month – the epic and fully-stuffed L.P.s that will erase all the misery and cold of winter.

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Gwenno - Le Kov

Release Date: 2nd

Genres: Alternative; Indie

Label: Heavenly

Moby - Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt

Release Date: 2nd 

Genres: Dance; Electronic

Label: Mute Records

 

Soccer Mommy – Clean

Release Date: 2nd

Genres: Alterative; Indie

Label: Fat Possum Records

David Byrne - American Utopia

Release Date: 9th

Genres: Alternative; Indie

Label: Nonesuch Records Inc.

Gengahr - Where Wildness Grows

Release Date: 9th

Genres: Alternative; Indie

Label: Liberator Music

 

Mount Eerie - Now Only 

Release Date: 16th

Genre: Alternative

Label: P.W. Elverum & Sun

The Decemberists - I’ll Be Your Girl 

Release Date: 16th

Genre: Indie-Rock

Label: Capitol Records

George Ezra - Staying at Tamara's 

Release Date: 23rd

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Label: Columbia

Sunflower Bean - Twentytwo in Blue

Release Date: 23rd

Genres: Alternative; Indie

Label: Mom + Pop Music

Jack White - Boarding House Reach

Release Date: 23rd

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Label: Third Man Records

Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere 

Release Date: 30th

Genre: Country

Label: Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville

En Vogue - Electric Cafe 

Release Date: 30th

Genres: R&B; Pop

Labels: eOne; En Vogue

Kate Nash - Yesterday Was Forever

Release Date: 30th

Genres: Indie-Pop; Indie-Rock

The Vaccines - Combat Sports 

Release Date: 30th

Genres: Alternative; Rock; Indie

Label: Columbia Records