fake patois

DR. ME

2010-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Manchester creative duo Mark Christian Edwards and Ryan Doyle produce work that is abstract but serves a purpose; whether bringing together frustrated artistic minds, making CD cover art or constructing political guerilla postering, their aims to aesthetically please and challenge are limitless and quite beautiful.

What is it that you guys do?

DR.ME is a creative collective, we've been working together for a couple of years having met on our first day at Uni. We are friends before being colleagues. enjoy working on small projects as much as we enjoy large projects.Our first show has just concluded at Common exhibition space in Manchester. We push collaboration and interaction with clients and fellow creatives alike.

What or who are your strongest artistic influences?

Gilbert & George, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bruno Munari, Hort, Alan Fletcher, Manchester... ( how it is not how it was ). And Mike Perry. Since graduating we went to New York to work with illustrator Mike Perry at his studio in Crown Heights. In New York we featured in a Skateboard exhibition in Chelsea, taught at Parsons School of Design, and released a selection of t-Shirts for a really small shop in Crown Heights - Mike thought it was really funny that two white guys from Manchester were designing T-Shirts based on Brooklyn for a hip hop apparel shop in Crown Heights.

What's in the making?

We are currently in the planning stages of creating a space that is part Gallery part Shop part Studio in Manchester as well as continuing with our personal practice. It will be called The Waiting Room. We're also putting together an exhibition install for Urban Outfitters and creating a mural for a major sports brand, as well as continuing with our personal practice.

http://www.dr-me.com/

BY ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

HERZOG LEADS THE DOCUMENTARY PACK: DOC NYC COMES MAKES ITS GRAND DEBUT.

2010-11-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

DOC NYC: New York City's first annual documentary festival

My Best Fiend

From a pool of today's documentary filmmakers, the week-long affair showcased some of the most exciting and thought-provoking of films and creatives for New York's very first DOC NYC. Held between a number of art house theatres in Soho / West Village, I took an exclusive look at the cinephile's extravaganza which welcomed shorts and features from around the globe; the works of both established and contemporaries alike, and panel discussions featuring some of cinema's most treasured names – from Werner Herzog to Errol Morris.

The festival began with the gala opening premiere of Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams, and New York City's documentary aficionados gathered for one of the festival's most popular events; In Conversation with Werner Herzog, whose Nicholas Cage and Eva Mendes- starring Bad Lieutenant, released last year, is perhaps irrelevant when compared to his back catalogue of documentary exploration ( Land of Silence and Darkness, My Best Fiend, Grizzly Man ). He talked in detail about his latest venture in-the-making, Nick Broomfield-style, into the world of prisons, death row and the politics surrounding the issue. Herzog excelled his fine reputation as a compelling real-storyteller, recounting tales from the making of 2005's Grizzly Man, during which its protagonist was eaten alive by a bear and audio tapes of which still exist.

Film organisations such as The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program and Doc Convergence brought together an array of forward-thinking minds. Industry successes such as Pulitzer Prize winner David Turnley spoke, who has shot in conditions so basic that he's been forced to develop film using toilet water. Zana Briski talked about the harrowing life she led whilst filming in brothels in India, and her newest project - a self-labelled 'travelling museum of sorts'- including her portraiture of praying mantises inspired, she confessed by a dream that came to her one night.

Other guests were invited to discuss issues such as fights for funding, artistic licence versus reality, the troublesome debate regarding ownership over documentary material, and the ethics behind capturing personal footage. The charismatic and environmentally-concerned cartoonist / writer Lynda Barry, who worked with wind turbine drama's director Laura Israel on Windfall (winner of the festival's Grand Jury Prize), spoke about the usefulness of using comic / graphic novel format to tell real stories that need to be told in an dynamic and more digestible context.

Make Believe

Tabloid

One of documentary's most controversial pioneers, Errol Morris, premiered his newest offering Tabloid, a biopic of 'Mormon sex-in-chains scandal' Joyce McKinney. The screening was not without its own dash of controversy as McKinney took to the stage after the credits rolled to voice her own opinions on the film. Other highlights included Make Believe, ( dir. J. Clay Tweel ) a film following six teen magician prodigies, Kati With An I ( dir. Robert Greene ) a drama focussing on the life of a vivacious small-town girl struggling with conflicting relationships, and Ride, Rise Roar ( dir. David Hillman Curtis ), a concert film centred around David Byrne and his most recent live tour. The film was followed by an appearance from Byrne himself and some intriguing insight into the arduous tour and film process.

The festival highlighted a number of this decade's most exciting new filmmakers and the path which has preceded their work today. DOC NYC showed that documentary as a genre is becoming more and more accessible, and with it, the relationship between artistic licence and reality grows more interesting to experience.

Ride, Rise, Roar

Alexandra Pereira

2010-10-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

For i-D online.

i-ntroducing Twin Shadow

Meet George Lewis Jr, otherwise known as Twin Shadow, the hottest new thing happening in eardrums on the other side of the pond. His smooth-sounding jams with stripped-down pop sensibilities are causing all sorts of waves in Brooklyn's music scene and beyond, reviving us from a tiring plague of indie duplicates. The result is Twin Shadow's marriage of a style so dated it works with his own distinguishable savoir-faire.

What instruments do you play? Can you play drums for real or is that an illusion in the video for 'Slow'? I been playing guitar since I was 14. I didn't take song writing seriously until I was 21 when I slowly realised that I am often not happy with other peoples playing so I started to learn piano, synths, drum machines, drums, saxophone, bass; anything I can get my hands on. I don't play any of them that well, but it's good enough to make my music. My drumming is okay, needs work. I'll even take some lessons if anyone out there is willing...

You travel a lot. Do you feel creatively stunted if you stay in one place for too long? What does Brooklyn mean for your music? It sounds a bit cliché, but I like being away from home. Brooklyn doesn't mean much, I love it, but it hasn't been much a part of my music making.

How did the relationship with Terrible Records form? Those guys are my boys at this point, super chill, super love. Chris contacted me after hearing some tracks and wanted to release a few songs on his new label, that turned into an EP then into a full length.

Your name is based less upon the fact that you are an actual twin, and more on motorbikes. But is your twin also a musician? And aside from motorbikes, what else inspires and epitomises the sound of Twin Shadow? My twin is not a musician, or maybe she stands in for me time to time! I'm inspired by the quiet and dark things in life. I used to sit in this old people's home parking lot in Florida at night and stare up a the nurses tuck the old folks into bed. It was so quiet and sad, I think about that memory a lot.

Similarly, what influences your smooth artwork? It's very, dare I say it, Prince-esque. I think my generation can be a bit conservative and plain. Twin Shadow are way more interesting than that.

