INTERVIEW: Cable Street Collective

INTERVIEW:

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel McMahon 

Cable Street Collective

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I love it when an artist puts their everything…

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into an interview! Cable Street Collective give me an authoritative and comprehensive look into their world and past; where they plan on heading – I discover the story behind their latest song, Wonderland.

The band talks to me about their upcoming (out on 4th May) E.P., Where Now from Here?, and how they have changed since their inception; the sort of music the members all enjoy; why African sounds are so important; what the choice memories from their careers are – they end the interview with some cracking song selections!

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

Great! We just finished shooting the music video for the second single off the upcoming E.P., So We Go (song). It involved having industrial-strength leaf-blowers fired at our faces, so that they get all distorted and pulled out of shape - and filming the results in slow motion.

Watching your cheeks ripple in the wind at 240-frames-per-second is quite a surreal experience...

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

We’re a London-based Indie band who plays upbeat music with a strong African influence. Tristan (Guitar, Keys) spent his childhood in Swaziland and Malawi and Aaron (Bass) is the son of Greg Kofi Brown - who played bass for the legendary Afrobeat band, Osibisa. So; they both grew up surrounded by those sounds. The rest of the band are big fans of Congolese Soukous and African music more generally; so, that’s one of the biggest influences that creep in when we write.

What can you reveal about Wonderland? What is the song all about?

The song is about relationships and how they can make you feel like you’ve lost control of yourself or your emotions. Not just during that initial honeymoon period but, also, after the relationship fails - when the dream turns nightmarish. It’s quite a bouncy, upbeat tune but Fiona’s lyrics are actually pretty sad; channelling that weary resignation you feel looking back after it’s over.

It is from your upcoming E.P., Where Now from Here? Have the songs – that will appear on the E.P. – been in your minds for a while? Are there common themes that link the songs?

We were playing a version of one of them, Anyway, as early as 2015 but the version we now play sounds quite different. The others are all more recent. They were written between the end of 2016 and last August, when we started recording them. They weren’t necessarily written to be a collection of songs but, when we listened back to them all together, we realised there are definitely common themes.

They deal with the stresses of modern life, the pressures that come with getting older and the ways in which people deal with the increasing realisation that the world isn’t as shiny and wonderful as it might once have seemed.

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Despite the fact that the music is generally pretty upbeat, the lyrics touch on some pretty dark topics - emotional breakdowns, the ways in which people self-medicate and the strains that social media puts on people and relationships…

Hence the title, Where Now from Here?

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel McMahon

How do you think you have grown and developed since your debut E.P.?

Despite the last answer, we’re not actually old and embittered. Haha. We’d like to think our songwriting has matured, though, and our sound has definitely evolved. The first E.P. was recorded with live drums and more live instruments generally.

Where Now from Here? features programmed beats (admittedly, augmented with live percussion) and far more synths. This is partly as a result of line-up changes, but also, as a result of changing tastes. We were listening to stuff like Sinkane, Rostam Batmanglij and William Onyeabor when recording this - and some of that definitely snuck into the songwriting.

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When did Cable Street Collective come together? Did you all have that instant spark when you met?

Ash and Tristan went to secondary-school together and first started making music there (although ‘making music’ is, perhaps, generous - there were some pretty terrible Punk-Rock covers). They met Fiona at university and the three of them used to play open mics – although, she didn’t join the band until later, after a stint living in Australia.

The first iteration of Cable Street Collective featured Tristan’s brother on bass (who helped push the African sounds they had grown up with) and a different vocalist. But, when Fi moved back to the U.K., it was obvious that we’d ask her to join.

Dan Cat (responsible for the drum programming) was a long-standing friend who’d actually produced our first demos. He, Sam and Aaron (both friends-of-friends who we’d met through open mic nights) all came on board in 2016 when we decided to change-up the sound after the departure of our drummer and bassist.

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I know your numbers have increased since the start. Why did you decide to expand the ranks?!

We had previously played as a six-piece - but, with live drums rather than electronic beats. The line-up changes were because of changing priorities, really - the bassist and drummer, who we’re still very good mates with, weren’t as up for it as they once were.

Rather than try and replace them in a straight swap; we saw it as an opportunity to switch things up a bit sonically and experiment with new ways of making and playing music.

Do you share musical tastes? Which artists have inspired the music you make?

There are, obviously, a lot of shared musical reference points but everyone has their own influences that they bring to the mix as well. We definitely don’t agree on everything all of the time and sometimes we definitely disagree. Haha.

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I guess, inspirations we share, are things like a love of 1970s and 1980s Soukous guitar (Diblo Diabala, who played with Kanda Bongo Man and Loketo, in particular), bands like The Very Best (a Malawian-Swedish duo) and artists like Songhoy Blues and Mbongwana Star.

Then there are points where we differ a bit. Fi’s into Funk and Soul; Sam (who grew up on Shetland and played the fiddle as a kid) likes Celtic Trad-Folk, Ash is a far too into Radiohead; Tristan loves Rancid (who, Ash thinks are rubbish); Dan Cat mixes questionable Disco and Aaron loves Metal and Post-Rock. That’s not to say any of those are bad things but, yeah; we all enjoy an impassioned discussion of different artists’ musical merits.

Thankfully, when we disagree, it never gets too heated.

How important is African music to the band? Do you take a lot of guidance from the sounds of Africa?!

It’s definitely a touchstone and an influence we all share. But, as much as we borrow sounds from that part of the world (the tinkly guitars, an emphasis on rhythm; driving basslines and the love of beats and percussion); we’re still an Indie band channelling those influences into western-style songs. We are (we’d like to think) far too aware of the inappropriateness of cultural appropriation to ever claim to be something that we’re not.

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

We’ll be doing a big E.P. launch-show in London on 18th May, followed by a couple of shows in Sheffield and Leeds - details of which are on our website. We’ll, then, be hitting the festival circuit again this summer. So, yes; we hope to see you in a sunny field or a sweaty venue very soon!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

This release is our main focus for now...

Beyond that, we’d love to spend some time writing new music and just jamming the ideas that have been kicking around, half-formed, for the past few months while we’ve focused on this.

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

Tristan: There’s loads...but one of my favourites was turning up to this little festival in East Anglia, only to find the backline didn’t include a drum kit. It was a proper hippy-fest; the kind where half the campsite is vans, everyone has a dog on a rope - and the Psytrance Stage and the Main Stage were the same thing...

The sound-man told us to go out the back of the stage, knock on a caravan door and ask for a ‘Dr. Damage’ who, apparently, had a home-made kit he could lend us. Turns out the drums weren’t up to much - but he did have a flask of mushroom tea which he insisted we partake in...

Fiona: It’s either Dave, our old drummer, realising about five minutes before our first set at Secret Garden Party that he’d left his cymbal case propping open a door in London, or me realising about thirty minutes before another set at S.G.P. that we’d left all my gig outfits in Ash’s flat. In both cases, so many people helped out; arriving mid-gig with a borrowed cymbal stand, or piling into my tent with all their festival gear and dressing me far better than I could dress myself!

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Ash: We have had some belting gigs at Secret Garden Party. Arguably, my favourite was on an incredibly wet weekend a few years ago. The whole festival was a total mud bath and our bassist (at the time) was on crutches, so dropped out of the gig. Our mate, Alex, was playing a kind of multi-instrumentalist vibe for us at the time, but happens to be more than a little handy on the bass. So, the show went on! We had to practice the songs in half an hour backstage - and on we went.

It was heaving down with rain outside and the Rhumba Rum Bar was packed to the rafters. The place went off and everyone was having a blast. To cap it all off, a guy who had played trumpet with us a couple of times previously turned up (off his bonce I might add) and jammed a track.

There was a kind of spontaneity to the thing. From the ashes of adversity grew one of my favourite-ever gigs.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel McMahon

Dan Cat: While I was touring in the Cheshire Catz D.J. duo, we were flown to Avignon in France to play in club carved out of the bottom of a quarry called ‘Le Prive’; which is where Daft Punk first played outside of Paris. A truly humbling experience. After rocking the club, feeling like superstars and storming the decks at the after-party; we were kicked off after fifteen minutes for playing minimal Techno. The after-party crowd wanted Disco. We would have gotten away with if a journalist from DJ Mag hadn’t been with us covering the tour.

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Sam: Playing the Royal Concert Hall with Nordic Tone in 2010 was very special. It was a big group project spread across five countries and the near-impossible logistics of getting us all together meant that we knew it would probably be our last gig. It felt as though we really rose to the occasion on the night - and a five-star review in the Scotsman was the perfect end to the story.

Aaron: I’ve got a couple: both relating to Osibisa, actually. As a kid in the early-nineties, I was playing percussion on-stage with Osibisa at an event that that was live on T.V. and Pat Cash (the tennis player) joined in on guitar. Then, later in that decade, Finlay Quaye became good mates with the band. I was always the little kid he'd kick the ball around with. Then, many moons later, he called me up to come play guitar for him.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’m not sure we’re really in the position to be doling out advice to anyone but I guess, if there’s one thing we’d suggest, it’s to make sure you’re doing it because you enjoy it – ‘it’, being writing, playing live; even the promotional stuff that goes with being in a band. Unless you’re a massive act, the financial rewards aren’t great; so, it’s all about making the experience its own reward.

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Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Too many to mention really, but there’s one band we’ve played alongside since fairly early days that we reckon are always worth checking out, especially live. They’re called Tankus the Henge and they sound very different to us - but they’re great craic. If you ever see them on a festival bill, go watch them. You won’t regret it.

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

Oh, yep. Aside from Aaron, who’s written for Big Narstie and played with Finlay Quaye and Rita Ora (and a whole bunch of others); none of us are full-time musicians. Ash and Dan both work in tech; Fi is an English tutor (who’s also just co-written her first play - one of the Evening Standard’s ‘must-see shows’ at VAULT Festival no less!); Sam plays in a couple of other originals bands and tutors undergraduate maths and physics on the side (as well as being a s*it-hot percussionist, he’s also a Cambridge-educated astrophysicist!) and Tristan is a journalist at Vice Media.

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The good thing about working other jobs is it removes a bit of financial pressure from the band. It also means that, while we work hard at it, music and making it is part of unwinding for all of us. If this turned into a full-time job, I guess we’d probably have to turn to astrophysics, tech; play-writing and journalism to unwind? Haha.

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).

Tristan: I’m loving Rostam’s Bike Dream at the minute. I love the way he’s taken a really poppy melody and subverted it with jarringly loud drums, wonky production and a weird vocal effect.

Ash: My jam of the week has been Sorceress by Jordan Rakei - my favourite album of 2017 and a tune I recently came back to!

Fiona: I still have Hey Now (When I Give You All My Lovin’) by Romare on-repeat. I love it when the brass kicks in.

Dan Cat: I’m digging Soft Hair’s A Goood Sign at the moment - and I found Soft Hair via LA Priest. LA Priest is the Prince of Electronica.

Sam: I Asked by Snarky Puppy (feat. Becca Stevens & Väsen). It’s a live collaboration between three of my all-time favourite acts: Becca Stevens’ unmistakable vocal is perfectly framed by Michael League’s incredible arrangement and touches of otherworldly class from Swedish Folk kings Väsen; culminating with André Ferrari’s towering percussion breakdown over a fifteen-beat cycle.

Aaron: I’ve been listening to Express My Mind by Sharna Bass a lot.

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Follow Cable Street Collective

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INTERVIEW: Mike Watson

INTERVIEW:

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Mike Watson

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2017 must rank pretty high…

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in the mind of songwriter Mike Watson. His debut single, Lying for Love, made a huge impact and he embarked on a tour of the U.K. – a whirlwind year that, by the looks of things, he is going to top! Watson chats about his current track, On Fire, and what comes next for him. The Manchester-born artist talks about the music of the city and its influence – how important the people are to his success and drive.

I ask whether we can see Watson tour later this year; the music that matters most to him; whether he gets time to relax away from music; what it was like supporting Maroon 5 – he recommends a great new artist to watch.

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

Hey! It’s been busy with the new single coming out, but the reaction’s been great - so; all is good!

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

Sure. Well. I’m a British singer and songwriter, started out in a band before going solo and here I am now! I grew up in the U.K., the U.S.; Singapore and Thailand, but have finally now settled in London.

 

On Fire is your new single. Is there a story behind the song?

The song is about admitting you’ve found someone and they have a hold over you…and you're not afraid to say it. I'm sure most people can say they've felt that way about someone at some point (not every). 

It is a confident and impassioned song! What was it like putting it together in the studio? Did it go through a lot of changes?

This song, unlike Lying for Love, was more of a journey. Lying for Love took no time at all whereas, with this one, I actually changed melodies and lyrics several times, which is unusual. But, for that reason, I feel a strong sense of ownership towards it and am proud of how it turned out! 

How do you view the success your debut single, Lying for Love? It did fantastic business on Spotify. Does it seem a dream looking back?!

You never know how to predict how a track will be received - especially as it was my debut single. I was confident in the fact I thought we had a strong track that could hopefully strike a chord with people, but I never imagined to get the streaming numbers we have today! It passed 750k on Spotify, which is great…

We just have to follow that success up with On Fire!

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Do you feel like you have made leaps in a short time? Are you more confident than when you first started out?

I started out in music young and have learnt a lot from every experience I had; whether it be from good situations or bad. I’ve always been quietly confident, but know how hard I have to work in order to be a success in such a difficult and competitive industry. People may just think I started out in music when Lying for Love came out but, in reality, it’s been years in the making to get me ready.

Manchester is where you were born. Is the city a bit of a hotbed for great music? How important are the people regarding your success?

Being from Manchester, I’m a massive Oasis fan! I think most people are…

The city constantly produces great artists and definitely is a hotbed for music! I’ve a lot of family up there and they’d never let me get too ahead of myself. 

How did music come into your life? Did you grow up around music?

I grew up in a musical family. Both of my grandmas sang in choirs and my dad plays the guitar. I remember him giving me this mini-sized guitar when I was just old enough to hold it and, from there, my musical journey started! Both my parents are massive music fans so, growing up, there was a lot of music in the house…anything from the Eagles to Paul Simon to Santana would be constantly blaring out which, no doubt, wormed its way into my head.

I’m VERY thankful for that!

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

Plans are in the making right now: you’ll have to keep your eyes on my socials for updates (smiles).

Does the fact you have supported the likes of Maroon 5 give you a lot of confidence to get out there and perform your music?!

Definitely. Playing such amazing venues like Wembley and the Manchester Arena etc. to crowds like I did on the Maroon 5 tour gave me huge confidence. You get such a buzz playing to that amount of people. I’ve always said, if you could bottle that feeling up and sell it, you’d make a fortune! To be honest; I much prefer the big venues and actually would say the smaller venues keep me on my toes more! 

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope On Fire does as well as the last single online; then the follow-up E.P. (which is all but done) does just as well too! I can’t wait to get back playing live again, so that’s something I’m looking forward to. Especially as I have two new singles to play!  

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

Definitely playing the Manchester Arena. I took my younger sister to see Justin Bieber there about five years ago and said, one day, she’d see me there…so; it was nice, a few years on, for me to keep my promise and have her there to see it! 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Practice; don’t take criticism too much to heart and don’t have any regrets. Any time you get the opportunity to showcase your skills, whether in the studio or on stage, DO IT! 

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IN THIS PHOTO: Khalid

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m really into Khalid at the moment. He’s really taken off this last year and I’m really excited to see where he goes! 

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

I’m very sporty. My other love, away from music, is sport...

Not only is my family musical, but my grandad is a football nut; so that’s rubbed off on me over the years. Whether watching or playing, I’m hooked! When I was born; the first thing in my cot was a football. That says it all really. I play football three times a week and get to the gym pretty much every day. If I miss a few days, I get notoriously grumpy. Haha. 

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).

A track I’m really digging at the moment is Say Something by Justin Timberlake
(ft. Chris Stapleton)! The way their voices blend is genius…it’s not often you get two male artists collaborating together! 

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 Follow Mike Watson

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INTERVIEW: Jared Lee

INTERVIEW:

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Jared Lee

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HE grew up in Boston…

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and has risen through the ranks to become one of the most intriguing songwriters and performers in music. Jared Lee tells me about collaborating with other artists and what compelled his track, Professional Lovers; what comes next for him; whether he will come to the U.K. this year – Lee talks about producing and working with some of the world’s biggest D.J.s.

I ask Jared Lee what music he grew up around and what advice he would give to new artists; how his music has developed in the past few years; what it feels like hearing his music played on T.V. shows – the U.S. artist ends the song with a pretty cool song!

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

Things are good. Thanks for asking! I live in L.A. and am spoiled with the best weather most of the time - so, no complaints.

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

Of course. So; my name is Jared Lee. I grew up in Boston and I am a recording artist and, also, I write and produce for many other artists. I love performing but I really enjoy collaborating with other people on their projects as well. I am told I have a decent personality – but, maybe that’s just people being nice…

What can you tell me about the song, Professional Lovers?

I really love the song and am excited for people to hear it. I think it’s a sexy, honest and visual record that describes a really intense physical relationship and unrivalled passion. I was fortunate to work on the song with Mick Schultz (Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson and Jeremih), Mati Moon and Dirk Pate. Right now; my goal is to (just) get people’s ears on it and introduce them to some of my new music.

Will this lead to more material? Might we expect an E.P. later this year?

Definitely. I have a chunk of songs done and also have some features coming out with some of the world’s best D.J.s that I am excited about. To be honest, I am not quite sure if we will keep rolling out singles or package an E.P. – but I am definitely looking forward to releasing more. I’m also going to release an acoustic version of Professional Lovers - just me and the piano.

You have produced and written for some great D.J.s. Do you notice a big difference working with them – as opposed writing/producing your own stuff?

