FEATURE: Spoolin' in the Years: Why, After Fifty-Five Years, the Cassette Still Has Its Place

FEATURE:

 

 

Spoolin' in the Years

IMAGE CREDIT: Ian Viggers

Why, After Fifty-Five Years, the Cassette Still Has Its Place

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LIFE before the humble cassette tape…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

was a little limited for the music fan. In 1935, AEG unveiled the first reel-to-reel tape recorder under the name ‘Magnetophon’. It was based around the invention of magnetic tape (1928) by Fritz Pfleumer. The instruments were expensive and very difficult to use and were limited to professionals and those who could afford them. Phillips released the cassette tape in 1963 (released in Europe on 30th August) and it was an accessible and affordable alternative to the studio-limited and bulky technology of the time. Both forms of the cassette were available in 1963 – a blank version and pre-recorded option – and was originally intended for dictation machines and, before long, improvements in fidelity led to the Compact Cassette. Although the first in-car cassette player was not introduced until 1968, the boom happened pretty fast and it was a handy and cheaper version of the L.P. The cassette came in during the 1960s but its revolution and rise did not really take place until the 1970s. It was a strange thing to those used to the rather large and distinct vinyl. Boom boxes and cassette decks became the must-have accessory and present for eager music-lovers and those who wanted to hear their music on the move. It is amazing to think what it would have been like to have a cassette in your position in the 1970s and 1980s.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Although the explosion missed bands like The Beatles – they do have their music on cassettes but were a vinyl-released band – many people drooled given the fact they could play their favourite albums in a very compact and affordable player. The Sony Walkman came out in 1979 and, unlike its Discman cousin, was far more stable and reliable. The Discman, in my view, was flawed by one thing: the fact C.D.s would stop and jump when you moved ( a bit of a drawback unless you were stationery all of the time). I was born in 1983 but owned a Sony Walkman. The fact the Walkman was not much larger than the cassette itself meant people could easily keep them in their pockets and there was that discreet and go-anywhere quality. The price was pretty reasonable and, unlike vinyl today, cassettes were priced so that most people could build up an impressive collection soon enough! I remember having a stack of albums in my bedroom. In the 1980s, when I was listening to artists like Michael Jackson and T. Rex, I had two forms of cassette enjoyment. I possessed a great, red tape deck (double, at that!) and could pedal around the neighbourhood on my go-kart with a pal in the driving seat. The sense of emancipation and delight I got from hearing music come from this simple piece of equipment not only floods back to me nearly thirty years after the fact but has inspired my path regarding journalism and music.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

If it were not for the invention of cassettes and the ability to share and play music this way, I doubt I would have gained such an impassioned and huge love. Back in the days when there were music shops and they stocked cassettes; I would collect my pocket money together and go and buy the latest big release. Although the C.D.’s advent and development won my heart during the 1990s; I was still mixing that with cassette listening and, as figures show, the cassette single was enormously popular during the 1990s. One of the downsides to the portability of the cassette was the ease in which one could pinch them! The pocket-sized prize could easily make its way from the shelf to the coat and, before you know it, they had made away with their choice. Retailers and record labels introducers larger packaging and, before long, greater security and vigilance. It was the ease in which one could purchase any album and travel anywhere with it that kick-started the move towards C.D.s and, eventually, the digital birth. The way one could have independence of sexuality, religion and culture through music was nothing short of a revelation. I remember, as a young child and teen, going everywhere with the cassette. I would be able to enjoy listening in the playground and share tapes with friends. We would swap albums and singles and have our earphones in – call someone over and get them to listen to the new Madonna album or Stone Roses single!

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The decline happened after the late-1980s and C.D.s started to overtake cassettes by 1993. By 2001, only 4% of music sales were cassette-based. Although cassettes were still being used in answerphones and studios – they are still being used in industries like the police service – the C.D. was seen as more durable and expansive. The cassette could typically hold between twenty-three minutes per side; some cassettes could hold as much as thirty minutes. The flaws of the cassette and the changing technology in the C.D. world meant that handover was inevitable. Initially, the rugged nature of the cassette was beneficial to the C.D. – which would skip and jump easily and was a bane for anyone who wanted to use a Discman. Eventually, manufacturers reinforced the C.D. and it became a much more popular and beneficial form. Cassette playback suffered from varying tape speed – it meant the pitch was either too low or high when you were recording in a studio or at home. The dreaded unspooling of the cassette is something we cannot really comprehend today. Although C.D.s can be scratched and smudged easily; it is less difficult to destroy them. Cassettes would be fine but could get dirty easily and it took a while to rewind and forward them. Unlike vinyl and C.D. where you could choose a track and not have to fast-forward or back; cassettes were a bit dim-witted and that spooling issue meant a lot of tapes were being eaten and lost.

Countless times, I finished enjoying a great album or single and, when removing it from the tape player; it would be caught in the mechanism and I’d have inches of tape coming out – you’d wind it back in but find the cassette was too badly damaged or the sound quality was terrible. Although cassettes’ natural flaws and lack of evolutionary possibility; it led to the C.D. and was the first form of musical hardware that was affordable and available to all. Later technologies like the MiniDisc came out – a way of shrinking the cassette and correcting its problems – but never really survived and captured the imagination. One can look at the semi-revival of the cassette because of boutique record labels, hipsters or those mired in a flood of sepia nostalgia. Last year, Forbes reported a boom in sales through the previous year:

“While plenty of attention is paid to the fact that vinyl sales continue to rise year after year, wax records are not the only physical format of music sold that is experiencing an implausible and unexpected revival.

According to Billboard, cassette sales rose a whopping 74% in 2016. That percentage means that the growth of tapes is rising at a faster rate than any other medium in music, though that’s not to say the actual number of cassettes sold comes anywhere near to those categories still losing ground.

...Data from Nielsen states that the rise in sales of cassettes still only amounted to a total of 129,000 tapes being sold in the U.S. last year, which is but a tiny fraction of any other format. To compare, there were just over 13 million vinyl records and 200 million albums (combining CDs, vinyl, digital units and, of course, cassettes) sold in the same time period. To further put the 129,000 figure into perspective, that’s about how many copies an album needs to shift in a single week to hit No. 1 during a busy month in the U.S.”.

Digital Music News offered one suggestion why the cassette is enjoying a bit of a comeback:

“Indeed, a few modern hit series — including Netflix hit Stranger Things — have released their soundtracks on cassette, spurring the return.   The Marvel Cinematic Universe film and its sequel helped to nourish the once-dead cassette as well.

Hamilton, Prince’s Purple Rain, and Nirvana’s Nevermind have been among the most popular albums that saw an influx in cassette tape sales.

Now, the question is whether those represent quirky one-offs or the beginning of a trend”.

 All of this positivity and 2016/2017 celebration has been given a reality check and a bit of gravity:

“In a crystal clear statement to RA, the RIAA’s Cara Duckworth Weiblinger denied any noticeable uptake in sales:

We regularly check with our music label members to see if they are reporting any change in the sales of cassettes, but there hasn’t been for quite some time. It’s such a small number it doesn’t meet the threshold of sales requirements for us to report it (we report sales by category on a scale of millions of dollars and cassettes just haven’t broken that threshold). So there has been no increase in sales of cassettes or a proactive effort to look into tracking this further.

...That said, it is true that more tapes are being sold now than in previous years. One of the world’s last standing tape factories, the National Audio Companyhas reported increased sales of 33% since 2014.

We’ve also seen a whole host of underground cassette labels crop up in recent years, plus major labels have expressed interested in the format with items like Justin Bieber’s Purpose and Kanye West’s Yeezus out on tape”.

It seems cassettes are coming back in the form of new labels and certain soundtracks. It may be a bit limited and minor but it does signal there is a lust for the technology. Maybe it is a way of connecting with the past but I think, in many ways, it is a way of connecting with music. The C.D. seems like that latchkey child that has not really caught on like the older brother but has matured faster than the young sister of the cassette. That said; the C.D. is proving far less popular today than the 1990s. Electronic forms of distribution seem to be overtaking everything and, whilst vinyl and cassette have enjoyed increased sales; the C.D. is struggling to pull in the big sales. I will bring in an article that highlights the benefits of the cassette but, to me, it is the lack of perfection and flaws that make it great. It is not expensive to replace cassettes and I feel the singles market could return if we brought back the cassette to the mainstream.

There is something old-school, pleasurable and simple about having that tape in your hand and being able to play it. Labels are getting back into them and it is a nice way of having a physical product in your hand – more compact and affordable than a C.D. or vinyl. This article was published last year and suggested why newer artists are bonding with the cassette:

“For newer, less established artists, tapes are also a lower-risk investment than vinyl: If your debut EP doesn’t sell, you’re not stuck sitting on a heavy box of vinyl that took over a thousand bucks and half a year to produce.

Tapes give musicians an affordable way to sell their work to fans–usually for about five bucks apiece–and help cover their costs on the road in an age when streaming royalty checks will barely fill up the gas tank. They let fans support their favorite artists without the $25 commitment of vinyl or some other trinket emblazoned with the band’s logo. It may seem odd given the scarcity of cassette players in our lives, but if nothing else, a rectangular hunk of plastic can serve as a convenient vehicle for a free digital download of the album. Plus, it’s a souvenir.

“For the fans, there’s a certain coolness about tapes,” says J. Edward Keyes, Bandcamp’s editorial director and a longtime music journalist, who has amassed close to 500 cassettes. “You can’t quite put your finger on it. But they’re sort of fun. They’re weird little tchotchkes.”

Indeed, the appeal of tapes has more to do with collectibility and nostalgia than it does with convenience or sound quality. In fact, the lower audio fidelity of tapes is seldom seen as a disadvantage”.

IN THIS PHOTO: GPO Brooklyn Portable Boombox Music C.D. Bluetooth Radio Cassette Tape Retro/PHOTO CREDIT: eBay

Since 2013, music retailers have celebrated Cassette Store Day with special released and, with that, creating an offshoot and cousin of Record Store Day. Some claim these days are nothing more than cheesy and money-making excuses; to those who want to pay for music and have something physical (like myself), it is a great way of keeping alive a form of music that is a nice counterpoint and contrast to the rather soulless and unfeeling digital sound. The cassette tape is fifty-five this year and, like all mid-life crisis sufferers, expect it to buy an expensive sports car; have a cheap affair and get its hair highlighted! I expect there will be these rather retro and tragic reissues or the sort of vending machines you see in parts of the world – where you can buy an album or single on the street. Thinking about it, that sounds like a cool idea for the U.K. but I wonder whether the cassette is damaged when it hits the bottom; whether there is genuine music on them – you can sell blank cassettes and charge people – and how stocked they are (do you get much choice?!). I do not feel the music market should all be digital and we need to accept we have passed through the hardware stage and it is digital from here on in. Many people do want to pay for individual releases and may not have a laptop or Internet access.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Some prefer to bond with music in a very real way and not endlessly click and skip through online tracks. The article I just quoted seems to sum up the appeal and enduring brilliance of the cassette tape:

“In an age when most music exists on the boundless, only somewhat navigable reservoir of sound called the internet, splintered across streaming services, YouTube embeds, torrents, and message board threads, there’s something to be said for the tangibility and simplicity of physical media. Like reading a book or a paper magazine, listening to vinyl or cassettes pulls us out of the digital ocean for 45 minutes or so and forces us to focus on one thing. What a concept.

As a bonus, Keyes notes, cassettes often look cool. “They usually do such a nice job with the cover art, especially [tape label] Orange Milk,” he says. “They have such a clear aesthetic and design. It kind of makes you want to buy them all and line them all up”.

Maybe the revival will not turn into a bloodied coup but I can feel there is change and a renewed demand for cassettes. On its fifty-fifth birthday; it is a great chance to think about all the cassettes we grew up with and the sensation we got when we clipped it into the tape deck and let it play. Its birthday should not be met with a comb-over and comfy cardigan: get it some proper-good whiskey, a day of hand gliding and top it all off with a great gig in the capital! I am desperate for shops or sellers to put cassettes back on the shelves and give me the option of varying my collection; getting a classic, old-school player and letting memories flood back – rediscover that happy affinity I had back then and provide something tangible and physical. There are no figures to suggest inroads will be made into the mainstream but I would not be shocked to see the long-lasting and legendary cassette come…

SWINGING back strong!    

INTERVIEW: Haley Blais

INTERVIEW:

Haley Blais

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IT has been cool speaking with…

Haley Blais as she tells me about her new single, Seventeen, and how it came together. I ask her about her musical tastes and what sort of music she is into; whether her new E.P., Let Yourself Go, is her most confident work – she highlights a rising artist to check out.

Blais tells me reveals three albums that mean a lot to her; if there are going to be gigs coming up; what the music scene is like in Canada right now; the advice she would give to artists coming through  - she ends the interview by selecting a cool song.

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

Hi! I’m well. I’ve been learning the bass all week and haven’t left the house - so I feel like a productive hermit.

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

I’m Haley Blais; a musician from Vancouver, BC. I play in a band with my four beautiful sons, singing songs about my life.

Seventeen is your new single. What was it like putting it together?

I knew I wanted the video for it to be sentimental and nostalgic, but kind of put it on the backburner while we were busy with touring etc. So, when I had some downtime and was looking through tour footage, I realized it worked perfectly to portray the message behind the song; that I’m where I’ve always wanted to be.

It recalls, as you say, a rather average and unspectacular time of life. Do you feel you were rather boring as a youth? Are you measuring yourself against unrealistic standards?!

I might be. I’m not saying I’m regretful at all: I guess hindsight is 20/20, as they say. 

Let Yourself Go is your new E.P. What sort of themes inspired the music? Is it a natural case of the cocooned caterpillar of Late Bloomer coming out as a confident butterfly?

Exactly! I like to think it’s inspired by who one becomes once they’ve bloomed.

Which artists compelled you growing up? What sort of music were you raised on?

I was, 100%, raised on Dad Rock. When I was old enough to start appreciating music and curating my own taste, I listened to a lot of Bob Dylan and Folk music. 

You are a Canadian artist. How do you think the music of the nation differs from that of the U.S., for instance? Do you think Canada gets the attention it deserves?!

Oh, man; I’m not sure I can speak for the entirety of the music of the nation but I can say that some of my favourite musicians of all time are Canadian. Andy Shauf, for instance, is a songwriter I really admire - but he’s definitely underrated compared to the pedestal he’s on in my mind. Is that because of his geography? Maybe! And that would be dumb!

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

The completion of my first L.P.

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

The tour, by far…

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

The Bearer of Bad News by Andy Shauf

It’s just a perfect album start to finish.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Because it reminds me of my brother.

Either Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears or Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Because the 1980s call to me.

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

Angel Olsen; red wine, chips and salsa. Those are the first things that came to my head and I agree with myself.

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

I’m playing a few dates in the fall. Sept. 8th at SKOOKUM Festival in Vancouver; Sept. 14th at Rifflandia in Victoria and Oct. 26th at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver (opening for Peach Pit).

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Practice, play show; practice, post dog pics on Instagram (lots of pics).

IN THIS PHOTO: Hatchie/PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Wall

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There’s a new artist, Hatchie, from Australia that I discovered at the beginning of this year and she’s fantastic. Cocteau Twin- meets-Sheryl Crow.

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

I work from home and most of my band is in other bands themselves so, right now, it’s definitely easy to have some time to chill. I’m very into cooking right now! Meals are usually my favourite part of the day, but lately even more so…and it’s very therapeutic. 

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).

Bad Guy - Hatchie!

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Follow Haley Blais

 Official:

https://www.haley-blais.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hblaismusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/hblaisauce

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hblaisauce/

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: MUFFIN

INTERVIEW:

MUFFIN

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THIS week kicks off…

with a chat with Matt of MUFFIN. He discusses their new song, swim.float.drown, and whether the song came together quite naturally. He reveals whether there might be more material coming later; what Leeds is like as a centre and source of inspiration; what advice he would give artists coming through – he selects some upcoming talent to look out for.

The boys each choose an album that means a lot to them; Matt talks about touring and future plans; what he does to unwind away from music – the band pick a track each to end the interview with.

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

Matt: Pretty good thanks, Sam! We’ve just come off the back of playing Neverworld festival down in Kent with the likes of Tom Grennan, Yonaka; Bastille etc. and have announced another couple of shows in Bournemouth and Tunbridge Wells for the end of August.

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

Ok. So; we’re a hybrid of Alt-Rock, Grunge and Punk mixed with gin and ginger hair - ‘MUFFIN’ for short.

What can you reveal about the new single, swim.float.drown? How did that come together

Most of how we write is as a five-piece, all together in a practice room. Someone will come in with a riff or a pre-chorus, etc. - and swim.float.drown was no different in that aspect. We wanted to develop the sound from the direction we were heading in our debut E.P. and we think we’ve managed to capture that.

It sounds like you are in confident mood right now. Did swim.float.drown come together quite quickly and naturally?

Not really, no! We had the verse-chorus structure nailed down pretty quickly, but then we were stumped for a while about where we wanted it to lead. Then Jamie (guitar) came in with this monster riff and it just fit pretty perfectly.

Do you all share the same taste in music? Who were the artists you all grew up around?

We all have crossovers in our music tastes which was definitely a leading factor in what brought us together as a band. But, to say that we all had the same music taste would be far from that. Individually, our music tastes span from Electronic music, noughties Indie; '70s Punk, right the way through to Metal. For me, I was raised on a diet of Green Day, Oasis, Madness and a bit of Motörhead.

Leeds is your hometown. What is the music scene like there? Do you think the city gets the credit it deserves?

Leeds is busy. There are so many venues, so many bands and so many different things always going on. It can be your best friend or a problem child. In a place like Leeds, you have to stand out to stand a chance, so I guess that’s what we’re trying to achieve there.

Might we see more from the band later this year/next? What are you working on right now

Now, it’s all about getting as many gigs under our belt by the end of the year - and, hopefully, before 2019 we’ll have another release out. We’ve got four or five booked in the diary already and that number is looking like it’ll grow in the coming weeks.

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

Bournemouth and Tunbridge Wells over the August Bank Holiday and then we’ve got plans for Leeds, Manchester; Hull, Glasgow and Newcastle and hopefully a few more in October/November time. There may be a short tour in the offing in December too but no promises!

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

Matt: I’d have to go with A Black Mile to the Surface by Manchester Orchestra

Because I cannot think of another album that I’d prefer to just sit and listen to front-to-back. It’s cinematic.

Jamie: Queen’s Greatest Hits for me

Listening to those tracks made me want to be a performer.

Jacob: Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd

It’s the album that inspired me in guitar technique and the love of solos.

Sam: For me, it’s I Had the Blues by Bombay Bicycle Club.

Barry: The Strokes’ Is This It

The best Indie album out there for me.

What advice would you give to artists coming through?

