2013 Summarized and 2014 Predicted

Once a year, usually as the month of December fades out into the dawn of a new era, I get visited by three ghosts. The Ghosts of Music Past, Present and Future come to visit as the midnight bells chime twelve..... Ok, I'll stop now as I'm sure there might be copyright laws involved at some point.
However it is that time of year when every music publication, blog, podcast etc review the best events of 2013. I have decided to tackle mine with also making predictions of what will occur in the future*, so here goes;

Best Album Releases

The Next Day - David Bowie

Past:  The King of Pop and personification of rock 'n' roll had been in self-exile since his 2004 'Reality' tour. After leading everyone into thinking that the era of Bowie had been and gone, he carried out the most simplest of publicity stunts which just consisted of popping down the road for a pint of milk. The media were whipped up into a frenzy but even they couldn't predict the sudden, surprise release of 'Where Are We Now?' on the Thin White Duke's 66th Birthday, 8th January, with the announcement of a new album. The Next Day reached Number 1, Bowie's first since his 1993 album 'Black Tie, White Noise'.  

Present:  Bowie and Visconti are still holding all Bowie fans in a state of limbo by releasing contradicting statements over the possibility of live performances. 

Future: Different versions of 'The Next Day' will be released over the next five years with the promises of unheard tracks and remixes of original versions. Despite the controversy over the title track, The Pope will release a statement saying that he is a fan. 

Rewind The Film - Manic Street Preachers

Past: After waving farewell to the Welsh musicians at the O2 arena in 2011 as they announced they were embarking on a UK hiatus, I immediately began suffering Manic withdrawal symptoms (see what I did there?).  Remedy and much excitement came in May of this year however as James Dean Bradfield  announced to NME that recording was in progress of two new albums, with one being almost purely acoustic. Rewind The Film was nostalgia in its purest form for everyone involved as the Manics explored the ideologies that had moulded them as a band.

Present: Nicky Wire is carefully selecting his wardrobe for the tour of the second album. Milkman outfit or leopard print skirt, or both?

Future:  30 Year War will be used as the official song for Margaret Thatcher's memorial service in 2014 due to an embarrassing mix up on behalf of the Tory Party.

 

 New- Paul McCartney 

Past: It seems that 2013 should go down as the official year for musical nostalgia as Paul McCartney released his sixteenth studio album to express his memories of the days before The Beatles as well as more recent events in his life. Selecting producers such as Mark Ronson, McCartney went against the grain of what was to be generally expected of him by making a fun-loving pop album. 

Present: 'New' reached number 3 in the UK album charts and I wouldn't be surprised if DJs everywhere are selecting tracks from the album to put on their New Year's Eve Party song list. 

Future: Paul McCartney will go down in history as the most successful Post-Beatles Beatle.

Best Live Performances

 Roger Waters - The Wall 

After sharing air with the legendary Roger Waters and seeing performed live one of the most famous albums in British history, I predict that I will still be wearing the Tee Shirt when I'm old and frail. On a more serious note, the concert has also inspired me to get more involved in politics and hopefully one day I will get a chance to teach impoverished children in third world countries so that they can have a fighting chance in this world. 

Beady Eye -BE 

'You're not a mod,  you're just a c**t in a Parka coat' I thought to myself as Liam Gallagher swaggered onto stage at Kingston's New Slang. Kudos to New Slang for getting a Gallagher brother up onto their stage but the night for me just contained pure comedic value. You can imagine the crowd that they drew for their acoustic set and although I had managed to wiggle my way to the front, Liam was sat down on a stool so that anyone from the third row back couldn't see their Britpop hero. Cue shouts of 'STAND UP YA PRICK', 'NOEL WOULD STAND UP' and the wittier 'SIT DOWN IF YOU LOVE MAN U' .  I predict that Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will turn up at Kingston in a demonstration of 'whatever our Liam can do, I can do fucking better...a''ight?' 

Magistrates

The Magistrates had it all together back in 2009, on the verge of huge success. Unfortunately the promise of a debut album never actually materialized and the band went their separate ways. Last month the band were on stage together once more with their new(ish) single 'When We're Apart' as they tested the water. The band create a vibrant, party atmosphere with their electro-dance beat which enables the crowd to just let go of their inhibitions. Hopefully 2014 will see a release of an album to accompany them on their tour. 

Best Moments

Leaving work one night, I had a couple of hours to kill before heading over to New Slang to see The Front Bottoms, my favourite American band. There was no point in heading home so me and my boyfriend decided to amble round Kingston before we spotted Brian, the lead singer of the Front Bottoms, come out of the club. He was rather restless before the gig and so we gave him a quick tour of Kingston. It was rather surreal as we chatted away about many different things, such as explaining to him why it is not okay to be a Milwall supporter. We ended up giving him our Kingstonian scarf to make sure that he went away supporting a decent 'soccer' team. My 2014 prediction is that one day he'll turn up on the terrace to see Kingstonian play. 

My inability to grasp modern technology manifested itself on the worst possible day. My camcorder would chose not to work on the day I had my first ever live interview wouldn't it? However it was fantastic getting the opportunity to interview Mutineers as it felt just more like a friendly conversation, even if I'm still struggling to get the footage from my phone to my computer. I can see Mutineers making more of a name for themselves in 2014 with their upcoming tour whereas I'll be beginning a one-woman war against technology.












*not actually psychic

BAMBI at Camden's Barfly

With the recent release of their debut single 'Reap From The Dying Love', BAMBI  hit the Camden scene  on Friday 13th. The night wasn't unlucky for anybody involved as they played one of my favourite intimate venues, Barfly.

