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Monday, 13 October, 2008

PLANETNOTION TELEVISION!

CAMERA-FOLK AND FILM EDITORS WANTED!

Planet Notion is looking for guys and dolls to film and edit features for its new TV channel, PNTV. Accompanying Notion to artist interviews, gigs, fashion shows, festivals and international events, you will be skilled, passionate and full of ideas about how to produce shit-hot video content. Camera-folk will be experienced and ideally have their own equipment, or at least access to equipment, while editors must be able to turn projects around quickly, and with stylistic flare. If you can both film and edit content, we would especially like to hear from you! These casual, unpaid positions would be ideal for those looking to develop their showreels, and to get the chance to travel, film major artists and top events.

Please email lucy(at)musichqmedia
(dot)com if you’re interested in getting involved, cheers!

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THE LOOSE CANNONS

THE LOOSE CANNONS

PLACE OF BIRTH: LF: Sunny South London KS:Cannonia DATE OF BIRTH: LF: I came alive when Fivestar dropped ‘Luxury Of Life’ KS: 14th February 1975 PERSONAL MOTTO: LF: Never forget how lucky you are to be here. KS: Slink or swim. STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): LF: Lowdown cludge-tickling dirt poetry. KS: End-Of-The-World-Pleasurism. DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): LF: Lowdown cludge-tickling dirt poetry KS: Always late (on the beat) Ever since P-Funk legend Bootsy Collins advisedThe Loose Cannons to “keep the funk alive” during an early DJ set, the mischievous pair have made it their life’s mission to live up to the great man’s words. Consisting of the oddly named Kaiser Saucy (short hair/piercings) and Lord Fader (stalagmite hair/finely trimmed goatie), the action-packed tag-team have become known for wreaking dancefloor havoc with a record selection unimpeded by genre boundaries. As long as it’s funky, frisky and more often than not, bass-heavy, The Loose Cannons will happily blast it out. In recent years, the boys have gone from strength to strength, bagging a successful Friday night slot on Kiss FM, supporting Scissor Sisters and Goldie Lookin’ Chain on tour and securing the management services of dance music stalwart, Arthur Baker, one time producer of Afrika Bambaataa, and the creative force behind the Return To New York party imprint. Since 2004, The Loose Cannons have also been transferring the vibrant energy of their DJ sets into an eight-piece live project, with their debut album ‘Make The Face’ heralded by a host of top radio jocks, including Zane Lowe, Annie Mac and Eddy Temple-Morris. They’ve managed to carve a niche for themselves with their distinct brand of breaks incorporating elements of funk, hip hop and soul with a twist of Tiga for good measure. What do you do to chill out after a hectic night performing? LF: Eat cereal in front of BBC News 24. It’s always breakfast time there. KS: Etch-A-Sketch generally helps. That and some porn. What is your biggest achievement so far? LF: The goalposts are always moving, each time it seems the biggest achievement is the latest one. But to be honest, probably hearing our first tune on the radio before we had a deal or anything. KS: Probably taking the band on a tour of Australia last year was the achievement of which I am most proud. Who are your musical heroes? LF: The Beatles for the songs, Jimi Hendrix for the playing, the Foo Fighters for festival moments, D-Angelo for the sweetest sounding record ever, the Prodigy for making dance stadium-friendly, The Neptunes for re-writing the rules, Roni Size for breaking them in the first place...D.Ramirez for doing such a nasty mix of that Bodyrox tune... Too many heroes! Tell us about your new projects... LF: ‘Muy Fuerte’ album out in July. What an opus! KS: A highly classified collaboration between us, and members of the Royal Ballet. What are your plans for the future? KS: Just to keep working, playing and spreading the gospel according to Cannonia. Are they any artists you would like to work with? KS: No. None. Anywhere. We are the pinnacle of musical creativity! LF: Missy Elliott, Dave Grohl and Christina Aguilera. What is catching your ear at the moment? LF: The whole Ed Banger crowd, and the new wave of UK Francophile dirt- Kissy Sell Out and Does it Offend You, Yeah? Both on myspace and both hurting my ears lovingly. You’re having a dinner party. Who would you invite and why? KS: Jesus, because then we wouldn’t run out of anything. And Michael Jackson, because I’d like to see him try and get away from looking Jesus in the eye. What is your recipe for success? LF: 1) Work out what you want to do. 2) Do it. 3) Repeat 1) and 2) every time you go astray. KS: Act out your recipe for failure and learn from it. What makes you happy? LF: Realising I get paid for doing what I wanted to do before I was getting paid. What makes you angry? KS: Those electronic arrival boards at bus stops – they are so spectacularly and invariably wrong, you have to wonder why they bothered installing them in the first place. What was the last CD/record you bought? KS: ‘Lost & Found’ by Curumin. LF: Probably Diplo’s Fabric mix. But I usually buy downloads these days. This week, Spank Rock, The Raconteurs and Naomi Roper landed into iTunes. What is your favourite song? LF: ‘A Day In The Life’ by The Beatles. KS: ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ by Grace Jones If not a DJ/producer/artist then what? KS: I’ve always fancied my chances as a cult leader. LF: Philosopher, philanthropist, footballer. The only professions that could fill the (w)hole. THE ALBUM ‘MUY FUERTE’ WILL BE RELEASED THROUGH FAT FOX ON JULY 17TH.

