INTERVIEW: Southbank Crows

INTERVIEW:

Southbank Crows

___________

THE first interview of this Sunday…

is with Southbank Crows. I have been talking with the band about their E.P., The Wild Ones (released last year), and whether we will see more material coming; how the guys found one another and started playing – the importance of London and whether the city has negative and positive effects.

I discover what gigs are coming up for the band and which new artists they recommend; whether there is any downtime for them; what advice they would offer to upcoming artists – the boys end the interview by selecting a song each.

____________

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

Hello, there! The week has been good thank you. Busy as always. Ha. Few rehearsals for upcoming shows - how’s yours been?

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

We are Southbank Crows; an Alternative-Rock-Americana band from South London made up of Will (Guitar, Vox); Patrick McCann (Piano, Vox); Taker Hofstra (Bass; Vocals) and Ryan Fielder (Drums).

How did Southbank Crows get together? When did you all meet?

Well. Will met Patrick at an audition for a band called Tiny Voices. We started writing music together and searching for a rhythm section. Once we found Taker and Ryan the music just fell into place: everyone understood what our vision was and helped create it bigger and better than we thought possible!

The Wild Ones E.P. was released last year. What sort of themes and ideas inspired the music?

It was inspired by some time I spent in Florida. I moved out there for a few years after my last band split; did all the life stuff you know, like, travel around, meet some cool people; get your heart broken. Ha. You know…the usual stuff. Haha.

How does it differ, in tone and themes, to 2016’s Southbank Crows?

I guess, inspiration-wise they have some similar themes but, songwriting-wise, we improved as a unit. The Southbank Crows self-titled E.P. was recorded without a full band as we were still looking for the right team. So, as far as Wild Ones is concerned, we sound more like a band with a more honed in sound.

Is there going to be more material coming down the lines? Are you guys working on new material?

We have been working on plans to put a full-length together and it’s mostly fully-written already but haven’t decided on when to do it and which producer to use – and, of course, where we will find some money. Ha.

How important are London and its mix regarding your music? What is it like for a young band in the capital?

London, I have found is one of the hardest places to be a musician: every single person is in a band or so it seems and everyone else is a session player wanting money!

My last band was based in Brighton and we found it a lot easier there to make a mark. Friends of mine in other cities around the U.K. have found it easier because they live in smaller towns that haven’t decided to shut all of their venues. Oh…and promoters aren’t trying to rip you off like they do in London.

Which artists are you influenced by? Who are the musicians who have made the biggest impact on the band?

I would say the biggest impact on our songwriting comes from acts like Lucero, Counting Crows; Florida Georgie Line, Stereophonics; Deaf Havana and Lower Than Atlantis.

Do you think there will be touring dates? Can we catch you play?

We do not have any tour dates booked in as of yet but we have got the following shows coming up:

The Big Meat B.B.Q. festival in Farnham on 25th August at 4 P.M.

Hammerdown at Bar 42 in Worthing on 26th August at 3 P.M.

Penn Meadow Summer Festival in High Wycombe on the 26th August at 8 P.M.

Hotel Pelirocco with the Stone Jets in Brighton on 20th September (which starts) at 7 P.M.

Is the stage the place you all feel happiest? How do you feel performing to a crowd and hearing that reaction?

It is, 100%, my favourite place to be. I am always writing things in regards to not finding your mark and where feels like home - which I have now realised feels like home! In the van going to shows is where we all love to be: that feeling when you finish playing of just wanting to play again. Ha. I do love it. We all do,

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

I think, for this band, our first U.K. tour and we have had some great, very busy festival appearances and they always leave you gleaming and full of joy!

I have so many great memories. I mean, one that does stick in my mind was sitting in a garden all night with the lads after a great show in Southport. We just stayed up all night having drinks and talking about how much we love doing this.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would love to tour with Foo Fighters, Lucero or Blink-182. Although, we will take any support slot. Haha.

McDonald’s cheeseburgers, kiwi cider; any beer that isn’t piss-water and money delivered in swag bags by racoons playing cops and robbers on an O Gauge train running through the dressing room.

What advice would you give to artists coming through?

Honestly; there is not a right way as such. Treat all bands and promotors you cross with respect and just be good people. You really have to just ‘love what you do and live for what you love’. I know that sounds cheesy but I really feel it’s so true. For anyone to respect you they have to see you live it, bleed it and love it while getting my financial gain or recognition.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Hmm; that’s a tough one. I mean, Boston Manor aren’t that new but they are starting to make a good name for themselves - and I remember them from years ago as a support act for my last band.

Kill the Witness. These boys are from Kingston and we just love playing shows with them. Just great guys and good tunes!

Then, some old-timers who have been going a long time but you might not know. Lucero, I use them as an influence in regards more than writing. They were voted the hardest-working band; they have consistently played something like 150-200 shows a year for a decade!

PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Foster/ALBUM DESIGN: Matthew Cole

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

None of us gets much downtime because we all have jobs too; so it can sometimes be a real killer effectively working two jobs. Ha. Will makes beer for a place called Surrey Hills Brewery; Patrick teaches piano; Taker takes care of, like, a million dogs a day; Ryan is a manager at a trampoline park.

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).

Lucero - What Are You Willing to Lose

Florida Georgia Line - Hell Raisin’ Heat of the Summer

Deaf Havana - Everybody’s Dancing and I Want to Die

Cheap Girls - Cored to Empty

____________

Follow Southbank Crows

Official:

https://www.southbankcrows.co.uk/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/southbankcrows/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/southbankcrows

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/southbankcrows/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCICPeAlO-gxwfxMl5Mfxk0g

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4GJIBPW5m94U0AfYgrzevN

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/southbankcrows

Bandcamp:

https://southbankcrows.bandcamp.com/

TRACK REVIEW: Martha Bean - Slippers to a Wedding

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Martha Bean

Slippers to a Wedding

9.6/10

The track, Slippers to a Wedding, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBOy1JzjmYo

GENRES:

Acoustic; Folk

ORIGIN:

Leicester, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

27th July, 2018

_________

WHEN I think about…

Martha Bean and her music, I am compelled to look at a few different things. I will talk about music self-produced and homemade; artists who get acclaim and stand aside from the pack; acoustic influences and modern artists who invoke the spirit of the greats; songs that make you feel comforted and give you guidance; artists who deserve to be big news and make changes in the industry. There are a lot of artists who record at home and get that very natural and intimate sound. I do not mind those who record in a studio but I always note something tender and evocative when you hear that homemade music. Martha Bean is an artist I have featured before and, every time I witness something new from her, I get the sense of an artist who wants to bring you into her world. A lot of modern artists write material that has a personal edge but it is harder to relate and connect when you note the studio-made nature. There is something lacking and synthetic coming from the speakers. Another reason why artists are doing the D.I.Y. route is that it is cheaper and easier. Studio rates are high and it can be difficult bonding with an unknown team/producers. It is the warmth and closeness I can feel from those home-produced recordings that the artist wants to bring you into their world and into their space. You get more involved with the music and the effect is a lot more physical. I hope I am explaining myself but, what I mean is, artists who record quite honest and uncomplicated music -a few elements but none of the polish of the studio – can make the notes and lyrics really strike. Polished production and the gadgetry of the studio can elevate music and bring new life to it but many of us want to hear new music that sounds close to a live recording. Bean, on her latest track, provides huge grace and passion; there is a lot at work and you get a real sense of who she is and what she is about.

I am not saying there is a big distinction between studio sounds and home recordings but there is a lot to recommend about the D.I.Y. method. Martha Bean has self-released her music this time around and seems to be taking a more independent route. I really love artists that take charge and have the confidence to take care of their own music. One of the reasons why I wanted to look at the independent route is the amount of creative control you have. There have been some big artists who have pulled away from labels and the demands of the studios and decided to record in their own way. Many new artists, when they get a certain amount of respect and attention, feel the need to get into the big studios and sign with a label. Others take a different approach and take that risk. In the case of Martha Bean; she has a lot of kudos – I shall get onto that later – and feels the best way to get her music to the next level is, in a sense, stripping it back. She has produced a song that has spoken to many and seems to resonate. Slippers to a Wedding is one of those moments that you drink in and are compelled to come back to time and time again. I have heard a lot of songs this year but few of them have managed to make a big an impact as Martha Bean. I will move onto a new topic soon but, before I get there, I will tip to social media and photos. This is a subject I look at now and then but I feel the visual side of music is quite important. Bean’s music is fantastic and she has gained a lot of respect from the media. The sounds are connecting but I am intrigued, too, by the aesthetic and visual side. She has some great photos out there but her musical dynamic lends to a rather captivating and eye-catching photoshoot. There need not be that many new snaps: a few that show her in different settings and add an extra dynamic to her portfolio. It is hard getting a lot of photos together – cost and the logistics – but Martha Bean is an artist who will be gracing magazine covers and interview pages for years to come.

Let me move on to another side of music and talk about respect. Many artists get into a position where they have the critical ear and the promise to go all the way. I always look at other reviews and how people take to certain musicians. What interests me is artists who tend to tick all the boxes. BBC Radio 6 Music have played Bean’s music and her album, When Shadows Return to the Sea, received four-star reviews. A lot of publications have hailed her as a voice to watch and a genuine talent. It is hard, at any stage of music, to get that sort of attention and praise. It is still early days for the songwriter and, already, she has won the ear of some big publications. It is impressive seeing artists get acclaim and it is something they can wear with pride. So many artists quit and retreat when the going gets tough; many take years to get great reviews and make it onto big radio stations. Martha Bean has worked hard but, more than anything, there is a natural voice and talent that takes the breath and stands aside. Distinguishing yourself from the crowd can be really difficult to do in this age. There are so many sound-alike artists and many are following others. It is difficult coming up with new sounds because there is less chance for mobility in the market. We have heard so much music and coming up with something original can be really tough. Bean has some notable influences but she puts her own voice and D.N.A. onto the page. She does not, like many, stay too close to their idols and provides something fresh and inspiring. One of the reasons why we often skip past artists and get a little jaded is because of the similar sounds. So many remind you of someone else – it is understandable they get overlooked and passed by. Modern music is a really tough industry and the competition is fierce.

Martha Bean has been plugging and playing for a long time but she has done her homework. She blends classic acoustic sounds with legendary Folk; puts in her own values and stirs it around. The critics have reacted to her fantastic music and many compare (Bean) to Nick Drake. That might sound like a bleak comparison – many are not saying she is grave and depressive. The Drake comparisons come when you hear the voice and lyrics. The former that can mix feather-light with something affected and shadowed; the latter that portrays poetic visuals and incredible language. Bean mixes personal sentiments with looks at the wider world. Her vocals are astonishing and there is so much range to be found. The comparisons the critics have made provide an opportunity for Bean to strike and grow. I have been looking around for artists who have the stamina and talent to endure for years and compel the generations. I am hearing a lot of great, acoustic-led artists who remind me of the greats. Bean has elements of Nick Drake but there are elements of Laura Veirs and Jeff Buckley. It is a fantastic and heady brew that gets into the blood and infuses the soul. I have been worried about modern music and how little focus is paid to artists away from Pop. You get all the spotlight and fuss regarding Pop mainstream and the big bands. How often do we look at music websites and the radio and find those honest and acoustic artists getting celebration?! They may perform softer, less dramatic sounds but that does not mean they are worth less. If anything, they are deeper and more substantial. Maybe we still look at the glamour and commercial side of music more than anything. I hope the tide turns and we start to place emphasis on solid songwriting and promise rather than fashion and familiarity. Many media sources have heaped praise on Martha Bean – I wonder how long before her music gets to a worldwide audience and she ascends to the heady steps of the mainstream.

I will come to another subject soon but I want to remain on this subject for a bit. Martha Bean does not limit her scope and subject matter. We all get into the position where we think artists of s certain sound will be limited and predictable. The acoustic-based artists, to them, are a little worn and there is not much variation. I think we often pigeonhole musicians and do not really listen to music as hard as we should. Listen to someone like Martha Bean and what she is singing about. I will investigate her latest single but, looking back, her songs have ranged from razor-sharp and witty to enigmatic and sobering. You get personal weight and clout alongside something light, humorous and open. That sort of width and range means the listener is treated to the full spectrum of her talent. It is important to be diverse and not limit yourself to the same subjects. Martha Bean takes influence from the likes of Radiohead and Debussy. She has been in the industry for a while but has not sold out and taken an easy route. She writes music that is true to her and, in turn, will always sound natural and pure. You get artists who are following trends and trying to please the critics. Bean has won the critical heart and is writing from a very genuine place. I have been revisiting strong female artists like Joni Mitchell and seeing how they managed to make such an impression on music. In fact, later today I will look at artists like Mitchell and how they created such a run of fantastic albums – look at her work post-Clouds (1969) and there is some of the finest music of her generation. I am keen to focus on great female artists but, more than anything, those who have something real to say and get under the skin. Consistency and longevity are not properties easy to perfect and sustain in today’s climate. Artists often change their sounds and adapt in order to stay relevant and find new light. If you are lucky enough to find a style that is solid and flexible from the off, that should not be overlooked.

My circumstances have changed over the past day or two. Yesterday, when writing a review, I was in the position of having a flat sorted in Manchester and, I thought, my life sorted. Not that I am floundering in the wilderness: it would have been a relief to be in a city where I want to live and the fact I do not have to search around too much. Things have changed dramatically and, after some lesson-teaching fraud, I have to look all over again. I am going back up to Manchester in a week or two but it is frustrating that things have changed and slipped so quickly. Music, yesterday, gave me the guidance needed to see through my plans and realise the choice I am making is the right one. Today, mind, I am looking for music that provides another round and encouragement and provides that support. It is difficult relocating – especially when you live far away – and very expensive too. That is all scary and challenging but a sense of resolve and focus needs to come in. Music is an important tool and aid when it comes to facing these hurdles. I am embarking on new challenges and need sounds that can keep me safe and open my eyes. Martha Bean’s latest cut has given me the relaxation and soothe I need to clear the head; the fascination and colour to ensure this review is as full as possible; a sense she is going to go a long way – which means I will spend time looking around current music and anyone who can match her sense of songwriting skill and passion. There is a long way to go for Martha Bean but she has laid down her marker and gained that critical heart. What interests me about her is the instant quality and beauty you get. I have not explored the nature of the voice and what a fantastic example can do to the listener. Martha Bean has one of those voices that conveys and carries so many different emotions.

You get the sense the songwriter, as a girl, searching through crates and record shops curiously looking at album covers and the delicious treat inside. I know music played a big part of her early life and she grew up around a variety of artists. Classical artists were part of the agenda; 1990s bands (still going today) like Radiohead were a big part – Bean also looked at Folk artists and legends who have pushed the industry forward. You listen to her voice and wonder where it comes from. Maybe there are flecks of other artists but you never get a big sense of anyone else coming to the fore. A powerful and potent voice has the ability to elevate music and ensure it lodges in the brain. I feel the voice is the most powerful part of the musical process. Great lyrics and music are important but the vocal element seems to have a lot more depth and sentient ability. It can touch you in ways composition can’t; it can say more than the words themselves and has the potential to change lives. Bean is an artist who has a rich and detailed voice that strikes hard and stands out from her contemporaries. I think she has the ammunition to remain a long time in the industry and transcend to the big leagues. She is masterful when it comes to crafting brilliant tracks and letting that incredible, gorgeous voice swim in the blood. I shall move on to look at Slippers to a Wedding and why I think it is a brilliant song. The songwriter is wetting the senses and asking many to ask what comes next for her. Each new release she brings into the world lingers in the mind and doesn’t fade from view – like so many of today’s songs do. I am a big fan of hers and am always amazed at what she can bring to music. Let’s get down to business and have a look at Martha Bean’s current single.

You get these songs that are perfect without visuals: some songs sound better, oddly, with visuals and little emphasis on the sound. Martha Bean, with Slippers to a Wedding, allows you to get two different impressions. The audio alone lets you cast one impression and viewpoint. Look at the video and you get another interpretation. Many artists feel music videos direct the listener too firmly in one direction and do not allow for personal interpretation. What we get on Bean’s latest single is a perfect accompaniment and companion to the song. The video brilliantly conveys the scenes and ideas inherent in the song. The opening moments of Slippers to a Wedding provide such beauty and imagination. The acoustic notes skip and ripple like a pond. You get impressions of a riparian vista or a casual stroll in the countryside. You can, fairly, hear elements of Nick Drake and you are instantly involved in the song. The playing is gorgeous and so much gold and brilliance arrives without a word being sung. When Bean starts to sing; the lyrics get the mind working. She talks about a newsreader falling asleep on the air whilst the world is listening – the weather report comes but he is dreaming. The video shows a moustached man with an orange jacket that puts you in mind of the 1970s/1980s. It is an illuminating and eye-catching way of presenting the lyrics and adding light to the story. I wonder if there is a literal meaning to the words. The news report and weather can mean important announcements in life. The ‘news’ might be guidance where that person needs to go in life; the ‘weather’, the predictions and how things will fare in the future. Rather than be awake and attuned to what is happening and where things will go; the heroine is looking at herself and a certain malaise. Perhaps she is using the newscaster as a metaphor for personal doubts and changing times. Rather than overtly open her soul; you get a parallel story of a snoozing televisual personality. Bean lets her voice weave and flies like a bird.