The band have already been featured on NME's Radar,BBC Radio One's 'Introducing with Jen and Ally', BBC London and Hollyoaks alongside catching the attention of Tom Robinson, Absolute Radio and XFM. The BAMBI lads managed to deliver these promises without any pretensions. Placing their unrivaled, contagious energy into their stage presence and musical delivery, BAMBI created an electrical atmosphere in the room. My usual taste in music are songs that include just one aggressive guitar line, so when I saw that there were not one, not two, but three guitarists, not including the bassist, I was rather dubious. However the intricate layering worked wonders and created a vibe not dissimilar to The Foals whereas the echoing vocals brought to mind certain elements of Echo and the Bunnymen.

The set was a relatively short one with just six songs, but I found that this was still quite impressive given that they have only just released their debut single and the accompanying video for it. With their casual, down to earth personalities, the only place that BAMBI can go from here is up, up and away. Although I hope the bassist does recover from what I assume is stage fright, as he tucked himself away at the back the whole time.

'Lose All Memory'... Review and Interview with the Bauer Boys

Just under a year ago, I discovered Bauer and the joys of their album 'Sleeping Giant'. However despite having the album pumping into my eardrums on a daily basis, I was starting to suffer from Bauer-related withdrawal symptoms, especially as they were being near to silent in the Twitter world.  Thankfully, medicine arrived yesterday in the form of a new album  'Lose All Memory' released on iTunes.  'Lose All Memory' is a compilation of B sides, remixes and demos which didn't quite make it on to 'Sleeping Giant'.

Despite being intended as an almost 'throw the good stuff in the pot' album, I find it still has a running theme within it's core, that of heartbreak and romanticism. Greg Matthews' effortless vocals has a soft edge to it, which although harmonious, still captures a certain emotional rawness which is one of the many aspects that make Bauer a unique band, there's never any fake elements. The album contains many similarities to 'Sleeping Giant' (which it would!) but look out for 'Starting Again (dub mix)' which I expected to be out of my comfort zone with due to it being a dub mix, but I find it is balanced perfectly.

I also asked Bauer everything that had to be known about 'Lose All Memory''


You seemed to release the album with not much prior build up or promotion compared to 'Sleeping Giant', did you feel that not much promotion was needed this time round?

That's mainly because we sort of wanted to save that shot in the arm for the next proper album really. We want the expectation to be there for the new stuff that we're working on at the moment. This one is more of a bridging thing, but that's not to say the material isn't to a high standard - some of the tracks are possibly better than a certain amount of the 1st album stuff - it was just about how things flowed. With the next record there will be more plugging, a music video, a tour etc.

The album contains an acoustic track (The Lights Go Down) and a dub mix (Starting Again). What inspired you to go down two separate paths in one album? 

The tracks were both originally b sides...if you didn't already know this record is a mixture of songs that didn't feature on the 1st album (simply because they just didn't fit with the flow of things) and b sides, demos & remixes. We felt the songs were too strong to never release and it was a great opportunity for our fans the hear them whilst we work on the next album proper. It also wipes the slate clean for us and gives us the chance to go down new avenues with the next album *proper* which we're working hard on in the studio at the moment.

Lose All Memory' centers on love and heartbreak. Who is the lyricist in the group and what was the inspiration behind the theme?

Greg the vocalist writes all the lyrics. It's interesting in a way that you're saying this because a lot of these tracks come from different time periods but the way it's been sequenced you wouldn't really tell as a new listener. A lot of Smiths fans love "hatful of hollow" which is sort of a similar album to this one in that it's cobbled together, but you wouldn't really know. We worked on the sequencing for a while to make it flow like a standard studio album....so it's a real compliment that you feel that there seems to be a defined theme throughout!

It must be quite difficult putting pen to paper for new material, do any of you have any 'habits' that helps you get inspired?

Writing methods have changed and developed throughout the years. In the early days we'd slave away in the rehearsal studio for hours on end at songs....and that can sometimes get frustrating and labourous. Nowadays the writing process has changed in that a lot of the time we're coming up with fully structured songs away from rehearsals and taking them straight into record....which can be a risky way of doing things, but luckily the chemistry and level of musicianship is really strong so it's something we're comfortable in doing.

Where will you be stopping off on your 2014 tour?

I think the answer is we probably won't be doing until at least next summer. We're looking at a single in early summer, another single in perhaps october and then the album in November/ December. We're working on making the next album a real killer and thinking about getting it out for this time next year - so then we'd have put out 3 albums in 3 years. We were joking around recently saying that if we can do it so that it's 4 in 4 years we'll be in a position to release a best of album in year 5!

And finally, I think we should start a campaign to get the album a Christmas #1, how would you react if you knocked an X Factor (or whatever the kids are watching these days) album of the charts?

The charts are such a corporate bland joke that we didn't even submit the release for a possible chart placing - and i think that says a lot and reflects generally how many talented bands & musicians feel about the current situation in the music industry. It'd be pretty cool to sell a million copies and stick it up to the man though! Just to let them know we're too cool to bother with the fuckers and their major label chart con.

'Lose All Memory' is available to download from iTunes now. 

Sexism in Music Videos: It's Not Just Me!

In a world dominated by mainstream media, wherever you go these days there will be the harsh lights of a television screen, somewhere, blaring out the latest chart hits. This means that you could be sitting in a Takeaway waiting for your food to be cooked, having a few drinks with your friends in a bar or even just flicking through the channels in the comfort of your home. However wherever you are located there seems to be no escape from half-naked women writhing and dry humping the ego of a rapper (who isn't even that good looking, may I point out!) or even a baby faced young girl performing a sex act on a sledgehammer.

You can't tell me that music videos do not have an impact on the young, or even the argument of 'if you don't like it switch it off'. Music videos such as these deemed my early teenage years awkward and uncomfortable. I will never forget the teacher switching on MTV in the school gym and as the unrealistically toned, yet curvy in the right places, female backup dancers started gyrating, my peers turned on me.
'You're a skinny white girl, you could never dance like that.' (I didn't particularly want to anyway)
'Ha! You don't have any boobs like them Nicky' (I was 12 you idiots, what do you expect?)
And so the comments continued against me, given that I was the awkward, skinny white girl who you would least expect to see draped over a motorbike in a hip-hop video. Looking back on it, I am horrified that my peers, who were just children themselves, felt that they had to sexualise themselves in order to mimic what they were seeing on TV in order to gain respect. It was exactly like that scene from Mean Girls where Regina George's baby sister is copying the MTV babes.