Don’t be lazy. It sounds stupid, but genuinely, if you can be arsed to sit for a few hours compiling press releases, sending emails to promotors; to reviewers, to other bands; finding Spotify curators online, regularly interacting with people on and off social media; making time to play gigs all over the bloody country…that’s what makes the difference.

Obviously, you’ve gotta be good but it helps so much more if you’re good and right in someone’s face so they can find you. The more effort you put into the boring bits behind the scenes, especially when you’re like us and totally independent, the better the gigs will be and the better the opportunities you will get.

IN THIS PHOTO: OTHERKIN/PHOTO CREDIT: Jake Haseldine

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

The list would be endless and it’d end up in an argument if you forced us to give a list we all agreed on…but there’s a few that stick out. OTHERKIN, Avalanche Party; Fizzy Blood, Youth Killed It; Generation, LION and Yonaka (this list will go on and on as well…).

 IN THIS PHOTO: YONAKA/PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Saradjola

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

The pub.

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).

Matt: Fairweather Friends - Queens of the Stone Age

Jacob: Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX) - Pink Floyd

Sam: Raus! – NARCS

Barry: Mirror Kisses – The Cribs

Jamie: You Can Get It If You Really Want – Jimmy Cliff

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Follow MUFFIN

Official:

https://www.whatismuffin.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/whatismuffin

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/whatismuffin/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-_6KVfbe1ukf9a9cR13P4g

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/whatismuffin

FEATURE: When Hathor Sleeps: The Strong Female Idols Who Have Inspired Me

FEATURE:

 

 

When Hathor Sleeps

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Pillai for L'Officiel

The Strong Female Idols Who Have Inspired Me

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I am not exactly slack when it comes to…

IN THIS PHOTO: St. Vincent (one of many modern female artists who compel me)/PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

promoting new female artists and raising a clenched fist against the patriarchy. I find there is an imbalance across music that is not shifting as fast as it should. Radio stations are male-heavy whilst we hear tales of sexism and inequality from gig bookings, festivals through to record labels. I feel the crop of new female artists is incredibly strong and inspiring. I am drawn more to their sound: I find there is more innovation and depth in their sound; something different that digs further and elicits different emotions. From the primal and commanding Hip-Hop artists coming from the U.S.; the more mature and independent Pop artists pushing the genre and dominating; the great Punk and Alternative bands the beautiful Folk artists – there is a wealth of talent coming through that deserve a lot more than they get. Old-school mentalities and habits still rule music. There is that deficit when we see festival line-ups and so many broadcasters promote their men above women. Whilst there is a long way to go to see any real improvements in the industry; I have to look back and explain why classic and modern icons are showing why equality needs to arrive sooner rather than later. Most of my early musical experiences revolved around male bands or whatever was being broadcast on the radio.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Walter/WireImage/Getty Images

Even back in the 1990s, there was a lot of men filling the airwaves and making their way up the charts. A lot of the hits were written by men and look at the so-called greatest albums of that decade – you will find a majority male share. Maybe things have always been bad and unbalanced but the music male and female artists produce differs. Their ambitions and dreams might be (roughly) the same but the tones, lyrical perspective and personalities are different. I know problems in today’s music scene are going to take some genuine attack and dedication but I feel looking back at the music from female artists of the past can inform what we do today. Look at those iconic and inspiring artists who either paved a course for change or released world-class albums. I have spent a lot of time this year looking at artists like Kate Bush and Madonna – they are both sixty this year and have influenced generations of songwriters. Whilst Kate Bush captivated my ears when I was a child and sort of formed my first musical crush; her unique sounds and incredible passion stood out from any other music I was listening to. One reason why Bush stands out to me is her independence and sense of ambition. I am a big fan of male artists/bands from the 1970s/1980s but none of them managed to win my heart as readily and easily as Kate Bush.

She remains a heroine of mine and a songwriter whose beguiling talent, physicality and personality have not been equalled. The industry was sexist when she was starting out – although she has said she never encountered it – but her defiance and belief in the music meant she set her own course and went on to create some of the finest work of her time. Whereas a lot of male artists at the time, and when I was growing up, relied on their masculinity or feudal rebellion; Bush’s instinct, artistic flair and incredible maturity stood aside. It was refreshing then and, forty years after her debut, it remains rare and personally inspiring. Madonna, who turns sixty next week, made an impact on me after Kate Bush. I experienced Bush around about 1988/1989 – when she was quite a few albums in – but Madonna arrived in the 1990s. Earlier albums like True Blue and Like a Prayer were being played in the schoolyard and I was finding her musical at a rather interesting time. Although Madonna is determined to make more music today and aghast at the lack of originality and true leaders; by the time I was becoming familiar with her work, she has transitioned from this normal Popstar who was making her way into the world: she was the Queen of Pop and a global superstar.

Maybe Michael Jackson had that same sort of rise, a lot earlier, but his situation and struggle were different. Whilst fellow icons such as Jackson and Prince conquered the world and established themselves as legends of the time; Madonna was fighting against record labels, judgement and a scene that was not ready for her. She battles and speaks out against sexism now but there was a feeling, back then, she was being controlled by record labels. The more she felt belittled and isolated, the more she pushed to become this world-straddling star that stunned the world with her incredible fashion, music and defiance. She remains a global superstar but it is her work during the 1980s and 1990s that hooked me. Going through school, I was constantly being exposed to chart hits, Britpop and whatever band was trending at the time. Musicians, in a way, teach us about ourselves and present a view of the modern world. During a time of change and discovery in my life, I was blown away by a figure who seemed to defy convention and rebelled against those who felt she was inferior and incapable of success. Later albums such as Ray of Light would elevate and renew my interest in her but the sort of songs that came during that earlier period – from Express Yourself, Papa Don’t Preach and Like a Virgin – changed music and spoke to those looking for something different and bold.

IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/ALL OTHER PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

I was growing up around a lot of good music but there were few artists that really spoke to me and made a lasting impression. Around the same sort of time I was discovering Madonna and Kate Bush; another side of music was presenting itself. Through childhood discovery and flicking through old vinyl, I was becoming acclimatised to incredible singer-songwriters like Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Both have their own sensation and sound but they each take me somewhere special with their voices. Mitchell is a more ‘acquired’ taste to many: a rougher voice that, whilst capable of beauty and desire, is not as instant. The way she wove pictures and presenting such vivid and incredible songs, again, did something to me and opened my eyes to art and literature. I leapt into albums like Blue and Ladies of the Canyon and was presented with these wonderful stories, sensational poetic verses and a spirit that brought so much character to what she sung. A Joni Mitchell song is an experience and linguistic awakening. Maybe my love of poetry and desire to explore the English language is because of Joni Mitchell and the way her music got into my head. I am a big fan of male songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen but I got a new perspective and quality with Mitchell.

She was/is a more emotive performer and someone writing from a very real and honest place. She has said that, at a point, she was exposed and could hide nothing from the public. Her music, especially on Blue, bled with emotion and seemed to strike harder and more durably than anything I had ever heard. Carole King’s Tapestry is one of those albums that, again, taught me a lot about myself and what I could become. I found her whilst I was in middle school and was instantly seduced by her fantastic voice and incredible grace. It seems like the voice and the different tones are the difference between interest and fascination. I love male artists like Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley; bands such as Radiohead, Blur and Led Zeppelin – most of my favourite music is made by men and that will not change anytime soon. Although the majority of my favourite albums and songs are created by men; the deepest, most memorable and transformative musical memories are from female artists. ABBA, a band who can divide opinion, played a big part when I was growing up. I recall being hooked on their hooky and catchy Pop. Although the hits were penned by Benny and Björn; Anni-Frid and Agnetha were at the front and bringing those songs to life.

IN THIS PHOTO: Joni Mitchell/PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Robinson

Maybe it was their contrasting voices and the way they could harmonise; perhaps it was their affinity for the music or something intuitive…it introduced me to Europe Pop and, against the radio hits of the day, was another breath of fresh ear and sensational vocal realisation. Most of my ABBA upbringing was after their split up. I was getting into them in the 1990s – their final studio album was 1981’s The Visitors - but those incredible vocals and performances still get into my head and bring me happiness. The 1990s was the decade I was discovering existing stars and finding new ones to love. Whereas we do not really have girl bands anymore; I was drawn to the unity, spirit and sassiness that one could find in the music of En Vogue and TLC. I am also a fan of Destiny’s Child but it is Beyoncé’s leadership and talents that seemed to shine. The reason I liked these female groups was their confidence and the incredible connection between the singers. The fact that they are black seemed to be a part of their music. By that, I mean they were not only fighting against no-good men and cheaters but a society that overlooked women and minorities. I often feel the hardest task for an artist is being a black female solo artist or group.

The fact the greatest girl groups of the 1980s and 1990s managed to create sensational music and break down barriers was a huge thing. There were sexism and limitations placed upon them but these groups managed to carve out their own territory and influence legions of artists coming through. I feel the likes of En Vogue and TLC have done so much to bring women’s music to the forefront and create a sense of identity and place for black artists today. Again, male artists have managed this but I look back at those great girl groups and what they managed to achieve. The songs they created not only became anthems for women everywhere but they spoke to everyone and have remained staples. Think about TLC’s Waterfalls and No Scrubs; En Vogue’s Free Your Mind and Don’t Let Go (Love) and you have classics that people still go nuts over today – I cannot think of any male group of that type who managed to make such an impact. I will end with Beyoncé but a few other female artists that compelled me when I was growing up were Björk, Lauryn Hill and Stevie Nicks. Nicks’ involvement with Fleetwood Mac won my young heart.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stevie Nicks

Albums like Rumours and Tusk are among my favourites are part of my regular rotation and a big reason for that is Stevie Nicks. Rumours is a record where she struggled to get attention and fairness – given the tensions in the band and the fact Lindsey Buckingham was calling a lot of the shots. Her contributions, like Dreams and Gold Dust Woman are among my highlights. The fact each song has its own skin and seems completely different is a testament to her endless talent and ability. I Don’t Wanna Know is another great Nicks song - and look at Rhiannon and Landslide (from 1975’s Fleetwood Mac). She is one of the best female songwriters of all-time and her voice is an instrument that brings such strength and cinema to the music. She can be flighty and ethereal but incredibly earthy and revealing. There are contrast and balances that made her a favourite of mine when growing up. I have been a fan of Björk since her debut album (Debut) and feel she, like Kate Bush, is unique and impossible to follow. Each of her albums explores new ground and seems to defy logic. Whether exploring nature or womanhood; inventing her own technology or wrestling with personal demons; you always get something electric and scintillating. I have followed Björk since the start and am always stunned by the way she can project and mutate her voice.

You only need listen to a few of her songs and you realise we have someone very special in music. I cannot imagine any other artist, male or female, matching what she does and having such an amazing impact. It is hard to put into words just what Björk does and how her music makes me feel but I adore the way she bends language and can go from ecstatic and rapturous highs to cooing lows and something more unsettled. As a young man/boy looking for music to guide me and show me new sides of the world, again, it was a female artist that did that. Lauryn Hill’s sole solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was among my first tastes of Hip-Hop. I was familiar with her Fugees work and what she was capable of but was stunned by her command and songwriting talent on the solo album. Gusty songs like Lost Ones were revelations to me. I had not really heard anything as punchy and tough from a female artist. I was listening to this great girl bands but Hill’s spirit and toughness seemed to top them. Doo Wop (That Thing) and Ex-Factor are among my favourite songs of the 1990s and a window into a very inspiration and influential artist.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Bangles

Certain words keep coming up in this piece but it is hard to say how important these artists were. Hill’s brilliant directions and confessions led me back to equally strong and impassioned female artists like Neneh Cherry and Nina Simone. A little earlier still (in the 1980s) I heard The Bangles and their earliest work played a big role in my school life. Maybe it is the beauty in their voices and the emotional effects it uncovers but their music is indelible and transformative. Eternal Flame might not be a critical favourite but it is a song I carried with me and one of my first memories from all of music. A lot of the male bands of that time were coming in rather aggressively or hardly pushing boundaries with their songs. That impatience and desire to uncover something soul-speaking and touching led me to them. If some people feel female bands/girl groups are weaker than male equivalents and produce inferior music; you only need to listen to groups like The Bangles to realise how strong and decades-lasting they are. I will complete with a conclusion and look at the modern artists who are in my thoughts and responsible for my continued interest in female-made music and striking against sexism but, for now, a figure I said I’d mention.

IN THIS PHOTO: Nina Simone

I love the work Beyoncé created when she was a member of Destiny’s Child and the anthems she was a part of. I have mentioned TLC and En Vogue and, alongside them, Destiny’s Child helped push female music (from black artists) into the mainstream. They addressed sexism and defiance; the losers that played them around and promoted a sense of strength and ability that has sparked a fuse for modern female-made music. Whether you feel Survivor or Say My Name is their best song; you cannot deny the impact they made. I was hearing a lot of crappy boybands in the 1990s and was shocked by the basicness of their material and how hollow it all sounded. Destiny’s Child provided access into Pop and R&B; a shot of spirit and independence that seemed so much more vital and impressive than anything that was being represented in music at the time. Beyoncé was the member of the band I followed and continue to watch with great interest. I love albums like Lemonade (2016) and 4 (2011) but it is her self-titled record (2013) and B’Day (2006) that show her at her peak. Although other people help her write her material; it is the way she puts herself into the music and delivers her messages that have moved me. Beyoncé is alive with sexuality and confidence (like Partition and Blow) whilst B’Day has bangers and bellicose anthems like Ring the Alarm and Green Light.

Both albums are supreme works and the fact they are seven years apart should signal a dip in quality or a changed sound. Every album she puts out seems to unite emotional candour with spirited, gutsy works. Destiny’s Child delivered big and hungry numbers like Lose My Breath but Beyoncé, stepping away from her band, gained new impetus and inspiration. She remains one of those female artists that, like Madonna, has spoken up and affected change. Her live performances are sensational and a transcendent experience. The reason she is important to me is due to her addressment of race and gender rights; equality and female strength. She never preaches and shoves things down our throat but there is never any sense of shyness and hesitation. Her complete authority and personal strength have not only influenced many female artists but a lot of current male musicians. In an R&B/Rap scene where the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z (her husband) hold immense sway; she can hold her own and is inferior in no way! This might be a bit of a whistle-stop tour of female artists through my life but they (the ones I have mentioned) have contributed a great deal and changed me as a person. Opening up my mind to new areas and sides of life; giving me instruction and teaching me more about music than I could ever know. I have a lot of affection for male artists but there is something special, different and more compelling about those strong female artists.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lana Del Rey/PHOTO CREDIT: Neil Kru

That interest and captivation continue to this very day. Whilst a lot of the artists I have mentioned have been and gone; modern artists such as Solange, Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine); Laura Marling and Lana Del Rey are among my favourites. Solange, like Beyoncé, is talking about big issues and striking a note for female artists; Lana Del Rey marries cinematic soundscapes and gorgeous strings with some of the dreamiest and most striking vocals around. Florence Welch is that enigma and powerhouse whose career keeps getting stronger and she is one of those artists that provoke such fascination and interest. Laura Marling is one of the most consistent songwriters of this age and, still under thirty, she has produced more starling albums that most have in their entire careers. The twenty-eight-year-old has already released six solo albums and not put a foot wrong yet! The great new breed of Pop artists – like Lorde – are inspiring me; the great Hip-Hop coming from the U.S. is alluring; the great female bands like Goat Girl are doing amazing work. I have not even mentioned Amy Winehouse when speaking of those idols and great artists that changed music and brought something new into my life. I did not want to raise this feature and explore the greatest female artists just to fill some time…

I have spoken about the female artists who inspired and affected me growing up – when writing pieces about International Women’s Day and Memory Tapes – but it seems few other male journalists are. I am always keen to promote female artists but I wonder why male journalists and artists are not writing about the female musicians that mean a lot to them. In my case, I have discovered more about music, life and myself through their music than anything male-made. From the natural world and beauty of the human voice (Kate Bush) to independence, sexism and women’s rights (Madonna); racism, sisterhood and female rights (TLC, Beyoncé and En Vogue) to the power of poetry, words and acoustic music (Joni Mitchell and Carole King). I have not been able to name all of the female artists that have compelled and moved but the fact they have opened my eyes and mind, personally and musically, matters a great deal to me. I know I write a lot about female artist and sexism but this is not a rally against inequalities and what more can be done. My current piece is a nod of the head to those, past and present, that have taught me so much and made me a stronger human being. The legends and incredible artists I grew up with have led to contemporary curiosity and a much broader and exciting musical palette. I will, in the coming weeks, highlight the modern female artists that are turning my head but I thought I would discuss and commemorate those incredible female artists whose impact on me…

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé/PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Pillai for L'Officiel

CANNOT be easily measured.    

FEATURE: “Guess Mine Is Not the First Heart Broken…” Forty Years of Grease and Its Incredible Soundtrack: Summer Nights, Beauty School Dropouts and Tears on My Pillow

FEATURE:

 

 

“Guess Mine Is Not the First Heart Broken…”

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Forty Years of Grease and Its Incredible Soundtrack: Summer Nights, Beauty School Dropouts and Tears on My Pillow

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I will look at the incredible soundtrack for Grease…

IN THIS PHOTO: Olivia Newton-John (Sandy Olsson) and John Travolta (Danny Zuko) in Grease/PHOTO CREDIT: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock

in a moment but it seems, forty years after its release; the film is still thrilling audiences and getting people off of the sofa! Released in cinemas during September of 1978, we travel back to the summer of 1958 and greaser Danny Zuko’s infatuation and romance with Australian girl Sandy Olsson. Their beach-set beginnings look like the end of something wonderful. They fear, given the fact Sandy is returning to Australia, means they will never meet again. Entering the new school, Rydell High, Danny reunites with his greaser gang, T-Birds. Among the group are Kenickie, Doody and Putzie. Sandy arrives at the school with her girls, the Pink Ladies, and their romance rekindles. Skipping to the end the two – Sandy adopts a leather jacket and tougher attitude eventually – depart in a muscle car into the sunset after an eventful time at high-school. Whilst I am, obviously, no Mark Kermode (except for the wild hair), you need to watch the film in-full to experience its magic and brilliance. There is a school of thought – the close-minded and uneducated – who say a film like Grease is not suitable for a heterosexual male – it is a bit camp and, well, it’s a musical! That would be a rather ignorant view and one I swat away with a derisory snort!

Although the film is set in 1958, it brings together elements of the 1970s and matches the Doo-Wop and greaser culture with something a bit more Punk and modern. Grease the film came seven years after the musical (with songs by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey). The film version is written by the exceptional Bronte Woodward and directed by Randal Kleiser. The clash of the bad-girl Danny and the then-good Sandy; the switch and transformation to a more sensitive (if boorish) Danny and the rebellious Sandy is great to watch. The film struck a chord at a time when albums like The Clash’s Give ‘Em Enough Rope and The Jam’s All Mod Cons were stunning critics. The two worlds hardly seem to meet but, in an America where Blondie was striking hard and Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town was getting into the public mindset; it is no shock to find a film like Grease succeeding and inspiring. The soundtrack, which I shall get to, ended 1978 as the second-best-selling album of the year (behind the soundtrack to another John Travolta film, Saturday Night Fever). Travolta puts in another epic performance – at a period of his career where he could do little wrong – and Olivia Newton-John, as Sandy, steals the show. In fact; the soundtrack-defining song, Hopelessly Devoted to You, lost out on an Oscar to Donna Summer’s Last Dance (in the Best Original Song category). The chemistry between Newton-John and Travolta is charming, electric and passionate.

