Following on from their highly acclaimed debut album ‘it’s not something it’s like whatever’ in June 2008, Errors return to exceptional form with ‘Come Down With Me’.

Released on Mogwai’s own label Rock Action Records, ‘Come Down With Me’ was recorded over the last 6 months in the bands’ very own, self-created studio in Glasgow. Known as ‘The Freezer’ (it’s pretty nippy by all accounts) this dank, vaguely depressing bunker-like space became the perfect environment to concentrate solely on the album.

Produced mainly by the band themselves, with added production from Steven Ward, the ideas for the album started to come together as they toured around Europe supporting Mogwai earlier his year. A tour with WhoMadeWho followed which led into the summer festivals including ATP, Green Man and Latitude. If you caught the band at any of these you may well have caught a few early incarnations of tracks on ‘Come Down With Me’ but post ‘The Freezer’, you’re unlikely to recognise them on record.

The first single will be ‘A Rumour In Africa’ on 7” & download, and was released on February 15 followed by the album ‘Come Down With Me’ being released on March 1

As taster for what’s in store, Errors have added ‘Beards’ to their myspace player – www.myspace.com/weareerrors Below are the full dates for the album tour running from Feb 25 to March 26.

Tickets are available from www.ticketweb.co.uk

Live dates:

25/2 Glasgow Grand Ole Opry
26/2 Aberdeen Lemon Tree
27/2 Lancaster The Storey
28/2 Sheffield The Harley
1/3 Brighton Freebutt
2/3 Oxford The Jericho
3/3 Tunbridge Wells The forum
4/3 London Scala
5/3 Southampton Joiners Arms
6/3 Bristol Start The Bus
7/3 Cardiff Barfly
8/3 Birmingham Flapper
9/3 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
10/3 Manchester Deaf Institute
11/3 Bath Moles
12/3 Norwich Arts Center
13/3 Newcastle Other Rooms
19/3 Stirling Tolbooth
25/3 Dublin Academy 2
26/3 Belfast Blackbox

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Simply Red have confirmed concert dates at The O2, Dublin on 07 November and The Odyssey Arena, Belfast on 08 November, 2010 as part of their final Farewell Tour. Tickets for Dublin and Belfast will go on sale next Friday 19 March at 9.00am.

Simply Red will play their final Farewell shows this year after a quarter of a century of touring, allowing Mick to pursue a solo career and begin a brand new chapter. They will say their farewells in South America in April, then Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK and Ireland from September to December.

Simply Red’s classic pop and elegant ballads have provided an uplifting and emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times. Their phenomenal career has spanned three decades; they’ve released 10 studio albums racking up over fifty million global sales, notched up over 30 top 40 UK singles, won countless awards including 3 Brits, 2 Ivor Novellos and a Mobo Special Achievement. They gained the rarest prize for a British artist with not just one, but TWO number one hits in the USA; the album ‘Stars’ was the biggest selling album in the UK for two consecutive years and they have played more than 1000 live shows to over 10 million people.

“Welcome to the final year of twenty five mind blowing years. What an adventure it has been! I could never have imagined my career would bring me so far. We want to share this closing anniversary with all the people who have enjoyed our sound through out the years. Celebrate it and gently move on to the second half of a musical story. We all hope to see you at a show some where soon. Best wishes from Mick and all at Simply Red.”

Tickets on sale Friday 19th March at 9.00am

The O2, Dublin
The O2, Dublin: Tel (01) 8198888
Book On Line: www.theo2.ie

The Odyssey Arena, Belfast
Odyssey Arena Box Office: Tel. 02890 739074
Book On Line: www.odysseyarena.com

Ticketmaster In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour):
ROI – 0818 719 300, Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

Links:
www.simplyred.com
www.mcd.ie

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There is nothing better than discovering new music you really like and the Ocean Colour Scene gig led to a new musical discovery in the form of Belfast band The Vals. The band consists of Paul Doherty, Jeremy Meaden, Owen Duffy, Marty Malone, Ronnie Cartwright and Matt Rice. Formed in 2005, the band recorded a 30-minute acoustic session for NVTV programme Kick Out the Jams.

In August 2008, Paul Doherty of the Vals received correspondence from former Beatle John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono expressing her admiration for the band after a festival he organised in Belfast called Valfest – A festival of Music, Peace and Love.

The band are on a meteoric rise to success having recently signed with Electrique Mud, a subsidiary of Unique Records. The first single, “Yesterday Today” was released on 28 February 2009, followed by “With You” in April. The band then embarked on a short European tour, playing the summer festival circuit, before the release of debut album “Sticks and Stones” on 5 October 2009

Next month The Vals headline their first major tour of Europe and are set to yet again take on the major festival scene. Already they have some massive shows under their belt such as the Haldern Pop Festival, Golzheim Festival and a future date at the famous Burg Hertzberg Festival alongside Jeff Becak and Hawkwind . Past shows/tours include with the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Ocean Colour Scene.

The Vals are definitely a band you will be hearing more about in the months to come.

Links:
The Vals

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Up and coming Dublin bands Scarecrow Disco and The Hot Sprockets are delighted to announce the release of their Limited Edition 7” Vinyl Split Single on their own label Go Splitsy Records. The vinyl will contain an A-side from each band, “Your Parrot’s Low on Batteries…” by Scarecrow Disco and “Honey Skippin’” by The Hot Sprockets.

Both bands rounded off an enviable 2009 with featured tracks on a 14-song compilation of Dublin’s hottest unsigned acts. “Sleep Shake” by The Hot Sprockets was picked out as the Key Track by Hot Press’ Jackie Hayden. He also gave a more than favourable mention to Scarecrow Disco’s “Sign Of The Times”, attributing a ‘madcap, unputdownable zest’ to this live favourite of the group.