I always felt as though I was alone in these thoughts, feeling disgusted and offended every time a fully clothed male had about 20 naked women dancing around him. However hope came to me in the form of http://www.rewindreframe.org/ an organisation and website set up to provide a platform for those who are victimized by the state of today's music industry. Rewind & Reframe encourages us to speak out about the rampant racism and sexism in the charts and provides us with a template to teach the younger generation about it.  Therefore I decided this week to carry out a poll to see how certain figures across society felt on such an issue and asked them to tell me which music video they felt was worst for sexism and why.

Here are the results:

Drew Athans - Author of 'Black Book: The Live History of Blur'  Father, Husband and Musician.
'Much as I love Blur, Country House video is lousy. In both those ways (sexist and seedy) too. 

Hannah Rose Thomson - LSE Graduate and Feminist.
'50 Cents 'Candy Shop' Women used as interchangeable, ego stroking accessories....bleurgh! I haven't watched that video in nearly seven years...that impression has stuck with me. In fact that video made me find Feminism.' 

Annie Heath - Feminist.
'Videophone' Gaga and Beyonce: cos my little boy said 'those ladies are just wearing pants and guns?' (who run the world?) 

Alice Shipton - Teenage Feminist
Eric Prydz 'Call on Me' - 'I don't know what to say about it, I just don't like it'

Becky Ferris - Modern History Graduate. Fashion PR and Blogger.
'I hate that one by Benni Benassi, it's called 'Satisfaction'. Not only is the song awful, it actually makes me feel sick. It's a bunch of greasy 'sexy' (not actually sexy) girls doing 'building' with tools but all they are doing is making out to be sex, that's all it is about is just sex, sex, sex. Which okay, sex isn't bad but the way the women are portrayed in the video is that we all look like that and the only thing we can do is sex and look 'sexy', etc. I use the sexy in inverted commas as those girls are the opposite, they are yucky.' 

Jonny Edwards, writer for PUNK GLOBE magazine and singer/guitarist for DIRTY PSYCHO also had this to say on the issue 'I don't think you need to show everything in a video, the music should be the focus. Sexism is a disease that needs to be stopped.'  

 As you can see, music videos are not just an issue which feminists can get on their high horse about. The reason why I compiled a few thoughts and examples on sexism in music videos is that is has to be stopped, not one day but as soon as possible. How can women ever be taken seriously in the real world when we are being plagued with these images of us as being nothing more than eye candy? Even women artists are portraying their own selves in such a way. (although I have always maintained that Rihanna has little choice but to appear semi-naked as she certainly can't sing- sorry, catty remark right there!) If David Cameron wants to protect children from pornographic images than he needs to turn his attention to one of the most influential industries and push through the censorship laws of music videos by giving movie style age ratings. If you feel as strongly as I do than I suggest you drop an email to your local MP or sign the petition set up by Rewind & Reframe.
Sign Here

BAMBI: 'Reap From The Dying Love' Review

With the name BAMBI, many would visualize a wide-eyed Disney character, frolicking with his woodland creature friends. This is not the BAMBI that has recently exploded onto the London scene. Having only formed as little as 7 months ago, their unique and original sound has caught the attention of Tom Odell, Professor Green and Mark Ronson, all of whom they have supported.

'Reap From The Dying Love', their debut single which will be released on the 17th November, grabbed my attention and held me captive. The melancholic, intricate intro combined with James' haunting vocals crafts a gothic feeling, not dissimilar to the sounds of Echo and The Bunnymen. This couples well with the Victorian romanticism in the imagery of the lyrics (She's the Jekyll to my Hyde) which creates overall an ethereal atmosphere with the harmonizing vocals, but the track is still deemed danceable by Jordan's work on the drums.

Give it a listen here https://soundcloud.com/bambihq/reap-from-the-dying-love

If you like what you here you can pre-order the single here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/reap-from-dying-love-single/id725207921

Still can't get enough? Than make sure that you catch BAMBI at Camden's Barfly on the 13th December.

Pledge Music: A New Path For Musicians?

The concept of Pledge Music  was born in 2009 and in recent years has proved to be an efficient and popular way for musicians to put out an album that is entirely reliant on their fanbase. Pledge Music changes the rules of the game as instead of going down the traditional route of having record companies or the bands themselves place an investment into the production of albums, fans are invited to donate towards the cost and then get sent the album upon completion. 

Pledge Music is an often successful way of artists showing faith in their fanbase and vice versa as they are equally reliant upon one another. I decided that the best band to grill on the subject would be Turrentine Jones not only because their debut album 'Our Days' is being put together via Pledge Music, but 5% of the end result reached will be donated to Mustard Tree, a worthwhile charity that helps to rebuild the lives of the homeless in Manchester. 

1] What made you decide to go down the route of pledge music?

We’ve been building towards something like this for a while but never felt confident we have the fan base to do it. We thought it was a good time now after coming off a successful UK tour this year and playing for BBC at Glastonbury. We also thought it was a good way to connect with our fans.

2] Is it harder work than going down the conventional route of making an album?

I don’t think it’s any different - You still have to work your arse off! The benefit is that you don’t have to produce the ££ upfront which takes off a little of the financial pressure. The process is just the same though – e.g. Bringing in the right people to record it, mix it, master it. You need a team of people to be there from start to end to produce a great album which is what we’re definitely aiming for

3] How would this project benefit your fanbase?