The words are given so much gravitas and personality. Each line and sentiment is projected with maximum acuity and resonance. Bean is able to go from crystal-like to deeper and more gravelled. Look at the video and we see a frog in a crown; avoiding a raincloud and surrounded by trippy forests and a sense of dreaming – nothing quite real and everything muddled. By that, I felt the heroine was talking about needing a secret kiss (when the frog kisses the princess and becomes real again – changing the gender to fit the story). Maybe our heroine is searching for a sense of clarity and someone who will be able to keep her safe. She says, in the song, we lose perspective and turn up to a wedding in slippers – again, maybe that is a sleepless mind getting tangled or an interpretation of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I get the sense (the heroine) is entering a grand and regal world in her own clothes and life. Maybe things are not fitting together and where she is, emotionally, is different from the world around her – perhaps I am misinterpretation and quick to conclude. The songwriter, in the next scene, is locked out of the house as it starts to snow. She has seven hours to kill – a very precise estimation – and builds a fire. Maybe her knight in shining armour will arrive. I was looking at that period of time and got to thinking about employment and the ‘normal day’. It is a bit shorter than the working day but, again, being somewhere that is not ideal and making the best of it. Look back at the wedding paradigm and I sense a woman who is in an industry promoting glitz and a certain finery – she is more humble and homely but has so much potential and talent. Go back forward to the locked-out scene and you feel her yearning for a hero to whisk her away. I know Bean is in a happy relationship so, maybe, this desire is for a bigger and better life. She says, at the end, we often feel life slip away and lose its grasp when not looking. One of the great things about Slippers to a Wedding is how you get a very direct and emotional delivery but some oblique tapestry. We start with one person (newscaster) and then move to the heroine herself. I have given my interpretation but one can judge what the song is about. The composition-and-vocal unity is brilliant and so beguiling. You need a few spins for everything to seep in and register. A brilliant song that keeps you arrested, interested and invested; it is the strongest statement Martha Bean has created. This means, going forward, many will look to see what comes next – might we get more material that feels as good as this?!

The Leicester-based artist has spoken about new material and where she heads from here. I think, as she says, it is more likely an E.P. (rather than an album) will come along. I do not get to review many artists from that side of the country. It is good to get away from London and talk about somewhere that does not get a lot of attention. Bean has a great band behind her – including Joel Evans and John Bean. The combination of the players and her leading hand means you have a musician who has the potential to go wherever she pleases. She has that great backing and it means the live show is a lot fuller and more appealing. Many solo artists play acoustic and that only provides so much richness and energy. Bean can provide a rounded and varied live set that brings in new faces and brings her music to life. I have talked about her home-made nature and how her songs bring you into a cosy place. Bean is an artist who can balance close and still with the impassioned and grand. There is a lot of love coming from local BBC sources and the media is reacting to her latest effort. I can see Bean embarking on a tour of the U.K. There are some great acoustic artists out there who are getting tongues wagging. As opposed bands and some solo artists; people like Martha Bean have the malleability to play in churches/cathedrals and conventional venues. I am keen to see her play and know she would prove a very popular live fixture across the world. She has played around the U.K. but I feel there are audiences waiting in America and Australia. Maybe the financial side of things will limit touring ambitions but Bean should definitely look ahead. There are a lot of great musicians out there and I hope each of them gets the chance to go a very long way.

I am growing a little weary of the mainstream and what is being heralded as the best. Too many artists who do not ‘fit’ into what is deemed popular and on-trend are getting overlooked. Investigate and listen to someone like Martha Bean and you get a lot more wonder and talent. I will end the review soon but I want to end by rounding things off and hinting where Bean can go. Slippers to a Wedding, and its video, seem to encapsulate all the sides of the young songwriter. There are those lyrics that make you smile and have variation. At once, you might feel a little confused and uncomfortable (in a good way); you might then find something heart-warming and cute; something funny and earnest. It is a heady and eclectic song that definitely gets you coming back. The animated video (by Adam Aiken) reminds me of classic cartoons and something vintage. Listen to the lyrics of the song and you sense someone wrestling with their life and looking for a sense of purpose. The track looks at fictional figures but you always sense there is a lot of personal impetus. Bean has a great way with words and bringing in enticing characters and visions. The way she delivers her messages gets the heart skipping and makes you stay with her. I have heard very few songwriters who have the same skillset and sound as her. She brilliantly weaves together scenes and ideas without being too wordy; never too full-on with her vocals but always putting in her everything. I know there will be more material coming down the line and many more ears will turn her way. Listen to Slippers to a Wedding and look back at what Bean has created. The songwriter is getting better and more ambitious with every song she brings out. I am glad I have returned to her shores and uncovered a song that shows what an immense talent…

SHE truly is.

___________

Follow Martha Bean

Official:

http://www.marthabean.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/marthabean

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/marthabeanmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/marthabeanmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/marthabeanmusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HQ3tb2Jy2vdGHrjCdQWeC

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: Lunacre

INTERVIEW:

Lunacre

___________

MY last piece of the day…

is a chat with the superb Lunacre. I have been speaking with the band about their latest single, Love Being Lost, and what it is all about. They chat about their forthcoming E.P., Pearl Tabloid, and what it was like putting it together; which new acts we should keep an ear out for – they tell me how the band found one another.

I was curious to know whether any tour dates were coming up; what we might expect from a typical Lunacre set; which older artists they take guidance from; whether they get chance to chill away from music – they select some songs to end the interview with.

____________

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

Jacob: I'm great, thanks. Finishing a big project this week is giving me 'last day of school' feelings.

JP: HECTIC, but nice - it's not so hot now.

Ben: Fab, thanks. Went to Cornwall for the weekend. 

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

Jacob: I'm Jacob; I play bass in Lunacre and, when I'm not doing that, I'm working on a PhD in Musical Instrument Design.

JP: I'm JP and I play drums and do singing bits (and like to experiment in the studio).

Ben: I’m Ben - lead singer of the band, also the main songwriter and producer.

How are you taking to the heat at the moment? Is it encouraging songwriting and creativity? 

Jacob: I feel like my brain has been gently melting, but in quite a nice way. It's encouraged creativity in the kitchen: I now know several new recipes with watermelon in.

Love Being Lost is your new single. What are the origins behind the song?

Ben: Love Being Lost came just after a bit of a ‘writers block’, when the frustration of not being able to commit any ideas into song ideas peaked and became the lyrical gateway into the track. The chorus came first; the lyric and melody came into my head and after figuring out the chords and baseline…the rest of the track unfolded.

It was one of those great times when the musical answers seemed really obvious and the lyrics came really clearly for the most part. The first demo had a typically overlong middle 8 section before the final chorus, which our guitarist Scott put under the knife to make the whole song more concise…anyway…really excited that it's out in the world now.

Pearl Tabloid, your E.P., is completed. When might we see that? What sort of themes inspired the music?

Soon. We’re reworking the live set at the moment and, once we’re a little further along, we’ll release the next single and start doing shows. This E.P. tracks quite a personal journey and Love Being Lost is both the first single and the opening track. There are some specific things I wrote about in the lyrics, but I’m hoping people can find their own meaning in the songs.

Last week, a friend told me what he thought Love Being Lost was about: it wasn’t exactly what I’d been feeling when I wrote it, but the overall sentiment was very close. I loved that the lyric was abstract enough that it left room for interpretation. 

Was it fun putting the E.P. together? Did you write a lot in the studio – or was most of it realised before coming in?

We took our time with this E.P. Some of the songs have been around since we started the band and have almost, but not quite, made it onto one of our first two E.P.s. Some of the tracks are much more recent, having only come about in the last couple of months. The result of this is that it has contributions from both current and past band members.

Our first guitarist, Sam, has a big instrumental moment on one of the tracks; a lot of the work our friend Benjee put in before he took a break to go away and study Sound Design has made it into the E.P. - as well as obviously featuring a lot of work from the four current band members. 

How did Lunacre find one another? Did you all know each other from way back?

Jacob: Most of us go way back. Me, Ben and Sam, who's not an active member in the band since he moved to Berlin, used to play music together at sixth-form. Lunacre started when we all finished university and got the old band back together. That was when JP joined. We've been playing together as Lunacre for nearly five years now.

Ben: I met Scott at music college in Leeds and Benjee through some friends in Bristol. Jacob and I met in a music lesson at school and did a pirate-themed cover of Stayin’ Alive with banjos in it.

In terms of older music; who do you count as influences and idols?

Ben: Radiohead, Blur.

Jacob: Colin Greenwood is probably the biggest musical influence for me as a bassist. Maybe this is less related to what we do in Lunacre but I'm a massive fanboy for Jarvis Cocker and Björk.

JP: I was always into big sounds and lush productions. The early Pink Floyd records were a huge inspiration for me. More modern stuff, I guess, was most things Ninja Tune and Warp Recordings were putting out in the mid-noughties.

Do you think there will be tour dates? When can we catch you play?

Ben: A.S.A.P. - probably autumn.

In terms of excitement and buzz; what is it like being up on stage? What might we expect from a Lunacre set?

I love playing the songs live. It’s such a direct way of communicating them to people and it’s very exciting because it can be slightly different every time. The songs take on a different life at a gig.

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

Jacob: Our launch party gig for our last E.P. was amazing. We had put so much time into the E.P. itself as well as making sure the gig would be a great event. It was such a good rush of relief and gratitude when loads of people came to support.

Ben: Some of my fondest memories are of when we first started jamming together and establishing the sound and vision for Lunacre. It was a time of great musical and personal development and I feel like we made some really strong bonds and had great fun.

JP: Probably playing some awful Nickelback tune on the guitar as a kid.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Jacob: I'd love to play a show with Mac DeMarco. He seems like a fun guy and his recent album is full of beautiful songs.

For the rider: ice-cold kombucha tea, stilton mini cheddars and seasons 1-9 of The Simpsons on the T.V.

JP: It'd have to be someone with an outrageous line-up. Like Parliament Funkadelic, maybe? Tequila on the rider for me - always a catalyst for fun.

Ben: I think, at our last gig, JP put tuna mayo on the rider…we never got it. I’d love to support Björk and I’d ask for soya chocolate milk on the rider.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through? 

JP: Love what you do and don't hesitate to keep putting yourself out there!

IN THIS PHOTO: Jack Watts

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Ben: Check out Jack Watts (Horrorscope).

Jacob: The Fish Police and Too Hot for Candy are two bands who have been supported by the charity Heart n Soul, who provide opportunities for young people with learning disabilities to get involved in music and the arts.

JP: Really loving a guy called Mark Hill at the moment. Also, Forest Swords' album from a year or so ago is still getting a lot of airtime for me.

IN THIS PHOTO: Forest Swords/PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Phung for DJ-Kick

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

I like to leave the country and turn off my phone – but, honestly, working in music comes with its calming moments so I don't always feel a stressful build-up behind back-to-back workdays!

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).

Jacob: It's got to be Cactus by the Fish Police. It's available from their Bandcamp.

JP: I'd love for you to play Pink Floyd – Breathe (In the Air)  x

Ben: Please play All Saints - Pure Shores

____________

Follow Lunacre

Official:

https://www.lunacre.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LNACR

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LunacreHQ

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lncr_nstgrm/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0TwQ0fUo4ECveDDQkt4PAQ

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kPtIywKtBqytsowqAg5hi?si=3dtOielcRD-6R_oHqI5M5A

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/lunacre

FEATURE: Information Overload! Do Artists Need to Be SO Revealing on Social Media?!

FEATURE:

 

 

Information Overload!

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

Do Artists Need to Be SO Revealing on Social Media?!

__________

EVERY artist out there…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

is entitled to connect with their fans and share whatever they want. I do wonder whether there is this essential need to reveal every facet of their waking lives! It may seem like old news but there is something ambiguous about ‘social media’. That desire to be connected and conversational is resulting in a mass of information put our way. I do not follow that many people but I struggle to keep up with everything that is put out. I can look at Twitter, let’s say, and get a grip on what is happening. I turn my head and a stream of new tweets comes through. A band might post a GIF or update; they will then share someone else’s status and, before you know it, there is a flood of stuff in front of you. If you ever sleep – I occasionally do – then you wake up and have missed out on a lot of stuff. You will look at a timeline or whatever and search around for anything relevant and interesting. It is not only musicians culpable of sharing too much: all of us get into a habit of giving too much away and passing on every inane and random piece of information to followers. I have lost so many contacts because I get fed up with all the posts and retweets – Facebook statuses, stupid photos and pointless updates. The introduction and rise of Instagram have made this even worse.

Once was a time only had Facebook and Twitter infiltrating our brains. Now, there is a slew of Instagram updates and photos for everyone to see. I am all for artists being open and letting us into their lives but I wonder how much ‘useful’ and relevant information we are receiving. I do love artists like Florence + the Machine but so many big artists are sharing every thought and reflection with us! New artists are the same. They are less reliant on commercial gain and record label pressures but they are posting out constant updates and news stories; photos from gigs and thoughts that come into their head. I guess we are all guilty of too much sharing: I have been known to spend a lot of time posting articles and realise it must be a bit full-on for many. I get a bit fed up with the unregulated and over-the-top nature of social media. I do not like unfollowing artists or people in general but get a little weary when they post endless photos, updates and retweet endlessly. Not only is it impossible to keep up with it all but it sort of turns into harassment, albeit it quite inoffensive, after a time. You never really know if you have missed something important or something monumental has passed you by. The modern artist, mainstream or otherwise, need to keep their fans updated – I wonder how far they need to go.

“You have to remember that nothing remains the same.” -Pattie Boyd 📷 @alexilubomirski

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Jul 10, 2018 at 9:05am PDT

You look at a typical mainstream artist and there might be a couple of dozen updates/tweets on an average day. There might be some random Instagram photos and they retweet praise and mentions; there are some off-the-cuff thoughts and one or two things that might be worthy. I wonder whether the modern interpretation of being a musician has altered the way social media is used. This article shows how social media has changed and ways musicians can utilise it:

“Social media has played a massive role in rekindling this tribal group mindset. Artists in all industries no longer need to appeal to millions of people to succeed and make their mark. Instead, a group of even a few hundred loyal followers can enable the artist in question to pursue their dreams.

The results of this drastic change are phenomenal. Instead of artists having to adhere to certain genre’s or change themselves to appeal to more people, they can remain true to their essence and create whatever they want (well, within reason!)”.

Musicians have their music on platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube; they post behind-the-scenes videos and photos; they share reviews and news that comes their way – it all adds to a sense of productivity and marketing. I understand artists need to remain visible and cope in a saturated market.

The problem with keeping things strictly ‘musical’ means we are seeing more updates and bombardment. If you follow a selection of big and small artists, you will get to know them pretty well but I wonder how much of what we see is relevant. It might be fun seeing a GIF or a photo at a gig; we might smile a bit when they post wacky videos of them at a venue. Not only does the endless stream of updates get a bit much; you miss out on so much and it is impossible to connect with all your fans all of the time. I might miss an important update from a band who posts several pointless photos of them messing around in the studio. After a while of useless posts; I get a little fatigued and yearn for a bit of a breather. It is hard balancing between effective marketing and giving too much away. Look at the Pop market and some of the biggest artists there. Many will reach out to their fans but I wonder how many pouting photos and windows into their personal lives can be tolerated. Maybe there should be better filters so artists can better target their audience and, for people like me who do not need to know everything that comes out of their mouths, it would provide some rest. I would happily follow an artist and set what I want to get from them.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I am not interested in any retweets coming from them; I do not want to see their Instagram feed – I only want to know about the music and what is going through their minds (in terms of creative thought). I feel the need to reach out and be so prolific is a way of coping in a saturated market. Artists feel revealing all and being constantly in the public view is a way of getting their name out there and getting ahead of the competition. Not only is that all-cards-on-the-table approach wearisome and overloading; it can affect mental-health and make the fan a bit addicted. I wonder whether the average Ariana Grande fan really needs to see her chilling at home or with her boyfriend; seeing every thought and being THAT connected. For the artist, there is that demand to have them spend hours a day on social media and open up their soul. That can backfire: fans and critics taking shots; feeling exposed and the need to keep pushing themselves in order to get more fans. I understand things are hard and it is a real struggle for a new artist.

This article posts a set of rules for social media dos and don’ts. Have a look here, too:

·         Keep your content varied. From a user’s perspective, nothing is more boring (and eventually, annoying) than seeing repetitive posts over and over. You’ll get more followers by mixing up your content to contain all sorts of material. Don’t just blast your followers with requests for likes or retweets – give back! Upload videos, share photos, make creative use of hashtags, offer giveaways, share sneak peeks, discuss albums or equipment you enjoy, and don’t forget to interact with your fans.