The record is out this week. How do you feel about it; does it feel satisfying? How come you settled on titling it 'Forget'? I am very happy, it's been a long time in the making. It was the name of the song that was hardest to put on the record because of its weight on me. I have a problem of forgetting so many things, right down to my name, so making this record was me sifting through my mind to remember everything I've known and trying to remember why I even make music. And now that I've remembered I can forget again.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing this? a) This interview; sleeping in the van b) This music thing; I'd be a painter and live in Sweden.

Twin Shadow's 'Forget' is out now in the US and available worldwide from 19 October.

twinshadow.net

Text Alexandra Pereira

YUCK for i-D.

2010-08-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.i-donline.com/i-list/2485/2482

YUCK ARE THE SKELETONS COMING UP ROSES from their history of Cajun Dance Party and various other younger musical experiments. They are: East-Londoners Daniel and Max, Jonny (from New Jersey) and Mariko (from Hiroshoma), and they offer a lighter-hearted but just as listenable sound as the likes of Dinosaur Jnr and Sparklehorse. They are impossibly fresh and exciting and i-D love them. Yuck serve as an impressive accompaniment to the so-called ‘shoegaze revival’ of recent months.

Who initiated Yuck’s birth?
D: I heard a song, ‘Operation,’ that Max had written and became really jealous of it.
M: It took a long time to get the right friends and musicians together but eventually it happened.

What kind of audiences have you drawn so far?
D: I only really look at the floor and my feet (laughs). No, the shows this summer have been great, Latitude was a lot of fun; our first festival performance together. My little sister sang vocals for one song with us there and had spat water all over my crotch beforehand to make me look silly.

What’s the craic with the album? Have you settled on a title yet?
M: Probably self-titled. It’s being mixed as we speak. Some of it in Texas; that’s the amazing high-tech world we live in.
J: Also George Bush demanded that it be mixed in Texas. I think we should call it The Sexy Album.

You’ve toured with Times New Viking, Egyptian Hip Hop and Veronica Falls. Who would you put in your Top Ten New Bands right now?
Fanzine. A Grave With No Name. Are we even fashionable enough to be in this magazine? (They spot Jedward in the issue in front of them). Maybe we are.

Yuck embark on their first UK tour in October.

Text Alexandra Pereira
Photography Rebecca Thomas

Liars: ANGUS ANDREW.

2010-06-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be able to ask the brilliant, weirdo frontman and Nick Cave lookalike Angus Andrew of post-punk/art punk/what-punk group Liars a few things ahead of their performance at Dot-to-Dot in Manchester.

Sisterworld is an incredibly fresh record. It's creepy, I love it. Which elements of your previous records do you think have owed to the production of Sisterworld?

Thanks... I think Sisterworld draws from each of our previous albums in different ways. I feel like each experiment we undertake helps us further down the line - regardless of its immediate outcome. In many ways this last record was a culmination of what we've learnt so far.

Why is it named Sisterworld?

We think you should escape.

The ambience of the whole record is super experimental and contrasts really well with your heavier back catalogue. My favourite track is No Barrier Fun. What's it about?

That song is a direct response to Suzanne Vega's seminal track 'Luca'. I like the idea of writing song's in response to good ones. Like that movie Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead... or Pride and Prejudice and Vampires. Interesting, i think.

As your music progresses, could it be said that it becomes more genre-specific or do you look constantly for a new sound to accompany each record?

I don't think we look for sounds... It's more simple and natural than that. Each time we finish a record there begins immediately a process of excitement for what we didn't do. Ideas yet to be explored.

Do you find the process slower with each album in comparison the the two-day wrap of your debut record?

The process isn't really slower it's just that we track probably double or triple the amount
of songs we did on the first album. We also have more ideas to figure out - things left undecided that need time to breathe.

Do you ever go back to the cabin in the woods where you recorded They Were Wrong, So We Drowned?

No, not once.

With that album, it told a story. Have you ever thought of turning it into an show of its own, or a film? Sisterworld feels very theatrical and filmic, like you are inside a private show whilst listening to it.

I'm sure that at the time of Drowned we would've been well into that idea. Now, it feels like ancient history. I'd like to see a Sisterworld film though.

Angus, your stage presence is looming, prowling, intimidating. Which performers do you admire?

The ones that can stand still.

What new artists impress you at the moment? Are there any acts you totally don't get?

We don't get a lot of things... too many to list... We like Pink Dollaz, Past Lives and Factory Floor.

Are British crowds more timid or more raucous than US ones in general? What are looking most forward to over the summer?

So far it seems British crowds are a bit more timid than the crowds in the US. But we'll see once the temperatures rise.. I think we're all looking forward to it getting really hot and sticky.. I'm personally pretty excited about the 'Murder on the Standon Express.'

Thanks, Angus.

By Alexandra P

A Life Less Ordinary: CocoRosie

2010-05-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

CocoRosie

Manchester Cathedral

7.05.10

CocoRosie require a patient, forgiving ear open to hearing, in one single track, tales about perfume, balloons, family detachments and death. Just which planet they spawn from is baffling, but it's freezing-hot one that manages to produce the sisters' music - four albums heavy, and set apart from the majority of Brooklyn's finest. They offer something both troubling and easing to listen to, with bizarre vocals layered atop the sounds of bicycle bells, concertinas, xylophones, supported by the very adult presence of both a grand piano and a harp.

With Bianca, it is peculiar toddler-like cries, perfect diction book-ending every word of every line; where Sierra's vocals are operatic, complete with full soprano range and volume control to match. She also demonstrates an uncanny impression of her sister's singing style. Both girls seem frozen in time as children, as they skip about the tiny stage in floor-length nightgowns from harp to toybox, casting an effortless spell over their audience within a beautiful, intimate sanctuary of a location.

It is with heavy hearts and wide eyes that the eclectic crowd of young/old/ male/female/transgender/gay/straight fans scuttle and push against one another in a hushed silence to see CocoRosie play a rare UK show in support of their latest record, Grey Oceans. And as if childish wails married with classical scales aren't bewildering enough, thrown in is one very skilled beatboxer, seen often on tour with the sisters.

Watching CocoRosie is terrifying and sad and funny; they make you feel oh-so-ordinary. They remind you of the simple thrill that singing nursery rhymes and riding merry-go-rounds and eating ice creams once gave you as a child, and contrastingly, of the bleak but hilarious inescapability of adult life. In theory, they are an act that should be dreadful; which goes to illustrate the ridiculousness of juxtaposing music, theory and the ever-impractical Cassidy sisters.

CocoRosie played:

God Has A Voice
RIP
Black Rainbow
Afterlife
Undertaker
Fatherhood
Happy Eyes
Moon Asked The Crow
K-Hole
By Your Side
Smokey Taboo
Hopscotch
Animals
Turn Me On
Lemonade
Grey Oceans
Fairy Paradise
--
Promise / Tranny Power

BY ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

MONSTER BALL.

