FEATURE: Everybody Hurts: The Importance of World Suicide Prevention Day

FEATURE:

 

 

Everybody Hurts

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

The Importance of World Suicide Prevention Day

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THAT headline…

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

might seem flippant to some but, when it comes to mental-health, I think we all have to ensure pain and anxiety. It is not an exaggeration to see every one of us with experience some form of depression or stress at some point in our lives. It need not be clinical or prolonged; maybe a bad period or a slump in their lives. There are so many cockamamie days that are marked through the year. Most of these are novelty days celebrating something irrelevant and whimsical. Days like today (World Suicide Prevention Day), when talk openly about suicide and reducing the numbers, resonates with all of us. Whilst we might not have experienced suicidality or known anyone who has committed suicide; we all know how severe the mental-health crisis and how hard it is to talk. In terms of music, I feel mental illness is especially pronounced and recognisable. Maybe it is because artists can express their depression through songs – there are many that do not feel comfortable opening up and are a little insecure about being that revealing. I get that and know, when I hear genuine pain come through in a song, there is catharsis but it is not a cure. I have known people who have considered suicide and certainly know famous musicians who have taken their own lives. Recent suicides like that of Soundgarden lead Chris Cornell (last year) hit me especially hard.

A lot of the time, we are not truly aware of the pain and darkness inside the hearts of musicians who, to the casual observer, seems fine and relaxed. There is a marked contrast between an artist on the stage and in the studio compared to who they are behind closed doors. I speak to so many artists and there is this definite split between those who have mental-health issues and want to keep it private and those who want to bring it to the open. Both are valid stances but I am always shocked how widespread and severe the issue is. Maybe we are less connected and human as a species what with the Internet and busy lives. If anything, in a way, it seems lonelier knowing many others have the same illness as you – like it is seen as common and you will be another face in the crowd. For me, creativity is an outlet of sorts but it is a solitary and busy life that can get you into a dangerous cycle (not being able to turn off and shut down). So many musicians cannot sleep because of anxiety and irregular working hours; many are stressed with the pressures of being a successful artist; others find the general energy needed to maintain a career takes a lot from their brains and bodies.

Looking at this website and #talkingsuicide; it seems 130 broadcasters, journalists; politicians, authors and popular figures have lent their name to a letter which is calling on producers to change how we talk about mental-health. Everyone from Fearne Cotton to Ian Rankin OBE has signed the letter and I wanted to quote a snippet:

“There is a huge job to be done to educate the public: to tackle taboos; to break down stereotypes; to report and comment on suicide in a responsible manner. We hope that you will play your part. We are not trying to censor media reporting – rather we are striving to encourage safer reporting. Samaritans and Mind offer free advice sessions to media outlets, covering safe and informative reporting of suicide and mental health.

Suicide is preventable; we can dramatically reduce the number of people who take their own lives. There is a body of research known as the ‘Papageno effect’ which shows that responsible stories, such as hopeful journeys of recovery, can help to highlight the importance of seeking help and can support efforts to reduce suicide. The language we all use to describe suicide can help or hinder this goal”.

The figures are out there and we can see the seriousness of suicides and how many people are affected. The suicides in men have hit a new low – fewer than there have been since 1981 I believe.

IN THIS PHOTO: Broadcaster, D.J. and journalist Fearne Cotton is one of the public figures who has signed the Talking Suicide letter calling for change in the media/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Rex

This is good news and leads me to believe education and openness are helping the plight. Nearly six-thousand suicides were reported last year and that accounted for 10.1 deaths per 100,000 people of the population. It may sound rather minor but that is still a huge figure. Great charities like MIND and The Samaritans are great charities and offer round-the-clock support and advice. The NHS provides a helpline and advice and there is that comfort there. It is also, as this article explains, worth dropping the word ‘commit’ when talking about suicide - adjusting our language when reporting. It is good to know there are people who can help but how often do we see mental illness seriously addressed on T.V. and in music? I will come to music in a bit but there are few documentaries, dramas and series that look at those who suffer mental-health issues and even fewer that look at suicide. This is why the letter that has been signed can lead to change and discussion. I know it is not nice seeing mentally ill people suffer or something as dark as suicide being discussed and televised but it is a way of raising awareness and instigating international discussion. Fundraisers, the major ones, we see on T.V. raise money for children and to fight cancer – where are those benefits for those with mental-health issues?! There may be smaller events but nothing that gets onto the T.V. Considering how widespread the mental-health issue is and the fact we all have some experience; why are we not allowing a national fundraiser to help those who struggle?!

I feel there is that taboo and stigma attached to mental illness. We can sympathise with someone who has a physical illness and it is not their fault. Many feel those who are mentally unwell can snap out of it and, as there are no physical scars, there is nothing wrong! The problem is this: there are scars! There are scars and tears and bruises and injuries. There are those with addictions and others who regularly contemplate suicide. It may not be visible to you but it is definitely visible to them! I am hopeful we can see more discussion in Parliament and T.V./film producers will do their part. There are some great campaigners out there and, in fact, mental-health is feeding more into music. In fact, there are mainstream Pop artists who document their anxieties and depressed feelings through song. This may sound like commercial jeopardy but it is a way of connecting with a predominantly young audience who go through the same things. I know it takes more than words and slogans to cure someone or talk them out of suicide but there is a lot of power knowing a big artist and a famous musician feels the same as we do. It a leveller and reality check that shows that, when you take everything into consideration, there are very few differences between musicians and their fans. Bands like IDLES, on their recent album, Joy as an Act of Resistance, have tackled mental-health and toxic masculinity. They are a tough and manly band but are sensitive and unafraid of exploring emotions, mental illness and suicide in their music. One of the reasons that album is doing so well and gained huge acclaim is because of their willingness to tackle these big subjects.

There is a lot of addiction and struggle in the music industry. The pressure and strain can lead many to self-destruct or close-off. Many take their own lives or can cause premature death through addiction. The toll is being felt but, with support and positive conversation we can see some real progression. We will never see the end of all suicides – some people do not want to be saved and their problems are too severe to be cured – but there are many who commit (I apologise for using the word but I know we need to stop seing suicide as sinful!) suicide because they feel ignored and misunderstood. Bullying on social media makes the issue worse; there are those who troll and abuse those who reveal their mental illness. Days like today, where we look to prevent and reduce suicide rates, are vital in order to get the ball rolling. Musicians are a powerful sector of society and the more that come out and tell their stories; maybe that will reach those desperate and in pain and give them cause to resist that voice that leads them to darkness. Suicide was a crime until 1961 – not sure what the genius logical behind that was?! – and it is considered a sin. If we tell people suicide is immoral and a sin; how are they ever going to oxidise their burden?! The media holds a lot of influence and needs to channel more energy and money discussing suicide and its severity.

I know how many musicians go through serious mental-health problems and how many, on a regular basis, talk about suicide. It is alarming and worrying to see and you feel helpless being sat at a screen – not knowing where they are and how to actually reach them. It is that intangible and digital façade of the Internet which can create a barrier and a sense of loneliness. I talk with a lot of musicians online but rarely meet them or actually see them. More forums and meetings need to be established; setting up dates and events so those who think about suicide can talk with one another and work on finding a solution. It is a long road but we are seeing changes. Artists, new and established, are talking about mental-health and suicide in music and that is reaching a huge audience. The stigma is being lifted – not that there ever was one! – and that helps a lot. It can be hard, if you are that low, accepting there is a way through and a chance of positivity. World Suicide Prevention Day is almost over but its cause and objectives are being felt, remembered and preserved. Many of us go through mental-health issues and that is as evident as anywhere in music. The format has a lot of power to make real change and to get people talking. The R.E.M. song said that everybody hurts and it pays to hold on. That may seem trite and impersonal but it is very true. Bringing something like suicide to the surface can go a long way and is a brave step. For anyone in that position and unsure how to go on; contact one of those mental-health charities or speak to the NHS. It may seem tough to do but being brave and making that decision might be the very best…

YOU will ever make.  

FEATURE: "Do You Kiss Your Mother with That Mouth?!" Can We Ever Be Rid of Sexist and Misogynistic Ideologies in Music?

FEATURE:

 

 

"Do You Kiss Your Mother with That Mouth?!"

IMAGE CREDIT: Alice Skinner for The Dots

Can We Ever Be Rid of Sexist and Misogynistic Ideologies in Music?

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MAYBE things have become cleaner and less explicit…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Rex

in relation to decades-past, but I wonder whether music will ever get rid of sexist and offensive language. Artists like Eminem, even in 2018, are employing homophobic terms and language in his songs. Whether he wants to shock or is not willing to listen to anyone else; I feel he needs to change what he does and consider how his words will be received. It may seem funny to some people but I feel homophobia is still rearing its head in genres like Rap and Hip-Hop. Many might say that sexism and offensive language against women is still common in these areas of music. Sexism and misogyny are not new in the world of music. Artists like The Rolling Stones, on Under My Thumb, have used their lyrics to project women as submissive and inferior. Whether that ties in with the groupie culture and the ‘power’ bands had – women and girls at their mercy and keen to get close to their favourite musicians – I am not sure but you can look back at the history of popular music and there are plenty of examples of sexist and misogynistic songs. I will bring some of those in but I feel, even today, we have not completely got rid of that fetid and rather worrying side of music. Whether it is a Pop artist referring to a woman as a ‘bitch’ or ‘slag’ or the sort of explicit lyrics you can often hear from male artists – is it something we need to crack down on?!

In terms of swearing, it is allowed in music but it does not make its way to radio. Bad language is edited and does not reach the ears of many younger listeners but you cannot say the same for misogyny and sexism. Rap and Hip-Hop are not the only culprits. There are a lot of male performers who see women as their submissive underlings and objects they can control and, so long as they have money in their pocket, they can do what they want to them! Perhaps we do not have as many cases of explicit and worrying misogyny in music; a kind of sexism that was more evident decades back but, more and more, I am hearing male artists either objectifying women and reducing them to their appearance or acting like they are an ancient king – giving them free license to pillage and behave in an appalling way. It is a cockiness and arrogance that is beginning to wane but I wonder, in 2018, should we have to look through music and eviscerate artists who are guilty of such faults?! There are young listeners who will aimlessly sing along to something offensive where a woman is being demeaned and degraded – they might not know what they are singing along to or feel like it is a normal part of society. Artists like Robin Thicke and Kanye West have been accused of sexism before and, whilst the latter has cleaned up his music a bit and is starting to show maturity, there is still too much casual sexism crude imagery in genres such as Hip-Hop and Rap.

Even in Pop videos, where you will see a female in tight underwear and made to gyrate; I wonder what this says about music and how women are portrayed. Of course, many might say there is a fine line between art and offence: if a woman is comfortable doing it and it gets people talking then what is the harm?! I agree with many female artists when they are challenged about wearing little clothing and provocatively showing their bodies, that they are showing empowerment and confidence. They are not asking men to leer at them and using videos as a way of selling sex. The nature of body image and fat-shaming has come into the media the past couple of weeks. It never really seems to go away and I am concerned about how women are seen and viewed in the media and music; whether they have a ‘role’ to play and be more subservient and tame. This article looked at an example of an older song where the language was sexist/misogynistic  and forwarded the clock to a more modern example:

“A quick backwards glance and it’s clear that the arena of popular music has never been a brave bastion of political correctness. Time was when threatening a woman with violence was tantamount to foreplay. Young Girl, a 1968 ditty by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, includes the lines: “You’ve led me to believe/ You’re old enough/To give me love… Get out of here/Before I have the time/To change my mind… Better run girl”. It’s got Yewtree all over it. Brown Sugar, The Rolling Stones’ seminal 1971 hit, is about African slave women being raped in the American Deep South. Tap your feet to that one”.

“…And what do we have today? Kanye West has been vilified for his 2013 album Yeezus, which had some sparkling imagery (“Eatin’ Asian p**sy, all I need was sweet and sour sauce”), Jay Z and Beyoncé had their hands slapped for seemingly glorifying domestic violence in Drunk In Love (Jay Z raps about Ike Turner forcing his then-wife Tina to eat cake) and then we have Robin Thicke telling us all how much we want it, while slime-ing around a studio set with three naked women, all at least a decade younger than Thicke”.

Look at some of the most-watched Pop, Rap and Hip-Hop videos and you will see a lot of cases where women – either as the lead or an extra – is dressed in little clothing and the male artist gyrates and controls her. Again, one can say there is a fine line between sex selling/salaciousness and misogyny. It is fine if the intent is good and there is general consent and harmony. In a lot of cases, these videos are reflecting lyrics that employ horrifying and sexist language; the images that tumble out would feel more at home in the 1950s! Sex has always been a part of music (and art in general) and we need to distinguish between crude and casual sexism and language that is valid and okay. Whilst it is okay to hear flirtation and seduction in lyrics, I argue against those artists who feel it is okay to demine and degrade women; a rather brutal and sick set of lines that make you wince. The article I have just quoted talks about parental guidance stickers that used to appear on C.D. warning of adult language and adult themes.

There is still a bit of competition in certain corners where artists go out of their way to outdo their peers and be more offensive. The sense that crudeness and being sexist makes them popular and edgy is something that needs eradicating. I have mentioned artists like Eminem, who is noted for his misogyny and sexism, and these big artists are influencing others and, more worryingly, those listening. Young listeners might parrot those words to girls/women and feel like that is what they are supposed to do.

“And while we may not be fully processing the words coming out of a pop star’s mouth, the next generation are. These lyrics, lurking beneath a catchy beat, teach teens that abuse of women is acceptable and girls that it is the norm to be objectified, so intrinsically woven are those messages into mainstream pop culture. So next time you find yourself singing along to the radio, it’s worth remembering these songs are, in their extremity, striking a chord with developing minds. Suddenly, it makes that poppy hook just a little less catchy”.

I know most male artists are fine and not guilty of stepping into this rather dark territory. One would imagine, with movements like #MeToo in force, they would take heed and realise there will be repercussions for treating women like meat. Maybe that is a problem: labels are not warning their artists and, so long as the song gets hits and streams, then you can say what you want!

Another article I found looked at one song, Devilman’s Drum and Bass Father, and how the author was hooked by the beats and tune but became worried by the lyrical content:

“From the first listen, all I gathered was Devilman ‘aint got no animals’ but he’s a ‘farmer’ and he ‘Don’t wear Gucci, Don’t wear Prada’. It wasn’t until I had listened to the song several times, that I discovered the grotesque and objectifying lyrics alluding to violent sexual abuse of women. One of Devil Man’s lyrics includes the lines, ‘When I have sex I like to push it in harder’ and ‘strangle the bitch with her I-Phone charger’. As if this brutal imagery wasn’t enough, the video, which now has over three million views on YouTube, features women, clearly heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol, thrown around like pieces of meat”.

I listened to the song and instantly got what the writer was saying. He (Lawrence Gordon) argues that things are getting better and language is being watered down to an extent. Are we still letting too much of its through and not really concerned when an artist releases material that is filled with lewd images and disrespectful remarks aimed at women?

“What strikes me most about the sexist terms and phrases, so frequently used in music and consequently more prevalent in our everyday language, is the absence of equivalent abusive terms for men. Instead, in cases of inter-artist rivalry, the abuse hurtled at one another will involve curses directed at a competitor’s current or past intimate partners. Although, in twenty-first century music, women are unlikely to be named a ‘spinster’ or ‘harlot’, the same misogynistic values remain in language, with lexical choices such as ‘bitch’, ‘thot’ and ‘hoe’ being used to address and belittle women instead. This connotes to the ‘difference model’ in which Tannen describes men as using certain language to achieve and maintain high status. It could be suggested that male artists use particular lexical choices to describe and label women in order to be seen as more dominant, living up to the masculine stereotypes they hold dear”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Eminem (who often uses sexist and misogynistic language in his songs)/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Is the crude and casual misogyny that we hear in certain songs a way of selling the music and trying to become more commercial? Does the artist really support and believe in what they say or are they adopting a persona in order to push the envelope? This is not my consideration but others have asked this. Is Eminem, under the mantle of Slim Shady or Marshall Mathers (his real name is Marshall Mathers III) playing someone else and, therefore, fictionalising these lyrics? Does it make it acceptable for Eminem to use awful language and shocking images if he is playing a ‘character’? It is a hard debate in some senses but, in any case, young people will be listening to these words, intent and true or not, and repeating them through the school. The penultimate article I want to bring in looks a Weeknd song, Starboy, and how it takes you back:

 “…But if both women and men know that their favorite pop song contains rather crude lyrics and blatantly supports sexism, how are people being so supportive? For example, a feminist woman like myself still jams out to the newest song called, “Starboy,” by the Weeknd (also known as the “king of sexism meets steamy lyricism”) even while I am aware of the highly degrading remarks about women. One of the lyrics say, “Main b**** out your league too, ah / Side b**** out of your league too, ah” These lyrics are not even the considered to be the most “sexist” or “violent” lyrics.” Though I love to jam out with this song, I stop and catch myself wondering how these types of lyrics are considered to be “acceptable” to be released and listened to worldwide with very easy access to younger audiences”.

Many artists, female and male, have called for tighter restrictions and firmer actions against artists who write offensive and sexist songs. Nicki Minaj has spoken out against it and, in fact, you would struggle to find a female artist who finds the current state of music to be fair and clean. None of them wants to be objectified and most, you feel, have experienced misogyny and sexism during their careers. You feel songs that fuel the impression it is okay to be offensive to women is okay. Kim Deal (The Breeders, Pixies) has said misogyny is the backbone of the music industry and the business would not exist without it. This article brings together female fans who name the greatest (in a pejorative sense) sexists from music. There is this culture of denial that assumes the problem is being exaggerated and it is doing no harm. It is not only a problem in lyrics and music videos. Away from the studio, many women coming out and sharing their experiences with misogyny, sexism and sexual assault – either by a musician or a male figure within the music industry. It all comes down to a lack of respect and this feeling of being superior. This rather animalistic and disrespectful attitude to women, as Sarah Gidick wrote in this piece, is worrying:

“Denial and misogyny seem to plague this industry, where, at times, it feels like women simply aren’t welcome. According to the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s inaugural study, in 2017, female artists made up only 16.8 percent of the music industry. And nothing says “you’re not welcome” like lyrics (from some Grammy nominees, Childish Gambino, Travis Scott and Big Sean among them) calling women bitches, hoes, pussy, gold diggers and status symbols.