tags: | the loose cannons | bootsy collins | kaiser saucy | lord fader | kiss fm | arthur baker | more...

JENNY WILSON

JENNY WILSON PLACE OF BIRTH: In the countryside, southern part of Sweden. DATE OF BIRTH: October 1975. PERSONAL MOTTO: Don’t expect that anyone else will make your dream come true. STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): Restless, rhythmic, electric and organic short stories. DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): Restless, brittle and brave. Sweet but a little explosive. Signed to Rabid Records, home of exquisite pop partnership The Knife, Jenny Wilson is the latest in an extraordinary line of Swedish talent to emerge in recent years. A solo artist in the truest sense, she spent a year in the studio working on her debut album, ‘Love And Youth’, laying down all of the vocals and instrumentation herself, as well as learning how to engineer and produce her work as she went along. The result is an intimate work entrenched in electronica and disco influences, but with an unmistakeable pop sensibility. Comparisons with fellow Scandinavian pop princess Annie are sure to follow. Born in Solvesborg, a picturesque village in the south of Sweden, Jenny first found her musical feet in a band called First Floor Power. Ever since then, she has been crafting songs with the sound of perpetual Swedish summer - warm, clean and picturesque. ‘Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward’ is the kind of heartfelt breath of fresh air that would probably dominate the airwaves all summer, were it to have been conceived by a more established name. Cooler than cool French label Kitsune helped Jenny reach a larger audience with the inclusion of the track on their latest ‘Maison’ compilation. With her album also about to drop in the UK, you can bet your life that many more hearts are soon to be won over by this talented disco troubadour. What do you do to chill out after a hectic night performing? I try to sit down for a while, talking and drinking with my band and definitely avoiding people I don’t know for at least one hour or so. What is your biggest achievement so far? That I listened to my stubborn heart and went my own way even if it has sometimes been a scary and uneven road to walk. Who are your musical heroes? At the moment I am really in love with Mr Bowie, I am revisiting him, so to speak. But I also adore Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Nina Simone and many more. Tell us about your new projects... At the moment I am writing instrumental music for a Norwegian documentary, called GIRLS. I’m also writing a script for a very special programme on Swedish public radio where you get one and a half hours to do whatever you want to do. It’s going to be broadcast in July. What are your plans for the future? The nearest future: I am going to make new costumes with my costumemaker, Pia Sandström, for my forthcoming performances this summer. And write songs for the next album. The approaching future: I am going to give birth to my second kid in September, that’s going to be great. I’m really longing for that little baby to arrive. Are there any artists you would like to work with? Yes. I think it would be fantastic working with Missy Elliott, she seems to have such a spirit and would be an inspiring person to do creative things together with. What is catching your ear at the moment? The sweet summer breeze though the trees outside my windows. What is your recipe for success? I don’t know. But I try not to compromise in any detail that makes my music and me as a public person and artist much more distinct and immediate. I try to tell things which means, a lot to myself. What makes you happy? I am happy when I make something good, like writing a new song or baking gorgeous bread or simply being a nice, brave and thinking person, you know. What makes you angry? I get angry with myself when I feel uncertain of how to live, where to live, who to be, how to do etc. That happens now and then. What was the last CD/record you bought? It was a Miles Davies record at the sales. I haven’t listened to it yet. What is your favourite song? Depends on my mood and situation. But one song that has followed me through my life is ‘Standing on a Beach’ by The Cure. It’s not necessarily my all time favourite song, but it clung to my heart anyway. THE ALBUM ‘LOVE AND YOUTH’ WILL BE RELEASED ON JULY 24TH THROUGH RABID RECORDS.