·         Don’t post too often – or too little. Different sources give different recommendations for the optimal posting frequency depending on factors like which website or app you’re using and how many followers you have. Generally speaking, two posts per day is recommended for artists with large followings (10,000 or more), while a lower posting frequency is typically advised for musicians with smaller followings. Planetary Group can help you find an effective social media strategy for maximizing your visibility and outreach to listeners.

·         Offer rewards for fans. Who doesn’t love being rewarded? You can make free downloads available to fans, or offer other simple, low-cost treats and exclusives, in exchange for liking your page or sharing a certain hashtag.

·         Get creative with interactive features. Artists often fixate on the “media” aspect of social media and forget about the “social” part; but the beauty of social media is that it creates a two-way street. Not only can you share content with fans, they can share content with you – which also happens to be a great (and cost-free) way to make an impression and forge a connection. For example, you can invite fans to submit their art, upload videos, or simply share their opinions.

·         Use a personal tone. You’re not the spokesperson for a multi-national corporation, so you shouldn’t write like one on Facebook (or, for that matter, on any other social media site you’re using). While you should definitely give your posts a once-over for basic grammar and readability, you should write like you speak so that your content has a genuine tone.

Steve Jobs you are one of my biggest inspirations and your story spirit and drive helps to push me everyday      congratulations on Apple hitting a trillion dollars also congrats to Eddie Q and Johnny Ives and Tim Cook and the entire Apple team

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) August 3, 2018

I do wonder whether it is hard to know where to draw the line and whether artists get too obsessed with getting as much information out there as possible. Whilst the musician has more ground than ever to cover; for those on the other end, it can be a bit heavy-handed and much. The musician is under more and more pressure to stay online and do as much as they can on social media. The effect on mental-health is clear – more and more artists committing suicide and suffering breakdowns. In any case; I feel there needs to be more of a balance and, yes, for artists to take it easier. I have followed artists only to regret it a day later – when they post more useless information than anything about their current projects. I feel we all need to take it easier and decide what is purposeful and needed.  Social media sites need more sophisticated filters so people like me will stick with artists and receive only the prime social media cuts. I am pleased there are so many artists coming through and putting their music online. I love the growth and choice but, when we have to see every movement and breath from them; it can get a bit annoying and lead many to hit that…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

UNFOLLOW button.

FEATURE: The World Is Your Oyster? WOMAD and the Visa Fiasco – and Why We Need to Do More to Welcome International Artists

FEATURE:

 

 

The World Is Your Oyster?

IN THIS PHOTO: The members of Tal National who were able to perform at WOMAD (some of their bandmates were denied entry to the U.K.)/PHOTO CREDIT: Judith Burrows/Getty  

WOMAD and the Visa Fiasco – and Why We Need to Do More to Welcome International Artists

__________

MANY of us have been hearing about…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

WOMAD  and the issues around visas. There are those who feel ‘World’ music – a rather broad and misunderstood term – is not really that good and something we do not really need to protect. The diversity and brilliance of the music world need to be embraced and spread as far as possible. The Guardian reported what happened at WOMAD and the musicians who missed out:

“Three of the acts scheduled for the festival – Sabry Mosbah from Tunisia, Wazimbo from Mozambique and some of the members of Niger’s Tal National – were denied entry to the UK and either had to cancel their festival appearance or perform stripped-down sets. Indian duo Hashmat Sultana passed through border control 24 hours after they were due to go on stage. Smith said that an increasing number of performers were now declining invitations to the event because they deemed the Home Office’s iron-fisted process humiliating.

Questions have been raised about what this means for the future of world music in the UK. The festival’s co-founder, Peter Gabriel, this week released a statement calling the situation “alarming” and asked: “Do we really want a white-breaded, Brexited flatland? A country that is losing the will to welcome the world?” Channel 4 News’s Jon Snow, meanwhile, tweeted: “The ‘hostile environment’ took its toll at Womad … a number of events were seriously affected by visa refusals. By definition, a festival of world music requires visas for many bands. What on Earth is the Home Office doing refusing them? Is music the new enemy?”

The fact Gabriel has come out in such strong terms shows you how ridiculous the situation is. I am not an expert regarding the Visa process – few of us are – but this is not the first time musicians have been restricted entry into the country. It costs hundreds to have a visa (for international artists) slow-tracked – it costs so much more to have it fast-tracked. There are countless boxes and processes the musician needs to go through. It is almost like renewing a passport and filling out a job application in one – to those whose first language is not English. They then have to find a wad of money to get a visa. There is that endless wait and, often, musicians are being turned away and denied. Artists including Serbian D.J. Tijana T revealed – to a Dance music site – she felt criminalised for having her U.K. visa denied three times in a year. Other artists have expressed horror and sadness at the lengths they have to go to in order to get a visa. The Home Office have said, last year, 99% of non-settlement visa applications were processed within fifteen days. That sounds like a pretty good statistic but you only need look at the difficulties surrounding the visa application process to know it needs changing. Artists often need to appear in-person at visa centres.

IN THIS PHOTO: Peter Gabriel/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Many of them do not live near one at all – it is hard when you’re in Africa and do not really have a choice. There are, as The Guardian’s article continues, other challenges:

“Performers invited by a number of approved events such as Womad (there are 45 in the UK in total) can apply for a permit-free festival visitor visa without the need to issue a certificate of sponsorship. But they must “provide bank statements showing a consistent balance of around £1,000 for at least three months,” says Richard. Even these visas are clearly no longer guaranteed, often due, according to David Jones, a director at live music producer Serious, to spiralling processing times. “What used to be the absolute maximum period they would turn the visa around in, 15 working days, has become the norm.” Often this means that passports are returned long after a gig has taken place”.

It seems, since 2015, it has become harder for non-residents to enter the U.K. to perform. Not only has the process got harder but, when many appeal after they are denied, many have to spend thousands rebooking flights and uprooting themselves. It is not as though people working in the visa office are racist and want to keep people out. There is costing-cutting happening and there is less accuracy/competency when processing forms. The fewer people employed to process applications, the more incidents like the WOMAD situation we will see.

There is another presumptions (international artists) are here to remain and not return to their countries. Musicians are here to do a job and bring pleasure to people. The fact those who can successfully get a visa and play here have to go through so much tells you how changes need to come in – we need to take measures and ensure there are no barriers imposed. Maybe it will be a case of festivals sponsoring acts or acting as references. Maybe there needs to be greater differentiation between non-genuine performers and those faking the application. That, again, comes down to resources and capital investment. Many others will say there is not enough money to overturn the visa situation – others are not concerned with the problem and feel there is no big loss. I am wondering whether Britain is pushing people away to keep ‘safe’ its own people. We are leaving Europe – in the worst and most embarrassing way possible – and it seems like we are becoming less connected with the rest of the world. Musicians from continents like Africa and Asia bring so much talent and colour to our shores. It is not only festivals like WOMAD where musicians are feeling excluded and frustrated. If artists have to pay a lot of money to get a visa and others are rejected for no good reason; we risk sending a bad message to the rest of the world.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

U.S. and European musicians will see how hard it is getting through barriers and customs; how stringent and complex the visa application process is. Many will not take the risk and stay where they are. The reverse may be true for British musicians: countries not willing to freely let in our artists if we are excluding theirs. All of this is a mess that needs untangling and getting to the bottom of. I am not sure whether there is an easy solution but is clear the Government needs to realise their current policies are not working. More money needs to be sourced to better staff the visa offices; the forms need revising and we need to make sure the process for applying for visas is affordable, thorough but not too difficult. Seeing festivals with a sea of white performers is not something I want to witness. Diversity and cultural richness rely upon openness and the understanding we cannot keep British music solely British. WOMAD director Chris Smith had this to say regarding other countries and their attitude to international musicians:

"Without a doubt it is harder to get into the U.K. than it is to get into other countries," he laments. "In other countries, the authorities bend over backwards to actually solve any problems that we may come across. Here you don't get the support. It's a premium cost phone line to an answering machine. We very often have staff sitting in the office making very expensive phone calls because the artists simply can't afford to."

 IN THIS PHOTO: Chris Smith/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

He adds, "When you have your prime minister saying she wants to create a hostile environment for immigration, you have to assume that part of that is actually about being hostile and finding reasons [not to let people enter the country] -- whether it's racial or religious or any other grounds"

Musicians in Mali, for example, have to travel to Senegal to lodge applications; others have to wait endlessly for a decision and many others find the application itself user-unfriendly. Many artists find there is nobody to speak with regarding their application and it is a confusing and frustrating process. WOMAD has revealed a real problem – one we have only seen the tip of. We do not know how far the problem extends and how problematic it is for artists all over the world to get into Britain. If Brexit represents a new and more independent Britain then I wonder whether we need to look at our views of the world and why we are isolating ourselves. We are less keen on doing business with Europe and there is a view Britain is better off when it makes its own decisions and has a bigger say on the world market. Britain is hardly a shining example of openness and unity when it comes to people outside of our nation.

IN THIS PHOTO: Meklit performing at this year’s WOMAD/PHOTO CREDIT: Judy Totton/REX/Shutterstock

I know there are a lot of questions that need to be asked but the fact the visa process has got worse the last few years shows the current Government is dropping the ball. The real risk is a shrinking of our music culture. Britain, soon enough, will only produce its own artists and exclude everyone else. We are more welcoming when it comes to American and European artists; it is a simpler process and they have greater access to visa offices and assistance. In any case, many are calling for real change and a realisation this nation is losing what makes it great. If we push everyone away and make it impossible for great international artists to play here; festivals like WOMAD will be in danger and that will have a knock-on effect. I am concerned this is a sign of worse things to come: other festivals losing musicians because of the visa process, for instance. Let’s use WOMAD as an example of how brilliant World/international music is and why we need to make it easy for artists to come and play in the U.K. I am becoming more ashamed of the country and where we are heading. The music industry is the last industry I want to see suffer because of our restrictions and visa processes. Let’s learn from this mistake and hope the Government gets themselves organise and ensures…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

THIS never happens again.

INTERVIEW: Mike Edel

INTERVIEW:

 Mike Edel

___________

I have been spending time with Mike Edel…

who has been telling me about his new single, Go with You. I ask the songwriter which artists inspired him to get into music and how he divides his time between Canada and the U.S. – he shares a particularly ‘memorable’ event from his time in music.

Edel reveals his tour plans and what he wants to achieve before the end of this year; whether there is any more material coming later; which new artists we should watch out for – Edel ends the interview by selecting a great track.

____________

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

I am good. I am currently in California for a couple weeks and lots of stuff going on. It’s really great to have a song I love so much come into the world

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

Mike Edel. I am Canadian but currently live in Seattle.

Go with You is your latest track. Can you reveal its story and origins?

It’s about change and about going into the unknown with the people you love beside you. The song was written on an acoustic guitar fairly quickly but underwent a deep transformation sonically with a kind of '80s hi-hat drumbeat and SYNTH. I really love it.

It is a bit of an upbeat track. Do you think there are too few positive and optimistic songs in modern music?

I really like that it is hopeful. It’s not easy to be up-tempo or positive without being cliché or cookie-cutter I find.

How did you come to work with Chris Walla? Is it true he was living in the Arctic Circle?!

I had last seen Chris after his last show with Death Cab two blocks from my house at Rifflandia Festival in Victoria in 2014. I emailed him and eventually sent some demos I had worked on pretty for quite awhile. Yes, he WAS living in the Arctic Circle, no lie.

Will there be more material coming a bit later? What are you working on?

I have more music, yes! I’m really interested in giving some of these songs some extra lives and this one, in particular, I would love to make an acoustic version of it. I’m working on lots of music release plans other than that.

You divide your time between Canada and the U.S. Are there big differences in terms of the music of Seattle and British Columbia?

It’s crazy how much the border is a real thing that divides. I would love if there was more cross-over between artists and scenes etc. Seattle is very interesting to me because I’m still figuring out the music there and there are so many fundamental differences that I’m learning.

Who are the artists that inspire you and led you to get into songwriting?

I’ve had some really great mentors in all aspects of music and life. I think, now that some years have passed, I really appreciate these people whether it’s my first drum teacher or current producer.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Musical World Domination, of course.

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

I’ll tell you my most un-favourite. I was playing a show in California last week and my acoustic guitar got knocked over, took a spill and the neck broke. I am very sad.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell I really loved.

I loved the new National and War on Drugs albums.

There is a band called Nature Of from Edmonton whom we’ve played with - and I love their record and it’s fairly unknown.

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

08/12: Vancouver, BC/Harmony Arts Festival

08/16: Napa, C/Silos

08/17: San Diego, CA/Communal Coffee

08/21: San Francisco, CA/The Lost Church

09/05: Kelowna, BC/Fernando’s

09/06: Calgary, AB/The Gateway

09/07: Whitefish, MT/The Great Northern

09/15: Vancouver, BC/Westward Festival

09/16: Parksville, BC/REALM

10/04: Red Deer, AB/Bo’s

10/05: Edmonton, AB/Up+DT Festival

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Learn to collaborate and don’t give up on anything.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Scenic Route to Alaska/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Johnny Carson Kuby

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Scenic Route to Alaska, Nature Of; Tow’rs - so many I could list

IN THIS PHOTO: Nature Of

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

I’ve gotten into walking; like two-three-hour walks and I love that. I’ve also started to paddleboard lots. Both these things help me clear my mind.

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).

Nature Of – Bottom Line

____________

Follow Mike Edel

Official:

http://mikeedel.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mikeedelmikeedel

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Mikeedelmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mikeedel/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCZBgLb3EOFtx-rduNAZzw

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2slZ64SaMOJ1EXEi3W9PTI

INTERVIEW: Lucy Whittaker

INTERVIEW:

Lucy Whittaker

___________

THE amazing Lucy Whittaker…

has been talking about her new single, Who’s Gonna Know, and working with Yizzy on it. The songwriter reveals albums that mean a lot to her; support Pride and what that live experience is like – she talks about the artists who led her into songwriting.

I ask Whittaker whether there will be more material coming and if there will be tour dates approaching; what she hopes to achieve before the end of the year – she recommends some artists we need to get behind and support.

____________

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

Hey, guys! I’m really well, thanks. It’s been a busy few weeks getting everything ready to release Who’s Gonna Know but we’ve made it!

Who’s Gonna Know is your new single. Can you reveal the story behind the song?

Who’s Gonna Know embodies my new sound – it’s darker, grittier and more honest than anything I’ve released before. The track is about the dark desires that everybody feels at some point and trying to keep those feelings hidden (whilst also giving in to them). You can use your imagination!

What was it like working with Yizzy on the song? How did you two hook up?

Yizzy is a really cool guy and he’s doing amazing things for Grime right now. I’ve been following him for a while and knew that his sound would be perfect for the song. I showed him the track, he did his thing and it all came together pretty smoothly.

Do you know where you head from here? Are you heading in the direction of an E.P. or will there be more singles?

Yes! I’ve got so many new tracks ready to go and I can’t wait to share them. My sound has definitely developed so I hope you’re ready for something new. Expect another single before the year is up.

Who are the artists that inspire you and led you to get into songwriting?

I grew up listening to a really eclectic mix of music, so my influences are from all over the place. I would say the artist who inspires me the most is Michael Jackson - he’s just magical to me. I also love artists like Madonna, Rihanna; The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel; Justin Bieber, Charly Black and Bruno Mars - a weird mixture, I know!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I want to play more shows around the world, release more of my new music and reach more people who haven’t currently heard of me. It would mean a lot to have more of my music heard!

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

For me, it’s probably when I supported Craig David in November. The event sold-out and there were 15,000 people there. The atmosphere was like nothing I’ve ever experienced and to get up there and do my thing was the most amazing feeling.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Bad - Michael Jackson, The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga, Jazz - Queen

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Drake! He smashes it every time and to support him would just be insane. I feel like I would definitely push the boundaries on a Drake rider.

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

I’m on a U.K. tour right now! I’ve been playing some amazing shows and have met so many cool people along the way. I’ve still got more shows to go before summer is up - you can catch me at some of the U.K.’s biggest Pride festivals (Manchester, Leeds etc.); at my hometown in Cheltenham and we’ve got a few more surprise dates to release.

I know you have been performing during Pride season. What has that been like? How important is it to get your music heard there?

Prides are the best! The crowd is always so fun and the atmosphere is always positive. Everyone’s there to have a good time and celebrate who they are and it’s a really liberating feeling. The fight for equality is so important and to be able to stand with my community in solidarity is always emotional for me. London Pride was a highlight for me as it kicked off the summer tour and it was the first time I performed my new music to an audience. It felt so good!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be smart and keep going.  

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Santino, Heir and Yizzy.

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).