It is no surprise critics vacillated and raved when the film hit theatres. They loved its fun and fascinating central story; the brilliant players in the gangs and the incredible music. Given the fact the film is forty this year; lots of new stories are coming out that could point the way to a third instalment – Grease 2 saw little of the original cast return and did not fare nearly as well with critics. Didi Conn, who played the beauty school dropout Frenchy, gave an interview where she revealed that on-screen chemistry and sexuality came naturally:

“The chemistry between John and Olivia was real — very, very real,” before hastily correcting herself and adding: “A romance? No, no no. Just onset.”

The late Jeff Conaway was the most prolific shagger behind the scenes, matching his bad-boy character Kenickie.

“He just oozed sexuality and he was an ever-ready bunny,” Didi said.

“He was just a very, very sexy guy.

“He and [cheerleader] Patty Simcox [actor Susan Buckner] they had a lot of rehearsing, they had fun”.

Olivia Newton-John gave a recent interview where she was asked about reprising the role of Sandy and getting the gang, minus Conway, back together:

“I can’t imagine that working now but you never know what someone could come up with. If there was a great idea then, of course, we would consider it, or at least I would. If John was up for it then I think I would be too but we couldn’t do it without each other.’ Before adding: ‘Let’s see what the future brings”.

Back in April; The Guardian reviewed the fortieth anniversary release of Grease and drilled down to its essential core:

“Grease broke John Travolta through to family audiences who might have been chary about his more adult movie sensation, Saturday Night Fever, the year before. It was part of the 70s fashion for 50s nostalgia that also had its expression in George Lucas’s American Graffiti and Garry Marshall’s longrunning TV show Happy Days, and survived in the form of Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future in 1985. Travolta’s effortless dancing here is different from his lithe and narcotically sexy disco performances in Saturday Night Fever. In Grease it is more family-friendly. Still superb, less about pelvic grinding than about the quiff, elbows and the knees rotating in 45-degree shunts, as if he were appearing in an Egyptian frieze. It’s still a sugar-rush of a film”.

The film is electric…it’s hydromatic…it’s; okay, I’ll stop! Rather than see me dance on an American muscle car and throw an oily rag around; it is worth looking at the soundtrack and why it, alongside the film itself, has remained essential and popular for forty years. Grease is the only musical I have ever seen. I saw it in London back in the 1990s and can remember it clearly. The fact I have not seen another musical – I keep meaning to see Hamilton and The Book of Mormon – is not a commentary about the musical itself: I loved the staging and was introduced to its incredible songs. I saw the film just after and loved how these catchy and singalong gems were brought to life by the cast.

Articles like this one rank the songs and place numbers like Those Magic Changes and Beauty School Dropout as inessential; Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee and You’re the One That I Want as would-be-legendary-in-any-other-film-but-this-is-Grease category – they put the film’s title-song and Hopelessly Devoted to You as the classics. There is a general feeling that Greased Lightnin’ and Hopelessly Devoted to You are in the top-three: some place Summer Nights higher up and others feel We Go Together as better-than-expected. Fans and casual followers can battle regarding the definitive top-five but it is clear there are those songs, performed by Sha Na Na, that are contextual but semi-ineffectual; the beauty school dropout is a flop but – wait…I am going to break into song again. Although Stockard Channing (Rizzo) and Cindy Bullens (nee Cidney Bullens) take some of the songs; it is the classics where Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta lead that stick in the mind. I love how the score and performances evoke the giddiness and vintage cool of the 1950s. Travolta, on tracks like Greased Lightnin’, evokes the spirit of Elvis Presley (a year after The King died) and classic singers from the day. Both he and Olivia Newton-John run a gamut of emotional tones and take their voice in all kinds of directions. The songs bring together styles and sounds of the 1950s but there is a tougher and more inventive spirit that would run through the 1960s and 1970s.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Many do not listen to the music of the 1950s but I feel Grease is a reason to return to the decade. Maybe the high-school that back-dropped the film is atypical in terms of most of our experiences. Most of our parents and grandparents did not have cool gangs and got to have a jolly old time – maybe the American school system was less rigid and disciplinarian during that time. It is the escapism and sense of fun that overrides the pains, revelations and broken hearts. There is giddiness and delight to be found when John Travolta and greased mechanics proactively dance in a garage and, to be fair, throw smut and innuendo into the mix – Greased Lightnin’ throws tits, sh*t and creaming into its lyrics! It is a raunchy, racy and revelatory song that defined Danny and his mentality; his rebellious spirit and ladies’ man cool. One of the biggest revelations from the film is the voice of John Travolta. He manages to exhilarate and swagger like Presley here; he is more seductive and beckoning on Sandy; cool and sexy on Summer Nights – I often wonder whether an album should have arrived from him! Olivia Newton-John has a couple of standalone performances. Whereas Sandy is the sole lone outing from Travolta; Newton-John has Hopelessly Devoted to You - a more potent and complex performance. Newton-John, the professional singer, was award-nominated for the song. She had the more tested and stronger voice and, with John Farrar writing and producing the track; Hopelessly Devoted to You became the star of the soundtrack.

The song has gained huge legacy and success since its release. It stands as a solid song that defies the times and is a timeless thing. The heart-aching performance and lyrics of longing and loss touched the masses and highlighted Newton-John’s amazing voice. She would go on to enjoy a successful recording career but, back then, was a new name that was not known to the whole world. Against the angst and electric fervour that scores many of the biggest numbers; Grease’s hero and saint is Hopelessly Devoted to You. It is before Sandy turned spiker and bolder: a sensitive and vulnerable performance that demonstrates how much Danny’s love meant to her. The song itself was written and produced by Newton-John’s personal producer who knew what her voice was capable of and he, in turn, turned in a song perfect for her. Producers were reluctant to include the song – it was filmed and captured after a lot of the film has already been shot. I love the solo Travolta outing, Sandy, but it is when he and his paramour get together in song where you get the strongest effect. You’re the One That I Want is endlessly addictive and inflamed; Summer Nights and We Go Together have quotable lines by the gallons and are brilliantly performed. The slick and exceptional production makes the songs pop and shine – I prefer the studio-recorded versions of the songs as opposed those in the film.  

There were musicals before Grease but few that created such an impact in the mainstream. The soundtrack has sold over twenty-eight-million and it is one of the best-selling albums of all time. We do not see many great musicals on the screens these days and I wonder whether anyone can top the classics like Grease. We have modern musicals but can producers and writers travel back in time and produce something as universal and popular as Grease?! I don’t think they can capture the spirit and chemistry we see in the film and hear on the soundtrack. From the Frankie Valli-sung title-track to the underrated songs like Rock N’ Roll Party Queen; there is a banquet of sounds and sensations! I feel there is an appetite for another musical like Grease and, the fact the fortieth anniversary is bringing fresh fans out means it has not aged or dated in any way. The setting of high-school romance and two people from different sides of the tracks finding love has a timelessness and universality. I have not seen the film for a few years but will make sure I catch it soon. The re-release of the film saw many going to cinemas dressed in 1950s clothing – leather jackets, greased hair and plenty of colour. Unlike the 1980s; there is an innate sense of cool and mystique you can never get enough of.

At a time when Disco was still making waves; the cast and performers were rolling back the years and introducing the young generation to the music their parents would be familiar with. The original songs have their own identity but vividly transport you to the decade and the best Pop/Rock ‘n’ Roll around. The reason I highlighted the soundtrack is because it has proved so popular with the people. You do not need to be familiar with the film and be a super-fan: anyone can come to the music fresh and be amazed by it. The songs bring you in and provoke you to get involved and moving! A lot of film soundtracks (musical or otherwise) suffer from poor lyrics or too many all-cast performances – not enough strong standalone cuts or variation. Grease is rousing when Danny and Sandy’s gangs are sparring and united; it is spellbinding when the leads are together and starling when each takes a lead vocal. You get these effortless combinations and tracks that etch into the mind and, whether boy/man/woman/girl, resonate and identify. You need not be a musical fan to love Grease’s music and can find something new every time you play it (soundtrack). Forty years after the film and soundtrack were unveiled to the world; it is obvious we all still love and fascinated by two vivacious sweethearts and…

THEIR incredible moments.   

FEATURE: Rubberband Boy: Dave Grohl’s Odyssey, Play: A Benchmark and Education

FEATURE:

 

 

Rubberband Boy

IN THIS PHOTO: Dave Grohl in Play/PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Stuart

Dave Grohl’s Odyssey, Play: A Benchmark and Education

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MORE and more…

PHOTO CREDIT: Grizzlee Martin for Kerrang!

music is becoming synthetic, distant and electronic. How often do we listen to music and get a real sense of where it comes from and how it is made? I used the analogy before: music, in a way, is becoming a foodstuff where we do not have information regarding its origins, calorific qualities and history. We digest what is put before us and never really think how the instruments interplay; how the artists recorded their parts and how the anatomical nature of the song gestates, grows and finalises – a complete recording that took time and involved a lot of effort. The more we stray away from vinyl and hardware; as we embrace and drool over digital means and the Internet – do we ever really think about the process of music and how it all coalesces?! I feel we are becoming foreign to the production process and less passionate regarding music in its purest form. Dave Grohl is someone who is never too far from the music news. That is not a bad thing: he innovates and splits his time between recording with Foo Fighters and changing the industry. He is keen to teach drums a spread music to as many people as possible. In a recent interview with GQ, he talked about the late Kurt Cobain and finding new light in his lyrics:

 “Even today, listening to Cobain’s music, for Grohl, is almost impossible. “I don’t put Nirvana records on, no. Although they are always on somewhere. I get in the car, they’re on. I go into a shop, they’re on. For me, it’s so personal. I remember everything about those records; I remember the shorts I was wearing when we recorded them or that it snowed that day. Still, I go back and find new meanings to Kurt’s lyrics. Not to seem revisionist, but there are times when it hits me. You go, ‘Wow, I didn’t realise he was feeling that way at the time’”.

The reason Grohl is in the news at the moment is a two-part documentary, Play. The premise of his new project is simple yet very complex: a twenty-three-minute Prog-Rock song that sees Grohl play every instrument. Not only is every part played by Grohl but, if there is a mistake, say, during a drum part; he has to start over again – there are no spaces for errors and cock-ups. Rolling Stone provided the details and rundown:

 “In his ambitious two-part documentary, Play, Dave Grohl overdubs multiple instruments into a 23-minute, instrumental prog-rock odyssey.

The project opens with the Foo Fighters leader reflecting on the sheer childlike joy of picking up an instrument. “To any musician, young or old, a beautiful studio full of instruments like a playground,” he says. “To me, I’m like a kid in a candy store. Most musicians are always chasing the next challenge; you never feel satisfied, and you never feel like you’ve completely mastered the instrument you’re playing. It’s always going to be a puzzle; it’s always going to be a challenge. It’s a beautiful mystery. But once it gets its hooks in you, that’s when the obsession and the drive really kick in.”

Grohl then cuts to the “Join the Band” music lessons school in the San Fernando Valley, where instructors teach kids how to play in rock ensembles. Various pre-teens and teenagers discuss how learning an instrument teaches them discipline and fuels their creativity”.

Play concludes with Grohl’s epic, expertly edited in-studio video, in which he overdubs various instruments (electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, drums, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizers, vibraphone, tambourine, tympani) in a one-man-band approach. The footage is a head trip in itself, piecing together the sessions so that various Grohls appear to play live together in one room”.

PHOTO CREDIT: GQ

There are a couple of reasons why I feel Grohl’s latest project should be taken to heart by musicians. I will come to the beginnings and getting children into music but the fact Play is such an ambitious piece should provoke musicians to up their game. You think of Grohl as a drummer and led of Foo Fighters but never really realise how deep his musical knowledge runs. I saw her perform the Them Crooked Vultures song, Spinning in Daffodils, during a BBC Radio 1 session and was amazed by the sheer intensity and physicality of the performance. The song, with band members Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) alongside him, is an incredible display (Alain Johannes also appears). Seeing Grohl demolish the kit; Homme shred and swagger; John Paul Jones’ bass and gorgeous closing piano entice – it was a complete experience and vivid look at a song coming together. Unless we are in the live setting, I feel we never really consider music’s bones and soul. Grohl’s epic song shows exactly how it came to be: seven of him moving between instruments and putting this fantastic piece together. A lot of modern music relies on computers and a real lack of any playing skill. Even artists who still play instruments rarely push themselves to the limits.

I wonder whether people are scared of doing anything too ambitious through fear of a lack of radio attention and streaming success. We have come out of the Prog-Rock glory days and artists rarely throw together big jams and multi-part songs. I have followed Grohl since his Nirvana days and am amazed by the energy he still has. Whilst many of his Rock brothers have departed us; he is soldiering on and continues to pioneer. I feel Play is a chance for colleagues to do something similar. If Grohl had released a track like this and told us about it, then we would have got a limited impression of what it is about. The fact we can see him play and everything taking shape makes the music a lot more evocative and revealing. I would like to see more artists, solo or band, doing something like Grohl has. Whether it involves filming instrument parts of pushing music in new directions – shaking things up and doing something original is always popular. I have heard of artists recording albums live and stream them on the Internet; others have used new techniques and tunings to enhance their material and explore new ground. Each of these revelations and projects dissects music and goes against the rather sterile and digital-streamed music we all consume.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I think musicians should look at Grohl doing his thing and learn from it. How the legendary artist follows this I am not sure but I hope the larger industry opens up their horizons and challenges themselves. It need not, as I say, be a Prog-Rock-type thing or involve so much effort. It would be great to see albums and songs come to life – at the moment, we only hear music and do not know how it is made. Taking music to its roots and then stretching it in all sorts of directions is a fascinating thing to watch. I do genuinely hope musicians take guidance but another benefit of Play is seeing a musician record and put a song together, bit by bit. Grohl is keen to teach and share music with the new generation – I feel they can learn a lot from his current work. Watch the documentary and you see Grohl talking about music, his background and his dreams. The Atlantic talks about Grohl’s ambitions to pass Play to the next generation:

“Play” presumes to pass that passion to a new generation. It begins with voiceover about the rewarding challenge of learning to play an instrument, and then segues into interviews with young, diverse students of music.

…They talk about the lack of support for music education in their schools, and about all the great things—focus, commitment, fun—that guitar or piano or drums offer them. At the bottom of the “Play” interactive website, there are links to music-education organizations across the country. A press release mentions “upcoming auctions” to benefit such causes.

What, exactly, connects that public-service display with the seven-Grohls stunt? It’s that Grohl is so inspiring. His struggles as an arena-touring rock star are, we’re told, basically the same as a newbie’s. When Grohl screws up a riff, he goes back to the start of the song he’s been playing, just like these kids have to do. He’s still learning things about instruments he’s played for decades, and there are still instruments that he has yet to really broach”.

I am not sure what music programmes are like in the U.S. but music is not a compulsory part of the curriculum here. It should be a mandatory part of the education process: many children go through school without learning music or having exposure to it. Grohl is still learning about his craft but I wonder how many kids and new musicians are learning to play and bonding with instruments. My concern is not without grounding. I get far less material sent in from artists who play instruments than those relying on electronics and laptops.

Maybe it is a sign of modern music’s changing tones but I relish a revival of great bands who articulate what we all want to say and create anthems that are passed through the ages. There is such much to take away from Grohl’s documentary. He talks about music and what it means to him; how he has grown and what he still wants to do. You get a very direct and unique view into his world as he puts this incredible song together. My hope is musicians keep the ball rolling and try similar things. There is a fear, among many, real instruments are being replaced by electronics and fewer people are studying music. We cannot let standards slip and take music away from education. Music teaches us so much more than notes and sounds. There are emotions attached and so many lessons we can take away. Music is a culture and a worldwide language that every one of us speaks. Dave Grohl, in his own way, is passing on lessons and creating a seminar that can be discovered, explored and passed on. If you have not discovered Play and all it has to offer; set aside the time and watch a modern-day icon…

IN THIS PHOTO: Dave Grohl in Play/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

UNVEIL something remarkable.   

INTERVIEW: Maria Muller

INTERVIEW:

Maria Muller

___________

THERE are few artists…

who have been through a tougher time than Maria Muller. She opens up about the gamble she took to become a singer and how loss in her family affected her. Muller talks about future material and artists that mean a lot to her; a musician she recommends we follow and watch out for – she chooses three albums that are important to her.

Muller discusses her latest single, Lost, and what its story is; if there is more material coming down the line; advice she would give any songwriters coming through; how she chills away from music – Muller reveals how she unwinds away from music.

____________

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

Hello. It has been a glorious summer and I am very well, thank you.

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

I am a singer-songwriter living in the U.K. I was born in the Philippines and am now a citizen of Switzerland. I started out my training as a Classical singer. I loved the opera but found that my true calling was in writing songs. I write the melodies and lyrics to all my songs.

Lost is your new single. Can you reveal the story behind the song?

It was a very tough time in my life and my marriage was suffering for it. There was a need for more open communication and privacy. We weathered the storm, after a brief separation, and we are stronger together.

I believe you sold your possessions and took a big gamble to become a singer. Was there a distinct point in life where you had reached a crossroads and needed to take that gamble?

I started the journey of my love for music quite late in my life and, after having lost my two sisters who passed tragically, I questioned life and how to live it. I felt it was a tribute to Sandra and Carmencita to live my life to the fullest. Their lives were cut short and it taught me how not to take life for granted. It was a risk to sell all I owned, as I lived a very comfortable life. Yet, the calling in my soul could not be ignored.

It is a decade since you made that move. Looking back, are you happy you made that decision and dedicated yourself to music?

It has not been easy as the music industry has always been focused on the youth. But, I do not regret the choice I made. I may have less than what I had, but I do have a better sense of who I am and what my life and music is about. Money cannot buy self-worth: the courage to venture into unknown territory does. You learn just how much strength you have inside you.

No one can take that away.

Is there more material coming later in the year? What are you working on?

Yes. There is a new track called Que Se Vaya (Tell Him Go) which I am working on with a producer from the United States. It will be released by Warner Music Singapore.

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

Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen; Bob Dylan, Neil Hannon; George Michael and Elton John.

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

I hope to be able to release Que Se Vaya and continue to write songs for film tracks as well.

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

I was living in Barcelona when George Michael performed live. I waited for that performance for months and managed to get a ticket. His performance and stage presence was electric. 

