Coventry Telegraph - The Music Abyss

The Specials are back - Enjoy Yourselves!

2008-09-09T13:31:32Z

The Specials are back! This weekend saw the Coventry legends ripping up Bestival in the Isle of Wight.

Even better news - Lynval Golding has promised to do his best to persuade the rest of the boys to headline next year's Godiva Festival.

And that would be something truly special.

Anyway here's a treat for you. To see the boys back together performing at Bestival click the following links.

">Intro/Gangsters

">Too Much Too Young

">A Message To You Rudy

For the love of Smithy

2008-08-22T13:38:55Z

Here's something you should all attend. Smithy, or Paul Smith was my guitarist in the bands Lazy Eye and Eusebio.
He also played in Jesus Deluxe, as well as being a brilliant artist (the pic on the poster is a caricature he did of himself while in hospital).
And he was also my best and oldest friend.
This is for a great cause in honour of a great person.
Read more about Smithy here

Les Oeufs - bringing Brighton Bohemia to Nuneaton

2008-07-17T10:50:23Z

Brighton indie, dancey, punky scenesters Les Oeufs head down to Nuneaton for an exclusive appearance this weekend, appearing at Nuneaton's Queens Hall, above the Crew Bar, on Queens Road, on Friday, July 18.

It's a great opportunity for Nuneaton, and indeed Coventry, to catch the band early doors - because big things are expected of Les Oeufs, who can already count Foals, Kate Nash and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly among their fans.

Sharing the limelight at the Queens Hall will be Coventry's dance rock fusion pioneers Trailer, delivering blistering, brutal behemoths of sonic assault.

And it's also a chance to catch Nuneaton's bright young things OK Prisoner - rabble rousing purveyors of infectious indie gems.

They happen to be fronted by my stepson but so what? A little bit of nepotism never hurt anyone. did it?

The Crooks roam to a new high

2008-07-14T13:24:56Z

Heads up! I've got a new favourite release from a local band.

It's the new EP from Nuneaton boys The Crooks, it's called The Roam, and it grooves and rocks and shudders and drives through your soul like a pimped up 18-wheeler being driven by the devil himself.

Here, have a listen for yourself here

See what I mean? I picked up a copy at their This Is Sound gig, at Nuneaton's Queens Hall on Friday, where they were supporting the equally excellent Guile.

And it's rarely been off my CD player since.

Like Kasabian sharing a beardy kiss with Jim Morrison, before breaking off for a scrap with The Fall.

Delicious stuff.

Pinley Festival keeps Cov rockin'.

2008-07-09T13:09:24Z

Festival season in Coventry isn't over people.

This coming weekend this extremely worthwhile, and damn tasty looking event is taking place. And it's for two excellent causes - Snowball and the Air Ambulance.

Really worth going along to.

Some of the bands are truly exceptional.

Let me give you a hint of what to expect from my personal pick of the line-up:

The Pockets - Good time, thunderous rock and roll. Ferris is the best frontman in the Midlands.

Shackletons - Groove like a monster. Unique voice, great songs.

Mourning Becomes Electra - Massive, atmospheric and anthemic. Martin Orton is one of the best singers you will hear. Ever.

Drag Queen Bingo - Like The Rolling Stones met the Dandy Warhols and drafted in Jim Morrison on vocals.
The Bellows - Folky, rootsy, bluesy, dirty and hellishly good fun.

The Satin Dolls - Not a particular fan of their radio friendly music, but the singer is FIT. Their pictures at the top. Take a look.

Ray Bans, Exit Calm, the Godiva Festival and me

2008-07-09T08:27:39Z

I'm writing this while wearing rock star shades.

It doesn't matter that it's raining. It doesn't even matter that I'm indoors.

Because these really are rock star shades and, as such, can be worn anywhere, in any weather.

They actually belong to Nicky, the lead singer of Barnsley superstars in waiting Exit Calm.

And I have them by accident - honest m'lord.

Here's how it happened.

It was the Godiva Festival last Saturday, July 5, in Coventry's War Memorial Park.

I was doing compering duties on the main stage, where Exit Calm had a couple of hours earlier played a blinding set, during one of the day's only periods of extended sunshine.

Their set had been stirring, anthemic, visceral shoe-gaze at its best, richly textured spacerock soaring to the sun and the stars.

Atmospheric, wailing guitars filled the field, driven along by bass and drums as thundering as the nearby moaners in Armorial Road would allow.

And all topped off with larynx lacerating, cut glass gargling vocals from Nicky. How he manages to sing like that night after night without permanently ruining his voice is beyond me. The guy has tonsils of titanium.

Anyway, it was a few hours after their set and we were all hanging in one of the backstage tents, partaking of the booze rider.