Back II Eden - Donald Lawrence & Company. It’s my song for when my soul needs a bit of healing

____________

Follow Lucy Whittaker

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LUCYWHITTAKERUK/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LucyWhittakerUK

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lucywhittakeruk/

YouTube:

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

FEATURE: The August Playlist: Vol. 1: Kong, Mods and the Hunter

FEATURE:

 

The August Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Neneh Cherry

 Vol. 1: Kong, Mods and the Hunter

 __________

THIS week brings some very exciting…

and unexpected releases to the fore. Neneh Cherry has released her first new material in a while and it is a classic slice – a nod back to her early career with plenty of original lashings! There is awesome new work from Sleaford Mods and Robyn; Slaves and YONAKA – a varied and exciting basket.

The weather is still pretty sweaty so, rather than endure it; get involved with a great selection of songs and sit back. Relax inside a week of brilliant music that shows, even though we are past the half-way mark of this year; there is no sign of things slowing or dimming for a moment!

IN THIS PHOTO: YONAKA/PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Saradjola

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images/Artist

___________

PHOTO CREDIT: Wolfgang Tillmans

Neneh Cherry – Kong

Interpol – Number 10

Anna Calvi – Hunter

Sleaford Mods – Stick in the Five and Go

Robyn – Missing U

Slaves – Chokehold

Wild Nothing – Letting Go

Paul Weller – Movin On

YONAKA – Waves

Darwin Deez – Say It First

PHOTO CREDIT: Harriet Brown

Black Honey – Midnight

Paloma Faith – Warrior

Jungle – Heavy, California

PHOTO CREDIT: @alexvnderblvck

Snoh Aalegra – Sometimes / Worse

Moses Sumney – Rank & File

Casey Lowry – Me & You

The Coral – After the Fair

Boy George & Culture Club – Let Somebody Love You

CXLOE – Show You

Death Cab for Cutie – Autumn Love

Ella Mai – Trip

Jade Bird – Uh Huh

Kid Ink – Big Deal

Nadia Rose – WUT2

Olivia O’Brien – UDK

XYLØ – I Don’t Want to See You Anymore

Amanda Shires – Take on the Dark

Iggy Azalea – Tokyo Snow Trip

CHVRCHES (ft. WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA) – Out of My Head

TRACK REVIEW: Austel - Lost at Home

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Austel

Lost at Home

9.4/10

 The track, Lost at Home, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4PCVJTLPOZ2yeRxy6JMiSJ

GENRE:

Alternative

ORIGIN:

Devon, U.K.

The E.P., Unfold, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/16dJFeSLTV8TACV4fjwrXB

RELEASE DATE:

20th July, 2018

_________

THIS time around…

I will look at some sides of music I have not touched on before. I want to look at music that documents leaving safe places and going somewhere unknown; E.P.s/albums and why the format needs to be celebrated more; being able to find solace and a sense of identity in music; artists who can take life events and common themes and turn them into something fantastic – I will end by looking at Austel and where she might head in the next few years. The reason I am keen to look at Austel is because of the subjects she brings into her new E.P., Unfold. I am in the position of moving from home and going up to the city (Manchester). It is hard making a shift and leaving something behind that seems comfortable and going somewhere new. The challenge (is having) to deal with leaving one form of life and moving to another. It can be quite hard leaving things behind and adapting to a very new way of life. I have got to the point because I need the opportunity of the city and the variety of people – going somewhere that offers a lot more life and a different way of life. There is always something a bit scary about the unknown and embracing something unfamiliar. What I am finding nervous is stepping somewhere that is new and I have not been that often. One needs guidance and words to say that things will be okay and it will all work out. It will work out, of course, but it is tough uprooting – even if you are very unhappy – and going somewhere new. Austel investigates leaving home and going to the city. One of the reasons why she has been in such productive mood is changes and having to enter a new phase of life. She investigates heartache and coming out of a long-term relationship; facing the world on her own and knowing, in the end, that there are positives and the change is good.

A lot of music doesn’t really touch on areas that are relevant to people like you and me. There is still too much reliance on relationships alone and something that is quite insular and personal. You can get something from music about broken love but, if you are not in the same position and have not been through the same thing, it is difficult relating and the music only does so much. I like artists that think outside of their own box and look at a wider world. Austel has, as she says, been looking to move to the city and desires that buzz. I think every artist gets into the position, if they are outside the city, where they need that community and rush. If you are in a quiet place or somewhere where you feel alienated; you are always going to pine for something that is different and wonderful. I am not sure whether she has found a good place in the city – I assume so – but that decision to break from the familiar and safe and get somewhere else has rooted in me. My situation is different but the circumstances are the same: wanting to be in a place that is more ‘me’ and thriving. Austel’s new music, especially Lost At Home, gives that sort of strength and insight that I can relate to. When I talked about artists who speak of love and the pains of it; I was being a little harsh. It is good to hear musicians being personal but there is something great when you listen to songs that look at other aspects. Austel has dealt with a lot and going through transformations. Going into the unknown is always risky and scary but, when you get there, you’ll find there is support and people who think like you. I have never really spent a lot of time living on my own away from home but it is a time when I need to take a chance and go somewhere I feel enriched and motivated. There is always the gamble of things not working out and having to come back – the city is busy with chances and work, so one can get their footing easily enough.

I wanted to look at the whole of Unfold but, as my rules are rules, I can only do the one song. I will look at Lost at Home later and what it means to me but, before then, I will look at the E.P./album and something fuller. We have a national day celebrating the album coming up very soon. I think we all get into the assumption music, now, is digital and disposable. Most of us like to access a lot of music but how often do we drink in an entire album and take time to digest it?! I wonder whether we allow ourselves enough time to listen to music in a real way with all the choice in front of us. We are bombarded with music and options so, naturally, it is hard to absorb what we have and let it linger in the mind. I have been following music since I was a child and have seen a change – going from someone who used to listen to albums all the time to someone who listens to singles more. I want to listen to albums more and spend time really getting into music. I think there is a lot of benefit assessing the complete statement of an artist and taking the time to study their work. You only get a slight impression of who they are by picking the odd song (from an album). Austel has released a great E.P. that tells a whole story. It might be ironic that I am mentioning this point – given the fact I am reviewing one song – but the Unfold E.P. is a complete view of where Austel is and how things are working out. There are doubts and strained relationships but that outcome: things will work out and there is light and revelation at the end. If you listen to a couple of songs; you get a rather distorted and unbalanced view of the E.P. I am not sure whether she is bringing out an album sometime but I am interested seeing how her life pans out and what comes next.

What strikes me is how emphatic and confident Austel sounds. One would not get the impression she was wrestling with doubts and trying to work life out. I think, having listened to the E.P., she has faced some tough questions and challenges but transitioned well. The heroine knows where she wants to go and has found rebirth by taking a big step. You can get that impression speaking to her but, as most of us do not have access to Austel, the music is the only way we can find out what she is about. Music is the personality and conversation from the artist. If we are only half-listening or skipping over parts; how are we to get a rounded and full vision of who they are? The artist puts a lot of time and money into recording E.P.s. If you make an album, for instance, you want people to listen to every song and not just handpick the odd song. It is difficult committing a lot of time to an individual work. I feel the reason why music has come a long way and managed to inspire the masses is because of the generation who listened to whole albums. The best bands and artists from all time would not be in our minds if we only listened to singles or the odd scrap. Modern music has a lot of positives but I feel, unless we allow more time to listen to music properly, we are not going to remember artists and stick with older sounds. Maybe we are all busier than before but something else is going on. My point is, when you allow time to listen to a full work; you get a much more vivid impression of an artist and understand what they are about. That is what one gets when you hear Austel and her new E.P. She is one of those artists who compels one to listen carefully and dive into the E.P. You hear the varied songs and all the different emotions fusing and contorting.

I have mentioned relating to music and artists like Austel – how her situation and realisations can provide guidance to me. One of the other reasons why I wanted to look at Austel and her talent is the way I can find a sense of identity. She has, as I have said, decided to relocate to the city and has faced heartache. I have not been in the position where I have faced heartbreak – not too good-looking and popular; merely a bit pathetic – but I am going through that change. What strikes me is how heavy and complicated it can be to move. Shifting your life and fitting in somewhere else can be desirable and much-needed but, when you are planning it, there is a lot to sort out. They say moving house is one of the most stressful things one can do – if you do that alone then it can be even worse. I have not come across many people who have gone through the same situation so it is hard to see how it will work out and what the future holds. Music, in a compositional sense, can provide some uplift and sense of meaning. You can take some direction from songs that generally look at making changes and extrapolate from that. Songs that directly talk about what you are going through are much more powerful. Look at Austel and where she is now and there are those who can relate and root for her. In many ways, hearing her sing and seeing those words come to life makes me feel less alone and provides some direction. I can identify with what she is going through and I can connect on a deeper level. It is rather wonderful being able to understand an artist and what their life is about when you have never met them. How many of us listen to music now and can get a real sense of togetherness and identity? By that, I mean listen to an artist and we feel like we’re one of the same.

I will move onto new things in a bit I wanted to encourage people to listen to the Unfold E.P. and drink it all its notes. There is a story arc and a real sense of development from the first notes to the last. Many of you, if you give it time and dedication, will find familiarity and be able to connect with the music. Maybe you will not get a profound a reaction as me but there is every chance you will feel less confused or alone – more enlightened and educated at the very least. Austel has combined her background is Jazz and Indie and created something heady and detailed. The musicianship and nuance you get in every song is remarkable. What hit me hardest was the exceptional lyrics and how Austel’s voice highlights and emphasises every note. She has worked on various projects and had a good range of live experiences. Recorded during stolen weekends and evenings in Peckham; the E.P. sounds like it is a young woman embarking on new challenges and rooted in the city. I have been a little worried about my choices but feel refreshed and safer when listening to Austel. She has a brought future ahead and has made the right decision. There are a lot of people dealing with heartache and changes in life – how many of them actually document them in a fresh and inspired way? I feel Austel take a new angle and combines catharsis and fear without being too heavy-handed. You get revelation and honesty but there is intrigue and enigma to be found. The young artist has asked some serious questions and is ready to tackle the next stage of her life. Given the ambition she has and the music she puts out; it is understandable she would want to be in the city and have that opportunity to properly flourish. I shall move on and look at one of Unfold’s songs that warrant wider explanation and investigation.

Lost at Home starts life with echo, entice and beauty. There is far-away vocals and an atmosphere that beckons you in. It is a rather moody and smoke-filled beginning that projects images of classical literature. That seems odd but there is a definite sense of an ill-fated heroine and a dramatic scene. I got the view of a fireplace and a darkened room; windy conditions outside and the smell of dust in the air. When Austel comes to the microphone; her voice, at once, buckles the knees and possesses that immense beauty. She is someone in the shadows and trying to move on from where she is. You get a real sense there is emotional weight and questions heavy on her shoulders. She is tired of the darkness and someone who yearns for the flames. I got the sense, at once, that darkness and sense of unhappiness were in relation to where she is now. She is at home and is not really reacting to what is around her. Maybe life is boring or she feels alien around people she is familiar with. There is not a lot of life and action here and there’s that desire to get into the city and the light. One hears real emotion and a fatigue coming from the heroine. She is retreating from touch and wants someone to open the door and let her get out. That need for escape and embrace is evident. You listen to the song and the way the words are delivered and you can hear the emotion. The song is never too heavy and foreboding at any stage. You do not feel suffocated or unhappy listening to the track. Instead, there is that feeling you are with someone who is reaching out and trying to bring you into their world. Knowing the song is about moving and rooting from home; it is understandable there is a sense of fear and unhappiness. The heroine has spent a long time here and it is time to move on.

Our heroine feels overruled and silent when she is at home. Maybe there is a sense of feeling smaller and not really being happy. Perhaps there is little opportunity and vibrancy that has dampened her mood and made her yearn for the city. Beats come in to accompany piano and soothing vocals. I want to know more about Austel and where she is heading and, in Lost at Home, you get a vivid and descriptive sense of what is making her tick. That feeling of being suffocated and overlooked is forcing changes and big decisions. Many others have noted how powerful and stunning Austel’s voice is. She manages to make her words both sensitive and strident without too much effort. A natural and instinctive performer who can bring the listener into her world; you are drawn into the scene and follow Austel. She has been struggling with doubts and looking to the wider world for a long time now. It is time to get out and go somewhere she feels freer and understood. The rooms she lives in are not her own and the bad mood she is in is causing problems. The chorus stretches the vocals and brings the biggest emotional hit. Austel is explaining her situation and why she needs to get away. With excellent production and a wonderful composition; the listener is treated to a song that gets into the heart and ears. You keep coming back to Lost at Home and discovering new sides. The lyrics stick out because there are no clichés and disguised sentiments. Austel is honest and open with her language and does not talk down to the listener. She never pushes anyone away at any stage: the music brings you right in; the words reach out and get into the soul. I am fascinated by the song and have taken a lot from it. She does not want to feel safe and honed. The heroine wants to stop feeling crap – she is slowly shrinking and wasting – and rotting away. There are dramatic words and descriptions that highlight how tormented and lost she is right now. Given the emotion and situation she is in; I can understand why she wants to get away and embark on a trek to the city. By the end of the song, you feel enriched but drained. That is not a slight at all. Lost at Home is a very personal song but there is something in there anyone can understand. I felt some semblance of relatability and common sense. It is an extraordinary effort from Austel and proof she is among the very best young artists out there. The songwriter has hit new peaks and created a song (and E.P.) that stands out and remains in the mind. Make sure you hear the song and spend time listening to the Unfold E.P. I keep coming back to Lost at Home and all the different strands. The swelling and luscious composition; the brilliant production and incredible vocals; combine with the vivid and memorable lyrics and you have a song that ticks all the boxes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Magda Wrzeszcz Photography

I think Austel will have a very busy and active next few years. Right now, she has moved from home and is embarking on a rather scary (but good) change. She has thought long and hard about her choices and has decided to take the step. One gets tales of ruined love and questioning but, in the end, there is that sense of light and change. It is wonderful to see Austel in a happier place and letting her wings unfold. I know there will be gigs coming up and chances to see Austel play live. Look at her social media channels and find out where she is heading. I am looking at the reviews coming in for Unfold and it seems like people are reacting to it really strong. That is great to see but does not surprise me at all. We are all seeing music change and it becoming a lot more disposable. I worry we are overlooking artists and not giving them a proper appreciation. Maybe streaming and digital music mean there is too much choice and it is impossible dedicating proper time to an E.P./album. Austel is one of those artists who encourages listeners to look at her entire work and not hurry past. You can listen to a song and appreciate it but, if you move to another artist (without looking at what else she has done) then you are missing out. There are many reasons why you all need to listen to Unfold and not be too hurried – there are lessons and insights we can all learn from. The young songwriter seems perfect for London and what is coming out of the city. I think working and recording in an area like Peckham is really sound. South London is really flourishing and it seems some of the best artists in modern music and based there. It is a fascinating and vibrant corner of the world with a mix of nationalities, vistas and sounds.

Austel has vibed from all the activity and variation there and created something immense. I know she will love the city and find a natural home there. One of the good things about being based in London is all the like-minded humans who can help you out. She has the chance to bond with other musicians and hone her talents. She can get some performance experience and play a range of different venues. As much as anything, she has a lot of opportunity at her feet and will never be bored. It is exciting watching her enter a new stage of life and attack it head-on. I think next year will be one where big gigs arrive and the best days of her career come. She has come a long way and evolved as an artist since the early days. It is a great and productive time for her right now. I feel she will draw in a lot more fans and get some big gigs in a few months. Lots of new people who are discovering her music are spreading the world and there is some heat heading her way. I shall end the review now but it has been great listening to Austel and Lost at Home. That song seemed most relevant to me and delivers a lot of truths. It is a fantastic offering from an E.P. that is so full of activity and life. Make sure you listen to Unfold and see where Austel is right now. She is a brilliant young artist who is going to be in the music industry for many years to come. I have been seeking some comfort and guidance this week and, with Austel, that has arrived. I am compelled to follow her career and where is going to step next. If you want to find a musician who goes deeper and further than most out there; have a listen to the brilliant Austel and you will find an artist that…

SPEAKS for you and has your back.

___________

Follow Austel

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/austelmusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/austelmusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/austelmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/austel-music

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7jMnfga7535wl3kJmUlRvq?si=NT__k6c1T-mfLNJ5Abmw2w

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgw5LIraJ31LpTjSHqJXOw

INTERVIEW: FHAT

INTERVIEW:

FHAT

___________

I have been talking with the guys of FHAT…

about their awesome new single, Pleasure, and what its story is. Aaron and Sedric discuss how they found one another and the sort of music they vibe to; what comes next for them; if we might catch them on tour – they recommend some artists to have a look out for.

I ask them whether they have anything left to tick off their to-do list before the end of the year; whether being on stage is the most important part of music; what advice they would give to artists coming through – the guys end the interview by selecting some great songs.

____________

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

Aaron: Great. Very eventful (laughs) #leoseason (fifth season of the astrological cycle, within which I was born). We released the first single, found an apartment in Berlin (move in next week) and it was Sedric’s birthday party last night.

Sedric: It’s been pretty epic. I think we’re still recovering.