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

Joni Mitchell’s Blue; Leonard Cohen’s The Essential Leonard Cohen and The Divine Comedy - Loose Canon (Live in Europe 2016-2017).

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

It would take a great deal of promotion and, ideally, a big label to support a new artist. One needs a network of professionals to organise live performances and publicity. It’s a long process and it takes passion.

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

Warner Music Singapore will have to organise a tour. However, I am working on live performances in local spots in Bath (as it is close to home).

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I would say - know who you are and own it. Don’t try sounding like someone else as that gig is already taken. Then, network, network, network and take deep breaths to soldier on.

IN THIS PHOTO: Joan Armatrading

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

My favourite at the moment is not a new artist but she has reinvented herself. Please do listen to Joan Armatrading’s new album, Not Too Far Away.

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

I am going on a three-day silent retreat in a Buddhist retreat centre in Yeovil this weekend. Three days of silence and meditation. For a quick ‘cheer-me-up’ in the summer, I jumped into the River Avon near our home in Bradford on Avon. Nothing like cool water to clear the mind and cheer the soul.

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).

Thank you for playing A Lady of a Certain Age by The Divine Comedy

____________

Follow Maria Muller

Official:

http://www.mariamullermusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mmullermusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mariamullermusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mullermusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1lbk6q45xHKpBbFT8d_fQ

INTERVIEW: Stratz

INTERVIEW:

Stratz

___________

IT is time to talk with Stratz…

as he discusses the story behind his new single, Likkle More. I was eager to know where he goes from here and which artists have inspired him; the upcoming acts we should all keep an eye out for – he tells me whether touring is going to be a possibility.

I learn how much of his parents’ culture and background he brings to the music; what he wants to achieve before the end of the year; if he gets time to chill outside of music – he provides some useful advice for artists emerging.

____________

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

Hi. I'm fine, thank you. Been juggling work and music for a while so it's pretty exhausting, however rewarding, to know it is progressing. 

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

I am a new artist based in North London with the intentions of creating meaningful, somewhat emotive music. The song Likkle More, which is my interpretation of giving and doing so with pure intentions, was created to remind people we can all share something, anything; even a simple smile. The lyrics are spoken from things I see day to day and how I feel about them.  

Likkle More is your new single. What is the story behind the track?

I take influence from Jamaica and Nigeria, as they are my parents’ origins and homes, and it is simple nature to share with your brothers and your immediate family. So, I used the term ‘likkle more’ as we carry these actions over from the homeland and into the current world we live in, which I'll describe as a problem. 

What was it like bringing the track to life in the studio? Who is the female voice we hear on the song?

So. The initial track was recorded using an instrumental I found on YouTube and, when I laid lyrics onto this backing track, it was really good. But, to progress to a beat tailored to fit around me and the singer created a wonderful feeling of achievement - and going that extra mile to make authentic original music.

The female singer is a phenomenal artist from Portsmouth called Amba Tremain (shout out to Amba)  who I met via the studio - and they thought she'd be a good voice to help push out my message (and it couldn't have been a better choice). 

Is there going to be more material next year? How far ahead are you looking?

Yes. I'll make more before the end of the year if it is possible. Ha. I sort of do it as I can at the moment; however, as part of a contractual agreement, I can confirm one more song is definitely in the making and I'll release more info on that song as I make progress on it. We are going with a more Dance-type of sound so should be fun to create and record. 

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

From a young age, I always heard lyrics before beats so, if I can relate to the meaning made from the song, then I'd like it. Vybz Kartel, a Jamaican artist is one of the best artists regarding making good, current lyrics in my opinion. This is because he does not filter what he wants to say: he will deliver his message and you'll hear exactly that.

When it comes to U.K. music, I'd listen to Tinchy Stryder as his lyrics are good at creating a story so I follow and this is a powerful tool. My sister, Kid Wondr, makes music and is progressing rapidly. I listen to her words and it creates a story; this inspires me to be able to do the same with my words. 

How much of your roots do you bring to music? Do you take from African and Caribbean sounds?

Sound-wise, probably not a lot given I have a strong English accent. Ha.  But, mentality and culture-wise, I learnt from my mum and family members; therefore, I would say I have a different opinion on things and therefore write lyrics accordingly - my lingo definitely gives away my influence though, e.g. likkle more. 

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

Another song, hopefully, but I don't want to rush it and potentially create a bad song. So, the biggest achievement would  be to have more knowledge of the industry; more clothing available for sale; more performances - and then next year will hold the bigger goals. 

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

Pretty early in my career to have a favourite memory but the last year has been pretty full-on with decisions and choices. I'd say the highlight so far has been getting the opportunity to perform at the Southsea beach cafe which was an eye-opener for how it'll be when I perform properly at bigger stages etc. 

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

Funny enough, I've never really downloaded an album, as I like individual songs, so if we are talking about three songs I enjoy to listen to I'd say Solo Dance by Martin Jensen; Vybz Kartel’s Have a Little More and Merital Family - On and On. Solo Dance is what I'd call a pick-up song as it would make anyone want to dance - and I like the fact it promotes individuality. Vybz Kartel often talks about giving, as I've replicated in my song, and this was the biggest influence for my track. When I lost my friend a few years back, I often listened to Merital Family’s song On and On, which talks about lost souls etc. 

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

If I was to be offered the opportunity to support an artist on stage, it would have to be someone who could relate to my style and I could reciprocate - someone like Tinchy Stryder. I think my flow would be a match to his in a good constructive way and he sorta has the vibe I want to create when performing.

When it comes to my green room, I could only ever have my day one friend. Haha. So, I'd love to one day to see artists I've grown up with such as Kid Wondr, Baller Gen etc. to share my champagne in my green room.

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

I don't think a tour is due any time soon. Ha. However, I am doing a track at Portsmouth's Victorious Festival.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Very cliché, but be yourself and do what you feel brings you to life - and, hopefully, that mood will rub off on all listeners.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I have had the pleasure of meeting Joe Burger, an upcoming artist based in Portsmouth. He has a very fresh touch to Rap music and I will be glad to feature with him on a future track. Also; my cousin Baller Gen from North London is making his way up the industry. My sister, Kid Wondr (from London), is a brilliant lyricist. All are positive influences around me and very supportive.

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

When I'm not making music, I'm at work so chilling is very rare. So, when I do get time to chill, I'm usually catching up with mates and family.

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

A tune I would like to hear would be Martin Jensen - Solo Dance. Happy one. Haha. 

Thank you for your time!

____________

Follow Stratz

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Stratzdontstop

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/StratzDontstop/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/stratzdontstop/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/fficialtratz

TRACK REVIEW: 10 O’Clock Chemical - We Are Digital

TRACK REVIEW:

 

10 O’Clock Chemical

We Are Digital

9.5/10

The track, We Are Digital, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbh8w-VI4WA

GENRE:

Gritpop

ORIGIN:

Stoke-on-Trent, U.K.

The E.P., Favours for the Wicked, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/7mvFxS1IXr0XoeYKePn8CX

RELEASE DATE:

22nd June, 2018

_________

WHEN approaching the guys of 10 O’Clock Chemical…

I have a lot to unpack. The guys have lost a member recently – since I last featured them – but that has not dampened their music or taken away from their strength and ability. I will come to that later but I wanted to investigate bands who can create their own genre and mix Rock, something cosmic with electronic; themes that look at social media, isolation and mass consumerism; a sound that is accessible and tangible (never too heavy or unforgiving); artists from Stoke-on-Trent and areas that do not get a lot of coverage – I will end by looking at the band and where they might head. I will look at their track, We Are Digital, in a bit but there is something oddly refreshing about 10 O’Clock Chemical. I hear a lot of acts that have a good sound and seem to differ from what is out there. One of the reasons why I have been a bit cold on bands is because of the rather ordinary and predictable sounds. You get too many acts who have lacking imaginations and seem to follow the pack. Maybe solo artists still hold more sway but there are groups that are coming back and showing some variation. I am drawn to 10 O’Clock Chemical because they have a genre all of their own: Gritpop. Maybe there are other groups who have their own sub-genre but the sounds fused by the boys are rather interesting. They take a bit of Britpop, in terms of a lightness and energy, but they bring together oddly cosmic science fiction and the Electronic genre. The hybrid of more accessible and traditional Pop/Rock is married with their own world that brings the listener in and exposes them to something peculiar and wonderful. There are so many artists out there who lack any real motivation and are willing to put out a sound that is a bit lazy and routine. What strikes me about the band is how they take a risk and explore sonic territory that others are not.

I like the term ‘Gritpop’. It explores the older days of British music and a time when we were all together and one – maybe there is an irony regarding that period and what it stood for. The band look at isolation and how social media is having a damaging effect on all of us – Britpop was about joining with one another and being much more involved in society.  Maybe I am not explaining their sound well but my point remains about bands/artists that do their own thing. You hear little bits of Muse and their sense of identity – a bit odd and explorative but mesmeric – and Dance-Pop. It is a fantastic brew that gets into the ears and spikes the imagination. It would be rather hard-going if the band talked about isolation and stress in modern society and put together a sound that was closed-off, edgy and too dark. You would feel a bit too maligned and saddened; put off by the shadowy and harsh tones. Instead, 10 O’Clock Chemical explore ideas that reflect the realities of modern society but they produce music that has a lightness and sense of the fun. You can dance and move to their songs but you get to think at the same time. Those who prefer their music more throwaway and unchallenging might not bond with the band but I feel the guys are worth proper exploration and time. What gets to me is how the chaps have some clear influences but they never wear them too clearly on their sleeves. However you define Gritpop and what it is all about; it is hard unpicking it and comparing it with other artists – a unique brew that will stay with you and, for artists, will compel them to change the game. Those who take the time to go away from the mainstream and the oft-heard are to be congratulated. It is hard creating something original and being taken to heart.

The band, in my opinion, is among the most relevant out there. I hear so many artists that talk about love and relationships but I wonder how much you can really learn. It is great hearing about personal themes and hearing people reveal their souls and troubles. Whilst it can be hard to understand their precise viewpoint; you can relate to heartbreak and where their head is. The reason I love artists that go away from that is the lessons you learn and the depth explored. In the case of 10 O’Clock Chemical; they look at the modern day and ways in which society has changed. Looking at the grip of social media and isolation might not sound too cheery – it isn’t really – but it is relevant to all of us and does provide some inspiration. We are all, in some way, a bit too beholden to social media and what is being put out there. Maybe we measure ourselves in terms of other people’s success and what we are supposed to be – never really sure of who we are and thinking for ourselves. I am someone who spends a lot of time on social media and it can be very unforgiving. You get this false sense of friendship and understanding that is never human and physical. Maybe we find it easy to speak with those online but I wonder whether that is a substitute for real-life contact and interaction. Every moment of the day, we hear other people’s woes, success and experiences; every minutes and movement of the day is revealed and it can be suffocating for the average consumer. I wonder how healthy it is being online and living in a world more and more dependent on social media. Alongside social media, we have mass consumerism and marketing where we have adverts and products on the screen. Every page we visit seems to promote something or other and we are all vulnerable to the attack and obsessive campaigning or advertisers.

I grow weary of all the adverts and demands put upon me. More and more, it is getting harder to get some freedom and you can feel very vulnerable being online. Your identity and personal details are out there so you never know who is using your information and how safe you are. Maybe security is tighter now than past years but the more addicted we become to social media the weaker we become. I think we all need to break away from the daily routine of being on social media and living our lives there. 10 O’Clock Chemical investigate how social media and the Internet are controlling what we do and how much time we are spending on there. There is social isolation and endless advertising; we are all being monitored and watched wherever we go and censorship is tightening. I wonder whether we are free to express ourselves and be a human in this day and age. We live through others and there is this rather inward-looking approach to life where we do not really have our own identities and minds. In a way, we are becoming more insular and anxious, even though the planet is growing and more and more people are coming through. Are we able to break away from the screen, go outside and feel like we are safe and able to communicate with others freely?! It is an odd time of our lives when consumer culture and social media plays a bigger role than anything else. There are some of us that are not beholden to the screen but the addictiveness of the format gets us all in the end. It is good hearing artists explore all of this and provide a balance of wit and judgement. They are never accusatory or harsh: the lyrics provide observation and humour but there is anger and a sense of exasperation emerging. I hope they continue to uncover elements of the modern time that musicians do not really cover. Their E.P., Favours for the Wicked, looks deeply at modern life and how things are changing.

I will come back to themes examined by 10 O’Clock Chemical and why they are a band to watch. I love what they do because they seem to splice the unusual and familiar. I have met Muse but you get bits of Daft Punk, Foo Fighters and The Prodigy. That might seem like an impossible blend but it all works and the band make it pop. The guys have been celebrated around Staffordshire and the Midlands but their success and popularity extend around the country. I have been following them for a while and know they will continue to grow and build their fanbase. They have their own label, Gritpop (maybe it is in upper-case lettering), and that sound they have honed means a lot to them. Every listener will have their own interpretation of what Gritpop is and what it is all about. It is a spikier and more evocative sense of music that, oddly, is meant to unite us all. If Britpop acts like Blur and Pulp aimed to get us all singing and thinking through uplifting and light music; Gritpop seems to reflect the modern-day version of Britpop. By that, how society is changing and what bonds us all. If Oasis were speaking about living forever and embracing youth; now, we are living through our screens and living in a rather synthetic, closed society. Rather than spotlight this rather hard-hitting and upsetting area of life, the band bring a sense of energy and experimentation to these words. Their music has a sense of dance and invigoration to the party and never puts you in a bad mood. I like how the band have their own label and style and have found their niche. Many artists are looking for their own path but latch onto someone else and never really show originality. It is exciting discovering a group that invents a style of music that is so instant, relatable and interesting. I love the various sounds and influences they throw into the pot and how tight they sound now.

Before I move onto a new subject; it is worth looking at sound and how important it is. Although the band’s lyrics are incredible and thought-provoking; they put together compositions that compel different parts of the body. It is essential you marry sound and words together and have that balance. They could easily squander their narratives and observations with a rather lacklustre and insipid sound. They throw Kasabian into the inspiration pot but, thankfully, do not take too heavily from them. I am not a fan of the band and feel they are pretty overrated and past it. Maybe their earlier work was okay but they have turned into plodding and boring players who have no grit and purpose. Our guys, instead, have much more power and potential in their ranks. I hear a combination of Muse and Funk that gets the body motivated and the spirit swaggering. They do provide some darker times but there is a degree of relief and openness that gets under the skin. Like I said before; if they had matched rather heavy lyrics with a haunted sound and something tense then that would drain you and put off the listener. It is the way they balance things and create something focused and nuanced that gets to me. I mentioned, too, how the band has made changes in the ranks but I do not feel that has damaged them too much. It remains to be seen how future gigs and recordings sound with the new line-up but I feel they are as strong and promising as ever. I am not sure what the circumstances are behind the change but every band experiences some loss and alteration at points in their careers. The guys have been playing for a while but revealed their debut single back in February. Babylon Is Fallen was released through their GRITPOP label and met with great acclaim. Since then, the band have been playing locally and garnering plaudits from radio and the media. How often do we look at artists outside of London these days?!

10 O’Clock Chemical are based out of Stoke-on-Trent – not an area we usually associate with a productive music scene and innovation. I know Slash used to live there and I think Robbie Williams is from Stoke. If you did an Internet search of all the great artists to come from Stoke, Staffordshire and that side of the country then it is going to be a rather depressing comeback. There are great local acts but, in terms of the mighty, nothing really pops to the ears. Music venues like The Underground and Band on the Wall mean there are spaces for Stoke-on-Trent artists to play in; there is great local radio and artists emerging who will get into the public mindset in years to come. I admire the band for remaining where they are (for now) and vibing from the local scene. I feel there is a lack of highlight regarding areas outside of London because many assume there is not a lot of treasure elsewhere. 10 O’Clock Chemical are a band who warrant more acclaim and revelation. They have gained success where they are and are being tipped as one of the best acts in the Midlands. I feel they might progress to the bigger cities in years to come but their connection and sound is being felt and appreciated around Stoke-on-Trent. I wonder why we get obsessed with the cities and what is coming from the capital. I know a lot of the media is based in London so it is understandable they focus on what is local and in their vision. It can be harder getting a grip on the full spectrum of music with social media being as it is. We often see the bigger acts promoted but, unless you follow the right people, how are you to know which artists (outside of London) are worth following? It is rather upsetting to see some great musicians overlooked and fight hard because of where they are based.

I will come to look at We Are Digital in a minute but I wanted to see where the band is going and what they have in store. They have released their E.P. and it is collecting praise and press. I know the guys will want to hit the road and take their music as far as possible. For the Wicked was produced by Matt Johnson and mixed by Adrian Bushby. Between them, they have won awards and worked with some terrific artists. I can hear the quality throughout and know that the boys will get a lot of love and respect. They will, as said, want to tour widely and reach as many people as they can. Their local reputation is clear but I fancy they’ll want to come to other parts of the U.K. and see some great places. I feel they could be a big hit in areas like Glasgow and London and there is a big market out there for them. I am excited to see how far they can go and where their music will take them. I feel, given what they talk about, fans around the world will bond with the music. Maybe there is a possibility of dates in the U.S. and Canada. I mention those nations because I am hearing similar artists coming from there – who can bet against 10 O’Clock Chemical getting kudos over there? I am looking ahead but I know the band are ambitious and want to get as much coverage for their music as possible. Even though there have been alterations in their ranks; they will continue to go on and, maybe, recruit a new member in time. I have not seen them live but I know they have gathered great reviews from the stage and are well worth checking out! I will come to looking at We Are Digital and a song, I feel, defines For the Wicked. The boys have created a cracking and compelling song that seems to offer caution and concern.

A rising, grumbling electronic coda opens We Are Digital. In many ways, you are expecting the Doctor Who theme to crack out. It has that same spacey sound and gallop but, rather than breaking out the theremin and getting all weird; the song continues down a darker road for a bit. Before long, the song cracks out some funk and the direction changes. Our hero comes to microphone and looks at a chromium queen and computer addiction that seems to have taken hold. The band gets us dancing and moving right away and you hear bubbles of Muse and The Prodigy mixed alongside one another. The lyrics have the nature of a love song and personal confession but look at digital means and vicarious experiences. You get brilliant, high-pitched backing vocals and it is impossible not to be drawn into the song and its sense of style. You get an instant hit and are intoxicated by the smoothness, sexiness and effusive sense of wiggle. The smooth and seductive tones, as I said, could be scoring a love song and a rapturous coming together. In many ways, We Are Digital is a bit of a flirtation – one where the hero is not going to be sucked in and controlled. In many ways, the song is a sort of ersatz passion where he (the hero) has more attachment to other people he does not know and digital messages. He sees how people are reacting and interacting and seems troubled by the trend. We are becoming lonelier and more isolated and that is something we need to be aware of. I love the sound the band whip up when the lyrics are being projected. You can hear funkiness and soulful strut and there are grittier guitars and stabs. It is a brilliant blend of older sounds and fresh ideas; brilliantly produced and mixed so that all the sounds and elements unite perfectly. The vocal stands out but is never too dominant: the band get their say and create a wonderful harmony and sense of support.