tags: | jenny wilson | sweden | rabid records | the knife | �love and youth� | annie | kitsune | more...

Justice

justice PLACE OF BIRTH: France PERSONAL MOTTO: Separated at birth, back together for revenge STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): Pop music DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): Marlboro, repetto, perfecto, arpeggio, cremosso. They’ve been called “too noisy for Daft Punk,” their manager thinks that they make romantic electronic music you can stage dive to. They’ve cavorted and distorted Britney Spears, released a quasi-religious EP and claim to be Christians. Or was it Satanists? They have played for both techno clubs like Bugged Out and Shine as well as Trash and Kill Em All. But they would rather be seen as a pop act. They are enigmatic, noisy young Parisians. No wonder Justice are kicking up a hot fuss. Few people would have heard the music they first made together and for that, Xavier and Gaspard are relieved. ‘Sure You Will’ appeared on a 2003 French compilation called ‘Hits Up To You’ - “like a made-up Eurovision Song Contest”. In 2004, they turned Simian’s ‘Never Be Alone’ into a monster club anthem that captured the mood of that year. This led to them embarking on a remix binge - Daft Punk, Franz Ferdinand, Soulwax and Britney. “It needs to sound fresh and spontaneous,” says Xavier. “We even find ‘Never Be Alone’ too clean now. We prefer it when it smells of sweat.” In March this year, the ‘Waters of Nazareth’ EP was released and managed to be both noisy and melodious. “It had been two years since our last EP and we wanted to come back with something thematic, with a different sound and image. It is important to have a strong concept.” ‘Never Be Alone’ is now titled ‘We Are Your Friends’ and is getting the full release it deserves on Virgin’s Ten Records imprint. It has already been hammered on the airwaves as well as being given heavy rotation in the clubs by the likes of Mylo, Tiga and Felix Da Housecat. With new mixes forthcoming from the hotly tipped Radio Slave with Spencer Parker and Lee Cabrera, this is going to be getting a lot of attention in the coming months. “We are your friends, you will never be alone again. Come On!” Justice are working on their debut album for release later this year. What is your biggest achievement so far? Letting DJ Hell discover Rage Against the Machine in July 2004 and the first time we came to play Munich. Who are your musical heroes? Rick Rubin, Maurice Fulton, George Martin, Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Paul McCartney and Thor Baldursson. Tell us about your new projects... We just re-released ‘Waters of Nazareth’ in a gold version, with some more remixes by Erol Alkan, DJ Funk and ourselves, enhanced by a bonus video. We are now working on our debut album to be released by the end of 2006. What are your plans for the future? Straight after the album we are gonna do rehearsals for a Justice live act. Are there any artists you would like to work with? No, which obviously does not mean we don’t like anything now. What is catching your ear at the moment? Kavinsky, Mr Oizo, Sebastian, Feadz, Uffie, Surkin, Para One and Busy P. You’re having a dinner party. Who would you invite and why? So-me the art director of Ed Banger records because he lives in the same place as us, so he can do the dishes. And he already knows we eat horse meat. What makes you happy? An English breakfast at noon with triple sausages and liver, then buying some white sneakers and Casio watches for Xavier and ugly canvas and musical toys for Gaspard. What makes you angry? When the liver is too cooked. What was the last CD/record you bought? ‘Battle Hymns’ by Manowar. Mainly for the cover but great title too. What is your favourite song? Faves of the day are ‘Far From Over’ by Frank Stallone (Gaspard) and ‘In The Stone’ by Earth, Wind and Fire (Xavier). JUSTICE VS SIMIAN ‘WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS’ WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH 10 RECORDS/VIRGIN ON JULY 3RD.