2010-03-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

LIVE:

Lady Gaga @ Echo Arena Liverpool

24.02.10

5/5

DEAR STEFANI GERMANOTTA, you have succeeded in enticing me into your tangly web of ridiculousness and brilliance. She is a modern enigma and a sign of our throwaway times, a brand-new icon driven unashamedly by fashion and never seen looking the same; paradoxically though, she herself refuses so far to be disposed of. She is quick to re-invent herself in the same way Madonna does so, at a pace that must inject fear into her fellow Italian New-Yorker's heart. Tonight, she displayed an altogether avant-garde performance, deeming her worthy of her self-made fame that has been catapulted into our little faces.

“We are nothing without the spiritual hologram we perceive ourselves to be” was the first of around three 'deep' and 'philosophical' comments from Gaga, whose soft, nasally speaking voice immediately managed to silence the arena crowd between tunes. Comparitively, her singing was big, and technically impeccable; she is undoubtedly vocally able. After a little research, it's apparent that her hardcore followers have seen her early YouTube clips, and are safe in the knowledge that despite the hyped-up, glamourous facade, Gaga is one gifted individual. “When you are lonely, I'll be lonely too:” the second installment of Gaga synthetic-laden lines which, in the moment, were quite sweet.

The whole idea of 'The Monster Ball' proposed itself as a magnet for all her fans, and and as one of very few individuals there who didn't know every line to every song, it's easy to see why Gaga – the musician, the dancer, the designer, the performance artist, the creator – is still attracting all the right attention this decade. “You know I'm like Tinkerbell... you know how Tinkerbell will die if you don't come for her? Do you want me to DIE??”... finally, a darker utterance was spoken from the tiny chameleon's usually filthy mouth, and the show was in full-frontal swing. I have not seen so much crotch since Aguilera and her release of the aptly-named Stripped. 'Dance In the Dark' was anthemic, complete with a Vogue-esque spoken passage and so, so loud, sending the audience into a trance-party. 'So Happy I Could Die' saw more of what I had expected from Gaga: Madonna-circa-1990 masturbation gestures not-so-slyly thrown into thrust-heavy dance routines, followed by 'Beautiful, Dirty, Rich,' comprised indeed of a “pornographic dance fight.” Gaga sang “daddy I'm so sorry, I'm so so so sorry...” and though little Stefani may have been seizing a weird opportunity to apologise to her father (present in tonight's audience) for her provocative lyrics and moves, it was a piano ballad dedicated to Mr. Gaga himself that was truly redemptive of her unsavoury antics.

The stage lighting was dazzling at the fore of the pitch black arena where every pair of feet was dancing away, and slower numbers such as 'Speechless' on her flame-engulfed baby grand provided the dark of Gaga's knowingly-perfected chiaroscuro. Also as self-aware was her power in conducting the audience; a curious and hungry collective, her 'little monsters,' who watched on eagerly as she displayed some fifteen costume changes, including a futuristic, clear perspex-clad nun, a 'living' angel costume complete with mechanical wings, and a hilarious Cousin-It-style, head-to-toe blonde hair outfit. Writing this, I am unsure as to whether this should in fact be published within theatre reviews. Other theatrical devices included a mobile subway car, the constant stream of male-heavy backing dancers in bondage clothing, a 15-ft 'monster' and a mini-performance where her dancers, dressed as demonic black crows, attacked poor, innocent Gaga until she spilled fake blood all over Barely-There-Leotard #85 and leather clad GBF's lost their feathers and displayed their oiled bodies. It was all very homoerotic and histrionic.

Inevitably, the two-hour long show had to come to an end, but not before Gaga executed the hits (Just Dance, Paparazzi, LoveGame, Bad Romance, Telephone) without flaw, acting as the ne plus ultra of aesthetic thrill. With the presence of a harpist almost constantly onstage, she proved herself as a new queen of innovativity, best expressed with 'The Fame;' “I'm obsessively opposed to the typical...” and Gaga seemed adamant in securing her place in the ivy league of the industry for some time to come, displaying clear influence of Prince, Bowie, and Mercury in her stage performance and looking almost tearful as the curtain fell. She'll chase you down until you love her. There ain't no other superstar like Lady Gaga right now. Less than a year ago, I scowled at the idea of watching her perform at Glastonbury, opting for an indian head massage or something instead. The mere opening chords of 'Poker Face' made me flee. Now, Gaga has me eating out of her dirty little palm.

THE BEACH HOUSE DREAM

2010-02-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

For Student Direct.

LIVE

Beach House @ Islington Mill

11.01.10

5/5

AS FAR AS BALTIMORE's musical givings go, they don't come in hordes. After casually following the steady but subtle progression of Beach House since their formation in 2005, I was astonished with the buzzing reception at their show, promoted by increasingly-esteemed club night Now Wave (motto being 'new music, and only new music that we really like'). I succumbed to the beckoning but coolly unbothered finger of Now Wave's elitist yet admirable attitude, and really, really liked Beach House's performance held within the bleak looking but apparently cosy Islington Mill.

Earlier material was kept to a minimum, much to the glee of the equally-balanced boy/girl crowd, quickly falling in love with both Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand (who recently lent her vocals to Grizzly Bear's 'Slow Life' for Twilight: New Moon.) Justly, songs from all the former albums peppered the hour-long set, but it was songs from most recent record Teen Dream that pleased Beach House's unthreateningly cool and chillaxed crowd in the Salford dungeony depths. Unarguably sounding like Nico on a happier day, and utterly true to the ethereal requirements of label Sub Pop (and internationally, Bella Union, in particular), they echoed the likes of Mazzy Star (with 'Silver Soul' specifically) and Cocteau Twins; the two also retained a charged onstage relationship that is almost cinematic; the duo seem like the softer, sweeter, art-house Jack and Meg.

And in complimentary contrast to the band's association to the aforementioned vampire-themed teen-pleasing cult, the show could have made for the ideal movie soundtrack to a Coppola film (Sofia not Francis Ford), embroiled as they were in musical bouquet. In doing so, BH defined quite darkly and dreamily the romantic turmoil of youth. Standout songs were 'Gila,' 'Walk in the Park,' 'Zebra' and 'Apple Orchard,' the latter two displaying typically BH shoe gaze/dream-pop reverb. Their live sound emitted a sleepy hypnosis that held the audience captive and half awake, albeit entranced in the most controlled and purposeful of ways.

KURT VILE + JULIAN CASABLANCAS

2010-02-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

For Student Direct.