Nicky went wandering off, and dropped his Ray Bans on the floor without realising.

My wife proceeded to step on them in her big boot heels, and the lens popped out.

Exit Calm bass man Simon went: "Oh no, they're Nicky's Ray Bans. I picked them up, did a half decent job of repairing them and said: "I'll go and give them back to him."

So off I went to find him.

On route, Godiva stage manager Matt Flood grabbed me and told me Glasvegas were about to go on, so I diverted towards the stage and went on and introduced them.

They rocked, incidentally.

Then other things happened. Then others.

The upshot is, I got up on Sunday, checked my pockets, and found Nicky's shades.

So Nicky, if you're looking for your Ray Bans, I've got them. They're a bit bent, and the lens keeps popping out, but they're otherwise okay.

Sorry man. Can I keep them?

The Enemy at the Godiva Festival

2008-07-07T13:43:31Z

God it rained. Sweet lord did it rain. Still enjoyed the Godiva Festival though.
I was however, surprised to read on nme.com that The Enemy came on to The Specials classic Ghost Town.
Because they didn't.
I should know because, excuse the phrasing, they came on to me.
I was the compere on the main stage all day on Saturday at the Godiva Festival, in Coventry's War Memorial Park.
I introduced The Enemy, they came on, and started with Away From Here.
Not a single note of Ghost Town was heard. Surely not a case of the NME reviewing a gig they weren't actually at?
Anyway, The Enemy were as good as you'd expect them to be. Could do with more than just one new song though (I think it was called Break the Red Tape or something).
They've been touring We'll Live and Die in These Towns for over a year now, and it's starting to get a little boring. There, I've said it.
I particularly enjoyed watching their performance from the side of the stage with drummer Liam's granny.
And there was something especially endearing about the way she tapped the shoulder of everyone who stood next to her and said proudly, in a thick Scottish accent: "I'm Liam's granny."
It was a pleasure to meet you, Liam's granny.
Keep checking the blog for more Godiva Festival stories throughout the week.

The Godiva Festival booze ban

2008-07-03T07:12:43Z

My "pals" over on covscene.co.uk - a chat forum devoted to the local music scene, have been getting their unwashed knickers in a twist about the ban on bringing your own booze to this weekend's Godiva Festival.

Some of it has been very funny. Take a look by following the link below. Bear in mind, the forum is somewhat irreverent and "out there." Don't go on if you're easily offended.

http://www.covscene.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9428

The Enemy versus The Specials

2008-07-02T13:52:26Z

With The Enemy about to blow Coventry away once again at the Godiva Festival, and the interminable rumours of The Specials getting back together, it's time to ask the question.
Who's best? Are The Enemy, with their impassioned, wide-eyed idealism and heartfelt social commentary, better than The Specials were - with their impassioned, wide-eyed idealism and heartfelt social commentary.
That's the very poser being put on the www.coventrytelegraph.net homepage in the Quick Vote Section.
I've just been on and voted for The Specials.
Tomorrow I'll go on and vote for The Enemy.
Hell, I'm a million different people from one day to the next.
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die.
Hmmm, think I might have enjoyed The Verve's Glastonbury set a bit too much.
Anyway, enjoy Godiva folks.
And check out Glasvegas - they could be the surprise highlight.

Wes Finch and the Dirty Band - Look here, it's the Dirty Band see?

2008-06-19T13:43:09Z

WES Finch and the Dirty Band have released their debut album, titled with typical charm "Look here, it's the Dirty Band, see?".
And it's possibly the best thing released about these parts in years.
Standing on the edges, well apart from Coventry's generic indie scene, pointing and laughing like a gaggle of well-mannered Dingles at their more conventionally hip counterparts, this lot are a band apart.
Their real strength has always been in live performance, an experience which splutters then ignites into a joyous celebration of life and all its peaks and pitfalls.
And they've done a damn dirty job of capturing that essence on the album
Only a few of the tracks are recorded in what you would term a traditional studio environment.
The rest have been laid down at Taylor John's House, essentially a venue which the Dirty Band seem to have temporarily converted into a HQ of creativity.
Strong throughout, it seems churlish to pick out stand-out tracks but Hold That Note, 9 out of 10 Cats, Don't Give up the Good Fight, Whodat and Get Out Your Violins are all typical of the country, folk, bluegrass and at times sun drenched Californian vibes that this lot excel in.
Wes Finch possesses one of the warmest and most soulful voices you'll hear, and he's assembled a gaggle of compadres who add sass, depth and joy to the mix.
That's the word that springs to mind when you listen to this. Joy.
Wes Finch and the Dirty Band are a joy.