tags: | justice | simian | bugged out | shine | kill em all | trash | daft punk | more...

ESG

PLACE OF BIRTH: Bronx, New York USA PERSONAL MOTTO: If you want something in life you have to go out and get it, because you can’t expect it to come over and kiss you on the lips. STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): Dance, funk, percussion, rhythmatic soul. DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): Kind, caring, serious, creative, dependable. The story of ESG begins in the South Bronx where they grew up in the tenements. Four sisters – Renee, Valerie, Marie and Deborah Scroggins, encouraged by their mother, began playing music together as teenagers as a way to keep themselves out of trouble with neighbourhood gang life. Taking their name from their birthstones – emerald, sapphire and gold – this was soon shortened to ESG Thirty years on and ESG remains a family affair with sisters Renee, Valerie and Marie along with Renee’s daughter Nicole and Valerie’s daughter Chistelle. In 2000, Soul Jazz Records released ‘A South Bronx Story’ which brought their classic music to a new audience. This was followed by the critically acclaimed ‘Step Off’. Since then they have continued to headline events and their music has been featured in numerous adverts and films. Their forthcoming new album ‘Keep on Moving’ (featuring the single ‘Insane’) retains the classic ESG sound whilst sounding completely contemporary. ‘Insane’ is their first new release in nearly five years. Featuring their trademark stripped down punk/funk style that has spawned a whole generation of fans and bands 30 years on from their release ‘Moody/UFO’ EP on Factory Records (and the infamous 99 Records in America), ESG return to the fold with this awesome piece of minimal dance, which is followed by a new album ‘Keep On Moving’ in the summer. Questions answered by Renee What do you do to chill out after a hectic night performing? Go back to the hotel and take a shower, call up my sisters and discuss any changes for the next show. Then go to sleep and get ready for the next day’s interviews, travel and performance. What is your biggest achievement so far? Making my mother proud that she invested in the instruments she bought us when we were kids. Who are your musical heroes? James Brown, Queen, The Supremes and Etta James. Tell us about your new projects... ‘Keep On Moving’ is our new album that is being released on Soul Jazz Records. It’s about life, relationships and getting on with your life no matter what the obstacles are in your way. What are your plans for the future? We are currently getting ready for a tour of Europe and Japan. We are also working on some new songs and doing production with some new artists. What is catching your ear at the moment? The Killers, Missy Elliot, Gwen Stefani, Fall Out Boy and Mary J. Blige. What is your recipe for success? Believing in our music, staying true to our sound and the support of our fans throughout the years. What makes you happy? Our music, life, love and performing. What makes you angry? Inconsiderate people and abuse. What was the last CD/record you bought? It was actually one of those ‘Now’ compilation CDs. It had a great assortment of music on it. What is your favourite song? ‘Step in to my World’ (It’s a major oldie, but I love it!) If not a DJ/producer/artist then what? I was studying psychology in college, and was seriously considering a career in it. I have also written a series of short stories that maybe someday I’ll try and get published. So I guess I would have been a fiction or novel writer. The single ‘Insane’ by ESG will be available on Soul Jazz Records.

tags: | esg | renee scroggins | valerie scroggins | marie scroggins | deborah scroggins | more...

