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You are here -> Music / Who the f**k? Sunday, 06 July, 2008
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These pages are all about bands/artists you may not have heard of, but need to get used to. "Who the f*ck?" Exactly.
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Nick Sunderland
Nick Sunderland
30/05/2008
tags: | nick sunderland | liberty cap | dangerous

The Power Lords
02/05/2008
Nuts and Bolts: The Power Lords (Pierre and Bohdan) Stomping Ground: South of France (St. Tropez) and the Ukraine. Set to Soundtrack: Clubs where people sport Croydon facelifts and neck Bacardi Breezers. Destined to Upset: Anyone without a sense of humour. You’re in business if you like: Regular trips to the Krakow club scene. “Let my weiner fire your hummer / Start in the cupboard later the freezer / Ask Boris Becker I’m a grand slam winner.” The Power Lords (Lords of the String) The Power Lords have burst onto the club scene like a teenager on his first gram of cheap whizz; garnering reactions of befuddlement, guilty pleasure and disdain in equal measure. They’re the kind of Euro-techno outfit you’d imagine four fat birds in Benidorm doing ‘big square, little square, cardboard box’ to whilst taking the occasional glug of their Lambrini and pawing over a Spanish hunk - topless but for a dickie-bowtie. We’re talking cheese-smeared, holiday-camp cabaret, only a hell of a lot more polished and with a back-story that makes Star Wars episodes I-III look as dire as Series 4 of Deep Space Nine. The Power Lords’ story started as a dream of two playboy London Hedge Funders living it large in St. Tropez, a mutual love of European Techno inspiring them to have a pop in the music production game. James Burrell, a young composer and songwriter whose résumé includes work for the BBC, Nickelodeon and John Lewis was recruited to help the dream become a reality. Alas, with the playboy Hedge Funders jobs requiring a certain je ne sais quois -“Oh so respectful” - public image, the notorious twosome’s elation soon turned to concern. Having their names attached to a Euro-Tech song deep-set around the ‘St. Tropez G-String’ was hardly going to preserve the respect they’d worked so hard to build, right? Alas, the two pulled out, expecting an end to the whole shebang, but with the wheels set in motion James felt that the “show must go on.” And so the story ends. Well, you could say “And so the story begins” because the national press are lapping The Power Lords up like the Cheshire Cat with a bowl of Jersey’s finest. The Power Lords backstory is one of intrigue and mystery with more questions than answers and this is what makes them perfect fodder for the pad and pen. Debut single Lords of the String is going to be bigger than King Kong’s crown jewels and reading The Power Lords philosophy on music it’s easy to see why: “We love dance music that make you want to dance! Laugh! Kiss! Cry! Make Love too!!!” their MySpace beams. If that’s not the talk of global superstars I’ll eat my St. Tropez G-string and lick King Kong’s bellend! Check out their MySpace ! Words: Dangerous Dave Dryden
The Power Lords
tags: | the power lords | more...
Jay Reatard
28/04/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Jay Reatard (vocals, guitar, bass), Billy Hayes (drums), Stephen Pope (bass) Stomping Ground: Memphis, Tennessee since 1998. Set to Soundtrack: A ketamine and whizz binge. Destined to Upset: Fans of Happy Hardcore. You’re in business if you like: Raucous full-throttle punk-dipped rock with a pinch of new wave. Sometimes an artist will come along and kick you in the balls with such ferocity they go flying through your system and drop out your mouth; before sliding back to their rightful position, intact and twice as big and brutal as before. Jay Reatard is one such artist; his short, sharp, hook-laden tracks triggering an “I’m not gonna take this shit anymore” attitude - only way more successfully than heavy-metal (which isn‘t difficult). Jay began writing songs alone in his bedroom due to an overwhelming sense of boredom and a turbulent home life. He was recognized at the tender age of 15 after sending a demo tape to Goner Records and dropping out of school - which ultimately proved a wise move. Jay produces the kind of music that grips one shoulder tightly and slaps you round the face with a free hand – with lyrics that delve into everything from inner demons and a crap childhood to romance past and drinking piss from a jar… Take ‘Not a Substitute’ from Jay’s ‘Blood Visions’ LP which at 1:04 minutes long contains the simple lyrics “It’s not a substitute / not a substitute for you” before launching into a full-throttle guitar chorus of “MISSING YOU” like a skipping record that you daren’t change. Quite what the substitute for a lost love is remains unclear. It could be drugs, it could be a new missus, and it could be a chocolate bar. The fact is Jay leaves these small details for your interpretation. Jay used to be in punk-band The Reatards, alternating between singing, guitar, and a bucket for percussion. He then created/joined a few other bands, including Lost Sounds, before finally launching his solo career. An initially surprised music press have generally lavished praise on Jay’s first and only solo LP ‘Blood Visions’ which contains a full-throttle 15 tracks at under 30 minutes long. Anyhow, if you’re after punk-rock with the occasional Adam Ant new-wave eccentricity thrown in, Jay’s as good a bet as any… Check out his MySpace .