In 2011, Grammy-nominated Big Sean was arrested in Buffalo, New York, for third-degree sexual abuse, second-degree unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching of a 17-year-old. Cleared of sexual assault charges, the artist pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment of the 17-year-old fan. If he were anyone else, Big Sean would have been forever banned from teaching, flying an airplane or myriad other types of work for this charge. In the music industry, well, Big Sean is nominated for a Grammy this year”.

There are countless other articles that talk with female artists and lay out the obvious: whilst it might not be as rampant as years ago; sexism and misogyny are present and being cultivated in every crevice of music. I worry we will never be able to get away from this attitude where women are seen as game and receptive to incredibly juvenile, offensive and vile language. We can draw lines when it comes to female empowerment and confidence in videos and music but it is easy to detect obvious and unapologetic misogyny. Things are getting slightly better but we need to start sending messages to artists that their lyrics and behaviour is hugely damaging and is being absorbed by impressionable listeners. Rap and Hip-Hop are not the only guilty genres but it seems to be more prevalent here. Mainstream Pop is not immune and, from videos where the women are tied in bondage gear or pushed aside by the man; there are so many worrying and explicit images that are being commented on and shared by many out there. Some see it as okay and part of what sells the music. The thing is, you never get the opposite problem: how many women are abusing men in videos and sending out lyrics that reduce men to the level of lice?! There are some cases, for sure, but they are severely minor when compared to the men. Music needs to clean itself up and have a look at what is going out to the people. You can create memorable and popular songs without tossing around crude innuendos, blatant sexism and misogyny that would make Jim Davidson wince! The sooner we tackle those offenders and let it be known it will not be tolerated…

THE better it will be for everyone.

FEATURE: “I’m Here Because…” The Power of Film and T.V. in Regards Discovering Music

FEATURE:

 

 

“I’m Here Because…”

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

The Power of Film and T.V. in Regards Discovering Music

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THE quote above is what you see endlessly…

when accessing your favourite songs on YouTube. We are spared the sentence on Spotify and SoundCloud but, with the comments enabled, you get to hear those three words all the time (on YouTube)! I used to get angry about the fact and get irked by people’s rather lazy discoveries. If, say, I was looking at a video for Michael Jackson or a Jeff Buckley song; the recent comments would be filled by people saying they were here (at this video) because they heard it on T.V. My normal reaction used to be a mix of derision and annoyance – why do people only discover great songs when they hear them on films and T.V. shows?! I have to confess I have not discovered a lot of new or older music through watching shows/films but I have reversed my attitude regarding others doing so. If there are great tracks that are not being promoted by Spotify and other outlets then how are people going to hear them?! There are only a handful of radio stations that play an eclectic mix and people tend to get settled in their ruts and routines. I have my tastes and preferences and I need to get out of that habit. I listen to BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 and, whilst I get to experience some great new releases; I wonder whether I am being as broad and explorative as possible.

I miss the days when I could have my eyes opened and find a song that is new to me – maybe one that has been around for decades. That thrill is hard to find but it does happen and then. I am not going to go to lengths and comment on YouTube but I am discovering songs from new dramas and comedies. Whether it is watching a new U.S. comedy or a drama on British T.V.; I have unveiled a few songs that are new to my mind. I rely a lot on radio and the Internet but, without a formal and visible music T.V. presence, I wonder whether music played on T.V. shows and film is the new music television. Great films can boast great soundtracks. I discovered a lot of new songs (new to my mind) through the Baby Driver score. Directed (the film) and curated by Edgar Wright; there were tracks on there that were new and some I had forgotten about! The fact I had not heard these songs on the radio made me a bit worried. I guess you cannot hear everything and catch each brilliant song but there used to be a time when stations like MTV and VH1 would introduce older songs to young listeners and play the latest hits. There are chart shows on music T.V. but they tend to be very niche and particular – the BBC Radio 1-listening audience and those who like their commercial Pop.

I know there are some good music shows on T.V. but it is hard to find. I also know there are some great new Pop artists emerging and some brilliant Folk acts; brilliant Hip-Hop innovators from the 1980s and 1990s that I am either unaware of or need to keep in my pocket. In fact, T.V. shows set in particular time periods can open up a soundtrack and give free license for producers and directors to go nuts. I often argue that we need music-based T.V. shows and dramas on the air. How often do we see shows set, say, at the birth of Hip-Hop or during the 1990s? A great film about the 1970s’ complex and rich music scene would be great to watch but introduce so much terrific music to a variety of ears. Radio is the most viable and popular choice for those who love finding new music but, as I say, we often do not switch between stations and get a full view of music’s tapestry. So many classic tracks never had music videos made so T.V./film can bring them to life in a way listening to an album cannot. The only problem I have with music on T.V. is when it is used for advertising. One might say there is no practical difference between using a song to score a dramatic scene or one used to sell a credit card.

I would look at those words and disagree! There are very few adverts, ever, that are classy and memorable – music, good music, should be left out of advertising and I wonder why some artists agree to have their songs used. Every year, we see a spate of Christmas adverts with horrible cover versions of great songs (usually by thin-voiced female artists). I wrote a piece about this theme last year and explored soundtracks and shows.  The reason I am revisiting the subject is (because of) the way we digest music and consume songs. Music T.V. is a dying force and new artists often struggle to get onto the radio. Streaming services usually promote the biggest artists and do not focus a lot on lesser-heard artists and older musicians. The only other way we can get a good musical education is through radio or word-of-mouth. Many of us are watching T.V. and film more than listening to the radio so it seems like a brilliant platform. I am against music in advertising but I feel there is a huge opportunity for brand-new artists and classic icons to get their music heard by new generations. I am frustrated sites like YouTube do not have an organised way of compiling playlists and opening our eyes – it is all about marketing and promoting newcomers/mainstream acts.

Whilst I object to the rather tiring way certain YouTube videos have that inevitable phrase – “I’m here because…” – the fact people are discovering music through T.V. and film is good. Since my last piece, things have not really changed that much. For many younger people; film soundtracks especially are an invaluable and accessible way of diving into a scene they are not aware of. It is much more palatable and potent having a 1980s soundtrack being accompanied by visuals and fantastic acting. Rather than get them to listen to the same songs on their phones or laptops; cinema brings them to life and can change the course of their listening tastes. This article looks at films such as Clueless and how they can define a decade (in terms of their themes and messages) but have no limitations regarding music and the soundtrack:

“Another perfect distillation of American class consciousness, teen romance and youth culture – with an Austenian twist – Clueless reinvigorated the teen film genre and its genre-spanning soundtrack covered all the scenes of the decade, including alt.rock, pop, rap, ska and retro covers (though, noticeably, no grunge). The platinum soundtrack is stacked with Capitol artists (thanks to a famous $1 million advance from the label) that includes Counting Crows covering The Psychedelic Furs’ ‘The Ghost In You’, Luscious Jackson, pop-punks Smoking Popes, Coolio (who’d been enjoying a soundtrack boost from the film Dangerous Minds) and even a nod to the Britpop phenomenon at the time with teen anthem ‘Alright’, by Supergrass”.

Certain film directors have defined decades and helped bring new music to millions. To me, there is nobody better at that than Quentin Tarantino:

“If John Hughes was the grand architect of 80s film soundtracks, then Quentin Tarantino was the auteur of 90s soundtracks. How else do you explain Harry Nilsson’s ‘Coconut’ being in regular rotation at college parties in 1992? Based on his filmography, it’s clear Tarantino was not only a careful student of classic cinema but also of classic albums. In this way, he owes more to Martin Scorsese than John Hughes, picking up the former’s knack for finding a classic song, only to completely redefine its meaning through its – often grisly – use on screen. 

As Tarantino explained in the liner notes to The Tarantino Experience: Ultimate Tribute To Quentin Tarantino album, “When I have an idea for a film, I go through my record collection and just start playing songs, trying to find the personality of the movie, find the spirit of the movie”.

The same article talks about directors such as Wes Anderson bringing music to the masses in the past decade or two and current directors like Edgar Wright proving to be golden curators. As the above-quoted article goes on to say; streaming services have transformed the role of film soundtracks:

“When the physical soundtracks market started to dry up in the 2010s, music supervisors and labels no longer had the big budgets to commission original songs. Enter streaming services and the resurgence and redemption of film soundtracks. With the right synchronisation license, older and current artists get to simultaneously introduce their music to a new set of fans and have moviegoers explore their wider discography. Just in 2017, the classic rock-driven Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.2 soundtrack became the first soundtrack album made up entirely of previously released songs to hit No.1 on the Billboard charts”.

I have been listening to film soundtracks such as Grease and Saturday Night Fever and, between them, getting a taste of the 1950s/1970s and Disco. Grease’s vibe is more 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll mixed with some 1970s winks whereas Saturday Night Fever is a pure Disco fest. Listening to soundtracks, after watching the films, makes me explore music made around the time the films were based. Maybe film is more powerful when it comes to music and opening minds but T.V. is important. A lot of us do not go to the cinema so services like Netflix and Amazon Prime let us see great and new T.V. shows from America. Without knowing it, we will see a great scene unfold and listen to a song that is fresh to us. We can pause the show or bring up the name of that song on the screen. Before long, we have that song in our mind and, because of that, we look in another direction and broaden our scope. I find radio stations are great but T.V. and film are a lot more eclectic and less limited. Filmmakers can dip into the musical world and bring that to people around the world. Maybe the YouTube cliché comment is grating but, if people are discovering music through film and T.V. then that can only be a good thing. I have discovered plenty of great songs through films but not so many through T.V. Alas; I am determined to keep my mind open and wait for the moment something brilliant arrives on the screen. When I do, I will go to YouTube and add that song to my rotation but I will resist the temptation to say…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

“I’M here because…”.

FEATURE: The 1990s in Modern Music: Pure Nostalgia or Genuine Progression?

FEATURE:

 

 

The 1990s in Modern Music

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: LOZMULHEARN 

Pure Nostalgia or Genuine Progression?

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MAYBE neither of those words apply to why…

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Jack Dylan for Pitchfork

the 1990s is coming back in force to music. I am inspired by an article from The Guardian that asked why Britpop is back on the scene. That movement, to me, seemed to define a time when British music was at the forefront of the international priority list and bands such as Oasis and Blur were spawned and there was a lot of hope in the air. There are some, mind, who feel Britpop was shambolic:

“That's a grotesque simplification, of course. But it's also fitting, because a grotesque simplification is what Britpop became, a collection of lowest common denominators that ended up setting music back: a slavish devotion to a set of signifiers that included 60s music, mod fashion, football, and intoxication. None of those are bad things in isolation. But put together they resulted in a generation of bands and fans who resembled nothing so much as a parody of the football hooligans of a generation before. The racism of the hooligans was verboten, but the sense of Little England loomed large. While literal flagwaving – Noel Gallagher's union jack guitar aside – was a rarity, the concentration on Britishness in lyrics, dress, attitudes was at odds with British pop's historic magpie internationalism. Everything that made inspirations such as the Kinks or the Beatles interesting – their borrowings from black culture, filtered through suburban English eyes, or their wide-eyed sense of exploration – was left undigested”.

Maybe things were not as heady as when The Beatles and The Kinks ruled music but there was a unity and patriotism; a feeling the country was on the same page and the music coming from Britpop was genuinely world-class. There is a reason why we have an appetite for reformed bands like Cast and James (who have been going all this time so I can’t really say they are reformed). Earlier this month, Cool Britannia ran and it is a festival that brought together 1990s stars such as Space and Dodgy. The punters got to belt out hits they grew up with and the dance tent at the festival features a lot of legends from back in the day. Many might say the festival is nothing more than nostalgia and trying to relive the past but, given the reception and popularity of Cool Britannia; I feel this will lead to some movements and changes in music. The article I mentioned at the top of this feature brought together Cool Britannia organisers, Davis Heartfield and Jack Gray: Gray spoke about the 1980s and how many bands from that time are coming back:

“If you go back to the 80s thing, when Rewind started, Martin Fry from ABC or Tony Hadley [from Spandau Ballet] were playing small venues,” he continues. “Now they’re doing the Royal Albert Hall with an orchestra. I now want to give that platform to these [90s] artists”.

Bands like Sleeper vowed never to record another album and go back on the road but, after only a few gigs, they found themselves heading for the studio – it seems like they are back on the rails and embarking on a new creative phase.

This idea of reformation, as The Guardian explains, is more than a novelty – people have a definite fondness for the 1990s bands and new generations are turning onto their hits:

“It is clear that the era’s bands are indeed reforming or reactivating their recording careers to a noticeably warm reception. Last year, Shed Seven’s first album since 2001, Instant Pleasures, was critically well received and made the Top 10; Embrace reconvened after a lengthy sabbatical from recording in 2014 and both their subsequent albums debuted in the Top 5. “Our fanbase is amazing – they’re just so loyal,” says the band’s guitarist Richard McNamara, while waiting for his band’s turn on the Cool Britannia stage. “We’ve always been kind of the underdogs – we never really got the recognition that they all think we deserved – so that sort of magnetises them to us a bit more”.

The need to retreat and find comfort in solid bands with great hits during troubled times is understandable. We have dispensed with the flag-waving and jingoism of the 1990s but have retained a lot of the stalwart bands. Maybe Oasis will not reform but Blur are still (just) going; Ocean Colour Scene and The Bluetones are still playing and there are countless artists who were popular during the decade still going today. It is obvious why many are returning to the 1990s and want to bring the music back: it was a time when the country was still together and we did not have Brexit, Trump and all the other sh*t we have to deal with right now. Maybe there is escapism, in some part, but it is not mere nostalgia.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Rex

Bands are not as popular and evident as they once were and music has changed drastically. Whether you like modern Pop and Indie; it is clear we have fewer iconic artists and sounds that remain in the head and have the potential to last for decades. I grew up listening to all the Britpop magic but was obsessed by the Dance music of the time. The bangers back in the day – everyone from The Prodigy to Urban Cookie Collective – filled my ears are still with me today. I listen to the equivalent today and do not hear anything as fresh, varied and long-lasting – maybe it was a sign of the times or technological development means we will never hear Dance that good again! Look at all the classic albums from the 1990s and we still take guidance from then today. Not only are festivals like Cool Britannia bringing in 1990s die-hards and new generations but modern artists are keeping the era alive. I hear shades of bands like Oasis and The Verve in modern artists; the best Pop and Dance of the time is being mutated and moulded into a 2018 template. Listen to what is happening in music and you cannot escape the fact the 1990s is back – maybe it never went away! For some, there is that need to escape from what is happening now and recognise a time when they felt safe and the music was of the highest quality.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Prodigy in the 1990s/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Rex

Britpop was all about the pride of Britain and celebrating some terrific sounds. I guess the Union flags and some elements of the movement were flawed and are best left in the past but you cannot deny the sheer quality and innovation of the 1990s. Britpop alone seemed to be the last time we had working-class bands at the forefront and shining bright. There was chart jostling between Blur and Oasis and Britpop outsiders – not quite as mainstream as the big guns – were dropping fantastic albums and classy anthems. You had the great Dance and Electronic songs; the Grunge movement and American guitar music. Check out the critics’ choice of the 1990s’ best albums and the brilliance you get is eye-watering. Pop legends like Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince were entering new phases and producing great work; we still had Top of the Pops and music T.V.; MTV was still going and music magazines could be bought and digested. Music, in many ways, was much more human, involving and connective than it is now. We discussed the bands of the day and swapped cassettes/C.D.s around school. We could read a music magazine and read the latest news and watch the artists of the day bringing their hits to T.V. I hope 1990s festivals and the big bands recording new material leads to a change in the industry.

There is some great music being made now but there are definite holes and gaps that need to be filled. The lack of working-class voices at the top is one. We do not have the same sort of bands as Pulp and Oasis that were talking about society and life as we know it – maybe IDLES are replacing them but there are few other bands supporting them. I look at Club music and Dance tracks and there is nothing that spikes the mind. Given the fact that the nation is in a poorer state and we are more divided than ever; a revocation of the 1990s would not be a bad thing. Perhaps the iconic bands that are reforming and playing cannot spark that revolution themselves but they act as a guide to new bands and musicians coming through. Whether it is the Dance music scene retuning and improving or a swarm of great bands providing anthems and nation-uniting songs that will be remembered for years, I know something needs to be done. I mentioned how I can hear the 1990s in modern music and it is true the decade has never really gone away. I interview artists all the time and they often name-drop bands like Oasis as fountains of inspiration; others are drawn to Grunge and artists like Nirvana and Pearl Jam (more Alternative-Rock than Grunge I guess!). In terms of quality, the 1990s was far stronger than this decade and the '00s and there are a lot of lessons to be learned. Ironically, embracing a decade whose pop culture and music have stood the test of time and provided so much joy might be the way to…

IN THIS ILLUSTRATION: Noel Gallagher/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Biggi De

PUSH modern music forward.

FEATURE: Queen Nadine: Why I Feel Nadine Shah Should Win This Year’s Mercury Music Prize

FEATURE:

 

 

Queen Nadine

IN THIS PHOTO: Nadine Shah/ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Why I Feel Nadine Shah Should Win This Year’s Mercury Music Prize

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A few days back…

at the AIM Independent Music Awards; it was good to see some great artists celebrated. The reason why the awards are more credible and impressive than any others is that of the variety and quality of artists acknowledged. The awards saw the likes of Peggy Gou and Tracey Thorn walk away with gongs. Thorn was presented with a lifetime achievement award whilst Peggy Gou saw her track It Makes You Forget (Itgehane) celebrated as the year’s best. IDLES won an award for being the hardest-working band - ironically, too busy working to collect it! – and it was pleasing to see so many great artists, who would be excluded normally at the mainstream ceremonies, get their props. The speech and award that caught my ear was that given to/by Nadine Shah. She saw her latest work, Holiday Destination, win the award for the best album and her speech was filled with humour and great lines. The album itself, as I shall explore, is one that asks big questions and takes risks. It is not your usual safe and routine album that looks at relationships and never really pushes the envelope. Whilst there is plenty of melody, uplift and great tunes; the reason why the record is successful and gained huge reviews is that of the talent of the woman who wrote it.

