INTERVIEW: The Mojo Cams

INTERVIEW:

The Mojo Cams

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IT has been interesting speaking with Steve Bull...

about his musical moniker, The Mojo Cams, and how that came to be. He talks about his David Bowie-inspired project, Nebula Tuesday, and the latest song from it, These Are the Days – he reveals a few albums that are especially important to him.

I ask Bull about combining literature and music together and whether there is a natural connection; what he has planned coming up and what his favourite musical memory is – he ends the interview by selecting a great Kate Bush song.

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

I’m doing okay, thanks. How are you? I’ve been getting out and about and enjoying the early autumn mornings the last week or so. The amazing colours of the trees and the falling leaves seem to make me want to reminisce.. I’m hoping it will inspire me to write something.

It’s been such a very busy time with non-music stuff recently so it’s really nice to take time out and have a chat with your good self about creative matters!

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

I am a songwriter and composer with a keen interest in digital art. I love to get artists together to develop new songs and recordings. I like to produce music via collaborations and conceptual ideas. The Mojo Cams is my vehicle for delivering this music.

Can you talk about Nebula Tuesday and what it is about? When did the idea come to you?

The idea came to me shortly after David Bowie died. Nebular Tuesday is essentially about how we treat the ‘others’ in life: how we view strangers and outsiders who don’t see the world the same. It is also about injustice and truth.

In the initial stages, I was developing an idea for a concept album. I was also looking to reflect the changes in the cultural and political climate. It started off and remains, thematically dark. I wanted to speak about the blighted concept of ‘fact’; the rise of the populist right and xenophobia. Nebular has grown its own arms and legs now. It’s a fully-scripted musical story and I’m not exactly sure how that happened.

I’ve put some tunes in there, though. It’s not all heavy…

The first track, These Are the Days, sets the story. Were you inspired by particular films or books regarding the story arc?!

Absolutely. I was thinking about The Wicker Man and all its weirdness and spooky isolation. The setting and the feel were a definite colouring of my vision for Nebular. I also had Straw Dogs (the original) in mind - to express the terror of the outsider in the story.

Might we see another project like Nebula Tuesday in the coming months/years?

I’m in talks to produce a musical dramatic work concerning the Scottish bard Robert Burns just now. I’m also working on the songs of a new musical that I hope to unveil early next year. Don’t want to say too much in case I jinx it....

Do you feel there is a natural link between music and literature - and should more musicians create form a literary viewpoint?

Well. There is a link, in the fact that songs are essentially literal due to the words and concepts of lyrics. Great lyrics often set dramatic scenes, tells stories and explore themes in a very concise and clever way. Writing Nebular; I found that matching a lyric to a dramatic scene and storyline can be somewhat limiting and, conversely, a focus for ideas.

I had never really tried writing songs in this way before. The lyrics had to be described through the eyes of the characters in the story and confined by their motivation and situations. This forced me into a new way of developing words.

Should more musicians explore this? Well, I quickly realised that it was definitely something I should have been doing all along. It was creatively liberating in the sense that I could say things through a character that I could never say personally. Artists who write for other people must experience something similar.

Overall though, I feel that music is most relevant when it explores an empathic and emotional narrative. When the listener is captured, immersed and taken on an internal journey then I suppose they are experiencing music in its purest form. Whatever device a songwriter or composer uses to accomplish this is absolutely fine by me. It is not an easy thing to do. In songs, stories and themes will always play a part.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

I am looking at taking Nebular towards a full stage/screen production. I also have other projects on the go that promise to take up all of my time.

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

I’ve met loads of famous people. Muse, U2. Very cool experiences. I’ve had a write up in The Big Issue. Geri Halliwell was on the next page. A big highlight was supporting The Levellers and having Eddie Reader’s son ask for an autograph!

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

Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction

For the sound of the guitars - and it sounds like they recorded it all last week.

Portishead – Dummy

For the spookiness the Mellotron, the vocal and the otherworldliness of it. It’s a seminal album that’s for sure.

Kate Bush – Hounds of Love

Because it’s Her Majesty Kate and that is enough. Right?

As Christmas is coming up; if you had to ask for one present what would it be?

I would absolutely LOVE a two-in-one Neumann 24x4 analogue summing mixer by Vintage Maker. Sorry...you’re none the wiser? Gearhead geek alert! Do you think they will send me one now that I have mentioned them in your interview? In time for Christmas?

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

I would love to support Noel Gallagher. The rider would be beers and a copy of The Beatles Anthology.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

If everyone is running into the six yard box, head for the wing. Someone might pass you the ball.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

There may be some conventional gigs in 2019 but, right now, I’m organising a rehearsed reading of Nebular Tuesday in February.

 IN THIS PHOTO: SIAN

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I love the vocal group SIAN

Niteworks (ft. Sian) - Air Fàir an Là:

‘Air fàir an là’ means ‘At dawn of day’. It’s a traditional Gaelic ‘waulking song’ and the melody is utterly gorgeous. One of the Sian singers, Ceitlin LR Smith, sings in English on Nebular.

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

Digital painting keeps me off the streets. Sometimes.

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

Please play Experiment IV by Kate Bush. Nigel Kennedy’s in it you know and I can play violin...so there...

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FEATURE: Sprouts for Christmas: The Return of the Peerless Paddy McAloon

FEATURE:

 

 

Sprouts for Christmas

IN THIS PHOTO: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon (circa 2013)/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Westenberg

The Return of the Peerless Paddy McAloon

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THIS new announcement and news from Paddy McAloon...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Paddy McAloon captured in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Putland

is not promising fresh material in the coming days and weeks but it does seem, by September of next year, there will be more music from the Prefab Sprout lead. Prefab Sprout is essentially McAloon himself and the previous album, Crimson/Red, was made with producer Calum Malcolm. That record is a terrific thing and was made after McAloon forgot he had to get an album out. He was phoned one day to say he was overdue and, in a panic, retreated to his archives and selected some songs that he could do fairly quickly. If the process seems rushed then you cannot say the execution is sloppy and lacks quality. It is one of the best albums from the Prefab Sprout catalogue and has all the usual and reliable threads we expect from McAloon. The Durham-born songwriter did a couple of interviews around the release of Crimson/Red and it was nice to hear him talk so openly about the record and his absence. Let’s Change the World with Music was released in 2009 so there was a little bit of a gap. McAloon, when interviewed, was in great spirits and talked about the making of Crimson/Red and the inspiration behind some of the songs. He stated, when speaking with Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie on BBC Radio 6 Music that he likes character songs and, on the album, you get some vivid stories and so much colour.

It is a fantastically written and realised record that impressed critics and stood out as one of 2013’s very best. Uncut, in this review, talked about the traits and magic elements of Crimson/Red:

“But the final triumph of Crimson/Red doesn’t lie in the usual smart artifice. It lies in the fact that it is ridiculously catchy. McAloon assembled these songs from the vaults – “The Old Magician” is 16-years-old, “List Of Impossible Things” has been tinkered with for a decade – on a deadline, and decided to forgo his normal tendency to take a hookline and sink it beneath modal twists and muso turns, and just let the choruses breathe. All of the songs mentioned plus the harmonica-led, yacht-rock note-to-self of the endlessly repeating “Billy” are once-heard, forever-whistled earworms, destined to get you humming annoyingly at the checkout in Tescos.

The result is an album that cuts through much of the cerebral work that being a Prefab Sprout fan generally entails, in favour of mainlining directly to the heart. It’s a genius pop album by a genius pop singer-songwriter. Or: A universally accessible joy from a particularly clever bastard”.

It is hard to deny the brilliance of the album and, as Paddy McAloon interviews are rare, it was good to hear the man speaking and revealing what he has been up to. One of the reasons why he is not touring and recording more is because of hearing and sight issues. He has damaged hearing and it means, if he were to tour, it would be him strumming a guitar – a nervous experience and not one he is willing to explore.

There are constraints when he records and working as he did back in the 1980s is not going to be possible. I hoped McAloon would announce a new Prefab Sprout record and, whilst we do not have a lot of detail, he did speak with Today reporter Nicola Stanbridge about his plans. It is great that he is working away and, when it comes to sprouts at Christmas; it is nice to have a bit of Prefab on the plate! It is a present and tantalising revelation from McAloon and, as he says in the interview, he hopes to have something out in September – if his hearing holds and he can put it all down on tape. I have often and long regarded Paddy McAloon as one of the greatest songwriters the world has seen. Ever since Prefab Sprout’s debut, Swoon, in 1984; the man has been able to pen songs like nobody else. Witty, intelligent and utterly absorbing; you are drawn into his world and struck by his striking pen and brilliant use of language. Maybe we all know the band from The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll (from 1988’s From Langley Park to Memphis) but many critics felt it was the band at their more commercial and less potent. That songs, especially, holds weight and significance to me as it is one of my earliest memories. I was five when the song came out and, as it was played a lot on radio at the time, it was hard to miss it.

I was at a theme park with my family – it was a warm day and there was a sort of beach there – some sand and chairs around swimming pools to simulate a beach – and the song was playing on a tannoy as we were coming in (and was being played as we walked around). I love the chorus and catchiness – jumping frogs and hotdogs... – and it remains one of the band’s best-loved numbers. To be honest, it is hard to define Prefab Sprout and get to the roots of Paddy McAloon. He can write songs of heartache and longing like nobody else but come up with these strange and wonderful character studies. Cleopatra is the new song McAloon is working on and currently doing the vocals for. As he said in the current interview; he has been interrupted by various things – his hearing went badly wrong and he was working with Spike Lee – and it seems he is in a place where he can focus on the record. The last ‘song’ we hear from McAloon was released online back in March last year. Entitled America, it seems to be this calling for clarity and stability in a beautiful nation. Rather than attack President Trump and get angered; the vocals are warm yet carry urgency. It was an unexpected delivery from McAloon and I wonder whether the song will feature on the upcoming Prefab Sprout record. In a time of turmoil and national crisis; it is nice to hear from Paddy McAloon and I am already excited by the prospect of some delicious Prefab Sprout. Whilst we wait for a new studio album from Prefab Sprout – one assumes it will be another solo effort without the original band members – I have collated the five essential Prefab Sprout albums that you need to get involved with. Whether you are a diehard fan or a new convert; have a look at these golden Prefab Sprout record and...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon and Wendy Smith (date unknown)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

MAKE sure they are in your collection.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

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Steve McQueen

Release Date: June 1985

Labels: Kitchenware/CBS

Producer: Thomas Dolby

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-McQueen-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B001GTUN38/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1544623320&sr=8-1&keywords=prefab+sprout+steve+mcqueen

Information:

“On an episode of the BBC Radio 1 programme Roundtable, musician and producer Thomas Dolby, a panelist on the programme, spoke favourably of Prefab Sprout's "Don't Sing", a track from their 1984 Swoon.[2] The band subsequently contacted Dolby, who met with frontman and primary lyricist McAloon in the latter's County Durham home.[2] McAloon presented Dolby with a number of songs he had written, "probably 40 or 50" by Dolby's estimate,[3] some written as far back as 10–12 years prior.[2] Dolby then picked his favourites and asked McAloon to make demo recordings of them; these recordings served as the basis for Dolby's initial process of planning the album's recording.[3]

In the autumn of 1984, Dolby and Prefab Sprout began working on the album's songs in rehearsals at Nomis Studios in West London; after these sessions had commenced, they moved to Marcus Studios for proper recording.[4] The sessions were mutually amicable, with the band being respectful of Dolby's edge over them in recording and musical experience, and Dolby himself keeping into account the band's wishes, knowing that McAloon "wouldn't want to be diluted" by Dolby's additions to the album.[4] Subsequent mixing was carried out at Farmyard Studios in Buckinghamshire.[4]

The bulk of Steve McQueen's sound is dominated by Dolby's lush, jazz-tinged production.[5][6] McAloon's songs touch on a number of themes, including love, infidelity, regret and heartbreak,[5] and are lyrically "literate and humorous without being condescending in the slightest"[7]  - Wikipedia

Review:                                                                                   

“I think he needn't be so bashful; one of the defining qualities of the record is its pop ambition, its willingness to engage with its times, precisely by not being a sullen singer-songwriter would-be timeless classic. Imagine if Sinatra had decided that Nelson Riddle's arrangements tied his albums to closely to the early 50s. According to this additional disc, Steve McQueen might have been some perfectly prim and pleasant Go-Betweeny acoustic curio, rather than how it ended up: the kind of record you imagine Elvis Costello might have made had he been signed to ZTT and been ensconced in a studio with Trevor Horn” – Pitchfork

Standout Tracks: Faron Young/Bonny/Appetite

The Ultimate Cut: When Love Breaks Down

From Langley Park to Memphis

Release Date: 14th March, 1988

Label: Kitchenware

Producers: Thomas Dolby/Jon Kelly/Paddy McAloon/Andy Richards

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Langley-Park-Memphis-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B001GUKEZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544623520&sr=8-1&keywords=prefab+sprout+from+langley+park

Information:

“From Langley Park to Memphis is the third studio album by English pop band Prefab Sprout. It was released by Kitchenware Recordson 14 March 1988.[2] It peaked at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart, the highest position for any studio album released by the band.[3]The album featured guest appearances from Stevie Wonder and Pete Townshend.[1] Five singles were released to promote the album: in order of release, "Cars and Girls", "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", "Hey Manhattan!", "Nightingales" and "The Golden Calf".[4] "I Remember That" was later released as a single in 1993 to promote the greatest hits album A Life of Surprises: The Best of Prefab Sprout.[4]”- Wikipedia

Review:                                                                                   

“As suggested by the title, From Langley Park to Memphis is Prefab Sprout's spiritual journey into the heart of American culture; obsessed with rock 'n' roll ("The King of Rock 'n' Roll") and Bruce Springsteen ("Cars and Girls"), fascinated with gospel music ("Venus of the Soup Kitchen") and locked in a love/hate relationship with New York City ("Hey! Manhattan"), Paddy McAloon turns an iconoclastic eye to the other side of the Atlantic in order to make some sense of it all. An airy, lounge-pop feel permeates the record, which also sports cameos from the likes of Stevie Wonder and Pete Townshend. Still, while ambitious in both concept and execution, From Langley Park to Memphis pales in comparison to its masterful predecessor Two Wheels Good -- a shortcoming acknowledged by Prefab Sprout themselves with the title of their next album, Jordan: The Comeback” – AllMusic

Standout Tracks: Cars and Girls/Hey Manhattan!/The Golden Call

The Ultimate Cut: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Jordan: The Comeback

Release Date: 7th September, 1990

Label: Kitchenware

Producer: Thomas Dolby

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-PS4-Dual-Shock-Negro/dp/B000025THW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544623625&sr=8-1&keywords=prefab+sprout+jordan

Information:

“Jordan: The Comeback is the fifth studio album by English pop band Prefab Sprout. It was released by Kitchenware Records on 7 September 1990. It peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart.[8] "Looking for Atlantis" and "We Let the Stars Go" were released as singles, peaking at No. 51 and No. 50, respectively, on the UK Singles Chart.[8] Additionally, Jordan: The EP peaked at No. 35 on the UK Singles Chart[8]”- Wikipedia  

Review:                                                                                   

“In fact Jordan... consolidates the band’s newfound commercial clout with McAloon’s tendency to fit at least three songs into every one. Confirmed as a songwriter of considerable genius, he now explored genres aplenty: "One Of The Broken" (sung from the vantage point of God – never let it be said that Paddy lacked ambition) is a country song while "Carnival 2000" toys with samba. Dolby returned to the desk, supplying the synth and string, reverb-drenched fairy dust that McAloon’s songs of religion, loss and love demanded.

At times it comes uncomfortably close to cloying - especially on "We Let The Stars Go" or "All The World Loves Lovers" – or too clever for its own good ("Michael" – subject: Lucifer longs to return to paradise) yet is always rescued by the heart-tugging meodies or scintillating arrangements that never hang around long enough for boredom or familiarity to set in. The 'Jesse James' numbers (equating the Western outlaw to a reclusive Elvis, holed up in Vegas) are especially fine with their recurring themes.

Prefab Sprout longed to make pop music, but were always far too intelligent and inventive to do anything so straightforward. Like George Gershwin transported into Brian Wilson’s sandbox, Jordan... is equal parts passionate, philosophical and preposterous. Nothing else sounds like it” – BBC

Standout Tracks: Wild Horses/We Let the Stars Go/The Wedding March

The Ultimate Cut: Looking for Atlantis

I Trawl the Megahertz (Paddy McAloon Solo)

Release Date: 27th May, 2003 

Label: Liberty Records

Producers: Paddy McAloon/Calum Malcolm

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trawl-Megahertz-Remastered-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B07J35TBSP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544625660&sr=8-1&keywords=I+trawl+the+megahertz

Information:

“The largely instrumental album marks a notable stylistic change from previous Prefab Sprout work, featuring classical passages and orchestration reminiscent of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, McAloon's two favourite composers. Writing much of the music on his computer, McAloon was given help by co-producer Calum Malcolm and composer David McGuinness in translating his original versions into the final recordings, with live orchestration provided by Mr McFall's Chamber. McAloon's radio-sourced material was then integrated with the songs, with spoken word vocals from Yvonne Connors on the title track, TV and radio dialogue samples on "I'm 49" and McAloon's own singing on "Sleeping Rough"

In 1999, Paddy McAloon, front man of British pop band Prefab Sprout, suffered detachment from both retinas in his eyes in quick succession, possibly due to congenital factors, which needed extensive surgery and left him nearly blind for some time.[6] As such, he was left housebound,[7] and rendered unable to write songs in his usual fashion, namely "hunched over a keyboard," and he found it particularly frustrating as he found himself subject "to itchy, unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if [he] cannot work."[8] As a result of this, and being unable to read, McAloon passed the time by listening to, and recording, various television and radio programs, especially chat shows, phone-in radio shows, citizens band conversations and "military encryptions – you name it, I was eavesdropping on it."[8] Much of his listening was to late night radio shows.[9] One journalist pointed out his listening to particularly short wave radio transmissions.[10]

McAloon found solace in the various radio shows and documentaries he listened to, and inspired by what he heard, used them as the source for a new solo album, I Trawl the Megahertz. He began taping the programs he listened to ("chat shows and things like that, people phoning in with their complaints to various DJs."[11]) To his own admission, he found 90% of what he recorded "boring," but he began to "mentally edit" some of the things he heard: "Odd words from documentaries would cross-pollinate with melancholy confidences aired on late night phone-ins; phrases that originated in different time zones on different frequencies would team up to make new and oddly affecting sentences. And I would change details to protect the innocent (or guilty), to streamline the story that I could hear emerging, and to make it all more...musical, I suppose"[8]  - Wikipedia

Review:                                                                                   

“The most significant song is the opener; 22 minutes in length, it's nearly elegiac in it its mournful tones played out by a swaying string arrangement and a weeping trumpet. Throughout its duration, Yvonne Connors speaks matter-of-factly -- yet dramatically enough to be poignant -- as she rifles through fragments of her memory, the most disarming of which reads like this: "I said, 'Your daddy loves you very much; he just doesn't want to live with us anymore.'" Of the eight remaining songs, McAloon's voice is present on just one, which doesn't come along until near the end. This song, the particularly autumnal "Sleeping Rough," is almost as emblematic of the album as the opener, expressing a somewhat sorrowful but content coming to grips with the passage of time ("I'll grow a long and silver beard and let it reach my knees"). The album was conceived during and in the wake of McAloon's bout with an illness that temporarily took away his eyesight, but it's plain to hear that his vision remains” – AllMusic 

Standout Tracks: Esprit de Corps/Fall from Grace/Sleeping Rough

The Ultimate Cut: I Trawl the Megahertz

Crimson/Red

Release Date: 7th October, 2013   

Labels: Icebreaker/Kitchenware

Producers: Paddy McAloon/Calum Malcolm

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crimson-Red-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B00FJX6SJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544624138&sr=8-1&keywords=crimson+red+prefab

Information:

“Crimson/Red is the tenth studio album by the English pop group Prefab Sprout. It was released in the United Kingdom by Icebreaker Records/Kitchenware Records on 7 October 2013.[1] The album title is a reference to artist Mark Rothko[2]” - Wikipedia

Review:                                                                                   

“The subjects, too, are rich and strange. The Best Jewel Thief In The World is a creation only McAloon could summon, a professional cracksman at the top of his game, scorning the little folk ("what do any of those assholes know?”). There’s the "urbane” Mephistopheles of Devil Came A Calling who offers Paddy – OK, “Patrick” – “a mansion on Fellatio Drive” before returning, after 50 years of gravy, to claim his due. Bob Dylan and Jimmy Webb, or representations thereof, pop by, as if lending moral support to the songwriter at bay.

Music itself is now McAloon’s hot topic, a holdover from Let’s Change The World With Music, the house-informed album McAloon made in 1993 but only relinquished for release in 2009. And though music about music can smack tediously of self-justification, the payoff here is Billy, a delirious fable wherein music’s intercessionary magic is embodied by a discarded trumpet, stumbled across in the snow.

In the ’80s, McAloon might have scorned such a sentimental metaphor, but he’s not that smart aleck any more, not with life’s solaces now at such a premium. The gifted kid’s still gifted. He just grew up, is all” – Mojo

Standout Tracks: The Best Jewel Thief in the World/Devil Came a Calling/The Old Magician  

The Ultimate Cut: Billy

FEATURE: Goodbye Maida Vale Studios: Are We Doing Enough to Save Our Iconic Music Spaces?

FEATURE:

 

 

Goodbye Maida Vale Studios

IN THIS PHOTO: The Big Moon performing live at Radio 1's Future Festival live recording at Maida Vale Studios in 2017/PHOTO CREDIT: Merrick Winter  

Are We Doing Enough to Save Our Iconic Music Spaces?

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I am lucky enough to be one of the last members of the public...

IN THIS PHOTO: The exterior of Maida Vale Studios on Delaware Road/PHOTO CREDIT: David Dixon

who will get to go into Maida Vale Studios before it closes its doors. The iconic venue is going to move to East London – more accurately, the BBC will host sessions and move operations to a new venue over the other side of London. The legendary and much-loved space has played host to countless artists and incredible moments. Modern artists have been lucky enough to play there and, across the years, Maida Vale has hosted some of the biggest musicians ever. One approaches Maida Vale Studios in West London and, from the outside, it looks rather average. As you walk along Delaware Road, one sees a tin roof and it looks like a farm building. Walking further and there are a series of doors/entrances and then, a bit further still, and you have the main entrance. I have never been in the studios but have seen many photos and the impression one gets from seeing them is immediate. The sheer gravity, size and glory of the studios’ wonder is breathtaking and wondrous. I have heard sessions there throughout the year and, unlike a smaller BBC studios, you can get a healthy crowd in there and pretty much accommodate any musician. It is a dream for artists because they get to be in this iconic space and it feels like they are in a large venue. Given the scale and size of the studios, one might feel there is a lack of grace and intimacy.

Maida Vale Studios perfectly blends the homely and intimate with something more stirring and epic. The BBC has had to make cuts and accommodations through the years but many were not ready to say goodbye to Maida Vale Studios. Back in June, the news was announced that Maida Vale Studios would shut its doors and facilities would move to East London. Here is how The Guardian documented the news:

“The BBC plans to close its Maida Vale studios after 84 years and move its live music base to Stratford in east London.

The world-famous studios have hosted thousands of performances ranging from the Beatles to Beyoncé to Girls Aloud, in addition to hosting the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

The studios were originally constructed in 1909 as a short-lived rollerskating venue. The BBC took over the building in the 1930s and refurbished it to serve as studios, making it one of the broadcaster’s oldest buildings.