Jay Reatard
tags: | jay reatard | blood visions | more...
The Parlotones
23/04/2008
Nuts and Bolts: The Parlotones - Kahn Morbee (vocals and guitar) Neil Pauw (Drums) Paul Hodgson (guitar) Glenn Hodgson (bass and keyboards) Stomping Ground: London and Johannesburg since 1998. Set to Soundtrack: Plucking up the courage to approach that girl/boy but never quite succeeding. Destined to Upset: People who HATE teenage rom-coms. You’re in business if you like: Melodious rock with vocals like the guy from Linkin Park - only better! For a band that released their first album in 2003 and started up in ‘98 it seems strange that, if mentioned, The Parlotones garner the following response: “Who?” Or, with this section of Planet Notion being named a certain something: “Who the fuck?” But the South African four-piece have obviously been doing something right because in 2006 Universal Records snapped ‘em up. And it doesn’t stop there. FHM used The Parlotones single ‘Overexposed’ as the soundtrack to their ‘World’s Hottest Woman’ film. With lyrics that go a little something like: “This could be the end of - ‘Who the hell cares?’” it seems a bizarre choice for a film predominantly flesh and thigh. That’s until you hear a peculiar purring akin to the Cheshire Cat on five E’s and a Viagra. As far as sound goes The Parlotones appear to be a band unconfined by boundaries. Vocally they’re consistent, but musically it varies from jangly, up-lifting melodies, to heavy(er) guitar laden rock. As one would expect from a South African “rock band” The Parlotones are pretty bloody big in their native country and that popularity is fast spreading. Perhaps it has something to do with using a megaphone on stage? The band recently announced a European and South African tour which will see them playing Switzerland’s biggest indoor music festival, ‘Bscene’, and London’s legendary 100 Club. Sure, singer Kahn Morbee sounds a bit like that guy from Linkin Park, whose mainstream “nu-metal” whine appeals as much as a night in the sack with Lisa Riley and a dodgy kebab, but it’s kind of cool… Well, a hell of a lot cooler than Linkin Park, a damn sight tastier than Lisa Riley, and guaranteed to soundtrack a teen rom-com sometime in the future. I’ll put my money on it! Check them out: www.myspace.com/theparlotones The Parlotones release new album ‘Radiocontrolledrobot’ on May 5th.
The Parlotones
tags: | the parlotones | kahn morbree | more...
Hungover Stuntmen
21/04/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Hungover Stuntmen - James Haselhurst (guitars/vox) Craig Oxberry (drums/vox) Iain Anderson (bass/vox) Stu Ridley (guitars/vox) Stomping Ground: Newcastle Upon Tyne. Set to Soundtrack: Pre-match drinks down a good old fashioned boozer. Destined to Upset: Those who'd rather a night in with slippers, a cheap cigar and Ella Fitzgerald than a pint, a sing-song and Sky Sports News. You’re in business if you like: British Indie rock. Armed with custom guitars, you know, Rickenbackers, Telecasters and the like; Hungover Stuntmen have been dubbed “just awesome” by (who else) Zane Lowe. Surprising when you consider that they’ve only ever released standard demos. Yet despite their relative obscurity it seems the world is going crazy for the Geordie quartet. Take Yu Kamidozono, a Japanese fan who made a whopping 11,526.52 mile round trip to see the lads perform in London; my god, they have stalkers already! “They can play, sing, I’ve even seen them dance, and for sure they put on one hell of a show”, beamed Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor; you know, the guitarist with the bloated face? Sure, Andy’s bound to be a little biased, having produced the Stuntmen’s debut album ‘Blame it on the BBC’. But then, the rave reviews don’t end there. Suggs described the Stuntmen as “f**king great” and Paul Weller’s such a fan he allowed the boys to join him on stage. Twice! We say “allowed to join him” because the Modfather is so revered by Indie bands; they look up and aspire to be him like Eros, god of love, sex and lust. In fact, the Stuntmen have joined everyone on stage from Jools Holland and The Futureheads to, um… The Kooks and Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly; taking time to play Ibiza Rocks in the process. In a nutshell, people are standing up and taking notice of these Indie rockers. Sure, there are always going to be those that say “Oh god, not another Indie guitar band”, but something tells us these lads are a tad more special than the usual bunch. Catchy, occasionally raw and well constructed? “Way-ey man!” The Hungover Stuntmen’s debut album ‘Blame it on the BBC’ is released on 28th April.
Hungover Stuntmen
tags: | hungover stuntmen | more...