The Whitburn-born artist is a second-generation immigration and knows how hard it is for immigrants to feel welcome and like they belong in the country. Their plight is difficult and many risk their lives to be here. I will return to the subjects of Holiday Destination and why the album warrants a Mercury win (the ceremony takes place on 20th September) but, look back at Shah’s previous album, Love Your Dum and Mad, and you can see themes emerging. That album tackled mental-health issues. She spoke to journalists after the album was released and stated that two of her close friends/former boyfriends took their own lives; Shah wanted to shine a light on mental-health being seen as a social stigma. Released in 2013, the record saw critics and observers ask her to speak and have her say. Earlier this year, when speaking with the Evening Standard, she revealed how hard it is being in a rather unique situation:

“I’m finding it quite difficult at the moment,” she tells me. “I’m a female musician who’s made a political album, and my first album was about mental health, and I’m a Muslim. So I get asked to speak at so many things that I have to start saying no”.

Love Your Dum and Mad was released in 2013 and 2015’s Fast Food saw Shah’s stock rise and more eyes come her way.

One of the reasons Nadine Shah has gained a lot of love and is standing out is because of her empathy and reflecting on something serious. In the same interview, she talked about artists who write escapist music and why it is important to go beyond that:

“There’s definitely a place for artists who want to provide escapism as well,” she says, “but I think the reason you’re an artist is you have a heightened sense of empathy. You can see something and kind of feel it. So you tell people’s stories. I think that’s your main job”.

Holiday Destination seems to be her most personal and angry album. When tackling mental illness and suicide; you knew how much those words meant and how she wanted to disintegrate the stigma out there. Immigration and feeling displaced have been part of her creative consciousness since the start. I will bring in more-recent interview snippets but, when speaking with The Guardian, as she promoted Fast Food (2015), Shah discussed her experience:

“The only reason why I was so determined for people to hear that I was Pakistani was so my nieces – my cousin’s children, two beautiful girls – could have Pakistani role models,” she says. “We didn’t have any growing up. So I think it’s almost wonderful that they can see it’s realistic and achievable, I can be from this culture and making this music.”

  “…Her relationship with her father’s Muslim heritage was not always easy. “[At school] I loved being a bit different. I’d get a day off for Eid. Or at show-and-tell I could bring in these amazing outfits that my aunts would send over. It was only after 9/11 that there was lots of racism. From then on it was awful to be Pakistani and I would lie about it. I would say I was Persian. Arabian. Anything that wasn’t … but then finally leaving Newcastle and moving to London, a really multicultural city, I’m 10 a penny!”

Her family experience and understanding of the immigration crisis around the world feed into music. She has stated in interviews how, as an act of resistance against President Trump, she is applying for another visa and will not be pushed down. Shah wants to see more commercial artists talk about political subjects and tackle areas that are being unexplored. Her success has provided her with a larger platform on which to campaign; exposure has provided her with the chance to write music about something more substantial and rare than having a broken heart. That unique position she is in – a political Muslim woman in music – is something she always has to take into consideration. Speaking with NME earlier this year, she spoke about Islamophobia and the rise in nationalism – her desire to see more artists do what she is doing:

“Not in an arrogant or vanity way, but I’m glad that my album is present because I wanted to see some political artists,” Shah told NME. “I think that part of my job is to document the times that we live in. I wanted to speak about the rise in nationalism and a decline in empathy. Also, as a Muslim female in this industry – there’s not very many of us. I wanted to speak about Islamophobia for one; it scares me and it scares my family”.

I have listened to Holiday Destination repeatedly and a few things strike me. It is full of nuance and has so many layers. You hear something new when spinning it but it is those stark images and that emphatic voice that gets into the head. We need a political album to win the Mercury and set an example. The prize is designed to recognise the best albums and artists that do not get big mainstream applause – and are able to say something important and change music. Previous years have not seen a lot of socially-aware and important albums take the prize. We have to reflect quality and the best album but, in the case of this year's rundown; the best album (from Shah) is also one that delivers a big punch and plenty of food for thought. I would consider it an outrage if she does not walk away with the award on the night - the effort she has put in warrants true recognition!

Shah ticks all the boxes and, to boot, she has the personality to take her music as far as possible. She is open and natural in interviews; always funny and intelligent and has a great beauty - not important but it is hard to find a flaw or anything wrong with her. I am always blown away by the energy she brings to interviews and how fascinating she is to listen to. I will finish by conveying my feelings regarding the album but music awards like the Mercury are designed to boost artists that are doing great work and are not the go-to option when it comes to the big radio stations and magazines. Shah might not court the same attention as Nicki Minaj or Taylor Swift – one feels she wouldn’t want to hang with them and would be a bit put out by their entourage and rather delicate demeanours. Every interview I read Shah had given, at some point, seems to involve a drink and a cheeky grin – that’s the kind of person you want leading music and showing the way! Nadine Shah has given a fresh interview with The Guardian and has spoken about her progression and award nomination.

PHOTO CREDIT: Katherine Anne Rose for The Observer

I will crib a photo from that shoot – legally and all fair, guv! – but there are revelations and insights that show why Holiday Destination is the result of an authentic voice. Shah talked about her experiences with racism at school and how she was outcast and alienated by ignorant peers (a Guardian quote that sees Shah cheekily swirling a drink!):

“I’ve never been white enough to be white, or brown enough to be brown. At Asian weddings, I’d get called ‘gora’” – a Pakistani slur sometimes used to describe a white person – “and in school I’d be called Paki.” On the single Out the Way she sings: “Where would you have me go / I’m second-generation, don’t you know,” because, she says, swirling her G&T, “people were starting to say to me on social media: ‘Go back to where you come from’, and I was like: ‘What? Whitburn?’”

She explained how she was disappointed certain artists made the Mercury shortlist (Noel Gallagher, for one) and was annoyed that artists like Gwenno did not make the cut. I thought Let’s Eat Grandma would be a shoe-in and felt Young Fathers and Shame would be among the chasing pack. There are some interesting nominations for this year’s awards but I feel, as Shah does, there are not many political commentators on the list. Given the fracture and friction around the world; the political divisions and racism rearing its head – why are artists still not looking beyond the bedroom and condoms crusting up their shoes?! You have mainstream artists pouring out their bleeding hearts or male bands talking about their bawdy adventures and recklessness. Genuine, rawer artists like are out there and a couple of recent albums, as I shall end on, have followed on from Shah’s lead and look set to be nominated for next year’s Mercury!

Shah, in the interview, said how she as bullied in a relationship when writing the album and, whilst great for lyrics and inspiration; perhaps it is best to walk away and take some time out. I mentioned how Shah would not hang around Taylor Swift but she has respect for artists who can reach millions and hold that kind of power – would we be out of the E.U. if Taylor Swift rebelled against it, for instance?! She knows artists like Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen do not need the award – given the themes they explore and the fact they are established and past their prime – and the songwriter is not keen to make another political album...even if she is one of the leading political songwriting commentators out there. It seems, as she stated in The Guardian, she is brewing with ideas for a new album and has opinions regarding gender visibility and bias:

“The first lyric of the album I’ve got so far,” she says, “is ‘Shave my legs, freeze my eggs / Will you fuck me when I’m old?’” She wishes there were more stories like these in music, as an antidote to the number of male musicians over 50 who still manage to infiltrate the charts. “Men, older men, they’re heard,” she says. “There’s hardly any older women by comparison. I want someone who is 60 to sing to me and say: ‘You know what? It’s like this. I had a terrible pregnancy, I couldn’t breastfeed, [the baby] didn’t latch’. I want someone to say: ‘Listen, I was 32, and I had endometriosis, and I was going to have to have all my organs out’. Or: ‘I got to 40 and I couldn’t have a fucking kid.’We need older women’s voices more than younger women’s voices right now. There’s a real lack”.

I feel Holiday Destination will win the Mercury in a year that has seen a few other artists come through and go beyond the predictable. This month has seen Anna Calvi and IDLES release career-best, year-defining records. The former, Hunter, looks at gender and the patriarchy; it explores women’s roles and the strength they have – a gusty and striking album from a virtuoso guitar player, songwriter and vocalist. IDLES’ Joy as an Act of Resistance looks set to break the top-five in the album charts and has been getting five-star reviews all over the shop. That record, like Shah’s, looks at subjects that are seen as stigmatising or controversial. They tackle mental-health concerns and toxic masculinity – delivered with fire and incredible tightness. I feel a movement has been started where artists are looking at something more important and hard-edged. It seems, even given these artists, Shah stands out alone! I cannot think of another female Muslim songwriter who is in the same position as her. That sort of pressure (if that is the right word?!) could be a burden or seen as an obstacle but, for Shah, it is a chance to change things and bring about progression. I am confident Holiday Destination will win for Shah and she will get to deliver a pretty epic acceptance speech! The record sounds haunting and stirring but it wants us to open our eyes and, as an alternative to the broken-hearts-and-spurned-relationships we see all over the place; it would be great recognising an artist who, unlike some of her peers on the Mercury list, is actually talking about something important. I would be disappointed if Shah does not win the award and, when she does, I would expect her to stride up, gin and tonic in hand, and provide one hell of…

A fuc*ing good speech!

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Let's Eat Grandma/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Harvey for The Line of Best Fit 

An All-Female, Autumn-Ready Playlist (Vol. I)

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I started this series in the summer…

IN THIS PHOTO: GRAACE

and, given the fact it is autumn, I am starting a new series up! Here is a selection of female-led sounds that are guaranteed to keep the heat and excitement of summer going but get you ready for autumn and all the colour it offers. I have looked around and selected the best new songs – and a few from last year – that will get into the ears and excite the brain. Have a scan through this assortment of female-driven songs and I am sure there is something in there that will inspire. The weather is getting cooler and the nights are drawing in but, with music like this, that is…

 IN THIS PHOTO: TRILLS/PHOTO CREDIT: Mitchell Collin

NOTHING to fear.

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

_____________

Tkay Maidza – Growing Up

PHOTO CREDIT: Sven Serkis

Evvol – Oceania

PHOTO CREDIT: Mitchell Collins

TRILLS – Speak Loud

PHOTO CREDIT: Michelle Homonylo

Dilly Dally – Doom

Charlene Soraia – Where’s My Tribe

Ella Vos – White Noise

The Pink Slips – Texas

Zairah – Sex + Cigarettes

Sarah MacDougall – We Are Fire

Cherry Glazerr – Juicy Socks

GRAACE – Last Night

My Ultra Violet – Wilde as Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Harvey for The Line of Best Fit

Let’s Eat Grandma – Falling Into Me

Rachel Button – Will I Be Ready

Suzie Stapleton – Negative Prophet

Cally Rhodes – Your Place

Ladytron – The Island

Kelly Oliver – Botany Bay (Trad.)

Kelela – Jupiter

Chelsea Cutler – Cold Showers

Chelcee Grimes – I Need a Night Out

Million Miles – Honey

Anna Wang – Hindsight

Jess Williamson – Wild Rain

Jess Connelly – Mine

Grizzly Coast – Zuzu’s Petal

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 2: Summer in Suspirium

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist

 IN THIS PHOTO: Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) 

Vol. 2: Summer in Suspirium

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THIS week is a shorter Playlist…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lenny Kravitz/PHOTO CREDIT: Mathieu Bitton

but brings together a selection of underground treats and some big treasures. There are new songs from Paul McCartney and Paul Simon; Eminem and Thom Yokre is in there alongside Childish Gambino. Nestling alongside those huge artists are great selections from Amber Mark, Dua Lipa; Say Lou Lou and Sasha Sloan – a busy and packed week of music that is guaranteed to lift the spirits and give you plenty to chew over!

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

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Childish Gambino – Feels Like Summer

Thom Yorke – Suspirium

PHOTO CREDIT: Rory Haans Blair

Gengahr – Atlas Please

Tyler, the Creator – PUFF

Paul McCartney – Dominoes

Paul Simon - Pigs, Sheep and Wolves

 PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Seliger

Lenny Kravitz – Raise Vibration

Drenge – Fades to Black

She Drew the Gun – Resister

Swearin’ – Future Hell

Silk City, Dua Lipa (ft. Diplo, Mark Ronson) - Electricity

PHOTO CREDIT: Billboard

Nile Rodgers, CHIC – Sober

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Cowart

 Lauren Daigle – You Say

PHOTO CREDIT: Craig McDean

Eminem – Fall

Machine Gun Kelly – Rap Devil

Amber Mark – Put You On

St. Paul & the Broken Bones - Convex

Sasha Sloan – The Only

Rich the Kid – Leave Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicolas Karakatsanis

Say Lou Lou – Golden Child

Lauren Aquilina – Psycho

Maribou State – Kingdom

Alice Merton – Why So Serious

Tom Walker – Angels

Elle King – Good Thing Gone

Chelsea Cutler – Cold Showers

Estelle – Better

Dizzee Rascal (ft. Skepta) – Money Right

Jessie Reyez – F*** Being Friends

Emily Middlemas (ft. Rob Late) - Habit

Mahalia – Surprise Me

Teleman – Always Dreaming

Dua Lipa – Want To

FEATURE: Ready, Freddie! Remembering the Incomparable Freddie Mercury

FEATURE:

 

 

Ready, Freddie!

IN THIS PHOTO: Freddie Mercury at Knebworth in 1986/ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Remembering the Incomparable Freddie Mercury

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TODAY would have been his seventy-second birthday…

IN THIS PHOTO: Freddie Mercury with Queen at Wembley Stadium on 15th July 1986

and it is amazing to think that, if he were still alive, Freddie Mercury would probably still be making music. He died on 24th November, 1991 aged only forty-five and it was a huge loss to music. I remembering discovering the news and was genuinely shocked. I was not aware Mercury was ill and had AIDS. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, there was less knowledge and conversation regarding AIDS; the mortality rate was higher and many people hid their disease through fear of judgement and hatred. Now, we have come a long way and, in a strange sense, it is people like Freddie Mercury who helped raise awareness. Mercury died of bronchopneumonia – complications of AIDS – and, before he left us, changed the world of music. Tributes are being paid around the world for the Tanzania-born, Queen-helming legend. The frontman once spent time as a baggage handler so, wonderfully, fans have converged to Heathrow and have treated commuters to some dancing and unique showmanship! I guess we are going to see a lot of charming, flamboyant and colourful tributes to a man who, through music, was an explosion of sound and personality! You only need look at a typical Queen video or one of his epic performances – none come bigger and more memorable than Live Aid in 1985 – and you get a sense we will never see the likes of Freddie Mercury again!

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Steve Jennings

My favourite Mercury vocals, oddly, are from two very different albums. His Mr. Bad Guy solo record (released in 1985) spawned the single, Living on My Own. It is the 1993 No More Brothers remix that brought it to my mind – exposing the best of his voice and adding more punch and dance the original! I am hooked by that track and love the way Mercury performs on it. His masterful duet with Montserrat Caballé, Barcelona, is among the finest vocal performances ever! Barcelona is from the 1988 album of the same name and, to me, Mercury is the one who shines. His passion, intensity and skill blow me away. Considering he was paired with an Opera singer and someone used to this kind of challenging song; he takes the bull by the horns and nails it! Those sort of performances were hardly unusual. Look how he duels with David Bowie on Under Pressure! Having those icons trade lines is a match made in Heaven and, yet again, it is the Queen lead who wins that battle. It was not all about power and a gust of hurricane when it came to Mercury. He could do more sophisticated and tender moments – tracks like Love of My Life (from 1975’s A Night at the Opera) are spellbinding in their gentility and raw emotion. Whether powering his voice to space or playfully turning phrases and cheekily winking; there was nobody with the same talents and abilities as Mercury.

The current Queen lead, Adam Lambert, expressed his concerns regarding taking over from Freddie Mercury:

“Not only did I have to make sure my voice held up and I know all the words. … But it was also the perception of the fans; I definitely had some concerns. This is not my music that I wrote: This is me, as a guest, with one of the greatest rock bands of all time, singing the songs that one of the greatest rock singers of all time brought to life.”

Adam Lambert reveals “concerns” in taking over from Queen’s Freddie Mercury

He also described Mercury as “irreplaceable”.

“There’s no way to compare to him. It was always my hope that audiences would understand that I’m up there just excited to sing great music that everyone knows”, he admitted”.

A forthcoming biopic of Freddie Mercury looks to be promising and, whilst it has been hit with delays and a change of lead actor – Rami Malek plays Mercury – it looks set to be a good representation of his life and music. We shall see how people react when the film, Bohemian Rhapsody, hits screens on 24th October. There will be a lot of new interest in Freddie Mercury and I am excited to see what comes next. Maybe there will be some unearthed songs or we will see album re-releases with bonus tracks?! In any case, so many years after his death, people are still invested in Freddie Mercury and his incredible legacy...

I shall end by talking about the music but we associate Freddie Mercury with his sense of expression and fashion. There were few openly gay musicians during his lifetime and, like other artists, one suspects labels and the press would rather he kept it secret. His sexuality was part of his mystique and magic and his lyrics – regarding confidence and L.G.B.T.Q – are relevant today. There are few gay frontmen/women in music and, those that are, there is often the struggle for attention and recognition. We are in a time when there is a particular ideal of what a mainstream artist should be – sexuality is still a big issue and not something we are close to seeing resolved. I imagine, if Mercury were alive today, he would be championing L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. rights and looking for change in the industry. Listen to his songs and, whether overtly referring to his sexuality or not, there is that overriding message of being yourself, showing your colours and being confident. Whereas Mercury was shy and quietly spoken off of stage; when he was performing and in the studio, a different man came out! Alongside his messages and self-confidence, we have those incredible fashion choices. GQ published a piece that charted his looks and his best outfits. They selected, it is my favourite look of his, his yellow military jacket as a defining look:

“If there’s one fashion element Freddie is best known for today, it is, without a doubt, his yellow military jacket. Having done away with the satin blouses and leather trousers by this point, Freddie instead opted for a minimal look in which one statement piece was the focal point. Instead of going for a military vibe in olive green, or even the sorts of bandsman jackets favoured by Jimi Hendrix, Freddie went with a bright yellow jacket, which, when paired with his oversized belt, gave him the air of a comic book superhero. Behold, the Mighty ’Stache! Gunpowder, gelatine, dynamite with a laser beam, et cetera, et cetera”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Freddie Mercury with Queen

The man knew his way around a wardrobe and, whether dapper and snazzy in something smart of really glamming it up; Mercury was a true character and icon that did not easily blend into the crowd. I feel modern artists and band leaders need to take from him and embrace their inner-Freddie Mercury. Gone are the days where David Bowie and Bryan Ferry captivated with their unique style. We have modern Pop artists who have a sense of fashion but none that transcend the ordinary and create their own niche. Another reason it is sad Freddie Mercury is no longer with us is because of the energy and excitement he put into music. Whether you are a Queen fan or not; few can argue against the man’s stage presence and voice. Look at the way he commanded the massive audience at Live Aid – getting them all to sing along and clap; no mean feat considering the vast sea of faces! Maybe he was a more reserved person away from the spotlight but, when the music started, he was this animal that was ready to attack! Mr. Fahrenheit was an explosive, red-hot performer who could transfix any crowd and turn in truly spectacular performances. I was only eight when he died so did not have the chance to see him perform live. I would have loved to have caught him strut his stuff and see how those Queen record came to life on the stage!