Datarock

Datarock PLACE OF BIRTH: Bergen, Norway DATE OF BIRTH: Summer of 2000 PERSONAL MOTTO: Do the dirty! STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): So sexy, so nice. Hello! DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): So sexy, so nice. Hairy! Discovered by Mikel Telle (of Telle Records fame, Norway, the original home of Kings of Convenience, Annie and Royksopp), Datarock hail from Bergen, Norway and they are about to stake their claim as your new favourite band. Taking the funk pop framework of classic Prince and the Bee Gees and mixing it with the garage rock snarl of the Velvet Underground sounds like an unlikely combination. Datarock manage to pull it off and then some, which shows what a remarkable group they are. Matching red tracksuits, lyrics about Commodore 64s, a song called ‘Maybelline’ (taking the “maybe she’s born with it” line from the mascara advert of the same name), video references to ‘Revenge of the Nerds’. it would be easy to dismiss Datarock as a joke. The problem for any doubters is that the jokes are fresh, unique, as addictive as sugar and most importantly, they are very funny. The album combines all the catchiness of electronic pop music with the muscle of a fully fledged rock band to create a sound that references every thinkable, and unthinkable, musical genre from the last 30 years of popular music. ‘Computer Camp Love’ (the second single from the album) is kitsch pop genius with its tale of geek love and ‘Grease’ via a Prince chorus. Future single and live favourite ‘Fa Fa Fa’ (you might have heard it on Annie’s ‘DJ Kicks’ compilation) is a strong contender for song most likely to invoke involuntary mass hysteria on the dancefloor. Entitled ‘Datarock Datarock’, the band felt their debut album was so good they named it twice. It showcases a group with a more astute understanding of great pop music than most bands manage in a career. Their’s is a world that understands the pain of the high school nerd. The attention to detail in exploring this world of geeks is so well observed, it’s quite brilliant. What is your biggest achievement so far? Surgically removing our anus and going through a sex change. Who are your musical heroes? Devo, Devo, and Devo. Tell us about your new projects... We’re currently writing a musical. The story takes place in Tribeca, Manhattan, and is the tragic love story of two young New Yorkers living in separate.... music scenes. What are your plans for the future? Casting Ewan McGregor as the Upper West Side Jewish punkfunk troubled kid, and Molly Ringwald as his female counterpart: a design student living in Brooklyn, hanging out with the cool retro 2001 electroclash-crowd. The musical is gonna be awesome. Are there any artists you would like to work with? There is only one Shaun Ryder. What is catching your ear at the moment? The Chap, Liars, The Knife, Quasimojo, Ungdomskulen, Joggers, Caribou, The Sword, Deerhoof. You’re having a dinner party. Who would you invite and why? There is only one Shaun Ryder. What is your recipe for success? Do it yourself, you lose. Hire others to do it, you lose. Don’t do it! The first step towards failure is trying. What makes you happy? Sex, drugs, and drugs and sex. What makes you angry? Anger management programs. What was the last CD/record you bought? Spank Rock’ s debut album is fucking ACE! What is your favourite song? ‘She’s like the Wind’, written and performed by Patrick Swayze. If not a DJ/producer/artist then what? Stormtrooper. DATAROCK’S ALBUM ‘DATAROCK DATAROCK’ IS RELEASED THROUGH YOUNG ASPIRING PROFESSIONALS ON JULY 3RD. WWW.DATAROCK.NO / WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DATAROCK