It seems like our man is fighting against the urges of being sucked into the machine and going down the same road as everyone else. The Devil is coming, as it is said, and we are all becoming slaves to the hold and lure of the digital. The choruses have a sexiness and seriousness and you are in a distinct headspace. One follows the lyrics and imagines someone at a computer and the sort of addiction they have. Our man is seeing people live their lives through others and not having that human connection. The chorus is one of the biggest and brightest I have heard in a long time. I was moved, literally, by the addictiveness and catchiness of the chorus. One hears a bit of Prince when the band breaks out the funkiness and move their hips. The hero talks about everyone being digital and drawn to something rather isolated and detached. We are all moving far apart and it is amazing how we have got to this point in time. They mean we are all too hooked on something that doesn’t exist and not really in touch with our fellow human. Although the lyrics are quite tense and foreboding; the music and vocals are fizzing, dynamic and colourful. You are compelled to move your body and sing along with the song. It never goes into mainstream Pop territory and always retains its sense of cool. The chorus changes course and moves; there are little guitar bits here and there; some strange electronic breakdowns and a great beat. The eclectic potion the band stirs get into the nose and you will be hooked before you know it! If anything, I hear touches of the 1980s in the song. We Are Digital has that classic sound and catchiness but never gets cheesy. The band have managed to create something that lodges in the heart but is distinctly their own. You get excited when the chorus comes around the second time and are prepared for the rush! I went away from the song compelled to listen to the Favours for the Wicked E.P. and dig into the band’s story. I can imagine the music sound exceptional on the stage and I would love to see how they translate from the studio to the live setting. I have heard We Are Digital a few times and get a different hit and impression each time around. Make sure you investigate 10 O’Clock Chemical’s smash and experience a band that are among the freshest and most exciting around. They have a very alluring and seductive call that you would be foolish to resist. As much as anything, you take lessons away and (I hope) are compelled to think harder about the way you live and the role technology plays in your life – that is a hard trick to pull off in music.

It has been an extraordinary and successful year for 10 O’Clock Chemical. I interviewed them earlier in the year and wanted to know what sort of music they are inspired by and where they are headed. What struck me, when conducting the interview, was how passionate they were and the effort they put into the music. You can hear all the passion and intelligence put into their sound; the E.P. they have released goes beyond what we’d expect from a band and seems more like a modern political statement. The band looks at modern society and what we have become. Although I do not have time to review the whole E.P.; I have highlighted a song that means a lot to me. Social media is becoming more dominant in our lives and we are becoming too dependent on it. I wonder whether we can break away from the lure of the screen and digital communication. Alongside social media, we have advertising bombarding us and we are all being watched. Alongside this, we are more vulnerable and unsafe than ever and it seems like life has changed drastically. I was born in the 1980s so have lived and experienced a time before the Internet and a simplicity that is lacking today. I have seen the Internet and social media come and how different I am as a human. In many ways, we are more connected and have opportunities that were not there before. We can reach new parts of the world and experiences sights and sounds that were impossible before the Internet. In other ways, we are less sociable and seem more addicted to false and electronic outlets. Maybe we have come too far to reverse but I feel each of us can reverse the trend and start to break away from the drug. If we dedicate more time to the outside world and becoming less reliant on computers, we can become richer and more connected. 10 O’Clock Chemical look at the state of the modern world and how we interact and are seen. It is impressive and revealing music that provides a sense of education and guidance. You hear Favours for the Wicked and you are engrossed in the sounds. The guys have penned a remarkable work that gets to the head and heart as much as it does the body and spirit. I think the band are going to go on to big things and, before too long, will be taking their evocative music…

TO the world stage.

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FEATURE: "And Fearless Minds Climb Soonest Unto Crowns" Nicki Minaj and Queen: Is the ‘Delayed’ Album Part of a Cynical Marketing Ploy?

FEATURE:

 

 

"And Fearless Minds Climb Soonest Unto Crowns"

IN THIS PHOTO: Nicki Minaj/ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

Nicki Minaj and Queen: Is the ‘Delayed’ Album Part of a Cynical Marketing Ploy?

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SAY what you want about her…

but Nicki Minaj sure knows how to work the music promotion machine! Nobody really remembers when Queen was really due: it came out yesterday but I think various ‘expected dates’ have been tossed into the media. I will look at its troubled history but, in terms of feedback, I was expecting the journalism world to jump all over it. By that, I thought there’d be loads of reviews and carnival! We all know the album is out – where are the lashings of reviews that were predicted?! Maybe there is a load coming, and some might be hard to find, but early impressions have been positive. Forbes provided their opinions:

“…Fortunately, Minaj regains her footing at the end of Queen with the exhilarating one-two punch of “Coco Chanel” and “Inspirations Outro.” Fellow Trinidadian rapper Foxy Brown shows up for a downright filthy guest verse, usurping Minaj on her own track. That’s not an insult, either: Minaj delivers one of her most fiery performances on Queen, ending the album with a thunderous closing statement: “Bless up, Bob Marley, yes, king lion/ Marchin' with Lauryn Hill to Zion/ Caribbean, tings what I am/ Me and Fox gettin' paper like we ain't tryin’.”

With Queen, Nicki Minaj has crafted an excellent 10-song album and hidden it inside a scattershot 19-song album. Still, she accomplished what she set out to do: prove to skeptics that she can still spit with the same vitriol she had at the beginning of her career, and give fans plenty to sink their teeth into without pandering to them. For those reasons alone, Queen is a success that warrants repeat spins to decipher all of Minaj’s multi-layered boasts and subtle potshots at other rappers. It’s a rewarding listen if you’re willing to dig. Thankfully, the Barbz have never been afraid to put in work”.

Another viewpoint, from Billboard, claims Nicki Minaj has reclaimed her crown (Hip-Hop/Pop queen):

“Queen arguably runs a little long: its 17 tracks (plus an interlude and outro) feel like a lot in the midst of Kanye West’s newly adopted 21-minute album business model. But for an artist like Minaj, who had the top spot locked for years, it’s only right that she would serve numerous examples of her skills on her theoretical comeback project.

You can’t really call this a comeback, though. Nicki Minaj has been and will continue to be omnipresent, yet in an age where someone new enters the space and social media opts to “cancel” the predecessor (almost always involving two women), an album like Queen is necessary. This isn’t a project to annihilate the competition since the island is now well-occupied. Queen exists to exemplify Nicki’s proven longevity, which is enough of a rarity to finally declare her as well-deserved rap royalty”.

There was talk, as recently as days ago, that Queen would be released on 17th August – the fact it came a week ‘early’ stunned many. I wonder whether that obfuscation was designed to fool competition and create more hype! I have heard the album and the reviews highlight some good points. The first one I quoted highlighted how Queen is a rather cutting and captivating ten-track release caught inside a bloated nineteen-track beast.

It is overlong and some of the lyrics are either too controversial or bland. It is obvious how much intensity and self Minaj has put into the album. The Pinkprint was released four years ago: there has been demand and questions as to whether Minaj would bring an album out this year. Whether you see her as Rap/Hip or Pop; the competition is fierce and there is a rather cut-throat attitude to albums and timeliness. Maybe some journalists are working on their reviews; some might be in national newspapers. I wonder whether many are reluctant to be honest or whether the nineteen-track album is still sinking in. It seems, at first glance, the hype and sense of anticipation have yielded positive and focused music. Aside from the odd duff track and some questions regarding economy; Minaj has produced a strong and defiant album that improves on her early work. At thirty-five, there are tongues to suggest younger Hip-Hop artists like Cardi B are ripe to take her crown. I feel they each have their own style but, in terms of this year, maybe Cardi B wins more points. I like the Queen album and it has introduced me to an artist I am not too familiar with. I wonder whether there needed to be such a protracted and media-courting build-up to the release…

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicki Minaj

The Independent provide a capsule review of the album’s intended release:

“The new album follows singles “Barbie Tingz” and “Chun-Li” which were both released in April. Its release was originally slated for 15 June before being pushed to 17 August due to clearance issues over a sample of a Tracy Chapman song”.

There have been various release dates and reasons why Queen arrived yesterday – and not a week from today:

“Nicki Minaj has pushed the release of her new album Queen back by a week, meaning the record will now be released on 17 August.

It was originally set to drop on 15 June, but was pushed back by two months as the MC wanted more time to work on it.

The reason for the second rescheduled launch date is reportedly so Minaj can acquire permission from Tracy Chapman to include a sample of one of her songs on the record. In a now-deleted tweet posted on 31 July she asked the musician to "please hit me".

Minaj was forced to shut down rumours that she was trying to compete with her friend and frequent collaborator Ariana Grande, who is set to release her own record Sweetener on 17 August”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ariana Grande/PHOTO CREDIT: Ariana Grande/Instagram

"...Grande responded to the reports herself after a fan alerted her to them, commenting: "Jesus is this what's going on today? Imma jus stop logging in at all lmfao. That's my f***ing sister. She's clearing a sample. Buy and stream Queen and Sweetener August 17 bye. These numbers don't mean as much to the artists as they do to y'all. Jus want y'all to listen to the project".

I find all the clearance-related reasons a little too hard to buy: there seems to be more at work beyond permissions and legalities. Minaj took to Twitter, knowing she had to wait for sample clearance, and wondered whether she should release it a week early without permission (and miss out on a great addition). It is nice she reached out to fans but it makes me curious why the intended date, 17th August, does not stand. I wonder if, the fact Grande and Minaj are good chums, the clash of albums would have caused a rift. Both claim it is a coincidence behind their individual release dates – I smell a slight whiff or the record label fearing a close battle and wanting Queen out there to claim some love before Grande enters. Sweetener is out on Friday and it seems like it will be met with a lot of critical interest.

Although the music we have from Minaj now has satisfied her and pleased critics; I wonder whether Queen is part of a lucrative and overly-complex modern cycle that is taking something precious from music. Maybe it is a sign of the mainstream but it seems releasing records these day is more about hype, tease and news than it is about the actual product. Even giants like Paul McCartney have to buy into the single-by-single drip-fed approach; positing teasing images and little videos – by the time his latest record, Egypt Station, comes out next month, I wonder whether the effect will be as profound compared to a more old-school release. Back in 2015, Rihanna was due to release ANTI. It was all set to go but her eighth studio effort was pushed back. She played Travi$ Scott for delays and took to Twitter to rant about reasons why she is being held back. The album did come back and, no surprise, critics loved it and it sold well. I wonder whether personal reasons and delays behind the scene and being brought up as excuses rather than something far simpler – it is more intriguing and interesting throwing in some curveballs and keeping people guessing. There were a lot of rumours around Rihanna’s delays and, true or not, it seemed the music was taking a back seat to speculation and press focus.

IN THIS PHOTO: Rihanna (in 2015) unveiling the artwork for her album, ANTI/PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for WESTBURY ROAD ENTERTAINMENT LLC

I can understand rivalries and the necessity of remaining fresh and essential in music. You have Pop artists like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry who, whilst not jabbing at one another, are in competition and there is planning to ensure each of their respective releases gets the most press attention. Everyone from Drake and Ariana Grande to Ed Sheeran, at some stage, will have been part of the machine. Maybe I am getting old and long in the tooth – although I am only in my thirties! – but the surprise, physicality and honesty of music is being picked at and spoiled by drama and hype that seems all be part of the marketing cycle. I can understand there will be delays when it comes to musical permission; personal events surrounding an album and delays from the label – how many of these reasons are true and the whole of the story? I would like to see mainstream stars take a stand against the never-ending drip-feed of music and just release something! Set a date, release one single and get the album to the people – since when did that become so hard and boring?! It is just as well Queen is a great album. It would have been a disaster unveiling it after such time and the quality not reflecting the build. I hope, unless there is a worthy and authentic reason for an album being delayed and pushed all over the place, artists can get out of the practice. It might create column inches and conversation but there is a risk of people not caring and getting fed up. There is all manner of tricks, tactics and devices levied by big labels to ensure their star gets top billing and has little competition. The album delay is not a new phenomenon in music but one that I feel is all part of strategy and marketing. The thing that will impress me most in music is a big name, any, standing up; defying convention and the endless campaigns labels make them go through and…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

SIMPLY put an album out into the world!  

FEATURE: The Motion Picture for the Soundtrack… After Hey There Delilah: Which Musical Time Periods/Events Do We Need to See on the Screen?

FEATURE:

 

 

The Motion Picture for the Soundtrack…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

After Hey There Delilah: Which Musical Time Periods/Events Do We Need to See on the Screen?

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ANOTHER shock that came this week…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

was when I was presented with the news Hey There Delilah is being made into a T.V. show. Its title has inspired producers to bring the spirit of that song to the screen. Not only is the Plain White T’s song over ten years old (it is from the 2006 album, Every Second Counts) but it is bloody awful! I know people like it but I can barely get to the chorus before I am vomiting and weeping like a drunken baby! The band are very pleased and, if you are in need of refreshment regarding the song and why it is popular (beats me!); here is a bit of a rundown:

“The Plain White T's No. 1 hit "Hey There Delilah" is being adapted into a scripted TV series.

The Grammy- and Tony-nominated band is teaming with Lively McCabe Entertainment and Primary Wave to develop a scripted romantic dramedy based on its chart-topping single about a long-distance relationship. Producers, including the band's frontman and songwriter Tom Higgenson as well as writer Jeremy Desmon, will be in L.A. pitching the potential series — described as a contemporary fairy tale that expands the story within the song —  to multiple networks and studios this month.

The song, released in 2006, tells the tale of a long-distance flirtation between a struggling singer-songwriter and a New York City university student. The songwriter pledges to write a song for the young woman on the night they meet and that promise changes their lives in unexpected ways.

"It’s been more than a decade since 'Hey There Delila' was released, and people always ask me about it. A whole lot of people really connected with that song, and I’m very proud of that," Higgenson said. "I’m so excited to have an opportunity to give a new generation the chance to form their own connection with the song, and fall in love with its story through this new project.”

Higgenson came up with the concept for the TV foray alongside Desmon (Pump Up the Volume) and Lively McCabe's Michael Barra. Desmon will pen the script. Primary Wave's Deb Klein is attached to produce.

The news has been met with a mixture of speculation – what is the show/film going to entail? – and reaction. I understand why the song’s lyrics and title have inspired creative outburst. It is a nice title and the lyrics are quite romantic and touching. I am expecting some coming-of-age: a strange mixture of Dawson’s Creek (remember that?!) and Girls (the Lena Dunham series). Many are snubbing the choice of song and, in the case of this piece and this article; journalists are pitching their ideas and variations. We do not often see songs/albums making their way onto the screen. As two music legends, Kate Bush and Madonna, are sixty this year; maybe a Material Girl or Hounds of Love show could come? The former could be a commentary on materialism and shallowness; set in New York during the 1980s but have a great soundtrack underpinning it – plenty of Madonna in there for good measure.

IN THIS IMAGE: Madonna/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

The other could be a modern love drama that looks at affairs and different scenarios from across time and place – a love story set during Hip-Hop’s birth or a modern-day tale set in a rural location! If you started to think about it carefully; you’d be there for hours pitching all sorts of ideas and scenarios. Maybe it is good for the brain and mindset but you’d be endlessly trying to sell half-formed shows and what-ifs. There have been some good suggestions, mind. Seven Days (Craig David), The Boys Are Back in Town (Thin Lizzy); Dangerous Woman (Ariana Grande), Where the Wild Roses Grow (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds ft. Kylie Minogue) and Ain’t Your Mama (Jennifer Lopez) have been mooted by the press. I think it is good there are people going to work and thinking about what we can do with music. Aside from the odd biopic or drama (that looks at a period of music...); how often does music come to life on the screen?! I dread to think what the Hey There Delilah show will consist – let’s hope the song isn’t played much! – but it will get other networks and creatives looking at music and producing superior ideas. I have mentioned a couple of idols whose songs could inspire T.V. shows or films. We have not seen a modern-day recount of the birth of Hip-Hop. I think there was a U.S. T.V. show set during that time but I am not sure whether it gained a critical ear.

The short-lived Vinyl (in the U.S.) looked at known artists and the scene in the 1970s – a record label/executive navigating the hedonism of the time and changing tastes. Its setting and soundtrack landed but, for various reasons, it did not catch on and get a good reaction. I think networks and producers fear making similar mistakes: music is always changing and provides endless scope for great shows and ideas. British T.V. and film have not been awash with modern looks at the music industry. We have produced some great documentaries – including the Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy – but that is about it. A suggestion from this article looked at Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run and offered a synopsis:

“A working-class Jersey boy in the 1970s looks for love, a fast car, and a way out of the dead-end life he’s facing as all his friends fall into lives of crime, shotgun marriages, and more”.

That sounds like the best idea from a growing and often-silly bunch. I wonder, rather than just the song, taking it further and writing a T.V. series that looks at every song on that album. Almost like a made-for-film/T.V. musical; each song would soundtrack a part of the narrative and bring a classic album to life. Rather than bringing single songs to life through T.V. drama/comedy; there are albums and set periods from music that have been untapped and left idle.

My personal dream would be to turn classic albums into a series. You know, the album series where they dissect record and talk to the authors – we saw them on VH1 years ago! – and how we all love them? Graceland was one such album that got a great treatment and was dissected. It might be a six-show series but you could take, say The Beatles’ debut album and look at the rise in popularity of a great band that would soon conquer the world. Maybe looking at Joni Mitchell’s Blue and all the events that surrounded the recording. You could bring in fact and fantasy; entwining the music alongside the action. The first thing that leapt to mind, when hearing about Hey There Delilah, was Rumours! I love the Disco era and birth of Hip-Hop; The Beatles coming through and the music of the 1990s. All of those, in some way, have been brought to life on T.V. or film. 2013’s Rumours (a 1977 documentary following the band on the last leg of the Rumours tour) gained some good reviews but did not resonate with everyone. 2009’s Don’t Stop, again, followed the band but was a look back at their formation (1967) to the present day (2009). Both gave a good impression of the band and great times in their career. I feel the Rumours-period time has not been given adequate time and focus.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lena Dunham (a perfect leader for a Fleetwood Mac project)/PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

I think you could either approach that album as a biopic (actors playing the band members) or something based on the title/songs. The former sounds more appealing to me. We all know about the turmoil, disruption and affairs that blighted the album’s progress but, God knows how, led to some of the best music ever made! Massive drug abuse, fights and isolation should have halted all musical progression and broke up the band. The fact Fleetwood Mac, minus Lindsey Buckingham, are still playing and touring is nothing short of staggering. One can chart that longevity back to 1977’s masterpiece and the fact that they did not break up – if they can go through all of that and still want to be a band then nothing can fell them! I would love a drama/drama-comedy that looks at the Fleetwood Mac’s eponymous album of 1975 and the period that followed. We could chart the band going from fairly secure to being on the brink of chaos! We would hold the action after Rumours and the tour that followed. You have the affairs and arguments; the excess, studio disputes and, above all, the fantastic music. I have mentioned Lena Dunham before but feel she would be perfect to helm the project – maybe taking a minor acting role in it?! Maybe you could call it Rumours or take a song to draw inspiration from – Dreams and The Chain seem likely candidates.