Queen are that divisive band and some consider their music to be too camp or lacking any real substance. I do not think anyone can deny the gravitas and genius of Freddie Mercury. The reason so many love Queen is because of Freddie Mercury. Could you imagine anyone else performing back in the day?! Adam Lambert does a great job now but one could not have an average or ordinary Pop singer fronting Queen when they formed. In a way, Mercury is the essence of Queen – band members like Brian May helped bring the songs alive but it is that voice we all get drawn to! Maybe there was some drama and tension in the band at times – various biographies and books have revealed some frosty moments and Mercury storming off – but the music shines bright. I am not a huge Queen fan myself but was always interested in them when growing up. Mercury, as a songwriter, could create huge, world-beating songs like Bohemian Rhapsody or something a bit more restrained. Listen to tracks like Bicycle Race, Don’t Stop Me Now and Killer Queen and Mercury steals and defines every eccentric and wonderful word! He brought songs to life and put everything he had into them! I have compiled a ‘best of’ collection of Freddie Mercury-fronted songs that show you his range and incredible talent. Perhaps the songs, at time, were a bit cheesy or odd but that was Queen: never a boring band who was writing the same stuff as everyone else. I love their classic cuts but have a lot of time for their lesser-heard album tracks. At the front was this incredibly charismatic and impressive figure who transformed music.

Many overlook Mercury as a songwriter but he is responsible for songs like Crazy Little Thing Called Love, One Vision and Bohemian Rhapsody. He could turn a phrase or deliver tongue-in-cheek lines; switching between inspiration and motivational to the slightly peculiar and out-there. You could never accuse his songs of being average and lacking any real personality. All of that left music when Mercury died but, through modern artists emulating his work and style, there are still parts of him in the world. I am delighted he created such magic music and gave us that incredible voice. I am not sure what he would have done to mark today but I imagine he would have taken to social media and delivered something funny. Artists might follow in his footsteps but there is nobody that can touch his brilliance, showmanship and energy. That incredible voice and those great outfits; the temper and tantrums with the humour and the charm – all part of the Freddie Mercury brew! As we remember him on his seventy-second birthday; have a listen to the songs below and watch interviews of him and get a sense of why he remains this unique and enigmatic presence. A contradictory man – quieter and more private to the onstage goliath we know – who brought his special touch to music and made it brighter and more wonderful. He is no longer with us but, with that immense energy and drama still running through the bones of music; it is true that Freddie Mercury could…

NEVER really leave us!

FEATURE: Forever and Ever, Never for Ever: Kate Bush’s Groundbreaking Album at Thirty-Eight

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Forever and Ever, Never for Ever

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Kate Bush’s Groundbreaking Album at Thirty-Eight

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ON Friday…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1980/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

we are provided with another chance to celebrate Kate Bush! Having just marked her sixtieth birthday (on 30th July, to be exact); we have more opportunities to commemorate her work later in the year – a few of her albums will celebrate anniversaries and we can put her back under the spotlight. I hope there is more Kate Bush material coming next year – I get the sense something is brewing and she is working up to another album! 2011’s 50 Words for Snow was a critical hit and new direction for her. Fewer songs than most of her albums but longer, more explorative soundscapes that perfectly departed from what we view a ‘conventional’ (if you can ever apply that word to her?!) Kate Bush album and stepped more into Jazz territory. It is a fantastic record that points to a very interesting and curious future. I wonder whether subsequent Kate Bush albums will go down the same lines or return to her earlier work – a bit of a nod to her sapling days and the shorter Pop songs. In any case; that is all to come and what we might expect: we now look to the past and a Kate Bush album that changed the course of her career and broke new ground. I have talked extensively about her debut, The Kick Inside, and my love for it. If Kate Bush super-fans place it lower in their top-five – never getting above Hounds of Love, The Sensual World and The Dreaming – I wonder whether Never for Ever makes the cut?!

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

1978’s The Kick Inside was a huge work that caught the imagination of most critics and, in any case, introduced a unique talent who was years ahead of everyone else. There was that inevitable pressure to follow up a debut smash with something that retained the urgency and beauty of that work. Lionheart was released in the same year and, whilst not as grand and original as her debut album, it gets an unfair kicking from critics! She was never going to follow up on The Kick Inside with anything as good given the label pressures and lacking time. If Lionheart is a more hurried and studio-based album – The Kick Inside assembled tracks Bush had written at home; I suspect more songs came together in the studio for Lionheart – then it is by no means a failure! Listen to cuts like Wow, Symphony in Blue and In The Warm Room; the weird twists of Hammer Horror and the swoon of Oh England My Lionheart (one of Kate Bush’s favourite songs of that album). It is a solid ten-track collection but because it does not have a Wuthering Heights on it; many saw it as a lukewarm effort and a bit so-so. I acknowledge there aren’t the same heights and peaks as The Kick Inside but it is an impressive and stunning record.

In any case; 1978 was a frantic year and, around this time, Kate Bush was touring both albums and bringing her music to crowds around the country (something she would not do again for decades!). Whether you see it as a new start or a chance to start afresh; Never for Ever was released in 1980 and, after touring and the need to follow her sophomore record with something exceptional, there were eyes and ears trained the way of the album. The next evolution and growth would happen when she released The Dreaming and Hounds of Love – that 1982-1985 period where she was coming into her own and capturing that debut album magic (to many, this was her finest career period and a moment when she stepped into a league of her own!). Never for Ever is important because it found Bush stepping into the producer’s chair. She had ‘assisted’ production on Lionheart but here, alongside Jon Kelly, they worked through the songs together and you can hear more of the songwriter’s fingerprints on the music. Perhaps it is the way I hear the songs but I get the sense (Never for Ever) was Kate Bush stepping up and starting that fight against the record label. She wanted to assert more control and produce an album that sounded right to her – not just a commercial record that would see her get famous and put her songs in the charts.

Kate Bush has always said how she wants people to hear albums rather than handpick singles (and skip through things). You can hear a mood and a narrative run through Never for Ever. It is a fantastic L.P. that has those instant and recognisable songs – I shall come to them – and those rare gems that reveal their beauty through repeated listens. In 1980, Never for Ever scored Kate Bush’s first number-one album and, astonishingly, it was the first album to enter the charts at number-one by a female artist. It is weird to think that, even in 1978, there had not been a female-created record that went straight in at number-one. Given the rather ho-hum reception for Lionheart; the exposure gained from touring and a rising profile meant there was a huge appetite for new material. I have watched T.V. interviews from 1980 and there is that sense of relief she is back after two years – such a long time to be away from the scene (almost laughable considering how long it takes mainstream stars today to produce records)! The hard work and touring paid off: Never for Ever, whilst not a Hounds of Love-level genius-work, gathered a lot of praise and singles like Breathing, Army Dreamers and Babooshka scored huge (and are considered some of her finest-ever songs). At twenty-one, Kate Bush became the experimental artist that defined the rest of her career...

With a combination of up-to-the-minute technologies and little-heard sounds and touches, it was a blend of the natural and advanced. Listen to the Fairlight CMI sound/sample on Babooshka (the noise of glass shattering) and you could hear Bush pushing herself and utilising what was big at the time. Although Kate Bush loves analogue and a more traditional way of working; she is someone who uses technology to add new dimensions to her music and provide a unique edge. More complex and bold than The Kick Inside; Never for Ever is an electric and exciting album that contains plenty of tenderness and early-career touches. Babooshka is Kate Bush reaching new heights and creating the sort of raw and explosive song that would be more commonly heard on The Dreaming. It is an addictive and awe-inspiring track that is hard to believe came from an artist only three albums in! That is the majesty of Kate Bush: she was able to bring these songs out and it seems natural and seamless. After that brilliant opener; we have Delius and Blow Away: flighty and bird-like; heavenly and supremely tender in all their movements and whispered tones. Even in the more ‘intimate’ and quieter moments, you have so much instrumentation, sounds and detail. Listen to the bass vocals of Paddy Bush (her brother) on Delius or the orchestration on Blow Away...

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

If we associate Bush’s first two albums with a reliance on piano and a few other instruments – she was adding new elements by Lionheart... – there was an increase in ambition on Never for Ever. As I say; this innovation and stretch would get even bigger by The Dreaming – hitting its peak in Hounds of Love – but this was the album that signalled a transition. This article expanded on Kate Bush’s use of technology and her interest in new developments:

“The album is also important in terms of Bush's artistic development in the way it demonstrated her interest in new tech; this is taken from an article in the NME:

“As soon as I met the Fairlight,” Bush admitted in 1985 about the digital sampling synthesiser, “I realised that it was something I really couldn’t do without because it was just so integral to what I wanted to do with my music.” The possibilities are obvious on ‘Never For Ever’, the most lush of her albums to that point, where dreamy Minnie Riperton soul (‘Blow Away’) meets berserk vamping rock (‘Babooshka’). Its finest moment is the haunting ‘Breathing’ with Bush facing up to the burgeoning nuclear crisis as weapons move into Greenham Common. “What are we going to do/We are all going to die” is as direct as she ever gets, and has all the more grim power for that. ”

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Never for Ever’s first-half has some great songs – bookended by Babooshka and Egypt – but the remainder of the album, if anything, is stronger. I associate records like The Kick Inside, Hounds of Love and even The Dreaming with stronger opening halves – that was not the case here! Never for Ever was not going to give all of its pearls away by the first five or six songs, oh no! Listen to the lesser-celebrated songs like The Wedding List and Night Scented Stock and they seem to say so much with very little explosion and weather. You get all that story detail and wonderful vocal work but you follow the lyrics and plot. You are drawn into the songs and taken into a beautiful and strange world. Violin, like Babooshka, is Kate Bush stripping away the clothing and going wild! The growling, elevated and harder-edged vocals many were unfamiliar with came into view and signalled another side to her remarkable voice – listen to songs on The Dreaming like Get Out of My House and that is intensified to scary levels! Perhaps she saves the two best (depending on where you put Babooshka in the pack) for the end. Army Dreamers, the third and final single from the album, is about a mother discovering her young son died during army manoeuvres – wrestling with her consciousness and what she could have done.

Not only is it hugely original and unexpected territory for a Pop song but it has a potent and sobering political message regarding the armed forces and how those protecting and preserving life can have theirs snatched away without warning. Its music video sees Bush wide-eyed and alarmed at the gunfire and explosions around her; a compelling piece that perfectly highlights the song’s messages and, actually, is one of the few pieces of her work she (Bush) was completely happy with! Breathing, on the other hand, is not about warfare and the army but carries an equally powerful message. The song is about a foetus that is aware of war outside the womb and the possibility of nuclear fallout. Lyrics also talk of the foetus absorbing the tobacco smoke of her mother (the line about breathing my mother in...) and a lot of the inspiration came from a documentary Kate Bush had watched regarding the possibilities of nuclear war and its fallout. Breathing is the first single from the album – rare to see a closing track as a lead-off single – and, whilst it only just dented the top-twenty (entering at number-sixteen), it is considered one of Bush’s best songs. She herself claimed Never for Ever was one of her favourite works and I get the sense a lot of questions and frustrations were resolved whilst making it.

Before I wrap things up; here is a review from Sputnik Music, published in 2012, that seems to define the critical voice and the sort of assessment that came through in 1980:

“…Musically, Never For Ever naturally expands thanks to a more layered sound. The album features a vibrant mix of wet fairlight synths, pianos, fretless bass and layers of strings. The performances of the album fit smoother than on previous records as Bush goes for a more varied final product. 

Kate's third solo album was no masterpiece but a fascinating and necessary step in her discography. Bush's writing had finally evolved enough to the point where she could write without relying too much on image or style. Whether it's experimenting with her remarkable vocal range, creative arrangements, or vivid lyrics, Never For Ever shows Kate Bush improving in all the right ways”.

The Dreaming would finally see critical unity and praise came back her way fully; by 1985’s Hounds of Love, Kate Bush was a national musical treasure and had created one of the best albums ever. Never for Ever was an important step because she was keen to make an album that she had more of say in. Maybe she was a bit disappointed with many aspects of Lionheart but she was not going to repeat that experience.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush signing copies of  Never for Ever at London's Virgin Megastore in 1980/PHOTO CREDIT: Chas Sime/Getty Images

Her third album is more considered and its songs more varied; there are political images and messages alongside songs that would be familiar with those who loved her first two works – Delius and Blow Away for instance. There were some critical jabs at the album and some took a shot at Kate Bush herself but the public reaction to the album was stunning. The week following the album’s release, Bush undertook a record signing tour of the U.K. and, when at London’s Oxford Street, found queues that went right down the street! She proceeded to tour Europe and found a lot of love for the album. Never for Ever spent three weeks at the top of the album charts and remained in the top-seventy-five for a good deal longer than that. There was a lot more love aimed at Bush – compared to her previous album – and the feeling she was maturing and growing in confidence. The fact she co-produced the record meant she could make decisions in the studio and record the songs as she imagined them. New technology and bold lyrics themes were coming in at this point – they would define her career from here and, in many ways, Never for Ever was the true beginning of her 'golden period'. I prefer The Kick Inside in terms of quality and overall mood but I feel Never for Ever should be celebrated because of the milestones achieved (Bush as the first woman to have an album go in at number-one; not just in Britain but the world!). It turns thirty-eight on Friday and, whilst Bush would create albums more celebrated and popular, I feel that Never for Ever is hugely important because it was the start of a creative and personal growth that, only five years later, would see her…

IN THIS IMAGE: A fan interpretation of the Hounds of Love album cover image (by John Carder Bush)/IMAGE CREDIT: rosabelieve

RELEASE her defining masterpiece.   

FEATURE: Happy B’Day: The R&B Queen at Thirty-Seven: The Beyoncé Playlist

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Happy B’Day

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé photographed for the September (2018) edition of Vogue/PHOTO CREDIT: Tyler Mitchell 

The R&B Queen at Thirty-Seven: The Beyoncé Playlist

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IT may seem incongruous and unnecessary to…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

mention the age of an artist like Beyoncé but, on her birthday, many are sharing their favourite songs of hers and celebrating her impressive back catalogue. She is only thirty-seven and given the fact we have icons of music performing well into their seventies; I feel there are decades more inside Beyoncé! It is scary to think she has really only just begun her career - and I wonder where she will head. Might see slow down and adopt a different style as she heads into the next couple of decades?! I feel we will get the same uplifting and emphatic anthems that have defined her career since she started life in Destiny’s Child. I first encountered Beyoncé in Destiny’s Child and was hooked on songs like Bills, Bills. Bills and Survivor; Say My Name and Jumpin’, Jumpin’ were big tracks that seemed foreign to anything that was around at the time. There were other girl groups in the 1990s (and the early-'00s) but mainstream Pop did not have the same swagger and potency as the music Destiny’s Child were bringing out. When they disbanded; I followed her solo career and am amazed by the way she has stepped out on her own and grown. I know she has producers and directors around her but that voice and confidence were all hers. Whilst Lemonade is my favourite albums from Beyoncé; look at B’Day (2006) and Beyoncé (2013) as examples of her hitting new heights and exploring fresh ground.

Every record she has produced has resonated in some way and stuck in the memory. To many, Beyoncé is a role model who shows what a modern artist should be all about. Whilst this is not a full-out exploration of her work; Beyoncé is keen to highlight important issues and spread positive messages. From sending out positive tones regarding body images to feminism and family – it is clear she is a great role model who is independent, fierce and a big supporter of the L.G.B.T.Q. community. She is loyal to her family and generous to her fans. There is confidence but you never get the ego and arrogance of some artists. Whilst Beyoncé has a reputation and sense of stature; she is a modest and down-to-earth figure who never lets controversy and the media get in the way of things. She has inspired countless artists today and continues to break ground and lead the way. I get the feeling we will see another solo album from her next year – she recently recorded an album with her husband Jay-Z under the moniker ‘The Carters’ (Jay-Z’s real name is Shaun Carter). Their record, EVERYTHING IS LOVE, gained a lot of great press and is proof the marriage and bond between the two artists is rock-solid. At a time when the U.S. is experiencing a bad presidency and so many issues; Beyoncé’s role in the world is clear.

She is a spokesperson for women’s rights and the plight of black artists/peoples; a strong and inspirational figure for girls/women and, for everyone else, a stunning talent who has not diminished and faded since her early days. She seems to get stronger and, when it comes to her live shows, they are more ambitious and spectacular. There are many more years of her music to look forward to but, as it is her birthday, a playlist of her finest cuts is in order. From the Destiny’s Child early days right through to her EVERYTHING IS LOVE album (with Jay-Z); I have collated a rundown of her best videos, first, and end with the playlist (I have not been able to include any Lemonade songs as the album is not available on Spotify) that charts her rise, evolution and revolutions. So many modern artists owe what they do to Beyoncé and, for me, she provides music that really hits me hard and gets into the head. There is always a message and driving forces, whether she is providing a stone-cold anthem or emotional song, that comes from the heart and make their mark. As we celebrate her birthday and look back at what she has provided; let us appreciate where she is heading and…

ALL the fantastic years she has ahead...  

FEATURE: A New Dawn: Who Should Succeed Chris Evans on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show?

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 A New Dawn

IN THIS PHOTO: Chris Evans/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Pictures/Getty Images 

Who Should Succeed Chris Evans on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show?