However, the distinctive and unusual building is in a residential area and contains asbestos, increasing the cost of refurbishment.

“I understand how much our musical heritage at Maida Vale means to us, to artists and to audiences,” the BBC director general, Tony Hall, said in a note to staff. “We haven’t taken this decision lightly. But we’re determined to ensure that live music remains at the heart of the BBC and moving to this new development gives us the opportunity to do just that”...

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé (who is one of the many artists who has performed at Maida Vale Studios)/PHOTO CREDIT: Tyler Mitchell for Vogue

Maida Vale was the site of Bing Crosby’s last recording session and has hosted tens of thousands live music events for BBC radio stations, ranging from John Peel sessions to Radio 1’s Live Lounge recordings. It was also the home of the experimental BBC Radiophonic Workshop, where Delia Derbyshire recorded the Doctor Who theme tune.

The BBC hopes to relocate most of Maida Vale’s functions to a new complex in the Stratford Waterfront development in the Olympic Park by 2023. The site will contain recording and rehearsal studios, providing a purpose-built base for the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the BBC Singers, as well as being used regularly by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

The broadcaster has pledged to run music sessions in east London schools as well as making digital music resources available to schools everywhere. The BBC will also partner with local education groups on other music projects”.

Musicians, as NME show, were quick to respond to the news:

“Several high profile musicians have now tweeted using the #BBCSaveMaidaVale hashtag. Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich wrote: “This is absolutely insane…!! wrong… misguided… Call it what you will – the wrong move… don’t destroy this incredibly important part of our cultural heritage – every bit as important as Abbey Road studios…. stop!!!!”
Foals’ Yannis Philippakis added: “So many memories at Maida Vale, so many amazing sessions over the years. DOn’t confine it to history. The BBC should reconsider.” His bandmate Jimmy Smith said: “For god’s sake BBC, not this one, don’t knock it down. We’ve had so many good times in there, nowhere like it on earth and you are gonna obliterate it!! Every band should get to smell the history in that place.”

Portishead and Beak>’s Geoff Barrow has been asking more musicians, DJs and fans to “tell the BBC they are wrong” using the hashtag. He also asked: “Why are the BBC hell bent on destroying the buildings that are so important to our cultural heritage?”

 

Although I do not have an association with BBC’s Maida Vale Studios; I will be stepping into this legendary space this week and it will be quite sad. The occasion will be happy but, when things are done, one has to realise that it will not happen again – before long, something else will be in its place. I can understand concerns around safety and refurbishment. No matter how much money it takes, there would be plenty willing to subsidise and fund the improvements. It is not like the entire building is crumbling and it is impossible to save it: we are talking about making some smaller changes and repairs/renovations that could bring it up to scratch. Think about the artists who have played through the years and how many have seen their careers hit new peaks because of Maida Vale Studios. It is situated in a very nice part of London. It is only a few minutes’ walk from Warwick Avenue underground and surrounded by rather up-market properties. There is no complaint around noise pollution and, whilst it can get busy around there at times, it is not the case people are stumbling from the building in the early hours and shouting. The civil and professional manner in which operations happen means the closure of Maida Vale Studios is extra-sad. Money and a little effort seems to be the only reason why it is shutting and it makes me wonder why the towel has been tossed in so quick.

PLEASE EVERY

Artist/band/musician/DJ/MusicFan

please use this hash tag to tell the BBC they are wrong to close down
The historic Maida Vale Studio and replace it with a new building#BBCSaveMaidaVale@radiohead @PaulMcCartney @KasabianHQ @Adele @jeremycorbyn @BBC6Music

— Geoff Barrow (@jetfury) June 6, 2018

Musicians and music lovers alike have argued and protested at the closure. The sheer outage and upset that has been seen on social media over the past six months tells you all you need to know. I am sure the new space/location will be okay but that is not the point. Who knows what will become of the space now? Maybe there will be flats or a posh shop or something. It is another case of something long-serving and much-respected being sacrificed to make way for modern consumers and residents. One will walk down Delaware Road and see something new and unfamiliar in the place of Maida Vale Studios. I shudder to think what is taking the place of Maida Vale’s iconic studios but I suspect it will be some sort of residential building. You can only imagine how expensive that will cost and it makes me wonder whether the millions that will be invested into that project is less costly than what it would take to improve Maida Vale Studios?! How could one rationalise moving and closing this years-lasting and hugely popular venue and replacing it with anything else?! Not only will musicians suffer and we will lose a part of British music’s rich fabric but the area will become poorer. I am sure many who live nearby would rather keep Maida Vale Studios and see it carry on for decades than have flats or shops in its place – which will make the area more crowded and who knows what it will do to the balance there?

 PHOTO CREDIT: @d_mccullough/Unsplash

You never know if the new development will be a boon or a big gamble. Maida Vale Studios has served the local and wider community with dignity and passion since the 1940s. One of the saddest reasons behind the closure is betraying the artists and D.J.s who have relied on it and made it such an iconic place. The Peel Sessions became reliant on Maida Vale Studios and, for one, I feel angry the late John Peel’s legacy and incredible work is almost going to be tarnished because of the move:

“From 1967 to 2004, the John Peel Sessions were recorded in studio MV4. At first a number of other venues around London were also used, such as the Playhouse Theatre in Charing Cross, but as these ceased to be used by the BBC, the sessions increasingly centred on Maida Vale 4. Music sessions were once a mainstay of BBC Radio programming as there were strict limits on the amount of commercially recorded music that could be aired, known as needle-time restrictions, so the BBC regularly booked musicians to record music exclusively for broadcast. In the early 1960s, when the BBC began to give some limited coverage of pop groups such as The Beatles, it was found that the sessions allowed up-and-coming bands to gain exposure, and for musicians and groups to try out new material, play covers they would not include on their albums, and experiment with different sounds and guest musicians...

With the introduction of Radio 1 in 1967, programmes such as Top Gear embraced this concept, with sessions from such stars-in-waiting as David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. And when one of Top Gear's presenters, John Peel, gained his own programme, commissioned specially recorded sessions had a new outlet. Most of the artists were relatively unknown even to Peel's listeners: he and his producer would often invite bands on the strength of a rough demo tape or gig to hear what they could do, and for many of the bands it was their first experience of a professional recording studio, not to mention a much-needed boost to their finances…

IN THIS PHOTO: The legendary John Peel (who often based his Peel Sessions out of Maida Vale Studios)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The format became standardised as a single session in the studio with a staff producer and engineer (or more latterly a producer-engineer and assistant), during which the artists would record four songs, but there were also some sessions which were either live to air, or pre-recorded as live with an audience. Other Radio 1 programmes and DJs adopted a similar system of Maida Vale sessions, such as Janice Long, Andy Kershaw, and The Evening Session, whose current host Zane Lowe has nicknamed the studio 'Maida Vegas'; as well as the more direct inheritors of the Peel Sessions tradition Huw Stevens, Rob da Bank and Mike Davies”.

Who knows what modern music would be and sound like were it not for those Peel Sessions?! The late John Peel helped transform music and change it for the better when he broadcast from there. It might sound like I am misty-eyed and looking at things through a purely musical (and non-pragmatic) lens but I do wonder whether a lot of effort and thought was put into the closure decision.

One needs to balance all the pros – the fact it has been there for decades and is a crucial part of the musical landscape – against the negatives and drawbacks – the cost of repair and improvements so that it can continue for many more decades. The former is the human cost and benefit whilst the latter is purely financial. It is not a case of staff rebelling and refusing to work; it is not the case residents are complaining and forcing the BBC to move elsewhere. Why did the BBC not have a public fundraising campaign so that extra money could be found?! Why did they not do everything possible to save it?! I think there has been this wasted opportunity for preservation that makes the whole situation really tragic. We do get into this habit of submitting and, rather than do anything to retain the status quo, look at other options that are more modern and cost-effective. So many prefer the Maida Vale Studios – as opposed Broadcasting House and other BBC facilities – because it has that warmth and is overlooked by a rather calm, picturesque and stunning part of London (free from endless traffic and chaos. One could have easily seen radio shows move there and it would have provided a great house for someone like BBC Radio 6 Music or BBC Radio 2. That will never happen and I do wonder whether Maida Vale Studios’ death needs to be a wakeup call for those who make decisions.

The anger and sadness expressed (regarding the closure) demonstrates how important places like Maida Vale Studios are. You cannot simply see a small/medium-sized problem and decide that, because it will be costly to fix it, then that should be it. Considering the likes of The Beatles have played there; one could imagine Maida Vale Studios being declared a national treasure. Put a blue plaque there and get English Heritage invoked! It may sound extreme but you wouldn’t plough through parks and sites that have been deemed culturally significant or historic. There would be protest and the plans would be stopped. Maida Vale Studios has this huge cultural background and legacy that is going to be bulldozed and purged. We owe it to the people, past and present, who have made it what it is – so many will miss it and music will not quite be the same. Look around the country and how many epic and iconic venues are left?! Smaller venues are closing all the time and it seems there is very little classic and old remaining. We are always looking for the new, shiny and elegant. Maida Vale Studios is brilliant and bright but it is not the soulless and ultra-modern sort of space that corporations like the BBC wants.

 IN THIS PHOTO: MV3 at Maida Vale Studios/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I am not blaming them entirely but it seems like the closure of Maida Vale Studios could have been avoided. There is an all-day Christmas party being held there this Friday (starting at around 7 A.M. I believe) and it will mark the changes happening at BBC Radio 6 Music next year. Whilst there will be celebration and much festivity in the air; there will be that sadness as everyone leaves Maida Vale Studios...uncomfortable in the knowledge that we will never see anything like that happen again. That realisation and heartache might be good for the bottom line and the purse but can you say the masses who adore Maida Vale Studios are better off?! There are still iconic venues and spaces in the U.K. that are safe and I dearly hope they are not subjected to closure threats and caution around financial viability. It would have been costly to bring the studios to code but many would have been happy to briefly relocate to allow the work done. Yes, it would have created a bit of noise whilst workmen were there but given the fact Maida Vale Studios will be replaced and there will be the same sort of upheaval very soon; can one say the trade-off has been a good one?! There is very little that can be done now but I feel, the more and more people come out and share their memories of Maida Vale Studios, the more misguided and foolish the decision is. Let us hope, for all the other iconic venues and spaces in Britain, they do not have to suffer the same fate...

AS Maida Vale Studios!

INTERVIEW: Pale Green Things

INTERVIEW:

Pale Green Things

___________

I have been chatting with Pale Green Things...

about the new single, Fairy Lights in Albert Square, and what its tale is. He (Jack) tells me about upcoming plans and the importance of music in his life; which artists and records are inspiring him and what advice approaching artists should take to heart.

I ask whether there is any Christmas present he wants and has not asked for; if he gets time to unwind away from music and what the scene is like in Manchester right now – he selects an awesome song to end the interview with.

____________

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

Hi. I’m good, thanks. It’s been busy with releasing Fairy Lights in Albert Square on Friday.

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

My name’s Jack, but I go by the name ‘Pale Green Things’. I play Alt-Indie with a slight Folk influence. I’ve been recording music since I was a kid so I write and play everything myself.

Fairy Lights in Albert Square is your latest track. Is there a story behind it?

Like a lot of places, we get the Christmas markets taking over the city centre in December, here in Manchester. The song is about feeling low, whilst being in the centre of the forced Christmas-ness. In winter, you get the weird feeling when it’s dark, cold and being surrounded by all the fairytale-style stalls and lights; I wanted the song to be dark and ambient to capture that.

How did Pale Green Things start? Is there a reason behind the moniker?

The reason is to copy my heroes and influences; The Mountain Goats, Bright Eyes; Iron and Wine, The Eels. Pale Green Things is a song by The Mountain Goats. I love the song and I just thought it was a good name that people could create their own imagery for.

Is there going to be more material next year?

Yep. Going to be a busy year coming up. I have an E.P. out early next year, plus I’m always releasing fan club-only E.P.s.

Are there particular artists that inspired you to get into music?

The first band I got obsessed by when I was a kid was the Manic Street Preachers. The Holy Bible is still one of my all-time favourite albums. After that, it was Belle and Sebastian, Conor Oberst; The Mountain Goats and The National. The list could go on but those are the ones that really influenced my writing.

What is the scene like in Manchester like right now?

Really good, actually. There’s loads of great venues here of all sizes. It feels like more bands are starting to get noticed here also, but Manchester will always have a bit of an underground feel to it which I love!

Do you already have plans for 2019?

I’ve got the E.P. to release and an album to work on. I’ll create more plans to play live once the E.P. is ready to go. I’m looking forward to playing the new songs live!

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

I’ve had lots but, recently, it was pretty cool when Francis from Teenage Fan Club turned up to the studio to play piano on a track from my old E.P. I love playing my Alt-Indie songs live as that’s where my heart is musically, but nothing quite beats when you first start gigging as a teenager and just go and tear the place apart. Haha!

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

Way too hard! But, top-three right at this moment I’ll say…

The Mountain Goats – Tallahassee; Belle and Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister and Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band - One of My Kind. I’m always searching for music that paints a picture of life as I see and feel it and those albums capture something.

As Christmas is coming up; if you had to ask for one present what would it be?

Haha. The only thing I’ve asked for is a new capo which is a bit depressing. It always feels weird asking for things when you just wanna record and play music!

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

Can’t do it. Haha. It’s Conor Oberst or John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats). So, I guess my rider would be a game of Connect 4 and the winner gets to headline the show - and I can chill back stage with the other.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Just make the music you wanna make because, at the end, that’s what you’re left with.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

I need to sort out my live shows for 2019 but there will be plenty of U.K. shows.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There’s a guy called John Dahli from the North West that’s making some awesome music. Defo recommend his new E.P., Perfect Heart.

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

Nope. Not really! I work as a guitar teacher, and then play music the rest of the time. I live near Old Trafford so I get to the football when I can. When I need a break, I watch an episode of People Just Do Nothing. I am loving that show at the minute.

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

One of My Kind - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

___________

Follow Pale Green Things

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/palegreenthingsband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/PaleGreenBand

Bandcamp:

https://palegreenthings.bandcamp.com/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TgYRGj1qGqJZmSuklKnpZ?si=Zo_l0slwTX-bYBnJJVqETw

FEATURE: Both Sides Now: The Split Cassette: 1983 (The Year of My Birth)/1989 (Personal Musical Revelations)

FEATURE:

 

 

Both Sides Now

IMAGE CREDIT: Katyau  

The Split Cassette: 1983 (The Year of My Birth)/1989 (Personal Musical Revelations)

__________

I might turn this into a regular feature...

but I have been thinking about pivotal musical years in my life. In the first (if only) part of the feature; I am concentrating on the popular albums and sounds from 1983 and 1989. I was born in 1983 so am compelled to explore a year when I arrived into the world – and what was popular as I was taking my first breaths and motions. The other, 1989, is very special. It is a year when music started to sink in and stay in the mind. Albums, songs and artists were filling my ears and it was an exciting and revelatory time in my life. I am compelled by 1989 because of the sheer range of music and the fact mainstream Pop and the rise of Hip-Hop were nestling aside one another. Like a split cassette; here are two different sides with their own flavour and tone. I have looked at 1983 and 1989 and what was happening then; the biggest ten albums and the definitive record; which song was at number-one at the start and end of each year – I end with a playlist compiling the best tracks of each year. Maybe these years in music will resonate and bring back memories but, for me personally, 1983 and 1989 are vitally important. Sit back, relax and enjoy a couple of music years that...

PACKED a hugely impressive punch.

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

____________

A-SIDE: 1983

This was the year of my birth and, in the first half of the 1980s, many sort of write things off. Most of the celebrated and notable albums from the 1980s arrived later in the decade and, in general, there is a lot of snobbish behaviour when looking at a wonderful decade. There was some cheese and bad years that decade (1986 has been highlighted as a low point) but 1983 is important for so many reasons. I think it is important to look at the year you were born and the music that was coming out at the time. The things that stick out about 1983 is that move away from the Hard-Rock and Classic-Rock brilliance of the 1970s – when the likes of Led Zeppelin were ruling – and a new era. Pop was a more dominant force in the early years of the 1980s and, with Michael Jackson’s Thriller arriving in 1982; it helped spark something that would change the scene. I am especially fond of the album and, whilst the hype it was still receiving in 1983 is not in my memory; I know the record was very popular and still being drooled over. Alongside Michael Jackson’s rise and genius was another Pop icon – one making her first steps. Madonna’s debut album, Madonna, was released in 1983 and, if that is not reason enough to mark a year then I do not know what is!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna in 1983

I think her debut is very underrated and, when you compare it to the other Pop albums of 1983, it stands above them and provides real nuance. Tracks such as Borderline and Holiday are stunning singles but, to be fair, there was more than that to get the critics interested. It is a fantastic record packed with personality and life and was the start of a remarkable career. Culture Club’s Colour by Numbers was released in 1983 and is seen as one of the year’s very best. I love that album but especially love Karma Chameleon. If you wanted proof that Pop was in spectacular health and flexing its muscles then you only need one spin of that track! I know for a fact Spandau Ballet’s True was top of the British charts on the day I was born (9th May) and there were these new type of musicians, New Romantics, that were providing something fresh. It may seem a bit lame compared with the Punk of the 1970s and Grunge of the 1990s but many modern artists have been inspired by the New Romantic movement. Legends like David Bowie and New Order were producing some of their finest work in 1983. It was an eclectic, busy and memorable year that shows the 1980s was a fantastic decade.

Popular Trend: Classic music C.D. had become popular among listeners.

Musicians Born in 1983: Carrie Underwood, Future; Cheryl and Amy Winehouse

Musicians Who Died in 1983: Dennis Wilson and Karen Carpenter  

The First Number-One Single of 1983 (U.K.): Phil Collins – You Can’t Hurry Love

The Last Number-One Single of 1983 (U.K.): The Flying Pickets – Only You

The First Number-One Album of 1983 (U.K.): Various Artists – Raiders of the Pop Charts

The Last Number-One Album of 1983 (U.K.): Various Artists – Now That’s What I Call Music!

Notable Groups Formed in 1983: Bon Jovi, The Cult; Del Amitri, The Farm, The Flaming Lips; The Housemartins, Inspiral Carpets; My Bloody Valentine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Waterboys

Notable Groups Disbanded in 1983: Altered Images, Gang of Four; Simon & Garfunkel, Sly and the Family Stone and Yazoo

Big Albums of 1983:

R.E.M. – Murmur

The Police – Synchronicity

Elvis Costello and the Attractions – Punch the Clock

Tom Waits – Swordfishtrombones

David Bowie – Let’s Dance

Madonna – Madonna

Talking Heads – Speaking in Tongues

U2 – War

Eurythmics – Touch

Paul Simon – Hearts and Bones

Big Country – The Crossing

Biggest Album of 1983:

Culture Club – Colour by Numbers

_______________

B-SIDE: 1989

Whereas 1983 is pivotal because it was the year I was born; 1989 is where music started to really form in the mind and, as I was making my way through primary school, it was a very formative time. I associated 1989 with the sheer clash of styles and genres. Hip-Hop was born, let’s say, in 1986 and 1988 saw some huge albums from Public Enemy (It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back) and N.W.A. (Straight Outta Compton). Even though there is only six years between 1983 and 1989, the way music changed is amazing! The New Romantic wave was pretty much dead but a harder-edged sound was taking hold. Iconic and big albums from the likes of Sonic Youth, Pixies and Metallica were sitting alongside the new pioneers of Hip-Hop. There was still a lot of great Pop music around and artists who had started their careers in 1983, such as Madonna (her first album as opposed single), were hitting their peak. For me, it remains a huge year because of the changes and what was being prepared for the 1990s. Whilst I have music memories earlier than 1989; this was the year when I was really starting to discover music and get to grips with everything. I was six (by May) and music was starting to become a part of my social life at school.

 IN THIS PHOTO: De La Soul on Long Island in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Janette Beckman

The sheer weight and eclectic nature of music in 1989 was sensational and Hip-Hop, especially, was starting to take huge steps. I do not know what caused the big changed between the Pop and sounds of the early-1980s and the very different landscape of the late-1980s. Trends and movements came and went and, if anything, U.S. music was playing a bigger role than British sounds – that would change in the first half of the 1990s. I cannot state how incredible the music of 1989 is and, again anyone who thinks the 1980s was weak and a bit naff needs to do their homework and see what was being put out! I have used the word ‘cassette’ in the headline/title of this article and that ‘technology’ was really important. I can recall holding cassettes and, despite its flaws, you could not beat having something in your hand that was easily portable and could be shared with friends. It was a wonderful time and a very important year for me. I am excited to reveal all the stats and great albums from 1989 – showing how different music was then compared with 1983. There would be better years for music coming up (including 1991, 1994 and 1998) and, in terms of impact and influence, 1994 is higher up the rankings. I love 1989’s music because it accompanied me through my early school days and defined the vibe in the playground. From U.S. Alternative and Rock to the changing face of Pop music; a very wide-ranging and inspiring year. Have a look at what was happening in 1989...

 IN THIS PHOTO: New Kids of the Block (circa 1989)/PHOTO CREDIT: Michel Linssen/Redferns

Popular Trend: To the kids of 1989, the summer belonged to New Kids on the Block - an exciting Pop sensational who were sweeping the charts in the U.S.

Musicians Born in 1989: Chris Brown, Taylor Swift; Bebe Rexha and Joe Jonas

Musicians Who Died in 1989: Irving Berlin  

The First Number-One Single of 1989 (U.K.): Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan – Especially for You

The Last Number-One Single of 1989 (U.K.): Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas?

The First Number-One Album of 1989 (U.K.): Various Artists – Now That’s What I Call Music! 13

The Last Number-One Album of 1989 (U.K.): Phil Collins – ...But Seriously

Notable Groups Formed in 1989: 4 Non Blondes, Black Box; The Breeders, The Cranberries; Culture Beat, Mercury Rev; Neutral Milk Hotel, Ocean Colour Scene; Orbital, Pavement; Powderfinger, Slowdive, Suede and Teenage Fanclub

Notable Groups Disbanded in 1989: The Bangles, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions; The Jackson 5 and The Style Council

Big Albums of 1989:

Pixies – Doolittle

The Cure – Disintegration

De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising

Madonna – Like a Prayer

Tom Petty – Full Moon Fever

New Order – Technique

Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. I

Janet Jackson – Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814

Nirvana – Bleach

Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi

Kate Bush – The Sensual World

Soundgarden – Louder Than Love

Biggest Album of 1989:

Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

FEATURE: Between the Sheets: The Best Music Books of 2018

FEATURE:

 

 

Between the Sheets

PHOTO CREDIT: @heftiba/Unsplash 

The Best Music Books of 2018

__________

MANY people assume the most potent musical offerings...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @thoughtcatalog/Unsplash

arrive from artists themselves. We focus a lot on albums and singles but, when we need to detach away from the Internet and find some calm, a great music-related book is essential. I am finding, as so many of us are slaves to the lure of social media and our phones; books are actually being read more and it provides that much-needed sense of relief. If you are a big music fan, you will be drawn to the wonders and sheer variety of a music-themed book. Whether it is a biography, an encyclopaedia or a great one-off – how can one resist the page-turning pleasures?! As it is Christmas, and you might still be looking for that great gift for the music lover in your life; here are some epic music books that are guaranteed to...

PHOTO CREDIT: @fabspotato/Unsplash 

KEEP them quiet and engrossed for a very long time.