IN THIS PHOTO: Fleetwood Mac in 1977/PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

You would get a close-hand look at the affairs that inspired songs like You Make Loving Fun and the cruelty of Go Your Own Way; the Stevie Nicks beauty of Dreams and the speculation of Oh Daddy (either Christine McVie looking at Mick Fleetwood as the only father during that time; others say it is about an affair McVie was having with a lighting director at the time)…there is no shortage of angles and great scenes! Each band member has a type-A personality and you could make a great film/T.V. show without scandalising or romanticising. You would not need to have that tabloid-eye view of the album: a balance between the personal conflicts and the brilliant music that was coming through. I would love to see who they would cast as Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood (Amber Heard, Jennifer Lawrence or Margot Robbie as Nicks?!) and whether they would sing the songs or lip-sync. I am compelled by Rumours because of the way the songs were recorded – Buckingham having a go at Nicks and vice versa; stress and squabbles among the brilliant revelations – and what was happening away from the studio (cocaine binges and all sorts of excess!). The soundtrack would be perfect and you could end with The Chain: the realisation they are a unit and a great closing scene that sees the band unified against the chaos. It would not be an expensive or complicated film/T.V. drama – the band’s permission is the biggest hurdle...

IN THIS PHOTO: Margot Robbie (a possible Stevie Nicks?!)/PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Demarchelier for Vanity Fair 

The other Fleetwood Mac possibility would use the legendary album as a backdrop to a 1970s-set drama that would unite two aspiring musicians and their struggle to be together. One could see a Nicks and Buckingham dynamic and the ecstasy of their good days and how it gets splintered by outside forces and differing dreams. Even now, you can imagine a Nicks character standing alone and looking for answers; a look at a young woman searching for clarity and direction. Maybe it would be set in New York or London – split between the two cities, maybe? You have flawless music and an ever-fascinating period of music to back the project. In 1977, we saw the Sex Pistols’ only studio album come; Television’s Marquee Moon and the Ramones’ Rocket to Russia – David Bowie’s Low and Talking Heads: 77 to add to the riches. In the same year, we had the New York blackout and Star Wars opened in cinemas. Elvis Presley and Marc Bolan died; Roman Polanski was arrested and Jimmy Carter was appointed as the President of the United States. There was plenty of turmoil, eventfulness and drama that ran alongside the world-class music – 1977 remains one of the strongest-ever musical years. It would be a wet-dream for any producer or actor to get involved with, you'd hope. Maybe someone will heed this call but I feel this would be perfect: either a Rumours-set drama that brings together the events and music of the time or a biopic of Fleetwood Mac putting the record together.

There are perfect actors/writers, like Dunham, who could do a great job making the magic happen. I feel there will be a slew of music-related shows and films that follow from Here There Delilah. Maybe I am being a bit harsh and myopic regarding the idea and what its potential is. Although the song is pretty shite; there is nothing to suggest the show itself will be a failure. Americans are, sad to say, ahead of us (Britain) when it comes to drama and comedy. They have Netflix and great series like Sneaky Pete (with Giovanni Ribisi) and comedies such as Black-ish and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Do not count out the talent-pool there and the finance that will come about. I will keep an eye for progress but I have been thinking about extending that spark out and creating a fire. I hope, if not me, someone takes on my idea and we get some great music-themed shows – whether it is a biopic of Madonna and her legacy or a comedy-drama set during Grunge’s regency. Music and film go together in the form of soundtracks but rarely do they have that passionate and explicit relationship. I have not seen a good music-themed drama or film for a long time. You have a huge vinyl crate of material and inspiration to build from; endless possibilities and chances to light up the screen! Maybe Hey There Delilah will be a smash and long-running show but, for me personally, I would love to see a Rumours-themed film arrive. You’d have to ask the question: How could such a glorious time of music ever…

LEAD to failure and disappointment?!  

FEATURE: Static Resistance: Is There a Perfect Tuning When It Comes to a Radio Station?

FEATURE:

 

 

Static Resistance

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Is There a Perfect Tuning When It Comes to a Radio Station?

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I am still bending my head around the news…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

there is a line-up shift and change coming to BBC Radio 6 Music. From 1st January, some of the station’s best-loved figures will be settling into new shows. The cynic could say it is a reaction to the RAJAR figures – the figures that show which stations are popular and who is listening to whom. I feel, because of BBC Radio 6 Music’s growth, there is that need to remain fresh and exciting. The bosses’ solution is to move one of their most successful and beloved teams (Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie) and put them in a weekend slot. Mary Anne Hobbs is promoted to weekday daytime and there is a shift happening elsewhere. Shaun Keaveny is going to the afternoon; Lauren Laverne takes his morning slot and it seems there is a split regarding opinion. I am in favour of Hobbs, Laverne and Keaveny being moved – Keaveny is getting knackered at breakfast and needs some time to refresh – but moving RadMac was a big error! Many are reacting to the news and feel Hobbs’ appointment to the weekday morning slot is a mistake. I love her work but others are less sure and feel it is a bad change. I have been looking at the shake-up - and will bring an article in - but I feel the promotion of two female D.J.s. is a good move.

IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Look at the great work Hobbs and Laverne do and it is good we get to hear more of them. There is a worry, from the critics, that BBC Radio 6 Music is an edgy and alternative station that is playing it safe and not providing any real innovation and difference. In essence, all the time changes are doing is moving current talent to new times. It will provide nuance and new dynamics but does not give the station any real lift and alteration. There are two ways of looking at this. On the one front, the popular and reliable D.J.s are staying put and not being replaced by untested and unfamiliar replacements. There are some who say BBC Radio 6 Music is a station that needs fresh blood. Most of its D.J.s are men; most of them are white; the majority of them are middle-aged. That might sound like a recipe for the middle-class, middle-English and Brexit voter. This seems to be the flavour of an article that reacted to the changes at the station – a sign of mortality and a stagnant outlet:

“Clearly 6 Music’s remit is one the commercial sector can’t fill: Capital isn’t poaching their talent, nor the lad-centric Radio X, nor TV. Though that speaks as much to the problem as the positives. Like Radio 2, 6 Music is a cultural endpoint with no clear next step for the majority of its older presenters. It trades in comfort and familiarity, new versions of old sounds, rather than pursuing a genuine cultural “alternative spirit”. The “alternative” it celebrates is the mainstream – look no further than David Cameron’sfestival selfies for proof. In essence, 6 is the old Radio 1 evening slot writ large for people who, due to jobs and kids, can no longer listen to the radio between 7pm and midnight. Sloughing off older presenters would force listeners of a certain age to reckon with their identity – and mortality – and the fact that what was once their youthful alternative now simply … isn’t”.

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC Pictures/Getty Images

The article complimented some of the changes. They were pleased two female D.J.s were being promoted and there was a group of loyal D.J.s that have a passionate and dedicated fanbase. They argued that new D.J.s should come in: younger faces and minorities; those who can inject a bit more pizzaz and colour. I wonder whether the changes needed to happen at all. The ratings were up and there were no complaints from the listeners. I fear it is a case of the BBC bosses tampering when not needed and risking the future success of the station. I guess it is hard keeping a station essential and evolving at the same time. If you bring younger D.J.s to a station that has its own brand and identity then there is a danger rebellion will happen and there will be a real shift. The long-serving D.J.s carry on as normal and there is another part of the station that is unfamiliar and outsider. I wonder whether BBC Radio 6 Music missed a trick when it came to demoting its only real radio partnership: put two female D.J.s together or create another team. I feel a station with solely solo D.J.s can become a bit monotonous and one-dimensional. I love RadMac because of that banter, chemistry and variation. Do you pair up existing D.J.s to create a team or bring in new faces?

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It is hard pleasing everyone and difficult to forge a station that pleases everyone. BBC Radio 1 and 2 are changing stuff around. Nick Grimshaw has left the breakfast show – like Keaveny; he needs some sleep and recharge – and Greg James replaces him. Simon Mayo and Jo Whiley have recently teamed for an evening show and, whilst it puts a female D.J. in a primetime slot, it is an awkward partnership and, having listened to the show a lot, a rather awful thing. Whiley would be better alone or, in my view, it would be better having the warm wit and natural charm of Sara Cox in the prime position. I feel she would be perfect and it appears, yet again, bosses’ choices are not paying off. Going back to criticism regarding the age demographic and ethnic breakdown; I wonder whether there is such a thing as ‘perfect’ radio. I am an enormous BBC Radio 6 Music fan and feel the presenters we have now – and how things are set up – should remain in place. The music is the main thing and you can feel how much every one of the D.J.s wants to be at the station. We know more people are listening to the radio (even digital stations like BBC Radio 6 Music) and there is a definite appetite for great music and audio company.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sara Cox/PHOTO CREDIT: Just Voices Agency/Getty Images

More younger listeners are coming in and I wonder whether there is a station dedicated to their tastes? You could say BBC Radio 1 is that choice: their music and D.J.s, to me, seem to have a larger audience than many would assume. I think a station catering solely to those under thirty, let’s say, wouldn’t be that great. Limiting your audience is always a bit risky: a great station appeals to all ages and tastes; a fine blend between experienced hands and new sounds. Jay-Z, when speaking last year, looked at modern radio and its problems:

“It’s pretty much an advertisement model. You take these pop stations, they’re reaching 18-34 young, white females. So they’re playing music based on those tastes. And then they’re taking those numbers and they’re going to advertising agencies and people are paying numbers based on the audience that they have. So these places are not even based on music. Their playlist isn’t based on music…

A person like Bob Marley right now probably wouldn’t play on a pop station. Which is crazy. It’s not even about the DJ discovering what music is best. You know, music is music. The line’s just been separated so much that we’re lost at this point in time”.

Maybe he has a point regarding restrictions and a set ‘demographic’ for each station. One of the reasons why Radio 1 is limited to a certain age group is because of the songs it plays. There is a leaning towards mainstream material and a slightly grittier/processed sound – although they are ahead of the curve when it comes to big artists breaking through.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

BBC Radio 6 is very broad and cool but stays away from some of the BBC Radio 1 artists who are rather good – each show has its own flavour and personality which means there is a compartmentalised and clique-like nature. BBC Radio 2 has a somewhat older audience and the songs are largely chart-based – taking from the softer, less taxing side of the spectrum. Apart from that, you have a few other options. There are various offshoots of BBC Radio 1 – there is an Asian network and options for those who like their music even spicier than the main station – and you have great Internet-based stations. Podcasts are becoming more popular which means there is autonomy and a lack of commercial pressure. New innovators do not have to do what bosses and sponsors say: they get a choice regarding their music but one can argue that is rather subjective and limited. The RAJAR figures are good when it comes to identifying which age groups and people listening to what stations. A lot of the mainstream radio stations are directed by the charts and marketing campaigns. So much mechanical and business-like input is taking away some naturalness and freedom. I wonder how much say individual D.J.s get when it comes to the music played and what they say.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Another article looked at the age gaps and how the charts are decided:

“But today, only people too old for the internet buy CDs. If we still used physical sales as an indication for “hit” songs, we’d have nothing but Michael Bublé and Anthony Callea on the wireless.

Now, charts are determined by streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music. This is a massive problem for programming new music on the radio. Music streaming charts don’t show what new music people are excited about. Instead, they show what music is being played most often.

The charts have moved away from “what people are buying” towards “what people are listening to”. This is terrible for pop music, because it means the most successful songs today aren’t the ones people are excited about, but the ones featured on corporate playlists for gyms, supermarkets, clothing stores, bars, offices and coffee shops.

These playlists don’t change for months at a time, and put the same bland, inoffensive songs on the charts again and again”.

Everyone has their own desires and needs when it comes to a radio station but it seems, with every change in personnel and decision, people will moan and threaten to boycott. Is it possible to make a radio station that ticks all the boxes: it reaches a national audience and plays music from all over the radio dial; it has a balance of D.J.s (gender, age and race) and reacts to changes and new demands in a constructive and positive way?!

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC Pictures/Getty Images

Maybe BBC Radio 6 Music is 80% there is one way; BBC Radio 1 is there 85% in another way. The only way to create a flawless and nation-uniting station is to take all the best parts from the national brands and the best of the underground. I wonder whether that would be a hideous misfit and would ever work in practice?! It is like putting parts from different cars together and hoping it runs: it is likely to explode, not start or get a little way and careen off the road! I don’t think you can ever successfully create a station that will be valued by everyone and never go out of fashion. I am not a fan of stations, BBC especially, that seem to have different options depending on your age. Even though the BBC Radio 6 Music rejigs has been met with mixed reviews; their music does seem to unite existing options and places quality over popularity. The station does have some issues that it needs to sort out – reverse some bad decisions and get some new talent in at some point – but I feel there is no way we can create a radio station with no issues that attract everyone in. Maybe you have a BBC Radio 7 that seeks to unify all stations out there or highlight an underground station to the mainstream.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The sheer variety of options – on F.M. or the Internet – means we can always shop around and mix a few stations together if needed. Podcasts are the best way to make your own brand and personalise the music plays. That, inevitably, is going to only appeal to you and it will be hard nationalising it. I understand some people will react negatively to change. Station bosses have to react to figures and changing tastes – they are going to make some bad decisions and not always going to take the right steps. The biggest thing any station can do, national or otherwise, is to react to shortcomings and look to remedy those. In many cases, those issues arise when it comes to gender and race: having a less homogenised and male-heavy station; any shows that are not working need to be retooled. That elusive question remains: Can you ever have a no-faults, flawless radio station? I feel the big stations we have right now do what they do really well but need to listen to criticism and make wise choices. Whether that is broadening their musical scope or refreshing their line-up; pledging a more balances (gender and race) set of D.J.s; reversing any decisions that are met with widespread criticism (or explain why those decisions have been made). If that is done, more regularly, then I think we can create a station(s) that satisfy all and set a great example…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

FOR everyone else out there.  

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Maliibu Miitch

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

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NOW that the sun is out and the summer…

IN THIS PHOTO: Tatiana Hazel/PHOTO CREDIT: @_DDesigns_

seems to be here (for a day at least); I have been scouring the ranks of music and looking at the best female-led sounds of the moment. Whether sensual Rap spits or Country breeze - there is so much quality and innovation out there. The female artists listed here are all doing sterling work and it seems like they are primed for big things! I have collated the finest cuts from this year – and some from last - that show how hard it is to define what a female artist is about. Take a listen and let the music get into the head and…

IN THIS PHOTO: Junglepussy

BRING the sunshine back.  

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

_______________

Vic Allen – Blinded

DYLN – Truth

JEMS – Completely

April Kry – Perfectly Imperfect

Miss Eaves - Bush for the Push

Ari Lennox – Whipped Cream

Sorcha Richardson – Can’t We Pretend

Half Waif – In the Evening

Madame Gandhi – The Future Is Female (Shiva Remix)

Maddy Storm – Silver Line

PHOTO CREDIT: Ebru Yildiz

Margaret Glaspy – Before We Were Together

PHOTO CREDIT: Anna Haas

Becky Warren (ft. Amy Ray) – We’re All We Got

PHOTO CREDIT: Jessica Xie

City Girls – Sweet Tooth

Native Dancer – Big Blue

Maliibu Miitch - Give Her Some Money

Alex Jayne – Miss You

PHOTO CREDIT: @papermagazine

Junglepussy – All of You

Makk Mikkael - Use Me

PHOTO CREDIT: @_DDesigns_

Tatiana Hazel – Love Rut

Minnie Birch – Emeralds

Southern Halo – Missing Mississippi

Black Honey – Midnight

Sarah Clanton – Slow It Down

Danelle Sandoval – Say No

Nyemiah Supreme – Do Better                                                         

INTERVIEW: Indigo Face

INTERVIEW:

Indigo Face

___________

I have been getting to know Indigo Face…

and their great new single, The Seed. I discover what the song is about and whether we might see more material down the track. They talk to me about their roots and bringing different sounds/nationalities to the fold; if the stage is where they all feel happiest – they recommend new talent to watch.

I discover whether Indigo Face are touring and which artists they are inspired by; if they have anything left to accomplish this year; what advice they would give musicians coming through – they each end the interview by selecting a song.

____________

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

Hi! We’re very good, thanks! Our week has been quite busy: we’ve been rehearsing for our gig at Jazzgir and had a photoshoot for our next single!

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

We are Indigo Face; Alternative-Pop band based in London. With our songs, we like exploring the spiritual and earthly sides of the human being and society in all its weirdness and contradictions. 

Can you reveal how Indigo Face found one another? When did you start making music together?

We all met at uni four years ago. We studied at BIMM London and became friends pretty much straight away. Mary (lead singer) had some songs she wanted to work on so she started working with Max (producer, keyboardist and guitarist). Ray (bassist) and Andrea (drummer) joined the band as soon as the songs were ready to play live. 

The Seed is your new release. What is the story behind the song?

The Seed is a song about family and how important it is to let go of toxic dynamics in order to learn how to love unconditionally. Letting go can feel as if we were “waiting in the dark” for someone to switch the light back on, as we sing in the chorus. We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously though, so we decided to make the song up-tempo and lively enough for people to dance!

Your music seems to draw from all the colours and sides of London; a bit of Funk in there! Do you ensure, when writing music, to put as many different elements and sounds together?

Yes - and it is quite inevitable for us as we come from very different countries. Max is from France; Ray from Switzerland and Mary and Andrea are from Italy, so we all grew up listening to very different music. Our different musical backgrounds merge into our music and, on top of that, we also bring the colors of London (which is home to all of us four). 

Might we see an E.P. or album next year would you say?

Yes. We might release an E.P. We have enough songs for an album, actually, but we’ll see what our fans prefer! 

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

Eurythmics, Christine & the Queens; Highasakite, Björk; Sigrid and Everything Everything. The artists that had the biggest impact are probably Christine & the Queens, Highasakite and AlunaGeorge. 

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

Sure! We are playing on 8th September at the Bassment in Chelmsford and we’ll have a Sofar Sound session on 19th September (secret location).

We are also thinking of going on tour outside U.K. so…stay tuned! 

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

Absolutely. There is nothing like performing live. Our audience is the best: we love seeing them dancing with us and listening carefully when the songs we play are a bit slower and more intimate. 

You have achieved a lot over the past year. What do want to tick off the do-list before the end of this year?

We think we might have already ticked it off! Last April, we won a competition called 1M Europe and flew to Rome to play The Seed at the Primo Maggio Festival in front of sixty-five-thousand people. It was unbelievable! Without a doubt, our best experience so far.