We did it to connect with our fans by offering some pretty great exclusive items like signed vinyl, shirts, drum sticks, even their name in the liner notes of the CD etc. Things fans wouldn’t necessarily get their hands on. And on top of all of that they can say they’ve been a part of the whole project.


4] Would you recommend this route for bands who are starting out?

Hmmmm. It depends what your ultimate goal/target is and how much you’re asking for. You do rely on your fans, I mean, unless you have a large and generous family that can Pledge for you, eventually you rely on your fans to top it off. But it’s one of the best ways to connect with your fans. No label. No politics. No bullshit . It’s you and your fans working towards a common goal. That’s it

5] What can fans expect from 'Our Days' ?

Sex, coffee and rock n roll. Julian’s black book of sultry tales. That’s the feel, that’s the sound. Something you’ll want to play on repeat until you fall asleep. We’ve come a long way and gone through a lot as a band in such short time but we’ve always stuck to our roots. We always will. We like blues, rock n roll and that’s what we’re going to put down. We can’t wait until the album drops!

If you like the sound of 'Our Days' you can make your contribution here and grab yourself some goodies!

Mutineers: A Live Review

As I walked towards the Islington last Friday night I was shaking despite the unseasonably warm weather. This was the first time I had been placed on a guestlist so I could review and than interview the headline act. I don't belong to any publication and I am fairly new to all of this. I was stupid to be so nervous though as everyone I met was the polar opposite of the indie hipster stereotype that I was so scared I would have to deal with.

The Mutineers were originally scheduled to play at the London Rattlesnake but due to complications, they had to be shifted to the The Islington. This than meant that the support acts also underwent a shift and artists that were not scheduled for the event warmed up the crowd. I entered the tiny side room where a handful of people lined the walls watching the first act. Unfortunately I was too late to catch her name but the crowd had fallen into a hushed trance with the beauty of this Cornish songstress' voice. Sat behind a keyboard was a petite blonde solo artist singing soft, melancholic ballads in minor key. As talented as she was however, I couldn't help but think that she had an air of snobbery about her due to the song she closed on. 'America' was a tale of how she wanted to leave her small Cornish town for the open spaces of the United States. Fair enough. However the lyrics suggested that she felt she was too good for the people of her hometown, with a lot of emphasis on teenage pregnancies and at one stage even suggested that the working class were happy with their lot, with her being the only one who wanted more. I don't deny how effortlessly she hit her notes and how beautifully she played the keyboard, but that final song did irk me! The next artist was extremely successful in entertaining the crowd. Nothing gets everyone singing and dancing more than a man with a ginger beard doing folk songs about whiskey (think Johnny Cash becoming a member of The Dubliners). Moment of mass confusion soon arose however when he dropped his guitar pick, let go off his guitar and the music continued! Wasn't this meant to be live music? Although I will give him the benefit of the doubt given that he was given his slot last minute.

The intimate venue was soon buzzing with a friendly, vibrant atmosphere which was a perfect fitting for when the Mutineers arrived on stage. Charles on bass, looked sharp as ever in a turtleneck jumper and jacket combo with Mallins looking effortless in a casual black shirt. Although each track on their debut album 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals' contains hooking riffs and catchy lyrics which means you're still singing along hours later, hearing it all in an energetic live performance deemed it even more infectious which I didn't think could be possible. What makes the Mutineers unique as a band is that although their songs are moody, the bass lines are always funky and the beat always danceable. Each member was in their own element within their respective talents, Mickey engrossed on his guitar riffs gave a kick of rock n roll attitude to each song whereas Mallins', so pure within his vocals, effortlessly conveyed the emotion. If I had to name one element of the performance which did much to impress me was the subtle vocal harmonizing as it demonstrated to me that this band were perfectionists in everything they do.

What makes the Mutineers special as a band is that they contain all the melodic moodiness which is typical of Manc bands but each member is so particular in their given roles that their talents combined results in songs that showcase the fact you don't need record companies to be a success.

After the show, I sat down with the lads for a quick Q&A. Unfortunately technology and me never seem to get along and as result my camcorder refused to work. I'm still working out how to upload the footage onto here but as soon as I can I will do so.

My Music Week in Pictures

The past week has been an accumulation of many music based discoveries that combined have resulted in  angering, educating and even sitting in a chair for an hour and a half staring at an Edgar Allan Poe doll.*


Monday 

For my 21st, a close friend got me 'Punk Rock: An Oral History' by John Robb and this week I haven't put it down. This is a brilliant resource for any cultural historian as it includes quotes and interview snippets from the greatest punk rockers in history. The likes of Mick Jones, Siouxsie Sioux, Glen Matlock plus many more lend their anecdotes and opinions to help us gain a deeper understanding of the rise and fall of punk.









Thursday 

 As much as I love the music that I already have on my iPod, at times it can get a little stale. Therefore I strolled into my local record store (Banquet Records) and asked them to recommend me an album that was full of punk energy. This is what was offered (you won't get that sort of service in HMV!). Although this was the first time I had heard anything by The Wonder Years, it was love at first listen. My favourite track on this album was 'The Devil in My Bloodstream' featuring Laura Stevenson. The song starts off as a beautiful, woeful tale of the ugliness of the industrialization of America which wiped away nature. This is accompanied by a mellow piano line and a harmonizing duet with Stevenson which places the listener at ease. However the song lulls the listener into a false sense of security as without warning, the melody is stripped away as the guitar riffs take over and the vocals become aggressive. What's not to love about a song that takes you by surprise?

Saturday 

For those who know me, they will understand that I was born a feminist and will die a feminist. Therefore when I came across this rather feminine, pastel-coloured album entitled 'Cooking Songs' ("for £15? Fuck that" exclaimed my cousin) in HMV my heart sank. Many may argue that it is aimed at all genders who like cooking, but with songs such as Rihanna's 'Only Girl In The World' Abba's 'Dancing Queen' with the clincher being 'It's Raining Men' I honestly beg to differ. I am currently debating whether to write a letter of complaint to the record company.