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images/Publishers

______________

Matt Everitt - The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons

Release Date: 5th November, 2018

Publisher: Laurence King Publishing

Type of Book: Interview series with a selection of musical greats, all conducted by Matt Everitt

Author: Matt Everitt

Pages: 336

Page Turn-ability: 4.8/5

Price: £13.93 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“Just published is an absorbing new book which brings together some of the biggest names in music to talk about their First Time. Using transcripts of interviews conducted by him over a number of years for his BBC Radio 6 Music show, Matt Everitt's book, "The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons", reveals things like the subject's first gig, first record, and such like.

With a diverse list of interviewees as David Gilmour, Alice Cooper, John Lydon, Charlie Watts, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Elton John, Lars Ulrich, Michael Stipe, Brian Wilson and Jarvis Cocker, there are some dramatically different responses, and some very interesting insights. Some of the subject's "firsts" are endearingly cheesy or embarrassing, yet others have rather cool experiences they relate. The reality for most people, of course, if they are honest, is that their first gig, record or whatever can tend to be a little difficult to reveal to others! In the introduction, Matt has the tables turned and is interviewed by Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) who reveals his first gig was U2 in 1987, whereas Norman's was none other than The Wombles!

Each chapter starts with an introduction by Matt about his memories of meeting the subject, accompanied by newly created collage artwork and finishes with a Spotify link that will lead readers straight to the bespoke playlist of songs that are discussed in the interviews. The book compiles 40 interviews, and each reveal some great insights into the artist.

David Gilmour's interview takes a look at his earliest experiences of music - hearing, seeing and playing. He also touches on his early rehearsals with Pink Floyd, including the legendary "Have You Got It Yet?" that Syd was trying to get the rest of the band to learn... He reflects on Dark Side (coming out just five years after he joined the band) and life after the band. He also talks about his feelings about the late Richard Wright.

For anyone interested in music, and the influences that shaped the musicians and their sounds, the book is definitely worth checking out. As with all interviews, some subjects are more guarded than others, but nonetheless, their reticence or "political" answers can prove subtly revealing too” – Brain Damage

Buy: https://www.laurenceking.com/product/the-first-time/

Kate Bush – How to Be Invisible

Release Date: 4th December, 2018

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Type of Book: A collecting of lyrics from the great Kate Bush

Author: Kate Bush, David Mitchell (foreword)

Pages: 223

Page Turn-ability: 5/5

Price: £8.30 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“Essentially this is a book for fans, and fans of the Great Kate are as legion as we are loyal. The collection ends with Lake Tahoe, which includes one of my favourite images from her songs. An old dog, asleep on the floor, “his legs are frail now, but when he dreams – he runs”. I can never hear that line without welling up and, like all of the lyrics contained within Bush’s work, it loses none of its power by being separated from the melody. Maybe the Academy got it right with Dylan after all” – The Irish Times

Buy: https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-be-invisible/kate-bush/9780571350940

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin

Release Date: 9th October, 2018

Type of Book: Career retrospective and photo collection

Publisher: Reel Art Press

Author: Led Zeppelin

Pages: 400

Page Turn-ability: 4.7/5  

Price: £32.46 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“A fantastic coffee table book of quite possibly the greatest rock band in history. There's little text to go with the hundreds of photos contained in this mighty tome, but that's what this book is, a photographic history and not another unauthorised biography. Layout wise, it's very similar to Jimmy Page's photo autobiography - a bit of text here & there explaining where & what each photo is, all laid out in chronological order. The book is bound in a cotton card cover, which feels very luxurious to the touch and appears hardwearing. The pages are of reasonably thick, high quality semi-gloss paper that has an equally luxuriant feel. In my opinion this book is aimed at those who not only want an attractive display piece but also want to see how the band looked in their glory days. In other words, it's a nostalgia trip for the over sixties or a reference book for the younger generation who want to visualise what all the fuss was about. Personally I love this type of book, as you can gaze over a few pages, go back a few days later and find something new. I would highly recommend this book, but only if you need to fill a gap in your image memory bank or want to be transported back to the hedonistic 60's and '70's. It also makes for a great display piece on your coffee table” – Dave Disley (Amazon.co.uk)  

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Led-Zeppelin/dp/1909526509

John Lennon, Yoko Ono – Imagine John Lennon

Release Date: 9th October, 2018

Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd

Type of Book: A complete and authoritative inside look at the album, Imagine

Authors: John Lennon, Yoko Ono

Pages: 320

Page Turn-ability: 4.8/5

Price: £21.66 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“This book is a complete inventory of the period during the making of Imagine in 1971. Not only does it cover all the processes of the making of the album, but everything to do with John and Yoko's world at the time. It's so exhaustive, and it's difficult to find fault really. The couple took a lot of stick at the time, and things have mellowed over the years. Fabulous pictures and information. My only complaint.. that we had to wait nearly 50 years for something as good as this to come out! Would please any John (and Yoko) fan!” – RM Jones (Amazon.co.uk)  

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imagine-John-Yoko-Lennon/dp/0500021848

Philip Norman - Slowhand: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton

Release Date: 9th October, 2018

Publisher: W&N

Type of Book: A biography of Eric Clapton

Author: Philip Norman

Pages: 448

Page Turn-ability: 4.2/5

Price: £17.50 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“Ultimately one must trust the art, not the artist (Philip Larkin, Ted Hughes… voice your choice), and here Norman disappoints. His analysis of Clapton’s music is cursory and cliched (there is no discography to even mention those London Howlin’ Wolf sessions), and no analysis to justify Clapton’s inclusion in that bogus “topmost echelon – names that provoke instant, excited reaction in every country and culture”, a category for which, say, Bob Marley makes a better fit. Slowhand fails to drive one back to reassess either the highs or lows of Clapton’s career, be it his caustic brilliance with Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the tedious live recordings with Cream, the patchy venture of Blind Faith, dull solo albums like 1989’s Journeyman or the engaging acoustic sessions of 1992’s Unplugged. That’s another book entirely” – The Guardian  

Buy: https://www.waterstones.com/book/slowhand/philip-norman/9781474606554

Joan Morgan – She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Release Date: 23rd August, 2018

Publishers: Atria/37 INK

Type of Book: A twentieth anniversary celebration of Lauryn Hill’s seminal debut solo album

Author: Joan Morgan

Pages: 176

Page Turn-ability: 4.6/5

Price: £11.34 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

““Ex Factor” finally meant something to me when I had two relationships where we kept hurting each other because neither one of us wanted to be the first to say goodbye. “To Zion” was beautiful when I was childless black male, but after becoming a father the first time I loved what it pointed to about choices and sacrifices. “Tell Him” became my wake up song because I needed to conjure hope when joy didn’t come in the morning. I can go on and on about my love of Hill and how I came to love Miseducation. I will still buy tickets, because I want to be with other congregants reliving the moments when Hill’s music was salvific, even when the music don’t sound the same as I remember.

I also hope people will read She Begat This to learn another context for understanding the album and Hill. This book extended my belief that reducing Hill to crazy is a lie. We need better words, better analysis to understand this black woman who attempts to live life on her own terms, terms that we can’t understand and terms that are not fitting for consumer demands, but still her terms. She gave us a gift, but we don’t own her. We have to decide how we want to live with her terms without reducing another black woman to crazy” – Medium

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Begat-This-Miseducation-Lauryn/dp/1501195255/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr

Dan Hancox – Inner City Pressure: The Story of Grime

Release Date: 17th May, 2018

Publisher: William Collins

Type of Book: The definitive story and history of Grime

Author: Dan Hancox

Pages: 352

Page Turn-ability: 4.8/5

Price: £18.95 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“He can look back from the vantage point of 2018, where this most underdog of genres has, after a period of pop dilution, finally started racking up airtime and awards on its own terms: Skepta’s Mercury for Konnichiwa in 2016, a No 1 album for Stormzy’s Gang Signs & Prayer (2017), and an MBE for grime’s “godfather”, Wiley (born Richard Kylea Cowie), whose role as mentor, mogul and den mother could easily fill two books (his autobiography is out in paperback next month).

The journey to mainstream acceptance has been, not to put too fine a point on it, insane. It wasn’t just barriers such as Form 696, the Kafkaesque mechanism by which the Met made it impossible to stage live grime nights; Hancox dives deep into the riveting minutiae of how grime (realistic, dressed down) was frequently pitted against UK garage (aspirational, dressed up) and plots the arcs of individual players – such as Rinse FM’s Slimzee, who got an asbo and suffered a nervous breakdown when the pirate station was raided in 2004 (it is now legal).

Ironically, Britain actually had the new punk rock on its hands. But while not averse to giving the heritage treatment to 1977, its (often white and middle-class) cultural gatekeepers could not, or would not, recognise it as such. And the powers that be did everything to conspire against it. The notion of “inner city pressure” was certainly operational when junglist Goldie released Inner City Life in 1995, but successive governments presided over more than two decades of social cleansing, gentrification and the closure of youth centres and defunding of offending prevention programmes. It wasn’t long, Hancox argues persuasively, before the student demonstrations of November and December 2010 turned into the riots of 2011.

If all this sounds overly professorial, it isn’t: Hancox’s love for the music – for its socially unacceptable, alien sound, its hyper-local reference points, and its refusal to become Americanised rap – cuts through like a siren” – The Guardian

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inner-City-Pressure-Story-Grime/dp/0008257132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544517410&sr=8-1&keywords=dan+hancox+inner+city+pressure

Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz – Beastie Boys Book

Release Date: 30th October, 2018

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Type of Book: An authoritative and complete history of Beastie Boys from its two surviving members

Authors: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz (Beastie Boys)

Pages: 592

Page Turn-ability: 5/5

Price: £22.40 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“Diamond’s voice is lapidary, droll. Horovitz comes on like a borscht belt comedian, but beneath that he is urgent, incredulous, kind of vulnerable. There is an almost Caulfieldian sense of grief about the irretrievable past. Both are collectors — they kept the hydraulic penis for 30 years, after all. And this book is their attempt to uncover the details of their lost civilization — a pre-smartphone era where serendipity ruled — to today’s youth.

“Pre-cellphone/smartphone, kids had to call each other’s houses,” Diamond explains in a lengthy aside that goes on, wonderfully, to describe the ultimate agony: “When my mom picked up and started dialing before she realized I was already on the phone.”

Really, it’s a fascinating, generous book with portraits and details that float by in bursts of color. The fact that a Black Flag show served as a kind of Big Bang for New York’s punk scene is a revelation. Then there’s the unusual genesis of the lyric that opens their song “Paul Revere”: “Here’s a little story I got to tell.” I always considered this, in tone and syntax, to be the most explicitly Yiddish of their lyrics, and assumed that Horovitz, who delivers the line on the record, was the one who wrote it. But it turns out that he first heard it from Run of Run-DMC, of all people, while sitting on a stoop before a recording session. As Horovitz recalls that day, it was also one of the first moments the band felt they had arrived. “Just a couple years ago, me and Dave Scilken got busted for writing graffiti, so we ran and hid from the police in a stairwell leading to the basement, two doors down from where we are sitting now,” he remembers thinking as they waited for Run-DMC to show up. “And here we were, waiting to record a song with the greatest of all time” – The New York Times

Buy: https://www.waterstones.com/book/beastie-boys-book/michael-diamond/adam-horovitz/9780571308040

Dez Dickerson, Jim Walsh - Prince: Before the Rain

Release Date: 1st November, 2018

Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press

Type of Book: A collection of revealing and intimate photos of the late Prince by photographer Allen Beaulieu

Authors: Dez Dickerson (Foreword), Jim Walsh (Introduction)

Pages: 224

Page Turn-ability: 4.7/5

Price: £20.22 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“A picture paints a thousand words, so the saying goes. And Prince, a man of few words publicly at least, understood this better than any other artist of his generation. Some of his most iconic imagery comes from the formative period between success and superstardom, and those images were captured by photographer and friend Allen Beaulieu.

Allen’s book Prince, Before The Rain is a unique window into Prince’s world. Beautifully produced and lovingly curated. Before The Rain is a visual Aladdin’s cave. Packed with a mix of live and studio shots, many previously unseen, the intimacy of the images is palpable. No previous Prince book has revealed so much of Prince the man, before the mega stardom, before the rain.

The accompanying text includes contributions from Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman, Booby Z and Jim Walsh but it’s Allen’s stories that enthusiasts will find most insightful, giving background and context to the stunning images. Covering the period from 1979 to 1984 (with a few later pictures from 1986), Before The Rain illustrates Prince ’s transition from Doe-eyed disco soul boy, through Punk, New Wave and onto to a style all his own. This book bares witness to the birth of a true icon, loved by millions around the globe.

Published by Minnesota Historical Society Press (mnhspress.org) and available via Amazon worldwide, no Prince collection is complete without a copy of Prince, Before The Rain” – Stephanie B. (Amazon.co.uk)

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Before-Rain-Dez-Dickerson/dp/1681341212/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544518282&sr=8-1&keywords=prince+before+the+rain

Evelyn McDonnell – Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyoncé. Girl Groups to Riot Grrrl.

Release Date: 6th December, 2018

Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal

Type of Book: A stellar and unprecedented celebration of 104 musical artists; the most complete, up-to-date history of the evolution, influence and importance of women in music

Author: Evelyn McDonnell

Pages: 416

Page Turn-ability: 4.9/5

Price: £25.00 (Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

“This book is perfect: essays written by women, about influential women in the landscape of the music industry who all overcame some type of adversity to get their music heard, along with stunning artwork for each essay (also all by women). I confess I haven't finished the book yet, because there is so much information and music to digest! Each essay comes with a recommended playlist, and listening to these women as I read about their lives and their careers is a transformative way to read. Highly recommended to anyone who loves music and wants to diversify their listening habits” – Tamara..L..M.. (Amazon.co.uk)

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Who-Rock-Bessie-Beyonce/dp/0316558877

INTERVIEW: Runrummer

INTERVIEW:

Runrummer

___________

THE terrific Runrummer has been telling me about...

her awesome new E.P., Soul Wrinkles, and its inspirations; whether she has a favourite cut from the collection and what comes next for her – she selects a few albums that are very important and explains the reasons why.

I ask what sort of music she grew up around and who she’d support on the road if she could; which approach musician we need to check out and what advice she would offer to artists coming through – Runrummer picks a great song to end things on.

____________

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

Hey, Sam! My week is going very well thank you. Busy but good. Just played a headline show at the Amersham Arms and gearing up for a performance at Stockwell Studios with students from the University of Greenwich on 12th December. I’m also back in the studio working on new tunes and remixes - exciting times!

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

My real name name is Livi Morris. I’m twenty-four-years-old and I’m an emerging Alt-Pop singer, songwriter and producer. Currently based in East London, although I grew up in a town called Bromsgrove just on the outskirts of Birmingham. Prior to embarking on my first solo adventure as an independent artist, I cut my teeth writing lyrics for EDM heavyweights like Showtek and The Chainsmokers.

Soul Wrinkles is your new E.P. What sort of themes and stories inspired the music?

The music is all very personal to me. A lot of it confronts struggles I’ve had with sexuality, gender identity; mental-health and other juicy emotional stuff. Eyes, for example, tries to tap into the feeling of being trapped by your own gender. This is something I really struggled with when I was younger. The isolation you feel and the road you have to travel down in order to find acceptance within yourself vs. others expectations.

Do you have a favourite cut from the pack? Is there a personal highlighted?

Penny Drop definitely is my personal favourite at the moment. I just really love the feeling of it. It follows the story of two lovers who realise their relationship is over - but at different points and in their own separate ways - that ‘penny drop moment’ where suddenly everything makes sense and become more clear. The coffee shop narrative is also an interesting one.

Everyone has their own place of escapism and the coffee shop tries to be symbolic of that. A place to run away and find calm on a dark, rainy evening when you feel like all hope is lost. The concept I had in my mind was very much inspired by Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting Nighthawks.

What sort of music did you grow up around? How important were your parents’ tastes regarding your music?

I grew up in a very musical household. Neither my mum or dad could play an instrument but they were always blasting the good stuff - mainly '70s and '80s. The biggest inspiration from my dad has to be David Bowie. Whenever my mum was out, we would listen to all his Bowie records back-to-back then watch some cut-throat Tarantino movie like Kill Bill (also great music on those soundtracks). I’m really inspired by anything from the '70s and '80s and, in fact, my name ‘Runrummer’ actually comes from the famous Rum Runner nightclub which helped launch classic '80s bands like Duran Duran and Dexys Midnight Runners back in the day.

I grew up with my dad talking about that place like it was a shining beacon of light on the Brummie music scene; so the name Runrummer is sort of a nod to my dad and to Birmingham as a whole and particularly the music that influenced me growing up.

You moved from Bromsgrove to London. How important was it to move to the capital? Has it opened up doors and opportunities?

London is definitely the best place to be if you’re an emerging artist in the U.K. The people I’ve met and the opportunities I’ve encountered since moving here have been quite incredible. For example, I recorded the E.P. at Cafe Music Studio which is the H.Q. of Jon Hopkins. I can tell you it’s quite surreal making a cup of tea with Jon in the kitchen, overhearing the sonic sounds emanating from his room and witnessing and development of Singularity (his latest studio album). London is also just a great place to be inspired. It’s so full of life and colour.

Two of the tracks on the E.P. I actually wrote while I was travelling on the Tube. And I also find one of the best ways to work on a new song is to listen to it on-repeat while travelling on the front seat at the top of a double-decker. An American recently told me that my music sounds very London, so the city must be rubbing off on me!

Do you already have plans for 2019?

2019 is full of exciting things indeed. I’ve just joined The Rattle which is an awesome collective of artists and start-ups working together in East London. I’ll be releasing new music, creating new videos; gigging every month and throwing myself thoroughly into the festival scene. I’m also on the lookout to collaborate as much as possible with other artists...so watch this space!

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

Getting flown out to the Netherlands to record with Showtek at their studio in Eindhoven has to be a highlight. This was back in 2012. I’d just turned eighteen, just got my braces off and just left school. I couldn’t believe my luck! It was the first time I felt like my music was worth something and that’s the best feeling in the world when you’re just starting out. Recognition and validation.

What does music mean to you? How important is it in your life? 

Music means the world. Happy or sad, it’s the soundtrack to your life and I love how it can help you feel like you’re not alone. Whenever I’ve been down and out, it’s music that’s helped to pull me through. It can act as a form of escapism but it can also show you ‘Hey, other people are going through sh*t too and you can get through it together’. I’d say that’s pretty important. Can you imagine a world without music? No way!

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

Demon Days – Gorillaz

This is the first C.D. I ever owned. I had it on-repeat on my Sony Walkman for a good twelve months. I used to turn on MTV and wait for the music video for Feel Good Inc. to come on. I was proper-obsessed. It was unlike anything else at the time and all their stuff has definitely had a strong influence on my music and writing. I actually wrote a new song called Urban Jungle recently with Damon Albarn in mind. Would love to work with him one day.

The Whole Story - Kate Bush

I know this is a compilation album, which might seem like a controversial choice, but this is the record my mum had on vinyl when I was growing up. Kate Bush has to be one of my biggest idols of all time. She definitely influenced the E.P. and probably every song I’ve ever written. I love listening to The Whole Story. Cloudbusting is my favourite. I’m waiting for someone to make a killer remix of that one. Maybe I should just make one myself…

Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

I was tempted to say The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust... but I think Aladdin Sane is actually the Bowie album which has had the biggest and longest lasting impact on me. Lady Grinning Soul hits me hard and the whole album makes me feel things. Bowie is God.

As Christmas is coming up; if you had to ask for one present what would it be?

A music studio…wishful thinking!

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

Christine and the Queens, hands down. Héloïse Letissier is an absolute master. Have you seen her recent shows? I tried to get tickets for Victoria Apollo but they all sold out. And I’ve just seen she’s been announced to headline All Points East but I’m gutted I’ll be in Northern Ireland that weekend. Her performances on stage are incredible and I’d like to get to know her as an actual human being. What better way to know someone than to go on tour with them?

For the rider - I’ve got coeliac disease but venues never ever have any gluten-free beer, so I’d like a decent supply of that please!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

1. Don’t put yourself under any unnecessary pressure, especially when it comes to timescales. Yes, you have a goal and you’re champing at the bit but take your time. Only release stuff when it’s ready and make sure it’s the best it can be. You want your debut to be flawless.

2. Get a publisher - someone like Sentric who understands independent artists and tries to give you a fair deal in a language which doesn’t sound foreign. This also takes a lot of stress off you trying to get your head around the world of publishing. It can be a real headache act the start!

3. Be nice to people. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong and don’t try to talk about things you have no idea about. It will definitely come back to bite you.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

We’ve got a very exciting gig planned for January but I’m afraid I can’t spill the beans about that one just yet. However, I can tell you we’ll be supporting our good friends Zkeletonz at the Victoria in Dalston on 22nd Feb. Plus, we’ve got a headline show in Worcester planned for March. New dates are being added all the time so follow me on the all my socials to stay in the loop (smiles).

 IN THIS PHOTO: Merryn Jeann

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Yes! Go check out Merryn Jeann! She’s definitely not new but still relatively unknown and deserves way more recognition I think her voice is incredible and her lyrics are flawless. The song she did with Møme called Aloha was a huge inspiration behind the making of my debut single Good for Nothing. I can’t wait to hear more from her as she grows. Definitely one to keep an eye on for sure!

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

Haha. Well, music is my way of chilling! I currently work full-time as a Transport Planner at TfL. It pays the bills and I get to ride on the Tube for free. Cheeky.

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

Solange - Losing You. What a banger!

___________

Follow Runrummer

Official:

https://www.runrummer.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Runrummermusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Runrummermusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/runrummermusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2VqvNXdQzKDywenScflYoX?si=3Xw2yuoXTluG9JuUfuxNUA

FEATURE: Sounds Alright to Me! BBC’s Sound of 2019: Diverse Sounds and Female Dominance

FEATURE:

 

 

Sounds Alright to Me!

IN THIS PHOTO: Ella Mai/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

BBC’s Sound of 2019: Diverse Sounds and Female Dominance  

__________

ONE can struggle to take in all the polls and lists that...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Octavian/PHOTO CREDIT: Ollie Adegboye

recommend us to watch very artists next year. There are a lot of lists out right now - myself included – and it can be tough honing down to a few names that are truly marked for success. It is time for the BBC to present the runners/long-list for their Sound of 2019. It is an interesting selection that has more female artists included than men. Sexism and gender inequality still rules in music but, with the BBC making their picks of 2019 female-heavy; it is a big step and an important one. There is a good spread of genres and sounds and, in terms of sonic diversity, we have quite a lot of interesting directions and choices. The Guardian have proved details of the nominees and figures for the latest BBC recommendations:

“Women dominate the BBC’s list of rising artists tipped for success in its annual tastemaker poll. Flamenco star Rosalía, south London rapper Flohio and British R&B success Ella Mai appear on the BBC Sound of 2019 longlist.

Six of the 10 nominees are female. London songwriter Grace Carter is signed to the same management company as Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey. King Princess, AKA Mikaela Straus, is a 19-year-old queer pop songwriter from New York City with a fan in Harry Styles.

Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy has been compared to Rag’n’Bone Man, while all-male London four-piece Sea Girls are the only band on the list...

The top five artists will be revealed from 7 January, with the winner revealed on 11 January. The 10-strong long list has shrunk from 15 in previous years.

The prize celebrates musicians who have not been the lead artist on a UK Top 10 single or album by 22 October 2018. Artists who have appeared on TV talent shows within the last three years are also ineligible”.