I have really enjoyed getting the opportunity to work in the EDM/D.J. space, as it has challenged me, creatively, and opened me up to a world which I wasn’t really familiar with a few years ago. I have become such a fan of what they do and the art they create. Seeing some of their shows and the way audiences respond to them (particularly Coachella and last year’s EDC) literally blew my mind. In any collaboration, I think it’s important that each artist bring a unique energy and flavor to the record that can result in something fresh and original. 

With my own stuff; I’m selfishly only thinking about how I will sing it, how I will perform it; does it communicate the message the right way etc.? With a D.J. collab; I, of course, have to take the other party into account and work with them to create something that, mutually, satisfies us creatively. There are times that I will just send them a song and they end up recreating the music; other times where they send me a track.

I write the lyrics and melodies to and, in the best cases, we get to be in the room together- that’s my fave.

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How did you get into music? When did it all start for you?

I was always performing from a very young age in school groups. My sister and I sang a lot in the car with my parents and I was fortunate to be able to grasp melodies and harmonies at an early age (probably, largely because of that). I was a bad music student because I never listened to instruction. Ha. I did what I felt. 

Not saying that’s the right way to approach it or not. It’s just what worked for me.

What sort of thing were you raised on? Did you listen to a lot of mainstream music – or was it more club/Dance-based music?

I was really into Boyz II Men, Brian Mcknight; James Taylor, Sting, Peabo Bryson and U2 - tried to sing along note-for-note to everything. My parents didn’t push their own musical tastes on me: they let me find the music that moved me.

How, do you think, your music has developed since, say, 2011’s Falling Through Holes? Do you think you are more confident?

I think any artist just wants to evolve and get better. 

I love those songs and am proud of them - but I am in a different mindset. Life happens, relationships come and go; tragedy occurs, amazing things develop - and this all affects the art you create. I think, now, the sound of the music I will release leans a bit less Pop-Rock than my first E.P. and. Maybe a bit more Pop/R&B/Electronic – and, of course, there are Dance records coming out. So, I am excited to perform some of the new records and see where things go next.

Your music has been featured on T.V. shows – and reached a new audience. How important is hearing your music on the screen? How does it make you feel?

It’s an incredible feeling and I'm hoping for more of it. It makes you feel proud and in, I guess, a superficial way a bit validated. But, I just get turned on by the idea that a person far, far away can be watching something you created and it can contribute (hopefully positively) to the overall experience for them. I also really love the way music (my own or not) can affect or enhance a story on screen.

It can evoke very intense emotions and, so, I have so much respect for the supervisors that put this all together and find the right songs for the right films or shows.

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Hollywood, California is where you are based. What is the music scene like there right now?

It’s a great place for music and I think, for Pop music, it’s probably the best place you could be in terms of the creative community. That being said; I think there is something here for every genre because it’s the entertainment capital of the world - and people want to be here to be close to that. Almost everyone here has musical needs, and so, the possibility of collaboration is quite high - which is exciting. 

You just have to then find what works for you. There are many great live venues and the city is, of course, oozing with talent - so you never know what you may hear or who you may hear it from. The downtown scene has been expanding a lot as well and many new live music venues have been opening up.

Do you have any gigs lined up? Where are you heading?

Right now, I'm mostly promoting the single - so it’s just a few songs here and there. 

Mostly L.A. and N.Y. but, hopefully, that expands soon.

Can we see you in the U.K. this year at all?

I hope so! I love it there. My mom grew up in London, so I have been many times and love the culture and history. I recently did a quick performance in London but am looking forward to the possibility of some more time there. I think the U.K. breeds some of the best musical talent in the world without question.

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I am really excited about Professional Lovers and some of the new songs that will come out as well some of the songs I have been writing for other artists. I am hoping for many more performances and, to honestly, just get better as an artist, performer; writer, producer and person. I’m willing to put in the work and hope I can music makes people feel good...or feel something. 

I also want to learn guitar.

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

One is playing a show in Hollywood where Brian Mcknight was eating dinner. I was so nervous but had to try to make an impression. I did a couple originals and a cover of Prince’s Purple Rain and he came up to me after - an incredible moment as he was someone I had listened to endlessly and admired musically growing up. He was very complimentary and, a few months later, I opened a holiday Xmas show for him on the Santa Monica Promenade. He even let me use his keyboard!

I had gone from listening to this guy in my room, trying to sing like him, to using his keyboard and opening his show. It was a cool moment.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Well. I think it’s similar to the advice I try to give myself every day: keep going, keep pushing; don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop if you believe in your art. I know that’s cliché, but it’s incredibly easy to be discouraged. Most people won’t respond to you. It’s very hard to get a large audience, but try each day to build it - even if it’s one or two people. Also, surround yourself with people you like to be around; that support you but also challenge you. 

People that are great will make your life better; not only professionally but personally. Do the things that make you happy often. Take creative breaks.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Dermot Kennedy

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I love some of the new discovery playlists that the digital platforms like Spotify and Apple have because I get to hear all these new songs I have never heard and end up loving. I have lists of new artists I dig. I get very taken by emotive voices and there is so much great talent out there to be heard. Check out the guy I mention at the bottom but there are, honestly, so many - and in different genres.

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

Luckily; I’m now in a climate where I can be outside all of the time comfortably. I ‘try’ to work out every day; go hiking or out to the beach (which is near me). I’m a total foodie, so I care a lot about eating - and often. I occasionally knock out a full Netflix series without stopping…just because we all need that sometimes (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).

I heard this guy the other day I thought was great. Really expressive voice; Dermot Kennedy - Moments Passed

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Follow Jared Lee

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FEATURE: Of Songs’ Praise: The Best Albums of 2018: January-April

FEATURE:

 

Of Songs’ Praise

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shame/PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The Best Albums of 2018: January-April

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I am in the mood to write a lot…

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IN THIS PHOTO: tUnE-yArDs/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

of ‘best of’ features that look at contemporary and older music. Seeing as we are in April, and have enjoyed a busy three months of music; it felt like a good juncture to consider the best albums of 2018 so far. I have been excited seeing new bands and established masters produce some exceptional work. Field Music’s Open Here, so far, is the top of my list. Other critics have their own views: the subjective nature of music makes it interesting trying to decipher the true champions of the year. Here are the albums, I feel, have made the biggest impression on this year…

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images

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Shame – Songs of Praise

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Label: Dead Oceans

Release Date: 12th January

Critical Snapshot:

“This is a band with a real sense of showmanship, as those who have witnessed Shame’s sweat-slicked live shows will know. It’s this that makes ‘Songs Of Praise’ utterly invigorating” – NME

Standout Track: One Rizla

Nils Frahm – All Melody

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Label: Erased Tapes Records

Release Date: 26th January

Critical Snapshot:

“It’s a wonderfully imaginative process. ‘Human Range’ uses wind instruments like the horn to give it this kind of airy quality, while the notation is more stuttered, bringing in also that premier wind instrument – the voice. ‘All Melody’ is a masterpiece of texture. Incessant overlapping rhythms which swoop down from on high, peeling off into the subsequent track ‘#2’ which just wallops you with rhythm. It’s continuously changing, perfectly timed, evenly spaced - an impeccable album” – Drowned in Sound

Standout Track: All Melody

tUnE-yArDs – I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life

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Label: 4AD

Release Date: 19th January

Critical Snapshot:

“Merrill Garbus must now be recognised as one of the most exquisitely playful and inventive voices of our generation. “I came to get down,” she says on “Home”, “but you’re not telling my story, man.” More than ever, it’s time we started listening better – to other voices, certainly, but also the way we use our own” – The Line of Best Fit

Standout Track: ABC 123

Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour

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Label: Mercury Records

Release Date: 30th March

Critical Snapshot:

“The result is Musgraves’ most accessible record and her most ambitious, a magnetic, comfortable culmination of her pop and country instincts. While dynamic enough to house both the stirring, alone-at-the-piano fragment “Mother” and a full-on country-disco kiss-off in “High Horse,” Golden Hour is alluringly cohesive, both lyrically and musically. In “Wonder Woman,” she confronts a partner’s unrealistic expectations and gives a simple counter: “All I need’s a place to land.” Throughout these songs, she finds one” - Pitchfork

Standout Track: Space Cowboy

Lucy Dacus – Historian

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Label: Matador

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“It's music that bears the weight of the critical accolades heaped on her upstart 2017 debut No Burden rather beautifully. Dacus and her band sound emboldened, confident, like kids who are thrilled they still have something to prove” – Rolling Stone

Standout Track: Night Shift

Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar

Label: Ninja Tune

Release Date: 9th March

Critical Snapshot:

“Cocoa Sugar bursts with the weird warmth of an ice burn, a sizzling stew of Tricky-covers-the-Fall garage rap. Each song is nasty, brutish and short, bristling with imagination. Wow shackles its motorik angst to a dead-eyed drawl, seasoned with abattoir squeals. In My View is a slugabed’s vision of anthemic pop, while Toy is the most conventionally vicious rap here, every word a wound. The trio reckon this is their most “linear” album, which seems a stretch. It feels just as estranged of pop’s traditional structures and strictures as they’ve always been. It feels exhilarating; it feels like freedom” – The Guardian

Standout Track: In My View

Field Music – Open Here

Label: Memphis Industries

Release Date: 2nd February

Critical Snapshot:

“In the years to come we might turn to Plumb or Measure before Open Here to remind ourselves of the essential Field Music, yet this, their seventh record, is nevertheless a thing of immense songwriting charm and ideological strength, defined by its sardonic judgement of various seismic social shifts” – The Quietus

Standout Track: Count It Up

CupcakKe - Ephorize

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Label: CupCaKKe

Release Date: 5th January

Critical Snapshot:

“CupcakKe's confidence and complete lack of a filter remain her greatest allies on Ephorize, with the album feeling like an arrival. Queen Elizabeth may have made some noise, but here, she drowns out the competition. Her position has become undeniable, leaving room for only one thought: what's next. She's sure to be eating on the couch for a while” - The 405

Standout Track: Single While Taken

Hookworms – Microshift

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Label: Domino Recording Company

Release Date: 2nd February

Critical Snapshot:

“It's the beginning of the 2018 and talk of albums of the year right now is obviously churlish, but on Microshift we're hearing a band hitting their sweet spot with such an effortless swagger that we're sure this is a contender” – The Line of Best Fit

Standout Track: Negative Space

Anna von Hausswolff – Dead Magic

Label: City Slang

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“Dead Magic is a brilliant artistic statement, Anna von Hausswolff’s best self-definition to date. She still finds inspiration in the areas others fear to tread and is able to transform it into compelling pieces of work. It will be fascinating to see how deep and dark she can eventually go” - musicOMH

Standout Track: Ugly and Vengeful

Rolo Tomassi – Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It

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Label: Holy Roar Records

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“Time Will Die… is a hugely satisfying listen, with the longer songs in particular allowing the band free rein to indulge every experimental urge. Contretemps pits Eva Spence’s frenzied vocals against twinkly post-rock guitars and a delightful organ pattern, but ends up a delicate ballad. Alma Mater and Whispers Among Us juxtapose hardcore fury and tech-metal shredding with lush melodic sections. And with many of the songs flowing into one another, this album sounds like a multi-part epic made up entirely of multi-part epics. And also, undoubtedly, like a career high” – Kerrang!

Standout Track: The Hollow Hour

FEATURE: The First Amendment: Why Jesse Hughes’ Comments Regarding the Student-Led Gun Protests in the U.S. Is a Warning Shot Against Free Speech

FEATURE:

 

The First Amendment

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes/PHOTO CREDIT: Gustav Maartensson/AFP/Getty Images  

Why Jesse Hughes’ Comments Regarding the Student-Led Gun Protests in the U.S. Is a Warning Shot Against Free Speech

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THERE is something rather annoying…

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IN THIS PHOTO: Nikolas Cruz appears in court for a status hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer. He faces seventeen charges of premeditated murder in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida/PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Stocker/Pool/Getty Images

about giving certain people a voice and means of spouting their words into the world. Following the Parkland (Florida) massacre, where seventeen students were killed in the U.S.; the always-controversial Jesse Hughes called the student-initiated protests “pathetic and disgusting”. The man is not exactly a stranger when it comes to letting his gob overtake his brain. Eagles of Death Metal's frontman, following the attacks at The Bataclan in 2015, mooted they were an inside job by security at the venue – or they simply allowed it to happen. One is hardly in any doubt when it comes to Hughes and his views on the Second Amendment – the right of any American citizen to bear arms. He should look just above that Amendment and keep his opinions to himself once in a while. The right to free speech is only valid when you are not deliberately trying to denigrate the memory of deceased gun-violence victims. To call angry and distraught students ‘pathetic’ when their motives are pure and honourable is incredibly callous. Rallying against them and, in essence, accusing them of being posers and ignorant is as bad as anything Donald Trump has come out with. Looking back at Jesse Hughes’ rap-sheet and the man spends a lot of time with his foot firmly wedged in his mouth!

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Eagles of Death Metal are hardly a world-class and mega-popular band: they are in the public and, as such, there is a faction out there who will agree with what Hughes has said. Of course, there is, naturally, many more who disagree with his views – the fact many Republicans attacked his views proved the Rock musician was, pretty much, pissing into the wind. Hughes should know better than to promulgate hatred and insulting opinions. He was on stage when terrorists opened fire at The Bataclan back in 2015. The remnants and after-effects of the attacks are still being felt. Back in November last year; Guillaume Valette took his own life – two years after surviving the attacks. There are many others suffering mental-health issues. The same is true of the recent massacre in the U.S. The student protests are not a response to this isolated event: they are the response to the years, decades and centuries of gun-violence in the U.S. Many us have lost count of the number of news reports that have come through with images of dead students – members of the community and scores of innocent people wiped out. From attacks at churches to the police shooting black ‘criminals’ – their annoyance and need for change are understandable. I was reading a piece in Paste Magazine, where they reacted to the ‘apology’ Hughes issued following his ill-thought-out comments:

“As mea culpas go, this one is paper thin. Hughes apologized not for what he did—namely, attack in the grossest terms the effort by these survivors to take action in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy they witnessed—but for what “it seems” like he did. Worse, he framed it in his own undeniably traumatic experience as a survivor of terrorism, despite an unfortunate history of lashing out at other victims”.

Looking like strung-out mime, Hughes insisted in Saturday’s Instagram video: “What I had intended to be a statement about the hijacking by any side of the aisle of the beautiful agenda of the movement of our nation’s youth came off seeming like a mean-spirited personal attack and slight of the youth themselves and even a personal attack of its leadership, and I want to be clear, I never intended for that to happen. I was not attempting to impugn the youth of America and this beautiful thing they’ve accomplished. I am truly sorry.”

This is not the first time I have written about a Jesse Hughes comment: sadly; I do not think it will be the last time. Whether the man is constantly strung-out or a radical gun-nut; there is never any excuse for such degraded and insensitive remarks like his. Saying students – who protest against gun deaths – are pathetic, in many ways, supports those who carry out these vile acts. It is the insincerity of Hughes’ apology – promoted more by backlash than morals and regrets – that adds an extra sting. He is like a bully who is forced to issue an apology to the students he tormented. He has been screamed at and threatened but, when all is said and done, it is lip service.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Politicians like Donald Trump, with his equally ignorant and gross views on gun control, are setting examples to musicians and public figures whose small minds and right-wing views are doing more damage than they realise. We have already seen enough controversy and disrepute in the acting profession over the past few months – as more and more revelations come to light in regards sexual abuse. Music is not immune to controversy and disreputable figures. The last thing music, and any industry, needs is the sort of comments Hughes made. Some can say his remarks were not too stark and he wasn’t, technically, supporting the perpetrators of the recent attacks. The fact Hughes has ‘form’ and has already had to issue a similar apology, you’d think, would have made him think twice. We cannot beat around the facts: he is a supporter of gun ownership and does not have any problem with what the attacker did – and, it seems, what happened in 2015. If he felt aggrieved at the attacks then he would have come out and lambasted the attackers – rather than looking at conspiracies and questioning those who want an end to gun-violence. I worry Jess Hughes’ stance is going to inspire other artists to let their inhibitions slip when the next tragedy unfolds. I wonder whether there should be stricter punishments following Hughes’ most-recent remarks.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The fact he received such a backlash and condemnation (not for the first time!) should be enough for those in a position of power to take action. I am not saying the Eagles of Death Metal man should be banned from music or forced to pay compensation. What I do think is more needs to be done to ensure anyone who has the same views as Hughes keeps them private. The Second Amendment does not really apply outside of American: in the U.S., it does not mean you can run your mouth off and not think of the consequences when you harbour such deplorable politics. Gun-related deaths are not on the decline and it seems, with the current President, we are no closer to solving the quandary. Trump will never repeal the Second Amendment and, so long as the Republicans hold sway in the White House; there will never be dialogue and discourse aimed at compromise and moral advancement. I will leave things there but, before departing, wanted to look at music and how its male members are tarnishing its good name. There have been reports of sexual abuse by members of popular bands – ranging from inappropriate touching to rape. We are trying to clean that sorry mess up and not slide into the same murky pit as Hollywood. Fat-mouthed musicians like Jesse Hughes should think about what they are saying and show greater respect to those who want to see an end to gun-violence – even if their protests are not, in the short-term, going to make a huge difference.

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Those students (who protested) mourned and felt the effects of the attack – some claimed they seem pretty well-adjusted and upbeat considering the violence; their motives were cynical and aimed at creating publicity – and were not doing it to get on the news and be celebrities. In any case; we all should work together to see fewer guns in society; fewer deaths and an end to the blood-filled images we have been seeing on the news. This applies to the entire world: not only U.S. high-schools. Jesse Hughes, regardless of his opinions about gun legislation-tightening, should work towards improving the situation in his country. At the very least, if he can’t think of anything sympathetic and understanding; he should keep his misguided and hate-fanning comments…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

TO himself.