Kurt Vile @ Deaf Institute

14.12.09

4/5

THE VIOLATORS back Vile (real name) tonight in a sparsely populated Deaf Institute, surprisingly so for a growing left-field angst-folk name in a growing left-field venue. Still, despite seeming slightly nerved at the echoey room, Vile holds his modest own, chatting between songs, of which are each played with Philadelphian woe and sentiment that channels the likes of his childhood influences Tom Petty and Neil Young, with a noticeable modernity and edge that can only be translated through Matador’s new-ish wonder, moody Springsteen, Kurt Vile.

And following in the footsteps of his father-label 4AD peers St Vincent and Atlas Sound, his music has been whispered about all over the likes of Pitchfork over recent months giving him the platform to showcase his distinct performance before critical ears and eyes. Granted, the small crowd at this show are listening intently and did not just stumble into the bar to see any old acoustic performance. Vile sounds like Ariel Pink in tune, and displays a stage presence that slightly awkward, his long centre-parted hair covering much of his face for much of the set. Even so, the music is inviting, consuming and quite brilliant. Vile lives up the Chinese whispers within the landfill-indie network, playing eerily, beautifully, mysteriously; at times it is hard to understand from where such intense lyrics have sprung: ‘Walk down my line, Better be sure you'll be dead,’ and ‘You gonna give me a heart attack, you gonna give me a heart attack,’ seem heavy stuff for such a sweet, chilled-out looking man. No doubt it is his darker twisted side that enabled his signing to a label renowned for its sense of rebellion (Sonic Youth are also with Matador).

Despite the bewilderment factor of his lyrics, songs ‘Heart Attack,’ ‘Blackberry Song’ and his better-known ‘Freak Train’ are very well received; the acoustics are faultless alongside Vile’s voice that echoes in one’s memory for hours afterward. Not terrible for a former forklift driver.

LIVE

Julian Casablancas @ The Ritz

11.12.09

4/5

SHOCKINGLY, Casablancas is far from his usual brooding self on his solo tour, fresh off the back of his long-awaited debut record Phrazes For the Young, which incidentally is no longer awaited and came out two days after this show. This said, there was not a single fan in the house that wasn’t aware of the rock and roll treasure that was before them, and in all his newfound cheery solo freedom clearly remained the rough and growling leader of his band that we came to love last decade.

The success of Casablancas’ band with which he rose to musical celebrity gave footing to the excitement and anticipation of this show as well as it did to the expectation of disappointment for those waiting for number after number of Strokes classics. Those ignoramuses quickly and it seemed at times, almost gleefully, celebrated Julian’s failure to play all of Is This It, whilst truer and less hasty audience members enjoyed his divine, faultless set of new songs. ‘Ludlow St’ was the perfect nostalgia-toned track easing the sell-out crowd into a set that ended festively with Christmas songs and efficient soulful rock and roll from New York’s finest front man.

With standout performances of ‘Out of The Blue,’ River of Brakelights’ and standout single ‘11^th Dimension,’ the collection of songs is a confident but steady one which manages to seize desperation, jubilation and nostalgia from track to track and project these emotions upon his steadfast fans. Not one to disappoint a single attendee, Casablancas threw in a wonderful rendition of early demo ‘I’ll Try Anything Once,’ if only to settle those angry peeps stuck way back in 2005. He pulled it off with laid-back charm and dignity, ever the true professional.

WAYNE COYNE: 'I WOULD SAY WE ARE ABSURDIST'

2009-11-24T15:21:00.001-08:00

For Student Direct.

INTERVIEW: THE FLAMING LIPS

NAKED BICYCLE RIDES, confetti and a surreal past, present and future; The Flaming Lips burst back into town hot off the summer release of their twelfth studio album Embryonic. Regarded as both dynamic and controversial in his opinions of other musicians, Wayne Coyne challenges the boundaries of traditional rock without being a brag or a bore. When they played in Manchester, I met and sounded out the voice, mastermind, luminary and legend behind Oklahoma’s finest psychedelic rock band. In other words, the uncle we’d all love to have.

This latest tour involves much of the show and experimental theatricality that The Flaming Lips have become renowned for displaying live. Is there a starting point when planning a new tour and its updatability?

I’d say this show has been evolving since about 1999; the balloons, the confetti, the suits. Forming a new show always makes us think, what can we incorporate into what we have established already in our live act? I know there’s a certain amount of sustainability involved in the Flaming Lips identity. We saw Kiss play a couple of weeks ago and without some elements of their show, they wouldn’t be Kiss. This time we have a wonderful cosmic mother-queen who gives birth to us all onstage. She spreads her legs and we enter out of her and I roll onto the crowd in the blow-up ball. Great! And of course we get to do new songs! With all the old songs, we love the sing-a-longs like ‘She Don’t Use Jelly,’ ‘Yoshimi,’ and ‘Race for the Prize’; we love making the big songs precise and dynamic and a great experience for everyone.

Let’s talk about your new video for ‘Watching the Planets.’

The naked video! A great video! It was shot in Portland, Oregon. I’d heard a story on the radio about assembled groups of naked cyclists, and so we got in touch with them. I think we had literally a thousand people wanting to get involved with this. I came up with the concept, the whole big fur vaginal bubble thing that guys are pulled out of in the beginning, and as the storyboard went along, I thought, I guess I should get naked now. Everyone was comfortable with it. Apart from Cliff (roadie, who laughs nervously across the room).

Was it scary?

Oh yeah, there’s that horrible moment just before you get naked and all the fear and anxiety bubbles up. But then you’re naked! You’re all in it together! Luckily there was a lot of healthy, fun, enthusiastic weirdos there; there was no ‘your butt looks better than mine, your dick is bigger’ etc.

The Flaming Lips have been going for over twenty years now! Does the industry still interest you in terms of new music, and are you influenced by it?

Since 1984! When were you born? Isn’t that weird?? We’ve been around since before you were born! I was just talking to Zane (Lowe) and he asked about new stuff, and of course yeah, I love MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the new Portishead record. There’s some wonderful things happening today.

I saw your ‘fight’ with Bradford Cox on the ATP backstage video. Do you think you’d ever collaborate with him?

No, I mean, not after our falling out…I’m just kidding, wow he is great, Atlas Sound is great. Deerhunter are awesome. Probably the best thing I saw at ATP this year. The thing about Bradford is that he just real relaxed, so laid back and that’s why it works well. He’d rock to work with…

Your nephew’s band Stardeath and the White Dwarfs are on the road with you as your support. What advice would you give him?

I’m not gonna lie, he’s had it lucky that he’s seen first hand what we do from when he came into the world. But he was a roadie for us for years; he enjoys all aspects of the industry. There is no music industry unless you’re successful enough. You do your music, make your art, and make pitfalls day to day. I think he knows not to believe the hype crap, and the importance of having a contract with a label that understand you.

You made a film, Christmas On Mars. Would you recommend watching it with the family on Christmas Day or no?