The single will be launched on the 16th April in The Village, Wexford St. The first 200 people in the door will get their hands on the limited edition vinyl. Tickets are €10 and will be available on the door or from WaV tickets (1890 200 078). Both tracks will also be available in mp3 formats at all good digital stores.

I have managed to get a listen to both tracks and it makes for a particularly exciting release. Both bands compliment each other perfectly and if you can get down to The Village you won’t be disappointed.

Links:
www.myspace.com/scarecrowdisco
www.myspace.com/thehotsprockets

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Belfast Film Festival celebrates its 10th birthday this year and in order to mark this milestone this year’s Festival will be extended to run over 16 days from

15th–30th April. The film festival has grown exponentially from being a small element within a bigger community festival to becoming one of the key cultural events in Northern Ireland. Upwards of 16,000 people attended its events in 2009.

Over the years the Festival has consistently brought premiere’s, high calibre guests and a range of exciting innovative filmic events to the city, and 2010 is no exception. The 10th Belfast Film Festival boasts over 30 UK/Irish premieres in a jam packed programme, with 125 screenings and events across Belfast from over 25 countries including, Russia, Japan, Iran, Argentina, Israel and South Africa, to name but a few.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Naomi Long, today launched the programme and website for the 10th Belfast Film Festival commenting “The Belfast Film Festival has grown to become a flagship annual event in the city’s calendar. It promotes our city and its people on both an international and national stage, and its reputation for innovation and creativity is widely regarded. The city of Belfast is extremely proud of these achievements and we look forward to the 20th, 30th, 40th birthday celebrations, and beyond.”

The Festival opens on Thursday 15th April at the Moviehouse, Dublin Road with the UK/Irish Premiere of Triage starring man of the moment, Colin Farrell as war photographer Mark Walsh. Set in the late eighties, Walsh is sent to Kuridistan with a fellow photographer and friend, both capturing images of a war without borders that will affect both their lives profoundly.

Michele Devlin, Festival Director said of the programme:

“As well as programming a bold mix of international and European films, we are proud to be premiering three local Irish films; they include fun and frolics with buns and dodgy in-laws in the world premiere of Cupcake, Colin McIvor’s directorial debut. Five Day Shelter is the highly visual ensemble drama, directed by Ger Leonard and starring John Lynch, and we are delighted to confirm that John Lynch (Cal, In The Name of the Father) will attend the premiere, and will give an acting master-class which will include a reading from his soon to be published second novel Falling Out of Heaven. Local film-maker Michael McNulty, a prime example of how hard work and persistence pays off, will premiere his first film Empire, made on a zero budget over three years, is a true labour of love set in Belfast and starring many well known local faces and locations.”

Film fans eagerly awaiting to see award winning films will not be disappointed. Conor McPherson’s The Eclipse, which won Best Film award at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA’s) this year, can look forward to its Northern Ireland debut. Starring a simmering and charismatic performance by our very own Ciarán Hinds alongside Aidan Quinn, IFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. Ken Wardrop will introduce his documentary film His and Hers, a huge hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this delightful film is sure to win the hearts of local audiences.

Belfast Film Festival has become synonymous with ground-breaking special events, and this year is no exception. The Festival will show a classic episode of The cult 1960s TV show, The Prisoner, at First Church of Christ, Scientist University Street. The architect Clough Williams–Ellis who designed the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Belfast -his work can be seen in the village of Portmeirion in Wales the cult TV show was set. The screening will be followed by a discussion on Clough Williams-Ellis’ work and the importance of architectural heritage in Belfast.

In partnership with the Shruti Foundation and Lady Rana, the Festival is proud to have in attendance, one of the pioneers of the new cinema in India, Shyam Benegal, one of India’s most highly regarded film-makers. Two of his films Zubeidaa and The Making of the Mahatma will be screened in the Queen’s Film Theatre. The film-maker will also give a public lecture at the Great Hall in Queen’s University on 22nd April.

As a way to support the increasing numbers of aspiring film–makers, writers and producers in Northern Ireland and their thirst to know more about the, ‘business of film’, Belfast Film Festival and Northern Ireland Screen have partnered to host a two day seminar, Northern Exposure = Deal Closure.

The event will bring in key London sales agents, distributors, producers and literary talent agents for a series of four industry-focused panel sessions and discussion groups. Confirmed panellists include BAFTA nominee Tony Grisoni ( Red Riding Trilogy) Robin Gutch ( producer Warp X) Hilary Davis (Bankside Films) Stephen Murphy (Optimum Releasing) Nick Marston (Curtis Brown Agency) to name a few. To book a place interested are encouraged to register through the Film Festival website.

Within the renowned Dialogues strand, once again the Festival is unflinching in its investigation and examination of the big issues; This year in association with the Policing Programme at the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and QUB, this film strand entitled Policing and the People explores the human consequences of state security including the impact of implementing security policy on the police themselves.

Films and documentaries to be shown include The Fuse of Peace, which focuses on the events surrounding the Ardoyne Parade in 2009; the stark realities of policing at the frontline of the war against the Taliban are explored in The Survivors – Days in Zhari Police Station; and in The Fence, the unforeseen social consequences of U.S and Mexican border security are examined. Speakers include featuring Junior Minister Gerry Kelly (SF) Chief Superintendent Mark Hamilton PSNI, will discuss the lead up to the and events surrounding the Ardoyne Parade and Peter Smith QC, former Patten Commission member.

Also within the Dialogues strand this year, at both the Spectrum Centre Shankill and Culturlann Falls Road – the Festival will host a screening using archive from RTE as a catalyst for discussion on The Puzzles of Paisley. There are many seeming puzzles in the long public career of the Reverend Ian Paisley, yet there is a remarkable behavioural consistency. A group of distinguished authors and journalists will discuss on the Ian Paisley phenomenon with audiences.