FEATURE: Teenage Kicks: Debut Singles That Hit the Spot

FEATURE:

 

Teenage Kicks

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

Debut Singles That Hit the Spot

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A recent poll/battle on BBC Radio 6 Music…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

asked listeners to cast their vote regarding the best debut single from music. The final pitched The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks against Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights. I won’t spoil the result but those two, disparate, introductions show what a truly great artist can do from the off. I have collated the best debut singles from all-time; from The Beatles’ 1962 gem to more-recent efforts. Here is a list of the finest opening salvos ever…

ALL OTHER IMAGES: Getty Images

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The Beatles – Love Me Do

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Album: Please Please Me

Year of Release: 1962 (Album Released in 1963)

Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights

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Album: The Kick Inside

Year of Release: 1978

The Undertones – Teenage Kicks

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Year of Release: 1978 (Single, Non-Album Release)

Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)

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Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Year of Release: 1998

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Hey Joe

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Album: Are You Experienced?

Year of Release: 1966 (Single Release From the North American L.P. release)

Lorde – Royals

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Album: Pure Heroine

Year of Release: 2013

Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop

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Album: Ramones

Year of Release: 1976

Blur – She’s So High

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Album: Leisure

Year of Release: 1990 (Album Released in 1991)

Nirvana – Love Buzz

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Album: Bleach

Year of Release: 1988 (Album Released in 1989)

Suede – The Drowners

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Album: Suede

Year of Release: 1992 (Album Released in 1993)

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor

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Album: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Year of Release: 2005 (Album Released in 2006)

Lily Allen - Smile

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Album: Alright, Still

Year of Release: 2006

FEATURE: Illuminati, Fake Bumps and Dorian Gray: Why the Rumours and Conspiracies Surrounding Beyoncé Cannot Hide the Fact: We Need Her to Guide Music Right Now

FEATURE:

 

Illuminati, Fake Bumps and Dorian Gray

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 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Why the Rumours and Conspiracies Surrounding Beyoncé Cannot Hide the Fact: We Need Her to Guide Music Right Now

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WHETHER you consider yourself a big fan…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur (Getty Images for TIDAL)

of Beyoncé or a casual observer; you are probably aware of the ridiculous rumours that surround her. These (rumours) include the nature of age – exactly how old is she?! – and she is part of the Illuminati. Some think her recent pregnancy was a fake – a child would disprove that theory! – and that, Solange Knowles, is actually Bey’s daughter! The fact Beyoncé is in her thirties and, unless she popped out Solange when she was in school; that assumption holds little water – and, why would anyone think Solange would lie about being Bey’s sibling?! Others have speculated Beyoncé killed Joan Rivers and held Sia captive in a lair years ago. I never had Beyoncé pegged as a killer and dictator: going after random celebrates and getting a criminal record is not the best way to shift records! Other sources have linked her to former President Barack Obama; other absurd and wild theories have come to light. Bey actually hit back at those Illuminati rumours in her song, Formation (from her 2016 album, Lemonade). Whether you have enough patience to scotch those rumours and give credence to any turn of the gossip wheel – Beyoncé is not the first musician who has had many theories attached to their name. From the rumours surrounding Paul McCartney’s death back in the 1960s to, well…you can do your own research!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Jay-Z and Beyoncé

I am not sure why so many idle and non-seneschal theories surround Beyoncé. I guess, when an artist seems normal and well-adjusted; the press get it into their heads they are hiding something. It is not possible, we are told, for a big name to be an ordinary person – albeit, someone blessed with enormous talent! Beyoncé has hit back at these slights and has, with her husband Jay-Z, added more dates to their On the Run II tour. They will head to the London Stadium on 16th June and, assuming there are no other conspiracy theories thrown at her before then; she will be free to kick some arse in the U.K. I guess, in a way, it is flattering to have people take an interest in your life that does not revolve around fidelity and relationships – even though claiming she is a murderer is a bit much! One of the reasons I wanted to write about Beyoncé is because, right now, she has a role to fulfil in music. She has recently given birth to Rumi and Sir. Having twins can put a career on the back-burner for a bit: the fact she is embarking on tour dates means there is not a lot of time to ponder and relax! Lemonade, two years ago, was the last album we heard from Bey.

That record tackled reports around Jay-Z: many felt her husband was having an affair; one can detect a lot of anger and marital tension in the songs. She came out and claimed Lemonade’s most fired-up tracks were fictional – not related to the suspected cheating of Jay-Z. However you view that statement – maybe there is some truth in it – the sheer anger and confidence put into the music took many by surprise. Other songs, looking at political tension and the role of women in society, got under the skin – Lemonade is her best-reviewed album to date. Aside from Sanaa Lathan being revealed as the actor who bit Beyoncé – the woman can’t catch a break – we have not heard too much from Beyoncé since 2016. I am still listening to Lemonade and feel, back during the Obama administration; there was less reason to be riled and furious than the current (Trump) incarnation. Now, with gun violence and racial tensions; sexism and bigotry acting as White House wallpaper – surely, now, is a time for music’s foremost voice to come forward and attack?! The thirty-six-year-old Texan superstar has enjoyed a long and varied career. Lemonade, to many, is the peak of Beyoncé’s career. Although there were a fair few writers and producers in the musical kitchen: it is Beyoncé’s voice and power that strides through. The tracks run right through R&B, Rock; Soul, Hip-Hop and Blues. There are Country touches and nods to traditional Pop – although, like any Beyoncé album, there is nothing sugary and empty. Anger and betrayal played a big role; anger, political and personal, were evident – that was mixed with lighter tones and reasons for celebration.

Standouts like Don’t Hurt Yourself, Formation; Freedom and Hold Up are as good as any Beyoncé track. Few artists have the same potency and ability to grab the listener by the throat. Look back at her career and you can hear the evolution. I have been a fan of hers since the Destiny’s Child days. In my view; Beyoncé started coming into her own as a leader and performer during Destiny’s Child’s second album, The Writing’s on the Wall. In 1999, with singles like Bills, Bills, Bills; Bug a Boo and Say My Name out in the ether – we could hear Beyoncé stand as the unofficial band lead and bring these songs to life. 2001’s Survivor found the band, and Beyoncé, turn from songs about faithfulness and love to womanhood and independence (although, sexual liberation and equality were part of the band’s make-up from the debut). The title cut is as emphatic and anthemic as they come; Independent Women Part I is a huge banger; Bootylicious and Dangerously in Love are, perhaps, two of the best-known Destiny’s Child songs. During this time, Bey stood out as the group’s lead writer and took more control of the music. Prior to 2004’s Destiny Fulfilled coming out; it was announced each member of the group would release a solo album – to heighten interest in Destiny’s Child and get them more attention. Some felt this move was a mistake: reviews for their final album were not as good as expected.

More writers and producers came back into the folder; there were fewer anthems and ready hits as earlier records – band members Kelly Rowlands and Michelle Williams were more involved as producers. None of this was bad or an error of judgement: the group’s time had run and, despite a couple of gold tracks (Lose My Breath and Soldier), it was time for a change: a time for Beyoncé to stand out alone. A year before Destiny’s Child’s last studio album; Beyoncé released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love. Its opener, Crazy in Love (featuring Jay-Z) hit number-one in the U.S. and demonstrated how strong Bey was when stepping out of the ‘shadows’. Not that her then-band were causing restrictions: it was about each member and, as such, harder for each member to put their stamp on songs that were, quite often, written by committees. Beyoncé’s solo debut allowed her to help master, produce and write the songs she would go on to perform. She hit her first peak, in my view, on the sophomore album, B’Day. Released on 1st September, 2006 – to coincide with Beyoncé’s twenty-five birthday – the album’s cover sees the star in a sexy and sultry mood. That is not to say the songs on the album had any intention of being submissive and predictable. Among the tracks are some of the most personal and emphatic slices of Bey’s career to that date.

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She was in a productive mood and, with good teams around her, free to conspire, create and expand. Working with her husband, Jay-Z; the album was recorded at four different studios with a range of names/producers. It is not a shock B’Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Get Me Bodied and Ring the Alarm are as good an example of Beyoncé’s magic as you will get –  the latter, a song that suggested what the heroine would do if she caught her man walking around town with another woman! Songs on the album hinted at what she would create a decade later: a strong and proud woman who was taught to take vengeance on men who wronged her. Although there are enough names on B’Day – like every Beyoncé solo album – it was designed to give her range and diversity…rather than show a lack of talent and confidence. I Am… Sasha Fierce was a two-sided release. The first, ‘I Am…’ was composed, largely, on slower songs and ballads: the latter, employing her new persona, was a more pumped and sexual offering. Although the 2008 album did not get universally hot reviews upon its release; singles like Halo and If I Were a Boy (from the first side) impressed and showed a sensitive, mature side to Bey. Nine singles were released from the album: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), from the second-half, stands as the highlight cut. Some felt the album failed to reconcile its disparate and unique halves; others expressed doubts regarding the number of singles released and the hype the album received – never able to live up to such expectation.

2011’s 4 and 2013’s Beyoncé got the wheels back on the tracks, as it were. 2011’s swansong, Run the World (Girls) and Beyoncé’s XO showed she had lost none of her ability and talent. 4 showed sensitivity and Beyoncé’s ability to shine as a torch singer. Beyoncé was, at that point, the best-reviewed album of her career. That upward trajectory was no shock: with each release, she was growing in stature and acquiring new skills as a songwriter. Maybe changes in her life – the security of love and motherhood – she gave birth to Blue Ivy Carter in 2012 following a miscarriage the year before – was responsible. However you view her career and quality up until that point; there is no denying the reliability and determination. Live performances were heralded and proffered; her fanbase swelled and, prior to Lemonade, Beyoncé was the most sought-after and influential female solo artist on the planet. Her 2016-released masterpiece prefaced her brief hiatus – with new life in her came new responsibilities. Lemonade blew the doors open and showed, at that point, there was nobody quite like her. In summing-up; the reason I feel we need a Beyoncé charge ties to everything she has achieved – and what we need in music right now. The fact she has overcome marriage difficulties – if you feel Lemonade was autobiographical – and achieved a lot since then means, surely, there is the inspiration for something heartfelt and passionate.

It is the potential righteousness and aggression that excites me. Trump is now in office and there is the Time’s Up and Me Too movements. Women’s rights are at the forefront and there is the fetid sleaze of Harvey Weinstein hanging in the air like an insistent fart. More revelations and accusations are coming out; racism and aggression against the black population are unabated; gun violence is still a huge issue – so many troubles, not only in the U.S., but the wider political stage. In a world divided and struggling; the sort of sermons and spirit Bey brings to the music world is now, surely, needed more than ever?! I look out at music and, aside from Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z; there aren’t that many big artists able to adequately articulate the frustrations we all face. Sure; there are Punk and Rock bands who make a good stab at it – I feel U.S. artists, sadly, are more impressive when it comes to that much-needed fire and leadership. Eminem, sadly, produced a weak album with Revival. I felt, when it was announced, it would be a modern (albeit, older) version of The Marshall Mathers LP – a collection of songs that reminded us why he is one of the best rappers ever. A lack of focus and too much collaboration (Ed Sheeran, for Christ’s sake!) meant it failed to register and impress – signalling an end to his best days; perhaps, it seems, his last album?!

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I feel Beyoncé is the person to step forward and provide the album we all need right now: one that would show it political colours and, at the same time, provide personal and passionate songs (a mix of maternal ponderings and sexual, sensual hip-swivelers!). A new album could stray along the same lines of Lemonade: it would not be bad hearing the second part of that record. What I feel is best – and what she could do – is update its political mandates and bring in some of the inspirations we heard in her earlier career – a 2018 version of Ring the Alarm of Lose My Breath, perhaps? She is in her mid-thirties now; the inspirational palette has taken in new colours. In any case; there is a definite spotlight waiting to be filled. I have been impressed by recent albums by St. Vincent and Phoebe Bridgers. There are so many great female artists providing exceptional, nuanced music. At a time when there is gender-inequality and discrimination; ‘Queen Bey’, it seems, need to sit back on the throne and deliver a devastating message to the world. Whether that will come post-tour – there is chatter she is working on music right now – I hope there is plenty of anger in her heart. An all-ballads record would be understandable: it is not what the public, and her fans, want right now. I am excited to see what could come and, in a year where we need a strong and defiant voice to show us the way; it seems Beyoncé’s talents and powers are required now…

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MORE than ever.

INTERVIEW: IAKO

INTERVIEW:

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 IAKO

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EACH time I experience a musician…

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who hails from a different part of the world; I am keen to ask how the scene differs there – compared with here in the U.K. Venice-born IAKO has moved to London but tells me how the cities differ; whether there are any performances coming up; how it feels putting out the debut single, Queen of Balance – and, what the story behind it is.

I learn what we can expect from the forthcoming Queen of Balance E.P. and when IAKO decided music is what he was supposed to be doing; if there is a new artist we need to keep our eyes out for; what he has planned for the remainder of this year – the songwriter selects a contemporary banger to end the interview with.

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

It’s been fantastic, thank you! I played a great gig on Monday night; quite a good crowd and it went well, as we were trying out a couple new songs for the first time. Also, the feedback for Queen of Balance has been incredible so far, so I’m super-excited.

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

I’m a twenty-two-year-old singer-songwriter, originally from Venice. I moved to London three years ago to make music and here I am today, trying to get my first record out into the world. I’ve just released my debut single, Queen of Balance; I’ve got another single coming out on the 20th April and an E.P., set out for release at the end of May.

It’s a very exciting time for me because it’s my first release ever.

Queen of Balance is your debut single. What is the tale behind the song? Is it exciting getting that first song out there?!

I went through a terrible period at this time last year which forced me to put music and all projects aside for quite a long time. Towards June, when I was finally getting better; I sat down and decided that I really wanted to express those moments and personal experiences in my music. Queen of Balance is the first song that came out. It’s about a relationship of course, but it’s mainly a reflection on my personality, role and perception of that relationship.

It’s incredibly scary to put out such an intimate song as your first single but, as I said; it’s been well-received by the media so far - so I’m quite excited.

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I believe the E.P. of the same name is out soon. How much does transition and the idea of movement and relocation play a role?

I’m a very rational and observant person and I’m constantly striving towards something new and different. This means that, often, I can’t quite relax and enjoy what I’ve achieved because I’m already worrying about the next challenge. In that sense, the idea of movement as a constant drive to adapt to different situations is one of the main themes of the record.

Will there be more singles from the E.P.? Is there a particular song, from the collection, that stands out as being especially personal and striking?

It’s funny, because the next single, Paint, is one of the oldest songs I’ve ever written. I wasn’t really comfortable talking about myself back then, so I used to write little stories which I would then turn into a song. Paint tells the story of a couple who lives in a dystopian future where all the colours are gone; although, it’s not about a personal experience: it’s a very important song to me, as it reminds me of my very early stages in music.

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You have Venetian background – based in London now. How do those different worlds and people influence you as a songwriter? Is it very different being in London?

A lot of my writing revolves around the contrast between the two cities. Venice is a very safe and dangerous environment at the same time. You’re surrounded by people you’ve known since you were born, which is really comfortable - but you can easily get stuck into one common mentality and give up your passions because you’re afraid of judgement.

On the other hand; London is incredibly chaotic and lonely but it really allows you to push your artistic vision to the limit. I’ve changed a lot since I moved here and I think London has had a huge impact on me. I’ve grown to be a big fan of such a fast-paced lifestyle; although I come from a completely different background.

Surrounded by history and beauty; was there much time for music living in Venice? Which artists do you remember listening to as a child?

I never really thought music was gonna be my career, despite always being really passionate about it. There’s not much of a music scene in Venice; so I never really thought of being a professional musician/artist in Italy.

My dad is all about the old Blues, so I grew up with B.B. King, John Lee Hooker; Albert King etc. But, he was also into Funk and Disco music. Quite far away from the songs on this record, I know! I can hear more of those influences in some new stuff I’ve been writing recently.

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Was there a moment where you knew music was what you were supposed to do? Was it quite scary making that leap?

I went to uni for a while back in Venice. I was studying literature, which is what I thought I would do for my whole life - but the course was not challenging at all. I was studying the same things that I knew since I was fifteen. I remember being so unmotivated and feeling low cause I had no creative ground to experiment with. So that only lasted for a few months.

I was never really scared about the choice in itself; it was way scarier once I actually got to London, cause I was only eighteen and completely on my own.

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

I’m playing a full band gig on 15th April at Notting Hill Arts Club and then, on 24th May, at The Finsbury. I’m gonna be adding new dates very soon, so keep an eye on my social.

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How important is the stage for you? Can you articulate the feeling of being up there, performing to the people?

Because of the intimate nature of my music, I always try to be as genuine as possible on stage. I talk quite a lot in between the songs and I try not to take myself seriously as the songs are already quite intense. This record is all about the atmosphere flow, so you need to be willing to get into a certain mindset to enjoy it. The other night, a guy walked up to me and described my show as ‘educational’.

That made me so proud!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

2018, for me, is the year to really get my name out there as much as possible. I’m building a small team and I’m hoping more and more people are going to get involved. I’m also experimenting with completely new music genres. I don’t want to get stuck or too comfortable on one thing - so, you can expect very different projects coming up in the future.

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

I remember playing a house gig back in Venice - it was a tiny living room and too many people turned up; so there was no space left for performing. I ended up sitting down on the floor and holding the piano on my legs, which made the whole atmosphere even more magical as we were all incredibly close to each other.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

For all I can see at this point in my career; you need your own thing. It needs to be genuine. There’s so much music out there right now, that being similar to anyone else will destroy your career in the long-run; although, it may boost your self-esteem temporarily.