The Steeples
07/04/2008
Nuts and Bolts: The Steeples - Andy Culshaw (vocals), Dan Rankin (guitar), Chris ‘Hutchy’ Hutchinson (bass), Alex Caskie (drums) Stomping Ground: Ormskirk (near Liverpool) Set to Soundtrack: The NHS anti-smoking advert. Sorry, what’s that? They’ve done that already? Oh! Apparently they’ve done that already. Destined to Upset: Eddie would hate them! You know; that dude from Iron Maiden? You’re in business if you like: Jig-enticing pop-guitar and a voice like that bloke from the Kooks… Only with a bit more range. Like that fit bird from the Sugababes, bands seem to be appearing from nowhere these days. They thought we wouldn’t notice that Mutya had gone AWOL and been replaced by Amelle Berrabah, but we all saw through it; you can’t fool me! Hailing from Ormskirk, which is near Liverpool, The Steeples are one such band; the kind that find themselves thrust into the spotlight and hailed “New Indie darlings” before they’ve had time to finish their Munch Bunch, pick their nose and press record for the latest episode of Poddington Peas. In a nut-shell The Steeples emerged from the wilderness and found a whole host of press and radio bigwigs getting hot under the collar; cum dripping down their thighs, salivating, and emitting groans of pure unadulterated ecstasy at these fresh new kids and their guitar-hook laden merry Indie-pop. XFM labeled debut single Britney’s Tears as “Ace;” The Daily Record used such phrases as “quirky” and “brilliant;” FutureSounds yelped “non-stop fun”. Alas, thanks to major radio plugging and frequently smitten reviews, The Steeples found themselves at the centre of a scandal... Well, we made that up; but they do have a band of followers that call themselves the ‘Steeple People’ which, in our opinion, has all the makings of a Manson style cult. Blending witty lyrical tales with pop-guitar riffs to create melodies stained with the butter drips of Indie sweetness, we at Planet Notion expect these guys to be a commercial success. That doesn’t necessarily mean we like ‘em or don’t like ‘em, it just means they’ll probably be huge because they remind us of the (ahem) Kooks. Loads of young whippersnappers love the Kooks (honest they do) and buy their records so they’ll probably do the same for The Steeples. And they’re pretty lads like the Kooks and… erm… Pass me the shovel! Please!? Check out their MySpace ! The Steeples debut album, Tea for Two, is released on Easy Money Records on June 16th following the release of single, Loosy Lucy, on June 9th.
The Steeples
tags: | the steeples | andy curshaw | more...
Tilt City Ghosts
03/04/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Tilt City Ghosts - Nick Bovaird (vocals), Matt Povey (bass), Anthony Hull (guitar), Jon Lamont (drums) Stomping Ground : Anywhere in London… Set to Soundtrack: Aimlessly wandering at three in the morning; silently weeping and chugging a bottle of Castillo de Diablo after failing to pull in that grotty pub. Destined to Upset: Well, they say they’re ROCK, but… You’re in business if you like: Emotional lyrics minus the emo squeal, drum intros, and the occasional gritty guitar lick thrown in for good measure! Bit of a funny one this. Don’t really know an awful lot about them, which is probably why they’ve ended up on ‘Who the Fuck?’ Any-hoo, let’s start with the basics. Tilt City Ghosts are four lads from London. They say they’re not “clowns” for our “amusement”, which means they’re a band with high expectations and want to be taken seriously. They also claim to have “hundreds of songs smeared across different styles and speeds” which means they’re a pretty eclectic bunch. We’re told they have a ballad in stark contrast to their manly lyrics (drinking and the like) which means they have mass appeal to all creeds and genders. They’re also “vibrant, changing and worthy of your belief” (their words not ours) which could be taken in one of two ways: Either they’re a bunch of egocentric wankers or they have an aching desire to be loved. We don’t think Tilt City Ghosts are wankers because they like things like fine art and old vinyl and batman and green tea; whereas people who drink 'Frosty Jack' on park benches and throw stones at the Old Peoples Home have never heard of green tea and use “batman” as a homophobic insult… Anyway, the bands music ranges from “drinking red wine in an empty room and reminiscing about a former love” type stuff to post-punk fuelled Indie anthems. If the combined forces of drink and music seem appealing, whether on your own or in a room full of people, then you’ll probably like the music of Tilt City Ghosts and their surprisingly deep lyrics. Check out their MySpace !
Tilt City Ghosts
tags: | tilt city ghosts | nick bovaird | more...