It is a good cross-section of artists and I like the fact that there are more women in the list than men. Pop has not got much of a shout and it seems, in terms of BBC and their tastes, they are going in new directions. Because we have a few more weeks until we know who will be crowned BBC’s ‘Sound of 2019’; I have included all the artists and their social media channels; a sample of their material and, in the words of the BBC, what they are like/what their sound is. Have a look and listen at the prestigious ten because it seems, between them, these artists are going to make 2019’s music scene...

IN THIS PHOTO: King Princess/PHOTO CREDIT: Adam Benn/Mushroom Promotions  

A very interesting place.

______________

Grace Carter

PHOTO CREDIT: Next Management 

Bio: “Searingly personal, piano-led pop”

Location: London

Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsgracecarter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsgracecarter/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LuHL7im4aCEmfOlD4rxBC?si=t9tD0xaKRGSJl_yscjJ-Kw

Standout Cut: Saving Grace

Flohio

PHOTO CREDIT: Hanna Moon for DAZED 

Bio: “Raw, punchy, poetic rap”

Location: London

Twitter: https://twitter.com/flohio16

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flohio/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7qffELscxpltKCso3ByH67?si=BGAJY1uHS5KmD0KdtlHXTQ

Standout Cut: 10 More Rounds

 

Dermot Kennedy

PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Tierney

Bio: “Folk roots with a hip-hop influence”

Location: Dublin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DermotKennedy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dermotkennedymusic/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5KNNVgR6LBIABRIomyCwKJ?si=EoqKpw9FRpyf4aI9rMO3dw

Standout Cut: Power Over Me

 

King Princess

PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan McGinley for Interview 

Bio: “Queer pop queen-in-waiting”

Location: N.Y.C./L.A.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KingPrincess69

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingPrincess69/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6beUvFUlKliUYJdLOXNj9C?si=DJH8XS0OQkO9L08mqo4RNw

Standout Cut: 1950

 

Mahalia

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Bio: “Casual, effortless soul anthems”

Location: Leicestershire/Birmingham

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mahalia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mahaliamusic/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/16rCzZOMQX7P8Kmn5YKexI?si=H3hyoBK7S56jIjyhQj8DdA

Standout Cut: Surprise Me

Ella Mai

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Bio: “Platinum-certified retro R&B”

Location: London

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellamai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellamai/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HkdQ0gt53LP4zmHsL0nap?si=iK5xRg3uRvqH3GNKu7vbFw

Standout Cut: Trip

 

Octavian

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images  

Bio: “Genre-defying London MC”

Location: London

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OctavianEssie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Octavianog22/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zfEatKLDdRkgbw6sdLBAQ?si=Au6ov0pUQk-4rG8I6nSXMA

Standout Cut: Little

 

Rosalía

PHOTO CREDIT: Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images  

Bio: “Catalan star who's revitalising flamenco”

Location: Barcelona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosaliavt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicarosaliabarcelona/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ltDVBr6mKbRvohxheJ9h1?si=gSjpYPExTPuG7MBxBC2Now

Standout Cut: BAGDAD (Cap. 7: Liturgia)

 

Sea Girls

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images   

Bio: “Fired-up indie anthems”

Location:  Lincolnshire/Rutland/Leicestershire/Kent

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonicseagirls

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonicseagirls/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/45FqwUG4hTT6d39r2HUsUe?si=DNM1Xf1KQVm137U8few7DQ

Standout Cut: Lost

 

slowthai

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images   

Bio: “Truth-telling outsider rap”

Location:  Northampton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/slowthai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nospacenocaps/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3r1XkJ7vCs8kHBSzGvPLdP?si=OHw-U8_ETt2TLt5AxH8l2A

Standout Cut: Rainbow

FEATURE: I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction): The Most Underrated and Overlooked Albums of 2018

FEATURE:

 

 

I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)

IN THIS PHOTO: The Lemon Twigs/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Most Underrated and Overlooked Albums of 2018

__________

IT is important to clarify...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Goat Girl/PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Smithies for DIY

that by ‘underrated’ and ‘overlooked’; I am referring to the end-of-year lists that have their top-tens and top-twenties. I have seen a lot of polls that have the same albums riding high but, in many cases, I feel there are some notable omissions that need to be redressed. Maybe it is my personal taste but there have been a lot of stellar albums released this year – many have not gained the same sort of celebration and attention as others. It is hard to celebrate all the really good albums and critics are likely to have very similar opinions. It is good to have a look at the polls and see what is making the cut. Make sure you check out the recommended albums but here, as an alternative top-twelve (why not?!), are albums that either didn’t feature in all the year’s-best polls or missed out entirely. These records warrant more focus and exposure so, without further ado, here are twelve albums that helped make 2018...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Superorgamism/PHOTO CREDIT: Max Hirschberger for Interview

A wonderful time for music.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

______________

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food

Release Date: 6th April, 2018

Label: Jagjaguwar

Producer: Ruban Nielson

Review:

“Unknown Mortal Orchestra majordomo Ruban Nielson took a global approach to his band’s fourth full-length, Sex & Food: He recorded the album in Seoul, Hanoi, Reykjavik, Mexico City, Auckland, and Portland. Accordingly, the music is a colorful pastiche of eras and approaches, including gooey psychedelic rock with grimy guitars (“Major League Chemicals”), gleaming Steely Dan homages (the falsetto-driven “Hunnybee”), zoned-out stoner-pop sprawls (“Ministry Of Alienation”), and blurry blues-rock (“American Guilt”). Although Sex & Food’s heavy-lidded moments can occasionally meander too far afield into somnolence, the record’s sharp observations about life, politics, and society are focused. On the poignant “If You’re Going To Break Yourself,” which seems to address the painful experience of losing a friend group after getting clean, Nielson sings wearily about missing “the secret loser language” and says, “You blocked my number just because I stayed alive” – The AV Club

Download/Stream: Hunnybee; Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays; How Many Zeros

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7c2Xfq7aQKzs0KdSI3K7Rc?si=Paa9N-N2RgeGsn_5mqFdrg

Standout Track: American Guilt

Kali Uchis – Isolation

Release Date: 6th April, 2018

Labels: Rinse/Virgin/Universal

Producers: Various

Review:

“Tyler and Bootsy add sympathetic humor to the drifting BadBadNotGood groove "After the Storm," while Gorillaz' Damon Albarn lays out some festive Suicide synth pop for "In My Dreams." Elsewhere, numerous West Coast associates -- Sounwave, Larrance Dopson, DJ Dahi, Om'Mas Keith, and Thundercat among them -- add to the set's prevailing dazed, dreamlike feel. Uchisis never obscured by the productions, coolly expressive while casually threading clever imagery from song to song. Her writing is most vivid in one of the delightfully bent retro-soul numbers, "Feel Like a Fool": "My heart went through a shredder the day I learned about your baby mothers/'Cause you're a grown-ass man, now you should know better/But I still run all my errands in your sweater." For all its entertaining art-pop feats, Isolation is just as remarkable for serious moments like "Killer," in which Uchis reaches a high degree of anguish that only real-life experience can arouse” – AllMusic

Download/Stream: Miami; Just a Stranger; Tyrant  

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4EPQtdq6vvwxuYeQTrwDVY?si=D2MfHNwUTtS-_CClYX55Rw

Standout Track: After the Storm

Robyn – Honey

Release Date: 26th October, 2018 

Labels: Konichiwa/Interscope

Producers: Joseph Mount; Mr. Tophat; Adam Bainbridge; Robyn; Klas Åhlund

Review:

“Honey’s centrepiece may be Because It’s in the Music, a track that feels like the inverse image of Dancing on My Own, in which music offers no sense of escape or release: “I’m right back in that moment and it makes me want to cry,” she sings. The melody has the potential to feel anthemic, but it doesn’t, because the sound is weirdly fractured. The signifiers of euphoria – disco strings, tingle-inducing electronic shimmers, a lovely synth motif not a million miles removed from Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Forbidden Colours – never quite connect with each other: they’re scattered throughout the track and feel oddly lonely” – The Guardian

Download/Stream: Missing U; Baby Forgive Me; Between the Lines  

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/0CQ68SLY0B5e6L1rn8jfkc?si=ZiGp5eXxRA-ZGhjwg8mlbg

Standout Track: Honey

The Lemon Twigs – Go to School

Release Date: 24th August, 2018 

Label: 4AD

Review:

“Go to School is an artistic statement on a grand scale, and it cements their reputation as world-class songwriters. It’s a once-in-a-generation epic that, unfortunately, The Lemon Twigs will never be able to do again, owing to the purity of concept and execution here.

A legend once said that if you gave an infinite number of chimpanzees an infinite number of typewriters, they’d eventually reproduce the works of Shakespeare. If you gave an infinite number of chimpanzees an infinite number of guitars, would they eventually write Go to School? Probably not” – The Line of Best Fit

Download/Stream: Rock Dreams; Small Victories; Go to School  

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/5c42OLUNIZldeqhSSOER8d?si=_vnlDDPJQzymh7qDjTqxYQ

Standout Track: Never in My Arms, Always in My Heart

Kamasi Washington – Heaven & Earth

Release Date: 22nd June, 2018

Label: Young Turks

Producer: Kamasi Washington

Review:

“The album hits its full, glorious stride during its last several tracks. “The Psalmnist,” a taut, unassailable post-bop theme by trombonist Ryan Porter, sparks one of the sharpest Washington solos on the album, before a virtuoso battle royal between drummers Tony Austin and Ronald Bruner, Jr. The next tune, “Show Us the Way,” opens with a modal crush of piano chords that recalls “Change of the Guard,” from The Epic. It culminates, after a rafters-raising Washington solo, in a refrain by the choir: “Dear Lord,” they sing, invoking John Coltrane, “Show us the way.”

The power of that moment, which carries through the final track, “Will You Sing,” lies in a vibrational parallel to the black church, and all the momentous weight that comes with it. Washington is flagrant in aligning his music with a tradition of transcendent struggle. The feeling he’s chasing is the feeling of someone who’s been to the mountaintop and come back with an urgent story to tell” – Pitchfork

Download/Stream: Testify; The Psalmist; Will You Sing  

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/5mG7tl4EW2xrTy5rI8BgGL?si=PU6gdsCITTCmgghLjVf_5g

Standout Track: Fists of Fury

Soccer Mommy – Clean

Release Date: 3rd March, 2018

Label: Fat Possum Records

Producer: Gabe Wax

Review:

“And the plaintive ‘Scorpio Rising’ - taking its name from either astronomy, or a 1969 film about gay Nazi bikers (we’re guessing it’s the former, tbh) - starts out hushed but grows and grows by stealth; a fearsome shadow extinguishing the streetlights. And ‘Cool’ meanwhile is privy to her wittiest writing to date as she warns somebody off a girl named Mary in cutting verses: “Mary has a heart of coal / She’ll break you down and eat you whole / I saw her do it after school / She’s an animal.”

In typical Soccer Mommy fashion, there’s little flashy footwork to be found here; only expertly-shaped understated songs that give more with every listen. Stepping beyond the groundwork of her debut collection, and sounding all the more confident for it, Sophie Allison shoots, and she scores” – DIY

Download/Stream: Still Clean; Last Girl; Scorpion Rising

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/36NLDBi2kX7XRHnyLzLOS8?si=F9CafaEhQNquus3Nk220mQ

Standout Track: Your Dog

Goat Girl – Goat Girl

Release Date: 6th April, 2018

Label: Rough Trade Records

Review:

“If you’re thinking, though, that the naturally bucolic nature of country music doesn’t quite fit in with the hustle and bustle of lights-out London, then you’d be very wrong indeed. Goat Girl’s gritty take makes their message even more potent. ‘Creep’ relays a tale that most can relate to; that of a public transport pervert who won’t let up or put his dick away. Pogues-worthy strings add an odd wistfulness to the sound of Clottie singing about how she’d like to smash the head in of a man who’s filming her on the train. We know how you feel, Clottie.

Things get murkier with ‘The Man’, which recalls fellow south London reprobates Fat White Family thanks to eager kick drum, hollered lyrics and their rowdy, everyone-in-the-back-room-of-the-pub-singing-along delivery. A cover of Bugsy Malone ballad ‘Tomorrow’ closes Goat Girl’s debut with a sultry torch-song feeling – proof that these guys are far from a one-trick pony. Or goat, for that matter” – NME

Download/Stream: Viper Fish; Cracker Drool; Lay Down

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/3jDJ8KuleRVdhS2DJKFEW2?si=RdzI0Zt2SLmX8lCyKomARw

Standout Track: The Man

The Internet – Hive Mind

Release Date: 20th July, 2018

Label: Columbia Records

Producers: The Internet

Review:

“On “Look What You Started” Syd’s voice is simultaneously threatening and dismissive, singing: “You blame it on your problems but it’s no excuse/You can’t keep playing innocent – I know the truth.” “Bravo” misleads with its basic stomp beat on the intro before the bass kicks in on a different beat to the vocals. Alternatively, the infectious groove of the bass on “Burbank Funk” is tight as anything, as Lacy instructs the listener: “Listen to your heart/What’s it saying?”

And where Ego Death seemed led by Syd and Lacy, Hive Mind feels much more collaborative, put together in studios and homes the band rented around the world. It’s undoubtedly one of their best works: the band have a synergy that draws the listener in, allowing you to revel in their irresistible confidence, and hope they might invite you to join the party” – The Independent

Download/Stream: Come Together; Look What U Started; Beat Goes On

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/27ThgFMUAx3MXLQ297DzWF?si=YhpQEJLVTTyaUGtWm_Aryw

Standout Track: Roll (Burbank Funk)

Tommy Genesis – Tommy Genesis

Release Date: 9th November, 2018

Label: Downtown

Producers: Various

Review:

“Genesis has clearly grown into her strengths, though, dialing in a murmuring flow perfectly suited to bass-heavy beats and a brash persona unafraid of boasts. Tommy Genesis is a fun, wisely brief ride. You can now imagine Genesis landing one well-placed feature on a big-ticket song and tipping over into the mainstream. More concerned with the here and now, that’s not what she seems to want. Her invitation on the breezy, poppy closer “Miami” renders that mission plainly: “I’m living my best life/Come inside” – Pitchfork

Download/Stream: Bad Boy; 100 Bad; Daddy

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2OuXxjcDzScqRIWvtR3j5a?si=3d7udzr8QNCLkq97yhIzqw

Standout Track: Tommy

Gengahr – Where Wildness Grows

Release Date: 9th March, 2018

Label: Gengahr

Review:

“The first half of Where Wildness Grows is packed with panoramic indie-psych rock toned to perfection. “Is This How You Love” showcases Gengahr’s trademark love for melody and distortion and is followed by another highlight in the shape of “I’ll Be Waiting”. The track evokes choppy early Maccabees-esque guitars, sealed with the unmistakable sound of frontman Felix Bushe’s vocals lamenting lost love: “Still in love with you, that’s alright I’ll be waiting / Nothing I won’t do’. This tenderness and honesty continues throughout, whether lyrically on “Blind Truth” or in the atmosphere of “Left in Space”. Artistic in every sense, each track adds a splodge of paint or a sweeping stroke to the blank Where Wildness Grows canvas.

Despite coming back refreshed, one thing is for certain; Gengahr haven’t lost the soluble quality of their sound, every intricacy has the ability to melt right in. Elegant and artful to its core, Where Wildness Grows is an impressive step forward from a band who seemingly have more to prove to themselves than anyone else” – The Line of Best Fit

Download/Stream: Before Sunrise; Where Wildness Grows; Left in Space

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4mJUfanUtn0ymiMLuFZyNV?si=XxxRdQDSQIalu1FH2duhoA

Standout Track: Carrion

Superorganism – Superorganism

Release Date: 2nd March, 2018  

Label: Domino

Producers: Superorganism

Review:

“The band can do shiny pop ("It's All Good," which has a crazy slowed-down Tony Robbins sample), introspective dream pop ("Reflections on the Screen"), slowly strutting Beck-like hip-hop ("SPRORGNSM"), and melancholy ballads ("Nai's March"), all with equal aplomb. When they kick into second gear, they make modern pop that equals the best around. "Everybody Wants to Be Famous" is a rollicking takedown of D-list culture complete with ringing cash-register percussion and a melt-in-your-mouth sweet vocal by Orono; "Something for Your M.I.N.D." is warped pop gold with subaquatic bass, a naggingly catchy vocal sample, and Orono's second most off-kilter lyrics (after "The Prawn Song"). Despite the somewhat cluttered and freewheeling exterior, it's clear that Superorganism know exactly what they are doing at all times, slicing and dicing like master chefs, then reassembling the bits and bobs of pop ephemera into a concoction that has a sugary kick sweeter and fizzier than an ice-cold cola” – AllMusic  

Download/Stream: Everybody Wants to Be Famous; Nobody Cares; The Prawn Song

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/15TFB6uLZlb3gnCysRrLix?si=rXX-ZXp8QSOj3bIA0-c1fQ

Standout Track: Something for Your M.I.N.D.

Natalie Prass – The Future and the Past

Release Date: 1st June, 2018

Label: ATO Records

Review:

“If every song here is exceptionally well-written – the songs that address the Trump presidency do so pretty deftly, with only Sisters feeling close to rote tub-thumping – the lengthy Ship Go Down and Hot for the Mountain are the most exploratory, off-beam tracks Prass has written to date, slackening the usual verse-chorus structure. The former shifts from eeriness to a gently insistent defiance – “we can take you on,” it repeats, again and again – while the latter starts out jazzy, and slowly builds into a stunning, cathartic final two minutes, as Prass’s wordless vocal wail swims through a woozy, distorted groove that audibly bears the influence of tropicalia, the Brazilian take on psychedelia that’s another of Spacebomb’s touchstones. It’s magnificent, as is the rest of The Future and the Past. Proof that you can be a member of a loose musical collective and out on your own at the same time” – The Guardian  

Download/Stream: Short Court Style; Lost; Far from You

Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4eaB4Z7pCzLfvgvdbq2mVO?si=eseErzPyQEep0za2iHi3-g

Standout Track: Oh My

FEATURE: Spotlight: Sam Fender

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Fender/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Sam Fender

__________

ONE of the themes of 2018 music is...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

artists who are stepping away from the parable of love and concentrating on something that is much more political and less personal. Whether talking about the government and its role today or the perils and struggles of the working-class existence; artists such as Shame, IDLES and Anna Calvi have covered feminism, discrimination and modern-day masculinity in a very striking and fresh way. I am not sure whether I have seen a year with so many explosive, eye-opening and long-lasting records. A lot of stuff that looks at love and relationships sounds subjective and does not really linger in the mind. I think this year has been a lot stronger than last regarding these important and observational albums – something we all needed to see. Among the artists who are turning heads with their raw and observational work is Sam Fender. His name was new to me earlier this year and, given the attention he has garnered and the rise he has enjoyed; we will be hearing a lot more from him in 2019. Fender has just won the Brits Critics’ Choice Award and it caps a rather busy year! Previous winners have varied in terms of their longevity and popularity – Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Jack Garratt have fared less well than Florence + the Machine – but Fender looks like an artist who has a lot more about him. The issue with the less-celebrated artists I have mentioned is the fact there is not a lot about them.

Maybe Rag ‘n’ Bone Man’s voice is good but his lyrics and music lack originality and widespread appeal; Jack Garratt is a fantastic composer but that is about it. Sam Fender has a striking voice, a great and deep set of lyrics that are smart and primed for the times. Here is how the BBC documented his award:

 “Sam Fender has been announced as the winner of the Brits critics’ choice award, the industry-voted prize previously won by Adele, Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding.

The prize is presented ahead of the Brit awards on 20 February. Figures in the media and music industry are asked to nominate artists they believe will enjoy future success but who haven’t yet scored a UK Top 40 album. Fender was nominated on a shortlist alongside R&B singer Mahalia and singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi.

Fender specialises in energetic, glossy garage-rock topped with his soulful vocals, the lyrics tending towards social commentary about masculinity, depression and vice; songs such as Poundshop Kardashians and Millennial lament the lack of options for Britain’s youth.

He has built a sizeable fanbase already through a string of nine singles in 2017 and 2018, along with a heavy touring schedule. He said he was “truly humbled” to win, adding: “We’ve played literally hundreds of shows this year, and we’re going to go even harder in 2019 … To everyone who’s taken a punt on me so far, thank you”.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

It might seem like a Brits Critics Choice Award might be a poisoned chalice but that is not the fault of the committee. I think the last couple of years have not been as strong as 2018 and, considering the talent that has come through; it is especially honourable to get such a nod. Many might say Fender will lose relevance and force if the political landscape changes and things improve. Things are not going to improve for us anytime soon (if at all) and subjects he is writing about right now – such as celebrities and government surveillance – are always around and always providing inspiration. His Dead Boys EP was released last month and received a lot of praise. Not as many people came out to review the E.P. as you’d hope – maybe there is that sense of reservation and elitism when it comes to new artists – but here is what When the Horn Blows wrote:

“After is ‘That Sound’, the most recent single released, a song about how music was always his escape; despite ‘loaded vampires... sniff[ing] up residue’, and ‘green eyed beasts’, that sound — ie. music — kept him afloat. Music “pulls me out of the shit every time”, he says; it keeps him in line and focussed. If that’s the reason he is able to keep releasing new music, long may it last. The song starts slowly, with a thirty second instrumental intro, before Sam’s voice joins the fray...

The chorus of ‘That Sound’ is probably the most aggressive musically and the most anthemic lyrically; ‘it’s the only thing that keeps me grounded’ transitioning into a somehow endearing cacophony of instruments which is wholeheartedly made for live performances.

Finally, ‘Leave Fast’. Different to the already released version, this version is thirty-seven seconds longer, yet retains the intimately acoustic nature of the single version. It comes across as an almost love song to his hometown of North Shields, a place that he obviously cares about, but the song acknowledges the ‘mass of filth and rubbish’, the empty ‘shells of old nightclubs’ and ‘watching people die in the cold’. The lyrics bring the hometown to life and, despite using his music to escape, which resulted in “butchered A-levels”, as he puts it, the song reflects a sense of nostalgia, revisiting the town that he once felt “trapped” in, yet loved nonetheless.

The song, for the most part features his vocals over a guitar: live, it’s played without the band, and is the perfect song to show off his powerful, soulful voice, which are usually overshadowed by the overarching music. The extra thirty-odd seconds comes in the form of an almost contemplative strumming of an electric guitar, which only adds to the overall nostalgia of the piece and seems to round it off perfectly, both the song and the EP as a whole.

Overall, a genuinely tremendous body of work”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press 

There might be cynics who feel there is a sense of bandwagon-jumping talking about male suicide, toxic masculinity and the Government – given the fact quite a few bands are covering similar ground. I feel issues like male suicide have always been important and in everyone’s mind but few artists have been bold enough to articulate the subject. Given the rise in suicide rates and the fraction within the country right now; modern artists need to realise a responsibility and document what is happening. I am not saying every single musicians needs to cover every angle in terms of modern life and politics but, as Fender has shown, there is great potency and pride to be summoned from opening the eyes and providing a very personal and charged account of things that are important. How often do we hear that and how many other artists will follow Fender’s example?! We cannot ignore what is going on in the world and I do think music has a clear responsibility and duty to provide some take.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Whitefield

In terms of the man behind the music; we have this very real and working-class lad that sort of reminds me of Liam and Noel Gallagher. That is not to suggest Fender swaggers around and takes shots at Damon Albarn: our manis not one to hold back regarding the ‘competition’ and how he perceives the world. That is quite rare in an industry that is becoming more calculated and ‘safe’. We have few artists who are bold and show a very candid spirit. His background and upbringing, as this interview shows, is vitally important:

“North Shields, the fishing port where the 23-year-old still lives on a council estate with his mother, boasts a great beach, decent surfing and a characterful pub, the Low Lights Tavern, where he was working and occasionally performing when Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter Ben Howard’s manager happened to walk in and ask for his number. He’s clearly proud of the town, though you might not know it from his songs...