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SOME big announcements have come out…

PHOTO CREDIT: Max Tollworthy/Goff Photos

of BBC over the past few weeks. Not only is there is the shake-up at BBC Radio 6 Music – a few swaps and shifts in terms of the line-up – but Chris Evans has announced he is leaving BBC Radio 2. He has been at the helm for eight years (at the station for thirteen years) and it is a big shock. I guess everyone has to leave at some point but I feel it is a strange time for him to go. Maybe he has done everything he can at the station but, considering he has such good ratings and an army behind him, I wonder whether there are personal reasons for his departure. Evans has been hosting breakfast shows, on radio and T.V., for decades and I feel his natural home is at BBC Radio 2. I am not one of his loyal fans – I listen to BBC Radio 6 Music at that time of day – but it is clear he has a verve, enthusiastic approach and respects his listeners. I guess the station has already selected his replacement but people are pitching which presenters should take over. There are some ridiculous and strange choices - Emma Bunton and Jamie Theakston are among those tipped! They host the breakfast show on Heart FM and, as Evans moved to Virgin; could the duo come across to BBC Radio 2? I feel they do not have the pull and style of show that would suit the station.

IN THIS PHOTO: Richard Bacon/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I feel the replacement for Chris Evans needs to come from the station itself – in the same way BBC Radio 6 Music brought Lauren Laverne into the breakfast slot to take over from Shaun Keaveny. I argue against having Simon Mayo in the slot because I do not think he has the energy and type of demeanour that would urge one to tune into the show. There have been a lot of male name tipped but I think a female presenter would be a better choice. Richard Bacon is another name dropped and, whilst he has experience and would be a solid host; BBC Radio 2 need to start making changes regarding gender and not go with male options. I was annoyed when Jo Whiley and Simon Mayo were paired in an evening slot and, whilst they are great individually, they do not have any connection or chemistry together. It seemed like a way of BBC Radio 2, in a rather feeble way, of having a woman in a primetime-ish slot. They could have had Whiley present solo or found a better partnership to fill a lucrative show like that. Breakfast is a time of day when we all start to tune in and need that lift. Evans’ captaincy has gained BBC Radio 2 millions of listeners and he can certainly get you up and awake!

IN THIS PHOTO: Claudia Winkleman/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It is sad to see him leave but, when thinking of his replacement, you need that relatable energy and a personality that is warm and interesting but has a bit of a cheeky side. Claudia Winkleman has a hectic schedule. She presents a Sunday evening show on BBC Radio 2 and hosts Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly. Maybe doing a weekday breakfast show alongside all that will be a bit much! I was thinking the two who will duke it out for the vacant breakfast show is Sara Cox and Zoë Ball. Both already have shows on BBC Radio 2 – Cox presents an evening show and Ball hosts Saturday afternoons – and they know the station’s layout. They are experienced and have a great rapport with their listeners. Both have similar energy and enthusiasm and you get a distinct style from each. I feel Ball is the warmer and more comforting voice whilst Cox, in a way, a bit more spirited and vivacious. There is not a lot to distinguish between Ball and Cox in that way: both are stalwarts and could produce incredible shows. I feel, for me, Sara Cox is the natural choice. I love Zoë Ball’s voice and presentation; the way she can get you in a great mood and has a vast knowledge of music.

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC

Her Saturday afternoon show is a brilliant formula and, whilst she could easily translate to weekdays; we need her at the weekend to keep us buzzing and moving – maybe a six-day stint would be a bit too much to ask!? She has presented a Saturday breakfast show before and knows what lies in store. Sara Cox has stood in for Chris Evans before and, come Christmas, I would like to see her named as his successor. There is a lot of talk regarding the gender pay gap in radio and how there are not really any solo female D.J.s in the big shows. All the drivetime shows are male-helmed or have a male-female duo. I think Lauren Laverne’s breakfast promotion on BBC Radio 6 Music should be paired on BBC Radio 2. She has proven how she can handle the role and easily slot into the void. She presents a 1980s show and can unearth the best of the decade but, like Ball, has a width range of tastes and, if anything, can bring a more contemporary and ‘cool’ edge to breakfast (compared to Evans). There is no doubting she would be a popular choice and not have to fight hard to convert Evans’ fans. You need someone who can hit the floor running and not need much time to bed-in. The big questions would be, if Cox came in, who would take her evening slot? You’d have to have a swap around but I think you could find a good replacement.

IN THIS PHOTO: Zoë Ball/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Cox deserves a larger audience and I know she would tackle the breakfast show with plenty of vim, humility and dedication. One reason why Chris Evans transferred to Virgin was the fact he is expecting twins! Maybe it is a bit less hectic and pressurised on the Virgin slot and he would more easily be able to shift family duties and the radio. Sara Cox has children but is not, so far as I know, expecting any new deliveries! A big problem we have in radio is certain stations having a set demographic. Lauren Laverne moving to BBC Radio 6 Music’s breakfast show will keep Keaveny’s followers firm and bring her listeners across. Keaveny will be able to keep a solid fanbase and, in fact, both D.J.s are hugely popular and have a similar age demographic. Greg James replaced Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1 and that seemed like a sensible swap. I feel BBC Radio 1 has an issue converting slightly older listeners and, whilst that might be down to the music they play; are they being too rigid regarding the age and style of the D.J.s? I feel BBC Radio 6 Music is broader so does not suffer the same fate. BBC Radio 2 is seen as the place where middle-aged and older listeners go. Even though the average age of a D.J. at the station is probably in the forties or fifties; that is not to say they cannot recruit younger listeners. I thinking someone like Zoë Ball or Sarah Cox could attract younger listeners and new demographics.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sara Cox/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Leigh Keily

Positive changes regarding gender promotion need to be at the forefront of the mindset of those who will make the decision. I can understand if they hire Richard Bacon but look at some of the suggested names and there are few strong male choices. Who are you going to bring in that could replace Chis Evans? I am casing my mind and nobody springs to mind (in terms of the men). Simon Mayo, as I said, is a bad option and you really need to recruit from within the station. Because of that, the two favourites would be Zoë Ball and Sara Cox. Cox has the slight edge and I feel she could keep the pace and popularity of Chris Evans’ show going and bring in younger listeners! I am not going to jump from the BBC Radio 6 Music ship but I would dip in now and then, certianly. Being the BBC, they will probably make the wrong choice but I have faith they will do the sensible thing. Evans is a popular presenter but I feel you need to hire a replacement that keeps many of his traits and brings something new to the plate. We need to keep the energy up there are very few D.J.s who have his same electricity and oomph. Sara Cox would be a great selection and I would be interested to see what she does. In any case; thinking about gender should be paramount for the chiefs at BBC Radio 2. It is sad to see Chris Evans leave such a popular show but he wants to accomplish new things and take on fresh challenges. What they will be and what he has in mind will be curious to see but I know he is a big asset to Virgin. Many will be waiting with baited breath to see who succeeds him but, whoever it is, will surely have…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

VERY big shoes to fill! 

FEATURE: B’Day at Twelve: How Beyoncé’s Influential Album Impacted Music in 2006 – and Still Does to This Day

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B’Day at Twelve

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

How Beyoncé’s Influential Album Impacted Music in 2006 – and Still Does to This Day

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I realise Beyoncé’s B’Day turned twelve yesterday…

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyoncé

but it is cool to fashionably late and, besides, Beyoncé herself turns thirty-seven on Tuesday (B’Day was released to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday)! The album was meant to be released sooner but, in 2006, Beyoncé was still part of Destiny’s Child. Given the success of her 2003 debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, there was a plan to release a quick follow-up. Destiny’s Child’s fifth album, Destiny Fulfilled, was released in 2004 so that took precedence. That record was a success and boasted some taut and memorable tracks – it was clear the group was near the end and they were past their best. Beyoncé had a starring role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls and she was keen to get into the studio and get something cooking! A lot of B’Day revolves around Beyoncé as the new star being born: this actor who was assuming a rise in fame and getting onto the big screen. Rather than present something egotistical and arrogant, the album is more a look at her changing career and transition to a solo artist. Live instrumentation was used to record most of the track – she wanted a record that used live instruments and had a different sound to the records she had previously been involved with. It was a bit of a difficult and strange time during 2006. Whilst Destiny’s Child was a unit and viable; it seemed like things were winding down and, perhaps, one could sense Beyoncé wanting to lead and be out on her own.

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyoncé

You can look at the band as a unified sisterhood but, when it comes to big Pop/R&B groups, there is always a leader and that bigger personality. The star quality one could see as early as the debut Destiny’s Child album - their eponymous album in 1998 - was evident. Beyoncé was itching and full of ideas; she had a lot going around in her head and wanted to translate that into music. One can never accuse Beyoncé of streamlining and focusing when it comes to producers and students! Her career has been built around employing a range of producers and putting a few different cooks into the kitchen. Whilst the defiant and definite voice is hers; by using producers like Rich Harrison, Rodney Jerkins and Sean Garrett she had experience and different angles she could work from – not just sticking with one producer who might put the album in one direction and not expand. Female writers were employed too and that gave the album more structure and variation in the team. Whereas we feel the idea of employing a team and having a unit work on an album is a bit too much and lacks real skill; an artist like Beyoncé has that ambition and wanted B’Day to be as ambitious and big as possible.

Influenced by her husband Jay-Z’s use of multiple producers; recording took place in New York and four different rooms were used! In fact, it was four studios: this massive space where she could roam and get a different sound/timbre. Beyoncé and her team would brainstorm lyrics whereas producers, including the Neptunes, worked on beats and production. The R&B icon wanted things to be perfect and she did not want to feel constrained and controlled. Whilst her team did offer a lot of input and worked closely with her; you can feel a sense of liberation and inspiration throughout. Around twenty-five tracks were recorded in three weeks – that was several weeks earlier than the label wanted the album completed by. She used the best producers around and, because of that expertise and quality, things came together fast and her ideas turned into songs rapidly. A lot of artists, then and now, employ big producers but spend weeks in a studio and labour over songs with little result. They bleach all the life from the song and it all seems rather clinical and cold. In B’Day; you can hear an artist who wanted those hands and voices but intended to record an album that was her passion and ambitions coming to the fore. B’Day, like Destiny’s Child albums, used female empowerment and strength as a core but represented that theme through a range of styles and genres.

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyoncé

There was invention and variation back in 2006’s music but look at the albums being produced by female mainstream artists now and you can hear elements of Beyoncé’s first regency – where she was coming into her own and maturing into a member of a girl group to a standalone star! So many of today’s artists trip and slip between genres and bring in all kind of styles. They have that confident voice and lyrical style but, rather than rigidly stay within Pop and R&B; they stretch their wings and show a fearlessness – one can trace a lot of that back to B’Day. Bass guitar and congas can be heard in some moments; alarm sounds and effects; Rap vocals and sizzling percussion and incredible slams. It is a hectic and eclectic album that breaks conventions and goes beyond what was expected from a mainstream star of the time. Determined to raise the stakes and create something world-class; B’Day is an incredible statement from an artist breaking loose. Gender roles are shifted in various moments: keeping a man at home so she can keep his love with her; a sassy and exhilarated woman scorning those who dare cheat and mess around with her. There is explicitness and sauciness throughout the album – B’Day raised some eyebrows upon release due to explicit content and some very near-the-bone lyrics.

Kitty Kat is the heroine blaming her lover for not appreciating her; Beautiful Liar, a duet with Shakira, is about two friends discovering the same man cheated on both of them; Green Light is a standout song that had echoes of Dangerously in Love’s star, Crazy in Love. There were some midtempo ballads and softer moments but, unlike some of her later albums, there was quality and intrigue in those ballads. It is the harder edges and empathic strength that has always been Beyoncé’s calling card. Listen to the raw and animal-like growl on Ring the Alarm. Maybe not as political and charged as a lot of the material on 2016’s Lemonade; you can hear songs like Ring the Alarm would not only inspire Beyoncé’s contemporaries but the star’s own albums.

Although singles like Déjà vu and Ring the Alarm performed modestly in the charts; B’Day went to number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and it sold over half-a-million units in its first week. Beyoncé would record better-received records – including Beyoncé and Lemonade – but, to me, few that possess the same range of moods, sounds and movements. I love songs like Ring the Alarm because the messages are strong, the production slick and the central performance, combined with effects and great beats, get into the head and gets the body moving. Beyoncé was recording the same big and anthemic songs she had released with Destiny’s Child but now there was more of her stamp on proceedings. She showed her debut was no fluke and was able to shoulder pressure and expectation without her band members. Beyoncé, on her sophomore album, was shaping up into a modern star that was beholden to nobody and showing she was the equal of anyone else out there. She turned from this promising artist into a queen of music who was laying down a gauntlet and seeing if anyone would pick it up. That ambition and confidence gained during B’Day led Beyoncé to create two ‘visual albums’ Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016) – where there were visual films for every song that gave the albums a definite story and sense of style.

Almost every one of the tracks from B’Day has an accompanying video. This was rare in 2006 but it certainly inspired Beyoncé and has compelled other artists to follow suit. Even if you are not a fan of artists who release a slew of singles; it provides them an opportunity to flesh a record out and give it a visual, cinematic dynamic. Songs from B’Day like Déjà vu and Get Me Bodied became part of the musical culture. B’Day was the beginning of Beyoncé providing albums visual sequences that tell the album’s stories; an array of outfits and looks that provides every track its unique skin and sense of individuality. Various commentators and journalists have paid tribute to the album and how it transformed Beyoncé and music. This article argues B’Day is Beyoncé’s true masterpiece:

“B’Day,” especially, was just as much of a hit as “Lemonade” is today (Ed. note: I don’t agree with Libby on this one, but she is entitled to her opinion), and features some prime Beyoncé songs. But at least in my experience, it doesn’t get worshipped as much as other records of hers. In fact, it even gets overlooked at times.

What I think is perhaps the most notable feature of “B’day” is that it sets the stage for our current version of Beyoncé: fearless, in charge of herself and her sexuality, and sure of herself as an artist. The disparate musical influences on “B’Day” manifest themselves in later records, like her self-titled release in 2013, and “Lemonade,” of course. But with “B’Day”, Beyoncé didn’t have to be as serious — not that that’s a bad thing. She was fresh off her stint in Destiny’s Child while recording it, and that freedom allowed her to have fun and explore, while still making an amazing record that’s stood the test of time”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyoncé

This feature argued how some critics were harsh and attacked Beyoncé’s stance. She was raking in money and her stock was rising; she was living a life of luxury so they felt her messages of being betrayed and struggling rang a little hollow. They questioned the purity and meaning of the songs and wondered how authentic the Beyoncé on B’Day was. The article looks at how the album introduced new sides to Beyoncé and brought a lot from her:

“While B'Day isn't a fully showcase of her yet-to-emerge alter ego Sasha Fierce, Beyonce unleashes the spirit of Sasha on "Ring The Alarm, a cut that sees her conflicted about whether she should drop her philandering boyfriend and risk the trappings of her possessions and lifestyle or keep her rightful position as the Queen of her King's palace. Barking "Tell me how should I feel/When I know what I know/And my female intuition telling me you a dog/People told me bout the flames/I couldn't see through the smoke/When I need answers, accusations, what you mean you gone choke?," her suspicions are voiced loud and clear, but she ultimately decides to go against her better judgement, concluding "I been through this too long/But I'll be damned if I see another chick on your arm!"

Reviews aside, B'Day would prove the strength of Beyonce's star power, selling 541,000 copies in its first week of release at a time when the music industry was suffering a steep decline in sales. The album would eventually be certified triple platinum and has sold over 8 million copies worldwide to date and would net Beyonce a Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

“… While not as successful and as well-rounded as Dangerously in Love, B'Day served as the first step in Beyonce's evolution into womanhood and saw her shed her innocence in exchange for the naughtier, grown and sexy persona she would adopt on subsequent releases and throughout her career. While its nearly impossible to declare which album by Beyonce is her best, B'Day is by far her most liberating body of work and its impact still echoes ten years later”.

Many might gravitate towards other Beyoncé albums as the best and finest assessment of her talents – you cannot argue about the influence of B’Day. It was the transition from Destiny’s Child to being a realised and assured solo artist; Beyoncé bringing in top producers and flexing her muscles; a strong and varied album that took chances and was recorded quickly; an artist who was involved in film and was determined to rule the world. B’Day was stepping stone between the great-yet-flawed debut album and 2008's, I Am… Sasha Fierce - that would see her become a bona fide star. Beyoncé released a B’Day visual album in 2007 because she wanted fans to see her videos and experience the album without logging onto YouTube. There is so much to love about the album and it is a fascinating window into a performer transitioning from an established group and making big steps into solo work. It would be a couple of years before Beyoncé truly captured the world stage and established her place as the Queen of Modern R&B but, a couple of days before Beyoncé’s birthday; it is worth looking back at an incredible and…

INFLUENTIAL album.

FEATURE: A Time for Action: Why Bishop Charles H. Ellis III Groping Ariana Grande Makes Me Wonder Whether Cases of Sexual Assault and Inappropriate Contact Against Women in Music Will Ever Abate

FEATURE:

 

 

A Time for Action

IN THIS PHOTO: Bishop Charles H. Ellis III touching Ariana Grande after she performed during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple on Friday, 31st August in Detroit/PHOTO CREDIT: AP Photo/Paul Sancya 

Why Bishop Charles H. Ellis III Groping Ariana Grande Makes Me Wonder Whether Cases of Sexual Assault and Inappropriate Contact Against Women in Music Will Ever Abate

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YOU barely get a week in music or entertainment…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

without some crude and unforgivable event filing social media. The latest abuse and outrageous story revolves around Bishop Charles H. Ellis III groping Pop artist Ariana Grande. There has been music media coverage as to whether he groped or ‘grazed’ her. He has apologised and did not mean to be that familiar and inappropriate. Many have defended the man and said he was being friendly and he did nothing wrong: others have come out and claimed it another case, in a long line, or male figures assuming it is okay to behave in such a way. The image is online and we clearly see the bishop’s hand clasping the side of Grande’s breast - he then draws her closer with his hand around her breast. The complete and uncomfortable image is full of irony and injustice. The fact the incident happened at Aretha Franklin’s funeral is bad enough; the words at the bottom of that image – ‘One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism’ – make it laughable. The man, as an official of God and pious figure, is crossing a line and causally brushing it off. Many of his flock and followers have claimed he was not doing anything wrong and people are over-reacting. It seems, mind, there are double-standards when it comes to sex and physical contact. If a woman like Ariana Grande wears a short skirt or revealing outfits then she is shameful and asking for negative focus; if a man makes a move or gropes someone, intentional or not, then that is alright – maybe she was asking for it?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The contact is not as explicit and violent as we have seen. He did not fully grab her breast and squeeze or go any further but the fact there was contact on her breast makes me believe it was intentional. If that sort of thing is seen as okay then we have a real problem. It is okay to hug someone like Ariana Grande in respect but there is no need to let the hand wander there. If a woman were to touch a man on the bottom in such a situation then she would be called out. The fact that Ellis did it, and is a bishop, means he has had a lot of people backing him. Even if he apologises and says it was a mistake; it is another case of inappropriate sexual contact coming into music. Many might say this is a rather minor event and it will pass but that is not the point. It is the casual nature of that contact and how Bishop Charles H. Ellis III did not seem embarrassed or shamed. Look into the music industry and the facts speak for themselves. Female artists and those in the industry have come out and talked about their experiences The BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show, in December last year, talked with women in music and their accounts of sexual abuse.