Ungdomskulen
25/03/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Ungdomskulen - Kristian Stockhaus (vocals/guitar), Øyvind Solheim (drums), Frode Kvinge Flatland (bass) Stomping Ground: Bergen, Norway since 2000. Set to Soundtrack: Getting locked in a cupboard with a Sega Megadrive and a television set from the 1980s. Destined to Upset: Those who sit in fields, drinking milk, chewing straw and strumming an acoustic. You’re in business if you like: Fast and furious rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Ungdomskulen means ‘youth school’ in English which goes someway to understanding the band’s (seriously cool) delinquent sound. When we say delinquent, we don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s not like the opening credits of the ‘Clangers’ or ‘Teenage Turtles’ rap, its rock with a hard-edged innocence; like a fat kid given three-months in Borstal for nicking a pen-knife, just so he could chop up an apple as part of his healthy diet routine. It’s music undefined by boundaries, breaking limitations, and packing a punch outside the box. Anyway, the Norwegian threesome formed in 2000 with a sound made solely of guitar, bass, drum and vocals. They originally called themselves ‘Standing Ovation’ but, realising they were probably being a little optimistic, changed their name to ‘Goddammit’ (probably because they were pissed with not getting a standing ovation). Then they settled on the whole ‘Youth School’ shebang which represents that period of transition from boy to man. The lads have played in places like America and are shortly making a return to ‘Blighty’ for an upcoming tour with the Young Knives. Ungdomskulen also have new single ‘Modern Drummer’ coming out soon with a really cool and trippy video. Imagine being stuck in a computer game with a guy that looks like a bear, firing at aliens with groovy guitar licks while his mate bangs the drums like a nutcase and a bass player covers his back on a backdrop of psychedelic colours and crunching sound, and you’re only halfway there. ‘Modern Drummer’ is an ode to the drummer and the way that gadgets are taking over his role and stuff and how, like, that’s not a good thing because nobody can play the drum like the fucking drummer, right?! Ungdomskulen: Three crazy Norwegians pounding out funky, furious, fast-paced rock that addresses subjects that truly matter. Check out their MySpace ! Words: Dave Dryden "
Ungdomskulen
tags: | ungdomskulen | more...
Ashley Alexandra Dupre
20/03/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Ashley Alexandra Dupre (AKA Kristen) Stomping Ground: She’s been about a bit… Recorded first demo in 2004. Set to Soundtrack: You know that scene in American Pie where the geeky guy is seduced by the MILF and they romp on a Pool Table? That! Destined to Upset: Ex-Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer. You’re in business if you like: Raunchy R‘n’B poured from a kettle with a crusty filter. Few positives can be taken from Eliot Spitzer’s resignation as Governor of New York, following his association with a prostitution ring; except maybe the odd STI (evidence pending). But from the blood, sweat, tears and carnage an angel has emerged to bless all with her sweet-sounding R‘n’B. In fact, there’s nothing sweet about it, it’s as raunchy as Act 1 Scene 4 of ‘Throbin Hood Prince of Beaves’. Ashley Alexandra Dupre otherwise known as Kristen, the prostitute behind the Spitzer scandal, started her singing ambition when she moved in with a ‘musician’ during her ‘odyssey’ to New York. Like all budding singers Dupre was singing ‘Respect’ in the shower when (as she herself describes) “he and his lead guitarist burst in [and] had me repeat [it]”. Anyway, Dupre got caught up in drugs and was broke and homeless when she arrived in Manhattan only to find breaking into the music scene easier said then done. Sadly she became a call girl. Since Spitzer was exposed the R‘n’Wannabe has become an overnight sensation. Dupre released her first song ‘Can You Handle Me, Boy?’ as a free download on website Amie Street and due to her vocal skills (and in no way related to the Spitzer scandal) the song became a huge hit and a remixer’s wet-dream. Now Dupre has released both her second single ‘Move Ya Body’ and ‘Can You Handle Me, Boy?’ as pay to download tracks, pocketing a poultry $200,000 in the process (and counting). Does a multi-million dollar career await Dupre in the field of R‘n’B? With lyrics like: “If you wanna take me out after the club, you gotta do it right, baby, show me some love” and “Sex money drugs is what I'm all about / Step your game up so you can see for yourself” and “Brush up against me and whisper in my ear/ Make me feel what you want to feel / Numb to the touch, deeper pulse inside/ Let's hit the dance floor, turn it up inside” we reckon you should go straight down the bookies - NOW - because this girl’s gonna be bigger than a Horses donger! Check out her MySpace ! Words: Dave Dryden
Ashley Alexandra Dupre
tags: | ashley alexandra dupre | kristen | more...