Other films to premiere during Festival, include the funny, sad and sometimes tragic Lymelife starring Alec Baldwin. Set in the 1970s, the film is a unique take on the dangers of the American Dream as seen through the eyes of fifteen year old boy.

Same Sex Cinema strand has four great thought provoking and fun films including the hilarious and engaging Topp Twins – The Untouchable Girls, New Zealand’s most cherished and charmingly irrepressible performing duos; Also causing a stir is first time writer/ director Xavier Dolan from Canada; his directorial debut, I Killed My Mother showcases Dolan’s tremendous talent as writer, director and star of this brilliantly engaging tale.

Once again music enthusiasts will enjoy the Sound and Vision Strand of the Festival – there are a number of treats including music documentaries on Nick Cave, Neil Young and The Doors. For live music, the Film Festival has teamed up with Moving on Music and Strange Victory. Danish band Efterklang will be performing their quirky experimental pop also within the programme line-up, San Fransisco’s Wooden Shjips.

The Short Film Competition, which highlights local film-making talent will once again showcase 30 locally made Irish short films. The International Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition has an interesting slate of films including the hilarious and youtube phenomenon Winnebago Man; also the ‘king on the bee films’ of the past year, Colony,

American: The Bill Hicks Story, at the QFT, shows rare and previously unseen performance footage and the testimonies only from people who knew him best to create a deeply perceptive film. This will certainly satisfy the hordes of Hicks fans in Belfast.

Closing night film of the 10th Belfast Film Festival, will be the UK/Ireland premiere of a film by one of Hollywood’s greatest directors-Francis Ford Coppola; Tetro starring Vincent Gallo is Coppola’s first original screenplay since The Conversation; this beautiful film, is shot in black and white and set in the bristling streets of Buenos Aires.

Full information is now available in the official 10th Belfast Film Festival Programme distributed in key venues across Belfast and by booking online at www.belfastfilmfestival.org

Tickets are available for purchase by phoning Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 90 246609 on in person at 47 Donegall Place Belfast.

Download a copy of the Programme

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Northern Irish gems Inch High, have announced the release date for their next single from their Album ‘The Engine Sounds’ the single is the infectious track ‘Whiskey as a friend’ which is released as download on April 05th 2010. ‘Whiskey as a friend’ combines catchy guitar riffs with the hook of a melodic chorus which will have you humming along after just one listen, this is a track made for radio.

Co. Down four piece Inch High have established themselves as one of the premier rock acts in N.Ireland.
Their 2005 debut album “Look kids, its Big Ben” received widespread critical acclaim including a 4K review in rock/metal bible Kerrang! Magazine. Showcase gigs in London and a top 5 inclusion in the “Best unsigned band” category of the 2005 Kerrang! Reader’s poll finished off an already amazing year.

2006 saw the band developing their fan base with an already renowned live reputation landing them numerous headline appearances at rock nights throughout Ireland. They also got a coveted slot on the Belfast leg of the 2006 IMRO showcase tour in June, a slot at the Celtic Fusion festival in August, and the support slot on the Irish tour of UK rock legends The Quireboys. In November the band were included in the 10th anniversary line-up of the belFEST showcase event.

In 2007,Classic Rock magazine contributor Jeff Collins described the band as “…having more hooks than a convention of one-armed pirates…hard-hitting, a real joy to listen to…Inch High in name, potential rock giants in the making…” Spring 2008 saw the band supporting NWOBHM legends, Tygers of Pan Tang, on the Irish leg of their UK tour as well as finishing recording sessions for their second album “The engine sounds…”.

The album was released in Nov 2008 and Kerrang again praised the band, saying of the album,”…Irish hard rockers burn bright with promise…good songwriting comes naturally…INCH HIGH have done a fine job…”
The year finished with a bang as the band secured support slots with rising Irish hopefuls, The Answer and US rockers Black Stone Cherry.

In May 2009 the band shot their first video for the live favourite, “Little man”.The band continuedto develop their fan base locally and in November they supported Scottish rockers Gun on their Irish dates. The year ended with The Quireboys again asking the band to support them at their Belfast show.

You can purchase ‘‘Whiskey as a friend’ from April 05th 2010, via Itunes, Downloadmusic.ie and the bands myspace. ‘The Engine Sounds’ Album is available now online and in all good independent music stores. More information can be found by following the links below.

Links:
www.myspace.com/inchhigh

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Song’s like “When I see you Smile” and “Forget Me Not” frequently appear on Radio playlists Ricky Phillips is a veteran of the rock world, he was worked with the greats from The Babys, Bad English and Styx. Ricky has taken time to talk to us about his career, the music business and his own musical heros.

When did you start making music and what attracted you to bass guitar ?

I started at 6 on piano really, although I did mess with my Dad’s guitar through my childhood. I had a friend who had the same fascination for music and we graduated from playing every piano duet we could to guitar around 10 or 11. We formed our first band when I was 12 and he was 13 called,”The Warlox”.

I had turned 13 by the time we did our first gig which consisted of Beatles, Stones and Monkees music laced with some one hit wonders of the 60’s. One weekend my bass player left his bass at my house after a rehearsal and I couldn’t put it down. I found the McCartney parts harder and more interesting to play than the Lennon/Harrison parts and I was hooked.

Who were your influences growing up ?

Besides McCartney, I was heavily influenced by the phrasing and note choice of early Eric Clapton and adopted as much as I could of his guitar style to bass, specifically from the Cream period. He played completely different in those days. Cream, Hendrix and Motown records were my sole diet for a period of time until Zeplin came along.

The bass part that Jimi (Hendrix) played himself on ‘All Along the Watchtower’ is still one of my favorite recorded bass performances of all time. The Who’s, John Entwhistle was a huge influence on me as was Chris Squire of Yes. Zeps, John Paul Jones was very clever in his sometimes sophisticated always melodic approach to blues-influenced heavy music. He could marry his parts to support the drums and still convey an alternate energy with melody … which I have attempted to inhale in every way I possibly could.