I think audiences need personalities to follow rather than just nice and familiar songs. Having said that; I’m a very new artist, too, so I’ll happily listen to any good advice!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Sakura/PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Taylor

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

My friend, Sakura, is doing quite a good job at the moment. She’s had two singles out already - and I think you will hear from her in the future.

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

I don’t really have much time away from music at the moment. I’ve been working for over a year on this record and I’m still promoting it - so that’s quite a lot of work to do. I also teach piano to kids in a music school; so I, literally, spend most of my days doing music, one way or another.

I do read as much as I can when I have time. That’s what helps me turn my brain off when I need to. I’m really into non-fiction at the moment.

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’ve had this song on repeat for the whole day: Young Fathers – In My View.

I love how the production flows together with the song - and I think some of the rhythmical and melodic motifs in the song are absolutely genius...

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INTERVIEW: MOLLYANNA

INTERVIEW:

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MOLLYANNA

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THERE are many terrific artists…

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based in Yorkshire right now. I feel the area does not get the respect and attention it warrants. I asked the Sheffield-based band, MOLLYANNA, whether they agree with that statement. They tell me about the new single, Thief, and what inspired its creation; how the nostalgic look of its video came together; who the new artists are we should be keeping an eye out for – whether the band have any tour dates coming up.

I discover how MOLLYANNA has changed since its inception and when we can expect more material. The guys share their favourite albums and memories from music; what advice they would give to new artists emerging – and, given their busy schedule, they have any time to relax and wind down.

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

Hey, Sam. We're pretty good. It's been a busy week, getting ready for our single launch on 31st March. It's been all-go with rehearsals!

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

We're MOLLYANNA; a four-piece Alternative-Rock band from Sheffield. We write gritty, melodic tunes about what goes on in our heads...

We are Bernadette (Vocals), Mike (Guitar); Josh (Bass) and Laura (Drums).

Thief is your new song. What is the story behind it?

Bernadette: This song took ages to write. Mike presented me with this amazing riff and, for months, I couldn't come up with anything to do it justice. Then, I stayed at my parents’ house in some sh*t village for two weeks cat-sitting for them. It was really lonely and I was surrounded by all these photos of me and my siblings growing up.

I wrote Thief feeling nostalgic about summertime and all the mistakes I've made; what I'd do differently if I could…

The music video was shot entirely on VHS. Was that an instant decision? What was the reason behind that?

That was a decision made by Adam Fitch (Director), really. We'd been chatting for a while, trying to decide how best to get that nostalgia across on screen, and he had the idea to do it on a camcorder from 1987. It was so much fun to film! I like the fact everyone has their own room and I travel between them - it's like I'm visiting different memories.

Is there going to be more material coming? Might we see an E.P. later this year?

We're working on some new material, and it'll hopefully result in an E.P. coming out next year. I'm really excited to get stuck into writing again.

How did MOLLYANNA get together? When did you meet one another?

Mike is one of my oldest friends and we've been making music together, one way or another, for almost eight years now. He's a technical genius and can really focus on tiny details to make sure something is perfect. I'm more ‘big picture’ and deal with melodies and structures. We work really well together.

We formed MOLLYANNA in 2016 as a duo and then recruited three other people to play live with us. Those three left last summer but we gained Josh and Laura - who are both incredibly talented and the most fun to perform and work with!

You are based out of Sheffield. Is the scene quite healthy at the moment? Do you think the area gets the credit it deserves?

Josh: I would say the scene in Sheffield is thriving at the moment. A lot of it in the past up until, maybe, mid-last year was very Indie-based - and still is to some extent. But, there are plenty of great bands coming through all genres now and it really feels like everyone involved in music around Sheffield is out to help and support one another.

It's amazing to be a part of…so, yeah; I think it does get the credit it deserves!

Who are the artists you all grew up listening to?

Bernadette: I grew up listening to Nirvana, Green Day; The Offspring, NOFX; System of a Down, Machine Head but, also, Alanis Morissette, Cyndi Lauper and Savage Garden, because, why not.

Josh: I grew up with a lot of my stepdad's music taste; so there was a lot of The Beatles, The Who; David Bowie, Talking Heads and New Order to name a few. From there, I found my own tastes and people like Jeff Buckley, John Mayer and Red Hot Chili Peppers inspired me a lot.

Mike: Sum 41, Blink-182 and System of a Down. Then, through the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I got into Soul, Jazz, and Hip-Hop - and then it just spiralled a bit.

Laura: I grew up listening to a lot of Green Day, Nirvana; Radiohead: pretty much all of the 1990s Rock bands!

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

Josh: For me, it would have to be Grace by Jeff Buckley. It continues to inspire me to make music every time I listen to it, and I will always come back to it. For me, it's (just) perfection.

Bernadette: This is so hard! It'd have to be between By the Way (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Dookie (Green Day). Teenage loner vibes.

Laura: Tough question...I guess Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette. It was the first album growing up I felt I could really relate to.

Mike: Anything by The Smiths. Because it reminds me of the positive power of pure hatred.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

We want to write an E.P. and take this show on the road (tour).

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

Laura: Too many! My best memory has to be when I and eight-hundred other drummers got together in 2012 to break the world record for the number of drummers in the same room playing in time with each other! That was mad! We also raised over £150k for the MS Society UK.

Bernadette: I put a lot of myself into our songs, so performing them live and seeing people respond to them always feels amazing. I played a sold-out gig last year where we'd squeezed one-hundred-and-thirty people into a one-hundred-capacity venue - it was so warm but the atmosphere was insane.

Mike: Probably just small breakthrough moments with songwriting - which are few and far between. Sometimes, you have to really grind to make something happen…but there have been a few moments where I’ve sat down to write something and had a full song thirty mins later. This happened once while writing Thief - and that’s probably top for now.

Josh: It’s so hard to choose one moment. I’ve played a lot of really cool gigs with a couple of bands; so I’m like Bernadette in that I love performing. But, what’s great about having joined MOLLYANNA is that it's pushed me to be a better musician - and that is something that's going to stay with me!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Bernadette: work hard to perfect your music; work to your strengths and invest wisely if you need to use outside agencies for anything. Do your research!

Josh: Make sure you don't lose sight of why you got into playing music in the first place. It can be easy to get bogged down with lots of planning and admin but, if you still love the music you play and get excited about what you play, then you’ll love it.

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IN THIS PHOTO: ENGINE

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Josh: Ten Eighty Trees (Newcastle/Sheffield) are amazing, as well as The Sky Moguls (Sheffield) and ENGINE (Leeds). I'd also say Kid Conventional (Sheffield) and Weekend Recovery (Leeds), who are both supporting us at our launch this month.

Bernadette: We played with some incredible guys from Nottingham called A Hundred Crowns - absolutely worth checking out. I'd also recommend Steal the City, from Sheffield, who are ace and so lovely.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: A Hundred Crowns

Where can we see you play? What gigs do you have lined up?

We have our single launch-party on 31st March in Sheffield, which we're super-excited about. We also have some local festivals (Tramlines and Heaven & Hell Fest). We're currently booking some dates further afield for summer…so stay in touch to find out more!

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

Bernadette: I like to drink gin and go bouldering…separately.

Josh: I also like drinking gin. I'm training to be a journalist and I find that helps - to be able to get to the pub!

Mike: Putting on a stupid podcast and trying to learn to draw. That does it for me right now.

Laura: I'm not sure I ever unwind completely from music: I’m constantly tapping away.

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).

Josh: Ol’ '55 by Tom Waits - it’s beautiful

Bernadette: I'll Make a Man Out of You by Donny Osmond (Mulan Original Soundtrack). For like, no reason…

Laura: Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins

Mike: Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles

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FEATURE: Are People Strange? How the Industry Benefits From Artists Who Are a Bit ‘Out There’

FEATURE:

 

Are People Strange?

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ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash

How the Industry Benefits From Artists Who Are a Bit ‘Out There’

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IF you are the kind of person who licks windows…

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and eats dog food for its taste; you’d probably be a bit short-changed looking out at the music landscape - hoping to find something that strikes the ear and makes sense. What bugs me is, among all the progression and evolution in music, there are few artists working on the fringes; those who push the envelope and provide some proper-odd music. I am not saying they need to be as peculiar as, say Captain Beefheart, or some wigged-out Psychedelic band. What I mean is, when you are faced with a blank page and the prospect of an album – what is the harm in doing something a little unusual and adding some strange spice to the pot?! I feel there is too much ordinary music and predictable steps being made right now. The reason I have written this piece is because of two current artists/albums – from Let’s Eat Grandma and Jack White – show what can happen when you tease a bit of acid into the cuisine. White’s latest album, Boarding House Reach, has been receiving some good reviews. There are some that have been a little lukewarm regarding his latest effort. One of the biggest concerns – regarding his latest album – is the lack of real punch and epic riffs…the kind we are used to hearing from the former White Stripes lead. What has made an impact is how he has strayed far from the ordinary and produced an album with weird tics, movements and sounds.

Like some weird loner holed up in a woodland shack; Jack White took his four-track and box-set of Keeping Up Appearances and started the wood carvings of Boarding House Reach. Among the howling wolves and blowing wind was a stream of consciousness that led to some brilliant recordings. Why Walk Like a Dog? has spacey organs and electronics; its muted vocals and shadowy tones show the U.S. musician has lost none of his mystique and eccentricity. Abulia and Akrasia features a rousing speech set against cascading piano notes and aching strings; Hypermisophoniac and Get in the Mind Shaft definitely depart from your normal Rock/Alternative album. There are some softer, more conventional offerings on the record – the fact the album is taking a while to capture all critics is the way White has gone a bit bananas. I have listened to him in interviews lately and the man is his usual warm, funny and fascinating self. Going against the more restrained – for him, anyway – offerings; he has released an album that takes you by the knackers and trips the mind. The album is not an out-and-out weirdo: it has some odd edges and subverts any expectations we had. I wonder whether, in a time like this, we need to be a bit more open-minded and supportive of those artists who go beyond the obvious and take music in new directions.

There are other modern artists, like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard who produce music that definitely does not look at sell-by dates and your ‘best before’ labels. They drink from the toilet and juggle beer cans in the park. Whilst those images might provoke a lunatic or derelict; modern inventors and provocative artists show where music can head. Maybe Jack White’s third solo outing has some loose flaps and unfocused numbers. It is when he opens the taps and lets his imagination fly that we get the biggest and boldest sensations. Even though critics have been ambivalent towards his new effort; those who have praised it highly signal out his weirdness and experimentation as a major bonus! Another act doing something different is Let’s Eat Grandma. They have very little common with the American icon. Instead; here are two British friends, Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth. Their 2016 album, I, Gemini, impressed critics and launched the teenage songwriter to the world. Let’s Eat Grandma’s newest track, Falling Into Me, shows what we can expect from their forthcoming album, I’m All Ears (out on 29th June). The song, for them, is more controlled and safe: the previous single, Hot Pink, is a right-out-there barker that, happily, recalls their debut album. The duo match fizzing, violent and eerie tracks with something more accessible and digestible.

One can argue an artist like Kate Bush or Björk – when they arrived in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively – were the equivalents of Let’s Eat Grandma and King Gizzard’. Jack White, although he has been releasing music since the 1990s has increased his cosmic horizons and is exploring sound and texture in new ways. Let’s Eat Grandma are not an art project or something you might expect to see on a John Lennon and Yoko Ono album – weird effects, tape sounds and random howling. Let’s Eat Grandma are a wonderful act who might face a challenge: getting widespread acceptance and appreciation. They have a lot of fans already: getting further out there and resonating with wider markets might take a bit more time. I feel one of the reasons there are not more artists out there like the aforementioned is because music is still, in 2018, too tame and limited. There are innovative and brash artists but, even at their most outrageous and daring; I still find myself wandering off half-way through things. The reason the innovators and legendary ‘kooks’ like Kate Bush created such a stir is that they were not the same as everyone else. I am not suggesting artists need to lose their minds and provide an acid trip to the listeners. The reason I am so captivated by those who do not colour between the lines is (because it) is the antithesis of the bland and formulaic mainstream act. I have a lot of time for popular music but it is nice to get out of the routine and discover something a little unusual.

One-off songs like Frontier Psychiatrist (The Avalanches) have dropped in the world and stunned people. We did not know what to make of that song and yet, years after its release (it was part of the 2000 album, Since I Left You); it is a song people gravitate towards and love. I wonder whether we need to stop being so restrictive with music and push boundaries more. There are more artists – than I have mentioned – who splice genres and take gambles; subsume predictions and take the brain somewhere else. Whether an artist rewinds a tape and splices in a spoken word piece; they distort the voice or create a multi-part suite – I long to hear something that thumbs its nose at the three-minute, suitable-for-radio jam. You do not have to alienate people to be seen as alien. By that; I mean you can create wonder and curiosity by slightly tweaking the ordinary. Jack White’s current album is relatable and resonates with those who have followed its career. What it does do is add a little bit of oddity to his palette and is definitely not, in any sense, boring. A complete overhaul and redefinition of modern music is not the answer to the problem. Having everyone doing the same thing – a little strangeness to the agenda – would create a similar issue. Freakier, unusual artists might, on paper, seem like a hard prospect to love.

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I would object to huge waves of out-there artists coming into music and washing over what is already here. What I DO want is more of the artists working in the underground – that have those peculiar embers and inventive songs – get more focus and embrace. Maybe it is a case of the odd kid in school being isolated in the playground. I don’t think modern music is that clique-obsessed and ignorant: there are plenty of mainstream and popular acts capable of enticing with a sense of the strange. What I have noticed is a scene where there are too many same-sounding and restricted ambitions. It is nice having artists who do not care about fitting in with the rules and following the pack. Maybe there are some sound-pushing, wild artists ready to add a dose of the zonked into a more palatable and acceptable concoction. Most of those artists, from what I hear, are reserved to specialist radio shows or are working in the underground. Perhaps artists like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Let’s Eat Grandma are temporary flashes and rare specimens. I think there is something oddly captivating and attractive about an artist who takes those sort of gambles. I am not in the minority: many people are connecting with songs/musicians who approach things from odd angles. To answer the question posed at the top of this feature, ‘Are People Strange?’; I would say, on the evidence around us, the answer is…

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NOT as strange as they should be!

FEATURE: After Ten Minutes of Silence… The Best Hidden Tracks in Music

FEATURE:

 

After Ten Minutes of Silence…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

The Best Hidden Tracks in Music

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MAYBE it is hard to represent this feature…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

with as much purity and effect as I had hoped. What I mean is that some of these songs, the hidden tracks, occur after a long silence – you don’t get the same suspense and surprise with them out of context (the feature’s title is a nod to how long it takes for the Nirvana song, Endless, Nameless, to arrive after Something in the Way). I have looked at the best hidden tracks from music. Some of them are obvious and much-heard – Her Majesty on Abbey Road, for example – whereas some, I’d imagine, are fairly new to the senses (a certain Oasis track might have slipped many by...). I have collected the tastiest hidden tracks from popular music – and listed the albums/E.P. they can be heard or (or were issued on re-releases or vinyl versions).

ALL OTHER IMAGES/PHOTOS: Getty Images

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Her Majesty – The Beatles

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Album: Abbey Road

Release Date: 1969

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Lauryn Hill

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Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Release Date: 1998

Endless, Nameless - Nirvana

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Album: Nevermind

Release Date: 1991

Citizens Band – Super Furry Animals

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Album: Guerrilla

Release Date: 1991

Milk - The 1975

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E.P.: Sex

Release Date: 2012

Late - Kanye West

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Album: Late Registration

Release Date: 2005

Encore for the Fans/Listen/Get Me Bodied (Extended Mix) - Beyoncé

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Album: B’Day

Release Date: 2006

Alas, I Cannot Swim - Laura Marling

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Album: Alas, I Cannot Swim

Release Date: 2008

Bonehead’s Bank Holiday - Oasis  

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Album: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

Release Date: 1995

All By Myself - Green Day

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Album: Dookie

Release Date: 1994

Intense Thing - Ash  

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Album: Trailer

Release Date: 1994

France - The Libertines

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Album: The Libertines

Release Date: 2004

Poor Song - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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Album: Fever to Tell

Release Date: 2003

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: The Beatles – Please Please Me

FEATURE:

 

Vinyl Corner:

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ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

The Beatles – Please Please Me

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WHENEVER I need a lift and a bit of cheer…

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1963

music is always there and ready to provide something special. Now, as I look at transition and taking on new challenges; I have been looking at the music industry and trying to find guidance. There is an album, however, that provides everything I need in one place: the marvellous debut from The Beatles. Whilst other albums of theirs – Revolver, Abbey Road; Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beatles – are more celebrated and better-received; there is something to be said for their debut. Put 1963 into context. The boys were known by then – having played in Hamburg and establishing a name for themselves at The Cavern Club (in Liverpool). The debut single, Love Me Do, was released in 1962 and, already, the band was popular and creating buzz. After the success of Love Me Do and its number-one follow-up, Please Please Me; there was demand for an album and more material. At the point of entering the studio; eight original songs were written – producer George Martin and Parlophone needed more tracks so they could get an L.P. out. At the time, The Beatles were performing cover songs at their gigs: several of these tracks made their way onto the L.P. The concept was simple, yet daunting: record the album during a single day; essentially, as a live-sounding L.P.