How are you taking to the heat at the moment? Is it encouraging songwriting and creativity?

A: Yes. I love the heat; I love to be sweaty and wear as little clothes as possible.

S: I love it. I feel like it makes everything relaxed and easy. It’s always my happiest time of year, so making music is always fun.

Pleasure is your debut cut. What is the story behind the song?

A: After our first feature, Back to Life, we had been constantly writing songs for FHAT; experimenting with different styles and producers. Inspired by the SZA album and Ty Dolla Sign, we wanted some fast, really modern vibes so we met with Jumpa! He is a killer Trap, Hip-Hop and Electronic producer and he whipped up this track rather quickly - as Geminis usually do when given a challenge. The result was Pleasure - a sexy summer bop about how, sometimes, tough situations usually end up having great rewards.

S: Yeah. The thing I love about it is that each song we write is like a snapshot of our friendship and the positive impacts it’s had on us. It’s been a wild journey, but we really keep each other in line and we’re always pleasantly surprised by the end results. I’m STILL trying to figure out how the hell we ended up in Berlin!

How did FHAT find one another? When did you two meet?

A: We met three years ago at a birthday party in a castle in the Hollywood Hills. I had been living in L.A. working on music, becoming a vegetarian and doing yoga (you know, as one does in L.A. (laughs). We instantly became very close as if we’d known each other for years! Our friendship became so dear. I applied for a few travel credit card and we pulled an EAT PRAY LOVE!  And ended up in Berlin

S: The weird thing is we’d both lived in New York for the same exact amount of time and knew some of the same people - I’m sure we’d passed each other a few times…but this random night in L.A., a few people from the castle party were going to a show of Aaron’s. At first glance, I thought he was very…’high on life’ (laughs). At the end of the night, he asked if I was a vampire. The next day we went to The Cheesecake Factory and laughed for hours. The rest is history.

Are you looking ahead at more material in the future? Might we see an E.P. later this year?

A: You will see A LOT from us in the coming year. We plan on releasing tons of music independently; a music video with a very special character from a popular U.K. television show. Def planning on more shows and would love to do a classic album like Kali Uchis, Daniel Caesar and Janelle Monáe have done. A body of work with visuals!

S: Absolutely! We’re working with so many people who just feel what we’re trying to do. I think, once we’ve achieved a few of our short-term goals with music videos, web series; singles and festivals, we’ll do a retreat in Spain and get started on a trippy FHAT album. We’re both such avid music lovers - we really want to present something special.

Which artists do you count as idols? Do you listen to the same sort of music?

A: Idols - Sade, Jessie ware; Jill Scott, Lianne La Havas; Emily King, Nina Simone….the list goes on. There is so much music I am in love with. Yes, I listen to lots of different styles of music but Alt-R&B, classic R&B; Soul and Jazz tend to be my go-to. #Gregoryporter #rachelleferrell

S: We do love a lot of the same stuff but always surprise each other with the deep cuts from our own faves. Aaron has this particular brand of early-2000s R&B/Pop that I never heard. It’s always nice to spark up, dance and laugh at how far music’s come since then…

As far as my own idols; they’re always singers who make me feel something transcendent. Like Whitney (Houston), Patti (Smith); Sade, Erykah (Badu), Sarah Vaughan; Le'Andria Johnson, Nat King Cole and Plácido Domingo. The list goes on but I’m picky with singers!

What do you hope to achieve before the end of 2018?

A: We really wanna nail the music video for Pleasure. We film mid-August and have a great team and concept for the tune. We would love to keep doing bigger shows. We played at a festival here in Berlin on the Red Bull tour bus and it went over really well!

S: I’m so pumped for these visuals. We have another directing team working on a video for another single of ours and I get the feeling it’ll be iconic. And at some point, I’d like to get back to the U.S. and take on some of the big stages there and show them what we’ve been working on.

Do you think there will be touring dates? Can we catch you play?

A: Yesss. That’s our ultimate goal! As electronic as our productions may be, they are very musical and we are classic SANGERS under all of that. The live shows are going to be amazing! There’s also been talks of opening for a special someone in October will keep you posted.

S: At the moment, we’ve been hitting in Berlin, testing out how all this music goes over. Would love to spread out over Europe in the next few months and eventually make it international!

Can you recall a time when you have had a really great time on stage? Who has been the most to perform with?

A: A few weeks ago at our show at Prachtwerk here in Berlin...the crowd was so into the vibes. We included an incredible pianist in the set and it felt great to play our music live and have people respond to it SOO well.

S: The first show we did at an event called Songversations was really special for me. It was our first time playing together and it was just us. So many people came out and showed love. They knew the words to our songs and danced like we were already stars. At that moment, I was like: ‘Yeah; this is a thing’.

How important is it getting up on stage and performing to the crowd? Are they the best times?!

A: Oh, yes. I started singing in a Jazz trio at eighteen in Pittsburgh and in New York; I was on a stage multiple times a week! I love to perform and to be performing your own original material is so rewarding!

S: It’s so crucial. Since I was a kid, it’s all I think about. We had this big, wall-to-wall mirror in my old house and I would run full-length concerts of all my favorite songs, complete with choreo; crowd banter and intermissions. I took it very seriously. So; to step on stage and have people singing back to us is just a dream.

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

A: I have to say it’s been the past year-and-a-half traveling around and working on the FHAT project! Because it’s the two of us, there’s not as much pressure as solo project. FHAT is fueled by us being our most authentic selves and bringing the best out of each other! The journey so far has been hard; at times never knowing where your next paycheck is coming from but “we don’t mind the pain when it comes with so much pleasure”. Hahah

S: That’s a tough one. The first thing that comes to mind is actually when we recorded Back to Life. Up until that day, we’d never worked together. But, something about that song just brought it all together for me - our friendship, this path – and, what started as a random session, ended up just being a crazy studio party. The energy was so high.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

A: Would love to tour with Anderson. Paak or Tank and the Bangas…or Lizzo.

Rider: Coconut water, spinach pies; Hugo and face lotion to STAY MOIST!

S: I’d love to open for Tyler, Little Dragon or Ty Dolla Sign. We definitely need a drummer. I would keep the crowd guessing by swapping different instruments like trumpet, guitar and laser harp. We need a smoke machine and some fire. I’m a Leo: fire gets me going.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

A: Know your lane. Practice…a lot. Know the business as well. It’s a rapidly evolving tech age and you need to stay ahead of the curves. Lastly; MAKE GOOD S#%¥.

S: I’d say, don’t be afraid to create your own lane with respect to those who inspire you! Go deep within, find out exactly what message you would send yourself to heal yourself from whatever-the-f*ck and just put the work in to make it sound as clear as possible. If it’s meant to be, the universe will have your back.

IN THIS PHOTO: Noah Slee/PHOTO CREDIT: Wilk

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

A: Noah Slee if you haven’t already. Sonder. Louis III. Moli. Sedric Perry is also about to put some really amazing solo stuff out.

S: I’m flattered, pookie. There’s this girl, Aleana, from Philly I knew when I was in high-school. She’s just the complete package for me - voice, lyrical content; flow, how subtle she is with her delivery. It kind of reminds me of when I started listening to Jill Scott – and, of course, Aaron. Since our time together, I’ve watched him carve his own lane and find his truest voice. Sometimes, I’m still surprised by the sh*t he comes home with!

IN THIS PHOTO: Aleana

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

A: We’ve been going to a lot of lakes here in Berlin as the weather’s been great. We also love a good sauna/spa when we have some extra money.

S: we were going really hard this year where we didn’t have a day off. Even when we were off, we were talking about what the next move would be. But, recently we learned it’s healthy to put some distance in there every now and then. Berlin’s pretty wild so it’s easy to decompress. Hehe.

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).

A: Sade - When Am I Going to Make a Living

S: Teyana Taylor - WTP (Work This Pussy)

____________

Follow FHAT

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/fhatmusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/fhatmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/fhatmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/fhatmusic

INTERVIEW: Dominique

INTERVIEW:

Dominique

___________

THE incredible and impassioned Dominique…

has been telling me about her new single, Receipts. I ask what the single’s story is and whether more material will come; what the music scene and vibe is like in New York; whether, as a female producer, she feels the industry needs to give more props to her peers – Dominique discusses her influences and musical tastes.

I was keen to know which new artists she recommends and which albums she holds dearest; if she gets time to unwind away from music; if there are any tour dates coming up – she ends the interview with a great song choice!

____________

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

I'm doing great! Super-excited to have put out a new track last week and I'm so happy that people are enjoying it.

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

I'm a singer, songwriter and producer based in N.Y.C. I've been releasing music for the past few years and have my second E.P. on the way.

Receipts is your track. Can you discuss its story and how it came together?

Receipts was inspired by someone screwing me over again and again and always begging for another chance until I couldn't take it anymore. In this case, the 'receipts' are the evidence I needed to prove that I couldn’t trust this person.

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

Yes! There'll be another single and most likely some remixes and feature tracks. I'm trying to make each release as special as possible with each one having its own set of visuals.

I believe you have been writing with two N.Y.C. contemporaries MDA and EJAE. Has that led to possible material?

Yes. I love these girls and writing with them is a blast. We'll definitely have more music we've written together on the way.

How important are New York and its diversity regarding your creative spirit and artists around you? Do you find it a great place to write music in?

N.Y.C. has a very tight-knit writing community that I'd only recently started to get involved in within the past year. Many artists and writers have relocated to L.A., but there's still a bunch of us holding down the fort. I wouldn't want to be based anywhere else.

Music came into your life very early. Have you been writing since you were a child? What got you into music so young?!

I have! My dad is a musician and a professional bass player and he fostered my love of music. I began writing really goofy short songs at the age of seven and I'd sing them all the time and annoy the hell out of everyone. Around age fifteen, I took songwriting more seriously and started making full tracks and producing demos on GarageBand.

Who are the artists that inspire you and led you to get into songwriting?

Most recently, the artists have been Charli XCX, Allie X and Tove Styrke. When I was a kid, I listened to a lot of Queen and whatever other '60s and '70s music my dad had playing in the house all the time. 

You are a successful and prolific producer. Do you think it is important the music industry takes more notice of female producers? Do you, in turn, reach out to aspiring female talent and guide them?

Thank you! Yes - and I think the recent activism has helped a bit but there's still a ways to go. I love to help guide aspiring artists and if anyone ever wants to reach out to me for help, I'd be more than happy to. Any time I work with a woman who has an interest in learning how to produce, I really enjoy teaching them how to work with Ableton, etc.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I REALLY want to start playing out live and I'd also love to release a music video.

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

Honestly, I think these past six months have been my favorite because I just started collaborating with other artists and writers instead of working by myself all the time. Music is so much more fun to make when you do it with other people.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Miike Snow – Miike Snow

I really vibe with the production and feel from this album and am always revisiting it. It's been one of my favorites for the past eight years - and I don't think that'll ever change.

Melodrama – Lorde

This is such a well-done and emotional album. Lorde's a genius and really knows to make the listener feel something.

OutKast –The Love Below/Speakerboxxx

This was the first album I ever bought and I have probably listened to it over a thousand times. It, hands-down, had a huge influence on my writing and production style.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would die to support Charli XCX - and I'd probably be so happy to be there that I wouldn't even fill out a rider.

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

Unfortunately, no dates right now - but I PROMISE it's coming soon.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Spend a lot of time refining your writing and thinking about the artist you want to be. Look at the artists you love and figure out why you love them so much and learn from it. Listen to a ton of new music!

IN THIS PHOTO: Eva Honey

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I'm working with an incredible artist right now named Eva Honey. She doesn't have any releases out yet but she will soon!

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

Usually, the only thing I do when I'm not spending time on music is seeing my friends. It's the perfect distraction and always keeps me inspired.

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).

Not So Bad in LA - Allie X (smiles)

___________

Follow Dominique

Official:

http://www.dominique-music.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/D0MINIQUEMUSIC/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/dom_n_que

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/dom_n_que_/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3OVWX97HduBB6SriNxtiQ8

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/dominique

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: Roxanne de Bastion

INTERVIEW:

Roxanne de Bastion

___________

SHE has just seen Paul McCartney…

play a rare gig - so Roxanne de Bastion was keen to discuss that! I ask the songwriter about her Tales from the Rails mini-tour and what it encompasses; she discusses her album, Heirlooms & Hearsay, and recommends some artists to look out for.

The songwriter talks about her musical influences and chooses three albums that mean the most to her; whether she gets time to unwind away from music; what she hopes to achieve before the end of this year – de Bastion talks about favourite memories from her career.

____________

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

Hi! You’ve picked the best possible week to ask me that. I’ve loved The Beatles for longer than I can remember and this week I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Paul McCartney perform live in Studio 2 at Abbey Road. He played for two hours and it was pure magic. It may well have been the best day of my life so, yeah - I’ve had a pretty amazing week, thank you! 

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

My name’s Roxanne de Bastion. I’m a singer-songwriter and don’t usually get invited to exclusive Paul McCartney gigs…! My songs tend to be acoustic guitar or piano-based and would probably be filed under ‘Alternative-Pop’ - if that’s a thing. Songwriting is my way of dealing with the world around me, so most of my lyrics are confessional and attempt to make sense of what I see and feel.

I’ve been very fortunate to have toured lots over the past years across the U.K., Europe and the U.S. and have just released my album Heirlooms & Hearsay. Right now, I’m working on new material and am about to play a couple of shows in the U.K. to promote my first book. 

Tales from the Rails is your mini-tour. Can you explain the concept and what we might expect?

Sure! Tales from the Rails is the title of my book. It’s a collection of edited blog posts that I’ve written throughout the last years of D.I.Y. touring. I don’t have a driving license, so for a really long time touring consisted of travelling via train or megabits with a suitcase and a guitar. I’m playing most of these upcoming shows solo or as a duo with the amazing Matt Reynolds on lead guitar (who drives; so that’s me graduating from the rails on to the roads).

We’re playing in Liverpool on 3rd August, Leeds on 5th August and Coventry on 10th August. You can expect lots of stories, some visuals as well as new songs (if all my songs aren’t new to you!). 

Is the stage somewhere you love to be? Is that buzz and connection with the audience what keeps you driving and moving forward? 

That’s a definite yes. There’s nothing better than connecting with people over music. It’s all I know and what I do. 

Are you working on new material at the moment? Might we see some music before the end of the year?

Yes. I’m working on the next album right now and will be releasing a single later on this year. 

Looking back at your year; what have been the highs and lows? Do you think you have learned anything about yourself during that time?

Highs include touring in Canada for the first time, opening for Marillion here in the U.K. (in what to me were HUGE venues) and playing my biggest headline show to date at The Lexington this April. I got to meet so many lovely people along the way and have learnt that you can always count on humans to make the world seem a better place if you let them.

Lows include breaking my ankle (and having to tour/perform on crutches), as well as generally fearing for the state of the world. I’ve learnt not to take the rubbish out when angry and never to watch the 10 o’clock news. 

Which artists did you grow up listening to? Do you recall when music first came into your life?

Music proceeded memory, that’s for sure. My dad’s a musician, so we always had instruments and recording gear around the house. Growing up, I’d always play and sing together with him in the kitchen (good reverb; almost as good as in showers). I don’t remember this, but the story goes that I really wanted to watch T.V. when I was four-years-old. My mum thought that showing me The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine would be harmless…I fell in love instantly and haven’t fallen out of it since.

Is it possible to express music’s power and how important it is to you?

Well. Seeing as you’ve asked, I’ll try. Songs teach us empathy. The more empathetic a society we are, the less time we will spend servicing few to the detriment of many. Whenever people come together for a positive experience, such as a shared love for music, you can feel how powerful that is (just think of your favourite concert - you’ll carry that memory for as long as your feet carry you). As for me, personally, I know I’ll be fine as long as I can sing and write and listen.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I hope to have finished my album, to have written many more songs; to have gone on a tour or two and to have a fully-functioning ankle again. I’d also like to eat lobster at least one more time before the year is up - had my first one in Canada during my tour last year and haven’t really stopped thinking about it since. 

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

SO MANY favourite moments! Playing Glastonbury was pretty special - one of those career milestones that will make your parents proud. My album launch shows at the Roundhouse in London and Leaf in Liverpool were pretty special too. I think, more than one particular show, it’s more a whirlwind of images, people and sparkly moments - sometimes the smallest living-room show can be the best thing ever. It’s all about the audience and the vibe in the room!

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

Just three? Ok… 

The Beatles – The Beatles Live At the BBC

This is the first body of music I consciously remember hearing. I know it off by heart, every tiny pause; every interlude and every breath and beat of every song. It’s where I discovered Blues-Rock, harmonies and that energy of live music. 

Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor

I first discovered her when I had just moved from my home in Berlin to England to try and make music and be a grown up. I was knocked sideways by Us. She’s one of my main musical inspirations; firstly because she does whatever the hell she wants lyrically and structurally, but also because she has such an emotional delivery and is a brilliant musician and composer. 