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

For us all, it was playing at the Primo Maggio Festival in Rome and being on Italian national T.V. 

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

We’d love to support artists like Christine & the Queens and Highasakite as we’re playing similar music and we’re also using a similar sonic approach with our live band. 

For our rider, we’d want healthy food only: no meat; mineral water and a bottle of good wine to celebrate every now and then (smiles). 

What advice would you give to artists coming through?

Don’t give up. We know it sounds cliché, but anything can happen at any time…you just need to work hard and never ever give up. Always remember that nobody can take your artistry and your passion away from you, so keep the faith! 

IN THIS PHOTO: Andrea Di Giovanni

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Andrea Di Giovanni, Rumours and Native Dancer! 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rumours

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

We like going to art exhibitions, watching movies and...eating loads of good food (smiles). Nothing beats a good dinner with friends. 

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).

Mary: Camille - Lasso

Max: The War on Drugs - Strangest Thing

Ray: Vulfpeck - Daddy, He Got a Tesla

Andrea: Anomalie & Rob Araujo - Hang Glide

____________

Follow Indigo Face

Official:

http://www.indigofacemusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/indigofacemusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/indigofacemusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/indigoface.music/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/indigofacemusic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSYiKGY1JejfE1mjRi6GMNQ

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0cf6xgSbF2piS7dAPSeDDj

INTERVIEW: Isak Danielson

INTERVIEW:

Isak Danielson

___________

THE first interview of this weekend…

is with the fantastic Isak Danielson. I have been speaking with him about the new single, Always, and what its story is. The songwriter reveals whether there is going to be more material coming; how he gets that arresting and incredible voice; what it feels like getting big press plaudit and attention – he selects a new artist to watch.

I ask Danielson which artists have been instrumental regarding his music; the three albums he holds dearest; whether there are going to be tour dates; if he gets time to chill away from his career – he chooses a Beatles classic to end the interview with.

____________

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

I’m very well, thanks. It’s been good; on my way back home from Stockholm at the moment - where I’ve been finishing some final details on the album and rehearsing with my band.

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

My music comes from my heart so, lyrically and production-wise, depends on what I’m feeling at the time I made the record. The genre is Soul/Pop. I think the best way to explain it is that it’s mood music: if you’re in the right mood for my kind of music it fits well.

Always is your new single. What is the story behind the track?

It’s about a beautiful girl who got my attention but didn’t give me any back. Sadness is what inspires me the most and, if you listen to the song, it may seem happy but the story is quite sad. 

Your voice has a very deep and arresting quality! Did that come naturally? Do you have to work hard on your voice?!

Thank you! I don’t work hard on my voice. I think I’ve been inspired by many great singers and tried to copy and then ended up with a mix...if that makes any sense? 

Is there going to be more material next year? How far ahead are you looking?

I like to live in the now, so I don't look too far into the future - but, there is a third single coming in September and an album in October. I also have about four new songs for the second album.

You have gained a lot of success so far. Do all the plaudits and great reviews give you the drive to keep going and know that your work is resonating?!

It does! But, I have a big ego that needs to be fed and I’m never happy about things for too long, so I always need something new and something bigger. Hehe. So, most of the plaudits and reviews brush off quite quickly. 

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

When it comes to songwriting, I’m inspired by Amy Winehouse, Sia; Diane Warren and Sam Smith to name a few.

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

To release my debut album and be proud of it; that the people who will hear will be inspired and listen to the lyrics on every song. I also hope to meet some of the people from social media who have supported and inspired me to make the album. 

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

Hard question. I think singing to Leona Lewis and hearing her tell me she loved me has definitely stuck. 

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

Little Girl Blue - Nina Simone

Because Nina Simone is a big inspiration and to me someone who has made history in more ways than just her music.

The Best Of  - Monica Zetterlund

Monica Zetterlund was a Swedish Jazz singer and, after hearing her song Sakta Vi Går Genom Stan, it was the first time I knew I wanted to sing.                                       

These Streets - Paolo Nutini

This is just one of my favourite albums; not one bad song. Also, I have great memories with this album. 

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

A dream would be to go on tour with Adele.

My rider would be loads of vegan food, fruit; vegetables and champagne (smiles).

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

I am playing two shows in Sweden in August - Gothenburg and Stockholm. I’m also coming to L.A. in October where I will do a showcase (also in New York after that). 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

To stay true to what you like and what you feel but also let yourself be inspired by the people around you. You also have to believe in yourself to a 100%; that you’re the best at what you do and never give up!

IN THIS PHOTO: Léon/PHOTO CREDIT: Sandra Viktoria Thorsso

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Léon is a girl from Sweden who is doing well. If you haven’t heard I think you should definitely check her out.

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

I spend time with my dogs and chickens. I also live close to the ocean. Nature really calms me down, so that's a good thing. I don’t think I ever unwind 100%, though... (Smiles).

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

Play Blackbird by The Beatles. Love that song!

____________

Follow Isak Daneison

Official:

http://isakdanielson.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/isakdanielson

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/IsakDanielsonOfficial/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/isakdanielson/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/isakdanielson

YouTube:

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

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ie2SvXgvXlTpyqkwLtSd7

FEATURE: The August Playlist: Vol. 2: One Man’s Ceiling Is About to Collapse

FEATURE:

 

The August Playlist

 IN THIS PHOTO: Paul Simon 

Vol. 2: One Man’s Ceiling Is About to Collapse

 __________

IT is not every week…

IN THIS PHOTO: Aphex Twin

where you get a new song from Aphex Twin and Paul Simon! Simon’s, to be fair, is a reworking on one of his classic cuts – Aphex Twin has released a pretty intense and hard-hitting song. Other offerings from Mitski, Jake Shears; Cher and Slaves keep it pretty varied and interesting!

If you need a cheer away from the rain and some songs to get the spirits lifted; have a listen to the collection of the week’s cuts and I am sure you will find something to love. It is not as heavy-hitting as previous weeks but, when you have Paul Simon and Aphex Twin together, you are not going to go far wrong!

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images/Artists

___________

Aphex Twin – T69 Collapse

Paul Simon – One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor

Slaves – Photo Opportunity

Wild Nothing – Shallow Water

Matt Corby – No Ordinary Life

The Joy Formidable – The Wrong Side

The Breeders – Nervous Mary

Mitski – Two Slow Dancers

Ben Khan – monsoon daydream

PHOTO CREDIT: Greg Gorman

Jake Shears – Big Bushy Mustache

PHOTO CREDIT: Matthieu Venot/GQ

Tyler, The Creator – See You Again

Troye Sivan – Animal

Michael Jackson – Behind the Mask

Superorganism - The Prawn Song

John Grant – Love Is Magic

MØ, Diplo - Sun in Our Eyes

Emma Blackery - Take Me Out

Jessie Reyez – Sola

Elle King – Shame

PHOTO CREDIT: Filmawi

RAY BLK – Run Run

She Drew the Gun – Resister

The Coral – Reaching Out for a Friend

PHOTO CREDIT: Monika Mogi

Jerry Paper – Grey Area

PHOTO CREDIT: Elliot Kennedy for Crack

Stefflon Don, Tiggs Da Author – Pretty Girl

Nadia Rose – On Top

Sabrina Claudio – Numb

Arctic Lake – Night Cries

Nina Nesbitt – Loyal to Me

RuthAnne – Liquid

You Me at Six – I O U

India Lake – Girl in New York City

Cher – Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

Jetta – Fool

PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Hughes Photography

Miles Kane – Cold Light of the Day

Anteros – Call Your Mother

Chantel Jeffries (ft. BlocBoy JB) – Better

TRACK REVIEW: Gypsyfingers - Hey Maria

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Gypsyfingers

PHOTO CREDIT: Deana Lowe

Hey Maria

9.5/10

The track, Hey Maria, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6sKEfavhbgTKXegskGvySG?platform=hootsuite

GENRES:

Cinematic Folk; Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

10th August, 2018

_________

ON this outing…

PHOTO CREDIT: Julien Weber

I get to look at a few different, interesting things. I wanted to look at song derivation and how the most compelling and passionate tracks can stem from something quite humble and romantic. I also want to look at artists whose live performances redefine that experience and make me, and many others, want to go. I will also look at the recording process and the final process – how we often get caught in this assumption all modern music is digital and soulless. I will then finish by looking at Gypsyfingers’ sound and why we need to see more of it in music – a look at the band and where they will head from here. The guys act as a fully-fledged band but the core is, and always has been, Victoria Coghlan and Luke Oldfield. Pat Kenneally and Simon Hedges are new to the ranks and elevate the sound - and help bring magic to the studio and stage. I mentioned the changes in the Gypsyfingers ranks the last time I reviewed them so, on this outing, I will address other themes. We all listen to music and digest it but I wonder whether we truly ask where the story comes from and get an impression of its creation. I review tracks all the time and interview artists so I get a first-hand exposure to where the songs stem – I always ask artists during interviews where the inspiration comes from. Music is growing and always-busy so I feel it is getting harder to stop and absorb a song. We listen to what is out there and, if the artist is engrossing and makes you stop, you might ask where the lyrics and music come from. Most of the time, we listen to music and let it absorb into the skin without realising how it all came to be. In the case of Hey Maria and its beauty; I was interested to know where the lyrics arrived from and what its background in.

Without going into the full story; it is inspired by Maria, a friend of Coghlan’s, whom she met in Paris. Coghlan was in a taxi, at 3 A.M., and sitting next to Victoria. It came to pass they lived in the same street (in Montmartre) and a long friendship ensued. They spent the summer sunbathing and enjoyed road trips to the South of France. It may seem idyllic and a bit envy-provoking but Hey Maria was written by Coghlan when she was on the beach in Cannes. That, in itself, sounds like the start of a film and I wonder whether the band might expand on that inspiration for their own feature. It seems like the best songs always have some unique and deep beginning. I can imagine Gypsyfingers making a bit of a film around Hey Maria and that friendship: the late-night ride and the long summer in the sun. Even before I heard a note and listened carefully to the song; I was picking apart the story and envisioning what was happening. I have spent years assessing songs and a few of them remain in the mind and keep me coming back. That might sound severe but there is so much music out there it can be hard to get a grip and let it all remain. This song, by Gypsyfingers, is one that has remained in the brain and seeped into my consciousness. I feel, if we look at where songs begin and their stories, it gives us a much deeper and more extraordinary connection. Hey Maria is about friendship and summertime; letting go and moving on. If anything, the song marks a departure and move from the band (a duo, technically, but the band plays live). It is the first proper Pop song from Gypsyfingers and, as I shall explain later, breaks from their established and incredible sound. I feel Hey Maria is the representation of where the guys are heading and what their new sound is all about.

PHOTO CREDIT: @sallystage

I do not get to see live music that often – I get invited all the time but am busy writing – but, when I do, you always get a different experience. Great artists can embrace and capture you on the page and their recorded music makes you feel one way. When you go and see that live, there is something different that you were not expecting. Some say the best artists can make their live music sound as good as the record but I feel there needs to be a split between the studio and stage. I have not seen Gypsyfingers take to the stage but I have watched videos of them perform live and seen plenty of reviews. Their recorded material is exceptional but it is the harmonies and layers you get on the stage that blow you away. The fact that they have formed into a live band – brought in more instruments and fleshed out their dynamic – makes the experience a little different but it is still exceptional. If anything, there is more adventure and strength than before. Although the full band has an incredible connection; it is the partnership and understanding between Coghlan and Oldfield that makes their live shows so beautiful. The two are in a relationship – so that makes things more convincing and stronger – but that does not always mean the music will be committed and strong. Listen to the two on stage and there is an understanding and sense of the mesmeric that is hard to shift. People have celebrated the Gypsyfingers live show and noted how memorable it is. You get brilliant and heart-breaking acoustics and Coghlan’s voice shimmering, shivering and buckling the knees. There is the incredible musicianship and the band all in-line and on the same page. It is atmospheric and dramatic; it is scintillating and swims in the brain. Although I do not get out and see artists play; I am compelled to see Gypsyfingers play and see what they are all about.

I will move to a different subject but I feel we often undervalue live performances and do not really place huge importance on them. Maybe we are all too busy to get out there and see gigs but you only get one side of the coin when it comes to recorded material. In the case of Hey Maria; it is a song that has a true story and sound but will become a new beast when it is translated onto the stage. Music is about the stage and studio – you cannot get a full impression from one side. Artists rely on finance from performances and gigs are a crucial aspect of modern music. I feel we all need to get out there a lot more and enjoy the fantastic musicians that are playing. Gypsyfingers are among the best live acts out there because of the experience and expertise you get from the friends. There may be new members in ranks but they have settled into the fold and you get a real sense of belonging and togetherness. Maybe it is that core of Coghlan and Oldfield that makes the sparks fly. Their older music and new sounds blend beautifully and you get an evocative and sensual night that stays in the memory for a long time. I often get a bit sceptical about gigs and whether they can equal expectations. In the case of Gypsyfingers, they have a great reputation and are a definite must-not-miss! I am excited to see where the band goes and where they can bring their music. So far, they have performed around the U.K. and Europe but I feel there is a lot more to come. There is great potential to explore the U.S. and put together a road movie. The guys could bring their songs to life in a visual sense and, perhaps, do little introduction films to each – that would then transition to the live performance. There is great romance and strength in what they do and I would love to see that travel the globe. Maybe Asia and Australia await them. I feel next year is one where they can spread their name far and wide and amass even more fans.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sally Low

I have looked at the inspiration for songs and the stage: I have missed out the middle bit and the actual recording process. The reason I am taking a forensic and mechanical approach to their songwriting and music is that of the detail that goes into it. We often look at music and feel there is a slightly overproduced and soulless quality to it. I am not often compelled to look at music derivation and the stage performance; how it comes to life in the studio and the equipment used. I know Luke because he is a skilled producer and has worked with some fantastic artists. His old man is Mike Oldfield so there is that history and musical genius in the family. The Hammond organ and techniques used to record the song have a retro feel. The guys have a love of the 1960s and 1970s and bring a flavour of that to the recording. The drum and bass lines were recorded live to tape with a guide vocal and guitar lone. The song’s sound reflects a get-up-and-go-attitude and the sunshine of France. Coghlan wants the listener to draw their own conclusions from the song but you can definitely hear that distinct story and brilliance of the time. I mentioned how past efforts were recorded by the duo and that was all there was – they have recruited a band and now have a fuller sound. When it comes to Hey Maria; this was a band effort where they recorded live at Tilehouse Studios. Drums by Kenneally and bass from Hedges were complimented by Oldfield’s electric guitar and Coghlan’s acoustic guitar and vocals. The guys did eight takes and they agreed the seventh take was the best. I love the studio and seeing how songs come to be.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sally Low

Many artists do multiple takes to see if different nuance and life can be detected (on each take). Rarely do you get one-take cuts and that is what we hear on record. I can imagine the four of them running through the song and trying different angles on each take. After the session was complete; Oldfield transferred it to digital by recording the outputs of the tape machine onto ProTools. He edited and they continued recording. The drums were recorded with three microphones (overhead, kick and snare) and you get organic and original takes on Hey Maria. The guide acoustic guitar was re-recorded and classical guitar, percussion and backing vocals were added – Hammond organ (from Kenneally) was injected and gives the song a summery feel. The tape machine at the studio is a two-inch, sixteen-track Studer A800 and is one of the best-sounding analogue tape machines. You get tape compression and the tape gets saturated and the audio gets subtly fattened. That detail and love of recording live means the band are closer and improve and that translate onto the stage. I feel, if we know more about how a song is recorded and its components, that gives us a much better understanding of music and its derivation. It is almost like food: if we know where it comes from then we are more informed and more connected. It sounds strange but I feel knowing about the tape machine and microphones gives the music itself more physicality, soul and picture – it is almost like I am in the studio with them. I am a big fan of analogue and feel music has become too digitised and technology-based. Artists are keen to use fancy equipment and not try and get that live-sounding music to the people. A lot of music is very plastic and lacks any real depth and complexity. Oldfield, as a producer, knows how important it is getting the best from an artist and how to do that. His dual role as producer-musician makes Gypsyfingers gives the band new layers and skills. I love the workings and activities you get from a studio and what happens there. We listen to music and never really picture how the pieces came to be and how many takes were laid.

I want to look at Hey Maria and describe it as best I can but, before then, a look at the Gypsyfingers sound. I have followed them for years and, on previous efforts, noted how they blend Folk with Pop. In fact, on albums like Circus Life, they bring in Rap, Hip-Hop and all sorts of colours. That album was four years ago – at a time when they were a duo – and I wonder whether next year will see another record. They are working on new stuff all the time and it is exciting seeing where the band is headed. They still have the gorgeous and smooth Folk sounds but their latest cut has more summertime Pop. In fact, I will include Gypsyfingers on an all-female list in the future. That may sound strange (as there are three blokes in the band) but the lead vocal is from Coghlan. She has the ability to transcend place and time and bring the listener into the song. Like all great vocalists; she has exceptional range and nuance; textures and emotional depths few others possess. I am a fan of what she does and feel she has a lot to offer in the future. One of the reasons I have been a fan of the group for years is because of that instant ability to buckle the knees and stop you in your tracks. The band is in a great position and is expanding their sonic locker to take to the road. I love the earlier sounds of Gypsyfingers but feel bringing in Pop and other genres give them a more rounded aesthetic and options when they take to the stage. The guys take great care to ensure each stage of the recording process is given as much passion and attention as possible. The stories behind the songs come from a real place; the recording is detailed but has plenty of looseness and experimentation; the live performance tops all of that off and brings a fresh angle to the music. The complete experience is something many cannot offer and I feel that is why the band has enjoyed big acclaim and celebration. They are in-demand as a live band and they have a glorious future ahead of them!