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1963/PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The aim was to release something that was, in essence, a Beatles live set – a sprinkling of covers alongside the originals of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Interest in The Beatles piqued at this time so that pressure could have resulted in something hurried and slapdash. The fact the album was recorded during a day-long session meant, technically, there was a need for expeditiousness and ‘efficiency’. With EMI Studios in Abbey Road booked; on Monday, 11th February, 1963; The Beatles began working on the album. The idea was to have a morning and afternoon set – getting everything dusted and captured by the evening. The guys started the recording at 10 A.M. and performed a different number of takes for each song – finishing at 10:45 P.M. (Ten songs were recorded during that session; they had already recorded four tracks - Please Please Me, Love Me Do; P.S. I Love You and Ask Me Why - as sides A and B of the two singles released prior to that point). What is amazing to me, and George Martin back then, is the endurance and discipline the band had. Compare it to a modern-day Pop band and you would not get the same stamina and results. Now, they would record a few songs a day, if that, and enjoy the luxuries of the studio. The urgency and desire to have Beatles material into the world meant there was a pressure to get the material sounding right and pure – whilst ensuring it had a live feel and replicating their sets at The Cavern Club. The fact they managed to perform the songs that fast, and keeping their voices strong and working, is a huge feat in itself!

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The fact remains: the longer the day went on, and the more they played, the better they came. After 585 minutes of recording – the most efficient and spectacular in all of music – they had a record finished. To get a sense of why the album is so groundbreaking and important; we need to pick the needle up and reposition it into the groove. There were some double-tracked vocals (McCartney on A Taste of Honey) and overdubbed instruments (piano on Misery; harmonica on There’s a Place) but, for the most part, it was that simple and bare-naked bliss. You listen to the first track from the record: the insistent and joyous, I Saw Her Standing There. McCartney counts it in and launches – with the band – into a captivating and youthful paen to the possibilities of a night out. It has innocence and allure but there is a sexuality and suggestiveness that makes the song both pure and salacious. Boasting, perhaps, the most-noted opening lines from any Beatles song – “She was just seventeen/You know, what I mean…” – it is a delirious, raucous sting that gets the album off to a brilliant start. At this time, given the way albums are promoted and singles drip-fed; it would be tempting to throw their biggest hits into the top-three. They could have put Love Me Do and Please Please Me right after the opener – hooking people in and keeping them invested. Those tracks, transposed, do not appear until tracks seven and eight – right at the half-way marker!

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The ordering of the first-half is interesting. After that explosive opening; Misery (another original) is followed by Anna (Arthur Alexander). The guys showed their songwriting variation up-top before unveiling a diverse hattrick of covers – Chains and Boys followed (the latter handed the microphone to Ringo Starr). Ask Me Why, track-six, brings it back to original territory; the closer is the title cut. It is a great move ending the first side with a big hit – it gave the first side a great balance and ended it (and started) with a huge high. The same is true of the second-half. It opens with their debut single, Love Me Do. Whereas the opening side started with fizz and race: the next side opens with something more romantic and Blues-inspired. Lennon’s harmonica playing has been highlighted by critics as a revelation. Most people would have expected bent notes and American-style playing. Lennon’s performance was rawer and truer to Northern England. It has expression and melody and far more honesty than what was floating around Rock and Pop. Again, another original completes a glorious opening duo of songs. P.S. I Love You, more popular with some critics than Love Me Do, builds the mood up and shows, even in 1963, what interesting and perspective songwriters Lennon and McCartney were. Although the writing was simpler than the work they would produce by 1966 (Revolver); the original recordings on Please Please Me reflected where the band were in 1963.

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They were in the studio to get down something quick and exciting: labouring over melody, compositional layering and pushing technology wouldn’t have been cost-effective or required. It was not until the band transitioned from Rubber Soul to Revolver (1965-1966) that they transformed from more straightforward songs to the experimental and mind-altering tracks that would take them to a new level. It is the freshness and verve one hears through Please Please Me that strikes the mind. George Martin’s production manages to leave the songs uncomplicated yet professional. He got the best out of the band but did not expect them to record endless takes of the same song – the clock was out and the budget limited. The remaining five songs of the record sprinkled covers and originals: Baby It’s You and A Taste of Honey (tracks three and five of the side) were sandwiched by Do You Want to Know a Secret? and There’s a Place (tracks four and six). Cleverly, and economically; the band closed their debut with a popular and explosive cover – bookending the thrills and rush McCartney provided at the top. Unlike later albums like Abbey Road and Let It Be; Please Please Me saw John Lennon take more of a role in the band. One can chart The Beatles up until 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to see when the dynamic shifted.

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The fall-out from that world-changing, paradigm-shifting album was the vast and compartmentalised, The Beatles (‘The White Album’). From 1968-1970; McCartney took more of the ‘band leader’ role – he exerted that sort of command during Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – until the end. The debut, to me, is defined by Lennon’s role. Although the two songwriters showed their skill and variation: the entire band was present and featured in vocal roles. Starr took the lead for Boys; George Harrison took the mantle for Do You Want to Know a Secret? Although Harrison’s vocals were criticised by journalists (and seen as a bit weak by the band) it was good to see a democracy and four different voices through the record. Please Please Me has that balance of meticulous construction and planning with live-sounding music and simplicity. If the spread of covers and originals was a savvy move and balance – alongside the bookended choices – the finale was always going to be Twist and Shout. The song was the last to be recorded and one could argue, was John Lennon’s voice in better shape, it would be higher up the pecking order. It is conceivable the album, and The Beatles’ careers, could have changed and been different if another song ended their debut album. The reason Twist and Shout ends things is because Lennon, during recording, was suffering a bad cold. Whilst the rest of the studio was drinking coffee and smoking: Lennon was drinking milk and preserving his voice.

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An all-day recording session could bust a healthy and perfect voice: one that was already damaged and vulnerable should not have lasted as long as it did! With little time left, and little voice left in Lennon, the band knew they had to master Twist and Shout on the first take. If the take had gone wrong (the voice breaking or the band fluffing) they would have stopped tape to regroup. Lennon might not have had the capacity to complete the recording and, as such, the record would have entered its second day. To consider how disruptive and inorganic that would sound makes the actual recording of Twist and Shout a marvel. Lennon gives it his all and, with that sore throat, created one of the most rebellious, electric and impressive vocals of the 1960s. It harked back to Rock ‘n’ Roll icons like Elvis Presley. Such power and raw sexuality was not expected, or promoted, in 1963’s music scene. It changed the game and excited the bored youth – with it, sparking a revolution and launching The Beatles onto the world stage. Please Please Me was recorded for £400 (just under £8,000 in today’s money) and, given the fact Parlophone had a yearly budget of £55,000 to cover all musicians on their roster – it was a fair chunk of change but, compared with the impact the album made; I figure it is money well spent! Please Please Me went to number-one on the U.K. album charts and was made platinum in the U.S. (it has sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies!).

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles at The Cavern Club (circa 1961/1962)

To me, the album represents the first (literally) flourishes of The Beatles and discovering music in a different way. I remember gearing the songs, on tape and radio, when driving to my grandparents’ house in the late-1980s/early-1990s. I was used to a different sound and type of music when I was that young. The simplicity and excitement of Please Please Me opened my eyes and seeped into my imagination. Every time I hear the opening harmonica notes of Love Me Do or that ready-to-rock-and-roll clarion from McCartney on the opening track – I am transported to my early life and discovering The Beatles. There are, yeah, some rougher patches on the record – Harrison’s sole vocal lead; covers like Anna and Baby It’s You – but, on balance, it is an exceptional and revelatory album. Those looser edges and weaknesses make the album such a treasure. It represented and mirrored the type of performance one would expect from The Beatles at that time. They would, as I mentioned, go on to grow as innovators by the middle/end part of the 1960s. Even from the debut album; people knew what The Beatles could achieve and how talented they were. The closeness and brotherly spirit of the band is evident in every track. To be a fly on the studio wall when they were putting the songs together would be a dream come true. I can only imagine what sort of conversations happened when the album’s last note was captured – you can hear McCartney let out a jubilant cheer at the very end of Twist and Shout! All said and done; Please Please Me is one of the most important and underrated albums of all-time – and one we should all have as part of our collection. It is perfect on vinyl and, if you have a spare thirty-three minutes; stick it on the turntable, drop the needle; let that evocative and genius music…

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IN THIS PHOTO: John Lennon and Paul McCartney at EMI Studios; 4th September, 1962 

TAKE you to another place.

INTERVIEW: Gris-de-Lin

INTERVIEW:

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Gris-de-Lin

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ONE of my big ambitions for this year…

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is to highlight artists who have rare quality and spirit. Gris-de-Lin is a musician I had to know more about. She talks to me about making music and living down in Bridport, Dorset. I discover what the story is behind the new track, Muhammad Ali – it is from the exceptional album, Sprung. Gris-de-Lin discusses the album of the same name and whether tour dates will follow.

I ask which musicians inspire her and which new artists we should all check out; if the songwriter gets time to detach from a busy music career; what it was like recording music at a nursery school – Gris-de-Lin reveals her plans for the remainder of 2018.

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Hi, Gris-de-Lin. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey. Yeah. All good, thanks. I’ve been away a lot on tour recently, but I’m finally home and that feels pretty blissful!

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

I’m a singer/songwriter who plays a variety of instruments; creating music by the sea in Dorset. My influences are broad, so my music has elements of Post-Rock, Alt-Folk; dark Blues and glitchy Electronica, too.

Muhammad Ali is your newest track. Can you tell me about the story behind it?

Well. The song is based on a true event – a man who must’ve escaped from some kind of institution or hospital; snuck into my old flat and slept there overnight. In the morning, he’d scarpered through an open window and all that was left was a pile of clothes and his nametag ‘Muhammad Ali’.

This got me thinking about imprisonment and the mind – so, really, I’d say the song is about the human spirit and how our freedom of thought is the one thing that can’t be caged.

It follows hot on the heels of Sprung. The video for the song looks like it was a bit of an adventure! What was it like filming it?

Yeah. It was pretty epic trudging through the woods in high heels carrying a drum kit! I wanted it to have a fairytale element - which was why we introduced all the cuddly toy voyeurs watching from behind the trees. All my videos are very D.I.Y. and made with friends; so it’s fun to see what can be done with no budget and a little bit of imagination.

I believe the album, Sprung, will follow. What was it like recording the record? Is there a track from the album, you feel, stands out from the pack?

It was a special time recording the album; I got really immersed in it. I’d wake up in the middle of the night with lyrics in my head that I had to write down (and stuff like that)! It was kind of overwhelming at times, but exciting too.

I’d say The Kick is a song that stands out – it began as an improvisation but then took on a life of its own. The lyrics were taken from a report about a rugby match in the local paper, but they ended up becoming quite poignant for me (it’s all about getting your mojo back).  

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Is it true the material was recorded in a nursery school?! What was the reason for that? Was it conducive to inspiration, would you say?

Yes, that’s right. I think, sometimes, music studios can feel a bit claustrophobic…plus, as soon as you are in a studio, you can feel under pressure. The nursery school is a really nice big space, so it meant we could set up instruments, amps and equipment everywhere and never feel hemmed in. For me, the recording experience has to be enjoyable as I think feeling relaxed makes it much easier to get good takes and to capture special spontaneous moments.

What was it like working with Chris Hamilton (Torres/Kite Base) and Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey/Anna Calvi) on the record?

It was great working with Chris - as we were really on the same wavelength from the start. There were lots of crossovers in terms of our musical taste, but he also took me beyond my comfort zone and introduced brilliant elements of dark Electronica to the mix. Rob Ellis came in for a day to put drums on a couple of the songs. That was great, as I’d been a fan of his drumming for a long time. When he plays, he is a powerhouse!

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Tell me about the artists you count as idols. Which musicians were you raised on?

Well. My parents were very into Folk music, so there was a lot of that playing in the background during my childhood. One of my favourites was an early Kate Bush record - it had scary sounds at the beginning, so I’d put it on and hide behind the sofa to listen. Joni Mitchell’s Blue was another in their collection which remains a stunning piece of work. I’m sure it inspired me when I was young. My mum was also into music from lots of different countries - and I think that’s, maybe, where my love of interesting rhythms stems from.

I wouldn’t really say I have idols – but I’m really inspired by songwriters whose lyrics manage to both tell a story but be personal too. Tom Waits and Nick Cave spring to mind here. Oh, and David Bowie, of course. When you look at the body of work he created and everything that came with it, visually, it’s kind of mind-blowing. When songs can capture the spirit of a time and place, that’s really special.

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Bridport, Dorset is home. What is the area like in terms of music? Do you take a lot of influence from the setting and people?

I’m lucky because Bridport is a small town with lots going on and lots of creative people. It’s a quirky place – an alternative haven with friendly vibes. Its nature and seaside are really stunning - and that is a constant inspiration.

Who are the artists who opened your eyes growing up?

So many. Bands like Sonic Youth, Fugazi and Mogwai really inspired me by managing to be really atmospheric and heavy at the same time. Then, there are the Alternative songwriters who continue to inspire me with songs that seem to effortlessly weave narrative storytelling with personal reflection. I’m also hugely into interesting rhythm. In this respect, Talking Heads and Can are a big inspiration; along with Afrobeat artists like Fela Kuti and my Hip-Hop heroine, Missy Elliott.

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What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Well. It’s gonna be great to play live shows following the release of the album. I’m now working on songs for the next album – busy recording demos at the moment. I’m also collaborating on a new album with Joe Gideon and Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) which we’re hoping to finish this year - and there is a new album with Gemma Ray in the pipeline, too!

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

The great thing about living a life centred around music is that it takes you on some real unexpected adventures. Hard to find a favourite! The tour I did with the band, Tunng, was a very special time for me, though. I’d just gone through some big life changes and was emerging out of the darkness – and being on the road with them was a breath of fresh air.

It made me realise that music is not all about the graft but about letting loose and living in the moment, too.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I do think it’s getting harder to make a living from music and it saddens me that music lessons are being cut in schools. Terrible if music becomes the preserve of the wealthy who can afford it. Saying that; there will always be new artists who make their own path. There is a great quote from Patti Smith about creating a body of work that will speak for itself.

So; I’d say create and experiment constantly – and keep putting stuff out there!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Chesca Dolecka

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There is an artist called Chesca Dolecka I’m a big fan of. She has something really special: almost like a female Jeff Buckley in places, with really creatively-written music and arrangements.

Also (worth checking out) a band from Bridport called HUSH! I sang some vocals on their last single – kind of Dream-Pop but with a quirky darkness to it.

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

Music is pretty obsessive, so I’m not always good at switching off! That’s why it’s good to live by the coast, though. I’ve got a dog and you can’t beat a long walk along the cliffs or through the woods to clear your head.

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’d love for you to play L’Amour Stories by Deerhoof - it always makes me smile!

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 Follow Gris-de-Lin

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INTERVIEW: Yes Selma

INTERVIEW:

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Yes Selma

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I don’t think I have interviewed…

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an artist from Baltimore – none that I can think of right now! Yes Selma talks to me about his latest album, Songs of Happiness, and what sort of themes inspired the songs; why the tracks are punchy and precise; the impact of Drag City musicians; how music affects and guides him – whether we will see him in the U.K. this year.

I ask the U.S. artist why he takes a D.I.Y. approach and what the scene is like in Baltimore; which new artists we should check out; if he has any advice for new artists coming through; whether he is influenced by the music from the 1980s and 1990s – the talented young artist finishes the piece by choosing a rather good song.  

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Hi, Yes Selma. How are you? How has your week been?

I'm Ok. My week's been Ok.

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

I write songs and make sound experiments in my bedroom. Sometimes, I record them and put them out under the name ‘Yes Selma’ which, at this point, is just a brand name. I do other things, too - but they're menial and not worth talking about.

Tell me about Songs of Happiness – released late last year. What sort of themes and stories inspired the songs on the album?

I tried to make a different kind of album. I wanted it to be chaotic and off-putting and ugly because that's how I see the world. I wanted to capture desperation, mental instability and depression. But, I also wanted to make a comedy record. It's a messy album. There's a lot of mistakes I didn't bother fixing. I wanted to make an album that no one would like.

The songs are quite short and direct. Was it important creating punchy and precise music?

I often write songs really, really fast, then I record them immediately. Because, if I take time to think about a song, I just dwell about trying to make it perfect or I'll get hung up about a particular line - and I'll always end up becoming uninterested and moving onto something else. The entire goal for me when recording is to not think. I think all the time - and it's never gotten me anywhere. But, the process of creating something allows me to free my mind.

So no; it's not important. It's just how it happens.

How important, in terms of influence, are the Drag City musicians? Do you take a lot from lo-fi artists of the 1980s and 1990s?

Yeah. Drag City is huge for me. It was such a revelation to find a label that actually focused on releasing more introspective, rawer songwriters - as well as experimental noise and so forth. D.C. really has no limits, which is really lovely for folks like me who have pretty well-rounded tastes and open minds. I am influenced by a lot of lo-fi artists around that time. I get kinda bored by high-end production. It's more interesting to hear chair creaks, breathing noises; microphone pops etc.

Is there going to be more music this year? What are you working on right now?

I just finished recording an album called Denial of Death, but I'm not sure if it'll ever be released. It's all finished though. It's mixed and everything. Maybe some label will put it out, but who knows? The title is based off a book of the same name. It's about being alive, trying to deal with being a human, I guess - in a world that's pretty much against you…

Learning to appreciate the given moment.

Which musicians did you connect with growing up? Can you remember when music came into your life?

My first true connection with music was with Hip-Hop.

My cousin got me into MF Doom, J Dilla; Tribe, Big L. - stuff like that. That was when my interests began to develop. Then, I discovered music that spoke to my identity. All those Elephant 6 bands; The Microphones and stuff like that. But, the album that changed everything was Figure 8 by Elliott Smith. I listened to it over and over. It was like I had figured out what to do with my life. Listening to that record, in particular, took me from being a music listener to a musician. I began writing songs…

Baltimore is your base. Is there quite a varied music scene there? What is the local market like?