All of these amazing players taught me how to write lyrically with stress on melody and unique note choice, to create bass parts that would stand on their own. I was also influenced by a couple jam style bassists such as Jack Bruce of Cream and Tim Bogert in his Cactus days and the Beck,Bogert and Appice project.

You have worked with many of the greats, what has been the highlight of your career personally ?

Working and recording with Jimmy Page and David Coverdale on their CD was a great experience. Sitting in with Jeff Beck and jamming with Mick Jagger were definitely great moments. I was a kid when these guys were already influencing all of us. The studio work and touring with some of my favorite artists as a side man behind the scenes, logged some great experiences.

But writing, creating, recording and finding success with my own bands The Babys, Bad English and now Styx are the most satisfying of my career so far. Being a part of something clearly greater than yourself is the ultimate.

Bad English for me was a turning point in rock music. Melody, great vocal and the song appeared more important that anyone instrument. What was it like playing in Bad English ?

Bad English was a band of brothers who fought just as often as we got along. Creative differences are a bitch but can push bands to higher heights. We respected each other but everyone had strong opinions and visions for the band. The push and pull in this process resulted in the band putting out great songs and performances in the studio. I’m proud of both of those CDs.

Did the lifestyle resemble the music videos ?

I’m not sure I understand what you mean but the lifestyle in the 80s was clearly of excess. Which was something we had all been aware of for years. Road life is often disjointed and you try to kill 22 hours a day waiting to do your 2 hour show. So we could get A bit crazy at times simply out of boredom. However, we all had a strong work ethic so, the writing and recording phase had quite a different lifestyle and focus to it.

I can remember growing my hair like John Waite’s but never ventured as far as dressing the same way. Looking back at some of the music videos are there any outfits you regret ?

No man, I’m guilty as charged. At an early age I saw how Hendrix, Bowie, Sly Stone, John Lennon, Little Richard, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and so many other great talented people were embracing their art form completely by living it day to day and it has always stuck with me. They walked the walk.

There are pictures of me in the 70’s hiking in Yellowstone Park with platform shoes on. I’m lucky I didn’t break an ankle but they were probably the only shoes I had as a traveling young bar musician. But I love seeing that I was completely immersed and invested. Purple leather suits and crazy hairdos are all part of the journey. Once in the 80s, I was growing my hair out from a short Duran Duranish cut and for a brief point it looked very mullet like…not the desired look I was going for.

Of course, that’s exactly when I got a call from Atlantic Records to do a live television broadcast with Roger Daltrey…oh well, I disguised it the best I could, Roger was a blast and it was an amazing time… I guess I survived it and lived to tell about it.

Are you still in contact with the band ?

I’m in touch with most of the people I’ve worked with but it does seem like weeks have passed when it’s actually years between phone calls.

What was your favorite Bad English song and why ?

The first Bad English album had two #1 songs, 5 top 40 singles and a 6th that made top 50. But my favorite was actually on the 2nd CD, ‘Backlash’, which was much darker throughout. There was a song not released in the States but was a top 10 hit in Europe and found the #1 slot in a couple countries for a minute or two.

It was called “Time Stood Still” and became a television/radio theme song for Heineken Beer in Europe. I remember John writing the lyric, “We found a little seaside bar high above the rocks,”… and I followed with, “You were drinking white wine, while I was doin shots”. The payoff line was,”We threw our watches in the sea, I looked at you, you looked at me and time stood still”. In rock it’s nearly impossible to touch on a romantic notion without getting into the rock ballad thing. We somehow were able to do it. It’s one of my favorite collaborations I’ve done with John, or anyone really.

It was radio friendly but not blatantly pop. We couldn’t wait to finish the song to see how the story line would end. I had played a Flamenco guitar intro on the demo which Neal Schon took to whole other level for the actual recording. My friend Jesse Harms was the one who actually came up with the chorus idea for the song and an infectious keyboard line.

We went our separate ways after that CD. I think we may have been on the verge of writing our most quality stuff and getting away from the predictable gloss of pop music.

John Waite regularly performs some of the Bad English classics, have you ever considered a reunion ?

I get asked that a lot but frankly, no one else seems to be interested. If all of our collective bands, Journey, Styx and John did a tour together I suppose we could do some impromptu Bad English performances. Money is always huge factor in setting up a tour and it takes tons to put one together.

Working as a professional musician comes with massive highs with album successes and I imagine similar lows when things go quiet. How do you cope with the throes of fame ?

The lows effected me more when I was in my 20s. After a great success and a band break up, I was always working on the next thing and some of the best work I’ve ever done failed miserably. I refused to follow the flavor of the month music trends which is the only way to go but it’s a steeper mountain to climb.

All of my friends were amazing musicians and when one of us would get a touring offer for the big bucks, the projects were abandoned. The time, energy, passion and sacrifice put into creating an original sounding band is more powerful than the decline of your own personal popularity. In LA I noticed a lot of musicians following every musical trend and those who put the party before the music. I’ve definitely taken my turn wearing the lamp shade but I’m not on the Poseur A list.

I love LA and have great friends there who have found success in this very environment but I felt it diluted me in just about every way. I’ve always written and recorded music as it hit me and reflected the world around me. it has remained the constant through highs and lows. After frustrations with keeping bands together I developed a bit of a loner focus but I always kept working…chipping away at the stone.

I do think that your work ethic is a key to any success and one of the reasons I have continued to get the career offers I have. The satisfaction and feeling of success and camaraderie you experience with a band is unequaled by anything I’ve done thus far. Ironically it took me working alone in the studio for years to appreciate it.