It’s hopeful, funny and fantastical. It depends on the liberalness of your family I guess… for little kids, they don’t know what’s happening but a little older, like over five, it may disturb or terrify them. It looks like a whole bunch of druggie weirdness but really it isn’t that at all. It’s a Flaming Lips movie! It’s a happy one, no specific message, it’s just fun. You should watch it. It plays on cable channels on Christmas Day everywhere obviously.

To what extent are you intrigued by imagination and the way the mind works? Are you into Surrealism?

Or to whether the mind really works at all! I like everything that’s done well. What I do like is Salvador Dali. His collections are admirable because there’s so much of it, have you seen how much he did? I think he talks some bullshit but a lot of the time he’s really just painting from his emotional subconscious. He must have painted all day, every day. But people point to Surrealist concepts in terms of dreaming, thinking and designing, but Dali shows us it’s about getting up and doing it, physically making as much as you can.

So do you believe the Flaming Lips live show channels his creative drive?

I would say more Absurdist, and yeah, we do all these things without studying them too intently; I try to bombard you with enough colourful and loud things that make you just surrender and say hey, I don’t have to bestow this a meaning, it is what it is. We just like to obliterate you with the moment!

A lot of rock shows are about being cool, ya know, just about the image. We get rid of all that, there’s no grand meaning, we’re not trying to change the world. It’s a big spectacle. We’re really lucky, Warner Bros totally get what we’re about, we’re not the Beatles or anything. Not that we’re so smart, but twenty-five years on we’re still doing what we love. It’s weird.

Doesn’t time fly! What now after this tour?

IT DOES. Watching bands come and go, negotiations fabricate and fall apart. You see how fast everything turns over. As for this tour, it’s gone so quick. I don’t know that we’ve ever been free here, so to speak. There’s some great mega groups from here right…Stone Roses?

And The Smiths…

Oh god, I knew there was someone! We come here so often we forget where we are, isn’t that terrible? Well, after this - after Embryonic - is the future.

Expect more nudity, robot battles, balloons and brilliance from Wayne Coyne in years to come.

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

THE DEAD WEATHER

2009-11-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

For Student Direct:

I chat with Alison Mosshart as she prepares for their Manchester date.

INTERVIEW: THE DEAD WEATHER

A DISTINGUISED COLLECTIVE - members from The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, Queens of the Stone Age and The Kills. Surely this equals fast success from day one? Alison Mosshart reveals how a drunken night in Tennessee gave birth to one of the most exciting ‘side-projects’ of the moment; where classic rock goes to expire, The Dead Weather is freed, oozing raw, sexy blues-rock upon us.

‘We were all crashing at Jack (White)’s place and started jamming; just four people in a room, seeing what happens if we hold these instruments and lock the door.’ So like a human-meets-music experiment? ‘Exactly. It started out as just fun, but it’s interesting when you’re all used to playing with other musicians, in other ways. Playing in The Kills, Jamie and I faced only one another other. It was like a conversation you’re having with somebody else; we were just almost psychically linked. The audience saw an intimacy and energy being pulled from one another. I wasn’t really ready to let go of leaning on somebody else, but when I started playing with Jack I suddenly did. I just turned and faced the crowd.’

Once Mosshart faced her crowd fear, The Dead Weather became a serious project. Was the presence of her celebrated on-stage guise VV a help in tackling such feats? ‘VV was created not so much to present another persona as a device to help plug my debut Kills stuff…’she laughs. ‘So long ago, wow…’ she trails, reflectively. ‘It stuck, huh. Between Discount (Alison’s first band when she was 14 – she is now 30) and now, I’ve learnt how to be part of a more traditional set-up definitely.’ But on how it is that something so casual became an album, followed by a tour, it seems Mosshart was as pleasantly surprised as us all.

‘It started off as a conversation between Jack and I wanting to make a 7-inch (featuring their first single ‘Hang You From The Heavens.)’ ‘We really weren’t starting a band! I guess it was a project to put out a single for Jack’s label Third Man Records. But then we found we just couldn’t stop writing. I think it was after playing a surprise show at a party that we decided to carry on playing these new songs live. Everything fell in front of us.’ Did the sudden presence of a real drummer as opposed to a drum machine as used in The Kills influence prove something hard to get used to? ‘Yes, and no. It’s a really different set-up. You can’t always rely on what’s coming next. But… working with Jack, who’s not traditional in any sense really, is always going to be unpredictable and unusual.’

So collaborating with Jack White, a man who’s almost built a musical empire from his name, and giving him prize place of control directing you with his drums - wasn’t daunting? ‘Somehow it wasn’t like stepping into a void; it was exciting knowing everything can change each night.’

White, known for his unabashed and seemingly borderless capacity for invention, has of course been the proverbial backbone to his newest venture; to him the band is perhaps just another outlet of his constant unquenchable need to make music... and direct. The circus-themed video to their latest single ‘I Cut Like A Buffalo’ is directed by White, who also features as a creepy ringmaster. In a circus, the ringmaster exhibits performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the show in motion. White conducts The Dead Weather with his time-perfect and deeply unnerving drumming – and is clearly the power behind the group, with his label and iconic status. Plus, it was at his house where the band came to be. As Mosshart testifies, their dirty, bluesy rock has both a traditional formality and a White-esque contemporary quality to it that speaks to teams of audiences.

Having let debut album Horehound off its leash in July, The Dead Weather are already deep into the creation of record number two. How will it differ to Horehound? ‘I don’t know, but a hell of a lot. We wrote fifteen songs in three days, and because we’ve been playing live a lot, we’ve discovered more and more about each other’s techniques. It feels like family now.’ Well, to feel like family to the guy who claimed his wife was sister must feel pretty close.

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

CHAIRLIFT

2009-11-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

For Student Direct:

LIVE

Chairlift @ Academy 2

27.10.09
4 stars

CHARMING AND INOFFENSIVELY TWEE is on the menu tonight as another Brooklyn band hit our shores, supporting French pop rock act Phoenix. For a drizzly and newly freezing winter night, Chairlift sweep away any chills and play a delectable collection of songs from their second album released by Kanine Records, Columbia. Strangely, Chairlift are put in the same bracket as friends MGMT, and though they sound lands apart, have not hit the popularity mark of those they keep company with back across the pond. Their songs - amongst the best are ‘Garbage,’ ‘Planet Health,’ and radio-familiar ‘Bruises’- include super soundscapes and complicated keyboard and looping effects, not to mention interchangeable instrumentalists in the form of Aaron, Patrick and Caroline. Tonight, a real life drummer replaces their usual drum machine, and is the transmitter of great effect for a band who are sometimes deemed limited live. Beautiful Caroline is delicate, calming and sexually provocative with lyrics like ‘we made love with each other’s eyes…’ and (less romantic but wonderfully honest) ‘our intercourse was well-protected.’ Strange, other-worldly yet down-to-earth romantic lyrics (‘I tried to do handstands for you, I’m permanently black and blue for you’) vocals and slightly post-apocalyptic songs later, my heart is lifted from the dreary outside reality and won by wonderful Chairlift.