I started going to Baltimore shows when Wham City artists (Dan Deacon, Future Islands; Ed Schrader, etc.) were becoming more well-known and less of an underground secret. It was this weird purgatory period of D.I.Y. insanity. I saw some of the craziest shows I'll ever see. The Bank was a venue in West Baltimore that was just insane. Only those who have been there can truly understand.

There's still a scene, but it's different. There are still amazing artists living here and inventive stuff happening all over the place. It's cool for me because I'm good friends with many artists I admire.

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You are a D.I.Y. artist who tackled everything. Do you think it is important having that autonomy and self-sufficiency?

It's important for me. I prefer doing everything myself because I trust myself in the artistic sense. I know how I want my music to sound. I know what I want the album artwork to look like. But, of course, no one can do everything themselves. I've had a lot of help along the way that I'm very thankful for; the most helpful being Moe Hammond, who started his own label to release my records - which I can certainly say no one else in the world would have done.

There is a growing wave of do-it-yourself musicians. Do you think more popular artists need to take a D.I.Y. approach?

I don't think there's a right or wrong way to approach it. Whatever you feel comfortable doing is probably best. If you feel you can do everything yourself and it makes you happy, then I don't see any reason why you shouldn't. If you need help from a label or a promoter, that's cool too. I guess, ultimately, it's good that the bigwig music business is dying and artists have more control over their work. I certainly respect the artists that have a D.I.Y. approach because I know they're doing it for the right reasons.

There are still a lot of good labels that exist who value and respect the artist's integrity. Friends Records and EHSE are two labels in Baltimore who have helped many artists. Feeding Tube in Western Massachusetts is another example.

Do you have any gigs booked at the moment? Where can we see you play?

I don't have any Yes Selma shows booked at the moment. Baltimore is the best place to see me for now. I just put together a band with my friend Corey (Gordy Manny) who plays drums and has helped give life to songs that I don't feel confident singing on my own. It's way more fun to play with Corey, because he's a great drummer and a great artist. We plan to do an East Coast tour this summer.

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Have you ever played in Britain? Are you a fan of the music that has come from this country?

I have not and I don't have any official plans to come; but, if I'm ever invited to play, I'd bootleg a plane ticket A.S.A.P. The best artist I discovered recently is Richard Dawson. His music has such an eerie strangeness to it. It sounds sinister at times. Ghoulish.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I don't like to make goals because, once I make one, I suddenly become uninterested in achieving it. I prefer to live spontaneously, without any expectations for myself. Though, I do make short-term goals. Like, whenever I merge onto a busy highway, my goal is to not die. Every month I have a goal to make rent on time...

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

Listening to my music on vinyl was a pretty cool feeling. Also, playing shows with artists I admire. My first show was with Bryan Lewis Saunders, who's just the greatest. I was really nervous to play because I often have horrible stage fright and I don't really think I played that well - but he was really kind and encouraging to me. We've kept in touch. His artwork is truly one of a kind.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Just make whatever you want whenever you want to for the sake of expressing yourself - and never care what other people think of it. Make stuff that you like and feel positive about existing in the world.

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IN THIS PHOTO: PonY PaYroLL bOnEs

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

He's not exactly new, but PonY PaYroLL bOnEs is America's hidden gem. Also, Liz Durette's new album, Four Improvisations, is really beautiful to listen to.

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

The fact is that I don't chill away from music because that is how I unwind. Life is short and fragile and pointless and can be taken away so easily. Sometimes, it's hard to find things to be happy about. Music is a good way to express yourself, particularly when you're feeling low.

I read, in Art Pepper's autobiography, that he was once put in solitary confinement - so he found a way to create pitches with a plastic cup by blowing in it at certain angles. So, he started blowing away and other inmates in neighboring cells would clap their hands or provide vocal rhythms.

I believe, if you love music, you'll be able to find it in one way or another.

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).

Let's do an olde classic: Cruel and Thin by Sun City Girls. The masters.  

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Follow Yes Selma

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TRACK REVIEW: AKA George - Manic Machine

TRACK REVIEW:

 

AKA George

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Manic Machine

 

9.5/10

 

 

Manic Machine is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIhojXTMVVo&feature=youtu.be

GENRES:

 Alternative; Rock

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

12th March, 2018 (video)

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THIS review…

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sees me visit a musician who is pretty hard to pin down! I will explore AKA George soon but, for now, I want to study artists who are out there on their own; the musicians that inspire the new generation of stunning musicians; solo artists and why unique voices are needed and demanded this year; having a true Rock spirit and creating excitement in a fading genre; turning down record deals and being independent – those who produce and play everything themselves. I am writing a piece later that investigates musicians who are out on the fringes and producing music that sounds like nothing else. AKA George is one of those people who can bring you in with an accessible edge – the more you explore, the bolder and more intriguing it becomes. I am not suggesting he is a bonkers, Captain Beefheart-like artist who barks down the microphone and throws odd sound effects into the mix – more, he has a sound that differs from the commercial breed and takes your mind in weird directions. Listen to AKA George work and you feel a man who is free and unshackled. I interviewed him last year and, when looking ahead to this year; he talked about his influences and why he wants t stray away from the predictable. He said, and I concur; there is that need for artists to jump on what is popular and attach themselves to a sound. Originality is an uneasy and difficult thing to achieve. The risks of departing from the safe path and doing something that could, in theory, alienate you from a large sector is always a gamble. When listening to AKA George; I hear the bones and flesh of older artists and legends that have helped push things forward. All the best musicians of the past few years have understood and appreciated what the masses want – music they can bond with and has elements of past sounds – but goes away from the safe and vanilla blends we hear in the mainstream. It is risky being safe and cautious: it is equally risky doing your own thing and trying stuff out.

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AKA George grew up in a household where music was part of the fabric. I know, as I will explore later, he grew up around artists like Ramones and, I suspect, a bit of Jimi Hendrix. He is a big fan of The White Stripes and gravitates towards people who get into the head and provide genuinely stone-cold classics. I was going to mention Jack White when looking at AKA George – I am going to pen a piece around White later on. AKA George, in a way, reminds me of White. The way the artists control their music and are, most definitely, not slaves to the conventional is evident. White’s latest solo album, Boarding House Reach, is his craziest and most experimental album to date. He shacked himself up in a small cabin and recorded to four-track recorded. One can argue that location and setting provided the chance to concentrate and depart from the distractions of the world. Jeff Buckley took a similar tack when he laid down the meat for his unreleased second album, My Sweetheart the Drunk. He sojourned to Mississippi and holed himself up in a cabin and put stuff down on four-track. It is tragic the songwriter never got to record the songs and see them come to life – he drowned, aged thirty, before he could get into the studio. Going back to the AKA George-Jack White dynamic and, like White, AKA George prefers the purity of creativity and not being lured by technology and a familiar course – having to produce what other people want; fitting into moulds and holes. You get the impression, when AKA George starts writing a song, he has old-skool vinyl and artists around him. Vibing from heroes gone and the desire to do something different; his thought process means he looks at what is out there and consciously strays away from that. There is an eccentricity to his music, sure, but a relatability that means you are impressed and enticed by an odd magic – kept there by some likeable and comfortable threads.

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I will look at Rock and artists AKA George reminds me of but, right now, a taste of the solo artist and why their stock is rising. It is the case, I think I can say, that the solo musician is more demanded than the band. We have great bands emerging and making strides – Shame and IDLES are names I often throw in – but, more and more, it is the lone star that gets under the critics’ gaze. It is easier being a solo Pop artist because, more often than not, you do not need to play many instruments – or any – and produce your own music. Many artists are working in a genre that means, so long as you can write a song and imagine it; other musicians can help realise it and flesh it out. That might sound like I am taking shots at Pop: in reality, I am telling it like it really is. That is not a bad thing, mind. It is tricky putting music together and a solo artist doesn’t necessarily have to do everything themselves. It is a hard and challenging life but, for some reason, the worth and value of the solo artist is rising. Pop is playing a big role in that explosion. Bands work in a different way. They are not always a democracy and, in my view, are more geared towards producing commercial sounds. Bands are still in demand at festivals. As such; many write songs that have that big and crowd-uniting sounds. It can be risky moving away from that and writing songs that are more contemplative and diverse. Solo artists have no limits and can do whatever they want in music. They can cross genres and splice in new elements; write E.P.s./albums that cover a lot of ground and never sit still. AKA George understands he has that freedom and, as such, his music is extraordinarily diverse, nuanced and personal.

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I am not sure whether bands will come back into the fore and whether, as we look at musicians who can change the game, they will be able to counteract the imbalance. To me; solo artists are not constrained by festivals and what organisers are looking for. If a band member has a different view and wants to explore something new and challenging – how many of their bandmates are going to jump on it and agree?! It is hard having a democracy that places emphasis on the music and pushing sounds in new directions. I am drawn to artists like AKA George because he takes his time to brew music and writes what HE wants to hear. Music needs to change things and bring us all together. The way to do this is to subvert expectations and create something genuinely stunning and unexpected. I feel solo artists are more likely to achieve this feat. I can assume the young songwriter has his sights set on glory and success. Already, he has gained millions of YouTube views and played sold-out gigs. He has gained a lot of heat around London and made his way onto many Spotify playlists. That all sounds impressive but, what is more striking, is the quality of the music. We throw the word ‘unique’ around but, in many cases, you can hear artists that sound like those we proffer. AKA George has some clear influences but never brings them too far into his music. I have mentioned Jack White and how he takes guidance from The White Stripes. I will leave this argument aside, but it worth noting why AKA George’s music is proving so popular. He is an artist we need to see more of and encourage to grow. I am excited to see where he can go and what he can produce as we make our way into the spring and summer months. He has already shown, in the past year, what a strong and dominant proposition he is.

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I have mentioned the likes of Jack White and Jimi Hendrix already. These are Rock icons and artists who have set the music world alight. White continues to do so – although, some might argue he has lost his edge a bit – and there are others coming through that keep that Rock spirit alive. One of the oldest arguments in music is whether Rock music is truly dead. Many say it has lost its spirit and not as potent as it once was. There are plenty of new artists arguing that assumption is false: things are good and Rock is well and truly alive! I know there isn’t the same explosion as we saw in past decades. Other genres have come in and the scene is busier and more open than ever. It is hard to unite people and create a Rock genre that inspires new generations and recalls the glory days. That being said; you look around and there are plenty of good Rock artists around. Whether they sprinkle in Punk or mix it with Pop – you cannot state Rock is completely dead. AKA George is one of those artists who cares not for any of those arguments and shows the young breed are pushing Rock forward and keeping it relevant. I think a lot of the problem arises when we look at the total Rock package. The sounds might be intense and on-point but, now, a lot of Rock artists do not have that swagger and personality. Being a Rock musician used to mean having some attitude and owning the stage. Now, we have some great acts who retain that but, more often than not, there is a rather muted and soft personality. AKA George is not exactly destroying hotel rooms and spitting at the crowd – he is a man who draws you in and has an odd sense of attraction. You are hooked on his music but, when watching his videos, you know you are seeing a genuine Rock personality come to life. He might be less explosive than some of the older legends who changed the game. What we do get is music that blows the mind and makes you believe he can go all the way and do something immense.

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PHOTO CREDIT: @huntershootsinlondon

Before I go to the song itself; I want to talk about refuting a record deal and remaining autonomous. AKA George, unsurprisingly, has caught the eye of some big names. Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams asked to work with him – he declined. Whilst some might say that is foolhardy and irrational; to him, it was a chance to remain independent and unique. I can understand why Williams’ offer would be easy to turn down. As a producer, I feel he would take AKA George’s sound in a commercial direction and try and mould him for the charts. Rodgers, on the other hand, has that legacy and is not going to lead anyone astray. I feel his expertise and genius can add something to the music and bring him to new audiences. Maybe AKA George will reconsider and hook up with Rodgers down the line. Those kinds of offers can be hard to resist and turn away. Many new artists are all about Spotify figures and getting as many people into their camp as they can. That might involve relentless promotion and altering your sound so it fits into a particular scene. AKA George wants his music to be accepted and popular – that does not mean betraying his ethos and conspiring with other producers. Maybe, when he has released more music, he will be in a position to pick who he wants to work with and reconsider offers. I am impressed he has managed to remain true and not be lured by big names. It is vital, in these early stages, artists stay focused and provide music that feels right to them. You cannot get caught up with the pursuit of money and popularity. Too many musicians start off with a personal and meaningful objective, only to be tempted away from that by a record label. AKA George has been approached by labels but, rather than sign the first contract pushed under his nose; he has remained solid and knows where he wants to head. A record deal sounds ideal but, in many ways, it means negotiating and being guided by that label. That is not always ideal for artists who know what they want to sound like and where they want to head.

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There are more and more artists doing everything themselves and controlling their music. The fact studios are expensive and record deals, if you want one, are hard to come by means artists are taking care of business and learning new skills. Technology means songs are easier to produce and you do not need the luxuries of a studio. That does not mean it is simple to make music this way and there aren’t challenges. Musicians are picking up skills and studying to ensure they can make music their own way and in their own time. Many still use other producers and musicians but I am seeing some great artists able to take care of every little aspect themselves. AKA George grew up around music and does not feel the need to throw too many bodies into the mix. He wants to have his say and not give decisions to anyone else. Because of that, he produces his music and goes out of his way to put his own stamp on things. I am excited seeing how that manifests as we head further into the year. One of the reasons it is good to have that control is the fact you can make music that means more to you. If you have a producer on board they can, often, have their own way and disappoint the artist. Other musicians are less demanding and pushy but, if you can play instruments yourself, why would you need to hire anyone else?! AKA George is a one-man-wrecking-crew who can see a song through from its inception to release. As his popularity grows, and more offers come his way, I feel, at some stage, he will need to give some control to other parties. That might involve getting a booking agency or having another producer work with him on an E.P. or album. It is a great time for the young songwriter – he can go really far and take music in a new direction.

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It is the beats that come to mind first. Although AKA George is a master of the guitar: it is his skills as a drummer that comes to mind. The drums hiss and slam; there are warped electronics and a mood that draws you in and gets the body moving. That combination of Rock and Funk is a hard blend to perfect. AKA George starts Manic Machine with real intent and purpose. You can hear the attitude and spirit come through right away. He wants to flick switches and ash; he wants to bring the bitch – his words, not mine – to life. Maybe he is referring to a rather stale and stagnant relationship; a woman who is reserved and a little guarded. Whoever is in his mind; our hero is in no mood to pass by and take a cautious approach. He is ready and getting his engines revved up. One notices the drums working away but the scratchy and strutting guitar works down in the mix. The different elements work away and there is so much activity happening in the opening moments. The chorus mixes guitar, electronic and beats. In the same way a modern-day Jack White can retain his Rockstar status and not rely on the guitar; AKA George produces a right-out blast that has Punk, Rock and Alternative working alongside one another. I guess you can say there is Dance and Funk working together, too. The chorus sees the hero boasting he is a manic machine; tearing up the street and causing trouble. The video, humorously, juxtaposes that assumption and sees the hero making his way down a quiet street in a mobility scooter. The chorus is a fuzzed-out, belting mandate that gets you standing to attention and respecting every word. You cannot fault the intent and desire coming from the voice. The hero has a strong and fiery tone that brings the words to life and makes a real impression.

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There are “paranoid dreams” and that need to wake up – a bellicose and enforced direction the hero feels very strongly about. My thoughts turn from romance and sexual conquest to sleep towns and dull communities. You can tell from the song, even at the start, there is frustration and the sense of being trapped. Maybe our man is living around people who need to wake up and see what is around them. They might be numb to reality and any sense of ambition. Like a tiger stuck in a cage; the boy is looking around and needs to be set free. The song sees the hero seize control and desire every inch of power – every moment and hour. Whereas other AKA George songs have brought the guitar in more; here, there is greater reliance on electronics and percussions. The song still plays in the Rock mould but, if anything, you sense Dance and Trance, oddly. It is a hypnotic song and one intended to be absorbed by the listener. The hero has that passion and intense need to take initiative and change things. That hunger and thirst is palpable and hugely impressive. The vocals are constantly strong and you find yourself stunned at how many talents AKA George has. Our boy wants to f*ck in the highest tower and tear things up. Maybe this need and rebellion have come from being held back and living in a rather dull space. Whatever the reason behind his explosion and strut; the hero is out there and getting whatever he wants. It is thrilling coming along for the ride – a rather slow one if you look at the video! – and being caught by the storm. Manic Machine is an intense song that snarls and spits from start to finish. The guitar barks and comes in here and there. The sound is more machine-like and industrial. The strings are twisted and robotic; the beats are tense and punchy; the electronics warped and howling.

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It is that lead voice that produces the most power and potency. Look at the video and one sees AKA George with his crew – hooded and motivated – riding mobility scooters through the streets. The final minute or so finds AKA George breathless and knackered. The voice sparks and comes back in; there are strutted breathes and Screaming Jay Hawkins-like oddities. The composition transforms and the hero puts out an intense cry. It seems like things have reached their peak and this is the moment the explosion really happens. Everything races and the electronics mutate and move forward. The chorus comes back in and the heat keeps rising. It is a catchy and addictive song that gets you under its thumb and leads you astray. You are caught by the energy and hectic sounds thrown from the speakers. AKA George keeps the listener active and engaged in every note. Although there are many different sounds and layers working away; he manages to keep everything controlled and tight. The production is fantastic and you are compelled to come back to the song time and time again. The video adds a humorous edge and shows the hero has a real cheekiness and candid spirit. He is cheeky and rebellious but there is a keen wit and intelligence that rules everything. A stunning artist who has a big future ahead of him – Manic Machine is, to me, the best song AKA George has come up with. I hope there is an E.P. or album coming up. It is a great time for a fantastic artist who is doing something different and not keen to repeat everything we hear in music. He has the attitude and snarl of a Rock god but there is inventiveness and cross-pollination that adds diversity and colour to the genre. Keep your eye out for this tremendous and astonishing songwriter!