These days I’m on the road over 200 days a year. Off the road I suppose I’m still a bit of a loner. I like to blend in but realize I probably don’t. I’ve moved away from Los Angeles I’m there quite often to see friends and occasionally to work. But It’s been refreshing to be away from the industry of show biz on a daily basis and to talk to everyday people about everyday things. It’s much more interesting. Off the road I work long hours in my home studio to satisfy my creative urges and play golf to clear my head.

With the advances in technology many musicians and employing computer based recording have you ventured to using a computer live ? if so how do you use the technology ?

No, In Styx we sing and play everything live. I don’t mind other genres, especially dance, using pre recorded or synced back up but it’s pretty weak for rock bands to do that. However, speaking digitally, I do remember the first record I produced digitally without tape. I was asked to write and produce Fergie Frederiksen’s (Toto) first solo CD.

I took all my production budget and bought the hardware and the software to do the project. I slept on a couch in my studio 10 feet from my console for 2 months and learned while recording. The pressure of holding someone’s career in your hands was intense. It was living hell for a bit. It came out great and Fergie got well- deserved rave reviews for his first solo effort and I received some good press as well because of it.

We (Styx) just recently started writing by sending each other song files and recording our parts in our own studios. I still prefer everyone in one room but I’m pleased with the recordings we’ve been making this way. Plus we seem to be writing and recording a lot more because of the ease in scheduling our individual personal time.

If you could work with anyone who would you choose and why ?

Of the living…I love Jeff Beck and If I thought I could keep up with him, he would be at the top of my list. I’m all about passion, inspiration and conviction while performing and he is the pinnacle of that quest. He walks straight out to the edge of the cliff and stays there. I had a chance to perform with him In Japan along with Neal Schon, John Waite, Terry Bozzio and Steve Lukather. It lists way up there of favorite lifetime moments. Of the no longer living…. Hendrix and Stevie Ray.

What is your favorite song / band and why ?

I can’t put it into one song but the Beatles in their short lived career would be impossible to overlook. It isn’t that they created a sound that everyone tried to mimic. But they broke the rules and gave us some much hipper ones to follow. Who knows what lame direction music might have taken if we hadn’t been educated by them and George Martin. There are people who say, “I don’t get the Beatles”, ….which in itself blows my mind… but I would guess that their favorite bands were influenced by The Beatles in some way…or by other artists who were.

If you could have chosen a different career what would have been ?

A professional golfer. Which would have given me an even greater chance of failure than as a musician.

A few musicians of late have literally 100s of guitars in their home. Do you have a large collection or historic equipment?

I suppose I have around 90 guitars and basses located in various places all over the country. Some are on the road in two different rigs with Styx, most are in LA in storage lockers and some are with friends. I have some very nice 50’s and 60’s guitars and basses but have retired them from the road for fear of damage or theft.

Now that I know which one’s I can’t live without I’ve recently thought of thinning the herd…but every time I sell a guitar I regret it. Vintage Guitar Magazine did an article on a portion of my collection last April.

What are you currently working on ?

I’ve been doing some re-recording of the Styx catalogue for things like Rock Band, Guitar Hero and other purposes. Also I have started recording the songs I’ve been writing over the past several years that have fallen through the cracks. I have no idea what I will do with them as of yet but I’ve been finding cool songs that I had completely forgotten about and some definitely deserve their day in court.

What are you currently listening to / What is on your iPod?

I’m the only one on planet Earth without an iPod. I do have a computer chalked full of my own song ideas and some Stevie Ray live performances, Jeff Beck new and old concerts, Hendrix live performances, Wilson Pickett, James Brown…you now, collectors performances with no overdubs. I still love hearing live performances served up by my mentors.

Links:
www.rickyphillips.com

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QFT will host an exhibition of new work by Belfast artist Kev Largey, to coincide with exclusive screenings of Banksy’s new film Exit Through the Gift Shop from Friday 12 – Thursday 25 March.

Exit Through the Gift Shop follows filmmaker Thierry Guetta’s attempts to capture the world of graffiti art in thrilling detail, capturing many of the most infamous figures at work on the streets. He locates and befriends Banksy only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner, with spectacular results.

A popular figure in Belfast’s alternative art scene for over ten years, Kev Largey began his career as a graphic designer and illustrator and quickly moved from designing street wear clothing to creating work on a larger scale.

Kev has created countless exhibitions and large scale murals both inside and out and has collaborated with some of Europe’s best known exponents of street art. His passion for street art has brought him to paint walls in Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, New York and Thailand. The QFT exhibition marks a departure in Kev’s work, with experiments with airbrush and acrylic paints, painting on recycled wood, and work using a mixture of rollers, brushes and spray paint.

The Kev Largey exhibition will launch on Friday 12 March at 6pm – admission free. To see it after the launch, drop in to 20 University Square from 9.30am-11pm, Monday to Friday and 6pm-11pm, Saturday and Sunday. Further information from www.kevlargey.com
Tickets for Exit Through the Gift Shop are £6/£5 and are on sale now from www.queensfilmtheatre.com

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The best in modern music will be showcased in Belfast, in March, as the Moving on Music Festival returns to the city from 23rd – 28th. Featuring a range of innovative international artists alongside local talent, an insightful music industry seminar and a whistle-stop piano-a-thon, there is certainly plenty happening for everyone during the six-day carnival of sound!

Since its establishment in 1995, Moving On Music has grown to become one of the leading promoters of electronic, jazz, folk, traditional, classical and world music in Northern Ireland. Through this annual festival, which is now in its third year, the independent, not for profit organisation aims to take music fans on an eclectic musical experience by presenting a sensational showcase of events that embrace a wide spectrum of genres, from folk to funk to free jazz.