My Covstock experience

2008-06-05T07:11:48Z

IT was possibly the biggest gig Coventry City Centre has ever seen - and I was working. That would've been fine if "working" entailed purely hanging around in the Cathedral ruins, drinking Carling and then filing a report on events at the end.
Alas, in the world of local newspapers, "working" actually means "get us some colour and flavour from that event, nip down to cover Stoke Aldermoor's Got Talent, give us a first feline account from Tiddles who got stuck up a tree, find out why local GPs are staging a protest in the city centre, chase up the police and fire service about all the accidents, fires and happy slapping incidents over the weekend, write it all up, get some sleep and be back at your desk first thing Sunday morning."
Hence, I only actually got to watch four bands at Saturday's Covstock.
I arrived just as The Way were about to start.
The Way are something of an enigma on the Coventry music scene. A lot of people don't get them. Some positively hate them (as a band - it's not possible to hate them as people.)
It's an aversion I don't really get. Maybe it's their complete lack of pretension. The Way don't try to be cool, other than in a knowingly ironic "look at this rock star pose" kind of way.
They don't write dense, difficult to penetrate or understand music. They don't pluck their influences from the realms of "cooler than thou", too credible for the charts playlists.
They're a good time, bar boogie, pop rock band, with big choruses and a knack for putting a collective smile on audiences face.
On Saturday I and the audience "got" them. More power to The Way.
The Treehorns mine a different musical vein altoghether, all rootsy, bluesy grooves with one foot in indie and another dipping its toes in country rock.
Faultless musicians to a man, front man Luke Clark is the bastard son of Tom Petty and Neil Young and the songs are finely polished jewels.
It was only the second time I'd seen Treehorns. The first, I admit to having been underwhelmed. They must have been on an off day, because this time they were an absolute treat.
Completely different again were Jamsons Nook. Dropping beats and breaks over the top of an African tinged, world music vibe, Jamsons Nook are one of the most unique bands on the current Coventry music scene and they flavour everything they do with lashings of joy. Their take on David Bowie's Let's Dance was particulary infectious.
The last band I saw was The Crooks, and it was the perfect way to round off my Covstock experience.
I've seen The Crooks several times, but man they've changed.
Still dirty as hell and raw as an uncooked T-bone, the addition of keyboards brings a new depth and darkness to their music.
Raff is a mesmerising front man, both intimidating and affable, and his voice is taking on a new, whisky soaked richness.
Excellent stuff.
It was hard to tear myself away, but such is life.
The real stars of the show were, of course, the organisers and the awesome venue itself. Congratulations to all involved.

Supergrass - caught by the buzz!

2008-05-19T13:41:29Z

Britpop. Those heady days of the mid to late 90s. New Labour. Euro 96. Carling Premier. Indie guitar bands storming the mainstream gates. Cool hair. Collarless suits which stayed fashionable for two weeks. Bands with attitude. Anthemic songs. Big choruses.
And bloody awful lyrics.
From the banal witterings of Noel "Find a way for what you want to say" Gallagher, to the pretentious guff of Damon "Reading Balzac knocking down prozaic" Albarn, it was the era the decent lyricist forgot.
With the notable exception of Supergrass.
For the teen angst kitchen sink drama of Caught By The Fuzz alone, the Supergrass boys should have been given an award for rescuing the art of writing incisive, funny and cutting lyrics in an era when the words meant far less than the riff.
"Here comes my mum. And she knows what I've done." Pop perfection.
And why am I banging on about Supergrass?
Because I'm getting excited about teh fact that they're due to play at The Kasbah in Coventry on June 5.
It's just one of a host of top gigs coming up at the venue, including The Subways on Wednesday, May 21, Dirty Pretty Things on May 22, Kate Nash on May 25, Reverend and the Makers on May 27, The Futureheads on May 28 and The Guillemots on June 2.
It's all down to the new promotor, Ben, aged only 19. He is young, he runs green. Keeps his teeth nice and clean.
Good work geezer.

Move over X Factor - here's the G Factor

2008-05-14T14:04:30Z

So, we now know who the final eight bands are - the bands that will contest the G Factor final on Sunday, May 25 at Priory Place for the right to share the main stage with The Enemy at this year's Godiva Festival.
If you haven't already then click here , www.coventrytelegraph.net/whats-on-coventry-warwickshire/gfactor/ listen to the bands and vote for your favourite.
In the meantime, for those who can't quite get their heads around the idea of genuinely talented musicians battling it out in this kind of competition, let me put it all on more of an X Factor footing:

Akeal - They're the Steve Brookstein of the competition. Steve came in for criticism from Simon Cowell for not being bothered enough about X Factor. Akeal apparently only realised they had a heat to play the day before the gig, and brought only two supporters with them. How very Brookstein of them. Steve went on to win, incidentally.