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I will end things soon but, with Manic Machine out, it seems things are getting hot for AKA George. Even though the song was released late last year; the video is new and I was keen to feature the song on my site. When I spoke with him last year; AKA George teased new material and said an E.P. was being worked on. We are heading into spring – where gig opportunities will come up – and I am sure more material will come from the songwriter. He has achieved so much in a short time and looks set to join the ranks of the elite. I am not sure whether, when he gets more popular, that will lead to other big names coming his way and looking for a collaboration. That is down to the young man himself. We shall see what happens but, right now, the artist looks ahead to gigs and new moves. I have seen clips of the young man and he knows his way around the drums! Go to his Facebook page and you can see him show his percussion chops. His latest track shows what a great vocalist and guitarist he is. AKA George can own every instrument and has so much at his disposal! He connects with his fans and has proudly (quite right) been promoting his latest track. Although the playing and producing his him and his voice; he worked with other actors, and a director, on the video. It is a fantastic song, Manic Machine, and shows the talented musician is on fire right now. He heads to Dot to Dot festival in May and, I am sure, there will be other gigs and festivals in front of him. If you have not investigated the sides and wonders of AKA George; make sure you remedy that and get yourself involved! He is a prime and hungry talent who wants to add his stamp and be a big name. It is a hard industry, is music, but those who have originality and a good attitude can come through and succeed. AKA George is a testament to that point. He is capable of wonderful things and I know he will be a huge name before too long. Manic Machine is a fantastic song from an artist who keeps getting stronger and bigger. Keep your eyes peeled and see just how far…

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THIS tremendous artist can go.  

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Follow AKA George

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INTERVIEW: IDA KUDO

INTERVIEW:

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IDA KUDO

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IT is safe to say…

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there is nobody in the music business like IDA KUDO! Not only is her blend of Japanese and Danish D.N.A. a reason why many people are comparing her to musical legends – she is an open soul possessed with a curious and free-flying imagination. There is vulnerability and questions within IDA KUDO’s heart, too. I discover what makes the songwriter tick and how the song, Wolf, came together.

The Copenhagen-based artist reflects on her upbringing and casts forward to an upcoming music video (for Wolf) and performances; what sort of music and culture inspired her to get into the business; how Copenhagen’s diverse and multi-sided personality impacts her music and aura – the talented songwriter recommends some new musicians and chooses the three albums that mean the most to her.

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

Hi (smiles). I am tired but excited at the same time. My last week has been absolutely thrilling, exciting; beautiful, nerve-wrecking and intense. I have just spent three days on set for the music video for Wolf: two days in the forest by night and one day in a swimming pool doing underwater shoots in full costume!

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

I’m a woman with a lot of energy and a need for expression: music is my platform. I write, produce and perform all my songs – it is very important to me that I feel my ‘voice’ throughout my work. My style is Indie-Pop, or Indie-Electronic, you could say. I’m very fond of a solid, powerful beat and I love to pair ‘the raw’ with the ‘well-produced'. I think my music is accessible to a broad audience – although, it has edge and I care a lot about my audience. I’d love my music to be accessible to the ‘average’ listener, but at the same time, it all comes down to my personal expression and ‘edge’ - and how they receive that!

My songs often linger in an almost ‘mythical’ universe and I use mythological themes and figures as symbols in my songs. My influences come from a combination of my Danish-Japanese background and being surrounded by a vast array of music. I’d say my music has been especially inspired by Classical composers such as Brahms, Bartok and also, visually, the Miyazaki cartoons that I watched growing up on my visits to Japan. I’m in love with spirit in music and I want to continue conveying that in my music; although, I also aim to write within certain Pop-frames.

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You have been compared to huge artists like M.I.A. and Lorde. It seems originality is your most important goal. How do you feel your music differs to what is out there?

I’m very flattered by the comparisons. Originality is definitely a key to my output and interest in music. If it isn’t original, I don’t really find it relevant! It’s very individual from musician to musician, what their motivation is - and mine is to express the uniqueness within.

That, to me, is beauty.

Is your Japanese and Danish heritage important when it comes to your unique edge? What do you ‘take’ from each country in terms of sound, image and D.N.A.?

It definitely is! From my Danish background, I’ve learned to be free; that I have my freedom and I’m allowed to sing and write in my own voice. I have a right to be individual. That drive has been nourished by my Danish heritage. From my Japanese heritage comes the edge; beauty that is different. Japanese aesthetics are really interesting, often contrasting the extremely controlled and perfected with the surreal, raw and, sometimes, absurd.

I love that contrast and I believe a lot of my lust for contrast comes from the Japanese background. Sound-wise, like I said, I grew up with Classical music which I, somehow, connect to my Danish background. The older I get, I’m getting more and more interested in the Asian style - but I’m not trying to use Asian or Japanese-sounding elements in my music intentionally. When they do occur though, I’m just happy to see that they’re moving within my subconscious.

I feel more connected to something indigenous than specifically Japanese. Sound-wise; I’m a great fan of ethnic elements and sounds, reminding me of nature and raw rhythm.

Wolf might be those best distillation of the two worlds. What is the inspiration behind the song?

The inspiration is, really, the fear that I’d like to get around. I’m afraid of many things.

As I wrote earlier on, Japanese culture is quite controlled and disciplined and, so, sometimes I find the wild and savage part of my personality confronting to the controlled side - and they are staring at each other eye to eye, trembling. So; Wolf is my savage side facing up and my expression of this: I’m scared and unsure what will happen when my inner-animal breaks the surface. It’s also a symbol of me being puzzled about men. I’m puzzled why they sometimes scare me and yet that kind of provokes me - so I felt the need to write a song about it.

The lyrics and the melody for the chorus came instinctively whilst riding my bike. I thought, ‘Oh! That’s fresh’ and then I recorded it on my phone; went to the studio and I could tell the song wanted to be written.

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Is there more material approaching? Might we see more before the end of the year?

Yes! I have another great single coming out around the beginning of June and then, around September, I will release the new E.P.

What is the music scene like in Copenhagen? Is it a city that provides opportunity and influence?

In many ways, Copenhagen is really awesome and its music scene is really blossoming. There’s so much new music and new bands with many initiatives helping upcoming artists, which is great! Also, many festivals both in summer and some in winter!  

That being said, I feel Denmark is quite small in size but also, in its way of comprehending arts and culture, it’s a place that can be quite conservative and narrow-minded. I don’t blame my country: I think it’s an amazing country and unique in many ways! I was extremely thrilled when CLASH magazine premiered Wolf because I feel, as an artist, I’m better understood abroad then I am here in the Danish music scene.

Copenhagen is the best place for me to be in Denmark. The city, in general, has an open-mindedness to culture and arts - but, I still think it’s important my music finds its way abroad.

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How does it feel having your music used by designers such as Nadia and Zehra? Is it humbling hearing it played at fashion shows?!

It was exciting to pair my music with Nadia and Zehra’s collection and a whole lot of fun! I didn’t really feel humbled: more excited. Humbling was when the director of the upcoming music video for Wolf (Agapi Triantafillidis) brought a crew of sixteen professionals to shoot (the music video) in the forest by night; in the pool by day…everybody working for free and creating true art!

That is very humbling (smiles).

You have performed at some great festivals and captivated crowds. Do you think the experience you get playing live impacts and improve your songwriting?

Definitely. Sometimes, I even try out new songs live to see if they work. Wolf, for instance, was, at first, one key lower and the tempo, some B.P.M.s slower. I tried it out at a concert and found out the key was too deep for live-singing and too slow for the concert set. So, I arranged it one note up and increased the B.P.M. as well – which, altogether, worked better. So, yes; the live experience definitely plays an important role in the writing and producing process!

What dates do you have coming up? Are there particular gigs you are really looking forward to?

SPOT festival in May and, hopefully, one in the Netherlands and one in Scotland - more to come on this! I’m excited to play abroad…

Not to forget: watch out for the Wolf music video coming out mid-April. That will be something new and fresh!

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If you had to select three albums that stand out to you; which would they be and why?

Debut by Björk – because I think it’s the best album I ever heard.

Dangerous by M.J. (Michael Jackson) - because it’s the best Pop I ever heard.

Songs of Freedom by Bob Marley - because it’s the album that changed my life.

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

My concert at the upcoming festival, Uhørt, was one of the best concerts ever. I felt so in-tune, vivid and happy...

My first Joan As Police Woman concert. It was an acoustic concert - and I didn’t know who she was. I didn’t expect anything. I cried from beginning to end with snot all over my face. She hit me right in the heart...

The first time I heard Jóhann Jóhannsson’s (R.I.P.) album, Englabörn, in Iceland. Nothing can compete with that heartbreaking Icelandic force of nature. Pure yearning.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Stay true to yourself. Find out if you really want it…If you really, really want it; find your own path with endurance. Learn from all experiences, enjoy everything you can and remember: you are capable of achieving three times more than you expect of yourself and ten times more than what your mother expects of you. Don’t sign anything until you’ve been around it from all angles - and with professional guidance and help!

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IN THIS PHOTO: Rest in Beats

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

My friends, Rest in Beats, is my favourite Danish band. Just because they are extremely good. Not just good: they are really, really good and original!

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

I unwind by being social and making sure the people I love, know I love them - best friends, parents and my boyfriend. I do yoga, sometimes, and take small trips to the countryside. Nature is a healer, for sure.

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).

Right; wonderful task. I’ll go with Kimbra - Top of the World

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FEATURE: For Reel?! Will We Ever See Another Iconic Music Video?

FEATURE:

 

For Reel?!

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 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Will We Ever See Another Iconic Music Video?

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IF you look at the greatest and most iconic…

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music videos from time; the list is likely to go back quite a few years. What I mean by that is, if you have a top-ten of the best videos; the majority are going to be from the 1980s and 1990s. There are a few from the past decade – how many, even in a top-fifty, would be from the past few years?! I love the works of Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham and the great clips they have directed for fantastic artists. Gondry is someone who really captivates me. He has produced sensational work for Kylie Minogue (Come into My World), Björk (Human Behaviour, among others) and The White Stripes (The Hardest Button to Button, again, among others). There are other great directors – Spike Jonze and Floria Sigismondi – but, to me, there is nobody quite like Gondry. I will end this piece collating a selection of the best music videos ever. One can state the reason these videos have gained legacy and celebration is the fact they score fantastic songs. Anointing a superb song with an equally-great visual can elevate music to an art form. I have been looking around modern music and hear some songs begging out for great treatments and wondrous films. We have modern icons like Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé; fantastic bands and some unique songwriters floating around the globe.

Although a lot of those legendary videos have been shot by the same people; it is the song itself, I feel, that compels that imagination and brilliance. We could extrapolate, therefore, music is not provoking enough creative wonder and pioneers. I do not think music has declined to the extent videos are redundant and struggling. A lot of the classic team still make promotional – the likes of Jonze and Gondry are making fewer these days – but the role of sites like YouTube, perhaps, are having an impact. Every new artist can put a video online and have it seen around the world. Compare the amount of videos put now to back then. In 2017, there would have been a huge amount compared to, say, twenty years ago. Maybe budget is playing its part. Look at the fantastic video/film for Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The John Landis-directed video is widely regarded as one of the (if not the absolute) finest unifications of music and film. A modern artist could create a video like that these days – it would take a lot of time and a fair bit of money. I think a lot of the emphasis, today, is time-related. Many of the new artists I look at have limited wallets and can only spend a short time making videos. It is a rather unpredictable time regarding music videos.

Modern videos like Bad Blood (Taylor Swift, 2015) and Fade (Kanye West, 2016) have provided memorable images and great storylines. Kendrick Lamar’s HUMBLE. (2017) and Beyoncé’s Formation (2016) are big and dramatic productions. A lot of today’s focus is how many views a video can get on YouTube. The rising numbers do not necessarily correlate with quality. If you look at a modern Pop artist; they can get 10,000,000 views within a few days. All of those views will come from hype and the existing fanbase. Compare that to classic videos like Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) and Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana). If you have a song that is anthemic and genius – like Smells Like Teen Spirit – it is easier to create a timeless video than it would be today (songs that won’t reach that level). You can argue we do not have a scene as impactful and productive as Grunge; music is so widespread and compartmentalised that it is tricky to see what is going on and where the next, great video will come from. What I am noticing is how many videos are coming along. We are in a time where, as I said, any artist can put something online. I am witnessing tremendous videos emerge from every corner of the globe. Although the scale and durability is not what it was years ago; there are suggestions we could witness a world-class video very soon.

We could also argue the fact videos such as Sledgehammer stood out is because they pushed technology. Stop-motion was a fairly new and unexplored formula that was begging for something incredible. The same can be said for a-ha’s Take on Me. We are living in a world where we can create anything and have anything we imagine come to life. The technological luxuries mean it is less impressive if an artist makes a video that mixes stop-motion and animation. Artists are releasing large-scale videos but, again, if it easier to do so – especially if a mainstream artist has a lot of money – then it will not stand out from everything that has come before. There are two arguments we can bring in at this point. The first is this: are people really bothered about videos, given the fact we have streaming services are more interested in the music itself. The other is around the types of songs and climate we live in. Many listeners get their music on the go and have a song playing in their ears. They might listen to a track and check out the Internet whilst listening – not really concerned about the visuals of the song. If a video is bad/ordinary; is that going to change our view of that track? I would say a groundbreaking and unique video can make a poor song good.

Music television doesn’t exist anymore. We have passed a time when MTV played the best artists and brought us those iconic videos. We did not have the Internet and, as such, could only see videos on the T.V. Artists pushed themselves and knew a great, much-watched video could sell albums and elevate them above their peers. The nature of promotion and competition has shifted its nature and feel. Videos are taking a back seat to marketing and other considerations. The way we digest and experience music means the visual elements are not as important and needed as once was. It is a shame because, when I hear a big song come out I have been waiting for; I am always eager to see the video and what the director has done. There have been some great videos lately but, largely, they do not stick in the mind. Years and decades past; great directors moved from film and T.V. into music – or vice versa – whereas now, artists are directing themselves – or smaller, less experienced directors are taking the helm. In any case; there are fewer videos at the moment we will remember years from now. It is sad to think we will talk about the established and older videos over what is being produced now. Maybe I am living in the past but there is a lot to be said for an amazing and unexpected video. It is not about profit and popularity.

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

We want to pass music down the generations and show the artists and directors of today have the same intelligence and imagination as their predecessors. Maybe the sheer volume of videos and vastness of music means speed and economy is more important than time and creativity. Sound has overtaken visuals; we are all becoming a little lazier and less bothered when it comes to music videos. It is a shame because, with the introduction of services like Netflix; people are as invested in film and T.V. as ever. Money is a factor I have alluded to. Many bands and new artists do not have a lot of cash to do anything major. They might have deadlines and are writing songs in a different way. I don’t know. What I do know is it has been a fair few years since I’ve seen a video that moved me and remained in the mind. A lot of my favourite videos are from the 1990s and early-2000s. It is a shame to think music has changed to a degree where fewer people are concerned what a music video looks like. A lot of artists are excited to film and get those films out to the public. How many artists and directors are trying to rub shoulders with the greats and produce a modern-day version of Sabotage (Beastie Boys)?! Perhaps things will change but, for now, there is a quagmire that cries out for a visionary and unbelievable video. It would not radically change music: it would show we cannot easily predict and assume the best days are behind us. To all those eager directors who want to topple the likes of Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham: step forward and, regardless of budget, hunker down, slave away and bring the world a music video that…

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STOPS us in our tracks.

FEATURE: Zero Hours Contract Killers: Making the Name and Images Stand Out

FEATURE:

 

Zero Hours Contract Killers

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 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Making the Name and Images Stand Out

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ONE thing I notice…

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when looking out at the music world is a lack of real spark and distinction. That is not a reflection of the music and level of talent out there. What I mean is there is a slight greyness regarding artist names and images – including album covers and the way bands project themselves. I have grown a bit weary, as explained in other posts, when it comes to artists and what they call themselves. An artist’s name, like a child, is one you are stuck with and have to love. I will not mention specific artists – it would take too long to muster the energy to type their names – but I get the impression few are doing their research before going out into the market. I raised this point last year and, when exploring the way musicians plan their first attack; it seems like little originality is expended into naming conventions. You, obviously, want to make sure there are no similar-named artists people could confuse you with. Accidentally, I have received interview responses from artists – where they name new acts to watch and seek out. I have typed that name into Facebook/Google and, as I thought, found the act they were referring to. Before I know it, when the interview is out there, I have selected the wrong act! The thing is this: there are, worryingly, a lot of acts with the same name.

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It can be unavoidable when it comes to similar-named acts: why would any artist/band choose a name exactly the same as another one out there?! One of the fundamental things any artist needs t ensure – before they get into music – is they are unique. Being original is so important underrated. Whilst that might be hard from a musical perspective; it is a lot easier when it comes to names. You only need type into a search engine some options until you find out whether your choice is fresh. Inevitably, it can be hard avoiding artists who are confined to a few sites – they might not be readily available on a search engine. More and more artists I feature, either share their name with someone else or are recommending artists with doppelgangers and duplicates. In some cases, the name I see is very ordinary and uninspiring. I am not suggesting bands name themselves Unknown Mortal Orchestra or King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – something that out-there – but that sort of distinction would be appreciated. Even if you are a one-worded band/act; it is not that tricky selecting a name that will stand out from everything else – and draw people in with its sense of allure. That is not the only thing worrying in the ‘name game’.