The highlight of my week was getting my 3rd tattoo. There is a rather long winded inspiration behind it, which you can read for yourself in my previous post. The design was an alteration of a still taken from Pink Floyd's 'The Trial'. In the original the wall was angled away from the camera with Pink slumped in the distance so to adapt it for my own body, I adjusted the angle of the wall and brought Pink forward to sit next to the graffiti. it looks red, dark and swollen at the moment but once it heals the lining of the wall will be faint, making the graffiti and Pink the dominant aspect of the tattoo. Thank you to the lovely Elisha Collins at Wicked Ink in Sutton for her great work!







*The Edgar Allan Poe doll was property of Elisha as part of her Living Dead Dolls collection. He was stood in his coffin with his wife, I want one!

Mother, Do You Think They'll Drop the Bombs? How Pink Floyd Change My Political Outlook.

Growing up in a working class family with strong European ideals of family, my maternal Grandparents contributed a lot to me and my brother's upbringing and we would often spend months upon months living with them. My Nan was an archivist at the local Wandle Industrial Museum and so she instilled within me a desire to know everything there is to know about our heritage and past.  Therefore my most frequent request was 'Nan, Grandad, tell me all about the war.' I used to sit next to my Grandad on the sofa as he would tell me all about war torn Budapest and what daily life was under the Nazi invaders. I didn't know what Fascism was, but I knew the Nazis believed in it and that Hitler was the most evil man in all of History. My child-like innocence never quite grasped how scary it must have been for my Grandad to walk to school everyday with the streets lined by the Nazi patrol, his family having his house raided on a daily basis for any valuables (which my Nagymama hid in my Uncle's nappies) and the risk that his Mum took when she punched a Nazi soldier in the face when he tried to kidnap my Uncle.  My Grandad, Uncle and their parents managed to flee to England within the very short gap between the Nazi occupation and the Soviet takeover. Unfortunately everyone else in the family got left behind and all communication became difficult as letters would struggle to be sent through the iron curtain.

You may wonder why I'm talking about my heritage and family history, but it is the reason why Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' means so much to me. Not only were my family literally divided by a wall, but the theme of Totalitarianism  had a huge effect upon my family, having witnessed it from both the far left and far right. My Grandad always told me that the far left and the far right are basically meeting points in a circle and so there is not much difference between the two. Walking into the Wembley Arena yesterday to see Roger Waters perform The Wall live, I knew exactly what he had meant. I wasn't sure if the mannequin on stage in a leather trench coat and a Hammer logo armband was a nod to the horrors of Nazism, or Soviet occupied Eastern Europe.  As the stadium lights dimmed, soldiers marched onto stage in full black and red military regalia. Roger Waters was their glorious leader, their dictator and as he declared 'are there any queers in the theater tonight? Get them up against the wall' I had to double check I hadn't just stepped into the pages of Orwell's '1984'. It was terrifying. As the red flares shot up and the soldiers marched on by with the Hammer logo flags, I realized just how all it takes is one charismatic leader to install fear and terror into the people. Following the intro, Roger Waters dedicated the whole performance to every victim of state terrorism from the trenches of WW1 to the controversial Guantanamo Bay. This added not only poignancy, but a horrifying realization of the consequences of modern warfare.

The Wall has always been a musical extravaganza full of grotesque imagery and over the top effects but it seemed that this particular performance went beyond that. The choir of children who stormed the stage for 'Another Brick In The Wall Part 1' were telling a 10ft puppet resembling 'Teacher' to leave them alone as their t shirts read 'Fear Builds Walls'.

'Mother' returned the crowd to state of memory and sadness. Waters spoke to us of the tragedy of Jean Charles De Menezes and how his family would never be able to find justice or the answers that they seek. When I was 16, I was visiting a theater in Stockwell. To get through to the room where the performance was being held, I had to walk through the room where a Press Conference was being held by De Menezes' family. I saw for myself the pain etched on to their faces and I understood that it would never go away for them. Having a thousand strong crowd sing 'Mother am I really dying?' was singly the most emotional experience I've ever had. 'Goodbye Blue Sky' made me realize that Waters was not pinpointing one particular regime, but every form of government as the plane projected onto the wall was dropping bombs in the shape of symbols representing religion, capitalism and communism.

'Young Lust' a bit further down the line did much to change the mood however. Throughout the performance so far, stage hands were adding blocks to the wall and so by this point the orchestra were slowly being hidden away, only being peeked into by a few gaps. 'Young Lust' has always been a favourite of mine due to its aggressive nature and as it was being played, projections of strippers were being cast onto the wall which although a bit cheeky, was perfect imagery for such a track.

The first half ended on a poignant note with Waters disappearing behind the wall on the ending note of 'Goodbye Cruel World'. During the 20 minute intermission (I don't think anyone would have the energy to perform, or even watch, The Wall all the way through!) profiles of those who had suffered and died as a result of corrupt governments were projected onto the now completed wall. What makes this even more poignant is that prior to the tour family members were invited to send in these pictures of their loved ones, which ranged from Sophie Scholl to Salvador Allende.

The second half of the show opened with 'Hey You' but with The Wall fully erect, where was Roger Waters? Where were the musicians? Maybe they chose to do it this way for the line 'hey you, out there beyond the wall' and to emphasize the separation. 'Vera' and 'Bring The Boys Back Home' placed us back upon the emotional rollercoaster while video footage showed children being reunited with their parents as they returned from war. 

I'm not going to lie, I did get my hopes up during the opening verse for 'Comfortably Numb' as I was holding my breath for David Gilmour to appear on top of The Wall for the chorus, but I was left sadly disappointed. Maybe it was bit of a long shot?