Heirlooms & Hearsay by me

You’ve asked which albums mean the most to me, so I’m going to have to pick the body of work I put into the world last year. The album is dedicated to my grandfather, whom I never really got to meet but have been thinking on often. He was a professional pianist, but his career and life were interrupted by war. My grandparents survived and landed in the U.K. in 1947. I can’t believe that all this horror in Europe is only two generations ago and here we are again with the stupidity and gall to think that refugees are the cause of our problems. It’s tragic.

I wanted to write songs that drew analogies to then and now, but from a personal point of view. I found an old recording of my grandfather’s where he plays one of his compositions and gives a little birthday message to my dad, who was to turn seven the following day. It’s featured on the album. I hope he wouldn’t have minded. 

Honorary mentions go to The Beatles’ Revolver, The Who’s Tommy; Judee Sill’s self-titled debut, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, The Streets’ Original Pirate Material and Alligator by The National (which I’m listening to right now). Tomorrow’s answers may be different… 

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Probably Regina Spektor. My rider would be a bag to breathe into. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I am definitely still that. The advice I’d give myself and others (much easier to give it than to take it) would be to follow your intuition, always make the kind of music you want to make and try to avoid artistic compromise for the sake of a dangling carrot (i.e. is this radio-friendly etc.). I’d also advise (artists) to learn as much about all aspects of the industry as possible (join the FAC!); connect with other musicians for advice and mutual support - and just work as hard as you can without driving yourself crazy.

IN THIS PHOTO: ME and Deboe

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Yeah! There’s SO much fantastic music out there to discover! I’m going to go with a Liverpool theme today…

Check out the amazing ME and Deboe and the beautifully voiced Eleanor Nelly. I’m also going to throw in The Ragamuffins for good measure and fun. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Eleanor Nelly

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

Well, no, but I wouldn’t want that. I unwind by singing and listening to music (possibly accompanied by other things). 

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).

Thanks for having me! To honour the week, I’m going to have to pick one of Paul McCartney’s finest…You Never Give Me Your Money

____________

                                              Follow Roxanne de Bastion                                             

Official:

http://www.roxannedebastion.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Roxannedebastion/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/roxannemusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/roxannemusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v5zVxcZ4cjrcHDPbzaUG6

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/roxanne-de-bastion

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt7_SjYMYipAapOifHOoHgA

INTERVIEW: J.R. Harbidge

INTERVIEW:

J.R. Harbidge

___________

THE excellent J.R. Harbidge…

has provided a detailed interview where he discusses his latest single, Turn the Screw, and what we can expect from his forthcoming album, First Ray of Light. I ask which artists inspire him and what sort of music he reacts to strongest – he provides the names of some upcoming musicians worth some time.

I was keen to know whether we can expect to see Harbidge touring and whether he has a favourite memory from music; which three albums are most important to him; if he gets time to chill away from the demands of a songwriter – he ends the interview with a fantastic song.

____________

Hi, J R. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, M.M. - thanks for having me. My week, as always, has been hectic: I never seem to have the time to catch up on anything. I’m sure it’s like that for millions of people, though. My most musical moment this week was trying out some new material at Spiritual Records open mic night in Camden. It went well. A lot of people listened intently and the new track, Sunshine Not Rain, went down really well.

Had some great feedback. 

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

Somebody once said to me: “Your music is Folk/Americana/Roots/Country/Rock and commercial without being commercial”. I quite like that. It ticks all of my boxes! I would say, if you like Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams; The Band, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Jackson Browne and the Eagles, then you will like my music. 

Other than that, I have been in music all my life. I started playing guitar at nine after seeing Iron Maiden on Top of the Pops. I played my first gig at fourteen and I have been on the treadmill of writing, gigging and recording ever since. 

Turn the Screw is your debut single. Can you reveal the story and how the song came together?

Turn the Screw was my reaction to the financial crisis a few years ago and how we shouldn’t trust an institution just because it’s an institution. The song also touches on the repercussions of the crisis. How everything is too expensive - it’s becoming impossible for many people to just exist. A bit depressing, really. 

The album, First Ray of Light, is out in October. What sort of themes and stories influence the music?

I think the albums underlying message is hope and positivity; however, a lot of the songs have their genesis in depression, anxiety; loss and there are a few political themes also. 

There are a couple of songs I haven’t really talked about yet in interviews so I’d like to cover them. There is a song called Something to Hide. It’s, essentially, about the idea of having an affair or doing something behind someone’s back that you know would really hurt them and trying to live with the secret – and, before you ask, it’s not about me; it’s a coming together of experiences gleaned from people I know. 

Another song I haven't really talked about is Have Mercy. It’s the only co-write on the album. I wanted to write a song that sounded old, like a trad. Folk song. This was my best effort at that. A lot of the bigger songs on the album, like When You Don’t Love Your Man, and A Side of You That Cares are rooted in depression and how someone on the outside of that disease sees and handles it. Learn to Love the Rain is about loss and how that can really affect your day to day life and the struggle to cope with such an enormous thing.  

Is there a song from the album that stands as a personal favourite?

Each song has been a favourite at some point during the process but I always go back to A Side of You That Cares. It’s unusual in the way that the song builds and then just drops right down when you are expecting it to take off. It’s quite a long song but the instrumental middle eight is probably my favourite part of any song I’ve written. 

What was it like working with producer Gavin Monaghan? Did you learn a lot?

I worked with Gav a few times over the years - not on this record but on a lot of other projects. He was my first real introduction to the art of recording. I learned a hell of a lot just watching him work. I used to ask him question after question whilst he was mixing a song. I’m sure it drove him mad but he’s such a nice guy he answered all of them. 

I took most of what I learned into the studio when I started recording this album. 

I get the impression that classic Folk artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan are big heroes. Who did you grow up listening to?

Yes. You’re right. 

There were three records on constant rotation in our house when I was growing up: Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Paranoid by Black Sabbath and The Beatles ‘best of’. I would say they were played heavily. Neil Young’s Harvest and After the Gold Rush wad also played a lot in the house. So, I was bombarded with melody and harmony from day one..and that’s what I try to put into my songs. 

Which musicians did you grow up listening to? Who do you count as idols?

My first musical obsession was IRON MAIDEN. They were the band that made me want to pick up a guitar, so Dave Murray was my first guitar hero. Then, I moved on to Led Zep, Deep Purple; Rainbow and idolised Page and Blackmore. C.S.N.&Y. were my other childhood obsession. I have every record C.S.N. or any member has put out and I’ve read everything there is to read about them. Love C.S.N.  

Since 2001, however, Ryan Adams has been my main musical obsession. I first heard Rescue Blues whilst waiting for an old girlfriend to come home from university; sitting in my little V.W. van in heavy rain.  As soon as I heard that song, it triggered something inside - just like Iron Maiden had years earlier. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Realistically and musically, I would love my music to be being listened to by more and more people and I would love to see more and more people coming to live shows. I am hoping that I can at least touch the U.K. Americana chart with the album. Just getting into the chart at the bottom can open up a lot of doors and help prolong my music career. 

Personally, I just want to be happy and for my family and friends to be happy. Not a lot to ask really. 

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

I have been playing, gigging and recording for more years than I care to reveal, so there have been many moments…

A band I was in at the end of the '90s sold out Ronnie Scott’s in Birmingham. That was an achievement. I am very proud of the album I released with my last band, Third Bullet (Revelations Revisited). We also had a song licensed to a Harley Davidson commercial from that album. More recently, I recorded two singles at Abbey Road. That was on my bucket list. I recently found out Paul McCartney was in Studio 3 whilst we were in The Gatehouse studio. O.M.G.! 

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

This is a tough one because tomorrow they could be three different albums. 

I guess the first would have to be Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Simply because, if I hadn’t heard that album, I would never have picked up a guitar. 

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu would be my second choice

It’s a masterclass in songwriting. I love every track. Each writer’s songs are so uniquely their own but they all sit so well together on one album. The harmonies are out of this world and each song is rich in melody. I could go on for hours about this album. 

I am going to throw a curve ball album in here. It’s by a band that never got the recognition it deserved but I still play it to this day. The band was Montrose Avenue and the album was Thirty Days Out

I think it was released around '98. As soon as I heard the first single, She’s Looking for Me, I was a fan and saw them at The Foundry in Birmingham. They were a modern-day C.S.N.&Y. Every song on that album is a gem. I only wish they had l stayed together and recorded another. I think one guitarist ended up being the second guitarist in Stereophonics and the drummer, I believe, is a presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music. 

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

It has to be Ryan Adams and my rider would be whiskey, water; cowboy boots, a couple of dancing girls; a white limo, some drugs; a record player, clean underwear and a salami.  

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

I am just about to confirm/announce a Cafe Nero tour (no white limos on that rider). The launch gig/party is on 5th October at The Malt (Shovel) Aston-on-Trent, Derbyshire. I will be announcing some record store dates soon.

The full band tour will be later in the year.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Don’t follow trends: be who you are and write songs that are true to you. Don’t try and be the next Little Mix or whoever it is you like. Listen to people who know what they are talking about. When you are young you ‘know’ everything but you really don’t - so take advice. It might be advice you don’t like but it could be the advice you need. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Nicki Bluhm

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I love the first record by Bennett Wilson Poole. That’s a great album. It ticks a lot of boxes for me: Harmonies, melody and great musicianship. I also absolutely love Nicki Bluhm and Courtney Marie Andrews - not strictly new but they will be new to a list of people in the U.K. Going down a Rock road; I REALLY, REALLY love the debut from Wayward Sons. I saw them at download and they were amazing. I am also loving Jade Bird. I don’t think she has much out yet but what I have seen of her she is an awesome talent - and so young. Well jel. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Jade Bird/PHOTO CREDIT: Phoebe Fox

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

Music is the thing I do to unwind…and sleeping and drinking ale. 

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).

Ok. Sounds cool. You can play On & On by the Longpigs. When I first heard this song it made me cry. It’s in my top-three songs of all time. The album is one of the best debut albums of all time for me

____________

Follow J.R. Harbidge

Official:

http://www.jrharbidge.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jrharbidge

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/j_r_harbidge

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/j_r_harbidge/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4aJbeZxUxztWtELCgtSwc4

INTERVIEW: Telehope

INTERVIEW:

Telehope

___________

THE guys of Telehope…

have been telling me about their new album, Hello to the Now. I ask whether they have standout cuts from the record and what sort of themes influenced the music; when they are got together and started making music; what the music scene is like in Ohio – they give the names of new artists worth following.

I ask the guys whether they have any dates coming up and what their favourite memories (from their career) are; the sort of music they grew up listening to; what advice they would give artists emerging – they tell me whether any U.K. shows are a possibility.  

____________

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

We’ve been working nonstop on our live show/visual production for our album release show in Cincy on 8/10, so it’s been insanely busy! We’re pumped, though, that the album is out and people are streaming Hello to the Now!

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

Mark Brad is our professional whistler; Adolph Goetz is the knife-juggler; Nate Trammel hits things and Ben just shakes a tambourine! (Really, though; Mark is the singer; Adolph is our guitarist; Nate is our drummer and Ben is the keyboardist).

How did Telehope find one another?

Ben: I was at a Walmart Supercenter before Easter of 2014 and mistakenly put Adolph in my cart thinking he was a giant chocolate bunny. When he hopped away, I knew I’d made a dreadful mistake.

The band has been through a lot of reforming over the past few years but Ben and Adolph have been friends for close to ten years! Mark and Nate are distant cousins so they probably met at an awkward family-reunion backyard-B.B.Q.

Do you remember the first time you all played together?

Our first concert as Telehope was a sold-out night for our Chasing Dreams Album Release show. It was one of the most incredible nights of Telehope so far. We’re working relentlessly to make this Hello to the Now Album Release a sold-out show as well!

Are there origins and stories behind the songs on your album, Hello to the Now? Do you each have a standout pick from the collection?

Mark: Every song on the album is written about a specific person and circumstance in our lives. Most of our songs tell a story of a struggle with depression or anxiety and how to combat those lies. My faves are Younger and Swan Song!

Adolph: Like Mark said, each song has a very specific origin, story and purpose. My two favorites are probably Calling Your Name and Younger.

The band is based out of Ohio. Is there a good music scene where you are?

Adolph: The Cincinnati music scene is full of incredible artists! We try to make it to as many local shows as we can. We love sharing this scene with artists like PUBLIC, Daniel in Stereo; Circle It, Harbour; Coastal Club, Moonbeau, and many more.

Ben: We’re fortunate to have many great venues geared towards local artists here in Cincinnati. I think the scene here is thriving because of so many artists working 24/7. There’s a great community of bands here and it exists because of how much we all care about music and about helping each other reach our goals.

Your music has featured on T.V. shows and gathered great press. How does it make you feel gaining that sort of acclaim and coverage?

Watching a national T.V. show with our song playing in the background is surreal to us. We’ve been working so hard, and for someone else to believe in our music enough to put in on the air like that feels so great.

Which artists did you idolise growing up? Did you experience lots of music as youngsters?

Mark: I grew up in a very musical family, so we listened to a lot of music when I was growing up! I really enjoyed listening to '70s and '80s music growing up like Boston, Styx and Kansas.

Adolph: There was always lots of music in the house, but it wasn’t until discovering Relient K that I fell in love with music and wanted to learn to play guitar. Adam Hann of The 1975 was a big influence of mine and I dream of playing like Mateus Asato someday.

Ben: I didn’t start listening to music until I was about thirteen-years-old! Owl City is what inspired me to start producing and writing music. I fell in love with expressing my thoughts and emotions through music and it’s a feeling like no other.

What do you hope to achieve before the end of 2018?

We want to have one-million total streams on Spotify. We’re over halfway there! Another big one is being support for a national band on tour, such as COIN or Twenty One Pilots. We want to travel, meet people and share hope with people.

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

Mark: Our album release show for Chasing Dreams. We sold out Madison Live, a local venue here in Cincinnati (Ohio). It’s always been a dream of mine to be able to pursue music as a career - and that show was the start of this crazy journey.

Adolph: One of my favorite memories was definitely having the opportunity to open for COIN here in Cincinnati. COIN is one of our all-time favorite bands and the crowd seemed to love us.  It was great to get to know those guys a little and share the stage with a band that has had so much influence in our lives.

Ben: Definitely when we opened for COIN in Cincinnati. That was a dream come true and where things started to seem a little more real to me.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Ben: If you’re serious about music, question everything: “Should we play this show opportunity? Why am I posting this picture on Instagram? What’s the goal of releasing this music? Why are we doing what we’re doing?” I believe figuring out why your music exists is a crucial part of your career. For Telehope, our music exists to tell our listeners that there are struggles in this life but that there’s always hope. Also, don’t get stuck playing the same venue, the same shows and the same music for too long. You can saturate your local scene and your fans will start not showing up.

Make a big deal out of EVERYTHING. Putting on a show? Make it seem like a huge deal. Releasing a song? Hype up your fans and tell them how much you believe in it. I could talk for hours about this because we’ve learned a lot since our first band in 2013.

Where can we see you play? Do you have any gigs approaching?

August 10th at Madison Theater in Covington KY/Cincinnati OH at 7:30 P.M.! This is the biggest show we’ve ever put on: we have more production and crew than ever before and it’s going to be an amazing experience.

Do you think you’ll come to the U.K. and perform? Do you like British music?

Ben: I’ve always been a fan of One Direction…does that count? We absolutely want to come to the U.K. We have some fans over there and would love to meet them and build an even bigger following!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Coastal Club

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Coastal Club, The WLDLFE; PHANGS and the The New Schematics are all dope!

IN THIS PHOTO: The WLDLFE

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

We don’t take too much time off (we should probably work on that) but we know we’re where we’re at because of how hard and relentlessly we’ve been working. We are Chicken Tender connoisseurs, going to every possible restaurant around town finding the best! We love kicker around a soccer ball, Fortnite and drinking LaCroix!

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).

Thanks so much for the questions. We love having a chance to get some of our thoughts out like this!

Adolph: Yours - Daniel in Stereo

Ben: Risk by Circle It. We love those guys!

____________

Follow Telehope

Official:

https://www.telehopeband.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/telehopeband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TelehopeBand

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/telehopeband/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5cN9JUcmWKhbR3kM2mWIge

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZcZFQbhQzwGz0zxoMngISw

INTERVIEW: Sam Way

INTERVIEW:

Sam Way

___________

HERE is another artist I have featured before…

and am keen to catch up with. Sam Way has been talking with me about his track, Hard Feelings (out on 17th August), and how it came together. I ask whether he is growing between every release and what he has planned for the future; which artists he was compelled by growing up – he reveals three albums that have impacted him.

The talented songwriter selects some upcoming artists to look out for; whether there are going to be gigs in the pipeline; how he is coping in the hot weather; the advice he would give to artists emerging – he tells me how he chills when he is not recording music.

____________

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

Hi, Music Musings. I’m good. Thanks for having me…and…the week. Well, it’s been full-power on the countdown to the release of Hard Feelings.