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Artists – bands, mostly – get it into their head something stupid or abstract is the way to get people into the tent! If you have a name that has symbols, odd accents and lettering in; how easy is it for people to find you?! I wonder whether artists are deliberately trying to alienate themselves with their choices. Some bands, not naming again, do some capitals or all; maybe they will all be capitals with some numbers thrown in! It reminds me of someone working in on office changing their password – struggling to think of something they haven’t already used! They will do a mix of numbers and letters; some upper-case and strange characters. Some might say a name is an insignificant and irrelevant point – if the music is great, people will come, right?! The trouble is; if you name your child ‘Spacmaninoff’ the other kids aren’t going to crowd around in the hope he/she will be able to blow ping-pong balls out their arse! I have been put off from approaching some bands because they have a forgettable/lamentable name; lost others because they are Google-proof and isolated. If you have to spend hours finding a group because their name is so familiar - bringing up hundreds of other results before you get to them – then you’ll get annoyed and move along.

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Maybe my gripe is more at the inconvenience of having to wade through the Internet in order to locate an artist. If I have to do that, then other people are; they will bypass that band and go to someone else. I can rattle off a dozen names, if I were in a band, I’d be happy to sport and boast – and, I feel, would be hard to compare with anything else. Visuals, again, are aspects every artist needs to get right. I won’t bore you with my fascinating rant regarding photos and the lack of them on many artists’ pages. I am thinking more about covers and design. I will look, today, at music videos and how they have petered away and lost their exceptional allure. Although there are fewer physical albums being unleashed to the world; every artist needs to put an image out that covers, well…the cover. Music is about covering all angles and ensuring all aspects are considered. One might feel the modern consumer cares less about names and images than they did decades ago. An album/E.P. cover does not need to be intricate, packed and mind-blowing. Think about the best covers ever – Nirvana’s Nevermind and The Beatles’ Abbey Road – and they are sheer simplicity. They have gained iconic status because of the music they were attached to; a sense of mystery and oddity; a striking image that makes you think and wonder.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Whether it is an image-heavy shot or something sparse and simple: getting that right can bring people and show you are serious about music. A lot of the covers I am seeing now, in new music and existing, are insipid and barren. I can apply this point to mainstream acts and those well-established. Why would you spend all that time recording music and putting your heart in it, only to release it with such a poor and average image?! Even if we hear singles on the radio – before we see the record itself – then we will, at some point, see the cover. That is what stares out at us from the shop shelves. At a time when more and people are turning onto vinyl; having shoddy covers is not going to entice people to pick up the L.P. and take it home. A lot of bands, I find, are doing mindless portraits and photos – where they are stood around looking moody/fun/sexually aroused. Solo artists either provide something plain or unimaginative. Again, like a band’s name, I am not looking for something that takes months to decode and has you gawking – although, that would be nice! Go back to the example of Nirvana and Nevermind. I know people would play the album if the cover art was something as formulaic as the three band members standing around looking moody.

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One of the reasons people pick up the vinyl and get into the record is that iconic and stunning image. We might not be able to replicate a photo like that in these times – a nude baby, despite good intentions, would ruffle the feathers of many-a Daily Mail reader! – but there is ample scope to create a timeless image. When was the last time you saw an album/E.P./single cover and thought it had the same genius as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon or another Beatles classic, The Beatles (‘The White Album’)? The fact there were better covers decades ago does not make a lot of sense. We have access to cameras and are taking more images now than ever. Technology means we can create anything that comes into our mind. Is the luxury of access and options stifling creative juices and making us lazier?! If an artist had to work on a tight budget with little technology and options at their fingertips; that would force them to think more carefully and push boundaries. There are, naturally, great album covers produced every year. Maybe the sheer volume of new artists means it is harder to single the great from the average. From St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCATION to Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy – we are still seeing some world-class art come through!

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IN THIS PHOTO: The cover of Tyler, the Creator's album, Flower Boy/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I am getting a bit riled but, when entering a packed, busy and, at times, cold industry; having all the bases covered and worked out before launching is essential. I am interested in artists with great names that stick in the mind. I love cover-art and something that stimulate my brain. If you can stand aside and do something different to everything out there; that is half the battle won already. Repeating what has come before and blending too aimlessly into the pack is, at best, lazy: at worst, it could spell a rather short and unspectacular career. Maybe they do not add a huge amount of value against all the other considerations of music – the sounds, marketing and endless promotion – but I am just as likely to bypass an artist if they do not expend thought and originality needed regarding their name and artwork. I will, as said, look at music videos later – why, I feel, we have seen the best of all-time. For all those out there who feel having a good, original name is nothing big; so long as you put out music – who cares what your art and covers look like?! To them, I would retort: having that sort of attitude will drive many people away. Before you get into the game – or, if you are mainstream or established; as you prepare your next release – consider something that gets into the mind and sets you apart. If fans struggle to locate you, or get bored the moment they see you on the page; that is likely to have a negative impact on your career that is…

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SO needless and avoidable.

INTERVIEW: Ace of Wands

INTERVIEW:

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Ace of Wands

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HAILING from Toronto…

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it provides me with another opportunity to visit the Canadian city and see what is happening there. Ace of Wands talk to me about their new song, Grown from Good, and what the story behind it is. I ask how they came together and what they have planned in terms of gigs and future material – they provide the names of new artists to watch.

I ask them whether they get time to chill way from music; their highlight memories from their life/music to date; whether we will see them play in the U.K. – and, as many of us might wonder, where the name, ‘Ace of Wands’, came from.

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

Great! We are gearing up for our E.P. release-party next week in Toronto on April 6; so, for me, that means cramming in as many art projects as possible. I keep busy when I’m stressed or nervous - and this release has been a long time coming! I find working on papier-mâché sculpture, drawing and listening to music to be the most relaxing way I can fill time in advance of a big event!

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

We are a three-piece band from Toronto, Canada. We play reverb-drenched Rock music with lots of harmonizing vocals; giant, loud drums and, occasionally, violin. I write songs with very personal lyrics, reflecting events in my life entrenched in metaphor. I spend a lot of time thinking about the poetry of the songs and how best to express myself in only a few words. I think we sound a bit like a mix of PJ Harvey and Marika Hackman with some Aimee Mann, Beach House and Sleater-Kinney mixed in.

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Can you tell me about your new track, Grown from Good. Is there a story behind it?

I wrote Grown from Good when I was going through a significant period of depression last spring. I had just returned from a long tour across Canada and was reflecting on my life and relationships. Many things came up for me that felt like triggers for transformation and personal change. A lot of it was scary and difficult, but necessary.

The song is an expression of the feelings of confusion and self-doubt I was having at the time. 

I like the feel of the video. Do you think the images and scenes reflect the messages of the song?

Absolutely. I tried to build a costume that would be a metaphor for the transformation I was engaging in. As the water costume grows and lengthens throughout the video, eventually turning into a shroud, I wanted to show the costume as a representation of all my emotions; an all-encompassing monster, following me around, eventually swallowing me up. At the end of the video, when I take the costume off and burn it, it felt like a very cathartic exercise in letting some of it all go. 

Lee. It seems like you had to endure some arduous water temperatures for the video! Was that quite tough?!

Ha! Yes! The first filming session we did was in June last year. In Canada, the water temperatures of the lakes are still quite cold in early-spring. It felt a bit like knives stabbing me all over my body. But, for art, I will sacrifice warmth!

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Is there going to be more music/videos from Ace of Wands?

Yes! We just finished filming a second music video last month. Grow from Good is the first in a trilogy of videos; continuing the themes of transformation. The three videos will each have shared visual elements (like the fabric, fire and drone footage), as they continue the story of spiritual and physical transformation.

The other two videos will also introduce the other members of the band, one at a time. I’m an avid horror movie fan, and so, I love the idea of exploring monsters (inside and outside of ourselves) through the music videos.

As the trilogy of videos progresses, the horror elements will become quite apparent...

I believe you took your name from a tarot card. Does the band represent that denouncement of stress and the embrace of harmony and improvement?

Yes. Last year, when I was feeling so messed up in life, I started to use my tarot deck to try to clarify my feelings - and the first card I pulled was the Ace of Wands. The card represents a gift of passionate energy and focused attention, will and determination. When the three of us came together in this project, it felt like a beautiful collaboration and representation of all the forces held within the Ace of Wands card.

I chose the name, partly to solidify the ideas and image of the band, but also as a bit of a manifesto for myself: fully embracing what can be the fleeting nature of creative drive and seizing it at every opportunity. 

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How did you all find one another? Did you move in similar circles prior to setting up Ace of Wands?

Anna and I met a few years ago around the Toronto music scene. Anna’s other band, Beams, and I had played together several times. Jody and I went on tour together across Canada last winter, opening for Blue Rodeo, and connected that way. It really feels like the three of us found each other at the perfect time to create this new project.

Which musicians and albums did you all grow up around?

Lee: Tom Petty - Into the Great Wide Open; Nirvana – Nevermind; PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea; Spice Girls - Spice Girls.

Jody: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delight; Star Wars - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack; Village People – Cruisin’; Queen - The Game.

Anna: Shania Twain - The Woman in Me; Destiny’s Child – Survivor; Led Zepplin II; Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon.

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

We are playing around Toronto and Southern Ontario this spring - with our follow-up E.P. being released in the summer. If you are in Toronto, you can catch us on April 6 at the Monarch Tavern; May 23 at Burdock and April 18 in Hamilton, ON.

Will you come to the U.K. and play this year?

We would LOVE to come to the U.K. There are so many bands making music there that are so inspiring to me there right now. It would be a dream to become a part of that scene! Add us to a bill and we will be there! 

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What do you each hope to achieve in 2018?

Following the release of this first E.P.; we plan to release two more three-song E.P.s over the summer and fall. We also hope to play as many shows as possible to get ourselves…and make more art and music videos!

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

Lee: I remember going to the first concert of my life. It was seeing Kate and Anna McGarrigle at the Danforth Music Hall when I was, like, three-years-old. I think I fell asleep - but I have memories of it being very exciting

Anna: I remember being six-years-old; so proud of having my own recorder, sitting on the bottom bunk in my bedroom at the cottage and figuring out how to play the intro to My Heart Will Go On from Titanic. I think that was the moment that I realized that I could play whatever I could hear in my head.

Jody: Singing Lost Together with Blue Rodeo on stage at Massey Hall last year.

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What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Lee: Hmm…I don’t think I could give any advice because we are pretty much (just) making this up as we go along. But, the idea of self-care and self-love has become very important to me recently – which, I think are things anyone trying to make art could work on.

Anna: I think it’s very important to tour, to put yourself out there and figure out how to play in other countries, too. 

Jody: If you are going to start a band, pick a name and stay with it for as long as possible: if you aren’t going to start a band, play with as many people as possible.

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Big Moon

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Lee: Angie McMahon from Australia; The Big Moon from the U.K.; Beams from Toronto; Goosebump from Toronto

Anna: Lung from Cincinnati; Ed Schrader’s Music Beat from Baltimore; Soften from Cincinnati; Vita and the Woolf from Philadelphia.

Jody: Greta Van Fleet - impressively Zepplinesque - from Michigan.

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

Lee: How can you chill away from music? Music is the chilling!

Anna: There is no escaping…

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).

Lee: Quarrel - Moses Sumney

Jody: Airbag – Radiohead

Anna: Restless, Unfocussed - Zoe Sky Jordan

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Follow Ace of Wands

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INTERVIEW: MeMe Detroit

INTERVIEW:

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Stone 

MeMe Detroit

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SOME of the biggest names in music…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Stone

have adopted personas and applied war paint in order to deliver their music with extra intrigue and mystery. I have been speaking to MeMe Detroit about her looks/makeup and whether it provides freedom and release. She talks about her band and the new song, Soc Med Junkies; whether we will see some more material coming along – the artists who made an impression on her growing up.

I discover the way MeMe Detroit’s music has changed through the years; whether social media obsession is damaging our health; if she, and the band, have a standout moment from music; what gigs are coming up – MeMe Detroit provides a few new names we need to get our music minds around.

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Hi, MeMe Detroit. How are you? How has your week been?

My week's been an eventful one, with our new single due out this week. It's deadline city with rehearsals and behind-the-scenes prep!

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

I'm MeMe Detroit; an Indie-Grunge-influenced artist from Birmingham. Myself, drummer Barney Such and Bassist Ross Adams make up our three-piece band. If you like your sleazy Grunge guitar-style bangers laden with riffs and a whole lot of melody, then that's us…

Soc Med Junkies has a pretty obvious derivation. Was the song compelled by other people and their need to spend their lives online – or was there a personal wake-up, too?

All of the above.

The whole social media phenomenon has taken society to a whole new level of ironic loneliness. It’s weird. On the one hand, it’s great that you can be in touch with people across the globe and ‘meet’ people (virtually) who you’d never get the chance to meet normally: on the other, it’s created this fake social acceptance where we’d rather talk across a keyboard or message platform than face to face.

It’s a real wake-up call if you’re ever on a train during rush-hour and you look up from your own phone…you’ll just see a sea of other phones and tablets with zombified lit-up faces staring into them. It’s really bloody weird when you take a step back and actually look at it.

It’s almost unreal. 

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Do you think, for a musician, it is hard detaching from social media? Do you think the negativity on our screens is damaging our health?

Totally! I’m a very positive person and believe strongly in positive energy. Social newsfeeds, however, seem to have a knack of fucki*g with your emotions. I don’t think there’s a single day that I’ve been on social media where I haven’t felt either anger, sadness or disdain from at least one post. There’s plenty of fun/happy stuff on there as well - but it does seem to get outweighed by the neghead (negative-head) posts quite often. If I wasn’t working in the entertainment industry, I don’t think I’d be on there to be honest.

As a musician, social media is a vital key nowadays for promotion - but it can become a pain in the arse. When you’ve got a shed-load of admin. work to do but keep getting distracted by kitten, dog and prank videos (L.o.L.). The great thing about being a musician/business owner on social media, however, is there are tools to help you schedule posts out in advance for the entire week/months. Even so, that lets me have a break from it - which does do wonders for the mindset! 

Is there going to be a new E.P. or album later this year?

There certainly is. We have another two singles due out in July and September with a full E.P. due out in November and a new album in the works for a 2019 release.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Stone 

How do you think you have grown as a writer since 2016’s Live to Love You'll Love to Live? 

I feel a lot more confident in my writing now and I have a much stronger vision for the direction I want to go in as a musician and artist. A big part is down to meeting Barney Such, my drummer. We have this natural chemistry, musically, and as mates. We’re on the same page: it just works and I feel like the new material packs a much bigger punch. Meeting him has also given me the buzz back…the buzz, where all you want to do is play and write twenty-four-seven. It’s ace!

Live to Love You’ll Love to Live will always have a special place in my heart, as it was kind of proof to myself that I could do something on my own after playing in bands previously and not always being 100% happy. It was kind of my catalyst for standing up on my own two feet and following my heart. 

What was the reason for the persona or ‘MeMe Detroit’? Where does that name come from?

 I wanted a name that was away from my own to have that distinction between me as I am (I’m quite a private and reserved person, to be honest, until I get to know you properly) and me as a performer (a whole different kettle of (vegan) fish!). 'MeMe' was a nickname given to me as a kid and, when brainstorming, my other half happened to be wearing a tee with ‘Detroit’ on it. Ha.

That was it really...

How does it feel putting on the ‘warpaint’ and becoming someone else? Does it create empowerment and protection, would you say?

Becoming ‘MeMe’ is the best feeling in the world. Although, it is still me; once that paint goes on, MeMe also comes out and with her comes a much bigger, more confident; no fuc*s given persona.  

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When did music enter your life? Which artists did you grow up around? 

Music entered my life before I can remember. I was singing into a mic as soon as I could hold one. I began classical training on piano at the age of six; then violin and, eventually, guitar in my teens. I grew up on a hugely diverse spectrum of music. My dad is Colombian, so I heard a hell of a lot of Latin music growing up.

I was handed down a big box full of my family’s generational vinyl with bands such as The Beatles, Bob Marley; Elvis Presley, old skool Ska records (Toots & the Maytals and Prince Buster); Michael Jackson, Madonna; right through to 1990s bands such as Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Oasis. 

That was pretty much my childhood.

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

Yeah. We will be touring in conjunction with the new releases. We have a short run of dates this week and a fuller U.K. tour scheduled in May - and again in the autumn with the festival season in between.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

To keep growing our fan base and keep building on what we do and love - and enjoy every second of it!

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

Playing the Main Stage at Silverstone last year was pretty rad! The sun was setting in the distance as we played, and I remember thinking ‘Fu*k me! This is amazing! This is what it’s all about!’.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Stone 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Keep believing in what you do and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless it’s someone giving you constructive criticism…that’s different, of course. I mean, don’t let any negheads sway your belief or focus. As long as you hold on to your own belief in yourself as an artist, the rest will fall into place. 

I heard someone today say they “hate that phrase “When we make it…..there is no ‘it’” - and they’re right! 

Life is a journey to be enjoyed, so savour every moment. Appreciate the now and just enjoy the ride without obsessing over a non-existent ‘it’.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Rews

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m currently loving a band called Rews; A band called Asylums have just literally dropped a brand new banger today called When We Wake Up.

Also, another Birmingham-based band, Blue Nation (are worth checking out). Their latest single, Rich Girl, is a melodic, yet riff-driven delight.

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

Playing music is my release, to be honest. It’s what I do to unwind. I also do acting as well which is an ace buzz…but I guess my favourite chill-time bar-playing music is time spent chilling with my family, my two cats or hanging with my mates.

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).

A bud of mine’s band, SULPHER, have just released a killer track that I’m loving at the moment: Take a Long Hard Look.

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Follow MeMe Detroit

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