This article quotes from the show and brings together some rather shocking stories. I have quoted a couple:

“Lajoie, who spent nearly six years working for Sony/ATV in London from 2010, tells the programme that she was sexually abused in London at age 23 by someone working in talent management.

Lajoie, 29, says that the individual fell asleep on her sofa after a night out, but later climbed into her bed and molested her while she was asleep.

“I didn’t know how long he’d been doing it before I woke up,” she says. “He went back to sleep on the sofa and in the morning he was gone.

“It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life – I felt truly violated.”

“Chlöe Howl is a British singer/songwriter who was nominated for both the BBC Sound Of… longlist and the BRIT Critics Choice Award in 2014.

Howl tells the Victoria Derbyshire show that, around this period, a key member of her industry team was “coming on to me in pretty strong way… he was a lot older than me and we were meant to be professionally working together”.

She adds: “I was a teenager… as time went on he would encourage me into doing things I had never really done before like drugs, which I had no experience in whatsoever”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

From labels and studios to gigs and interviews; there is a shocking truth that is not getting a lot of oxygen. Who knows the true extent of the problem in music as some women will be too afraid to come out and discuss their situation. Even if there is a casual contact – I still maintain Ariana Grande was groped – then is not acceptable and need to be dealt with strictly. Whilst some of us are aware of the horrors and extent of abuse in music; there are some who do not realise what is happening. There are legal barriers and issues regarding suing and shaming high-profile figures. Cases like what we saw with film mogul Harvey Weinstein have seen females in the film industry come out; movements like #MeToo have created more conversation and awareness – what of music and what is happening here? This article casts light on extreme cases of sexual violence in the industry and the fact it extends to educational facilities:

“Possibly the most extreme description of the horrors in the industry comes from former Pussycat Dolls singer Kaya Jones, who claims she was in a “prostitution ring” (“My truth.I wasn’t in a girl group”). Since it was discovered that Harvey Weinstein hired ex-Mossad agents to “…stop the publication of [his] abuse allegations…”, threats of that intensity appear plausible (Farrow). However, this is just a small snippet of the crimes that cover the music industry.

…Although a significant amount of these issues are found within popular music, other genres of music also have their fair share of sexual violence. Berklee College of Music, one of the finest music institutions in the world, recently announced it has dismissed eleven professors within the past thirteen years for sexual abuse and harassment (Larimer). In comparison to Elmhurst College’s music department, this would be equivalent to terminating the employment of all but one of their full-time faculty”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ethan Kath and Alice Glass of Crystal Castles/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Many women do not come forward because they fear they will not be believed. Others fear commercial fall-out and pressure if they speak up. I have read about label bosses and men during video shoots taking advantage of female artists and touching them inappropriately. There seems to be this assumption, in some and not all men, that women are more submissive and should be grateful of their attention; a subservience and submissiveness – they need to remain silent and, if there is a bit of touching, then what is the bother! Not every man in music is that cavalier: the abuse and sexual assault allegations are shocking but we can only blame a small minority of men in music. Regardless of how prone and common these cases are - we ca– never truly count the cases and how far they extend – it needs to be stamped out. Maybe, in decades past, musicians took advantage of women and were more handsy because that is what happened. That gaudy and repugnant ‘groupie’ culture glamorised debauchery and that notion the male musician was untouchable and a god. I feel that attitude pervades and many assume power and influence means they can do what they want. Recent cases of sexual assault and abuse in the music industry bring in artists like R. Kelly – who was not charged but accused or running a sex cult and keeping sex slaves – Ethan Kath of Crystal Castles – who was accused of raping Crystal Castles singer Alice Glass – and members of the Polish Metal band Decapitated – the band were accused of kidnapping and raping a fan which led to their arrest.

I am only touching the surface: there are so many other cases reported and those that might never see the light of day! Most musicians and men in music are respectful and will never abuse a woman in such a way but, shockingly, there are far too many cases happening. Whether it is a rape or series of assaults or what happened to Ariana Grande; it seems to be a huge issue that warrants a lot more news time and media coverage. A lot of brave women are coming through; social media makes it easier to bring accusers to justice and highlight issues – do we really know the full extent of these abuse cases?! In a lot of the cases reported; the man in question has either been arrested or kicked out of a band but, whilst the right thing to do, many are still flouting their authority and feel they can get away with anything. There has always been sexual assault and abuse in music and we need to punish those culpable a lot more harshly. I am worried how many cases are not being reported and how nonchalant a lot of men are. They will touch a female inappropriately or harass them; take advantage and feel it is okay to make a move against their will. This grubby and horrible side to music has been occurring for decades and, as we saw as recently as a few days back, it is happening now. I know Bishop Charles H. Ellis III is not a member of the music industry but it highlights how female artists are treated; how endemic and widespread the issue is and, shockingly, how many people brush off such images/occurrences as minor and natural. If we are to see an end (or reduction) in cases, minor and serious, then those casual and culpable need to be dealt with…

IN THIS PHOTO: Ariana Grande/PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Lovekin/Rex/Shutterstock 

A lot more severely.

FEATURE: Eponymously Yours… New Paul McCartney Material and Fifty Years of ‘The White Album’

FEATURE:

 

 

Eponymously Yours…

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

New Paul McCartney Material and Fifty Years of ‘The White Album’

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MAYBE there should be a limit on Beatles/Paul McCartney…

articles per year but if it were any other artist then I might agree - how could you limit such genius?! I feel, in a non-morbid sense, every year we remember music from The Beatles is a precious one. Last year, we paid tribute to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and its fiftieth anniversary. Stations and broadcasters played songs and presented pieces that looked at the album’s magic, influence and how it managed to change the landscape of music back in 1967 – it pushed The Beatles' boundaries and curiosity and, as such, led to a revolution in music. 1970 is the last year we saw an album by The Beatles (Let It Be), so it is a couple more years before we have to say goodbye to the fiftieth anniversary – there will be chances to mark each one of their albums through history but you cannot overlook the importance of those milestone anniversaries. The Beatles’ eponymous album – dubbed ‘The White Album’ – arrived at a rather curious and transformative stage in the life of a band who, then, was going through fracturing. I will have a look at the 1968 masterpiece and why its fiftieth anniversary (in November) should be met with intense celebration. This year has been a big one for Paul McCartney: Ringo Starr has been knighted but Macca has played some memorable gigs (including one back at the Cavern Club) and is in the midst of promotional duties. His new album, Egypt Station, is out on Friday and it will be the seventeenth solo album from the Beatles legends...

2013’s New was a fantastic album and one of his very best in years. I loved that album and, in my psychic way, predicted something would come from McCartney! I felt he has stuff brewing and, although he does not need to put material into the world, you can never imagine the man resting and retiring! Even in his seventies; McCartney has that desire and fresh angles. The singles from the record so far have included flirtatious encounters and, as he has said, other songs will look at depression and darker sides. It is a complex album but one with the reliable brew of catchy songs and quotable McCartney lines! The Freshen Up U.S. Tour 2019 kicks off on 27th May (2019) in North Carolina and there will be Canadian dates. Look at McCartney’s official website and you will see the full rundown. Singles like I Don’t Know, Fuh You and Come on to Me will be included and we will get to see his latest album mixed alongside older material. McCartney travels across Europe, the U.K. and Asia and it seems like next year will be a very busy one. I am amazed by the energy of the iconic songwriter! The reason I have written a few pieces about him lately is that of his durability and ambition.

McCartney does not need to tour anymore or record material. A lot of his peers – aside from The Who and The Rolling Stones – have slowed or stopped completely. Those who have survived and still have commercial viability are a lot more low-level and restrictive compared to their heyday. Paul McCartney, on the other hand, seems to be as intense and busy as the early bloom of his debut solo album. I will talk about The Beatles in the second half but look at his solo material and what he did with Wings and I am stunned he still has material left in him! To me, there are no finer McCartney albums (minus a band) than RAM (1971) and 1982’s Tug of War. The former was recorded not long after Wings started whereas the latter was released after the band broke up. Although McCartney has received some bumpy reviews and released some so-so albums (by his standards!); the way he keeps pushing limits and evolving what he does stuns me. Many might assume his potency and genius would wane as he hit his sixties and seventies but that is not true. Egypt Station’s recent releases show there is ample life and brilliance left in him. I know there will be a few more McCartney albums before his time is done – not trying to make it gloomy – but 2018 is a huge year for him. Not only is McCartney launching a new album and preparing for touring but two releases from The Beatles are celebrating big anniversaries...

I have already marked the fifty-fifth anniversary of their debut, Please Please Me, and, being The Beatles, it wasn’t long before they followed that up. With the Beatles was released on 22nd November, 1963 and had to follow up on the raw and live-sounding material from their debut. The fourteen track album features six cover versions but the band, McCartney especially, were becoming sharper and more ambitious songwriters. The lads were tighter and the sophomore record allowed them a bit more time. It was still a period where a lot of cover versions had to supplement their original recordings but one can look at that album as confirmation the band was here to stay! With the Beatles, like so much of their work in the early-1960s, captured the band on the rise and stole the public’s hearts. Maybe we were yet to see most of their classic slices – Please Please Me had Love Me Do and I Saw Her Standing There on it – but you cannot deny the band was reinventing Pop and offering something thrilling and eye-opening to hungry fans! Whilst it is important to mark that anniversary; I feel the media needs to be aware of The Beatles’ fiftieth anniversary.

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

On 22nd November, it will be fifty years since The Beatles was released to the world. Whilst McCartney will be promoting Egypt Station and preparing for an active and hectic 2019; I feel there will be fond memories and a few tears when he looks back to 1968. Ringo Starr, one suspects, will feel a tinge of nostalgia and look at a time when the world’s biggest band were not only on the verge of collapse but recording some of their finest material ever. One of the reasons I want to look at the album early – I will formally mark it in November – is because the media tends to be a bit slack and insincere when it comes to celebrating artists and albums. They covered Madonna’s sixtieth birthday well but were lacklustre for Kate Bush’s sixtieth; they almost forgot about Michael Jackson’s sixtieth (even if he is no longer with us) and I hope The Beatles gets the same coverage and respect as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. One can compartmentalise The Beatles’ cannon into categories: the most important albums; the most influential albums: the most underrated albums; the most overrated albums etc. I feel it was remiss of people to scantily cover Please Please Me earlier in the year. Not only did that album introduce The Beatles but it is, in my view, more influential and important than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

With the Beatles is a big one but, for me, I feel people should be inking their pens now and getting to grips with a white-covered album that is more fascinating and compelling (than most albums) ever created! One could spend days and weeks dissecting the record and why it resonates and remains in the heart. I feel McCartney’s role and music from the record is stronger than anything else - stronger than Lennon's gems, for instance. If he was the band leader during 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and was taking more control of the band during that period – he would have more creative control during Abbey Road and Let It Be – then ‘The White Album’ was, effectively four Beatles recording solo material. Very few of the songs (thirty of them in total) saw all the members in the same room jamming and united. Only five years after their debut album; pressure, personal relationships and changing dynamics saw the legends on the verge of collapse. They would produce a spectacular swansong with Abbey Road – knowing that would be the last thing they recorded (Let It Be was released after Abbey Road but recorded before) – but people feared The Beatles would not survive after their eponymous record. I was obsessed with The Beatles’ debut when I was a child but it is the boys’ eponymous album that left the biggest dent in my infantile consciousness.

About eleven-or-so of The Beatles’ tracks were written by McCartney; John Lennon had about the same amount, maybe more (even if his contributions were not quite as potent) and, aside from the odd song where credit could have gone to Lennon and McCartney (Birthday among them), Ringo Starr and George Harrison had their say. I was hooked by the silliness of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill. The latter is a John Lennon song and features Yoko Ono backing vocals, a silly story and a cute chorus. It is an atypical Lennon cut! McCartney was usually the one who would provide whimsy and cute but here, unusually, Lennon provided something child-like and, sadly, inane. I loved it as a child because it was singalong and showed the complexity and variation of a fascinating songwriter. It was McCartney’s knees-up-and-a-barrel-of-beer-down-the-local kick of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da that got into my brain. Match that chirpiness and catchiness against another McCartney song like Blackbird and it is an extraordinary thing. Blackbird addresses civil rights struggles and holds political messages. Its birdsong and calm demeanour carries weight and is regarded as one of his best songs. Look at the thrilling opener of Back in the U.S.S.R. and it is almost like the McCartney opener from the debut, I Saw Her Standing There. Lennon and Harrison pitched in on Back in the U.S.S.R. – all handling percussion, guitars and various instruments – and, with Starr absent, it was a song that lacked a Beatle but showed the band, and Macca especially, had not lost the golden touch!

The four-sided L.P., The Beatles, has different sides that show eclectic spirit and four minds on different pages...but determined to add their talent and create a sensational album. It is a scattershot record but those two lead songwriters, once united, were creating genius alone. I will look at Lennon’s contributions – we cannot forget George Harrison’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps – but McCartney was in inspired form. Helter Skelter almost invented Metal: a rampant and raw song where the man screams and shreds…almost alien compared to the tenderness and emotion of Blackbird! Wild Honey Pie (on the first side) and Martha My Dear (the second side) are less substantial but show sophisticated arrangements and new sides to his songwriting. I Will is an underrated gem and Mother Nature’s Son ranks alongside his very best from that period. The band were tense and not at their communicative best. There were storm-outs – Starr quit the band and returned – and sessions would often compartmentalise The Beatles. One might be recording a song in one studio whilst McCartney would be laying material down on his own. Like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours; it is amazing the album was actually made, let alone the fact it ranks alongside the best albums of all-time! One can understand and appreciate why personal issues and pressure infiltrated The Beatles’ camp by 1968. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour (that included Penny Lane and Strawberry Field Forever) rocketed them to new heights and, retreating from touring somewhat, there was a lot of pressure and speculation.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1968

They had to follow that mighty year and, exhausted and in need of recharging, the Transcendental Meditation course with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India (between February and April 1968) gave them new fuel and inspiration. McCartney and Lennon both identified the band needed to get away from everything and find spiritual guidance. The duo would meet in each other’s rooms in the afternoons to review their new material. If dope implicitly compelled a lot of their material around Rubber Soul and L.S.D. was impacting their minds in 1967; nothing illegal – aside from the odd bit of weed – was clouding their brains in India. Renewed, focused and intent; the band were prolific and, with George Harrison developing hugely as a songwriter; it seemed like things were on the up. The traditional and brotherly unification in India dissipated when the band went into the studio. I feel McCartney suffered a lot during the recording. His material is/was extraordinary but Yoko Ono’s introduction into the mix – and the heroin addiction she and Lennon both shared – led to temper and anger (from Lennon), division and two songwriters with a distorted and frayed line of communication. Apple Corps was established in 1968 and the band felt they were invincible. Perhaps there was ego and an inflated sense of self-belief but it is clear drugs and a new relationship in The Beatles’ camp affected things drastically.

The guys were not used to an outsider/non-Beatle in the studio so consistently; so that tension and unusual situation led to spats and breakdowns in the band – not only with the members but George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick. Lennon found McCartney’s songs sweet and cloying: McCartney saw Lennon’s efforts as unmelodious and provocative. Starr left the studio on 22nd August during a session for Back in the U.S.S.R. following McCartney’s criticism of his drumming. (Starr would often sit at the studio’s reception waiting for the other members to turn up). If Lennon and Ono had their own orb and bubble; Harrison was working quietly and avoiding as much conflict as possible; McCartney was adapting to seeing a musical brother being taken away and feeling that tension – Starr, in many ways, was being isolated and having to come between all this electricity and stress. Only sixteen of The Beatles’ tracks had all the band playing; many knew the end was coming but, despite this, so much brilliant music came through. The Beatles is important because it signified a definite shift and strain; the ambition of the record and the varied, decades-lasting songs stood out strongest. It seems like a reissue of The Beatles is almost ready and we will see the original material and, who knows, there might be unheard cuts and some rare offerings! Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band had a reissue that included outtakes and conversation in the studio: The Beatles, I hope, provides some in-studio conversation, more songs and a chance to really dive in.

Maybe that detail and level of exploration will offend the short-attention-span generation but, being such a crucial album, it is much-needed and exciting. I have talked a lot about McCartney’s brilliant contributions (on the record) but Lennon beauties like Julia, Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey; Glass Onion and Happiness Is a Warm Gun are insane! Those songs, alone, are among the best Beatles material – like McCartney; John Lennon was in inspired form and all over the map. If McCartney was writing civil rights songs and amping up to eleven; keeping it cheeky and providing his usual banquet of the eclectic; Lennon was writing extensive and experimental songs (Revolution 1), teasing and sexy numbers (Sexy Sadie) and Goodnight (a great closer that sees Starr take lead vocals). If there were some great reviews in 1968 – a lot of great reviews retrospectively – many were expecting something similar to what The Beatles were creating in 1967, as this feature highlights:

“The White Album was very different from what The Beatles had done before, and that led to it being much disliked when it came out. People were expecting Sgt. Pepper Number Two, but that was not The Beatles way, as in their world, everything needed to constantly change. People seemed shocked by this album. It was stark and much more basic rock n’ roll compared to Pepper, but thankfully over time it’s grown to become one of the most loved Beatle albums, even climbing to number 10 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time”.