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

Sure thing. My names Sam. I live in Bethnal Green - and I’m about the release a cello-driven Dark-Pop tune on 17th August

Are you enjoying the heatwave? Is it leading to any songwriting and creativity?!

Ha! God, no. My. I’m trying to record some acoustic tracks at home and my laptop is humming so loudly trying to cool down - you can hear the noise bleed into the MIC!

Hard Feelings is your latest single. Can you reveal its story and inspiration?

It is indeed. The essence of Hard Feelings was born in a co-writing session with another songwriter. We were both talking about our lives, then our relationships and found a common a point there. It’s a song that explores the nuances of love and loss and acknowledges simply how challenging feelings can be.

Do you find you are growing with every release? Have you grown in confidence since the release of the E.P., Archetype?

For me, it’s just about taking the next step; just do that really well and see where you go after that. Confidence rises and falls I think, too. Right now, I’m pretty excited about dropping the new single and working with an indie label for the first time, too.

Which musicians did you grow up listening to?

Eminem, Dr. Dre; Benga, The Prodigy and Sum 41.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I want Hard Feelings to really fly; release another two tracks as singles, play a headline show in London; sort out the festival season for next year and really want to play a show in Turkey - I have a large fanbase there (bizarrely) waiting to see me play.

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

So many. Going on my first road trip with my dear friend and artist Anna Pancaldi has to be up there.

Which albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

The Prodigy - The Fat of the Land

It just blew my mind. I saw them live two years ago in Alexandra Palace and it was electric.

Fat Freddy’s Drop - Based on a True Story

One of the best albums I’ve ever bought. It’s been with me ever since I started diversifying my musical taste from Hip-Hop and Drum and Bass as a teen. This album was an education.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I’d want to support Nick Mulvey and have a rider of fifty different types of herbal tea - for before I play - and three rare vintage bottles of whiskey for after. Oh…and maybe some cake.

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

I’m live in London playing a Sofar Sounds show on 8th September - but we’re keeping the bigger headline show announcement till later in the year.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Wow. It’s a minefield out there but just keep on doing your thing and pushing your edges.

IN THIS PHOTO: Gareth Esson

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Gareth Esson and Dawson Reeve.

IN THIS PHOTO: Dawson Reeve

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

I watch cartoons. No lie.

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).

It’s been a pleasure - thanks for having me. Can you play Ernie by Fat Freddy’s Drop? Blessings

____________

Follow Sam Way

Official:

http://www.samwaymusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/iamsamway/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/IAmSamWay

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/iamsamway/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/iamsamway

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1aLThQYsEd3jVH5aeR8TxI

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdsQ1QUEPsZJBUVLez4CcQ

INTERVIEW: Delaire

INTERVIEW:

Delaire

___________

THIS is not the first time I have…

featured Delaire on my site. She is an incredible artist who always produces brilliant work. I have been speaking with her about her latest track, Something More, and whether even more will be coming from her – she reveals what she wants to achieve before the end of the year and how her career has changed/evolved since the start.    

Delaire talks about albums that mean a lot and a new artist to look out for; whether she is touring anytime soon; if she gets chance to chill away from music; how she got into music and was bitten by the bug – she ends the interview by selecting a cool song.

____________

Hi, Delaire. How are you? For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Hi. I am Delaire and thank you for listening to my new single, Something More.

Something More is your new single. Is there a backstory and tale behind the song?

The song is about craving more from life. I grew up in London and have spent a lot of my time surrounded by the same stuff. I wrote it after a night out when I was just looking around at all these wasted people and thought: ‘There has to be more than this’.

 

Are you looking ahead at an E.P. or album? Might we expect more music next year?

You can definitely expect more music – but, for now, I am just really working on my sound and my direction before I commit to an album. 

Do you recall which artists inspired you to go into music? Did you grow up around a lot of music?

I grew up around the best kind of music as my parents gave me a great musical education. I love Joni Mitchell, The Stones and Sade. I spent a lot of time in clubs during my misspent youth, so will always love softer Drum and Bass and House. 

How do you think you’ve changed and built as an artist since your start?

I think I have become much less worried about what other people think about me! Which is a relief. Life is way too short to worry about people’s opinions all the time. 

I know BBC Introducing invited you to perform at Maida Vale Studios. How did you feel getting that news?!

It was amazing! It was so cool to get a taste of things that could start coming my way.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I just want to keep writing and enjoying the process - and not focus TOO much on the future. I will always have music in my life and I will always carry on so long as I am making myself happy! 

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

Impossible to choose.

I have been going to Glastonbury for years; it’s like musical Heaven. I cry every time I go as the pure joy takes over my body completely. Seeing music bring so many people together is total magic.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

Joni Mitchell – Blue

Does it need an explanation?! She captures every essence of love and loss I have ever known in one album.

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

It’s my boyfriend and my album. We listened to it when we first met and always reminds me of him.

One of the Now That’s What I Call Music! albums from the '90s! I played these on-REPEAT and couldn’t wait for them to be released!

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would love to support someone like HAIM. I bet they are so fun and I love their music. I would defos ask for some taramasalata and pita bread - and enough Aperol to last the night! 

Can we see you on tour soon? What dates are coming up?

Announcing something very soon!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be yourself and listen to your gut: don’t let the hustle get the better of you. Great music will always prevail.

IN THIS PHOTO: Grace Carter

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Grace Carter! She’s a babe and her music is stunning.

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

Yes! Lots of time! Music life has its slow moments. I love a glass of wine and Love Island at the moment (don’t judge).

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).

Rosie Lowe - Woman

She is EVERYTHING.

___________

Follow Delaire

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/delairemusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Delairemusic

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/delaire-music

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vsfdgkbFpyCOcyoE5Z7JR

INTERVIEW: Holander

INTERVIEW:

Holander

___________

I’M starting the week…                                                  

by speaking with Holander and stepping into her world. She discusses the story behind her new single, Smoke, and what happens next. I ask about Holander raising the flag for equality and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. rights; whether there are any tour dates coming up; the three albums she treasures the most – she reveals whether a U.K. trip is a possibility.

The American songwriter discusses gender equality in the industry and how far we have come; the artists she grew up around; a particular fond memory from her time in music; which upcoming artists we need to get behind – she ends the interview by selecting an awesome song.

____________

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

Shi*t was crazy leading up to the release - and then I got strep throat last week. I’ve been taking it easy since Smoke came out; been reading a lot. I just finished Sugar in My Bowl by Erica Jong.

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

Pink hair, pink eyebrows; neon sounds. Holander is a party girl plagued by her own emotions. To me, this project has an electric current. Holander represents the heightened emotionality of many of today’s youth and talks about our social disconnect with social media and technology; the expectations placed on my generation, not to mention the societal pressures placed on young womxn. It can make the emotions we feel become infused with adrenaline. It’s raw, it’s vulnerable and it stands firmly in its sincerity.

Can you talk about Smoke? What is the story behind the song?

Well. I got the title from a co-write I had done a year back - we wrote a song with this lyric: “There’s only smoke in my home when you come around”. I always really liked that concept. So, I actually named the song before I wrote it which I’ve never done before. 

I took from this moment I had with my boyfriend at the time. We were standing on a balcony overlooking the city lights in downtown L.A., passing a joint in a circle, and he leaned over and blew smoke into my mouth. It was sort of this euphoric moment. I was head over heels for him and this moment felt so intimate. It felt like we had a piece of this universal love, that we were connected to some bigger than us.

The song is about young love. The heightened emotions. The feeling when you’re scared to surrender for fear of getting hurt but you just do it. You just surrender yourself to the fall. I very purposely wanted the song to have non-traditional structure; to mirror the chaos of the emotions I was feeling. 

Do you think there might be more material later this year? What are you working on?

Oh, yeah. I’ve already got some stuff lined up to share. Shhhh; but I’ve got a music video for Smoke in the pipeline.  I’m also really excited about the next song I’m going to release- it’s gonna make you dance and feel spicy feels!

PHOTO CREDIT: @adrienordorica

You are keen to provoke social change and raise awareness. How important is it raising the flag for the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community and feminism?!

It’s incredibly important but it’s just sad that, in this day and age, it’s still relevant to ask someone about how they support equality. It feels like it should just be a given at this point, and the fact that it’s not just shows how blatantly and desperately we need progress in not just L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. issues but the systematic oppression of anyone based on gender identification, race; background or class.

I see a lot of imbalance in music. Are we near to a sense of equality do you think?!

We’ve made huge strides. I won’t undermine the work that’s been done but we’re nowhere near where we need to be. We still have a long way to go and an even longer way for womxn of color in the industry. 

Do you recall the artists you grew up listening to? Which musicians inspired you to write your own stuff?

I grew up with Classic Rock- The Who, The Velvet Underground; Bruce Springsteen, the like. I think, more than anything, these artists inspired my stage presence. I remember my dad showing me a lot of videos from Woodstock and other rock concerts and thinking they were so cool. So, if you see my live show, you’ll see I just go crazy and rock-out.

Regina Spektor has inspired me immensely as a songwriter- as have The 1975, The Wombats and Lorde. My music is a product of everything I listen to.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I would love to tour more. I get so high off of live shows. The energy loop is insane.

PHOTO CREDIT: @artist_deglamour

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

Yeah. I love thinking about funny stories that happened before my more major successes. So, I played this one dive bar where we couldn’t all fit on the stage and we were trying to decide if I should be in the audience rocking out or on the stage. Haha! 

Also, at the time, my guitarist and I didn’t know each other super-well and he likes to drink so we said, before the show, that we wanted to get drunk together. Upon arriving to the bar, we realized they didn’t sell hard liquor so a friend of ours ran across the street to CVS and picked up two bottles of Jack Daniels and I put them in my backpack. I poured one of them into a water bottle and we were all passing it around. Then, I got really drunk and took the other bottle out and just handed it to my guitarist without pouring it into the water bottle; at which point the bartender came over and started yelling at him and we got kicked out.

We were just hysterically laughing. It was amazing and we reference it all the time (laughs).

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)? 

Far - Regina Spektor

I learned songwriting from Regina Spektor. She taught me that songs and lyrics can be messy and weird. She taught me to write authentically and not question my quirks -and put them in the forefront always. She is a storyteller in the highest sense. She must have been channeling some higher power during this making of this album.

PHOTO CREDIT: Priten Vora at Rumored Nights Press

The 1975 - The 1975

This was the first album I fell madly in love with on my own. It wasn’t my parent’s at all: it was totally mine. I feel bound and connected to The 1975 in a very weird way - their lyrics and melodies are ingrained deep inside me. I feel like they brought back a piece of Rock ‘n’ Roll angst for my generation. Even the track listings - M.O.N.E.Y., Chocolate; Sex, Girls and so on - for me, it’s modern day sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll. This album is a treasure. Also…the guitars. Don’t get me started on the guitar parts.

Melodrama - Lorde

This album dives deep to this place that no one wants to go. Into the icky-ness, into the despair. Lorde is a lyrical goddess. I feel spiritual when I listen to it and when I saw her play it live. This is the type of album that makes me remember why I make music.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

I would support The 1975 and I would want sushi, fruit; chocolate and T.V.s with The Office on at all times.

Can we see you on tour soon? Might you come to the U.K. at some stage?

I’m doing a tour along the West Coast. I would love to come to the U.K. If you know anyone looking to fill a spot at a show, send ‘em my way!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Meet everyone. You never know who that lonely looking person in the corner is; you never know their story. The more people you know and the more you give your knowledge and resources to them selflessly, the more likely they are to help you out and impart potentially invaluable advice on you. The music industry is a very communal effort and people who lift each other up eventually get lifted themselves.

IN THIS PHOTO: GIRLI

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

GIRLI; Sizzy Rocket; Kim Petras; Top Bunk.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kim Petras

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

Music is literally my life. Haha. So, not particularly. I am so personally involved in my music that it sometimes feels like an around-the-clock kind of deal. However, I love to unwind by going to my friends’ shows. Sometimes we do improv together or stupid stuff like The Office trivia or tie dyeing. I also love to read. It’s really nice time alone and a very personal experience that refuels me.

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).

William – Moontower

____________

Follow Holander

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/holandermusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/holandermusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/holandermusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYen7JoWzYmqFCnNH3nmFQ?view_as=subscriber

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/holandermusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6GPWcx5GbqC2iCMbmY4GtY

INTERVIEW: Hypnosister

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Neil Chapman 

Hypnosister

___________

THE incredible…                                      

Hypnosister is the moniker of Damian Hughes. I have been asking him about the new Hypnosister E.P. and his latest single, Scribbles. He talks about moving from the band Allusondrugs and stepping out solo; what sort of sounds and artists he is compelled by – Hypnosister reveals tour dates and how he spends his time away from music.

The musician discusses recording D.I.Y. and which new artists we should check out; which act, if he had the chance, he would support on tour; the advice he would give to artists coming through – he shares a rather cool, if niche, memory from his career so far.

____________

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

Hiya! I'm doing great, thanks for asking. This week's been mega-busy: lots of rehearsing for the summer gigs and writing new songs. Everything seems to be moving forward quite nicely. It's been bloody hot though, hasn't it? I don't do well in the sun - I'm more the reclusive type, more of a cave-dweller!

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

My name is Damian Hughes; a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from Leeds, U.K. After leaving my old Psych-Grunge band Allusondrugs, I launched a fuzzed-out Space-Pop project called Hypnosister. I mix the fuzzy, spacey guitars of My Bloody Valentine with the big, Rock choruses of Nirvana and the deep cutting lyrics of Neutral Milk Hotel to make a big noise!

How did your project come to life? What does ‘Hypnosister’ represent?

I started putting Hypnosister together as soon as I left my last band. I've always had a very clear vision of what I want to express, so I just rolled up my sleeves and started working on it. Hypnosister is about showing the world to itself; holding a mirror up and saying: “This is what we really are”.

You were part of the Yorkshire band, Allusondrugs. Was it hard transitioning from band life to doing your own thing?

Like I said, I started putting Hypnosister together straight away. The month after I left I was on tour in Europe playing guitar for another band and I wrote a lot while I was there…so things started moving forward straight away. I've always done my own thing anyway. Over the years, I've done countless projects that I've never put out into the world, just for the pure joy of making music.

Scribbles is your new song. Can you reveal how it came to exist and what inspired it?

Scribbles goes a bit deeper into where I’m coming from. It's about becoming more open-minded about life and starting to see the hidden dangers and the traps laid for us. We currently in an age where it's the norm for us to be constantly glued to our Smartphones and, in doing that, we tend to spend a lot of time on social media seeing the ‘best of’ of other people's lives and creating a false impression of how our lives should be.

We start holding resentment towards the people we perceive to be doing well and end up in a negative spiral - which stops us from focusing on our own lives and our own needs. It's very easy to just submit to the negativity and allow ourselves to be sucked further and further into the rut. We need to pull ourselves away and give ourselves the space to recognise our own self-worth.

You have an eponymous E.P. which arrived on 27th July. What sort of themes and stories went into it?

It's mostly about what I've learned about myself and the nature of people in general over the past few years. It's about how we're led into invisible cages; willingly allowing ourselves to be locked in without really understanding the magnitude of what's happening. My friend Liam, who lost his life in 2013, often appears in my songs in one way or another: he saw all of this happening clear as day and would tell me all about it. I became sober three years ago and, since then, all this stuff has been making more and more sense.

The E.P. is self-produced and D.I.Y. Do you think it’s important to have control and produce a more natural, personal E.P.?

I like to be as hands-on as possible when making music. I think it's great for anyone to learn the skills they need to be able to do as much as they can on their own without having to rely on other people. Also, the more capable you are at making things happen on your own, the more freedom you have to express yourself in the way you want to; the keys you can forge the more doors you can open, right?

With that said though, it's not that I think this is, necessarily, the best way to do things. There's a LOT to be said for collaboration: I've collaborated with other people in the past and it's turned out amazing. Some of the best music and art in the world has come from people working together. But, right now, working alone is what works for me.

I get hints of 1990s Shoegaze in your sounds. In terms of your childhood tastes; which artists were important?

My influences have always been really diverse and eclectic. As you've spotted, I do draw from a lot of Shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins but, all through my life, I've gotten deeply obsessed a lot of different kinds of music. As a little kid, I was really into music from computer games, old ones - Commodore Amiga and Super Nintendo. I'd put the games on and just sit there listening to the music, not even playing the game.

When I was eight-years-old, I owned three albums: Blur's Parklife, The Offspring's Americana and Erasure's Pop! The First 20 Hits and I would listen to them religiously.

Then, I started high-school and discovered the music television program, Kerrang!, and the file-sharing platform Napster and I felt like I'd won the lottery! I could see a band I liked on Kerrang! and then go and download all their music on Napster. From there, I got obsessed with all kinds of music. Mental bands like Slipknot and Obituary; Alternative bands like Biffy Clyro and Hell Is for Heroes; Folk music like Simon & Garfunkel; Electronic music like Aphex Twin and Clark and Classical music like Beethoven and Erik Satie. There's been a lot of important music - and I'm still looking for more.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I want to get more music out! Right now, I'm putting together a huge amount of music that I'll be putting out over the next year or so. So, get ready; there's gonna be a lot of it.