'The Trial' is when the full horror became real for me, when the audience became spectators of a totalitarian regime, deemed helpless as we watched The Prisoner be placed on trial for showing feelings, showing feelings of an almost human nature. I was very much impressed that Waters managed to not sing 'The Trial' but act it. His body language against the backdrop of the monstrosity of the injustice of 'The Trial' video being projected onto the wall overwhelmed me. It was powerful and majestic. This was Waters trying to change the world via music. However the rest of the concert saw him take a personality switch where he was still changing the world, but changing the world as a power-hungry dictator, even 'shooting' a gun furiously into the crowd.  The intense energy and the presence of the leather clad army sent rippling fear throughout the stadium.
The fear and energy was so full on that the conclusion of the show was made even more celebratory given the turn in mood. An inflatable, floating hog (Animal Farm anyone?) covered in symbols of capitalist repression bearing the slogan 'TRUST US', which was previously floating above our heads, came rapidly, deflating down but the real crowning glory was that The Wall came tumbling down. Although I'm neither German, nor old enough to have been there, I can only imagine that the cheers resembled those of the German citizens as the Berlin Wall fell, and I felt that this was my moment to cheer for those who were on either side in 1989.

What made this particular performance of 'The Wall' so special was that it was adapted to represent modern warfare, current affairs and the interactions of countries with one another in this very day. The most beautiful piece of projection was as the 'Capitalist Hog' was deflating, a cartoon of a young woman, perhaps Iranian, removed her earphones, thus liberating herself from her own generation, smiled and raised her hands in the air.  The very tip to a most emotional musical spectacular with the strongest message I have ever experienced at any concert.

So go speak to your parents, your grandparents, people from other cultures. Listen to their story because I promise that you will regret it if you don't.

The Mysterious Case of 'The Reflektor'

The talented bunch of Canadians that are Arcade Fire had already succeeded in tantalizing my ear drums with the sorrowful album 'The Suburbs'.'The Reflektor' had already been 'leaked' (that word again!) online
but on Monday when rumours filtered through to me that Banquet Records, my local record store, were reopening their store at 9pm to release 'The Reflektor' I headed straight over. Half hour later I had my hands on hell of a gem of a 12"!

As in true Arcade Fire style, 'The Reflektor' can only be described as a shiny disco apocalypse'with a light sprinkling of the French language.  Regine Chassagne has long been a favourite vocalist of mine and here she provides the single with a light edge by effortlessly singing high notes that contrasts beautifully with the darkness of the song.  Although at 7 minutes 42 seconds long this song is not for the impatient.

Oh and did I mention that David Bowie lends his voice and stars in the video?

Very much looking forward to what Arcade Fire has to offer in the future!

Mutineers Tell Me All About Their New Single, Give it A Listen Here!

Manchester has always contributed the hottest bands to the British music scene and the Mutineers are no exception to the rule. Their debut album,  Friends, Lovers, Rivals flourished on the underground scene due to the loyalty and word of mouth of their fan base.  The four Mancunian lads started out in 2010 and can add names such as Pete Doherty, Bad Lieutenant and Wintersleep to those who they have supported on tour.

The exciting news arrived today that a new single 'Tell Me Why' is to be released on Monday 23rd September and I was treated to a sneak peek to the single. Here the Mutineer lads tell me all we need to know about their upcoming single.

Summarize the single in 3 words

Mutineers: Upbeat/vibey/ Fresh

The lyrics to 'Tell Me Why' are quite haunting, is there a story or inspiration behind it?

Mutineers: It's a bit more imagery led than a lot of lyrics from the 1st album and some of it touches upon an interest in Greek mythology. Other than that, we prefer people to take what they like from the lyrics and form their own ideas. It keeps a certain level of mystique intact.

Compared to other tracks, 'Tell Me Why' has more of an electric dance vibe to it, does this mean you're moving in a new direction with your music?

Mutineers: The new album songs have a different vibe in that they're a bit more rhythmic and seem to be a little bit bouncier to get up and play life. The important thing for this record is that we've kept the melody at the forefront, which was the thing that made the 1st album so good. We've had our own studio set up which in some ways helps us experiment much more with our sound without having to check the clock.

Who will be your support act for your upcoming mini-tour?

Mutineers: We'll be playing 5 shows and there will be different support acts in every city. We've had a hand who is supporting on most of the shows. It's great for us to mix it up a bit - we get to watch some ace bands as well as play our own show. You should all check out Bison & Wolf who are opening for us in Manchester and Harriet Jones who's doing the London leg.


Be sure to check out 'Tell Me Why' and join the lads on one of these tour dates.

Warrington Friars Court - 12th October

Manchester Sound Control - 17th October

London Rattlesnake - 18th October

Glasgow Pivo Pivo - 2nd November

Leeds Cockpit - 16th November

                                                     

When Covers Are Better Than The Original

I'm not always one that 'approves' as such of those who rip off other artists' materials and there is nothing more infuriating than when it does happen, but at the risk of upsetting many dedicated music fans, there are quite a few covers of classic song that (dare I say it) are better than the original. Maybe this is because sometimes it is easier to identify ways in which to improve a song from an outside perspective, or it's just been adapted to suit the tastes of a certain genre, deeming it more likeable to an individual's ears.

Below I have picked out a few of my favourite examples of where an artist has covered a classic, and in my opinion, have done a much better job of it.


Oasis: I am The Walrus by The Beatles

It is no secret that the Gallagher brothers admired The Beatles far more than they admire one another and this cover of the drug-fuelled 'I am The Walrus' is a fitting tribute to the four mopheads. Oasis released their live version of 'I am The Walrus' as a B side to their better known single 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' in 1994. Although I have always loved the original, there have been times when the imagery of 'yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye' combined with the monotony of Lennon's voice has made me feel as though the Liverpudlian lads were pumping funky-brownies through my speakers. For me it is the slow, steady guitar rhythm that makes me feel uncomfortably freaked.
 However, Oasis did a fantastic job of adapting the track for us less hippy inclined rock 'n' rollers by including guitar solos alongside a heavier drum rhythm. This combined with Gallagher's vocals makes it ideal for those who would choose moshing over chasing dragons.