What is the beauty of the album? Why has it managed to captivate and stun for all these years?! Jon Dennis, writing in The Guardian in 2011, explained why The Beatles was important to him:

“Like the Beatles' earlier albums, the White Album is eclectic, but here the songs are in conflict rather than harmony. They collide with each other, some in your face (Helter Skelter), others lurking in the half-light, daring to be discovered (Long, Long, Long). Why was I initially shocked by the White Album? I found – I still do find – the album's close devastating: the musique concrete of Revolution #9, the apex of the Beatles' introduction of radical art into the mainstream, is followed by the schmaltzy lullaby Good Night. The contrast is mind-blowing. The Beatles knew how to close an album”.

Whilst there was confusion from critics in 1968 – who were taken aback by the width and size of the album! – it needed to be that long. If you cut it down to a single album then you deny so much great material and insight. Maybe you do not like George Harrison’s Piggies or The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill but it all tells a story. They are puzzle pieces and parts of a tapestry that showed a band going from together and hopeful to the verge of splitting up. The article I have just quoted seems to sum up what I and many others feel:

“…I love all the Beatles records, but knowing them so well, I don't often listen to them now. The White Album's the one I return to more than any other. I disagree with the suggestion that the White Album should have been a single album. Its flaws make it more interesting. And its sprawl, its endless variety and the Beatles' adventures into their subconscious makes it unknowable”.

IMAGE CREDIT: Alejoari

This 2013 article from Consequence of Sound celebrated The Beatles and talked to artists/musical personnel/popular figures inspired by the record. Comedian and writer Eliza Skinner, when talking about McCartney’s Blackbird, said this:

“Blackbird” might just be the perfect song. It’s the song that makes all the other songs feel stupid. When other songs took hours to get ready to go out, “Blackbird” just threw on a t-shirt and looks better than everyone. “Blackbird” doesn’t even know how to put on make-up. And the other songs can’t even hate “Blackbird”, because it’s actually really nice and cool and lets you borrow its sweater, like, whenever. It’s perfect”.

The article, published five years ago, concluded by talking about The Beatles’ eponymous album and why that personal title and blank cover seemed to define where they were. There was no image and grand design (like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) and no concept. This was their most personal work – even if the members, once so close and in love, were drifting apart (the below snippet is from the article I have just quoted):

“At the brink of a new decade, a decisive shift in the Beatles, punctuated by revolution, “Good Night” is the closing hymn of a record stuck in between a time perpetuated by tumultuous shifts. Forty-five years later, it still beckons to the listener — unsure of what promises tomorrow will bring, but hopeful about the sheer possibility”.

‘The White Album’ is one of the most divisive Beatles albums – between critics then and reinterpretation now – but I feel it is one that deserves huge respect. In November, when it turns fifty; I hope the media comes out in force and spends a lot of time writing about it!

I get why people feel John Lennon’s contributions were the most significant but, to me, McCartney is the shining star. From the giddiness of Back in the U.S.S.R. through to Blackbird and Helter Skelter; he covers so much ground and, in the process, created timeless songs. In any case; I know he will look back at 1968 and, whilst there were tension and uncertainty in the ranks of The Beatles, the music that came out of their eponymous album showed, above everything, music ruled everything! We have a couple more months before the official celebrations but I wanted to pay tribute to an album that was a big part of my childhood; something I listened to on cassette and sung along to. Paul McCartney is living through a year that sees his older Beatles work being marked alongside his new solo stuff. It is amazing the man in his seventies is hitting the road with a new purpose - many of us will look back at work he created in his twenties and marvel. Many can argue which Beatles record is the best and which one stands in the mind longest. I still maintain Rubber Soul (1965) is my favourite whereas many say Revolver (1966) is their best, quality-wise. If you want to look at their most accomplished, ambitious and fascinating offering, I feel nothing gets close to the brilliance, tension and scattershot visions of…

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1968

THEIR eponymous genius!

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Iyamah 

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

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TECHNICALLY we are now into autumn…

IN THIS PHOTO: Maddie Simpson

and I must put the summer playlist to bed. I will continue my all-female playlists but will have to give it an autumnal bent. This selection balances the heat and sparkle of summer with the cooling breeze of autumn. It features some of the best new female artist in music and songs that will get right between the bones. A striking, sensational and memorable collection of tunes that shows what a variety of genres and configurations there are on the market – female-led songs that take you somewhere special. Take a listen and have a gander at the awesome tracks that will surely…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Annie Goodchild/PHOTO CREDIT: Larissa Jordan Photography

KEEP the weekend buzzing!

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

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Em Hoggett – Get Out

PHOTO CREDIT: Iona Taberham Photography

Ella Janes – I Think It’s Going to Rain Today

Tommy Genesis – 100 Bad

Zhavia Ward – Deep Down

Maddie Simpson – Love Me Loud

Icona Pop (ft. CMC$ and Grx) – X’s

Kodie Shane – Nola

Hamzaa – You

Ilse DeLange – Sun & Shadow

Ashnikko – Nice Girl

Paigey Cakey (ft. Geko) - Loving

Marie Bothmer – Halbes Du

Rapsody - Sassy

Katelyn Tarver - Labels

PHOTO CREDIT: @sianlouiseLDN

Mega – Chariot

Annie Goodchild – Ether

Dolores Haze – Banana

Lauren Ray – Babylon

HoodCelebrityy – Love

Iyamah – Silver Over Gold

Ginny Owens (ft. Resound) – Stand with Me

Sophia Danai – Guns and Gold

Masumi – Run Baby, Run

Doja Cat – MOOO!

Jillian Jacqueline – Sad Girls

MUNYA - Hotel Delmano

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 1: The Dark Side, Kamikazes and One Shot

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist

 ARTWORK CREDIT: Kyle Lambert  

Vol. 1: The Dark Side, Kamikazes and One Shot

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THIS week has been one for…

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi

surprises and incredible releases. Nobody expected Eminem to release an album anytime soon. Kamikaze is the new one from him and it has been getting people talking. Fantastic, year-defining records from Anna Calvi and IDLES have got critics swooning and drooling; tracks from Kanye West and Muse are there in the mix.

It is a big and bold week for music; lots of fantastic tracks to get your teeth into. I have been excited by the raft and range of material and it is a good way to kick the weekend off. Have a look at this week’s finest and I am sure there is more than enough in there to keep you occupied!

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

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NAO (ft. SiR) – Make It Our Alive

Anna Calvi – As a Man

 PHOTO CREDIT: Hans-Peter van Velthoven

Muse – The Dark Side

Neneh Cherry – Shot Gun Shack

Mabel – One Shot

John Grant – He’s Got His Mother’s Hips

IDLES – Gram Rock

Eminem – Greatest

Noga Erez (ft. SAMMUS) – CASH OUT

PHOTO CREDIT: Mario Sorrenti

Kanye West - XTCY

Wild Nothing – Canyon on Fire

PHOTO CREDIT: Invision/AP/Rex/Shutterstock

Carrie Underwood – Love Wins

The 1975 - TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME

PHOTO CREDIT: Dara Munnis Photography

Tash Sultana – Cigarettes

Blood Orange – Saint

PHOTO CREDIT: Natalie Somekh

King Krule – Biscuit Town

YAK – White Male Carnivore

Twenty One Pilots – My Blood

Panic! At the Disco – High Hopes

Flora Cash – You’re Somebody Else

Troye Sivan – Lucky Strike

Lauv – Superhero

Zhavia Ward – Deep Down

Gallant – Haha No One Can Hear You!

Arkells – Relentless

PHOTO CREDIT: Erica Snyder photography

Tor Miller – Friends with You

PHOTO CREDIT: Corinne Cumming for DORK

Nothing But Thieves – Forever & Ever More

Tess Henley – Better

The Kooks – Kids

Olivia Nelson – Never Too Late

KWAYE – What Have You Done

The Wombats - Bee-Sting

Hannah Barnett – Mining

RAIGN – Who Are You

MNEK – Correct

FEATURE: Change of the Guard: Why Lauren Laverne Taking Over (Temporarily) from Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs Is a Natural and Respectful Move

FEATURE:

 

 

Change of the Guard

IN THIS PHOTO: Lauren Laverne (who will take over from Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs this autumn)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/WordSmith 

Why Lauren Laverne Taking Over (Temporarily) from Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs Is a Natural and Respectful Move

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THERE has been a lot of media interest…

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC Pictures/Getty Images

regarding Lauren Laverne’s appointment as the new (temporary) host of Desert Island Discs. Various outlets have approached the news in different ways. The Times asked who she was (in a wider, inquisitive and creative way); The Sun, typically, wanted to know how old she is (what relevance is that?!) who her husband is (see the previous exclamation in parenthesis...) and when she was in a band (not sure how that ties into presenting a Radio 4 long-running series that is unconnected with what she did in the past!). The news about Kirsty Young stepping aside to recover from illness was a surprise to me:

“Kirsty Young is to take a number of months off Desert Island Discs because she has fibromyalgia, and Lauren Laverne is to fill in for her.

Desert Island Discs returns to BBC Radio 4 on 16 September and Young will host the first two episodes with castaways opera singer Danielle de Niese and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh.

Laverne will host the third episode onwards.

Four presenters have hosted the show since it started in 1942.

Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body and can bring on severe fatigue. Lady Gaga also has the condition”.

Anyone who is an avid fan of the programme (such as myself) would not have been aware of Young’s health concerns and that she needed time off...

IN THIS PHOTO: Kirsty Young with David Beckham on Desert Island Discs (in 2017). Beckham was the programme's seventy-fifth-anniversary castaway/PHOTO CREDIT: Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA Wire 

It is upsetting she is unwell - but it is good she has decided to take time away and rest. Laverne’s appointment is a great move. Desert Island Discs has an email/comment section where you can suggest a possible ‘castaway’ – the name given to a guess on the show – and I suggested her, once. It is a logical and obvious move: she has had a varied career; is a successful radio D.J. and a feminist (which has inspired how I write and argue for women's rights in music). Aged only forty (trying not to be too tabloid!) she has achieved more than most people twice her age! It has been a productive and happy last few weeks for Laverne. She has been hosting a morning show (10 A.M. to 1 P.M.) during the week for years now and is replacing Shaun Keaveny as the new breakfast host (taking care of the 7 A.M. to 10 A.M. slot). It is a good promotion and will be interesting to see what she bring to the show. I am gutted Kirsty Young is stepping aside – as I think she is the best presenter the show has ever seen – but I am glad Lauren Laverne is coming in. Her natural wit and warmth are very (Kirsty) Young-esque but that knowledge of new and older music, obligatory as a BBC Radio 6 Music D.J., is going to be a new angle. Laverne is pleased to get the gig and is honoured to step into such a converted role.

We need not get into fibromyalgia and its severity – it is incurable but can be managed – but everyone wishes Kirsty Young a speedy recovery! Some of the finest editions of Desert Island Discs of previous years have seen her get the best from her guests. Whether it is the incredible and revealing chat with Bruce Springsteen; the natural chemistry with Caitlin Moran or the way she coaxed tears from Tom Hanks – the finest edition of the programme I have ever seen – it is masterful! (A brilliant interviewer whose vast intelligence and intuition gets a lot from the castaway but also lets them explore and wander). Young walks the line between a serious news inquisitor and a warm and sympathetic presence. It is a hard act to follow but I think Laverne is a great replacement. She has her BBC Radio 6 Music show but is already a stalwart and fixture on BBC Radio 4 - hosting a late night edition of Woman’s Hour. This article from The Economist made salient reports regarding the decades-lasting show. Its popularity comes in its simplicity and consistency.

IN THIS PHOTO: Roy Plomley (who devised Desert Island Discs in 1941) recording a show in January 1967 to mark the 25th anniversary of the first programme/PHOTO CREDIT: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

“FOR nearly eight decades the seagulls have cawed, the waves have lapped against the sand and Britons have settled down to “By The Sleepy Lagoon”. The format of “Desert Island Discs” has hardly changed since it was first broadcast in 1942 from the Blitz-scorched BBC studios in Maida Vale. Famous guests select eight records to keep them company on a hypothetical desert island, answering questions in the gaps between them about their lives and careers. The last big innovations came in 1951, when castaways began choosing a book and a luxury for the ordeal (Sally Ann Howes, an actress and the first guest to take advantage of the new rule, plumped for garlic)”.

The presenters’ soothing and educated voices are the only unchanged part of Desert Island Discs. Aside from the rules of the game – choosing eight records, a luxury and a book; you can only save one record from the wave – the programme has diversified from the early days. Previously, guests were academics and figures of notes; samey and plummy voices that, by and large, picked Classical selections and it was all very nice. Now, we get guests from different races and nations; the music – whilst still too heavy for my liking on Classical – takes in everything from Hip-Hop and R&B (Jimmy Carr selecting Beyoncé and Jay-Z as a choice was a shock!) to Lonnie Donegan (the brilliant Sue Perkins chose one of his cuts when she was a guest last year).

I love seeing how Kirsty Young reacts to some out-there music choices – the castaways, in turn, do take the piss out of her slightly posh reactions – and Lauren Laverne is the first host in the programme’s history that will take Desert Island Discs in a new direction. The Sunderland-born musician and journalist has a new bag of skills and an approach to interviewing that is brilliant – a different tact and style to Young that will bring fresh nuance to the series. I am excited to see who she features and the rapport she cements with the castaways. The Economist’s article charted the presenters’ different styles and how the music choices have altered through the decades. A reason why I think Laverne is a natural choice for host is because of her warmth and experience. Previous hosts like Sue Lawley and Roy Plomley were brilliant but were a bit more serious and stern: Young’s appointment in 2006 changed Desert Island Discs and granted greater revelation. Guests during her reign have discussed revealing their homosexuality and suicide attempts; the death of parents and being involved in carnage and bloodshed. The music, too, is a bit more youthful and there is greater room for those big guests to extend and chat freely – something new came in and made Desert Island Discs more accessible and appealing to a younger demographic. Laverne’s task is a big one but I feel she will easily retain the audience and bring in even younger listeners; a new demographic and some great reviews!

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I am a relatively new convert to the programme – a few years or so – and usually gravitate to the editions that speak with entertainment personalities and those in music (other figures tend to be a bit too dry and their music choices a little boring at times). In any case; every edition teaches me something new and I get to discover something genuinely fascinating. From the opening crash of waves and seagull noise through to the mirrored calm of the closing bars – we all cast ourselves away on a Sunday and delight in a format that is tested, true and reliably wonderful. I think things will get even brighter for Lauren Laverne as her radio diary shifts and bulks up. Maybe there will be new T.V. options and journalistic avenues; even more demands from BBC Radio 4 and literary options – it is only a matter of time before she releases a novel or two! In any case; make sure you follow Lauren Laverne when she takes over in the autumn. Even though there is new interest in her and wondering who she is – she has been in the industry since she was a teenager and been a celebrated name for a long time! – but is good to have a reliable and safe pair of hands take over the reins (or something nautical-based!). I think we will see some truly revealing interviews and programmes that get tears and explicit confessions; plenty of emotion and candid humour – comfortable in Laverne’s presence and very trusting. Our thoughts and love go out to Kirsty Young but, when Lauren Laverne steps into the Desert Island Discs role very soon, we will see a professional who will keep the solid and familiar format true but bring her own unique personality and traits to the airwaves. I cannot wait to see what Laverne brings to…

PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Pictures

SUCH a legendary and beloved programme.

FEATURE: Golden Wonder: Fifty Years of Apple Records

FEATURE:

 

 

Golden Wonder

ALL IMAGES/PHOTOS: Getty Images 

Fifty Years of Apple Records

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WE celebrated Trojan Records…

turning fifty last year and, in addition to hearing a lot of the label’s music being played, it was amazing to discover a label that had lasted that long! We look at labels and so many of them come and go; the ones that have lasted lose their power. This year sees The Beatles’ eponymous album turn fifty - a great time to celebrate the label they founded, Apple Records. I am going to publish a piece about Sir Paul McCartney this weekend and look at a  genius whose magic and incredible music continues to delight the world. Although not every release from Apple Records was by The Beatles – solo work by George Harrison and Billy Preston is hugely notable – the boys’ 1968 (and after) work was the biggest draw. This TIDAL article looks at the record label and how it came to be; what it stood for an how it progressed:

“In 1967, following the death of manager Brian Epstein, the Beatles founded Apple Corps as an umbrella company for all of their creative endeavors, with sub-divisions that included Apple Retail, Apple Publishing and Apple Electronics. A year later, as the Beatles returned from their famous trip to India, the band founded Apple Records in London in 1968.

With a forward-thinking, artist-oriented philosophy, the label was designed to foster talent in a creative, nurturing environment, and provide an alternative to the traditional record companies that had dominated the British music industry since before World War II.

  “…While never run on a wholly commercial basis, Apple Records was nevertheless a functioning and successful record label in its early years. Between 1968 and 1973, Apple issued around 50 singles and over a dozen albums by artists who weren’t known on a first name basis as John, Paul, George or Ringo.

It’s an electric, eclectic collection, spanning musical genres and drawing upon influences from around the world.

Especially in the beginning, most of the label’s signee’s were acts the Beatles personally discovered or supported, and in most cases one or more of the Beatles would be involved in the recording sessions. Artists including James Taylor, Mary Hopkin, Billy Preston, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Iveys (later known as Badfinger), Doris Troy and Jackie Lomax were all signed to Apple within the first year”.

I find a lot of inspiration and guidance thinking about what The Beatles wanted to do with Apple Records. They wanted to create a safer space where artists could release the music they wanted; there was no leaning and pressure from big labels and it was especially beneficial for The Beatles. I find, fifty years after the record label started life; how many artists have been inspired. Big musicians around the world, Kate Bush included, have set up their own labels and have decided to do things their own way. There are a lot of big artists who, one feels, are being guided and controlled by the labels who represent them.