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

NEW SLANG

2009-11-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

Our (albeit BEST LATE NIGHT SHOW) award-winning radio show is back!

Listen to NEW SLANG on fusefm.co.uk every Tuesday 10am-12pm with myself, Claire Fraser and Zara Meerza. Old music, new music, in between stuff, interviews and chat.

ANNA BYRNE

2009-11-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends is still singing as beautifully as ever. She caused small scandals at school for writing (brilliant) songs about our peers, but one of her best tracks is 'Shakespeare' one she wrote about me and a garden pegola flying over a hedge, and back on her page after popular demand...

She's amazing:

http://www.myspace.com/annalibby

ELLIE GOULDING

2009-11-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

for Student Direct.

Ellie Goulding @ Night and Day

28.09.09

The name on many girls and boys’ lips (or fellow addicts of with Hype Machine) is Ellie Goulding. Her intensely catchy-sans-monotony tunes have a Coco Rosie lyrical range of soft but strongly sung and intensely beautiful melodies amidst flickering drums and dancey keyboards. Her loyal producer, co-writer and friend Starsmith is present tonight, complimenting her blog-hit ‘Starry Eyed’ with louder than loud electronic percussion and synths. During one or two tracks Ellie bangs a drum in suspiciously Florence-esque fashion, and her performance indeed lacks the confidence of one of her many female counterparts of the present. Notably though is Goulding’s capacity of entertaining an unsure and unknowing crowd, and as the lone Andre 3000-imitating fan at the front would testify, she does not fail to impress considerably for someone relatively new to critical success. Her music and unassuming demeanour has impressed and attracted the attention of the likes of Frankmusik and man of the moment Mark Ronson, and with songs such as debut single ‘Under The Sheets,’ securing without fail pop gold, Ellie Goulding is beginning to make her presence known.

your twenties

2009-11-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

For BBC.

ITC: Your Twenties @ Moho Live

19.10.09

www.myspace.com/yourtwenties

The bassist from electronic dance pop act Metronomy steers a new boat in the form of London quartet Your Twenties. On board joining him are three others masterfully disguising their comparable inexperience, performing track after track of completely lovely songs in the depths of Moho’s basement venue. Their mid-ITC slot is perfectly timed for new music enthusiasts and still fully-charged industry know-hows alike who mill about the place stopping in their tracks to give the ‘curious mix of upbeat, keys-driven alt pop and west coast-styled rock fusion’ a listen. The guys have the handsome looks, charming composure and pretty distinct sound cocktailed for success and the music is reminiscent of Rooney, layered with far more British vocals; Caught Wheel sparked recognition throughout the place perhaps for its superb unmistakably infectious pop-riff. Confusingly, Gold sounded like trippy Death Cab, which is testament to their varied sound from song to song. With their single Billionaires, produced by the legendary Steven ‘Smiths and Blur’ Street, to be put out on up-and-coming hip label Neon Gold Records, their way to some larger degree of success is surely already paved.

Alexandra Pereira

ANOTHER REASON TO LOVE BRADFORD COX

2009-10-26T11:16:00.001-07:00

For Student Direct.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Karen O and the Kids

Karen Orzolek is back with a sweet vengeance. She and her Kids do something presumably tricky, painting playful yet daunting mystical creatures into a something that resembles music. This soundtrack owns a poignant darkness; something which Spike Jones’ movie adaptation of cartoon Where the Wild Things Are surely epitomises. Lo and behold an unequivocally much-awaited soundtrack to an animation that has entertained adults and children alike for over forty years; the music lives up to the pastime, and inspired by a text consisting of only nine sentences, brilliantly outdoes itself.

‘Capsize’ possesses the chanting, clapping wonderful sounds reminiscent of both Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV and the Radio collaborated (though sadly Sitek does not appear) and clearly Karen O the writer has not held back her own lingering and unavailing style for this album; it simply fits so neatly with the tone of the film she need hold any artistic expression.

Bradford Cox makes his presence known on this record perhaps not quite as prolifically as anticipated; his vocals are washed away all too often, perhaps stifled and shadowed by Karen who deservedly steals every song’s show from the Kids - consisting of Cox, Jack Lawrence, Brian Chase, Aaron Hemphill, Dean Fertita and the elusive but ever-present Nick Zinner, to name a few. Romantic expression within an otherwise all-attentive collection of songs is explored with ‘Hideway’ - it tugs at the heart strings of the broken-hearted and forlorn, urging the listener/spectator to wonder what scene it is attached to. Building All Is Love is positively cute and the kiddie choir fused with Karen’s vocals and lovely major chords make for a track in some way reminiscent of Arcade Fire’s work.

The album of course owns the tribal sound that resonates about any of O’s work, but does so in a more laid-back nevertheless tyrannical manner. She basically, dare I say hauntingly, hums her way in and out of each track, and this is surely enough to make the record striking and satisfactory enough for WTWTA creator Maurice Sendak himself. Karen and the Kids totally win with this.

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

'Being a popstar, I'm playing myself'

2009-10-26T10:58:00.001-07:00

For Student Direct.
INTERVIEW: Pixie Lott

It’s a classy affair as Pixie Lott prepares to take to the landmark stage of…the Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester. Ok, so not her most glamorous venue to date, but Pixie is, for midday on a Sunday, dressed to kill in trademark and literally ‘less is more’ attire. But on being asked about that FHM cover (the prime reason of a lot of my male associates’ acute jealousy at this interview), Pixie is quick to deny selling her sexuality. How does she feel about being a pin-up? ‘Am I?’ Perhaps a little too unassumingly. Lott is soon a lot more frank about the whole situation, and really very grounded for her eighteen years. ‘I don’t really think about it to be honest. I don’t read all the other lads mags, but in the FHM shoot, in fairness, I wore practically the same thing as in the Mama Do video. It doesn’t really phase me!’

Grilled on her thoughts of the current female presence within the pop music industry, Pixie mentions not the popularised likes of La Roux, Florence and the dastardly Little Boots but reveals a long time penchant for singers, ironically, based less on the image and simply beholding strong, austere voices. ‘I still just love Adele, my favourite UK artist… does she count as new?’ Known for her own anything-but-meek dulcet tones, Lott was designed for the centre stage after being schooled at the famous Italia Conti Theatre School in London. ‘I think it really helped in the way that shows, to me, became like second nature. I don’t get nervous at all. I absolutely always loved acting and I find talking to the crowd really easy. I did a lot of musical theatre and wanted to get away from that really with my live performances.’ So why the pop business? ‘I feel you aren’t like playing a character…I am just there as myself onstage. But I do wanna make my shows massive, bigger and better.’