Petter and The Pix
18/03/2008
Nuts and Bolts: Petter Winnberg (vocals), Andreas Gabrielsson (bass), Nils Tronqvist (drums), Mikael Svensson (synthesizer), Mattias Franzen (guitar), Klas Ericsson (guitar) Stomping Ground: Stockholm , Sweden since around 2006 Set to Soundtrack: Skipping through a field of cows. Destined to Upset: If Sting singing ‘I’m an Alien’ to the gentle strum of Jack Johnson and backed by sweet synth madness is your idea of hell, you’ll be down the church faster than a hyperactive hare on M&Ms. You’re in business if you like: Tweed trousers and Chupa Chupps. Sweden gave the world Victoria Silvstedt and Neneh Cherry, who can cook a mean Jerk Chicken as well as rap. The Swedes also gave us half of Johnny Borrell’s Razorlight, but we’ll let that one slide; after all, nobody’s perfect. The biggest Swedish export though (other than Ikea) was Abba, with their sweet pop sound and a break-up album in the vein of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, where like, the people breaking up recorded together and sang about it. Genius! Anyway, Petter and the Pix are further indication of the Swede’s skill at producing commercial pop. Well, it’s more folk/pop really, a bit like ‘Peter, Bjorn and John’ who happen to come from Stockholm too. Can you see the pattern? Anyway, Petter’s been in quite a few bands over the years and even won the Best Swedish Jazz award in 2000 for his album ‘Far from Alone’ with Linda Svantesson. Then Petter turned into a recluse and headed to the mountains to practise the ancient art of Kung-Fu, returning a far tougher dude and forming new band Petter and The Pix. In 2006 he was introduced to a guy called President Bongo (seriously that’s his name) from GusGus who summoned his Bongolites to produce Petter and The Pix’s debut album ‘Easily Tricked’ on Gung-Ho! Recordings. The album features a pretty diverse range of folk-tinged beats, delving into everything from electro-backed sing-alongs to hazy synths, with a spot of reggae thrown in for good measure. I guess you could say its cuddly folk, the kind you’d use to seduce a young virgin, clad in white from head to toe and sipping a glass of baileys. Anyway, ‘Ol Petter, who started off on bass, is looking forward to breaking the UK scene and test-driving the… erm… talent… “I think the Swedish and UK scenes are similar”, he says. “We’ve been trying to copy you guys for quite some time and have got quite good at it. I’m really looking forward to testing out your live scene. And your ladies”. Check out their MySpace ! Words: Dave Dryden Petter and The Pix release ‘Easily Tricked’ on Gung-Ho! Recordings May 12th 2008.
Petter and The Pix
tags: | petter and the pix | more...
Cedar Falls & Z-List Tears
06/02/2008
Dave Adair discusses the performance of two Warrington bands, having witnessed up-and-comers 'Z-List Tears' and 'Cedar Falls' performing at the WA1 Bar. As ‘Z-List Tears’ step onto stage, smiles immediately appear all-round. Famed in Warrington for their live oomph and amiable stage presence, their enthusiasm helps give the rumbling Metallica-instrumental robustness some drive, force, and rhythm. Already the gregarious singer, Bungle, demonstrates a deeper ruggedness to his vocals and has clearly been experimenting with his range. He needs this extra touch to communicate the punchy lyrics over the bass-lines of Al Blackmore; strong and sturdy enough to hold the weight of 200 cattle. ‘Model Behaviour’ grabs the attention of the wandering Friday-night crowd with its grunge revival slant. The versatile vocals lean towards those of Eddie Vedder; the accompaniment spews ‘Rage Against The Machine’ spirited rock-solid grit. Then, as if to say - “You want a mellower anthem, try this for size?” - ‘Oceansize’ adopts a lingering epic feel reminiscent of a ‘Hello Pig’ era Levellers. It’s certainly a growing range that ‘Z-List Tears’ demonstrate tonight. They’re almost moving into veteran category in this town, having been on the scene for what seems like an eternity, but their enthusiasm and passion never wanes. Technical problems have the masses checking whether they’ve dialed a wrong number and put their phone on loudspeaker, blighting the efforts of Cedar Falls; marring their ability to settle into the usual harmony producing set. But a Libertines veined intro shakes a disinterested, seat-hogging crowd, into an attentive state as the band launch into ‘Car Crash’. It’s only then the Liverpudlian trio settles into a middle of the road Indie groove; Keiron Coyne pulling-off the tough task of singing while playing bass, with great aplomb. A tempo change in the form of the gruff and downtrodden ‘Ballad of a Broken Heart’, leads the frivolous chit-chat to increase in prominence. However, this is by no means a bad thing; it adds a perspective to the subject of being ignored, lending a neat, ambient touch. A dual keyboard approach immediately raises intrigue; James’ vocals adding a catchy, feel-good-feel to pop pearl ‘Baa Baa’. Straight away the singers snappy, clear vocals and ebullient manner, draws the crowd into hand-clapping and cheeky “Baa Baas” of their own, bringing life and enthusiasm to the fore. A theatrical soul edge and the rustling percussion of John, the key instrumental controller throughout ‘Bridge’, begins to embellish Joyce’s show. ‘School Boy Error’ bears an acoustic proficiency gaining popularity and importance in the current music scene. Especially as the toning down of their instrumental flamboyancy allows Joyce to expand vocally; a tri-vocal attack taking their Indie/electro/pop combo to a completely different level. Their ability to involve the audience oozes warmth, achieving a feel-good factor that should be enough to draw label interest. It worked for Mika didn’t it? Words: Dave Adair, Photography: www.caerphoto.com & www.myspace.com/cedarfalls www.myspace,com/zlisttearsnew www.cedarfallsmusic.co.uk www.myspace.com/joyceuk
Cedar Falls & Z-List Tears
tags: | cedar falls | z-list tears | more...