I am not suggesting there should be a huge mutiny but it would be good to see more mainstream artists setting up their own labels and breaking away from the big boys. I know artists who have their own label but not recruiting or attracting that many artists – maybe I need to have a closer look. James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and Jack White (Third Man Records) have their own brand; Jay-Z has Roc Nation, Chvrches have Goodbye Records. It is great to see artists show some autonomy or, at the very least, provide a unique and reliable space for artists. These musicians provide options for musicians who either cannot get signed by big labels or want some freedom in their work. The Beatles’ last big record before 1968, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, was released through Parlophone in the U.K. The Beatles was the first album released through Apple and, although the band were cracking and straining, I wonder whether Parlophone would have released a double-disc/four-vinyl album that was so scattershot and eclectic. Each band member was on a different page; songs were recorded in different studios and there were few tracks (of the thirty) that contained every band member. The unhappiness in the ranks did not translate into poor material: The Beatles is seen as one of their finest and a hugely ambitious work.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1968

After 1970; The Rolling Stones’ manager Allen Klein took over control of Apple Corps and a lot of the label’s talent was dropped. When The Beatles broke up that same year; most of the recordings were from solo Beatles members – fresh signings were uncommon. It was a slightly uneasy three-year period that saw, in 1973, a return to Beatles work on Apple Records. The brand is gone now but, since its inception, it was responsible for releasing some fantastic records and inspiring other artists to set their own labels up. The article I have already quoted listed a few notable records under the Apple Records banner. James Taylor’s eponymous album (1968) is one of their finest releases:

“James Taylor’s self titled debut was the first recording by a non-British artist released on Apple Records. It was produced by Apple A&R head Peter Asher during the time Beatles were recording The White Album. After being shown the demos by Asher, Paul McCartney recalled, “I just heard his voice and his guitar and I thought he was great … and he came and played live, so it was just like, ‘Wow, he’s great.”.

Doris Troy and Badfinger proudly put their work in Apple Records’ hands – I wonder how far the label could have gone if it was controlled by one of the Beatles boys or branched out. That lone and proud apple did a lot of great work but, as we mark its fiftieth anniversary; I ask whether we will see anything like it. Look around the biggest bands of our time and could you ever see them establishing their own label and giving other artists a chance to join them?! It seems unlikely we will ever see the like again but, as I mentioned, the fact we see other big musicians with their own label, in many ways, came from The Beatles. We look at that iconic apple symbol and it is synonymous with quality and reputation. This is a great article that gives a full and frank history of Apple Records – in addition to highlighting several albums released through Apple and what made them so special. It seems, during the label’s brief regency, there were many highs and lows:

“Controversy also dogged the Scottish band White Trash, who issued two singles on Apple. While political correctness could be happily dispensed with if within the realm of TV satire, when it came to rock music, even a suggestion of reverse racism was stamped out by the cultural custodians of the day. Hence the truncated name, Trash, for the band’s second Apple 45, a storming cover of their paymasters’ ‘Golden Slumbers’/’Carry That Weight’.

The late Errol Brown, the much-loved voice of Seventies disco kings Hot Chocolate, was first heard on record thanks to Apple. In 1969, the group gave John Lennon’s ‘Give Peace A Chance’ a reggae make-over, and when they sent their recording to Apple for approval, Lennon loved it and instructed the label to release it forthwith. Intriguingly, the record goes beyond a note-for-note rendition of John’s Plastic Ono Band anthem — check out the changes in the lyrics for a true Apple original.

“…Bill Elliot & the Elastic Oz Band’s ‘God Save Us’ is a Plastic Ono Band single in all but name. The song was John Lennon’s fundraiser for the underground magazine Oz. In 1971, the editors stood in the dock, charged with that old chestnut, obscenity. Among the crimes committed in their ‘Schoolkids’ issue of May 1970 was a pornographic cartoon featuring a sexually aroused version of ‘Rupert the Bear’, whose ursine unimpeachability had been scurrilously corrupted into a Robert Crumb character from the waist down, in flagrante delicto with all his naughty parts clearly displayed. The editors ended up in prison, briefly, but their convictions were overturned upon appeal”.

It is clear there were some great releases and an impressive ethos behind Apple Records. There was speculation from the press that Apple Records was The Beatles’ way of tax-dodging and having to pay less money. That, as this piece explains, was refuted by Paul McCartney and John Lennon:

“From the beginning, The Beatles' members used Apple to put out records by other artists they liked, as Lennon and Paul McCartney explained in a 1968 television interview.

"We hope to make a thing that's free, where people can come and do and record," Lennon said.

"It'll be big, I think," McCartney added. "It's like a top. We're gonna set it going and hope for the best."

Apple put out three other singles on the same day it released "Hey Jude," including "Those Were the Days" by Welsh singer Mary Hopkin. That song also topped the charts”.

Most artist-established labels pre-Apple Records were vanity projects: they held little substance, business acumen or long-term ambitions. The Beatles, John Lennon especially, wanted it to be a bigger beast that could inspire the world. From music to film and T.V.; it was this huge idea that was much more than the world’s biggest band adding to their bank balance. Many can look at the subsequent Apple computers and the iPod as a realisation of what The Beatles were trying to achieve. Although today’s Apple is not run by any of the surviving Beatles or has their D.N.A. in its marrow; you can look at the unity of music and film as, in a way, stemming from that initial idea. People assume Apple Records was one of these dreamy and idealistic ideas that held little weight. The fact albums like The Beatles and Abbey Road was released through the label is big enough; other artists were releasing through them and, if things had worked out differently, I think the label could still be going today. We remember Apple Records and not only the material tied to The Beatles - everyone from Ravi Shankar and Ronnie Spector released music through the label. It was a busy, eclectic and ambitious label that made a big impact in its short life. Fifty years after its inception; we remember its heart, soul and huge mindset. That need to go outside a traditional label and, in many ways, create a special and safe community. Many of us associate Apple Records with different things but, for me, there are few things as powerful and iconic as…

THAT incredible logo!

FEATURE: Master Hunters: The Female Innovators Tearing Down Walls

FEATURE:

 

 

Master Hunters

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Female Innovators Tearing Down Walls

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THERE is a long way to go…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Shirley Manson/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Hauptman for DAZED

before music establishes an equal footing and sense of parity. I often write about sexism and feel the greatest fight against it is being made by women – few male artists and journalists coming out and attacking imbalance. It seems strange to think we have got to 2018 and we still need to have these arguments: battling sexism and asking why changes are not being made. It is not only sexism and a lack of opportunities for women that are being struck against. They are talking about sexual assault and being taken advantage of. I will bring in some innovators and those speaking out but, in an interview with The Guardian; Shirley Manson (Garbage) talked about the #MeToo campaign and one its more shocking sides:

“…This conversation inevitably leads to #MeToo, but it is Manson’s older peers’ response that she finds exasperating. “They say: ‘Well, I was raped and I didn’t complain about it.’ As though somehow they resent that protections are now encouraged.” As for her male peers’ complaints: “I want to say: ‘OK, I can offer you two options: you get to tell women they’re beautiful and touch them in the office as you’re sliding past the coffee machine. Or we can eradicate rape and sexual violence. Which one would you rather?’ Men want it all their way. I love men. I want men to step up.” Are men changing for the better? “No. Men are just a little more careful about what they say because they understand they can get into hot water fast”.

I wonder how far we have come and whether those in the seats of power are listening to these conversations and interviews and doing something about it. Certainly, discourse and anger are bringing issues like this to the light and oxidising something that needs to be discussed. It is the music and the sense of passion from these female artists that makes me wonder why we have to talk about sexism. By that, I mean they are equal and, in many cases, far more compelling and stronger than men. In Manson’s case, she has produced a sterling career and is seen as one of the most inspirational and consistent artists from all of music. Another artist that catches my ear is Anna Calvi. Her new album, Hunter is getting fantastic press. This is what The Independent has to say about it:

“…There is, of course, a fine line between sounding serpentine and plain meandering and Calvi isn’t consistently on the right side it. Some guitar solos, as on “Wish” and the otherwise thrilling “Alpha”, wang on a bit. But, overall, this is a powerful statement from a laudably liberated artist. A record red in tooth and claw”.

The Guardian has given it a five-star review and, aside from IDLES’ new album, Joy as an Act of Resistance, I am yet to find a more powerful and impressive record – both albums are released today.

When speaking with The Telegraph earlier this month; Calvi talked about gender and sexism in the music industry:

“I have long felt frustrated at the limitations of what a woman is allowed to be, on a very basic level,” says Calvi. “Perfect, smiling, accommodating. Why do I have to live up to these ideals because of my anatomy?”

Calvi is a passionate feminist who is speaking up for women and laying it out there. We have this perception (women) are supposed to sound a particular way and they are only meant to record a certain type of music. It has never been the case, in any time for music, women have only done Pop or something softer. Calvi, in the interview I have just quoted, talked about the idea of the male Rock artist/band being dead; an idea of what they represent and what they have always been about holding less relevance. I know for a fact a lot of male bands are conscious of image and how Rock artists of the past have been portrayed. More and more female/female-led Punk, Rock and Alternative bands are doing great things and bringing much-needed balance, difference and colour into the scene. Aside from a few great bands like IDLES and Yak; I am a bit bored of the rather cliché and predictable Rock band – the aimless riffs and boring songs.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I listened to Calvi do a live session for BBC Radio 6 Music a couple of days back and she was mesmeric. The stunning, sky-scraping vocals and immense guitar chops; the command and hypnotic sounds that many in the industry feel cannot possibly come from a woman! From Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde; there have always been strong and defiant women showing how strong and purposeful they are. Things are changing in terms of sound but, when it comes to shining a light on women in music, I am not seeing enough change. St. Vincent is another modern innovator who talks about gender and misconception. In an interview last year, she spoke about her experiences:

“The artist born Annie Clark explained that people have "a tendency to assume that if a woman is singing a song, it must be literally true.

"They think everything must be emotional, a diary, and obviously that's not the case," she said.

In the interview with British Vogue, she added: "People wildly underestimate women - they think we lack intelligence".

St. Vincent, like Anna Calvi, is an incredible musician and singer; an artist whose music is transformative and is writing deep and fascinating music – both artists have always been that way! They explore gender and women’s strength through their music; they speak against sexism and how a woman is perceived in the industry. If fans and critics are reacting and impressed by what they do; how many bosses, festivals and labels are taking notice?! I would love to see both of these artists headline the likes of Glastonbury but I wonder whether female artists will be taken as seriously as men. Sure; bands like IDLES are primed to headline but there is a definite role for female sensations who are producing incredible work. From Lizzo and Florence + the Machine through to Laura Marling and Nicki Minaj; women in all corners of music are showing how incredible they are and what they can produce. I feel the music being made by women right now is more interesting and varied than the male-made comparison. In an interview Laura Marling conducted last year to promote her album, Semper Femina, she spoke about her sexuality and being unsure of her femininity:

“Marling prompted a lot of speculation when she announced in a press release that the album was written during a "masculine time" in her life, after she had "gone on this trip of abandoning any sexuality".

She clarifies that today, saying she was simply trying to write about women from a "neutral perspective". But she admits LA prompted a period of androgyny.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Laura Marling/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

"People there are just a bit more far-out," she explains. "Nobody's got a job, they can dress however they want. A lot of my friends are queer or gender-fluid. So I was picking up on that.

"Then there was also my natural relationship with [womanhood]. I'm unsure. I'm unsure of my own femininity or masculinity.

"There are some circumstances in which I employ more of a masculine approach in order to protect myself; and there are circumstances where I indulge in my more feminine side because that vulnerability seems more important”.

Maybe it is not the case with Laura Marling but many women have to produce music more ‘masculine’ in order to get critical attention. Although their natural sound is incredible; people are still looking for the same old sound and something old hat. I wrote a piece this week about festival headliners and how artists like Dua Lipa – at Reading this year – are defining the new wave. She is a great Pop artist and, at a time when male bands are holding less influence; are fantastic and multi-talented artists like her and Sigrid the new headliners?! Surely, it is only a matter of time before these empowering and striking female artists get proper respect and attention. I think we have got into this mindset about the band – Rock, for the most part – being the profitable and ideal concoction in music. Women have always been vital in the progression and evolution of music but few are being listened to as hard as they should.

In this article, Beyoncé interviewed her sister Solange (Knowles) about experiences of sexism in the business; how she has been made to feel and react:

“As far back as I can remember, our mother always taught us to be in control of our voice and our bodies and our work, and she showed us that through her example,” Solange says. “Society labels that a control freak, an obsessive woman, or someone who has an inability to trust her team or to empower other people to do the work, which is completely untrue.”

When Beyoncé asks Solange about common misconceptions about being a strong woman — Beyoncé herself having often been criticised for her tight image control— Solange cites Jessica Hopper’s 2015 interview with Björk in which the artist laments how a man is almost always given the credit for her work. “One thing that I constantly have to fight against is not feeling arrogant when I say I wrote every lyric on this album. I still have not been able to say that,” Solange says. “That’s the first time I’ve actually ever said it, because of the challenges that we go through when we celebrate our work and our achievements.”

“It’s something I’ve learned so much about from you, getting to be in control of your own narrative. And, at this point, it should be an expectation, not something that you’re asking permission for,” she continued. In 2013, Solange and frequent collaborator, Dev Hynes, had a public falling out over writing credits on her EP, True (they have since reunited on stage)”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Courtney Barnett/PHOTO CREDIT: Elizabeth Weinberg for GQ

From Kacey Musgraves and SOPHIE to Anna Meredith to Hannah Peel; Cardi B and Mitski and Courtney Barnett; so much of the finest music from the past year are being made by women. I am finding Pop’s mainstream finest showing more determination and passion than ever before. Fantastic newcomers like Jorja Smith are leaving a huge impression on the music landscape and showing how strong female artists are. The names I have already mentioned are all worthy of headline slots; they are all incredibly gifted and potent artists who show who are laying down their voices. It is hearing artists like Anna Calvi and St. Vincent – the multi-talented musicians and sublime songwriters – that makes me a bit angry. They are right in everything they say and you only have to listen to their music to realise how stupid the gender divide is. Why are they not getting big headline slots? Why do they have to address sexism when, clearly, female artists are producing world-class material?! I am stunned (but not surprised) by the sheer wonder and fascination coming from the best female artists out there. So much of the Pop market sees male writers and producers run the show. I wonder whether female artists are being controlled by labels – who want men to write the songs and just have them sing. With a plethora of brilliant female Pop artists; are they being silenced and controlled?

IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa/PHOTO CREDIT: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Dua Lipa, in this article, explained how she learned a lot from male writers – regarding process and skills – but, when we think of women writers; there always seems to be men behind them – you never get that with men:

"You will notice of the big successful female artists, there is always a 'man behind the woman' piece. If it's Beyonce, it's Jay Z. If it's Adele, it's Paul Epworth.

"Me? It was Mark Ronson and the same with Amy Winehouse. You never get that with men".

I hope the Pop demographic changes so that more female artists are allowed to stand on their own and not be tied with men; create a less manufactured and directed sound and be allowed to write their own music. There are female artists who like joining with men but others who feel studios and labels are putting teams together to dictate what they do – no faith in their ability and voices. Beyoncé has spoken up and said women are assumed to have less money and power than men when that isn’t true; Lady Gaga has spoken about age and how women in their twenties do not give everything away; Nicki Minaj has said how, when she is being assertive, she is seen as a bitch – men are seen as cool and cutting. Other female artists have spoken about the idea of female-written songs and how people assume it is all break-ups, diaries and sensitivity – men are much tougher and more complex, many assume.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lady Gaga/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for MTV

So many have a notion of a female-written song and what makes them tick. Others see female artists as controlled and lacking musical explosion; others write them off and assume they need men to call the shots. All of these misconceptions need eradicating and consigning to the past. The five-star reviews for Anna Calvi and big props for mega-icons like Beyoncé should not be brushed off and ignored. The army and sea of insatiably hungry, talented and angry female artists – who want to combat sexism and get equality – are doing more to music than so many male artists. They are speaking loud and, unless those who hold true power listen and take notice, we will see their fine work and voices get overlooked. Not that the music is being forgotten by the public: festivals, labels and parts of the media need to retune their dial and give female artists much more love. I have not even looked at the great female Punk bands and the underground emerging. Look at my all-female playlists on my blog; look at every music blog and site out there and, every day, you are seeing unbelievable female artists/bands captivate and attack. They deserve to play in a music world where they are not patronised and have to face any sexism. They warrant a place much higher up festival bills! It is not compromising and filling quotas; being conciliatory or doing something noble. From the intense anthems of Patti Smith and Aretha Franklin to the new blood of Anna Calvi and Dua Lipa; all they want is…                                                                                                    

A little respect!

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Sidibe/PHOTO CREDIT: Cassie Hunter 

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

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AS the nights start to draw in…

IN THIS PHOTO: The Menstrual Cramps

and the temperature drops a bit; I feel summer is slipping away. I wonder how many hot and bright days we have left before we are in autumn. In any case; I am keen to keep the fires burning and present summer-primed songs that get you in a better mood. Here is a list of female-led music that shows all the complexities of summer: the steamy and sizzling to the cooler and more intimate moments. Have a listen to the latest edition of this playlist and all the treats contained within. These are songs guaranteed to…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Holiday Sidewinder

PUT you in a better mood.

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

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Ainslie Wills - Society

Emily Frith – Better

Emma Remelle – One Last Drink

PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Helderman

Amber Arcades – Where Did You Go

PHOTO CREDIT: Thom Kerr Photography 

Holiday Sidewinder – Leo

PHOTO CREDIT: Shambala Festival

The Menstrual Cramps – The Smash

Laura Jane Grace – The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton

Okay Kaya – Habitual Love

Ah! Kosmos (ft. Özgür Yılmaz) – Wide

PHOTO CREDIT: Cassie Hunter

SIDIBE – What Should One Do

Lolo Zouaï – Brooklyn Love

PHOTO CREDIT: @olakrol_

Harlequin Gold – Youth

Ghost Caravan – Shine On

PHOTO CREDIT: David Hobbs Photography

Sfynx – Yoyo

Cristina Hart – House of Tears

Runrummer – Good for Nothing

Tina Boonstra – Concrete Heart

Salvation Jayne - Cortez

Sizzy Rocket - Harley

VALERAS – Painkiller

Kerry Goodhind – The Shallow

Lucy & La Mer – Got That Thing

RAIGN – Who Are You

PHOTO CREDIT: Helen Messenger Photography

Death of the Maiden – Horses

Clare Bowen – Sweet William