2010 Festival proceedings kick off on Tuesday 23rd March when eccentric Wandering Pianist – Matthew Bourne will be engaging in a whistle-stop tour of Belfast, that will see him playing some of the city’s most forgotten (and some not so forgotten pianos), in an array of venues, ranging from retail outlets to community centres. Whatever condition Matthew finds these instruments in, whether they have missing keys, or are brand spanking new, he will tinkle their ivories in his own highly individual style!

On Wednesday 24th March, at the Oh Yeah Centre (noon – 1pm) Bangor-born/Leeds-based composer/double-bassist Dave Kane will facilitate a seminar entitled ‘Collective Thinking’, that will provide musicians with a unique opportunity to learn about the benefits of music collectives and to garner practical advice on setting up music collectives. Dave is a founder member of LIMA (Leeds Improvised Music Association) and is the musical director/composer for the LIMA Orchestra, an ever-expanding improv orchestra featuring some of the UK’s finest musicians.

Both of these events are being presented in association with The MAC – Northern Ireland’s world-class home for the arts, which is due to open in 2011.

Dave Kane and Matthew Bourne will be back in action at the Black Box on Wednesday 24th March (doors, 8pm), when they perform together as part of energetic free jazz ensemble Dave Kane’s Rabbit Project. This quintet (which also features Joost Hendricks, drums / Simon Kaylor, tenor saxophone / Simon Beddoe, trumpet) has been receiving much critical acclaim for its interesting interpretation of what twenty-first century jazz should sound like!

The exceptional exploits of Dave Kane’s Rabbit Project will be followed up on Thursday 25th March with a free lunchtime performance of twentieth century and contemporary music, by local pianist Simon Mawhinney at the Harty Room (doors, 12.45pm). Simon Mawhinney was born in Co. Down and is a Lecturer in Music at Queen’s University, Belfast. His compositions have been played internationally by leading musicians and ensembles and he is currently writing a large-scale work for Icelandic flautist Kolbeinn Bjarnason.

This Thursday lunchtime treat is followed up with some Thursday nighttime delights at the Black Box (doors, 8pm), when Mercury Music Prize nominated folk act The Unthanks perform. Northumbria sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank are unsentimental young storytellers outside of time, forging links between folk worlds old, new and other. Staunch traditionalism and sonic adventure ought to be polar opposites, yet they are easy bedfellows in the gentle hands of The Unthanks; the British counterpart to the leftfield folk leanings of Sufjan Stevens, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Tom Waits and Fleet Foxes.

The Unthanks will be supported by Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell, an exciting new folk duo who play out kitchen sink dramas and tales of the heart with tender, quiet reserve on guitar, piano, fiddle, viola and saw.

Friday 26th March offers an exciting double-bill of indie-music at the Black Box (doors, 8pm), featuring Scottish electro act Errors, who will be supported by local lads Kowalski. Errors’ second album ‘Come Down With Me’ (released 1st March) is a collection of expansive, ambitious, intelligent and genre-defying tracks, which suggest that 2010 will be a landmark year for the Glaswegian quartet.

On Saturday 27th March, An Droichead (Cooke Street, off Ormeau Road) is the venue for ‘Buttons, Barrels and Bows’ (doors, 7.30pm) – an evening of traditional, yet inventive music, featuring virtuoso fiddle player Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, gifted flautist Catherine McEvoy and?concertina maestro Micheál Ó’Raghallaigh. This event in presented by An Droichead in association with Moving on Music. Tickets priced £10 are available from 028 9028 8818 and www.androichead.com.

Meanwhile, on the same night, legendary dub producer Adrian Sherwood will be bringing his distinctive beats and bass to the Black Box (doors, 9.30pm). Founder of the influential On-U Sound label, Sherwood has worked with a wide collection of artists including Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. He has also produced records for acts such as Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and Primal Scream. For this performance, Sherwood will be joined by MC Brother Culture, who has worked with many of the world’s leading producers. Last year, he collaborated with DJ Andy Smith on the acclaimed Greensleeves Document. MC Brother Culture’s vocals also appear on Thunder — a track from The Prodigy’s 2009 album Invaders Must Die.

Festival proceedings come to a close at the Black Box on Sunday 28th March (doors, 8pm), with a performance by the David Lyttle Group featuring American trumpet player Terell Stafford. County Armagh-born drummer/composer David Lyttle has been hailed as one of the most significant jazz musicians to have emerged in Ireland in recent years. His special guest Terell Stafford is a gifted and versatile musician, who has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. The David Lyttle Group also features guitarist Mark McKnight and bassist Damian Evans.

Tickets for Moving On Music Festival events are available from Belfast Welcome Centre (029 9024 6609) and online from www.movingonmusic.co.uk. Advanced booking is recommended, where possible.

MOVING ON MUSIC FESTIVAL
23rd – 28th MARCH 2010
VARIOUS VENUES – BELFAST

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It is hard to be believe that Ocean Colour Scene will be celebrating their 21st anniversary next year. Having just released their ninth studio album entitled “Saturday” they have clocked up an impressive eleven Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums during their illustrious career.

Saturday, was recorded over six weeks last summer at the iconic Rockfield studios in South Wales with producer Gavin Monaghan (Editors/ the Twang), and finds them as vibrantly tuneful as they’ve ever been.

The Ocean Colour Scene story is already the stuff of musical legend; From their days as Breton-shirt wearing disciples of The Stone Roses (debut single ‘Sway’) to million selling Britpop superstars (‘Marchin’ Already’ bumped Oasis’ ‘Be Here Now’ from the top spot in 1997) to long-term touring allies with Paul Weller, their story is inseparable from the greats of modern British rock.

Saturday has been high on my iTunes playlist since release, I don’t think they could have packed anymore in with fourteen tracks featuring the classic OCS melodic ballads that stick in your heads for days after you hear them.