The Bellows - They cite Nick Cave's murder ballads as a major influence. Kylie Minogue duetted with Nick Cave on one of these. Danni Minogue is Kylie's sister. There's a link there. Danni would vote for The Bellows.

Fiori - Joint frontman Arthur has similar coloured hair to Rhydian. And his mum and former band manager AK reminds me a little bit of Sharon Osbourne. In a nice way.

Wes Finch and the Dirty Band - Singer and dancer Libby had a migraine at their heat. This is a very X Factor tactic, prompting sympathy from judges and a head massage from AK/Sharon Osbourne. You go girl!

Shadowplay - on stage at the heat, and in interviews, David misses no opportunity to remind people that he is just 16. Good work! Unlike previous X Factor 16-year-olds however, David is unlikely to be disqualified for being filmed happy slapping a fellow teen.

Illchemists - Competing for the Steve Brookstein position with the following quote: "We really couldn't care less about winning the competition."

Men In Caves - these would be Louis Walsh's favourites. He likes Men In Caves. Or elsewhere, allegedly.

Shackletons - They won it last year. They came back this year with a different name. Darius came back with a different haircut. Shackletons are, therefore, Darius.

Vote accordingly.

G-Factor - the heat is on

2008-04-23T10:55:55Z

THIS weekend sees the first round of G-Factor, Coventry's own version of the X-Factor - with several major differences.
Among them is the fact that at no point during the G-factor heats will you see a hamster cheeked, emotionally vulnerable pretty boy muppet singing cack-handed "swing" versions of popular hits, while claiming to have "always really, really loved this music."
Neither will you see delusional school dinner ladies fog-horning their way through the hits of Whitney Houston and Celine Dion while crying about how "they want this so much" and claiming to be doing it for their dead dad/mum/goldfish.
Instead you'll see a batch of genuinely talented bands, all from Coventry and Warwickshire, performing their own music and proving that not only has Britain Got Talent, but that those blown away by such TV karaoke shows have depressingly low expectations.
The winner will perform on the main stage at the Godiva Festival at the War Memorial Park in July, and will also get to spend a day in a hi-tech recording studio to produce their own music video - courtesy of Herbert Media.
Once the final eight are selected there will be a city-wide vote held in conjunction with the Coventry Telegraph and BBC Coventry and Warwickshire to decide the public's choice.
The winning band will appear on the bill on Saturday, July 5, before headliners and band of the moment The Enemy.
So who will make it to the final eight (all of which will perform at the Godiva Festival on the Friday night)?
Here's how I think each heat will go:

Saturday, April 26 -Golden Cross, Coventry: The Bellows, Men In Caves, The Hearing, The Pockets, Mamma's in the Kitchen.
Winners: The Bellows. Runner up: Men In Caves.

Sunday, April 27 - Taylor Johns House, Coventry: Wes Finch and the Dirty Band, 7th Wave, Disco Bizkid, Fiori, The Way.
Winners: Wes Finch and the Dirty Band. Runner up: Fiori.

Saturday, May 3- The Crew, Nuneaton: Akeal, Shadowplay, LP45, Drag Queen Bingo, No Cassandra
Winners: Drag Queen Bingo. Runner up: No Cassandra.

Sunday, May 4 - Taylor Johns House, Coventry: The Shakletons, Noke, Illchemists, The Treehorns, The Crooks.
Winner: The Shakletons. Runner up: The Crooks.

As cool as Kristy

2008-04-16T14:50:34Z

What's better than sitting in a pub on a Sunday night listening to Kristy Gallacher?
Not a lot, although many of the young men in The Anker in Nuneaton last Sunday night would add "watching her" to a list of their favourite pasttimes.
The young Coventry singer songwriter is building up quite a following among young men with puppy dog eyes, one of whom, while professing his love for her to me the other night, made the comment "All she'd have to do is sing to me."
That would probably be a massive relief to Kristy.
The reason Kristy is one of Coventry's most talked about artists is quite simple - she's brilliant.
At once fragile, raw, edgy, tender, bruised and defiant, Kristy performed a half hour set of mostly her own songs and had the audience enchanted from the word go.
And the Anker isn't your typical bohemian little music venue - it's no Tin Angel, believe me.
These are people who don't tend to go to gigs, much less intimate acoustic gigs.To have them eating of your hands like Kristy did is a feat indeed.

Admirable support came from the brilliant Barricades Rise and the mesmerisingly entertaining, with some mental acoustic reggae.
If you want to enjoy one of the most intimate nights of music around, check out the Anker Acoustic Lounge, at The Anker, in Weddington Road, Nuneaton, this sunday, April 20 at 8pm.
Treats will include Chris and Mandz from local heroes The Way, and Dale Townsend from No Cassandra and Drag Queen Bingo.
Plus, if you fancy having a go yourself, just bring a guitar along at 8pm.