Nirvana: The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie

Another iconic cover that was released in 1994 is courtesy of Nirvana covering Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' which featured on their MTV Unplugged in New York album.  The melancholic riffs and reflective, sombre lyrics is everything that Kurt Cobain was. Watching the performance we can almost believe that Cobain was The Man Who Sold the World'.  Was Bowie bitter the cover was so successful that many thought that it was a Nirvana track? Not at all! 'It was a good straightforward rendition and sounded somehow very honest' he mused (although he did reportedly get a little peeved when fans told him that they liked that he had performed a Nirvana cover).

Echo and the Bunnymen: People Are Strange by The Doors

The Doors originally released the lonely ballad of 'People Are Strange' in 1967 which managed to reach the top ten charts. Although the jaunty chord progression deems it worthy of being a blues anthem for all the lone wolves out there, it doesn't half tug on the heart strings. There is very little that differs in the cover by Echo and the Bunnymen, which was released as the soundtrack for the 1987 cult classic film 'Lostboys', except for a bigger emphasis on the guitar riffs which strips away the 'wild west' imagery which the Doors created in the original.

Rewind The Film: New Video Released by the Manic Street Preachers

21 years ago the Manic Street Preachers were desperate to escape the lonely isolation of their small Welsh town, Blackwood. They took us far away as they possibly could in order to make a name for themselves, even taking us as far as the bright city lights of Tokyo in 'Motorcycle Emptiness', losing themselves in the crowd.  Now more accepting of their Welsh heritage, The Manics are now looking back with contemplative nostalgia at their small town roots, swapping the bright lights of Tokyo for the dim bulbs of a Bingo hall.

 Richard Hawley lends his vocals to the acoustic track of Rewind The Film  as the video follows the everyday life of a senior citizen in the small Welsh valley. The video features no traces of the famous ego of the Manics but instead artistically portrays the alienation and urban decay of working class life. Wire, Moore and Bradfield demonstrate to us just how far they have matured as a band via the melancholy use of acoustic guitar and the brooding vocals by Hawley. However I am glad to say that Bradfield has not lost any of the  passion in his voice as he joins in the chorus.

Rewind The Film contains all the ingredients that made the Manic Street Preachers stand the test of time as a band; thoughtful, brooding lyrics with political undertones combined with talented guitar work, but yet it ushers us gently into a new era of the Manics which will come with their new album release later on this year.

On a sidenote, I purchased tickets to see the Manic St. Preachers perform their new album at the O2 Shepherds Bush empire in September. Excited is not a big enough word!

Exclusive Interview with Doncaster's hottest band, The Kavaliers

Rawness, originality and a whole lot of kicking attitude are the three things that determines what gets played on my iPod these days. Therefore when I came across The Kavaliers I was instantly taken with the energy which blasted through my speakers. It was the guitar solo by Matthew Brewin in the intro to 'Clouds' which made me sit up and pay attention to this band from Doncaster and as soon as the Richard Ashcroft-esque vocals (courtesy of Tom Statham)  kicked in, I was an instant fan. 

The lovely lads from Doncaster (Tom Statham, Jordan Booth, Liam Ambrose and Matthew Brewin) were even kind enough to grant me an interview so I could find out what they're all about. 

First things first, how long have The Kavaliers been on the Doncaster music circuit? 

About 5 years* but the current line up is relatively fresh with the new bass player present for 18 months and the new guitar player for about 7 months. 

How influential has your hometown been on the music you've produced?

Quite, one of our songs 'Shotgun Town' is about Doncaster. One of the only good things about the town is you can get a couple of tunes out about it. 

You have listed Oasis and The Stone Roses as your main influences. These two bands put Manchester on the map in regards to music and did much to challenge the London Music Scene. As you guys are based in Doncaster, do you reckon there's still a north/south divide in today's music? 

No, not really. The people we've met appreciate good music regardless of north/south divide

You've played The Polish Festival Doncaster, how important are festivals to the British music scene? 

Very, they give the bands the opportunity to reach a wider audience and network with similar artists in places they're not necessarily from. 

You've shared a stage with Pete Doherty, is he a fan of The Kavaliers?

I don't think he'll remember much of that night haha! 

Will you ever take a jaunt down to London to play a live set for your Southern based fans? 

Absolutely, if a gig offer comes in we'll be straight down! 

Finally, are there any plans for a future album release? 

We plan to record an ep of material in the coming months but if you can't wait pop down to a show. 

If you would you like to know more about The Kavaliers, head over to their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter

*ooops, I'm a bit late to this party

The Clash's 'London Calling': overused advertising slogan or definition of an era?

Although The Clash's 'London Calling' is forever being overused as an advertising slogans, keen to get tourists into London (which is the opposite to what the song is actually preaching) I have to argue that it is on the list of songs that defined an era, an era that was full of uncertainty and collective depression. This song will forever go down in Punk history as it contains everything a punk song should have; raw energy, crackling vocals, a message of impending doom and the dismissal of society as 'phoney' (phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust).

The ominous beat of the drums in the intro tells us that this song is a warning; a prophecy of nuclear disaster accompanied by the wailing warning sirens. Joe Strummer's husky, masculine vocals then suddenly explode into his tale of dystopia as he tells us that the positive ideology of the 1960s has gone for good.  London Calling is THE anthem of the 1970s, summing up the fear of nuclear technology and the decay of society. In fact, it would have been the ideal soundtrack to the government issued 'protect and survive' instruction videos as they are both acceptance of the grim situation. Strummer is preparing us for battle, telling us that the dream is over and we have to 'come out of the cupboard' to face the apocalypse. He isn't scared of London drowning and he lives by the river. 