From the opening bars of psych-folk opener ‘100 Floors Of Perception’ – written by Simon about the on-going financial crisis – to epic climax ‘Rockfield’ (think ‘Baba O’Riley’ meets ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’), it’s a reminder than when it comes to delivering classic rock hooks there is simply no one better.

My favourite track from the latest release is 6. “Sing Children Sing” and if you have somehow missed the OCS experience there isn’t a better song for your baptism.

On Sunday OCS played a packed Mandela Hall in Belfast, supported by local success story the Vals the band were on top form. Playing a mix of songs from Saturdays and their back catalogue it was clear to see how stole the show at this year’s V, being named ‘Band Of The Festival’ by BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Radio.

Ocean Colour Scene are definitely a band to see live ! One or two additional photos can be found here.

Links:
Ocean Colour Scene
CDC Leisure
Photos : FlixelPix

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We have a pair of tickets to the upcoming Pendulum gig at the newly refurbished Ulster Hall. are a drum and bass/rock/electronic group from Perth, Australia, who relocated to the UK in 2003. The group (2002) comprises Rob Swire (vocals/synth/producer), Gareth McGrillen (bass guitar/producer/DJ), Perry ap Gwynedd (guitar), Paul ‘El Hornet’ Harding (DJ) and Kodish (drums).

In 2005 they released their debut album, Hold Your Colour. Critically, the album was well-received in both the United Kingdom and Australia. In addition, it was one of the biggest selling Drum and Bass releases of all time. Pendulum have also collaborated with The Freestylers, releasing the single “Fasten Your Seatbelt”. MC $pyda and DJ Tenor Fly also feature as vocalists on “Tarantula”.

Pendulum’s sound is typically heavy beats accompanied by low, buzzing bass lines, overlaid with synthesized leads. As of their latest album, In Silico, further experiments with sound are evident with many more elements from rock and typical electronic music being incorporated into their music.

Their track “Vault” was played by almost every DJ and was declared by annual Knowledge Drum’n’bass Awards as The Best Track of the Year. They’ve made a bunch of remixes, including a remix of Voodoo People by The Prodigy.

Since then, Pendulum turned to rock music. Having impressed on their sold-out UK tour at the end of last year, Pendulum return to these shores in May 2008 with their full live band experience. The tour coincides with the release of their second album In Silico on May 12th. “In Silico” is Pendulum’s first album for Warner Bros. Records via the bands Ear Storm imprint and features the recent single “Granite”. A second single entitled “Propane Nightmares” will further preview the album when it’s released on April 14th.

How to Enter :

To win a pair of tickets to Pendulum on Monday 17th May (details here) All you have to do is subscribe to our news feed (see here for details) During this week we will add a secret code that will only appear at the bottom of articles via our RSS feed (i.e. they will not appear on the Amuze.me website). When you spot the code come back to this post and post it in the comments.

If you are on Twitter we would also appreciate a re-tweet of the competition. The competition closes on the 30th March, the winner will be notified via email.

Links:
Pendulum

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The new album is LCD Soundsystem’s first full offering of new studio material since 2007’s Sound Of Silver, which was named best album of 2007 by The Guardian, Uncut and the Independent among others, and like its predecessor 2005’s LCD Soundsystem received a Grammy nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Sound Of Silver also featured Uncut song of the year “North American Scum,” and “All My Friends,” ranked #4 by Time in its Best Songs of 2007 and named track of the year by Mojo.

In 2008, LCD Soundsystem contributed the track “Big Ideas” to the soundtrack of the movie 21. The band has since released the 45:33: The Remixes EP and a cover of Alan Vega’s “Bye Bye Bayou,” issued to commemorate Record Store Day 2009 and earning LCD its fifth NME single of the week. The album will be preceded by the March 22nd release of the soundtrack to Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg, which features both composition’s from James Murphy’s original score for the film and the new LCD Soundsystem song “Oh You (Christmas Blues).”

The record’s release will be supported by a world tour beginning with an April 16 penultimate slot at the Coachella festival in Indio CA and continuing with a run of UK/Europe headline dates (several of which have sold out well in advance and necessitated added dates) and further worldwide festival appearances. For a full itinerary, see below and continue to check http://lcdsoundsystem.com/ for additions going forward.

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Northern Irelands fastest growing outdoor music festival, ‘LARK IN THE PARK’ are proud to announce details of its return in 2010 to Moria’s Demense Park on the weekend of April 30th & May 01st 2010, with two spectacular days of live music, entertainment and a fun day out for all the family.

April 30th, will one of Irelands best, THE SAW DOCTORS headline the evening and May 01st (Headline will be announced soon) A funny thing happened to The Saw Doctors in October 2008. After a gap of 17 years, the West of Ireland rockers topped the Irish Music Singles Chart with their punked up version of the Sugababes song “About You Now”, beating off international artists such as Pink and Kings of Leon.

Back in the early ninties, The Saw Doctors were Number One in Ireland with Hay Wrap, N17 and I Useta Lover which still holds the record for the biggest selling Irish single. The bands first album, If This Is Rock & Roll, I Want My Old Job Back” was Number One in Ireland for most of 1991.

After posting a second Number One album (All The Way From Tuam), The Saw Doctors set about touring the UK and in February 1996, the band’s third album “Same Oul’ Town” went to Number Six in the UK Top Twenty, yielding two Top Twenty UK singles, World of Good, and To Win Just Once. The Saw Doctors appeared on BBC’s Top of the Pops in January and July 1996 to promote the two singles.

Over the years, The Saw Doctors have built up a reputation as a great live band. They have toured in Australia, Canada, USA, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Norway and the UK. Paul Sexton of The Times in London observed that “if they could bottle the sort of bonhomie that can make an entire concert hall feel better, The Saw Doctors would have the medicine show to end them all”.

THE LINE UP:

FRIDAY APRIL 30TH – 5PM to 10:30PM
THE SAW DOCTORS
FIDDLER ADAMS

plus guests……..