Ava Leigh
09/12/2007
White girls sing soul, black guys do indie, white boys rap and black girls front pop. Welcome to 2007. Is this the year where traditional stereotypes went straight out of the window? Where we judge a piece of music solely on the sound, not who’s making it? Perhaps we’ve became junkies of the listening kind - we don’t give a shit who’s peddling our fix, as long as we get more of it. ‘There’s a lot of people doing black music now,’ states latest reggae sensation, Ava Leigh. ‘Just look at Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone – no-one is pointing out that they’re white girls doing traditionally black music. Music is music at the end of the day.’ She’s absolutely right. When everyone went mental over the Mercury nominated ‘Back To Black,’ we all talked about Mark Ronson’s production abilities and that towering beehive, not really the fact that the Motown soul sound was coming right out of a skinny white girl’s mouth. So it excites us to meet the blonde, Chester born, voice on the summertime feel-good tune ‘La La La,’ and its bouncy flip, ‘Mad About The Boy.’ ’The album reads like a diary,’ Ava says of her upcoming release. Enlisting the talents of roots veterans Sly and Robbie, who she hails as ‘geniuses’, they took a downbeat track Ava penned in Wandsworth and transformed it into an upbeat anthem. ‘They saw something in it that we hadn’t seen before, it was a really bright and organic,’ she says, full of admiration. Recording was done in a garden shed by Glastonbury Tor, a basement studio in Brixton and Harry J’s famous studio in Kingston, Jamaica, which reflected Ava’s personality perfectly, from the country background to her experiences in underground Aba Shanti nights and her reggae lilt. Even Finley Quaye marks his comeback on Ava’s material, helping her reinvent the Matumbi classic ‘After Tonight’. ‘We were just going to use an original sample, like me singing over a record,’ she explains. ‘But, then we thought why not use a real person? So, we thought about it and each of us came up with Finley, especially as he’s about to release a new album. He’s such an exciting artist.’ Making the move from her quaint, northwestern roots to the throb of city life was the only way to enrich Ava’s soulful tones. ‘It got to the point where I was spending more and more time in London,’ she says. ‘There’s such a great reggae scene here and being in London just lets me absorb the music... It’s easy to be inspired here.’ Leaving her real name Hayley Carline back home, she’s fully embracing life in the capital. Her signing to Virgin has run extraordinarily smoothly, with the label allowing her to develop properly as an artist and take her sweet time over her upcoming masterpiece. ‘When I was approached by the A&R guy, I said exactly what I wanted, how I wanted to sound, how I wanted to dress...’ she recalls. ‘I’ve heard horror stories about artists that have been made to release songs they don’t want to by their label and then being dropped, but I’d never do something I didn’t want to do.’ Adamant that her music won’t be ‘throwaway’, Ava is here to stay. Her praise for artists that constantly reinvent themselves brings David Bowie to the top of her list of heroes. ‘I want people to still be listening to my music in fifteen years time and be like ‘yeeeah’... I want to be here for a long time.’ And we have a feeling that every little ting gonna be alright for Eva. Bring on the sunshine! WWW.MYSPACE.COM/AVALEIGH LOOK OUT FOR AVA’S NEW SINGLE , RELEASED IN OCTOBER (VIRGIN)
Ava Leigh
tags: | ava leigh | mark ronson | motown | more...