Will there be any tour dates? Where can we see you play?

You can see me play at any of the following dates across the U.K.:

2nd August - The Washington, Sheffield

4th August - The Exchange, Keighley

11th August - The Swan, Worksop

18th August - Little Buildings, Newcastle

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

There's been a lot of big moments and times where I've felt proud but, right now, my mind's gone blank. The only thing that springs immediately to mind is the time that I successfully pulled off the guitar-spin move on stage.

You swing your guitar all the way around your torso then catch it and carry on playing. Many have tried and failed, ending up with broken guitars, but I did it. In that moment, I was more proud of myself for that than anything else I'd ever done in music. It's the little things!

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say?

This changes all the time but, right now, it's probably these three:

Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

I know this is a bit of a cult favourite but I only discovered it about six months ago, at a time when I was feeling really uninspired and completely bored of all the music I was listening to. The album opened me back up in a huge way and now I'm hearing stuff in music that I didn't hear before. I'm not sure how, but this album did something to my wiring.

Clark – Throttle Furniture

This one really opened me up to Abstract music. I picked this up at a 65daysofstatic gig where Clark was the support act. His set blew me away so I bought this E.P. on mini-C.D., which I've now lost sadly - but I always make sure I have a copy on my hard-drive. Clark's music is beautiful. It's like someone took a bunch of elaborate paintings and transformed them into sound.

Cardiacs – Sing to God

This album is just a masterpiece. It's the most exciting, most melodically rich; most tastefully eclectic album I've ever heard from any Rock band ever. It's probably my favourite album of all time. If you haven't heard this album then stop what you're doing immediately and go listen to it. Also, their genius mastermind songwriter Tim Smith is really poorly and needs help with treatment costs; you can buy their merch, which all goes towards Tim's medical costs, here.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Probably Cardiacs - on an alternate universe where Tim Smith is well enough to perform.

My rider would have good coffee, Smartwater and good, thick notepad for me to take notes on Cardiacs' set so I can learn from the masters.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

My advice would be to learn to do as much as you can on your own; make sure everything that happens does so on your own terms. If you have a band, make sure you have a band agreement IN WRITING.

IN THIS PHOTO: Benjamin Clementine

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Benjamin Clementine is blowing me away right now. He spent years, homeless, playing music around Paris. He's got such a good, unique voice and is a fantastic songwriter and piano player. All his songs tell vivid stories that are properly gripping.

Louise Distras is another singer-songwriter with a great voice. She's got an album coming out soon. All the songs on are quality, so keep an eye out for it.

Youth Man is a wicked Punk band from Birmingham - probably the best Punk band in England. Kaila, their singer, is vicious on stage. Definitely, a band to go see if you can.

Also; I've recently found this new record label called Love Love Records which is full of what they call ‘High-Quality Weirdo Music’. It's mostly Electronic music but they do have some other stuff on there. If you're into very abstract-sounding music then check out this label.

IN THIS PHOTO: Louise Distras

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

I meditate in the morning, sleep at night and eat food twice a day. Every other time, I'm either working on music or working on something else. I'm not sure if you can really call that a balanced life but it's working for me right now. Stay tuned for my inevitable meltdown!

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).

Cardiacs – Dirty Boy

___________

Follow Hypnosister

Official:

https://www.hypnosister.co.uk/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hypn0sister/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/hypn0sister

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hypn0sister/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9GDTOAx7z5oTvvOpRCAaZA

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/hypn0sister

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v3isz4zXiktdDi8nFcbHg

FEATURE: Sisters in Arms: An All-Female, Summer-Ready Playlist (Vol. XV)

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Daddy Issues/PHOTO CREDIT: James Rice  

An All-Female, Summer-Ready Playlist (Vol. XV)

__________

IT may seem a bit ironic…

IN THIS PHOTO: Eilish Gilligan/PHOTO CREDIT: Giulia Giannini McGauran

launching a summer-themed playlist when the weather is less than beautiful right now! It is lashing with rain outsid but, in a few days, it will be back to the usual heat and sunshine. If anything, a good assortment of songs from great female artists will distract us and keep us all occupied. If it is too wet to go outside where you are; stick on this fulsome playlist – composed of songs from this or last year - and have a look at some tremendous artists. It is an exciting and quality-laced collection of songs that ensure the sun will come back…

IN THIS PHOTO: Vera Blue

SOONER rather than later.

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images/Artist

__________

PHOTO CREDIT: @juliafletcherphoto

Daddy Issues – Lemon

ELIZA – All Night

Haiku Salut – The More and Moreness

PHOTO CREDIT: Poppy Marriott

Dream Nails – Cookies 4 U

Vera Blue – Regular Touch

Katie Belle – Promises

Sasha Keable – That’s the Shit

Tertia May – White

Ariana and the Rose – How Does That Make You Feel?

PHOTO CREDIT: @biuh

Party Nails – My 404

Dami Im – Love on Top

George Maple – Like You Used To

Bethia Beadman – At the Beach

Laolu – So Right

Gia Gray – Call Me

Chloe Lilac – Stolen Liquor

Jaz Karis – Petty Lover

Hannah Woof – Hold on You

Ariel – We Bring Our Friends

Julietta – Smooth Sailing

Lola Godheld – The Bird Song

Anna Lunoe – Blaze of Glory

Eilish Gilligan – S.M.F.Y.

Estère – Ambition

YEBBA - Evergreen

FEATURE: Bad Reception: Why More Artists Need to Take a Stance Regarding Phones at Gigs

FEATURE:

 

 

Bad Reception

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash/ALL OTHER PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Why More Artists Need to Take a Stance Regarding Phones at Gigs

__________

MORE and more musicians are starting to…

rebel against those who come to their gigs and spend the entire time on their phones! It is frustrating attending a gig and seeing a sea of people filming the entire set on their Smartphone or whatever they have available! When researching for a piece on Kate Bush; I was listening to an interview she gave to promote her Before the Dawn live album and she was asked about phones - she requested people not to record and be involved in the actual show. By and large, most of the audience obeyed and could not turn down an order from Kate Bush. In fact, it was more of a polite request. I wonder why you’d go a huge gig like that and film it. Maybe you’d want the posterity and proof that it happened – knowing it will never be released on DVD – but you wonder how much of the actual music is being missed! You cannot get any real sense of what is happening and what the mood is if you are looking at a screen and seeing everything second-hand. Prince had a policy regarding phones at his gigs and wanted to have the audience paying attention to what was happening. It is difficult for musicians to enjoy what they are doing and actually spend time connecting with fans if they cannot see eyes.

Jack White is someone else who has come to the point of being angered by fans using their fans when watching him perform. He heard an artist – maybe Beck or someone like that – who got the audience to put their phones in a special pouch that was locked and could only be opened if they stepped outside of the venue. They would be able to use it away from the actual gig but would not be able to get at it during the performance. I feel this is an incentive that should be rolled out across all live performances. We do not need to take photos and record video when we are at a gig. If you are more concerned with what is happening on the phone and less bothered about the physical reality of the performance then I wonder what the point it! The person who compelled this piece is Paul McCartney. He played a legendary gig at the Cavern Club earlier this week and gave his crowd a free show! The only thing he asked was people actually put down their phones and respected what he and the band were doing. That seems like a pretty good deal for someone who about to embark on a life-affirming and brilliant set! Most people were willing to oblige but there were some who had their phones and were filming things.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sir Paul McCartney/PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

If you come to a Paul McCartney gig and are too busy taking pictures and filming then there must be something wrong with you! He gave those guilty a warning and explained why he was doing that. He had seen other artists have a no-phones policy and he wanted to connect with the crowd. It seems reasonable and I wonder why we all get so hooked and unable to give up that addiction. When Jack White was speaking; he felt like there was a wave of blue screens and technology blocking the view and causing a distraction. If people are being sly then they look down and he cannot see their eyes. He is not sure what they want from his set as they cannot provide reaction and response. Because of that, he has to fly by the seat of his pants and guess things. When you go to a gig; you need to be in the moment and give that instant response to what is happening. An artist vibes from that and they know the audience are in the moment and with them. If you are too busy and are engrossed on a phone then it is a rather synthetic and strained experience. Some people (idiots) defend the phone at gigs because we get great videos and memes – the videos are always crap and the quality is terrible. Why would you watch a gig on a shaky and poor-quality video?! I find it baffling anyone would get any enjoyment out of it at all.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

A lot of articles came out earlier this year and looked at the divide between those who need shots for Instagram/social media and pictorially showing their experience of that gig – others who want them banned and feel like they are spoiling the gig experience. Look at this article and you get a perspective from a company that sells mobile phones:

“The smartphone issue is such a big deal because, well, everyone has one now! For some, they're an essential part of the gig experience – snapping some shots for Instagram, a selfie with your mates in the crowd, a Snapchat video to tease friends who couldn't get tickets. For others, they're annoying, produce rubbish photos and videos, and get in the way – how can you enjoy the gig if you're watching it through a tiny screen?

Bands themselves are divided – Kate Bush, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Neutral Milk Hotel are among high-profile acts who have banned smartphones from their gigs, while others like Fall Out Boy and Weezer encourage loyal fans to upload their gig photos to Crowd Album.

As lovers of music and sellers of phones, we felt compelled to get involved in the debate, and surveyed the UK's gig-goers to find out their views. We also chatted to a few of our favourite up-and-coming acts – the bands and artists for whom social media exposure is the most useful – to hear their side”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The article polled people and reported the facts coming through regarding usage of phones at gigs and the public viewpoint:

“For those who are fed up with iPhone screens blocking their view of the stage – take heart, because it could be worse. Of the people we surveyed, only 44% said they used their phone at live music events, although this does rise to well over three quarters (79%) for the 18-24 age group – the bulk of the gig-going public.

Fortunately, at least, people are mostly watching the bands – 73% only used their phones to take pictures at concerts and gigs, rather than quickly checking Facebook during the new songs. And although young people use their phone more, they're more concerned with documenting the gig than with checking social media – it's older men who are the most likely to be tweeting through the set.

The public remains in their favour too – just. Slightly under half (46%) said that phones should be banned at live music events, so the majority are still pro-phone, although two-thirds (69%) did say that they would keep their phone in their pocket if the artist requested – whether it was being enforced or not”.

The piece went on to interview various artists and their views. Many said a total ban on Smartphones would be too radical and wrong. They are in favour of pictures being taken but less happy with footage being taken and filming a whole gig. I do not feel you can have modifiers and be half-arsed when it comes to phones. Whilst I feel having them locked away might be wrong – in case someone received an urgent text or does not have a watch and needs to know the time – I do not get the need to document the gig and post to social media.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lucy Spraggan/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The photo quality is never great and you have grainy and awful videos that you cannot really tell what is happening. I find actual memories are more reliable and strong than the footage you get from social media. I wonder whether we are in danger of losing our memories – or not needing them! – if we rely on phones and get lost in the digital world. In the article I have just quoted; musician Lucy Spraggan gives her views:

“Do you think smartphones should be banned from gigs?

I think that should be down to the artist that is playing; some musicians and singers are distracted or think that the audience are not getting the full experience. I believe if they paid for a ticket they can do what they like”.

 The dilemma comes when you have the legendary artists against the new breed. The upcoming musicians often rely on people sharing snaps and videos online to get their fanbase up. It can be useful having videos showing their set and getting others engaged through seeing that performance and being tempted to go. We are in a time when promotion is everywhere and artists rely on social media and spend so much time there. I wonder, if they want that sort of promotion, get somewhere (one person) to post a video from the official site. By that, I mean have an official photographer or person filming gigs and putting them online. You get better quality and it means others at the gigs do not need to get their phones out!

The bigger artists do not really need the promotion and feel it is better, if you have paid all that money, to concentrate on what is being said. Chris Rock, the U.S. comedian, has adopted the no-phones policy. If you are putting out something important and personal then I would want people involved and not hiding behind screens. I agree there are circumstances where we need phones and there are emergencies that crop up. I think, rather than chuck them all at the door, it is better to have some common sense and respect for the artist. You can take a quick snap after a song and film a video before the show starts. If everyone films and photos all the time then it is rude and can be very distracting for them. There is no point playing to people who are not really about the music and more concerned with followers and what it looks like on social media. This article, published earlier in the year, look at other issues associated with images and video:

“Guns N’ Roses, Jarvis Cocker, Alicia Keys and the late Prince all made a stand against fans who filmed their gigs with phones. Two years ago American folk rock band the Lumineers even put the house lights up to shame those who were “ruining the ambience” of their concerts, urging their audience to “be more present with us”. For music-lovers it might seem a simple way to record a real-life encounter with an idol, but now the question of who controls the images of a live concert is becoming a big issue for performers.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar

After Jack White, the former White Stripes frontman, decided last month to stop the use of smartphones at gigs, hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar, who launched his European tour in Dublin last week, is the latest high-profile performer to attempt to take charge of his image in the face of modern technology.

The Grammy-award winning rapper, who has collaborated on the soundtrack of the new Black Panther Marvel film, is not even letting professional photographers into the auditorium for this leg of his tour.

While the rapper’s management did allow a few official photographers into the North American dates of his show, showcasing songs from his latest album Damn, Lamar’s fresh concern to limit the market is an attempt to protect his valuable “brand” and ensure the appetite for tickets remains keen. A large part of the income of the music industry, even for bestselling artists, relies on the profits made by concert tours”.

A lot of my trouble concerns people’s real motives behind shooting video and photos. A lot of people do so to get popular on social media and gain some sort of status. Many people post to Instagram and do so for credit and a false sense of celebrity; many do not bother to watch the videos back and most people in the world do not want to see photos of them and friends watching Taylor Swift or Foo Fighters. For personal memories, then you cannot object to a few photos or whatever – if someone was celebrating a birthday or it was a rare chance to see your favourite artists. When it comes to those who spread it all over social media and turn it into a huge event…that is where I start to run up against things.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Whilst only one-third of young people want phones banned at gigs; I feel there need to be limits and people actually should question why they are at gigs. I wonder why they spend all that money and then shut yourself away and not properly pay attention to what is happening on the stage. If you want a few quick shots, and it is not distracting to their artist, then that is the line. I disagree with those who do not mind fans filming because it creates buzz and attention for their music. The music itself is the way to get attention and is why people release songs! If you need to rely on fans’ videos and photos to get more people your way then I query how good the music itself really is. I think people should be able to keep their phones with them but show a lot more respect and keep them in their pockets! Some artists are standing up and getting tough but too many are either suffering in silence or being a bit timid regarding rules. The live experience is a precious thing and the best way to enjoy the music and hold onto memories is actually watching the artist. I doubt the posts that are on social media will be remembered and recalled years from now! If you literally watch a gig and pay attention then that will stay in the mind longer and stay lodged in the memory.

It is a controversial issue but we need artists to start the move and at least discourage people from using their phones. I was staggered anyone would be at a Paul McCartney gig and not witness every move he made with their own eyes! He wanted the fans to enjoy and see what he was doing – if you film it then you are missing out on so much! There are financial and moral reasons why fans feel fleeced and cheated if they are not allowed to take photos:

“It may already be too late, given that many no longer see a problem at all. With Adele tickets costing as much as a three-star mini-break in Cyprus, some fans argued it was their right to harvest all the footage they wanted. After all, didn’t the punters already fight and win the home-taping-is-killing-concerts war a decade ago, when stars would regularly issue YouTube takedown notices on any inaudible three-second pixel-soup?

The truth is that it is always going to be an imperfect solution when the imagined expressive freedom of our musical lives is turned into a patronising prison ritual. The choice isn’t always obvious. Would the raw blood and faeces of a GG Allin performance have suffered from people Snapchatting jumpy video stacked with poopy emojis? Or would his art have suffered more from the indignity of a microchipped neoprene baggie in every pocket? It’s another one for Plato”.

I feel very strongly about the no-phones rule and think we miss out on so much if we spend our lives viewing everything through screens. There is a rudeness attached to those who ignore a musician and care more about getting ‘value for money’ as opposed getting the most from their ticket. You pay a lot of money but the only way you can benefit is getting the more human and rounded experience from the artist. If thousands of others can film the same thing – and you can watch that at home – then why pay all that money (needlessly) and waste all that time? I find no logic with those who say it is their right to film everything and do what they want. Artists are putting their all into gigs and feel it is the only way they can make money. So many new musicians rely on people coming to their gigs and talking them up – the best way to do that is watching the gig, telling friends and spreading the word on social media (not photographing endlessly and giving a rather detached and unreliable version of events). If we actually open our eyes and remember why live music is such a special thing; artists will be more confident and feel more connected with their fans. Technology has pushed music a long way and made some big changes but I feel, when it comes to the phones-at-gigs-quandary; it is far better to have the phones in the pockets and ensure live music is…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

KEPT it pure and human.