But not one to be heralded your typical stage school bubblegum popstar- hark Martine McCutcheon, Billie Piper, Posh Spice… Pixie reveals a rougher side with her weakness for bands like Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and (sadly) The Kooks. ‘I saw MGMT when I played at V Festival this summer and it was actually the best thing I’ve ever seen. They make such good music to jump to.’ So it’s not all Les Miserábles ballads dominating Pixie’s iPod then. ‘I listen to and am inspired by everything from show songs to soul.’ Her mix of genres whilst sticking to a mainstream-approved formula of polished looks, catchy choruses and a distinct air of confidence in her work explain Pixie Lott’s rise to commercial success over recent months; fresh from her MTV European New Act nomination, Pixie shows her unaffected excitement at being a part of something so huge. ‘I just can’t wait to be going to the ceremony really!’ The next year holds within it plans to crack the US, and a possible collaboration with a Spanish artist. Does she speak Spanish? ‘Not a word. And I have to sing in it as well!’ Better dust off those theatre school skills and get learning the lines then, Pixie.

dancing in the dark

2009-10-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

For Student Direct.

GLASTONBURY

WORTHY FARM’s annual merrymaking needs no description. To virtually every person Glastonbury is acknowledged as the mother of all existing music and arts festivals, one that has prevailing philosophy of ecological respect amidst links with Greenpeace, and the entire country shedding their suits, feigning hippy identities and prancing naked in the mud for four days.

Stepping down onto the spotless pastures of the farm, it’s always refreshing to see what has been done differently each year and whether the real thing lives up to the long held image conjured up in your mind. This year, the irrepressible presence of last year’s newcomers Trash City and Shangri-La was still fully in tact. Glastonbury ’09 was a dramatic affair, bringing warped machinery, The Boss and death; Arcadia, Bruce and Jacko were the words on everyone’s lips.

The days were filled with Jazzworld, Healing Fields and sun cream application – much to our surprise the weather contrasted drastically with the terrific showers of 2007. Naked prancing was given the go-ahead for old and young. Along with the bustle and bravado of stadium-filling headliners and super wacky amateur dramatics to the Healing Fields and Croissant Neuf, the festival’s capability to capture even the unimpressionable is still absolutely there.

But to the point, it is primarily a music affair, so on with the music. The curtains were kept drawn for a little longer this year on our headliners- Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Blur. Each did not disappoint, as Young chugged on with a string of hits that delighted all generations. I was sandwiched between a 65 year old and a 15 year old who both knew the words to Old Man which made me smile. I still kick myself for missing The Boss who cheekily played a superb three-hour set causing Michael Eavis a hefty fine. And it was Blur who brought the weekend to a climax with one of their rumoured last-ever festival performances, including a Weeping Damon Special where he broke down in sheer joy at the 70, 000 strong crowd’s adulation.

For me though, it was all the smaller things that made for a super duper time; The Dead Weather and their secret set cutting up the Park Stage like a buffalo (Jack’s still got it and Mosshart is hotter than ever); Peaches detonating her sexually-charged electronica upon us; Bon Iver’s magnificent twilight performance playing stuff aspiring singer-songwriters can only dream of creating. Higher up on the hype scale was Florence and her swiftly growing Machine killing the John Peel Stage in an extraordinary way, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds drawing a gargantuan crowd and a daytime trip of hip hop glory from the N.E.R.D boys, albeit awash with Jackson tributes and lashings of divalike attitude from Pharrell Williams. I am told by valuable sources that Lady Gaga’s nearly naked show was equally glorious (she even tried to play the drums) and I was personally glad to have caught one of The Maccabees’ finest sets ever before Gaga filthied the Other Stage’s surface – meant in the nicest way possible.

Next year welcomes Glasto’s 40th anniversary together with rumours of The Strokes and The Rolling Stones; even if this is codswallop, I’d go again just to dance in a mini-monsoon with circus freaks on a fire-blasting machine to acid-reggae. Nowhere else in the world…

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

***

THE BIG CHILL

WE AMBLED ALONG just as the Zombie ‘I Spit On Your Grave’ Rave, let by King of the Dead Noel Fielding, closed. This was sad news for us but after pitching our 95 year old tent (complete with views of beautiful Eastnor Castle) we bounced out and over to the Zombie Drive-In of sound-system-infested car wreckages and onto the Malvern Hills where Toddla T and Mr Scruff played us into the weekend by twilight…

Highlights were copious but without the smallest glimmer of a doubt, Thursday’s instrumental re-scoring of Man of Aran from British Sea Power set the standard high. It was heavy, intense yet serene – reminiscent of Sigur Ros (who played here last year- BC has subtly struck gold before yet still, pleasingly, does not attract the masses) or Mogwai. Chris Cunningham Live competed for most innovative and cutting edge performance of the festival with his mash up of Sheena is a Parasite, film of a couple viciously beating each other up and the notorious Playstation advert starring a strange-craniumed young girl. As he hovered creepily underneath the explicitly exquisite imagery on the screen behind him, Cunningham’s live music juxtapositional mastery was brutal, uncomfortable and nothing short of brilliant. It’s easy to see why fellow peculiars Bjork and Aphex Twin worked with this man.

BSP: One of many Big Chill highlights

It was a pleasure as always to see Friendly Fires take their Jagger-esque hips to the stage and complete a finely perfected set of pop tunes with a harem of Brazilian Samba dancers with a calypso crescendo of Jump in the Pool. More showy pop ensued with Marina and the Diamonds’ performance, whilst Basement Jaxx got everyone dancing in their fiery and celebratory display. Celebrating the satisfaction of extra large glimmering gold lame tracksuits perhaps? They blinded me (in a fun way.)

Saturday welcomed the dreamy delights of Spiritualized and Orbital who sound tracked the perfect end to the hottest day of the year, whilst the flip flop forest and car boot art fair added to the eclectic beauty of the festival’s charm for daytime wandering. Chrome Hoof played an alarming yet enjoyable set of noise glamour rock and The Invisible duly showed their worth of a Mercury Music Prize nomination. Other contenders for best new material were Noah and the Whale who showcased their second album The First Days of Spring to a wide and impressed audience.

Sunday swelled with heat and Max Romeo played out the last of the sun with his original of Prodigy’s Out of Space. The Rizla tent’s DJ-off, featuring Micachu, entertained us sufficiently until we headed to Sitek-produced Telepathe’s superb tribal-electronica set at the Castle stage. David Byrne closed things up with a string of hits including of course, Once in a Lifetime complete with wacky dancing.

No queues. No large swaying crowds. Friendly as f**k strangers. It was all we could do not to burst into tears at the thought of leaving this metropolis of zombies, castles, lakes and forests. Absolutely an agoraphobic’s wet dream.. .