Cat the Dog
08/12/2007
With a name that explains the dichotomy infused in their music, Brighton based four-piece Cat The Dog are a curious prospect. An uneasy but brutally beguiling fusion of filthy swaggering, raunchy rock and melody driven guitar pop, Cat The Dog are the very definition of the eternal struggle, a perennial tug-of-war between harmony and aggression. Singer Chris Mellion explains, ‘You can’t take names too seriously now; we thought that Cat The Dog was pretty funny but it does reflect the music. There’s a feeling that something’s not quite right, it’s unusual...’ Vocalist and guitarist Chris and drummer Andy Newton met at school in Vancouver , Canada . Both had already been expelled from their previous schools and after a touch more trouble they dropped out all together and flew to England to pursue a rock n roll dream. Having escaped the stranglehold of Vancouver’s limited opportunities, the pair made their way from Manchester to London. Finding themselves destitute they attempted to stay at a hostel working for their board. When they didn’t show up for their shifts they were thrown out and began sleeping rough in a park and then, when that got boring, a cemetery. ‘We came here to make a mess of it;’ says Chris, ‘we didn’t mind, we were seeing so much fucked up shit, we loved it, it definitely came out in the writing.’ Eventually making it to Brighton, Chris and Andy found kindred spirits in guitarist Darryl Pruess and bass player Dan Logan, and began exploring the possibilities of their unique take on a classic blueprint. Having left their respective homes in search of inspiration, Darryl and Dan were the perfect fit for the Canadian refugees. Starting out with an art school Sonic Youth feel, the band gradually added elements of 60s beat music, robot rock and sinewy post punk to their audio brew, each ingredient taking them a step closer to the singular sound that gives them their effortless appeal. Drawing on their collective outsider experiences, one of the first songs that the band wrote is live favourite and future single, ‘Gotta Leave’. Capturing the essence of Cat The Dog, it demonstrates the duality at the core of their being, as the track’s ferocious verses are topped and tailed by the sugarsweet harmonies of its infectious chorus. The band’s debut double A-side single, ‘I’m A Romantic’ / ‘Devil In Me’, continues the theme, with a visceral chunk of heads-down primal riffing produced by the renowned Jack Douglas. With a past that takes in production and engineering duties for The Who’s classic ‘Who’s Next,’ and Aerosmith’s seminal ‘Toys In The Attic’, as well as The New York Dolls, Cheap Trick and a long association with John Lennon on his solo output, Douglas is a masterful sonic manipulator who still gives the band space to let their raw and powerful progressions do their own talking. ‘He’s a legend, it was such an honour and privilege to work with him. We adore the stuff he’s done with people like the Dolls and he was right up our street - he got the band straight away.’ Live, the band have been working hard, with a country-wide tour throughout the summer, an appearance at Download and the support slot for The Bravery’s recent tour. ‘You never know what’s going to happen at our gigs, we’re not the sort of band that are just going to go up there and play it exactly like the record, we live it; if we’re angry then you’re going to see it! We’re not ones to go through the motions...’ NEW SINGLE ‘GOTTA LEAVE’ IS OUT 19TH NOV (VIRGIN)
Cat the Dog
tags: | cat the dog | chris mellion | more...
The Heavy
07/12/2007
Of the many, many causes given for the impending death of the music industry – amongst them: climate change; the internet; Boris Johnson as London Mayor; your mum – wise money should be placed on ruin being wracked by hyperbole. The irksome habit of describing every new record as the best blah since blah dropped the theremin and started eating pot from their bass drum or whatever has led to two industries, media and PR, consisting entirely of hot air. Hot air is worthless, except perhaps for decelerating the process of rigor mortis – which is a large part of these two industries anyway. Ultimately, it has made the task of describing a genuine, skull-crushingly awesome new band nigh on impossible. So we aren’t going to try to describe the Heavy yet. Before you read this, go listen to ‘That Kind of Man’ on their myspace. Then retrieve your jaw from the floor, go find where your ears went and come back. Wow, right? It’s like Jesus just donned an afro wig and some flares, visited the future and then returned to shake it with you and Superfly at the baddest party you wish you’d been to in 1973. So few bands are given time to develop; most debut records are dropped with about three fully realised songs and a bunch of filler written by the artists when they were still sixth formers, which make them facile, tuneless homilies to nothing or acne. The industry’s impatience is a prime reason for the boom in downloads and the love shown to the iPod shuffle thing (two other harbingers of major label apocalypse). The Heavy, however, are eight years in the making and magnificent for it. They’re a church formed on the louche and irreverent rock of the friendship and songwriting partnership of silken vocal-ed Kelvin Swaby and riffmaster Dan T (who utterly trumped your correspondent in a monkey-off, I’m sad to say), taking in a host of greater and lesser collaborators along the way – though keysplayer and silken wailer Hannah and bassplayer Big Daddy Spence have been more or less permanent throughout. “Up until recently, it’s been the two of us presenting a part of a song to each other,” says Dan, superior simian impersonator. “Kelvin would do a vocal part, or I’d do a guitar line which would become a sample. But now... I’m still trying to comprehend it.” Kelvin fills in: “When you have a band who play as well as these guys, it becomes about laying it down and sampling ourselves.” Illustrating Kelvin’s explanation, an innocuous, almost facile question proves incisive: If The Heavy were the plot of a book or a film, what