tags: | datarock | norway | shaun ryder

Union of Knives

Union of Knives

PLACE OF BIRTH: Stewarton DATE OF BIRTH: 16/8/71 PERSONAL MOTTO: It begins with you. STYLE OF MUSIC (IN FIVE WORDS): Dark epic electronic pop music. DESCRIBE YOURSELF (IN FIVE WORDS): Sporty, Ginger, Scary, Posh, Baby. Union of Knives are a perfect balance of youth and experience, brutality and compassion, dirt and clinical cleanliness. On stage Craig Grant and Chris Gordon play dual frontman roles, supported, like a seesaw on an axis, by Dave McClean. The music they make is steely hard, yet cut through with raw, emotive longing and power. Chris and Dave are from Glasgow, and Craig is from Aberdeen though he’s now an “adopted Glaswegian.” Chris and Dave met in Glasgow’s Nice and Sleazy. Dave was a soundman there, Chris ended up working behind the bar when he wasn’t singing on Dave’s tracks or producing demos of local bands. The pair eventually set up their own studio where they recorded bands and did remixes for Craig Armstrong, Snow Patrol and others. Then, one night, back in N&S, they met Craig. Craig had moved to Glasgow and was writing songs in his bedroom. He had been singing at a local acoustic night and was recording with his band, Close to the Ground. When Chris came to produce demos for the band, things changed. Quickly. Chris and Dave’s band, now called Union of Knives, were static. “The tracks were great but we were unsure what to do with them,” says Chris. “There were songs that didn’t have lyrics or melodies, but Craig would come and improvise this amazing stuff over them.” Gigs started happening, new recordings were planned and in the summer of 2004, Craig became a full time member. Union of Knives share the same mix of light and shadow to their music characteristic of other bands found on similar northern hemisphere lines of latitude, such as Sigur Ros and Arcade Fire, probably a consequence of those long nights and short days. Their intricate melodies and harmonies part combine and part collide with an array of serrated sonics and darker overtones. The result is an intense yet pleasurable experience that really breaks the mould. Questions answered by Chris What do you do to chill out after a hectic night performing? Have the masseur rub my aching limbs til I am revived enough to flop into the limo on my way to the five star hotel for a late supper of nearly extinct species and Buckfast Tonic Wine What is your biggest achievement so far? Those occasional moments when I slide from the illusion to the void and come back with a small trace of the truth that burns inside me til the next time. Who are your musical heroes? Lately I love Sigur Ros, Arcade Fire and Bruce Springsteen. Tell us about your new projects? Union of Knives make music with a computer or two and whatever else is lying around. We twist and torment natural sounds til they fit our needs then sing our gospel over the top. It took a while for us to come by what we thought of as our sound but we knew we could find it eventually and when we did we were like, “fuck yes”. What are your plans for the future? To do something even better than we did before and expand simultaneously in all directions that suit our needs or sing to our souls. Are there any artists you would like to work with? I know a ton of talented people in Glasgow that I have the pleasure of working with. It regularly blows me away. What is catching your ear at the moment? Heard a Filthy Dukes remix of I know not what and it had that “fuck yes” effect on me. What is your recipe for success? I think we all want to have a rethink about success and just how we might re-frame it so that it will no longer bring the planet to the brink of rejecting us. What makes you angry? Two frozen chicken breasts were the last thing to properly rile me. Oh and when that Ampeg bass cab landed on my finger and broke it I was a bit miffed too. What was the last CD/record you bought? Two Sigur Ros albums, I can’t believe I just let them into my life last year but then again I do spend a lot of time with my head in the sand/up my own arse (delete as appropriate). What is your favourite song? ‘Hallelujah’ If not a DJ/producer/artist then what? A footballer of course! Oh, how my friends and team mates will howl with laughter but I was only talking about carving out a reclusive career in the Highland Leagues. ‘I DECLINE’ - THE EP IS AVAILABLE THROUGH RELENTLESS ON MAY 1. THE DEBUT ALBUM BY UNION OF KNIVES IS DUE FOR RELEASE IN JULY.

tags: | union of knives | craig grant | chris gordon | dave mcclean | nice and sleazy | more...

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