PHOTO CREDIT: Sally Low

I am used to hearing the acoustic guitar and pastoral sounds coming from a Gypsyfingers song. Usually, I am in a distinct frame of mind and know what is coming. Hey Maria subverts those views and brings in crackling energy and force. The percussion comes in strong but not too heavy; there is a balance between 1960s Pop and something based in the U.S. You get sunshine breeze and a coolness that makes you smile and imagine. Knowing the song has its heart in France; I was, instead, in the U.S. and down a Californian road. It has that old-time feel and great production that gets the mind working right from the get-go. One gets kicking and funky guitar and genre suggestions ranging from Blues and Country to 1970s Pop and 1960s soulfulness. It is a rich and heady brew that goes into that introduction. The heroine’s voice comes in and talks about lying in the sun with one eye open. Almost squinting against the force and heat of the day; you cannot help but be there with her (in a non-perverted way!) and imagine the sights. I have always loved Coghlan’s voice and it has been compared to Lily Allen and Kate Nash by some. You hear a distinct accent and grounded quality to the voice but, since the earliest days, it has gained more beauty, qualities and emotions. It is a great instrument that ranges from London-tuned to classical. You are stunned by the character and cadence of the vocal and how it holds your hand. The band kick up a smoke of sunshine, glee and romance and your mind is divided between the busy and connected background the vocal that tells the story. The heroine is lying on a beach and enjoying the sun but wants to adventure with Maria and walk with her. In many ways, I get impressions of childhood and innocent friends gambling to the woods and embracing silliness.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spencer Hudson

Rather than see the song as a French romance (in terms of friendship); there is more of the playfulness of childhood and meeting someone who is the same as you. Not many of us experience such vivid friendships as adults: those childhood memories and times are more precious and long-lasting. Coghlan seems deeply involved with the subject matter and fondly recalls that first blush of new connection. When the chorus comes in, there are backing vocals from Oldfield and new depths. Previous Gypsyfingers songs have been calm and emotive but here, on their latest release, energy and spark. The electric guitar has a breeziness and Blues-like lick that gives the song kick; you have a band kinetic and connected and really committed to the song. Whilst the boys summon the backing and drive the vocals forward; I am always drawn to that centre and the incredible story. Our heroine is glad she met Maria and there is that instant bond. The sheer luck of that meeting has not been lost on the lead. She is grateful for that encounter and knows how special it is. Rather than waste the moment and get too carried away, she is looking ahead and knows this friendship will last for a long time. I know the song’s history but I still keep coming back to something younger and more childlike. Hey Maria is a fantastic cut but not limited to a particular time and place: one can get their own impression and interpretation from the track. I love the composition and how many different phases there are. The organ adds a really great scent and the entire band put in a fantastic performance. Everything fits together supremely but there is a sense of the open and loose. The song is never too tight and studied: the band is free to stretch a bit and you get a few solos here and there. What strikes me is the sunshine and smiles that never seems to abate. So many modern songs have a scowl and there is something sad underneath. No such (bad) luck here! Hey Maria is a winner and enlivened figure from the very start and never loses that alacrity. Until the final notes, the listener is put in a better frame of mind and boosted by the song. I have my viewpoint of the song but I know others will have their opinions. Hey Maria is a song you keep coming back to. The rush is hard to overlook and it is nice to hear a song that is positive and has a happy story. I understand bands who want to project something hard-hitting and emotive but that does not mean you need to be forlorn and depressive – adding something bright and warm can do so much more for the listener! Hey Maria is a fantastic offering from a band who are getting stronger with every release. I am excited to see where they head and what they can achieve in the coming year. Make sure you follow their progress and catch them on the road if you get the chance – and the chance to hear Hey Maria take on a different guise and quality.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spencer Hudson

I have talked about Gypsyfingers and how they have changed through the years. That core of Victoria Coghlan and Luke Oldfield has always been there and they have that endless and rock-solid connection. Maybe that is because they are in love – I feel they have a lot of similar tastes and want the same things from the music. Each of the players wants to take their sounds around the world and remain in the industry for years to come. That will happen and, in a tough business, they stand out and how the ammunition to inspire and remain a permanent fixture. I mentioned how it would be great to see the band play across the U.S. and I know the nation would take them to heart. They could do great business in Canada and Australian dates would not be out of the question. Maybe finance will limit their ambitions but there is demand and potential out there. I have seen Gypsyfingers evolve and change but the quality has always been there and sky-high. Let me bring this down to a close but I would encourage everyone to follow the band and get behind what they are doing. The British band is a huge force and feel the next year or so will be their very best. I have watched them grow from the duo of Circus Life and lead to where they are now. The quartet is looking ahead and seeing where they can take their music. I have also mentioned how great they are live and the sort of reaction they are accruing. Hey Maria is a fantastic song and one I could not overlook. Coghlan has said she wants everyone to get their own impression and take something new from the recording. I have been given the complete story but others, listening to it without that knowledge, will go in other directions. They might see something fictional or have their mind in a different nation. It is amazing to see what each listener gets from the song.

The best tracks are those that compel different thoughts and do not reveal their true identity. Although I know where Hey Maria comes from; there is a lot more working away and more besides that taxi ride and ensuing friendship. Now that Coghlan is based back in the U.K., I wonder whether she and Maria live nearby and still keep in touch. They have a friendship but you listen to the song and are (you are) curious how things worked out. Are they still close and see one another a lot? Can we get a literal image of Maria or does she keep private? Is there going to be more material relating to that time in France and that amazing friendship? I am thankful Gypsyfingers are in the world and bringing something fresh to music. They are a band on a mission and are among the strongest out there. Maybe there will be more material before the end of this year - but I do feel next year will be their finest. I would assume an album is being worked on and I cannot wait to see what direction they head in. Maybe there will be more of the Pop direction we hear now and they will break from Folk; they might sprinkle both together and we will get the same sort of eclectic vibe as their debut. Whatever comes from the quartet; I have seen them grow and mutate from the duo and bring in new players – who have sat in the mix and bring new possibilities to the songs. I will end things here and urge people to listen to Hey Maria and get their own story and ideas. It is an incredible offering and one of the strongest from the band. It is proof they are on the rise and determined to get as far as humanly possible. If they keep on writing songs like this and putting their all into it; I feel Gypsyfingers will be a mainstream act…

PHOTO CREDIT: Julien Weber

IN next to no time!

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Follow Gypsyfingers

PHOTO CREDIT: Deana Lowe

Official:

https://www.gypsyfingers.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Gypsyfingers

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/gypsyfingers/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gypsyfingers/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/gypsyfingers

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/77ldPpauhUXAZGYT4abA8h

YouTube:

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

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Ghum/PHOTO CREDIT: Louise Tse 

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

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THERE are new releases out in the world…

IN THIS PHOTO: Nina Nesbitt

so it is a great day to discover some brilliant music. I am concerned with the best female-led/female-scored music out there and what variety there is (there are some slightly older songs thrown into the mix). If you feel you have a clear view of what a modern-day female singer-songwriter is all about then you need to follow these lists – and have a listen at the latest instalment. From Pop and Country through to something a bit dirtier; it is another collection of songs that will bring the sunshine back and get us in the mood for when the heat rises again. Slip into the weekend with another rundown of songs that are perfect…

IN THIS PHOTO: NINA/PHOTO CREDIT: Joakim Reimer 

WHEN holding on to the memories and warmth of summer.  

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

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PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Watanabe Photography

Doll Skin – Rubi

PHOTO CREDIT: Katie Knight-Adams

NINA – Sleepwalking

PHOTO CREDIT: James Harris

Ellie Gowers – Flowerchild

Anteros – Call Your Mother

Starcrawler – Chicken Woman

Tygermylk – What God Would Keep Us Apart

Nina Nesbitt – Loyal to Me

Hannah Paris – Halfway Home

RuthAnne – Liquid

Gretta Ray – A View Like This

Whitney Rose – You Don’t Own Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Nguyen

Jade Jackson – Salt to Sugar

Daniella Mason – Human

PHOTO CREDIT: @jondbarker

Emma Blackery – Take Me Out

Lauren Sanderson – Los Angeles

Elle King – Shame

Nadia Rose – On Top

Angie McMahon – Keeping Time                

Lucie Silvas – Kite

Cher – Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

Broods – Peach

ARTWORK: Louise Tse

Ghum – I’m the Storm

VanJess – Control Me

Sahara Beck – Here We Go Again

INTERVIEW: We Are the Way for the Cosmos to Know Itself

INTERVIEW:

We Are the Way for the Cosmos to Know Itself

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GIVEN their band name…

I had to ask We Are the Way for the Cosmos to Know Itself where that stems from and whether there is a backstory! The Danish group talk about their formation and latest single, Out of Doubt. I ask what we can expect from their upcoming E.P. and what the music scene is like in Denmark.

The band recommends some new artists to watch and tell me what they hope to achieve before the end of the year; whether there are gigs coming up; how they unwind away from music – they provide some pithy, but wise, advice for artists coming through.

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

Julie: Hello (smiles). We are feeling pretty good. Right now, we are in our tour-car on the way to the other end of Denmark where we will play a show tonight. Our week has been busy but great! A few days ago, we recorded a live video for our next single, Out of Doubt, and the other days we have been working on some new tracks for 2019.

It has been insanely hot in Denmark this week so we have been working in bikini and shorts in the studio and gone swimming as much as possible in Roskilde Fjord, which is very close to the little farm-house where we live and make music.

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

Mads: We are a Danish three-piece who make Electronic-Indie-Pop with a lush and cosmic feel. We are inspired by the sound of various '80s and '90s bands. At the moment, we try to mix these nostalgic vibes with more modern productions. Hopefully, creating music with a sense of nostalgia but still with a fresh and modern vibe.

Can I ask how We Are the Way for the Cosmos to Know Itself came together? Is there a story behind that name?

Julie: Martin and Mads met in primary school and has been playing together in numerous projects during the years and then they met me a couple of years ago and first then magic happened. Haha. Well, I guess you can say that we knew that we were a good team when we wrote our first track together in 2013 so we just kept on working together since then.

Mads: When starting the band, we realized we had all discovered Carl Sagan and his retro documentary series, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, sometime during physics classes in high-school and that we shared a fascination for the epic and 'over the top' mood that Carl created in the series. So, we decided to name our band after a quote from the series. The quote, “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself”, describes perfectly the epic and lush sound that we strive to create.

Out of Doubt is your latest track. What is the story behind the song?

Julie: Out of Doubt is the second single from an E.P. that will be out in October. The lyrics were written during the early morning where I took time to sit down and watch the sunrise while I wrote down all the things I was thinking of at that time; reflecting on where I was going with life. Moments like these are very important to me and I guess that a lot of people, including myself, forget to sometimes take time to stop and reflect on things in these times - where every moment tends to get filled with to-dos and impressions from So-Mes.

It is from your upcoming E.P. In terms of themes and stories; what sort of things do you explore?

Out of Doubt is, like the rest of E.P, exploring the retrospective and nostalgic. We wanted the songs to be the kind of music that brings back memories and that you put on when you feel the need to be a little reflective. The songs are about relations between different people - both the ones you still love and fight for and the ones you had to let go.

Do you recall the music you grew up around? Which artists inspired you to get into music?

Mads: Growing up in musical homes, I think all the three of us got exposed to a lot of quality Pop music such as ABBA, Kate Bush; Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and soundtracks from movies like Top Gun and Dirty Dancing. But, from a very early age, Martin and I became interested in playing music ourselves and started enjoying more experimental music.

Eventually, in high-school, we started exploring Electronic acts such as Aphex Twin, Autechre; Seefeel and μ-Zig. Right now, I think we are trying to find a sort of middle ground between lots of the sounds and experiments from our high-school time and the simple basic chord structures and melodies from Pop music. Currently, we are listening to a lot of more modern Synth-Pop such as Shura, Chvrches and I Break Horses.

Is there a pretty eclectic music scene in Denmark? How do you think the country stands out and differs from the likes of the U.K., for instance?

One thing I really like about the music scene in Denmark is that there are a lot of indie bands that focuses a lot on melodies and songwriting - not just creating a unique production around their music. There is a good tradition for basic songwriting. That leads to a lot of quality Indie-Pop music coming from Denmark.

On the other hand, Denmark is a really small country and there is only one national music radio which has a lot of power - and they basically control who gets a career in music. That is a bit discouraging at times.

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

We hope to have a great release of our upcoming singles and E.P. and play some great shows.

Do you think there will be touring dates? Where can we see you perform?

We are playing a tour in Denmark in October and November. Hopefully, we will play a tour in Germany in February as well.

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

Julie: We would love to - we just don’t have a booker in the U.K. yet.

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

Mads: We played at Roskilde Festival back in 2014 here in Denmark. That was huge for us. Being a Dane, it is one of those festivals you always wanted to be playing.

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

Julie: Tough question. If we could choose anything…we would love to support Kate Bush and have a backstage area made out of liquorice.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Mads: Have fun. Buy lots of synths.

IN THIS PHOTO: Yangze/PHOTO CREDIT: Andreas Skou Albertsen

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There is a lot of new good Danish music at the moment. To name a few: Yangze creates beautiful Alternative-Pop music. Molina makes awesome, retro synth vibes on her latest single, Hey Kids.

IN THIS PHOTO: Molina

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

Apart from swimming in the fjord near our house at night time, we like to eat liquorice; drink craft beer and watch sci-fi movies.

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).

Mads: Molina (ft. Late Verlane) - Hey Kids

Julie: Yangze - U & Me

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Follow We Are the Way for the Cosmos to Know Itself

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Wearethewayforthecosmostoknowitself/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wearethewayforthecosmostoknow/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/watwftctki

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEaGoDx53_pJodZA9I-Ns0w

BAND PHOTOS:

Alexander H. Jespersen

INTERVIEW: Russell Swallow

INTERVIEW:

 Russell Swallow

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RUSSELL Swallow has been speaking with me…

about his awesome single, North London Girl, and how it came together. His brilliant E.P., My Lover, Her Lover and Me, is out and I wanted to ask which artists Swallow draws from; how it feels getting a lot of radio attention and great press – he recommends some artists worth a follow.

I ask the songwriter about splitting his time between Berlin and London and whether that contributes to his sonic direction; if he gets time to unwind; the three albums that mean the most to him – he ends the interview by selecting a great song.  

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

Hi, Sam. It’s been an eventful time. I’ve been playing festivals in Hannover and Berlin and I was fortunate to work with one of my favourite contemporary artists, Ry-X, at Sacred Ground Festival. Since then, I’ve been working on new material for my next E.P. and recording a live video for my latest single, North London Girl.

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

I’m an English singer-songwriter from the Folk and Indie scene - and I use German influences, Electronic influences to add atmosphere, ambience and drama to my music. I grew up in the quiet and solitude of the Suffolk countryside, but was steadily drawn deeper into cities and their perpetual rhythm; now living between London and Berlin. My music draws on each of these places - taking inspiration from daily life, tensions and release.

North London Girl is your latest single. Is there a personal story/history to the song?

I tend to write from personal experience but N.L.G. is one of the most autobiographical and direct songs I’ve written - as direct as heartbreak can be. Still, it’s not morbid: I think it carries a certain naive innocence.

It was a breakup that inspired me to write N.L.G. and, in fact, it was the first solo song I wrote since my duo band Swallow and the Wolf. It was the beginning of bringing music back into focus at the centre of my life and starting from scratch to create a new palette of sound was a uniquely refreshing experience. Working with producer Gavin Hammond, every choice of sound and direction we took was a first step - like exploring a new Country.

Since your last E.P., you have gained a lot of love from radio stations. How does this make you feel?!

It feels really good! I want to reach as many people as possible with my music, and radio support is an important part of that. I come from a generation where radio was one of the few powerful gateways where you could reach new listeners without needing a huge P.R. budget. I was a big fan of tuning into BBC Radio 6 Music late at night, to fall upon new sounds being shared.

I want to send some big love to Tom Robinson at BBC Radio 6 Music who was the first D.J. to play my music, and to everyone who continues to.

You have spent a lot of time here and in Berlin. Does that country-splitting contribute to your sound? What are the main differences between the music of Berlin and London?

London has a very strong singer-songwriter scene, particularly on the Folk and Roots side. You can wander into a bar on most streets and find somebody strumming. Berlin has this too but, because of their club scene, they have a stronger Electronic aesthetic. They complement and inspire each other and it’s great to be able to move between the two and see them each develop.

I believe you spent twenty quid on a guitar in Suffolk during your teens! Is that the best purchase you have ever made?! What made you want to pick up a guitar?

When you’re a kid, everything is exploration, learning; making mistakes. Living in a small town felt like an isolated place to grow up, so to connect I could either pick up my bicycle to cycle to a friend’s house in the next town or pick up my guitar and get straight to the source.

It seems you are inspired by classic songwriters and the likes of Jeff Buckley. Who do you count as idols?

Yes. The artists I respect most were pioneers in some way; fusing their influences to blend something new or exploring extremes of dynamics. Jeff using his voice like Nina Simone - as an instrument - coupling it with incredibly sophisticated guitar with song arrangements that still felt effortlessly natural. Or Nirvana’s sense of melody and power - taking Heavy Metal’s attack and power but adding huge Beatles-esque Pop melodies.

When I first heard Brian Eno’s Thursday Afternoon as a kid I was blown away. A seventy-minute piece of music that explores sound for sound’s sake; creating an environment you can get lost in and journey through.

Which artists did you follow when you were growing up?

All of the above, plus Grunge-rs Pearl Jam; Rock pioneers Radiohead and a great crafter of small stories with big melodies, The Lemonheads.

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

I just released my new E.P., My Lover, Her Lover and Me, on 3rd August and am playing some tour dates through Europe to support that: London, Norwich; Berlin, Zurich; Hannover, Cologne etc. I’m looking to travel to play house concerts and some street performances as well - if anyone wants to invite me into their home or recommend good streets to explore.

I’ve written a lot this past year - it’s been an eventful time, both for me personally and for Europeans. There’s work to be done to prepare for the next record, so I’ll be making some demos and jamming with my friends (and very talented artists in their own right) Kimberly Anne and Rhiannon Mair.

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

Yes. Check the website. I’ll be adding them in as we go.

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

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

It brought home to me how lyrical music can be using simple sound, tones and melody. No lyrics but so much emotion, dynamics and excitement.

David Bowie - Hunky Dory

I bought this on C.D. from a charity shop in Colchester and stuck it on my stereo. My girlfriend at the time wanted to go out but I couldn’t leave the house until I’d heard the whole album. It was a revelation in terms of its scope, range of styles and sheer joyful abandon. You can really feel fun and danger in that record.

John Martyn - Solid Air

Simple instrumentation; raging and fragile. There’s so much heart and beauty in this album and it has songs that you can sing to your lover, to your family or to your friends.

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

That’s a really good...and hard question! I think it would be a tour with Radiohead, Ry-X and I. We’d perform John Martyn’s Solid Air album in its entirety with extended jams incorporating synths, samples and sounds captured and manipulated live on stage from our voices and instruments. We’d have a huge light show using just white beams and cast and play with huge shadows.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Keep writing. Listen to the opinions of your trusted sources...but not as much as you listen to yourself. You’ll feel unsettled, challenged and not good enough sometimes, but don’t worry. That’s a natural part of the journey and, if you choose, then all of it will drive you forward.

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Pancaldi/PHOTO CREDIT: Curious Rose Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

For singer-songwriters, check out Kal Lavelle, Andy Johnson and Anna Pancaldi.

For more of a Pop bent, try Kimberly Anne – or, for a Rock edge, Bryde and RUEN.

All unsigned artists with huge talent.

IN THIS PHOTO: RUEN

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

I’m effectively self-employed, so I can choose my timing to a certain extent – though, it always feels like you’re not doing enough! But, I make time to do the things I love: to cook, eat and read. Then, I can I explore places for their architecture and museums as well. I’ve been travelling through France and Belgium these last few days, so I’m getting to do all of this!

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, Sam. It’s been good fun answering your questions. If you would, please play Sam Brookes' Crazy World and You

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