would you be? “Something by Jim Jarmusch,” quoth Spencer; “YES!” they all emphatically agree, “Down By Law!” they cried; “Mmm...” mused Dan, “Crossed with the A-Team.” “YES!!!” they all emphatically agreed again, before descending into much laughter and impersonations. The camaraderie of the collective is warm and inclusive, all constantly inclined towards fulsome chuckles. They’re a group obviously happy – delighted, in fact – with their situation. “It feels as if everything has fallen into place at the right time,” Swaby confirms. In a world awash with bands often driven by a single, consuming ego (yet another harbinger – *cough* Borrell), egalitarian musicianship will always breed more adventurous, exceptional results. The Heavy’s long incubation period has born such fruit – a great comparison both musically and structurally would be Gnarls Barkley, similarly meaty and silken, and similarly developed as life-long musicians. “Yeah, we’ve worked with the egos on and off, and every time it’s been the worst experience of our lives,” says Dan. “Lesser people – or, if we’d been less tight, might have fallen by the wayside,” Kelvin continues. “The idea of the album title, ‘Great Vengeance and Furious Fire,’ is kind of apt for what we’ve been through. There are people always wanting to take little bits and pieces from your persona and personalities. If you can stay true, well, you can make an album as good as Great Vengeance and Furious Fire!” And once more, they descend into hilarity. The Heavy peddle the sex of dirt, always underlined by vicious, juicy beats and those eclectic funk riffs. The album is as Biblically proportioned as its title, both sounding like Sam Jackson’s Pulp Fiction character massacring no-goods on the steps of Sacré Couer. Since Chris Ellul became their full time drummer mid-summer, they’ve formed into a terrifying live prospect. As Kelvin says: “I look forward to bursting some ear drums. It’ll be ridiculous when you see it. Destructive. In your face. Ninja Tune has strengthened our arsenal. Now, we’re gonna burn down villages. Spare only the women and children.” ALBUM “GREAT VENGEANCE AND FURIOUS FIRE” OUT 05/11/07 ON COUNTER RECORDS/NINJA TUNE
The Heavy
tags: | the heavy | that kind of man | more...
Hardsoul Interview
03/10/2007
How did you two guys first meet? Roog: (laughter) That’s a legendary question! 31 years ago we were both just chilling in the crib… So how old are you both now? R: I’m 35, and Greg is 31. We’re both getting old! But we still look 25. Were you big on the club scene when you were younger? Who were the kind of people that you looked up to at the time? Greg: Yeah we used to go out when were like 18, 19 years old, something like that. R: We had these two clubs in Amsterdam: The Roxy and The It, and in The Roxy especially they would have these international DJs playing there from the beginning of the 90s. We saw people like Tony Humphries, and people like that. Already in the beginning of the 90s our tastes were more towards the soulful house stuff. You’re up there now as the most widely celebrated Dutch house acts. You’ve won numerous awards, been voted no. 1 DJ etc. Do you think that Holland has now shaken its association with trance music? R: Well it’s taken us 15 years. I mean, everyone knows that Holland is the trance capital of the world. Tiesto is from Holland. Ferry Corsten is from Holland. When we first went to the Miami Music Conference they saw on our badge that we were from Holland and they were like “no no no, we don’t do trance. We don’t wanna hear your music.” And we were like “no! We do soulful house music”, and they were like “yeah whatever, we don’t wanna hear your music”. So it took us a very, very long time. But in the last few years house and electronic house has got really big in Holland. It’s now even bigger than trance, or any other kind of dance music. It’s the biggest thing now, and I think the world is ready for the second wave of Dutch artists, such as Fedde le Grand. So you two guys are classically trained pianists. Just how good are you? G: Not any more! You have to keep practising to stay really good. But did like seven-to-ten years of training. In terms of producing, how much does it matter to have some kind of musical training such as yours? G: Well that depends on what kind of music you wanna make. If you want to make something really musical, it obviously pretty handy to have that kind of background. R: We have to admit that when we do the musical stuff, we bring in people that are far better musicians than us. It’s easier too, as when you’re playing yourself you get too stuck up in your own ideas. It’s better as a producer, I think, working with other musicians. I’ve seen many photos of the both of you wearing Hardsoul t-shirts. That must be part of your strategy in getting people recognising you? R: Nowadays, with the internet and all the download sites, people get so much information and so much new music every week, so people need something like Defected or Subliminal to give it the credibility stamp. People are like ‘these guys know music, so I will listen to their new release’. This is what we are trying to achieve. So let’s talk about the compilation. Can you pick out two or three of the tracks that really do it for you on there? G: To start with, we have Dennis Ferrer’s ‘Touched the Sky’ on there. R: It’s already out but we love it so much that we had to put it on. Are there any exclusives on there? R: I want to give props to Copyright, as they gave us some new tracks which aren’t really finished yet. But there’s one track that’s totally brand new, called ‘Deeper’, and we’re starting the CD off with that track. It’s amazing. It’s nice, sort of like beginning of the night material but I love it. We also did a special version of our track Hardsoul presents Quasimodo ‘Give In’. G: And of course we have to plug another new track, Hardsoul feat. Fierce Ruling Diva ‘Believe in Me’, which is the track Kenny ripped out of Roog’s hand that time.
Hardsoul Interview
tags: | hard soul | the roxy | the it | more...
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