SATURDAY MAY 01ST – 12(NOON) to 10:30PM
HEADLINE To be announced
RATTLE AND HUM
THE BEAT POETS

Other artists -

The Varonis
The Dead Presidents
Doghouse
Microlip
Raised on Rock

Tickets for Friday April 30th are priced at £20 and are available now at Ticketmaster *Under 14’s free entry Tickets for Saturday May 01st are priced at £20 and will be available from Ticketmaster very soon.

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General Fiasco start the new decade with a brand new single, their debut album and playing their biggest headline dates so far. ‘Ever So Shy’ is released on 8th March and the album ‘Buildings’ follows on the 22nd March. The record was produced by Neal
Calderwood whilst Arctic Monkeys and The Enemy cohort Barny Barnicott was on mixing duties – it melds rock and pop with their inimitable energy and kick-ass choruses and produces a thrilling 36 minute explosion of guitar-led cracking tunes.

As well as their own UK shows, the band will be playing a free show at the ‘Skins House’ in Bristol at the end of January – this is a collection of free gigs being put on by E4 in conjunction with the TV series Skins – more details at http://www.e4.com/skins/skins- house/introduction.html. They will also played the HMV ‘Next Big Thing’ Festival alongside the likes of Marinaand the Diamonds, You Me At Six, Ellie Goulding and Hadouken! in February. After the UK tour the band head straight out to the US to play the Belfast Rocks party at the SXSW Festival in Austin.

The Northern Irish trio spent 2009 on the road playing both headline shows, support tours with the likes of The Enemy and The Answer, performing at the CMJ in New York, festivals such as Download and Glastonbury and generally anywhere with a stage they could plug into! They also signed to Infectious Music and released their first single ‘We Are The Foolish’ for them which was played on Radio 1, XFM, MTV 2 and NME TV.

They played their biggest show at home in Ireland on Halloween when they headlined the 1300 capacity Ulster Hall in Belfast.

General Fiasco kicked off 2010 by playing the first ever MTV presents show in Belfast on the 13th January confirming this year will be just as busy. New single ‘EVER SO SHY’ Released 8 March 2010

Live:

8 March MANCHESTER, Sound Control 0161 832 1111
10 March LONDON, Islington O2 Bar Academy 0844 477 2000
11 March SOUTHAMPTON, Joiners 0870 264 3333
13 March BIRMINGHAM, O2 Academy 3 0844 477 2000
15 March GLASGOW, King Tuts 0844 499 9990
17 March AUSTIN US, Latitude 30 – SXSW Festival
28th March ALBUM LAUNCH – MANDELA HALL, Belfast

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The true-life tale of a daring escape from Auschwitz, a classic from controversial director Roman Polanski and Poland’s answer to Trainspotting are just some of the films being screened at QFT as part of Kinoteka on Tour – 4th Polish Film Festival. The showcase of the best in new and classic Polish cinema will run at QFT from Friday 5 –Thursday 11 March.

Susan Picken, Head of QFT said: “This year’s Kinoteka programme reflects the quality and diversity of both new and classic Polish cinema. We are delighted to host the festival for a fourth year and look forward to a fascinating series of screenings.” Festival organiser Eva Grosman said: “We are absolutely delighted with the continuous support of QFT and the appreciation of the Polish cinema by audiences in Northern Ireland. Being a part of the Polish Cultural Institute’s flagship project Kinoteka enables us to bring some of the very best of the Polish cinema to Belfast and also provides an opportunity for Polish people to cherish and share their own cultural heritage with the local community.”

The festival opens with Little Moscow (Friday 5 March), a chronicle of a tragic love between a Russian commander’s wife and a Polish officer. The story is based on director Waldemar Krzystek’s memories of growing up in Poland’s ‘Little Moscow’, where the headquarters of Soviet forces were stationed between 1945 and 1990. Both hilarious and engrossing, Snow White, Russian Red, (Saturday 6 March – UK and Ireland premiere) has been dubbed ‘Poland’s Trainspotting’. An adaptation of the bestselling novel by Dorota Mas?owska, the film sees a fast-talking loser on speed being rejected by both his girlfriend and his post-communist country.

The film’s director and producer will attend the screeningof Runaway (Sunday 7 March), the true story of a daring escape from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in 1942. Thanks to escape leader Kazimierz Piechowski’s fluent German, four armed prisoners wearing SS uniforms successfully fled in the camp commander’s car. Recent winner of the Best Director award at the Berlin Film Festival, Roman Polanski’s first film made in America was Rosemary’s Baby (Monday 8 March), which stars Mia Farrow as a devoted wife and expectant mother. Believing she has been impregnated by the Devil, she is torn between the love for her husband and her feelings about the child she is carrying.

My Flesh My Blood (Tuesday 9 March) follows Igor, a boxer who has quit the ring because of serious brain damage and Yen Ha, a Vietnamese immigrant as they decide to have a child – he to leave something of himself behind; she for a work permit to stay in Poland. Despite the nature of their agreement, they slowly fall in love, but then Igor’s health deteriorates… The first Polish film ever to compete at the Sundance Film Festival, All That I Love (Wednesday 10 March) is a coming-of-age story of a boy against the background of political turmoil.

When tension increases in Poland in the early 1980s, four 18-year-old boys decide to start a punk band in a seaside town. The singer of the band is a young idealist who can lose himself in music, love, his dreams – until the world of adults forces him to make a choice that will have huge consequences. The closing film of the festival is Zero (Thursday 11March), the daring debut from Pawel Borowski in which twenty-four narrative lines (about jealousy, being unfaithful, revenge, despair and fate) cross each other in twenty-four hours, with the camera repeatedly jumping from character to character, in the street, in a bus or cafe.

For further information and online booking for all Kinoteka events, please visit www.queensfilmtheatre.com

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