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in....

Following the second chorus, Strummer caws like a bird of prey circling the city. Such a raw expression of anger and frustration that was felt by many in a time of mass strikes and unemployment before he assures us that we cannot tell anything new as he was there too. London Calling is still today a punk classic which gets pulses racing and as far of prophecies of doom go, this is my favourite.

David Bowie Is... You!

Today my senses were treated to an exotic feast of decadent  rock and roll at the David Bowie Is... exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The exhibition catered for the fast-paced, multi-tasking world of rock and roll that we live in, as at every turn music and visuals in the shape of video footage, Bowie's costume and personal items asked us 'David Bowie is....(what exactly?)

The vast array of costumes and original lyric sheets (seen on the right here) made me personally conclude that David Bowie is every man and every woman. The fact that an exhibition was curated for a man who is actually still alive made me realize why we are so hypnotized by his various alter-egos.  As I sat and watched Ziggy performing Rock 'n' Roll Suicide on a 20ft screen, I had my own epiphany, Bowie isn't a mythological superstar, he is simply everything David Jones had growing inside of him. Ziggy, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke, Major Tom are all the people that we have inside of ourselves, they are our wildest desires, our curiosities, our lusts and passions. We all have these creative fires burning inside of ourselves which we sometimes have to repress due to the demands of our society. But David Bowie released every side he had and by exposing himself fully, he gave everyone else the courage to release their true selves, which was highly significant in the 60s/70s as homosexuality was still a highly controversial issue.

So David Bowie is the Sound and Vision that we all have inside ourselves, Bowie is the key to unlocking who we really are and want to be.

.....and then 3 come along at once!

They say all good things come in threes and today certainly has followed that rule for me, so in no particular order here's what has made my day;

1] With the current fashion of nostalgia in the music world box sets are being released everywhere we look. However I was very excited to find out that The Clash are releasing a box set in the shape of a boombox (well, at least that's new!) which will feature the remastered versions of their first five albums and tapes from Mick Jones. In addition to this the box set will also include a DVD of  previously unseen footage.
Another jump on the remastering albums bandwagon for easy money? Perhaps!
Will I be caving into this blatant act of consumer exploitation? Shamefully yes!

2] I wrote an article a while back on the Manchester indie band Bauer with a review on their album 'Sleeping Giant'. As most of you know I always route for the physical release of albums and after pestering Bauer for a while, they announced on Twitter today that the physical copy of 'Sleeping Giant' will be out Monday, available from Townsend Records online.

3] One of my close friends (the fashion guru Becky Ferris)  is completely smitten with 'The Great Gatsby' and has been waxing lyrical about all things Gatsby for weeks now. So on her recommendation I gave the soundtrack a listen to. But while she so enamored with Lana Del Rey, she forgot to tell me that Jack White features also! 'Love is Blindness' is what Jack White does best, sexy moodiness which bursts at the seams with epic guitar lines. A track I could certainly listen to for hours on end.

I'm so content with all the above that I almost forgot I have a 3 hour exam tomorrow.....

The Front Bottoms Return to London Town

Greil Marcus wrote in his publication 'Lipstick Traces' in 1989:

'At Winterland people pushed, but not, it seemed with anger or fear, but with delight, almost as a greeting.' 

This is how I greeted, and was greeted by, the punk followers of The Front Bottoms on the night of the 23rd April* at Camden's Barfly. Usually at punk concerts, I have had to nudge, elbow and tut my way into defending my small standing space on the floor, but the camaraderie at this concert was unique with it's imported all-American friendliness in terms of the unwritten rules of moshing. Although I emerged from the venue covered in bruises and feet so frequently jumped on it was painful to walk, I had a massive grin plastered across my flushed face. But the best way to begin any story,  is well, at the beginning! 

I met Matthew Uychich (AKA DJ Pumpkin...bless!) by the merchandise stand as I entered the venue and so I took the opportunity for a little chit-chat until the support act came on. The support came from a male solo artist, whose name eludes me but I will get back to you on that one! Although his music was on par, average it did include many comical elements which created a relaxed atmosphere. As The Front Bottoms opened with The Beers, I was at the back of the crowd but with the soaring, electrical pulse that suddenly filled the room I found myself unwittingly by the front of the stage in under five seconds time! For those of you who have heard the Front Bottom’s self-titled debut album you would know that the appeal is in the unpolished acoustic, scratchiness of the Punk 'record it in your bedroom' vibes. However at the gig, they managed to keep this appeal while performing the songs from their debut at a faster, electrical manic pace. Matthew and Brian were joined on stage by session musicians which gave their songs a more polished and professional edge to when I had seen them previously last year. This was demonstrated in the teasers which they gave from their next album 'Talon Of The Hawk'. I managed to catch a quick interview with the session bassist following the gig and asked him about the new, professional direction which The Front Bottoms were taking, which he replied was due to funding for a better recording studio and the new album would be a lot more refined in it's quality. 

Jumping and moshing by the front of the stage was exhausting but between songs, Brian indulged in a bit of banter with the crowd with jokes that my Grandad would have been proud of (eg: 'I was wondering why that frisbee was getting closer and closer.....and than it hit me' oh dear!) which gave us a minute or two to gasp for air.One thing that you should understand about The Front Bottoms is that their fans don't like them....they LOVE them with every sinew. This manifested itself towards the ends of the set as everyone became a crowd surfer and as they closed, we all stormed the stage and caught up in the manic euphoria, I threw my arms around Brian's neck and gave him a massive kiss on the cheek. Every kiss has a meaning and this one meant 'you are fucking awesome!!' 

Me and DJ Pumpkin 

Although The Front Bottoms are an American band, you should definitely try and catch them when they return to the UK. Their second album to be released in the UK, Talons Of The Hawk is due out next week. 

*The delay in writing this up has been due to a very hectic schedule due to final year exams so apologies