 

Leave Fast tells of broken fridges, torn-up sofas and boy racers, and urges escape over a mournful guitar strum. Friday Fighting has the kind of thumping beat and chugging guitars that tends to excite packs of lads at chucking-out time, but you can tell Fender disapproves from his use of the phrase “toxic masculinity” in the lyrics. Dead Boys, which looks like his breakthrough hit, having been performed on Later… With Jools Holland last month and named Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World, is a howl of disbelief at the spread of suicide among young men. It was prompted by the deaths of two of his friends, and its intense video won’t be forgotten quickly.

“It’s getting bigger, which is exciting and terrifying in equal measure,” he says. Asked what he was hoping for when he first started playing in bands at the age of 16, he replies: “Somewhere along the lines of what’s going on now — the ability to live a life doing this as my sole job, which I now do.”

Bruce Springsteen is his idol, which you can hear in his strident guitar work and ability to distill small-town grit and make poetry. The last time he saw The Boss in concert, he cried. It’s too early for him to envisage himself as an arena filler too, but the current day job certainly beats the alternatives”.

In this BBC interview; Fender talks about the modern cult of self-obsession and a certain musician he is not too keen on:

“...And don't get him started on Ed Sheeran.

"I admire what he's done - the fact that he's sold out Wembley with acoustic guitars. I just find his music incredibly beige.

"I don't trust songs that can be played at a kid's party and a club at the same time. I just don't think it's right," the North Shields songwriter says, getting into his stride.

"There's something reptilian about that."

"We're stuck on Instagram, and everyone's guilty of it. Everyone's completely obsessed with themselves," he says, clarifying that he includes himself in that bracket.

"I'm hopelessly addicted to Instagram," he says candidly. "To the dopamine hits of when one post gets more likes than the others. I'm aware of it, so try and make a conscious effort to cut down."

To little avail, it would seem, since after a year touring and appearing on the festival circuit his profile is on the rise - meaning his habit of personally answering messages from fans is starting to get out of hand.

"I'm going to have to stop answering fans eventually, because it's just getting too much," he says. "It used to only be a little bit of time a day, but now it's taking up the whole day. It's nuts".

I know there is a lot of pressure that comes with getting any industry nod and people, naturally, will have their notepads and callipers out next year; making sure this young prodigy lives up to all the hypes and his next steps are something akin to The Beatles’ debut! Whilst I think there is too much of the unrealistic expectation; many artists that have been tipped for success have lacked that spark and real drive – something you cannot say about Sam Fender. It has been a packed and busy music year but, as I said, artists discussing mental-health and politics is on the rise. I feel it is important to have the balance of important and personal in order to evolve the industry and inspire the next generation. If we are flooded with the same wishy-washy stories of rejection and lust then that is not going to resonate. Artists who are getting the biggest critical pat on the back are those who talk honestly and bravely about issues that are important and not often covered in music. It is early days for Fender but there are assets and aspects that work in his favour. He is not your usual guarded and soft artist who needs to please everyone and there is a definite spark about him. The music is varied and interesting – so that offers mobility when it comes to a debut album. He has a working-class background so can easily articulate the struggles faced and, in a mainstream that is still largely middle-class; his voice is much-needed and fresh. Given the success of acts like IDLES; Fender can gain vicarious and associated fandom and I feel he will make a charge as we look towards a fresh year. It has been a successful and hectic one for Fender – he says he has performed hundreds of time this year – and, with new plaudit and focus at his feet, 2019 is going to be a massive one...

FOR the North Shields lad!

INTERVIEW: Crimson Calamity

INTERVIEW:

Crimson Calamity

___________

IT has been great speaking with Crimson Calamity...

about their new single, First Snow, and why they decided to write something wintry. I discover how Crimson Calamity got together and whether there will be more material next year; what sort of music they are driven by and which rising artists we need to get behind.

Lauren and Mallory share favourite memories from their career and tell me what tour dates are coming up; the artists they’d support on the road if they had the chance – they select some cracking tracks to end things with.

____________

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

Hey there! We are well. Thanks for asking. Just super-excited for the release of this single and the Holiday season!

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

Absolutely! We are Lauren and Mallory, a Roots-Rock/Americana duo called Crimson Calamity, living in Nashville.

First Snow is your new single. Was there a particular moment that inspired it - or did you want to create something with a winter/Christmas vibe?

We had wanted to write a Christmas song for some time and, when we finally sat down to do it, this idea of a loved one waiting for a soldier to come home developed. We wanted to make it somewhat timeless and not from one particular person’s perspective because love comes in many forms and so many people can relate. The Holidays can be such a wonderful happy time, but they can also leave people with a yearning or melancholy and we wanted to write something for the ones who wait.

Do you think there will be more material next year?

Absolutely! We are currently writing for our next E.P. and we will be back in the studio March 2019.

How did Crimson Calamity start? What brought you together?

We met in college and did a lot of collaborating over the years. We decided to form our band in 2014 when we were participating in a monthly songwriting challenge that led to us writing two songs inspired by Calamity Jane. They would give us different themes to write about. One particular month’s theme was to write about a historical event or person. The songs sparked the idea for the band so we decided to use her as our namesake in tribute.

In terms of music; which artists are you drawn to?

We are both drawn to artists in many different genres but as an influence on our band we are drawn to old-school stuff: Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. However, there are also artists in our generation that we love: Brandi Carlile, The Civil Wars; The Lone Bellow, Jamestown Revival; Grace Potter, Jason Isbell and Cam - artists who are telling stories and creating unapologetic, organic and timeless music.

As Christmas is coming; what one present would you each like if you could have anything?

Lauren: If I could have anything?! I think I would ask for a new car...probably a Tesla SUV. Is that selfish? Should I have asked for world peace?

Mallory: Teslas ARE really nice! I think, for me, a gift card to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods - large enough for me to buy healthy food from for a few months. I’ve been naughty lately. Too much sugar.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

We do! We have a show at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on 1/22 at 7 P.M. and then we are headed to the Sundance Film Festival. We are going to be touring, writing and recording the new record in March.

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

Recording our last record was a pretty special memory. We had original band members out from the West Coast and we recorded for the first time at The Sound Emporium here in Nashville. Everything came together in such a special way and we were just pinching ourselves because we felt so lucky.

Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?

Lauren: I feel like I have had different albums mean the most to me at different times in my life but one that sticks out would have to be Mumford & Sons’ first record, Sigh No More. The lyrics on that record just hit me like a ton of bricks and really resonated with me. That time in my life wasn’t the easiest and it helped me through. One of my favorite lyrics of all time is “There will come a time you’ll see, with no more tears/and love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears/Get over the hill and see what you find there with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair”.

Mallory: This is such a hard question! There are so many albums I love top to bottom. I’m not sure I can pick just one...I think it might be a tie between Aerosmith’s Nine Lives because it’s a symphony of Rock and Roll and I love Steven Tyler…and I still think Sheryl Crow’s self-titled album is a masterpiece. Every single song is absolutely killer. Redhead by Bleu and the ’90s Romeo + Juliet soundtrack are honorable mentions.

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

It’d be so fun to open for an artist like Harry Styles or Chris Stapleton. They’re both amazing writers and vocalists. We also are huge into supporting the ladies so someone like Cam, Kacey Musgraves or Grace Potter would also be amazing. As far as a rider goes, please have whiskey, wine or both. Neat and red respectively.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Calamity Jane has a quote: “If a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one”. That really resonates with us because being a woman in the entertainment business isn’t always a walk in the park and we oftentimes have to fight twice as hard to even get heard. It’s so important to hone your craft and know your business. Don’t let anyone try to tone down your voice and don’t be afraid to take up space in this industry.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

We do! We will be at Knoxville’s Blue Plate Special WDVX on Dec 15th. We are also playing a show in Franklin, TN that night at The Pond. At Truck & Tap in Alpharetta, GA on Jan 13th and, again, you can catch us at The Hotel Cafe in L.A. on 1/22 plus more to come! The best way to keep up with our shows is to follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@crimsoncmusic).

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lennon Stella

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Lauren: I am loving Lennon Stella’s new music. She is so talented and I can’t wait to see where she goes.

Mallory: Totally agree. Lennon Stella’s new record is fantastic. Also, local Nashville band The Foxies. They totally rock. Look out for them.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Foxies

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

Fortunately, we are both obsessed with music so we don’t need much chill time away, but I’d say we both like to hang with our significant others and our dogs. We love to go see shows and go out for dinner and drinks too. Taking time for self-care is something we are both trying to be better at. We’re definitely guilty of energizer bunny mode.

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

Lauren: Mockingbird by Ruston Kelly

 

Mallory: Horns by Bryce Fox

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FEATURE: An Unstoppable Force: The Brilliance and Rare Genius of the Supergroup

FEATURE:

 

 

An Unstoppable Force

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover of the Traveling Wilburys’ debut album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (1988)/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Brilliance and Rare Genius of the Supergroup

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A lot of things have disappeared from music as time...

 IN THIS PHOTO: boygenius (Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

has marched on and technology has played a bigger role. In fact, I think general music tastes have shifted so much that once-loved configurations and aspects have died. I have talked about the girl group and how, in 2018, we can really say they are a force. There are some around – include Little Mix and Four of Diamonds – but look back to the 1980s and 1990s (when the likes of TLC and En Vogue ruled) and that seems so far in the past. I would love to see the return of a time when girl groups were very much ruling but I think the best of the best have ended and it seems hard to recapture that spirits and wave. Maybe music will turn once more and girl groups will come back in fore but I fear their best days ended in the 1990s. One aspect of music that still exists and provides a mighty punch is the supergroup. Today, we have boygenius: the combination of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. It might not pack the same sort of earthquake as the finest of all time but I love when artists from different genres can get together and create this incredible attack. Boygenius’ eponymous E.P. gained a lot of great reviews and showed that, even though the trio had never worked together before, they blended in perfect harmony.

They are not the only ones from recent memory who have united with swift and brilliant results. LUMP is the brainchild of Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay and, again, their eponymous release was celebrated. I am a huge fan of Laura Marling but was not too aware of Lindsay. Both musicians do not depart too far from their regular, better-known lives but the chemistry is undeniably strong and electric. Many might say it is an unfair advantage putting big musicians together – a rather stellar and monster-like unit that is stronger and more experienced than most other groups around. Neko Cae, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs created case/lang/veirs and these three legends produced a stellar eponymous album in 2016 (I wonder whether there is a rule modern supergroup need to make everything self-titled?!). I love that album and fuses the songwriting brilliance and distinct voices of three artists who, throughout the years, have changed music and produced some phenomenal albums. Each artist gets a spotlight regarding lead vocals and songs and it is a democratic band that benefits from a unity and togetherness that is stronger than most other groups. It can be risky putting a group of disparate and untested artists together in a group – the results are not always wonderful. Look at two titanic, Chris Cornell-led supergroups and there has been some mixed results.

Audioslave consisted Soundgarden’s Cornell and Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk. Their 2002 debut album, Audioslave, featured the biblical song Cochise, but many critics noticed a rather limp and patchy album. Each member shone in their original band but the combination of vocal and music was a little mismatched and not as harmonious as you’d like. The band recorded a few albums and, aside from Out of Exile (2005), they were given lukewarm critical reception. Those Rage members have gone on to work in other projects – including the Chuck D-led supergroup Prophets of Rage – whereas Cornell, as lead of Temple of the Dog, released only one album. The 1991 eponymous debut/album gave us incredible tracks like Hunger Strike but the project did not last long. It depends on who you put together but it was a shame the two bands did not last longer and shine brighter. Temple of the Dog featured brilliant musicians like Jeff Ament (Mother Love Bone) and Matt Cameron (Soundgarden) but was a brief venture. The best supergroups are those that instantly click and there are no tensions in the ranks. It can be the case that egos get in the way but, even looking at the most successful and potent supergroups, and there have been some cases of tensions and disputes.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Cream/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It depends on your musical preferences and which supergroup tops your list. Cream combined Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce and, whilst there was some fire and bristle at times, Cream are considered one of the first true supergroups. They were platinum-selling (1968’s Wheels of Fire) and they blended Psychedelic-Rock and Blues in an orgy of brilliance. If bands like Temple of the Dog encapsulated all of the Seattle Sonic boom and kept the spirit of Grunge alive; Cream was a dizzying mixture of 1960s bliss and the roots of Blues. There have been modern supergroups that have united the sounds of its members seamlessly and sprinkled in something fresh. Look at The Dead Weather and the unlike-yet-explosive mixture of Jack White and Alison Mosshart; the physical might and combined legacy of Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss) of Them Crooked Vultures and on-off-on-again treasures like The Breeders (the line-up has changed but sisters Kelley and Kim Deal are the central force). There have been a few short-lived and halfhearted attempts at supergroups and, whilst many of them only exist for a few albums; hearing these amazing musicians in the same studio, all pulling in the same direction is truly stunning. There are two that stand above everyone else.

To many, there is no finer and more influential supergroup than Crosby, Stills and Nash & Young. Consequence of Sound talk about the formation of the band; the way they clicked and what they provided the world:

“ David Crosby had been kicked out of The Byrds, and Stephen Stills, following the demise of Buffalo Springfield, was a man without a band when the two began working together. Shortly after, Graham Nash of The Hollies, a friend of Crosby’s, sang harmonies with the two at a party hosted by Joni Mitchell, and the three realized they were a unique fit together. They opted to use their surnames as a band name, basically so they couldn’t get fucked over like they felt they had in previous bands. Neil Young came aboard a couple years later in 1970, despite the fact that he and Stills had not always gotten along as bandmates in Buffalo Springfield. It was decided early on that Young would be free to carry on his solo career and work with Crazy Horse. Ladies and gentlemen: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Heaven help us all”.

“CSN and CSNY tick all the boxes when you think about what a rock and roll outfit can achieve, endure, and get tangled up in. In their earliest days as a four-piece, they were at Woodstock and will forever be associated with the spirit and politics of the late ’60s. On their best days as a band, their songwriting and performances, particularly their vocal harmonies, are on par with the greatest to ever hit the studio or the stage. On their lesser days, there was more sex, drugs, infighting, and prison time than there was “teaching your children well.” But through it all, the four have survived and for many have become a can’t-miss touring institution. Should Nash and Crosby bury their latest hatchet — preferably not in each other’s backs — it’s possible the book hasn’t closed just yet on CSNY”.

The 1969 debut, without Neil Young, has such tracks as Marrakesh Express, whereas Déjà Vu (1970) has all four...and the combined songwriting powers produced Our House, Teach Your Children and Helpless. The supergroup alternated between CSN and CSNY and their last studio album was 1999’s Looking Forward. I have heard interviews David Crosby has given recently and it seems like there are too many strained relationships within the ranks to overcome. It seems there is a big tension between Crosby and Graham Nash and, whilst it is possible the band might reform down the line, I think it is unlikely we will see them come back with another record. Look at the solo work of Neil Young, Graham Nash; Stephen Stills and David Crosby and there is enough genius there to keep anyone satisfied! It might have been a big risk putting them together but the unity worked wonderfully. The fact one of their main weapons was the beautiful harmonies means the music easily resonates and sinks in. I am a fan of each musician but feel they were at their strongest when combined. Many musical historians will see Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as the best supergroup ever but, to me, the best is the Traveling Wilburys.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Traveling Wilburys/PHOTO CREDIT: Neal Preston

Their debut, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, turned forty on 17th October and it is amazing to think there was a time when George Harrison, Roy Orbison; Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan were on the same record! Here is a quick bit of background from Wikipedia:

“In early April 1988, George Harrison was in Los Angeles and needed to record a B-side for a European 12-inch single. Jeff Lynne was also in Los Angeles writing and producing some tracks for Roy Orbison on his album Mystery Girl (released posthumously), as well as Tom Petty’s first solo album, Full Moon Fever. While having dinner with Lynne and Orbison, Harrison related how he needed to record a new track and wanted to do it the next day. Harrison asked if Lynne would help, and Orbison offered his old friend his hand as well, seeing how fun it would be. Needing a studio at short notice, Harrison called Bob Dylan, who agreed to let them use his garage studio. After dinner, Harrison stopped by Petty’s house to pick up a guitar he had left there, and invited Petty along too. Gathering at Dylan’s Malibu home the following day, Harrison, Lynne, Orbison and Petty worked on a song that Harrison had started writing for the occasion, "Handle with Care". At first, Dylan's role was that of a host, maintaining a barbecue to feed the musicians; at Harrison's invitation, Dylan then joined them in writing lyrics for the song. The ensemble taped the track on Dylan's Ampex recording equipment, with all five sharing the vocals.[3]

"Handle with Care" was considered too good to be used as a B-side, so Harrison decided to form a band and record another nine songs for an album. The group got together again for nine days in May, recording the basic tracks and vocals at Dave Stewart’s home studio in Los Angeles. Overdubs and mixing were carried out in England at Harrison’s home studio, FPSHOT (short for Friar Park Studio, Henley-on-Thames).

Masquerading as the Wilbury brothers, the participants would be known as Nelson (Harrison), Otis (Lynne), Lucky (Dylan), Lefty (Orbison), and Charlie T. Jr. (Petty) Wilbury, with drummer Jim Keltner credited as Buster Sidebury. Harrison was no stranger to the use of alternate identities, as he had adopted them with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bandand with his plethora of pseudonyms as a session musician, including L'Angelo Misterioso, George O'Hara and Hari Georgeson. During the Beatles' first tour of Scotland, in 1960, he had used the pseudonym "Carl Harrison", in reference to one of his favourite musicians, Carl Perkins.[4] With the Traveling Wilburys, this concept was taken a step further, since the participants' real names do not appear anywhere on the album, liner notes, or the songwriting credits”.

Their ten-track debut album saw each of the five artists take a spotlight and everyone except Roy Orbison had songwriting credits.

Handle with Care seems like classic Harrison whereas the memorable Last Nite sees a Petty-penned song lifted by a quivering Orbison contribution. Not Alone Anymore is pure Orbison showing why he is one of the best singers ever whereas Tweeter and the Monkey Man is a Bruce Springsteen pastiche written and sung by Bob Dylan – a brilliant song from him at a period in his career where his solo work was not at its best. The reason why I feel the Traveling Wilburys are the finest supergroup is because of the friendships and warmth you get with the music. Each musician enjoyed huge success before the band started but I feel none of them were producing their best solo material in 1988. Suddenly, when all together, they created this album that brought new light and brilliance from each of them. The sheer stature of each member (remember, there is a Beatle and Bob Dylan together!) makes them mightier than any other supergroup! The only reason the project was short-lived was because of Orbison’s premature death late in 1988 from a heart attack – not long after the album was recorded and released. In fact, Thursday just gone marked the thirtieth anniversary of Orbison’s death and, while the remaining members created 1990’s Traveling Wilbury’s Vol. 3; it was not a patch on the original and was lacking that Orbison firepower! You might think it is rather naïve to celebrate such a band who only recorded one brilliant album but the combination of stellar musicians and incredibly evocative songwriting makes them my favourite.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I came across the Traveling Wilburys not long after their debut and, as a young child, it was an eye opening experience. I was brought up on The Beatles and, of course, knew about Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison. I was a big fan of Bob Dylan and did not ever think the day would come when these music legends would join forces. There was no ego in the ranks and, on their debut album, you can tell each of the voices and who wrote what – even though the musicians were using pseudonyms -; the fun they were having was infectious and obvious and the results speak for themselves! The album is timeless and the songs balance humour and fun with exceptional craft and tightness. In a retrospective review; AllMusic talked about the rare success of the album and how the music world had never seen such huge artists combine:

“Looking back via The Traveling Wilburys, the group's success seems all the more remarkable because the first album is surely, even proudly, not a major statement. Even under the direction of Lynne, who seems incapable of not polishing a record till it gleams, it's loose and funny, even goofy. It's clearly a lark, which makes the offhanded, casual virtuosity of some of the songs all the more affecting, particularly the two big hits, which are sunny and warm, partially because they wryly acknowledge the mileage on these rock & roll veterans. "Handle With Care" and "End of the Line" are the two masterworks here, although Roy's showcase, "Not Alone Anymore" -- more grand and moving than anything on the Lynne-produced Mystery Girl -- comes close in the stature, but its stylized melodrama is a ringer here: it, along with Dylan's offhand heartbreak tune "Congratulations," is the only slow thing here, and the rest of the album just overspills with good vibes, whether it's Tom Petty's lite reggae of "Last Night," Jeff Lynne's excellent Jerry Lee Lewis update "Rattled," or Dylan's very funny "Dirty World," which is only slightly overshadowed by his very, very funny Springsteen swipe "Tweeter and the Monkey Man."

The Traveling Wilburys built upon Harrison's comeback with Cloud Nine and helped revitalize everybody else's career, setting the stage for Dylan's 1989 comeback with Oh Mercy, Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever, produced by Lynne (sounding and feeling strikingly similar to this lark), and Orbison's Mystery Girl, which was released posthumously. Given the success of this record and how it boosted the creativity of the rest of the five, it's somewhat a shock that the second effort falls a little flat.

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé (who is already in The Carters with Jay-Z but could easily spearhead a modern-day supergroup to beat them all)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

We have some emerging supergroups and those we left behind but I think there is an opportunity for modern musicians to join together! Just imagine the people we could put together and what could arise! I have spoken about the bygone girl groups but what if we saw Beyoncé (Destiny’s Child) join with former members of TLC, En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa?! Maybe combining the biggest Pop artists of the mainstream or having a few legends together in a new venture could yield wonderful results. Unlike girl groups; I think there is more life and potential to be drawn from supergroups and there are countless combinations that could ignite the music world. Everyone will have their favourite and, since the 1960s/1970s, we have seen these big ventures and tremendous albums! I will always treasure the Traveling Wilburys but know a lot of people prefer Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Children of Grunge like the excitement of Audioslave whereas newcomers like boygenius are giving critics a lot to shout about. Music’s history has been heighten with these superhero alliances and I know we will see many more supergroups spring up in years to come. I have been remembering Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 thirty years after its arrival and am still struck by the genius of the music. Some of the older supergroups did not work out long-term but, as the Traveling Wilburys showed; even if you are together for a short time it is possible to create something that...

 IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

LASTS for decades to come.

FEATURE: When the Music Stops: Pete Shelley and the Loss of the Icons

FEATURE:

 

 

When the Music Stops

IN THIS PHOTO: Pete Shelley (who died on 6th December, 2018 in Estonia aged sixty-three) of Buzzcocks photographed in London in 1977/PHOTO CREDIT: Andre Csillag/REX/Shutterstock

Pete Shelley and the Loss of the Icons

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EVERY time a hugely popular musician dies...

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Buzzcocks in 1978 (John Maher, Steve Garvey; Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle)/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Gabrin/Redferns.

it is always sad and brings us all together. One can never tell how the music landscape will alter and what affects will be felt but we all learned about the death of the Buzzcocks’ singer Pete Shelley earlier in the week. Nobody knew he was ill and, aged only sixty-three; he was taken away from us too soon! I do often wonder whether these huge artists who leave us sooner than we’d like; whether we preserve their memory adequately.  Shelley died of a heart attack and, as soon as the news was shared, grief poured from every corner of social media and people were shaping memories of the Buzzcocks and why his unique pen changed music. Whilst a lot of his Punk peers were writing something more aggressive and anti-establishment in the 1970s; Shelley’s songs were a more gentle affair. That is not to say it lacked bite but, whether writing about love or the pressures of life, he put in more musicianship, songcraft and lyrical genius than anyone around him. I will look at another couple of music legends that will be remembered and recalled next month but, right now, it is worth thinking about Shelley and how his death has legacy is being remembered. To me, the music of the Buzzcocks was about regret and a teenage feeling of longing and unrequited lust. In 1978, when the band came onto the scene, we had the likes of Kate Bush and Blondie making huge statements…

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

This fiery yet sensitive band led by a poet with a huge heart was not what many were expecting. Another Music in a Different Kitchen is seen as one of the best debut albums of the 1970s and hits such as I Don’t Mind influenced subsequent Pop-Punk bands. Their sophomore album, released in the same year, boasted the epic Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) and is the song many associated with the Buzzcocks and Pete Shelley. The album is an essential offering from the Punk era but the band would continue to make albums as recently as 2014 (the so-so The Way is not essential but still has flashes of brilliance). Since 1978, nine studio albums arrived from the band and, at a time when they were competing against the Sex Pistols and The Clash; the Buzzcocks were Punk giants but offered a different approach and different aesthetic. There were more lurid and saucy moments (Orgasm Addict) but Shelley shone brightest when documenting the struggles of the heart and the sort of emotional tensions many of the Buzzcocks’ fans would have felt. I have ended this piece with a Buzzcocks playlist but, before expanding on my point, here are a couple of articles that pay tribute to Shelley and his music. Vulture wrote a fantastic article:

“Forming Buzzcocks in 1975 with Howard Devoto (after Devoto left to form Magazine, Steve Diggle would be the only other consistent member), Pete Shelley invented a lovelorn and conversational poetry driven by slashing guitar music as unshakably catching as any of cupid’s arrows ever were. If Richard Hell was Baudelaire and Patti Smith was, well, Patti Smith, then Pete Shelley was Frank O’Hara, always in love with love, a sophisticate in his underwear, plus treble. And if maybe some of Shelley’s [cough] descendants took “all those stains on your jeans” from Buzzcocks’ first single, 1977’s “Orgasm Addict,” a bit too much as a career lyrical template, what’s more tragic/romantic than unintended consequence...

It’s pretty much canon that Singles Going Steady is the “best” Buzzcocks album the same way that a singles collection of the Temptations or the Supremes would be those groups’ “best.” Singles Going Steady gets youth and desire exactly right. It’s a perfect album from a band that never fetishized perfection.

To remember Pete Shelley’s songs is to feel the pain of nostalgia, like visiting your hometown when every shuttered deli and graveyard is a monument to some youthful humiliation. Here’s where you took an hour to tell a boy exactly how you felt, only to have him ask about a better-looking friend before you could get the words out. Here’s where you tried to feel up a social better and got shot down in a way that shakes you even now. Here’s where you did something cruel, only to realize just how cruel you were years later”.

Pitchfork talked about Shelley’s sensitivity and a unique way of mixing Punk and Pop; a gender-neutral poet who was not anyone who came before. In a genre that was dominated by a sense of crude, overtly-masculine spit and aggression; it was refreshing to see this tenderer songwriter who was penning anthem after anthem. Pitchfork shared their impressions and memories:

“Whenever I listen to Buzzcocks’ music, what always strikes me is how modern it still sounds. But that is actually how it works with true innovation. No matter how much time passes—decades during which a breakthrough is assimilated and worn out by repetition, whether by others or by the artist repeating themselves—something of that initial shock of the new rings out and cuts through. And if you think about it, nearly everything handed down to us as “classic” was, in its own time, a break with tradition...

Although they were in the original core cluster of groups that invented UK punk, Buzzcocks would always be an anomaly within that movement—misfits among the misfits. There had never been words, a voice, a personality, like this in rock before. Shelley sang love songs when every other major punk vocalist rejected them as trivial next to political themes, or—if they did deal with desire and heartbreak—laced the words with spite and hostility. The aggression in Buzzcocks was all in the sound; the animating spirit was sensitive, open-hearted, vulnerable.

But there was more to Shelley than just perfect power pop. The second side of Singles Going Steady, dedicated to the group’s B-sides, grew steadily less straightforward, culminating in “Why Can’t I Touch It,” nearly seven minutes of loping almost-funk and stereo-separated guitar-slashes, and “Something’s Gone Wrong Again,” which resembles suspended-animation Stooges, glistening with a coat of frost. The entire second side of A Different Kind of Tension was a Shelley mini-concept album, permeated with existential doubts and askew with a disassociated feeling influenced by LSD. And 1980’s “Are Everything,” one of the first-phase Buzzcocks’ last singles, was even more psychedelic: Shelley took acid for every stage of the process, from recording to mixing, hoping for the rush of revelation to overcome him”.

A lot has been written about Pete Shelley: his different sides and his massive heart. The way he changed music and has inspired legions of modern musicians cannot be understated.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Prince (the music icon died in 2016)/PHOTO CREDIT: Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

A lot of time will pass and we will pay tribute to Shelley every year. There will be the usual playlists with his best songs and there will be archive interviews from Shelley. We will remember and sadly look back to his death and how the world lost a giant. Over the past few years, we have lost music greats such as George Michael, Prince and David Bowie. George Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016 – the same year that saw both David Bowie (10th January) and Prince (21st April) leave us. We still hear their music around but I wonder if their memories are being preserved in the right way. I love the fact we will recall the brilliance of Pete Shelley and Prince but, in years to come, there will be a legion of artists and fans that will only be drip-fed the music of these lost icons. I am not suggesting we build shrines to these musicians but there should be some avenue or exhibition that means, even though they have gone, people will be able to look back and discover their music every day. I do worry artists like George Michael and Prince will start to slowly fade out of the consciousness – or their music will not be played as much as we’d like.

 IN THIS PHOTO: George Michael (who died on 25th December, 2016)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Christmas is a happy time but we have lost Pete Shelley and, as I said, mark the two-year anniversaries regarding the deaths of George Michael, David Bowie and Prince. Look back even further and there are so many musicians who are no longer with us – taken way too soon and no longer releasing music. We all have a bond to them in some way and it makes me a bit sad to think these titans are not played as much as years previous. I know there are lots of articles out there (and the music never dies) but I feel there should be some permanent memorial that recognises the music greats and brings their music to new generations. Think about Shelley and his wonderful songs and you want these to compel and drive the next generation of songwriters. They can discover the Buzzcocks online but there is so much brilliance and Shelley gold that needs to be collated, combined and there for all to see. I think this of all the great artists who are gone and wonder whether there is some way, once the dust has settled, we can create a monument to Shelley. Maybe it would be maudlin having a museum of departed stars but from older departed such as John Lennon to more modern losses such as Amy Winehouse; these innovators deserve more than streaming immortality. Pete Shelley and his impact cannot be undersold and many people will be experiencing his music for the first time now. I have no doubt many new bands and songwriters will learn from the Buzzcocks lead and one hopes this great is not easily forgotten. Maybe there is a solution but I think it is easy to let artists fade out mind once they have gone – streaming is very much about the here and now and older acts are overlooked in some ways. We must think about some permanent conservation and promotion but, in a difficult week, Pete Shelley is very much in the mind. The Punk pioneer might have left us but, with his generations-lasting music out there...

HE will never be forgotten.

INTERVIEW: The Fame

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Avalon Mohns 

The Fame

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I have been speaking with The Fame...

about their debut single, Wide Awake, and what its story is. They tell me how the band formed and what we can expect from their approaching E.P. – the guys reveal albums important to them and rising artists that are worth a shout.

I was keen to discover which artists influence them and whether there are upcoming tour dates; what they would like for Christmas and which artists they’d support given the chance – they select some cool tracks to end the interview with.

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

Really busy. We just released our debut single - and we’ve been swamped with lots of things that need to get done. But, other than that, it’s been good.

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

Yes. We are a four-piece Indie-Rock band from Toronto, Canada. We have been around for about two years, and we all come from different backgrounds and walks of life.

Wide Awake is your debut single. Is there a story behind it?

Not really. It’s just a song about how people perceive themselves and the world around them. The happenings of everyday life; walking around in your own shoes...especially during hard times or the periods in your life when you feel like you have nothing good or redeeming to grasp onto.

I know an E.P. is coming next year. Can you reveal any themes or ideas behind the songs?

The songs are just about real things. Real emotions, real feelings and real thoughts; stuff everybody goes through. Besides that, there isn’t really a theme behind the E.P.

What was it like working with Brian Moncarz on the E.P.?

It was a great experience. Brian saved us as a band. We had tried recording about seven or eight times before working with him and it was going nowhere until we sent him our demo tapes - and he loved them. He gave us a new perspective and did an amazing job with this E.P. He’s experienced, and knows what he’s doing. Can’t say enough good things about him.

When did The Fame get together? How did you find one another?

We were four best friends in high-school who grew up on the same street together and decided to form a ba…nah. Our story is far from that. I, Brandon answered an ad on Craigslist looking for a rhythm guitarist for a new band and, in that band, I met Yu, who was the lead guitarist. We became friends and, when that band was falling apart we decided to leave and start our own band. We put ads up online looking for a bassist and, through one of the people who answered the ad, we met Andrew who joined the band full-time after subbing in on bass for our first show.

After trying out a succession of drummers, we met Rodrigo who had just moved from Chile to Canada and became roommates with Yu in the same house. He was a music educator in Chile. Our current drummer at the time quit and the rest, as they say, is history…

In terms of music; which artists are you drawn to?

We all have our own preferences and influences but, as a band, we’re most drawn to artists like: The Beatles, Velvet Underground; Neil Young, Nirvana; Oasis, White Stripes; Strokes, Arctic Monkeys; Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

As Christmas is coming; what one present would you each like if you could have anything?

I think we would all like some new amps and some Long & McQuade gift cards. Haha.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Yeah. We’ve got two more singles to drop in the New Year and then the full E.P. which we are expecting to release around March/April. We’re also starting to line up a bunch of shows for the New Year as well.

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

Touring is always the most fun but also anytime we’ve got to play at the Horseshoe in Toronto is great. Especially the time it was nearly sold out; that was incredible.

Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?

There are SO many albums we could name but, for the sake of this interview, four albums that are important to each of us are: The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album); Oasis - Definitely Maybe; Nirvana - In Utero and Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Each of these albums has its own distinctive identity - and that’s part of the reason why they are so important to us. Each has inspired us as composers and as musicians. There are so many more we wish we could mention like The Strokes, Velvet Underground; Arctic Monkeys, Smashing Pumpkins; Sonic Youth, White Stripes etc., but we’ll save those for the next interview sometime down the road.

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

Paul McCartney or Neil Young, for sure. Who knows how much longer they will be touring, so we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to open up for one of them. They are both huge inspirations for us. Oh...and definitely NO brown M&M’s.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Write lots of songs and play as many shows as you can.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Nothing we can announce yet, but lots of dates in the works. We are just coming off a sold-out show at the Cameron House in Toronto.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

We’ve been listening to The Beaches, Dirty Nil; MIGHTY, DIIV; Ready the Prince and Crown Lands recently. All very good.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Crown Lands/PHOTO CREDIT: Kurt Cuffy

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

We each have our own ways of unwinding. But, mostly, just hanging with friends or family. Going to shows or concerts; taking in the art/film scene in Toronto. Music is an important part of each of us, so we never really get away from it.

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

Sounds good! Here’s what were all feeling today:

The Strokes - Automatic Stop

Red Hot Chili Peppers - My Lovely Man

The Beatles - I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

Black Sabbath - Hole in the Sky

__________

Follow The Fame

Official:

https://www.thefameband.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thefameto

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thefameto

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thefameto/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6SFIeL1DTqaaO5zKg9999K?si=YXQTLGaoR96zfNFj-R7_4A

INTERVIEW: The Yacht Club

INTERVIEW:

The Yacht Club

___________

THE guys of The Yacht Club...

have been revealing how they found one another and what we can expect from their upcoming album, The Last Words That You Said to Me Have Kept Me Here and Safe. They discuss the emotional and personal story behind their single, Heigham Park, and what it was like putting together its video.

The chaps highlighttheir favourite albums and the music that matters most; which rising artists we need to get behind and whether there are any gigs approaching – they each pick a great song to end the interview with.

____________

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

Jack: Stressful but good! Some friends of ours opened a new recording studio on Saturday (@thebookhousestudio on Instagram) and I spent a lot of last week helping them get the space sorted for the opening day.

Marcus: Very busy, very tiring! I had a lovely chat to the Such Great Heights podcast about all things musical which should be out in a couple of weeks. I’ve also been rehearsing with another band I play in (Employed to Serve) for our upcoming tour.

Alex: Good, thanks! Been getting some artwork ready for the band’s Japanese release.

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

Jack: I’m Jack and I play guitar and sing.

Marcus: I’m Marcus and I also play guitar and sing!

Alex: Hey, I’m Alex - I play drums live and also do keys on our recordings.

How did The Yacht Club form? What attracted you to one another?

Jack: I actually only joined the band two years ago, but I went to school with Alex and know the rest of the guys through him. I covered bass duties whilst Alex was away on another tour, so when our old guitarists left, I guess I was an obvious choice for the others.

Marcus: T.Y.C. was a way of writing songs for myself and not for anyone else. I had spent a few years doing the session musician thing in London and had really been neglecting my own artistic expression. I just wanted to make music like all my favourite bands and I think my own words to Tom (who has recorded all of our music to date) were “I wanna be just like Pennines!” I met Ali (Alex who plays drums) on a music course we were doing and played in a band together briefly, so when T.Y.C. came around it was a perfect fit.

Whilst I say it was a solo project, Ali has been there for every recording; played drums and keys on it all and been there since pretty much the very start.  I lived with Alex (bass) when I was at uni and met Jack through him! Whilst the line-up has had people come and go, this one feels very natural.

Alex: Myself and Marcus met at ICMP in 2011 for a Live Event Management project. We’ve been writing music together ever since! Marcus got me on-board for drums on ‘A’ in late 2012 (initially a solo project). Also, Marcus looks more like my brother than my actual brother. P.M. us for proof.

Heigham Park is out. What is the story behind it? What was it like putting the video together?

Marcus: Heigham Park was written about dealing with losing one of my closest friends, Blythe, to suicide. The park itself is somewhere we would go after school and during the summer. There are a lot of special memories associated with that place and now there’s a bench there in his memory. It’s one of the most honest and upfront songs I think I have ever written, let alone one that appears on the record. The idea and demo for the song has existed for about three years in its most basic form. It went through a few stylistic changes before arriving at its current form! I’ve had the second half of the chorus and the first verse since the start though.

The video was fun to do! The live shots were taken in this really cool space we hired out off of Brick Lane. However, the drums were far too loud so we could only get two takes! The woodland area was the same day as another video shoot our director (Andy Curd - Kamaji Studios) was involved with the same day! It was a tight squeeze to fit it in with our schedules but I’m really happy with how it has turned out.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alfredo Guzman

The Last Words That You Said to Me Have Kept Me Here and Safe is out in January. What sort of themes and ideas inspired the record?

Marcus: The whole album was written over a period of immense grief and sadness following Blythe’s death. He was the only one of my friends who I could talk so openly about mental-health and the problems we shared and, when he went, it was like that lifeline was severed. Towards the end of the writing process, I also lost my father very suddenly too and this made its way into a few last-minute lyrics and musical ideas. Not only do you start questioning your own mortality when losing someone so suddenly, but it brings every life choice you have made so far into question.

So, naturally, my writing reflects this. It’s an album of recovery and realising you do have people there for you, even if the ones you thought would stand by you didn’t - and making your way through to the other side.

In terms of music; which artists are you drawn to?

Jack: I grew up listening to a lot of Metal and Hardcore, which is something I’m still very much into, but I guess my main interests musically are Punk/Emo bands and singer-songwriters. Death Cab for Cutie are a massive influence on all of us and I really love bands like Joyce Manor and Charly Bliss. In terms of singer songwriters, boygenius and each of the members’ solo projects are huge sources of inspiration for me.

Marcus: I will always and forever go back to City and Colour. Dallas Green really shaped my songwriting and singing from a young age. I like a lot of bands that can instil emotion and have clever production such as Death Cab For Cutie, Jimmy Eat World and a lot of Owen records. But, then again, I’m a big fan of that noodly guitar playing! Into It Over It do this so well whilst maintaining excellent choruses and not being over the top with it.

Alex: For me, Jimmy Eat World was the first band that I got obsessed with. The first song I heard was Sweetness when I was twelve. I used to be into far more ‘technical-for-the-sake-of-it’ music; now, I’m more drawn to creatively-simple artists. A teacher once said “The simplicity on the other side of complexity”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Simon Treasure

As Christmas is coming; what one present would you each like if you could have anything?

Jack: If money (and space) weren’t a problem I’d have a Fender Quad Reverb.

Marcus: I’m a boring adult; so really valuing good kitchen equipment these days...

Alex: I really want to get back into drawing, so a new drawing pad and a set of pencils. That or a cast iron pan.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Jack: We absolutely do! We’re looking to play a load more shows once the album is out and are all really desperate to get on the festival circuit!

Marcus: Touring and playing a whole lot more. I just want to get this record out to as many people as I can! Already a few demos deep into the next release, so I’m excited to get that started.

Alex: We’ve been working on some piano versions of the tracks, so potentially a cheeky acoustic release could be in the works in between albums.

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

Jack: Recording gang vocals for the last track on the album. We did a lot of overnight sessions with our friend, Tom Hill, and the (sometimes-stressful) late nights made things quite difficult, as well as the distance between us whilst we were recording. It was the first time we’d all been together in such a long time and there was such a sense that everything had come together and had clicked.

Marcus: Sounds cliché and obvious but listening back to the first bounces we received from the album. Recording this album was such a landmark moment not only for the band, but for ourselves as well. With an unsteady line-up, we had not really been a band on the outside world for the best part of a year. I had recently moved to Norwich after my father passed whilst everyone else was back in London so recording and writing was plagued with delays due to distance and me touring heavily with a band called Ducking Punches. But we did it. I’m super-proud of everyone for making this the best thing we’ve ever done.

Alex: Tracking drums for this album at Holy Mountain Studios in Hoxton last August. Four days of drum production geekery and storming off saying “I hate this track”; forgetting I was on my own in public wearing my favourite Chuckle Brothers T-shirt.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Alfredo Guzman

Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?

Jack: For me, probably Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation by Funeral for a Friend. That was the first album that I was ever super-into and it got me into a load of music that I still really love today. Their farewell shows in London were the same weekend as my birthday and being at those shows with my brother are really special memories to me.

Marcus: Bring Me Your Love by City and Colour. This was the album that really pushed me into writing and singing and really shaped my musical tastes. It was the album that taught me it’s ok to not be ok and I am so thankful for that.

Alex: Always a tough one. Easy answer would be Clarity by Jimmy Eat World because I was at the right point in my life to be listening to that album. De-Loused at the Comatorium by The Mars Volta opened my mind as to what was possible with drumming and also music.

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

Jack: Julien Baker. Both her albums are incredible and she puts on an amazing show. I’d also love to know what her live setup is!

Marcus: Jimmy Eat World, for sure. They’ve had such an impact on all of us and it’d be a truly bucket-list moment. For the rider, I’d have a crate of Vego bars and Temple of Seitan burgers.

Alex: Been loving what Lianne La Havas does for a while - pure talent; otherworldly.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Alfredo Guzman

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Marcus: Have fun, be positive and keep an open mind through the whole process. You might start making music in one genre and decide another one is more to your liking! Listen to as much music as you can, and be respectful to everyone.

Alex: Cliché, but have fun! That’s why we all started loving music, keep it that way. Keep curious and actually listen to music, not just background noise.

Jack: Say ‘yes’ to as much as you can - you never know where an opportunity will take you; be willing to compromise with other musicians you work with and have fun!

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Marcus: We have a couple of launch shows for the album coming up! 26th January at the Sebright Arms in London and 2nd February at The Steam Packet in Norwich. We’ve also got an intimate acoustic show on the 14th January which you’ll hear about soon.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dryjacket/PHOTO CREDIT: @walk.into.the.light

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Jack: No Stranger, Dryjacket and Don’t Worry.

Alex: Christof van der Ven.

Marcus: Spanish Love Songs, Marigolds and Shadowboxer.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Marigolds/PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Seago

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

Marus: Music is my full-time job, so it really does take over all parts of my life! If I have some time to unplug, nothing beats lasting an afternoon playing Skyrim with multiple cups of tea.

Alex: Loads! I unwind with a casual run around parks in N.W. London. That or lose myself in a book at a new café I’ve discovered on a random walk.

Jack: I don’t really do much else, honestly. I left my job last year to go back to university and study music and also to give me more time to focus on making music. Unwinding for me is usually putting something relaxing on and hanging out with my dog - City and Colour’s most-recent live album is a current favourite for this

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

Jack: Great Grey Towers by No Stranger

Marcus: Friends in Theory by Tommy Boys

Alex: London by Third Eye Blind

__________

Follow The Yacht Club

PHOTO CREDIT: Alfredo Guzman

Official:

http://jointheyachtclub.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TheYachtClubUk/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/theyachtclubtyc

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theyachtclubtyc/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Q7jW8Eafh27pBaelSW0Jf?si=jiCPD55ASP2kr5azzMlakw

Bandcamp:

https://theyachtclub.bandcamp.com/

TRACK REVIEW: Bugeye - Disco Dancer

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Bugeye

Disco Dancer

9.5/10

The track, Disco Dancer, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7_noIe6OAI&feature=youtu.be

GENRES:

Post-Punk Punk; Rock; Pop

ORIGIN:

Croydon, U.K.

LABEL:

31% Wool Recordings

RELEASE DATE:

7th December, 2018

_________

I am making changes next year and responding to a sense...

of fatigue and sameness. I am discovering too much of the same music coming through and the same problem with musicians. In terms of sounds, there are so many bands that are performing the same sort of thing and solo artists that are barely distinguishable. It is understandable there is some repetition and predictability but it is getting too common now. I wonder whether we will see any big breakthroughs in underground music in terms of genre and whether there will be more colour and surprise. I am also discovering many new artists are lacking basic things like high-resolution photos and a Twitter account. These might sound minor but, in a busy and competitive industry, they are invaluable. You need photos online because music is visual and it will attract people – and, when it comes to the modern day, you can take some great photos very inexpensively and without issue. I get a lot of people giving me excuses why they cannot get together high-resolution photos and it annoys me. The same goes for Twitter – it is the most potent and important tool for any new artist and to avoid it is a foolish and inexcusable thing. This does not apply to Bugeye but, if I were to suggest anything to the band as they head into 2019 is to get together a few new snaps. They have had a personnel shift and going through a new phase but, as they have some great shots out there already, a few more would be great and attract new followers. I have had to omit a few of the new ones because they are in landscape rather than portrait and I cannot use them on the blog. I have talked a lot about what I am looking for next year but I think, as a starting place, looking at the whole package is a good thing.

I will come on to look at Punk and embracing new genres; female voices in music and why next year will be different; splicing different sounds and coming up with a rare and exciting brew; the need to mention politics and document what is happening in the country – I will look at where the band might head in 2019 and what is in store for them. I will keep on the issue of lack and why a lot of musicians are going to miss out because of things other than music. I am attracted to Bugeye because of the fire and originality you get with the music and, compared to a lot of the other music I am hearing, they stand out. I am not sure whether artists are too afraid to be bold and stretch things but it is hard to tell the difference between so many acts. A lot of it sounds so routine and, whilst it is important to back and promote musicians, I am not remembering a lot of it because there is that repetition. The same really goes for social media. Too many do not really put too much time into social media and they leave big gaps between updates. So many do not have adequate and good-quality photos and the excuses are all the same. They either claim getting photos done is too expensive – one single shoot does not cost that much and you can get some great images done on your phone – and they are only putting out a few snaps for each campaign - it is unwise to limit yourself in terms of campaigns and a lot of good journalists are looking for more than two or three photos. It is a bugbear of mine but, into 2019, I am going to be a lot stricter and reject artists who are not capable of putting together excellent photos, a decent and updated social media outlay and can diversify in terms of their own music. Bugeye appeal to me because they have a strong Twitter following and are keeping it updated; there are some good shots in the mix (a few more would be great) and their sound is excellent.

The Croydon-based band is in my mind because, right now, an urgency and sense of anger is what we need in music. It is no coincidence that the best album of the year, according to most, is IDLES’ Joy as an Act of Resistance. It is a record that bursts with life and energy and, above all, has a relevance and key voice. The band has resonated because they are talking about subjects that are not often explored in music. They have explored mental-health and politics; masculinity and perceptions and what the future holds. The performances are kinetic and dynamic and you get so much physicality from every offering. Bugeye are the same and, as I shall explore, they are looking at important topics and concerned with what is happening. I think the mainstream media is still too beholden to Pop but, with Punk waves and great Hip-Hop artists showing their teeth and producing incredible albums; it has been a great year for those who want us to open our eyes and are telling the truth. I feel there is too much subjectivity when it comes to music and artists are too keen to talk about what is on their mind and not go beyond that. I understand why artists want to talk about love but the world is so divided and chaotic – music should be providing escape but it also needs to document what is occurring and having that perceptiveness. IDLES have struck a chord because they are providing reality and not lying like politicians. It is risky chatting about deep and hard subjects in music but Punk seems to be at the forefront. I have heard some great new Punk bands but Bugeye seem to be at the forefront. Things are not getting that much better so their voice is going to be crucial!

I have seen some great music this year and it seems slightly dismissive when I ignore other genres. I have mentioned the way so many sound alike and it is getting a bit weary not being able to bond with something fresh, genuinely long-lasting and interesting. I am not expecting a new Beastie Boys or DJ Shadow but I would like to see new artist go beyond the ordinary and commercial and be bold. Bugeye are standing out because they have the fire and energy of the best Punk bands; they are scoring their songs with messages about politics and stuff that is current and relevant and, in terms of the sounds, they mix the old and new. The staple and foundation is Punk but the band is inspired by the likes of Gossip and Talking Heads. Their sounds are not as intense as, say, IDLES and they bring something catchy and almost melodic to their music. I feel the new breed of Punk artists are putting together the guts and rawness you got from the likes of Sex Pistols and Ramones and they are putting that with something more arty, uplifting and accessible. Given the recent death of the Buzzcocks’ lead singer, Pete Shelley, we are seeing the Punk icons pass by and leave the world – this is sad but it should inspire musicians to take an example from them. Many are paying tribute to Shelley and his unique brand of songwriting. I think, as legends die, many will look back at their music and be inspired to do something similar. Maybe Bugeye rank Buzzcocks as influences but, when listening to a song like Disco Dancer, I get shades of the great man. There are elements of Ramones and newer artists like Goat Girl and Shame but it is a heady and fantastic mixture. In any case, I feel modern Punk is among the most promising music and I do feel, given the situation around the world, people are finding undiluted and straight-talking facts that politicians are not giving us.

They say there is change coming in and some form of gender equality and, whilst Primavera has announced Christine and the Queens as a headliner (the first big festival to do so), that is not being mirrored in the U.K. (that festival is based in Spain/Portugal). I am not holding much promise Glastonbury will book a female headliner and, although festivals are committed to a gender balance by 2022, that is a long way away and many could do it now. A lot of the best albums this year have been made by women: from Anna Calvi and Robyn through to Christine and the Queens and Kacey Musgraves. There is ample talent out there to headline festivals and it seems sexism is rife and not letting up anytime soon. Not only are there great female solo artists but there are bands like Goat Girl, Hinds and Wolf Alice (female-led) who could easily get the crowds in! It is worrying to see this really slow progress and I do wonder what the fate is of female acts right now. Many are showing their brilliance but getting less focus than their male counterparts. Bugeye will get the attention they deserve but I think they will have to wait longer than a lot of their male peers – even though their music (Bugeye) is stronger and has more nuance. Females are not being represented as fairly as they should and that needs to change next year! I am not sure whether a festival balance will help move against sexism or whether we will ever solve the quandary. I am discovering a lot of female gold and, although blogs and journalists are talking about them, it needs to companionship of festival bookings and radio-play. Bugeye are a newly-configured quartet and there is great strength in the ranks right now. I am sure there will be change but it might be slower than hoped.

2019 needs to be a year where we look at imbalances and problems and make a concerted effort to rectify it. I am a bit concerned there is not a great deal of actual effort coming from those who can make these changes and affect improvement – this is damaging music and holding a lot of great female sounds back. Consider a band like Bugeye and where they are right now. They are, in many ways, part of the zeitgeist and they have an awful lot to say. The music matches the muscle of the best Punk out there but there is a lot of depth and variation within. I feel festivals should be booking bands like Bugeye – their time will not come for a few years yet – and female artists in general are putting out better work than the men. Music should be about quality and not making concessions but one cannot realistically say the festival headliners are there because they are the best. Time and time again, we are seeing the same bands being hired and that needs to change. I would like to see a big effort come in next year that tackles inequality and recognises great female artists. I will move on from this subject but it has got me a bit riled! Music is at its strongest when it is diverse and equal and, in terms of sounds, can anyone honestly say the likes of Bugeye are inferior?! I have mentioned how Punk is very much the genre of choice now and here we have a great band that are kicking arse and deserve more attention. They have had a great 2018 and made some moves but I think next year will be an awesome one for them. Who knows how far they can go but I have every hope they will be challenging alongside the very finest around.

I will end with a look at where the band will head next year but I have touched on politics and splicing sounds together. There is a bit of Talking Heads in the music of Bugeye but you get a nice slab of Punk and Alternative. Bugeye lot at sexism and politics on their latest track, Disco Dancer, and you get a nice melting of sounds. It can be a bit heavy listening to songs about politics and the problems of modern life but so many musicians are sticking with love and not showing a lot of variety. I understand the impulse to discuss what is personal but the world is splitting and cracking and artists need to be more observational. Bugeye have been taking a good look around and are documenting areas that are very current and need to be exposed. They mix politics and Pop and you get a nice slab of glory. It is wonderful seeing this band strengthen and produce music that gets inside the head and can talk about something important whilst doing so. So much of what is out there today lacks eclectic spirit and themes can stray too close to the familiar. Those who are bolder with their themes and words are to be commended and are a lot more distinct than most. Bugeye, led by Angela Martin, are influenced by 1970s New York Post-Punk and there is a bit of Grunge grit in there. Previous singles such as Is This Love and Never Let This Go have been well-received by radio and the group are very much in demand. The only way you are going to remember a new artist, I feel, is if their palette is broad and they do not concentrate on the same thing every time. Bugeye have spoken about relationships and heartache but they realise they need to keep moving and not be slaves to one particular themes. Let us consider what is happening around the world and the role music plays.

This country is seeing an ongoing Brexit fiasco and it is no closer to being resolved. I do wonder what will happen next year and if we are going to be in this same mess by Christmas 2019. It is hard to know what is going to occur but, look further afield, and there are other problems rising. We have sexism in music and there is an ongoing concern regarding sexual assault. Few of us have the power to actual change these things but artists need to be aware of how important these problems are and provide their own spin. There is no reason to suggest tackling these areas will be dark and foreboding and, as Bugeye show, they can easily get political and ensure the music is fun and catchy. I will not stick too rigidly to subject matter and diversity but I think the best of next year will continue alongside the lines of this year in terms of importance and weighty themes. It is no coincidence that some of the best albums of this year have tackled the big issues and many artists need to keep that going into 2019. I know it can be tough getting ahead of the crowd and staying in the memory but Bugeye are showing what can happen and a good way of making an impact. I was compelled to look at Disco Dancer because it is the sound of the revitalised and galvanised band and talks about things not a lot of other acts are. The song burrows into the brain and you will find yourself revisiting it but, not only does the sound strike, but the themes and words will bounce around the brain. It is a great time for the band and I know next year will be even bigger. Let us get down to things and take a look at Disco Dancer. It has already received kudos and attention and that is going to continue over the coming days and weeks.

For anyone wanting a casual introduction and some time to consider will be in for a shock when Disco Dancer unfurls. You get plenty of punch and growl as the song races away. The riffs are beefy but there is economy; the percussion and bass leads the song and you have this complete and chunky track. One hears embers of the best Punk acts but, to be fair, the song marries Pop and Alternative together. The title might put your mind in one direction but, as the song unfolds, you start to consider other avenues. The introduction continues unabated and get the feet tapping. When the lead comes to the vocal there is a nice blend of Courtney Love and Kirsty MacCool. That might be my sleep-deprived brain leaping to conclusions but I can hear some eclectic and wide-ranging influences in the vocal. The song tells of a man, a disco dancer, who seems to be optimal and desired and as the heroine asks for her name to be called; I get the feeling gender imbalance is underneath the words. Maybe there is a passion and sense of lust towards the hero but I get the sense of a bit of imbalance and anger. One can certainly detect the bones of 1970s New York in the attack and tones and it is a heady brew. Repetition forms part of the early song and it is designed to get people invested and ensure the song sinks in fast. Soon enough, a queen of Disco arrives and she is the ruler of the floor. Contrasting with the male dancer, it seems like she boasts bigger moves and a lot more depth. It appears the song’s heroine is racing around and taking a bow. Maybe she is throwing herself out there because it takes little effort for the man to be seen. I get the scene of a dancefloor and crowds flocking but that image acts more as a metaphor for the music industry and how there is a division.

One of the reasons why I love the song is because it has spirit and spit and there is a great blend of the older and contemporary. The production is polished but allows for a lot of dirty and murkiness to create this fantastic explosion. The band is united and tight throughout and I was hooked from start to finish. Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions when I look at sexism in music and how there is imbalance but there might be other possibilities. Disco Dancer is a great song that gets into the head and creates an instant memory. You will find yourself returning and discovering new stuff time and time again. The lead elongates and punctuates her words after an explosive burst from the band. We witness something jumping and canine and, as we expect the song to continue down that road, a great offering emerges. She asks how the man dances and asks to be shown. I get the feeling that is an observation regarding the way men are perceived in music and the lack of female attention. Maybe it is more simple and there is this calling across the floor; a male dancer throwing out these moves and there is that sense of attraction. I tend to find the latter is a metaphor for the former and an investigating regarding the state of modern music. I like how Bugeye manage to unite the calmer and more teasing with the inflamed and dynamite. You never feel too suffocated by the song and it is always grips you and offers something exciting. I was motivated to return to the song after the first listen and that is quite rare.

I hope the band creates more songs like this and Disco Dancer is spread far and wide. The dancer on the floor is lost in a war and they have to compete against the odds. Whether you perceive the song to be about the battle of sexes or there is something more romantic at work; it is a masterful track that will not shift from the head. I was compelled to explore different angles upon each new spin and was coming away with different impressions. However you see it – and whatever the real truth is – one cannot deny that Disco Dancer makes a late big for one of the brightest and finest underground Punk offerings. I shall wrap up the review section in a bit but wanted to congratulate Bugeye on a great song that will get many more people looking their way. They have had a busy and changeable year and they could easily have left things quietly. Instead, we get this incredible song that declares war and raises some very important points. If you have not discovered what they are about and dug deep into their music then have a listen to Disco Dancer and work your way back. The band will have their sights set on a successful 2019 and I see no reason why they cannot nestle alongside the finest of the rising breed. If they keep putting our records as attractive and appealing as Disco Dancer then things are going to very bright and smooth. Spread the message and make sure you get the Croydon band’s music as far as possible. It is a tough industry but the group have negotiated so many hurdles and are a lot more equipped and ready than so many of their peers. I predict they will make some big waves in 2019 and, when it comes to the polls this time next year, their name will be in some pretty big publications.

Bugeye have won the ear of respected D.J.s such as Steve Lamacq and they have got under the radar of some pretty influential sites. This is no fluke. Their music is striking and passionate but you get plenty of song craft, memorability and measure. They can show their teeth and attack but they also take things down and can provide plenty of rhythm. The band has played some big gigs, so keep your eyes on their social media as we head into 2019. You will want to catch them perform live and see what they are all about. I am not sure whether they have more material brewing and what their plans are regarding future releases. There is nothing to suggest they will be underground for long and, given the rise of Punk and artists trending now, it is a great time for Bugeye. I think there will be an E.P. or album and many more gigs where they can continue to hone and reach new audience. This is a moment in music when certain genres are fading out and others are coming through. I feel Punk is a dominant force and it will continue to grow. Bugeye should be proud considering how far they have come this year – it has been a stellar time for the Croydon band. I am pumped to see where they go and whether new material is afoot. Disco Dancer is a perfect representation of where they are now and what they are all about. The track looks at sexism and imbalance but you are hooked by more than the words. It is a bursting and lively song that gets into the bloodstream and remains in the memory for a long time. There are not many bands who have the same combination of skills as Bugeye and I think more should follow suit. If you want an arresting and interesting group that mix relevance with fun and intelligence then you will get a lot of satisfaction from Bugeye. They have accomplished a lot so far but next year is a different matter. I feel 2019 will be a year where the band transform from underground whisper and vibe and take a big step...

TOWARDS the biggest leagues in music.   

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Follow Bugeye

Official:

https://www.bugeyeband.co.uk/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Bugeyeband

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/bugeyemusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5coA87VxMQH8xZRRbhc03m?si=7hLOlUyDQ1SCtO0v-gUEng

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bugeye_music/

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYP6oGpD7ki_lsq5rEZv9Uw

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/bugeyeofficial

FEATURE: A Genre and Gender Revolution? The Grammys 2019: Steps Forward, Omissions and a Category-Spanning Playlist

FEATURE:

 

 

A Genre and Gender Revolution?

IN THIS PHOTO: Rap artist Cardi B has been nominated for five Grammys, including Album of the Year for Invasion of Privacy/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Grammys 2019: Steps Forward, Omissions and a Category-Spanning Playlist

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IN years past...

many have accused the Grammys of lacking diversity and being too focused on Pop/the mainstream. It has taken a long time for there to be the parity and balance many have called for but, for next year, it seems like we may nearer than ever. The nominations are out and it is a big year for artists like Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Last year saw very few women nominated in big categories and many accused the decision makers of sexism. The full nominations are out and it is a lot more impressive and balanced. Hip-Hop has played a big role in this year’s nominations but artists from Country, such as Kacey Musgraves, are also nominated. It is a big step forward and, to me, 2019 is going to be a much more relevant and equal year than this one – where many questioned the validity and worth of the Grammys. The BBC have noticed one of the problems regarding the Grammys: the sheer weight of categories! It is almost like the Academy Awards when it comes to covering all bases and not leaving anyone out:

“The Grammys aren't exactly known for their brevity; and this year's list of nominees runs to 84 categories across a rainforest-destroying 55 pages.

Matters haven't been helped by the decision to expand the marquee categories - album of the year, record of the year, song of the year and best new artist - to eight nominees, instead of the traditional five...

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover of The Carters’ album, EVERYTHING IS LOVE (which was expected to feature heavily but missed out on the top categories)/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Although there have been some leaps in terms of the genres highlighted and giving women more of a voice, some have noticed the absence of Beyoncé and Jay-Z on the nominations. Jay-Z was denied this year – many thought his album, 4:44, should have scoped big prizes – and, alongside Beyoncé, he created The Carters. The album, EVERYTHING IS LOVE, received great reviews and there is no real reason why they have been omitted:

“...This year, though, it got worse: The couple's joint album Everything Is Love failed to secure a nomination in any of the big four categories.

Maybe Jay-Z's attack on the Recording Academy made voters uncomfortable ("please inform the Grammys that the 0-for-8 situation is unacceptable," he says, in slightly more colourful language, on the single Apes***).

The record still gets a couple nods in the urban and video categories - but that raises the question of whether the couple, who've historically been a front-row fixture at the ceremony, will see fit to boycott the event?”

The biggest change, despite some notable slips, is the gender balance – whilst not as equal as we’d hope, it has improved and there are a lot more women being recognised. The Guardian reacted to the nominations:

“After controversy about the Grammys’ failure to recognise women’s achievements at the 2018 ceremony, female artists dominate key categories in the nominations for the 2019 awards. Country stars Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves, rapper Cardi B, pop futurist Janelle Monáe and Lady Gaga could all take home major awards at the 61st Grammy award ceremony in Los Angeles next February...

IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar (who leads the Grammy nominations with eight nods)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

“Elsewhere, Kendrick Lamar and Drake dominate proceedings, with eight and seven nominations respectively. Along with Childish Gambino, AKA Donald Glover, they could rectify the other dispute that emerged from this year’s awards – namely the Recording Academy nominating but not awarding major hip-hop artists.

Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said in a statement that “reflection, re-evaluation and implementation” drove recent changes to the Grammys’ processes and nominations”.

The awards are less mainstream and obvious than last year – when Bruno Mars walked away with heaps of gongs – and it is nice to see artists such as Kacey Musgraves being given a nod! One of the biggest talking points relates to the lack of Pop artists making the cut. The Guardian had some thoughts:

“Many of pop’s biggest acts will be disappointed. Taylor Swift, who received seven Grammy nominations for her previous album, 1989, received just one for Reputation, and in best pop album, a minor category. The Carters, AKA Beyoncé and Jay-Z, as well as Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, were also left out of major categories, receiving nods in genre categories. Kanye West received one nomination as producer of the year…

IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa is one of few British artists who received Grammy nominations (two)/PHOTO CREDIT: @DUALIPA

It is a mediocre year for British acts. R&B newcomer Ella Mai has found greater success in the US than her home country, and received two nominations for her breakout single, Boo’d Up. Dua Lipa and Jorja Smith are nominated for best new artist. Seal is nominated for best traditional pop vocal album, and Arctic Monkeys for best rock performance and best alternative music album. Jon Hopkins and SOPHIE were recognised in best dance/electronic album. Recent sales suggest the UK’s ability to produce global pop superstars has dwindled”.

It is a shame there is not more British talent among the nominees but the fact Pop, for now, has relinquished its dominance and grip is a good thing. It is all very well nominating artists like Kendrick Lamar but, like this year, will he be left empty-handed and cause many to ask whether Hip-Hop is getting the credit it deserves! I am hopeful, when the winners are announced on 10th February in Los Angeles. Before I put the playlist out, the BBC article points out some interesting facts and firsts:

“Guns N' Roses could win their first ever Grammy for the deluxe edition of 1987's Appetite for Destruction - an album which didn't receive a single nomination the year it was released.

Post Malone was barred from competing in the rap field because his album doesn't contain enough rapping. He was also ruled out of the best new artist category for being too popular!

Kanye West - one of hip-hop's most innovative and respected producers - receives his first ever nomination in the producer of the year category for the sequence of five albums he worked on this year - including Pusha T's Daytona, Teyana Taylor's KTSE and his own record, Ye.

Drake is back! After withholding his More Life mixtape from consideration last year, he's all over the 2019 nominations list with his attention-sapping double album Scorpion.

Dua Lipa and Jorja Smith are the first British stars to be nominated for Best New Artist since James Bay in 2016”.

Although many will grumble at the lack of Pop in the nominations; it is good to see some positive changes and steps forward. Let’s hope, come 10th February, we will see more women and Hip-Hop/Rap artists...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kacey Musgraves (who has received four Grammy nominations and has helped raise the profile of women in Country music)/PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Ray Davidson for GQ

WALK away with some gold.

FEATURE: Groovelines: The Beatles – Paperback Writer

FEATURE:

 

 

Groovelines

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Beatles – Paperback Writer

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THIS is a ‘sort of’ well-timed mention of The Beatles...

 IN THIS PHOTO: John Lennon/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

as today, in 1980, the world lost the great John Lennon. Although The Beatles’ Paperback Writer was mostly penned by Paul McCartney; I had to mention Lennon and, as this is my favourite song from The Beatles, this will have to be my tribute! The first time I really experienced the song in all its brief and brilliant glory was when I received The Beatles’ number-ones collection, 1, for Christmas back in 2000. It was a treasured Christmas gift from my sister and I remember rushing into my room, even though I was seventeen at the time, and playing all the songs through. The album is still in my car and I feel, for any huge Beatles fan or new acolytes alike; you cannot go wrong by buying 1. The album is a chronological account of all of The Beatles’ number-ones and Paperback Writer sits between We Can Work It Out and Yellow Submarine – not only a trippy, head-spinning trio of songs but proof the band were as eclectic and broad you can get! One of the things that strikes me about The Beatles’ popularity is the fact we still celebrate a band whose hits, largely, were done with over two or three minutes. Now, so many artists are stretching tracks all over the place and we rarely see the tight and sharp Pop attacks that say so much and leave you wanting more.

That is the case with Paperback Writer. The track was a non-album single released in 1966 – with Rain as its B-side – and was the last new song from the band to be included on their last-ever tour. Rarely do you get artists releasing singles not on albums but, since the start of their career, The Beatles were released between-album songs that kept the pace going. 1966 was the year The Beatles released Revolver and was the start of a period that, to many, was their golden time. Even though their touring days were almost through – due to the noise and sheer rapture from their fans – the band were still coming up with great ideas and, when Paul McCartney had that opening line “Dear Sir or Madame...” it was the start of a remarkable track. Paperback Writer is a little over two minutes and is this intense, thrilling and memorable song that, as it goes, is about an aspiring writer who has written a novel – more or less one-thousand pages – and is keen to get his break. There is no shock the song went to number-one following its release on 30th May, 1966 and, with a B-side as strong as Rain; it was a meteoric and titanic time from the world’s greatest band! I will provide my thoughts on the song and why it resonates but I want to bring in an authoritative Beatles article that takes apart the song and charts its history.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles protected from the rain in 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

Drugs always played a part in The Beatles’ creative process and, following the marijuana-infused inspiration behind 1965’s Rubber Soul; a year later, Eastern mysticism and L.S.D. was playing more or a role – almost like their choice of drugs was as changeable and bold as the music itself. Say what you want about their excess and creative juices but it was clear, after the success of the single, We Can Work It Out, in December of 1965; there was this gap that needed to be filled before the boys embarked on a huge tour. In today’s music, we would just let the artist rest and people would not be too worried: given the fame of The Beatles, there was demand for another single to go out into the world! Although John Lennon claimed Paperback Writer was not one of their best songs – possibly because the lion’s share was from his writing partner – fans would challenge that and, as a huge fan of The Beatles, Paperback Writer is the embodiment of their focused and instantly memorable brand of Pop that would, as they started to experiment more, change and be replaced with bolder and more sense-altering sounds. The vast majority of Pop songs at the time – including those from The Beatles – were about love and, since that was what the market was used to and what teenagers wanted to hear, it was a surprise to see something a little different come into the fold:

“The fourth song they set to record, however, was more quickly recorded and was deemed suitable for a quick release as a single.  While it did have many of the usual hallmarks of a hit pop record of the time, such as the catchy melody line and a melodic guitar riff, the lyrical content was very much out in left field for 1966.  Instead of romance, the only mention of a relationship was of “a dirtyman” whose “clinging wife doesn’t understand.”  Nonetheless, “Paperback Writer” was rushed out as their next single, topping the charts internationally”.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: Robert Whittaker for Mojo Magazine

Although the creative influence was not a huge break from the standard Pop fare, the fact it was not another love song was quite a bold departure from The Beatles. The start of the song arrived from a very traditional and familiar combination: Lennon and McCartney getting together to have a cup of tea and write a major hit:

“With these ideas implanted in his mind, Paul travelled out to John’s Kenwood home for a songwriting session.  “You knew, the minute you got there,” Paul relates, “cup of tea and you’d sit and write, so it was always good if you had a theme.  I’d had a thought for a song and somehow it was to do with the Daily Mail so there might have been an article in the Mail that morning about people writing paperbacks.  Penquin paperbacks was what I really thought of, the archetypal paperback”.

The fact that the band were being urged to bring out a single – at a rather hot and pivotal time in their career – did not seem to faze them too much. McCartney’s song about an aspiring writer who was desperate for positive feedback and this start of a new career came together in the humbleness and comfort of his car:

“I would often start thinking away and writing on my way out, and I developed the whole idea in the car,” McCartney remembered, “I came in, had my bowl of cornflakes and said, ‘How’s about if we write a letter:  ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’ next line, next paragraph, etc?”  In his book “Many Years From Now,” he explains further:  “I arrived at Weybridge and told John I had this idea of trying to write off to a publishers to become a paperback writer, and I said, ‘I think it should be written like a letter’... 

PHOTO CREDIT: @dhudson_creative/Unsplash 

 I took a bit of paper out and I said it should be something like, ‘Dear Sir or Madam, as the case may be…’ and I proceeded to write it just like a letter in front of him, occasionally rhyming it.  And John, as I recall, just sat there and said, ‘Oh, that’s it,’  ‘Uhuh,’  ‘Yeah.’  I remember him, his amused smile, saying, ‘Yes, that’s it, that’ll do.’  Quite a nice moment:  ‘Hmm, I’ve done right!  I’ve done well!’  And then we went upstairs and put the melody to it.  John and I sat down and finished it all up, but it was tilted towards me, the original idea was mine.  I had no music, but it’s just a little bluesy song, not a lot of melody”.

McCartney had the basic idea for the song and, whilst the end result of Paperback Writer was a way away, it was clear the band had a hit and it was going to take their career to a new phase. 1966 was a great time for The Beatles and it was at a time when they were still writing together and there was harmony in the ranks. They would start to fray and argue by 1968/1969 but, understandably, there was this friendly competition between John Lennon and Paul McCartney when it came to penning their next big hit! I guess there is a bit of irony about this struggling writer trying to create himself a break when the song’s author was at the peak of his powers and seemed to have Paperback Writer firmly in his grasp.

 IN THIS IMAGE: Paul McCartney/IMAGE CREDIT: Helen Green

The recording sessions and initial meetings were filled with a lot of confidence – especially from the main writer, McCartney:

“The primary engineer for this session, the equally young Geoff Emerick, recalls much specific details regarding this session in his book “Here, There And Everywhere.”  Emerick relates:  “Paul strolled into the studio, marched straight over to the piano and confidently proclaimed, ‘Gather round, lads, and have a listen to our next single.’  John gave Paul a sideways glance of disapproval – he never liked losing – but nevertheless joined Ringo and the two Georges for a private concert.  Paul pounded out a catchy melody, instantly hummable, filled with memorable hooks.  I couldn’t make out the lyric entirely, but it seemed to involve book writing.  Each time he would come to the chorus, Paul would stop playing and gesture to John and George Harrison, pointing out the high harmony part he planned on assigning each.  By the time he finished the first run-through, it was obvious to everyone in the room that this was an instant hit...

“Emerick continues, "Fortunately, as Paul and John turned to George Harrison and began showing him the chords to ‘Paperback Writer,’ inspiration struck.  It occurred to me that since microphones are in fact simply loudspeakers wired in reverse…why not try using a loudspeaker as a microphone?  Logically, it seemed that whatever can push bass signal out can also take it in – and that a large loudspeaker should be able to respond to low frequencies better than a small microphone.  The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.”  However, as other data indicates, this experiment was left off for the next day”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @freestocks/Unsplash

Whilst the story seemed clear and the narrative was taking shape; there was this need to create something fully-packed and meaty. The boys noticed a lot of the U.S. R&B/Pop songs had a louder sound and crackled with greater energy. The Beatles, not to be outdone and denied, were keen to replicate that same chunkiness and firepower. Ideas were being pitched out and it just needed that spark and breakthrough:

“Now was the appropriate time to experiment with creating the beefier bass guitar sound Paul asked for the previous day.  “I broached my plan, gingerly, to Phil McDonald,” remembers Geoff Emerick,  “His response was somewhat predictable:  ‘You’re daft; you’ve completely gone around the twist.’  Ignoring him, I took a walk down the hall and talked it over with Ken Townsend, our maintenance engineer.  He thought my idea had some merit.  ‘Sounds plausible,’ he said.  ‘Let’s wire a speaker up that way and try it”.

Like all great and innovative Beatles recordings; there was a bit of trial-and-error and getting things from the studios nobody else had. We have so much technology now that it is easy to get any sound and effect we want. Back in the 1960s, there was not that luxury and, with fine hands like George Martin boldly conspiring and testing, you got these great revelations and discoveries. The story carries on:

“Over the next few hours, while the boys rehearsed with George Martin, Ken and I conducted a few experiments.  To my delight, the idea of using a speaker as a microphone seemed to work pretty well.  Even though it didn’t deliver a lot of signal and was kind of muffled, I was able to achieve a good bass sound by placing it up against the grille of a bass amplifier, speaker to speaker, and then routing the signal through a complicated setup of compressors and filters – including one huge experimental unit that I secretly borrowed from the office of Mr. Cook, the manager of the maintenance department”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @brandi1/Unsplash

Once the lyrics had come together and that punchy and bold sound had been created; it was a case of putting it all together and getting the best mix! There were some downsides and disadvantages regarding the song’s stereo mix:

“This stereo mix was made on October 31st, 1966 in the control room of EMI Studio One by the same team of Martin, Emerick and McDonald.  They intended to mix this song along with “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” in stereo for the first time but, since “Paperback Writer” took two hours to do, they left the other two for another day.  “Unfortunately, the stereo mix…does the song no justice,” Emerick admits.  “It’s completely disjointed, and it isn’t at all the balance that we intended.  To me, the mono mix is much more exciting”.

I love the eccentricities of the song. The “Frère Jacques” backing vocals are a delight and a nice contrast to the foreground.  The song has that restless energy but breaks after the verses to allow a crackle of percussion of some mighty riffs. Although it sounds flawless and seamless Beatles in the final mix; it took a lot of time to get things together:

“The second harmony from John and George consist of the “paperback writer” phrase starting on the second measure when Paul sings the word “writer” and then those harmonies holding out the word “writer” from the third measure throughout the fourth measure (actually mistakenly stopping a little short each time the chorus is heard).  The third harmony overdub consists of John and George layering on another falsetto “paperback writer” phrase that stretches out between the third and fourth measure.  Although it’s hard to tell, Paul’s voice may very well have been included in these harmony overdubs.  Nonetheless, much time and work was needed to put all this detail together”.

Some have claimed the backing vocals are lazy and almost mocking but, in fact, the band were on the same page and liked the song. Paperback Writer would be weaker and barer without the backing and there is this almost childlike melody and singalong that propels this song of a writer who wants to make some big money. We go from the first verse about the plea to get his work read – this book being based “on a novel by a man named Leer” – and needing a job. The opening verse is the idea being pitched and this rather basic introduction. McCartney goes on to explain the premise of his grand work – about a “dirty man” whose son works for The Daily Mail – that seems to be rooted in reality. McCartney, as the man who writes for the newspaper (a steady and okay job) and wants to step into a more serious and prosperous realm is imploring and asking for some luck. Although you have this passion and optimism by the middle of the song; things start to become a little more defeatist as McCartney accepts that his manuscript might be returned – he even says he can make it shorter or longer and change the style around if the publishers are not keen! Our hero knows he can make a million overnight and just needs that break.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

It was a fresh subject back then in Pop and, to be fair, not something we hear much of nowadays. The tightness of the band and the sparkling energy that comes from every quarter brings urgency to Paperback Writer:

“The song’s conclusion comprises a vamping on the G chord from the rhythm track that includes a simple repeating guitar phrase from Paul.  Vocal wise, two sets of intertwined harmonies are repeated until the song fades away, the first being a staggered repeat of the title phrase sung in falsetto that stretches out to two measures in imitation of the lead voice in the chorus.  Just as this ends another set of harmonies enter with a quick repeat of the song’s title.  With some adlib fluctuations of the first phrase setting in on their fourth repeat (“wri-i-i-ter”) and some interesting gurglings from John’s rhythm guitar occurring in places, the song fades off into the sunset.  Yet another Beatles timeless classic is born!”

Although it was a classic Lennon-McCartney cut; it is the latter whose lyrics and lead vocal sets the song alight. Lennon would have more say and control later in the band’s life – many says the group’s 1968 eponymous record is defined by Lennon’s genius – but McCartney, at this point, knew what the market needed and how to craft a catchy and memorable Pop tune:

“Paul again is center stage, understandably because of this being primarily his creation.  His top-notch vocals, bass and lead guitar is extremely fitting for the occasion, Paul knowing full well how to continue the aura and allure of the group on the radio airwaves.  John’s songwriting inventiveness of the period, as incredible as it was, was somewhat less commercial due to his infatuation with his chemical mind-expanding activities of the time”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

There was no stopping The Beatles in 1966 – or at any point in their career! – and, whilst Paperback Writer fared better in the U.S. (compared to the U.K.), it was a big hit that saw them grow even larger and more dominating:

“Capitol Records couldn’t wait until June 10th, 1966 to release the latest Beatles single as Britain did, so they rushed it out eleven days earlier on May 30th of that year.  While “Paperback Writer” was the least selling Beatles single in their home country since 1962’s “Love Me Do,” it became a million seller in the US and, according to “The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits,” the single “made the second largest leap to number one of the rock era.  It debuted on the Hot 100 at number 28 during the week of June 11th, 1966, moved to 15 and then broad-jumped to number one on June 25th, becoming The Beatles’ 12th chart-topper in America”.

The group promoted the single with cover art that saw them draped with joints of meat and baby dolls being there. It was a misjudged and peculiar approach to artwork and, quite rightly, was not approved and taken to heart when it was released. The original image is still available but other covers were used because the rather upsetting composition did not sit well with many fans, critics and parents.

  IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles going in a darker direction in 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: Robert Whitaker

There is a school of thought that suggests Paperback Writer paved the way for The Beatles’ biggest album, Revolver. They were experimenting more and pushing the studio; new elements were coming into the mix and confidence was growing. This article from Rolling Stone looks at the impact of Paperback Writer and how it helped open some doors on Revolver:

“Revolver would be the full flowering of the Beatles’ next phase; but first, there was “Paperback Writer,” the cheeky tease of a song that cajoled you away from the world of Rubber Soul, and into a new galaxy.

Right from the get-go, there is something otherworldly about “Paperback Writer,” even though this is in essence a sonic short story about a would-be writer. Paul McCartney’s voice starts the song, before John Lennon and George Harrison add to a rich counterpoint, the title words cleaving into Cubist sound fragments. Harrison’s distorted guitar then kicks off a hot, scuzzy riff as some spartan bass drum thumps from Ringo Starr follow below, all of it further energized by five, rapid tumbling McCartney bass notes, and away we go into the verse”...

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

It was a bridge between their simpler and more accessible work and something more ambitious and experimental. A few months after Paperback Writer was released, Revolver was unleashed into the world (5th August, 1966).

“There’s a lot going on here, and yet, it all blends perfectly. With “Paperback Writer,” the Beatles almost seemed to beckon the listener out of the galaxy. Or at least beyond anything quotidian. It was time to start looking way up. And they even had the sense to put the invite in epistolary form for you”.

Wherever you rank Paperback Writer in the cannon of Beatles classics – it often cracks the top-twenty – its influence and magic cannot be denied. It is thirty-eight years since John Lennon died and, although he was not overly-hot when it was released; one suspects he had this begrudging respect for McCartney’s gem and knew it was a great thing. Some fifty-two years after its release, there is no denting the appeal and brilliance of Paperback Writer. You can pop it on and, like all good Pop songs, have it lodged in the mind – something you will be singing for ages! Many Pop artists have penned songs that have endured for years but none make the same sort of impression as...

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles filming the video for Paperback Writer/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

THE majestic and monumental Paperback Writer!

INTERVIEW: RØMANS

INTERVIEW:

RØMANS

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I have been chatting with RØMANS...

about his current single, Oxygen, and how it started life. He shares a precious music memory and tells me what he has in store for next year; a few approaching acts we need to look out for and the albums that have inspired him.

RØMANS tells me how he spends time away from music and how he feels he has developed since the start of his career; what advice he would give to new musicians coming through and the artist he would like to support on tour – he ends the interview by selecting a great track.

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

Hi, there. It’s been a great week so far (1:45 P.M. on a Monday).

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

Sure. I’m Romans; a songwriter, producer and singer. I’m from London but spend most of my time in L.A. writing and producing for other people. I can’t really put a label on the music I make for myself: it’s just an output for my personal taste; I don’t really have a specific genre that I make. I just love music and try to do whatever I’m feeling like at the time. 

Oxygen is your latest single. It is a slightly softer sound. What is the inspiration behind it?

To add some light to dark. I try and avoid repeating sounds so the piano ballad is always a good option to mix things up a bit. I wanted to play around with old sounds, hence the Mellotron. I was listening to I Don’t Believe in Miracles by Colin Blunstone that day.

Will there be an album or E.P. next year?

The music I’m putting out at the moment is an album; I’m just putting it out separately. I feel like no one has the time for a body of work anymore. I’m working on a new album that will come out in some format next year too.

How do you think your work has developed and evolved since the start of your career?

I think I’ve just owned being androgynous with my sound. I was always concerned with being considered a confused artist and then I remembered I literally don’t give a f*ck.

Can you give me an idea of the artists, older and new, who inspire you and compel your own sound?

Absolutely. There are so many. From Rachmaninov and Chopin to The Beatles and Dylan to Stevie and Donny Hathaway; to Kanye and Childish Gambino. There’s not really a great deal of music I don’t like and get inspired by. 

Do you already have plans for 2019?

I do indeed. It consists of writing for some great artists, developing some newer ones and finishing my next album. 

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

Sitting at the piano with Elton John and writing a song will probably never be topped. 

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

The Beatles – The Beatles (‘The White Album’)

This was probably my awakening as an ‘artist’. It’s the first time I ever looked at songs as more than just melodies I liked. 

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

Offensively-brilliant album. Every song is a work of art. One of the greatest artists in history in his absolute prime.

Kanye West - The College Dropout

Played it until the C.D. warped. Mind-blowing album. Possibly the greatest debut album ever.

As Christmas is coming up; if you had to ask for one present what would it be?

Great question. I want the Back to the Future sneakers. The original ones.

IN THIS PHOTO: RØMANS alongside Lewis Capaldi (left) and Ghosted (centre)/PHOTO CREDIT: @RØMANS

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

I want to support Susan Boyle. My rider is as follows: three cans of Appletiser - cans not bottles. Hummus (avec crudités). A PlayStation V.R. headset (I will provide the PlayStation). A golden retriever puppy. An ornamental bullfighting statue. Four blunts. A Funfax organiser. A Chicken Salad sandwich from M&S.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Do whatever you want. Only listen to your gut and pray to God that you have good taste.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Not currently...

IN THIS PHOTO: Aj Mitchell

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Aj Mitchell, Maisie Peters; L Devine and Eyelar. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Maisie Peters  

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

Not a lot of time - because it’s my job and hobby. I do eventually get burnt-out and take a forced holiday which I always end up enjoying. 

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

Thank you! I choose Dunes by Alabama Shakes

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Follow RØMANS

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsROMANS/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ThisIsROMANS

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ThisIsROMANS/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4b8dLpJgJpNQYzu4AtXLt3?si=Q-8sXj94SI-fmu3-91dbZA

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: Alex Parvenu

INTERVIEW:

Alex Parvenu

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THE excellent Alex Parvenu...

has been telling me about his new single, It Wasn’t Me, and what its story is. I ask which artists and albums have made an impact on him; which rising musicians we need to watch out for – he reveals plans and ambitions for 2019.

Parvenu talks about his approaching E.P., Blue Summer, and tells me which artist he’d support on tour given the chance; the advice he would give to artists emerging and how he relaxes away from music – he ends the interview by selecting a great song.  

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

Hey. I’m good, not too bad thanks. My week has been alright; I mean, I’m trying to live my life like it’s golden but, right now, it’s sort of bronze, so you know...but I’m alive; that’s the most important part.

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

Sure thing! I’m Alex, the parvenu; also known as ‘Alex Parvenu’; also known as ‘Mr. Contemporary Soul’, A.K.A. ‘MC Aleco’; A.K.A. ‘Roots, Rock, Reggae’; ‘Mr. in Slow Motion’; also known as the ‘Black Bohemian’ and sometimes referred to as ‘Mr. It Wasn’t Me’.

It Wasn’t Me is your latest track. I assume it wasn’t inspired by the Shaggy track?! What is the tale behind your song?

I love the Shaggy and Rikrok record but, no, my ‘It Wasn’t Me’ tells a completely different tale. Musically, it was inspired by Motown classics - most notably My Girl by The Temptations. Lyrically, it’s about falling in love with somebody, but their family; their parents, particularly their father, doesn’t approve of you or your perceived influence on their kin.

Blue Summer is out next year. What might we expect from the E.P.?

Yes it is - and I’m excited to finally put out a body of work. You can expect some contemporary Soul; some Roots-Reggae; a little Hip-Hop and a young, black man from London wearing his heart on his sleeve. And, while I’m definitely excited about putting out Blue Summer, I’m even more excited about the body of work that’s coming out after that and new collaborators I’m working with.

Can you give me an idea of the artists, older and new, who inspire you and compel your own sound?

I grew up listening to whatever my dad was playing...so, Paul Simon, Fela Kuti; Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin; Peter Tosh, James Brown – all great artist, playing with live bands. Being a kid in the '90s, meant that I was exposed to the biggest records and artist of the day: TLC, Spice Girls; Fugees, Lauryn Hill; Tupac, Big; Michael Jackson and OutKast. I’ll say their work is all interwoven somewhere in my musical D.N.A. In my late-teens, I was listening to Amy Winehouse, Kanye; Mos Def; Talib Kweli and John Legend.

I guess I also revisited more vintage records made by The Temptations, Curtis Mayfield; Donny Hathaway, Chaka Khan etc. Contemporary artist I’m excited about are Solange, CeeLo Green; André 3000, Raphael Saadiq; Leon Bridges and Jah9. If I had to narrow the list of musical influences down, I would probably go with Lauryn Hill, the Fugees; Paul Simon, Bob Marley and the Temptations.

Did your family encourage your musical talents? When did you get into music?

Unfortunately, I can’t say they did...although my love for music was definitely inspired by dad’s taste in music and the fact he was an aspiring pianist. Both my mum and dad pushed academia; they did this with love, so I’m not mad at them. I can’t help but wonder sometimes, if I had their support behind my musical endeavours, how much of a difference this would have made. This is something that can’t be changed, so I’m not holding a grudge but it will be important for me when I have my own kids to ensure I encourage the things they are passionate about.

Obviously, one must exercise tact and discretion here, but if you’re able to support your children’s dreams, goals and aspirations, they grow up with a confidence and a self-absurdness that is unparalleled. I’ve been into music and around music for as long as I can remember. My parents tease me all the time about how obsessed I was with Paul Simon’s Graceland album, which I guess my dad was playing a lot when I was a kid.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

It Wasn’t Me has two more versions which we’re putting out…

Essentially, they’re remixes but, because they’ve been produced by solid producers I like to call them Part II and Part III. Chevi JReid produced Part II. He’s best known for producing Chun-Li and Barbie Tingz for Nicki Minaj and Rory Stone Love, from legendary Jamaican sound system Stone Love, produced Part III. I’m going to be doing more work with these guys in 2019 so I’m hyped about that.

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

Oh, so many but, right now, the first thing that comes to mind is the first time I connected with Tom Elmhirst. This was before he moved to N.Y., so he was working out of Metropolis Studios in London. He had heard one of my demo records and invited me down to Metropolis and asked me to bring more of my music. I remember being in awe as he took a break from mixing a Florence and the Machine record to listen to my stuff; seeing him rock back and forth to my music playing through the studio monitors was a magical moment for me.

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

Paul Simon’s Graceland

Because this is the first music I remember hearing; I don’t remember life without this album. My parents say, as a baby, I wouldn’t get in the car unless they had the tape playing.

Secondly would have to be Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Because this was a defining moment for me as a kid. All my friends were listening to Craig David or Another Level...or whatever else we young kids were listening to at the time. But I, for whatever reason, took a liking to Lauryn Hill and used my pocket money to buy The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was the first record I ever bought. And it became the soundtrack to my growing up. I never understood the lyrics then as I do now, as an adult, but that record is a true celebration and amalgamation of genres I love: Soul, Hip-Hop; Reggae...all fused together with stellar musicianship and great lyricism.

As for number-three; I can’t choose a third as there are too many other albums to choose from that I love - but Graceland and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill definitely left their unparalleled mark on me.

As Christmas is coming up; if you had to ask for one present what would it be?

I think now, as an adult, if I wanted something (a gift), I’d just go and buy it myself. The best part about receiving presents is definitely the spontaneity of it all and the thought that goes behind a gift. However, if I had to make one Christmas wish, I would wish I could feel how I felt last Christmas: being in love during Christmas is magic to the nth-degree.

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

Well. Lauryn Hill is always touring. I think it would be dope to support her and the Jay-Z and Beyoncé tour, OTR II, looks incredible.

As for my rider; I’m pretty easy-going. Loads of fresh fruit and veg, healthy snacks and a kettle and a teapot. I’d try and keep all other tempting beverages and stuff away as ‘moderation’ isn’t a word in my dictionary.

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

Keep an eye on my website and my social media (@alexparvenu). 2019 dates will be published on there.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Focus on making incredible music. expect nothing and appreciate everything.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tara Harrison

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Yea. Check out Tara Harrison. I’m loving her vibe.

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

Absolutely. Music is just one facet of my creativity; I’m writing a children’s book and a memoir, so those pieces are keeping pretty busy. I also enjoy long walks; sometimes I do up to ten miles a day – walking definitely helps to clear my mind.

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

Thanks, okay. So, I’m going to select Bob Marley & The Wailers – (Baby We’ve Got a Date) Rock It Baby, because it has special meaning to me and reminds me of somebody who was special to me

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Follow Alex Parvenu

Official:

https://alexparvenu.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlexParvenu

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/alexparvenu

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/alexparvenu/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3iFRt5R1o4ydkdwfvseyr2?si=ns_gsEDQTpm1PiYPsjrYzQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnGcvs-NvtbgRqodwclHzIA