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

***

LEEDS FESTIVAL

FLAGRANTLY LACKING a promise to be magical, mythical or pleasant, the Leeds Festival brings with it a very youth-aware crowd of lairy, ket-infested Skins fans, blinding fluoro fashion and, gulp, LADS ON TOUR peeing wherever they are standing. Despite this, the line up of the Reading and Leeds bank holiday shindig forever guarantees a special and varied line up – 2009’s being no exception. Containing my excitement for Thom Yorke and friends’ headline slot on Saturday evening was impractical- so I spent the lead up dashing about catching the very best in this year’s artists (and getting caught in a mass domino effect during Arctic Monkeys.)

The Festival Republic Stage housed some of the finest examples of ‘contemporary’ music to compete with names such as Radiohead and Placebo topping the bill over at the Main Stage. The XX blitzed the tiny tent with brooding, still dark romantic dynamism and are surely destined to get uber popular this year; Black Lips played charmingly wicked rock and roll to please girls and boys alike, and The Temper Trap posed as yet another band to play at least a whole album’s worth of decent songs, amongst them a string of hits – we’ve all seen that summer festival advert; the crowd went crazy for Sweet Disposition, it was quite cute. I later grabbed a chat with Passion Pit who told me their new found success was strangely impact-less as yet, in contrast to the shocking news of which they informed me; the Oasis split. A number of artists seemed saddened by the news, Brooklyn band Bear Hands excepted as they wandered in bewilderment over to me to ask if I’d managed to see their ‘American-looking friends’ around. The band played to a small crowd at the unfortunate time of midday Saturday but exhibited a groovy, tribal set with smooth confidence. Later, Radiohead exuded the same cool confidence with their hit-filled demonstration of professionalism. Whether you like them or not, it highlighted to me the ultimate of live music furore in the most peaceful of manners.

Sunday: I was deeply disappointed when my much-coveted interview with Placebo was cancelled due to Brian Molko’s exhaustion and slightly bewildered at his punchy, energetic performance later in the day. Due to this I abandoned their otherwise tremendous set halfway through to catch cuties Bombay Bicycle Club. The day will come where they are no longer referred to as youngsters, and that day they do deserve as their sound has been honed to near indie-pop flawlessness since they blasted onto the underage scene in 2007.

After Kings of Leon’s shocking behaviour at Reading two days earlier, I was nervous at what mouthful Caleb would hand his northern audience. Not to be proved predictable, the Followills were cheerier than I’ve ever witnessed them… gurning almost. They hurled out classics aplenty and cleverly kept the newer dribble that had caused such Reading fury to a minimum (it was documented that the crowd only knew Sex on Fire). ‘You have already blown Reading to hell,’ Caleb gushed. ‘We love you Leeds.’ Yay for the North. And welcome, freshers.

ALEXANDRA PEREIRA

***

http://www.student-direct.co.uk/2009/09/dancing-in-the-dark-festival-round-up-special/

BBC

2009-10-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8326000/8326386.stm

GOD IS IN THE TV (ZINE)

2009-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

...This stuff isn't chronological until I work out how blogs work. Until someone shows me I am clueless.

Telepathe + The XX@ Manchester, Deaf Institute
20.05.09
Alexandra Pereira

I’ve never witnessed such a mass crush on one person whatsoever. Perhaps this is what makes Brooklyn girl duo Telepathe (and broodingly handsome singer Busy Gagnes in particular) so initially striking, for at the forefront of their dark,synth and drums electronica beats a powerful sexual prowess and awareness that entices boys and girls alike.

Opening with their well-known hit Chrome’s on It, Telepathe instantly played up to the avant-garde joke of present Brooklyn and reminded us of Dave Sitek’s influence on the music; his artistic presence is extremely blatant but equally brilliant as his familiar production use of feedback, and ambient synths screech out of the Deaf Institute’s speakers. After personally seeing them at London’s Concrete + Glass in October, where they supported TV on the Radio, Telepathe integrate influences from their previous outfits Wikkid and Ex-Models into the innovative new sonic experimentation that is their debut album Dance Mother. Connections with the elite of New York and London’s music scenes has had both negative and positive impact on the band, whose ‘hipster’ vibe sometimes distracts from what is possibly, one of the best new acts of the past year. Contrastingly, their trendy mingling has served them well in terms of media exposure and it’s clear from the crowd tonight that this is a gig ‘to be seen at.’ A bad thing perhaps, a success in some form nevertheless.

Percussionist/co-synth player Melissa Livaudais was the cuter, bouncier one of the two beating a time-perfect pulse with drum pads on songs such as In Your Line. The songs have a certain 80s dancehall (yet militant) feel to them and the result is fascinatingly like the earliest and best sound of Human League with a dash of Bjork with The March. Lights Go Down sounding startlingly like something Thom Yorke could have worked on. To further intensify the surrealist tone of their live performance and lure in the avant-garde partisan were peppered some spoken word/rap vocals on Devil’s Trident, which nostalgically and outrageously reminded me of both Baz Luhrmann’s Everybody Free (To Wear Sunscreen) and early Destiny’s Child. Visually, the show was simplistic and gaudy at the same time. The beeps and bleats of their extensive equipment (but noticeably cheap keyboard) was loud, overpowering and complicated, but worked brilliantly with the frontwomens’ understated stance and charm. Behind them was a psychedelic makeshift Powerpoint show, it seemed, throwing shapes, colours and patterns across in time with the music.

Amidst the softer-than-soft catchy lyrics are some unusual themes like living on other planets and bizarrely, taking a boy into a forest to perform sexual favours and proceeding to execute him. Wow. You can tell a lot of thought went into the percussion of Telepathe’s music and this really came through in the live show. Undoubtedly a fairly pretentious show that maybe had the potential to have been terrible but worked perfectly due to the blasé approach of Telepathe’s live presence.

catalogue

2009-10-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

It is about time I started a blog after many people instructing me to do so.

I shall start by exposing my tiny weeny audience a selection of journalism (mostly music) I have done over the past year. Things I am proud of, some I am not so proud of. Everyone starts somewhere.

And Lexington Pez is a ridiculous but horribly catchy name given to me by my lovely friends this summer. It makes me sound like a hotel, a pornstar and a nineties sweet all rolled into one (the best things in life, surely?)

From last year's radio show with Fras is this.
We are about to embark on a brand new show with Zara Meerza joining New Slang.

01.03.09

Black Lips Interview by Fuse FM

Alex Pereira of 'Lex & Fras New Slang' caught up with Black Lips before their show at the Deaf Institute last week. Hear the interview here

https://fusefm.co.uk/interviews/black-lips-interview-fuse-fm

This show was also filmed, here's a short excerpt. IT WAS AMAZING. The Deaf Institute in Manchester is fast-becoming the city's best live venue by far: