NOIZEMAKESENEMIES.CO.UK

INTERVIEW // ZANE LOWE

2009-11-20T11:24:00.008Z

Zane Lowe’s ‘Masterpieces’ series returns to his Radio 1 show from next Monday. Once again, the choices are four herculean albums that now define so many genres and influence bands all over the world. Each weeknight from 7pm-9pm, the Radio 1 DJ will dedicate one night to playing the album in its entirety, completely uninterrupted. Just how they were intended.
This year’s Masterpieces are:

Metallica- Metallica (30/11/09)
The Streets – Original Pirate Material (01/12/09)
The Clash – London Calling (02/12/09)
Daft Punk – Discovery (03/12/09)

Noize caught up with Zane to find out how he picked just four of some of the most seminal bands of musical history.

NOIZE: Over the past two years, other ‘masterpieces’ have included Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy and The Strokes, how did the show come to decide what albums to pick this year?

ZANE: "They were easy. It’s done by the core of the team that put the show together and I’ve known all these people for quite a while now. We sort of got together and started having the conversation like 6-8 months ago and were talking about masterpieces when we had a spare couple of minutes and it escalates into this sort of ridiculous sort of debate, from the sublime to the ridiculous. People coming out with albums, and someone agrees and then someone disagrees, and it’s fun for a while but it comes down to ‘Okay we’ve got to make a decision, we’ve got a week to make a decision’ and it starts to get a bit ugly! Everyone sort of has their album they’re really pitching for and in a way it becomes a case of convincing someone why it isn’t a masterpiece and that’s a difficult position for people who like music to be in. It’s a bit full on, but its good. It’s the sort of frustrating debate you can have with friends when in the pub talking about why you like different football teams but the stakes are a little bit higher for the show."

“When it came to choosing the records, The Clash were always in the mix and we wanted to have a really strong rock record and I was pitching for people like Siamese Dream and Queens of the Stone Age. In the end we all met in the middle and compromised on the record that actually none of us had mentioned until the very end because. And with Metallica, once they got suggested, I cant remember who brought it up, it was like ‘well that’s just obvious’. It’s a big seller, it’s a great record and a lot of people might think it should be ‘ Master of Puppets’ but that’s the one I think which a lot of people identify. It sort of was a turning point of what they were to what they’ve become whilst still retaining what they were if you know what I mean. “

“Daft Punk’s ‘Discovery’ is just an incredible album and then The Streets, have been around for two or three rounds and a couple of us always really wanted them in the mix because we thought it was like more influential then people give them credit for and once we started to look through it, we realised from start to finish it’s a fucking great record.”

NOIZE: Are there any albums that you were really pitching for but that didn’t make the ‘Masterpieces’ cut?

ZANE: “Yeah, Siamese Dream is the one I always want to do because we don’t know how long we want to do the masterpiece series for. We always want to end when something is working before it becomes tiresome for people and so I don’t know if we’ll do another round of it and I always had my eye on doing them. It’s one that when you play the album in full it just gets the making of it, you get to tell your own stories about it and share stories with people listening and that record is probably my best record of all time so it’s the one I really wanted. “

NOIZE: Are there any albums from this year that you sort of see as a ‘Masterpiece’ in the making or that one that you can see yourself pitching for in future years if it keeps running?

ZANE: “I think the XX have made an amazing debut record. I think in time their album will kind of resonate even more with people because it stands alone with all the atmosphere on the record and there’s some really established writing on the record from where they’ve come from. Not to sound patronising but they’re a new band so that’s really promising and I think depending on what else they make from here on in, they’re down as a bit of a classic debut album. I love the Jamie T record, whether or not it’s his masterpiece…I don’t think it is, but I reserve judgement on that. I think he’s still got a record in him which will surpass what he’s done so far but that’s a great record this year.”

“I think albums have had a bit of a tough run this year, I mean we’ve seen some great songs but albums have had a rough year. It feels like its more of a record yearand that, in a way, everything has slowed down a bit which has been real enjoyable for us because we’ve been able to focus on songs and finding the best ones to put on the show. It’s been really nice in a way for us to focus on songs and seeing people develop so I’ve really enjoyed that, as oppose to huge albums coming out and taking up loads of space. It’s nice to kind of let new artists and established artists like Grizzly Bear.”

Listen to the Masterpieces from Monday 30th November on Radio 1 (7pm-9pm).

By Laura Routledge

IN PICTURES // THE FALL @ LEEDS 02 ACADEMY

2009-10-29T20:23:00.003Z

Mark E Smith and his ever-changing troop of Peel-beloved, post-punk icons grace the stage of the Leeds Academy. Ladies and gentlemen, the one... the only... The Fall.

By Brendan Docherty

FEATURE // BRITISH BANNING & CENSORSHIP

2009-10-23T23:27:00.017+01:00

What do The Beatles and The Sex Pistols have in common? Well not much, thankfully. Except that they have both succumb to some of the most absurdly strict music censorship laws in history. From the supposed fascist accusations spray-painted across the song ‘God Save the Queen’, to the imaginary Coca-cola advertisements which forced The Kinks to settle for a more humble brand of cherry cola, the worst offender, the BBC, was always keen to chlorinate its ‘Auntie knows best’ image.
Type ‘BBC censorship’ into google and the predictor shows well over a million results. Whereas this isn’t tantamount to a far-east asian dictatorial regime riveting shut our google letter-box windows on the world, for the music industry it’s a real bugger. If song-writing was supposed to be about freedom of expression, then Auntie Beeb was always there to ruin the party and pee in the punch.

Hastening back a few years to 1984: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, amid a tumultuous DJ Mike Read episode, where their record was snapped in two. If it wasn’t sexual as in Frankie’s case, it was foul-mouthed or high on drugs. I wonder how many small children sit at home listening to ‘Stoned’ on Radio 1 or rap out to Kanye West on MTV. Even TV has fallen victim; we hardly need to focus too hard to remember the Brand/Ross incident. Ironically, banning and censorship often has a less punitive effect: Frankie went to No.1 and Manwell…he got on Corrie.

Radio and TV have even invented their own word-covering manual on how to dock a few troublesome tails: blanking, bleeping, resampling, repeating, skipping, disc-scratching and even the intriguing RoboVoicing. Perhaps that last one involves bringing Arnold the Terminator into the studio. No surprise then that Gang of Four walked off Top of the Pops, refusing to replace the word ‘rubbers’ with ‘packets’; 30 years later in September 2009, they are invited to the set of Jools Holland’s ‘Later…Live’ show.

Sadly in the old days, as inane as it seems, small bands were at the mercy of such make-or-break shows. Without DJs like John Peel and pirate radio, good music may have never come to light and we would still be sitting in armchairs listening to the best of BBC jazz. This month BBC Electric Proms allowed the words 'screw' and 'fuck' in two Magazine tracks on their live 6music broadcast (well it was live!), but cut the two words from the actual footage shown at a later date. However, they failed to remove the second 'fuck' for some odd reason.

In recent years the BBC grinches replaced the original Pogues Christmas tune, ‘Fairytale of New York’, with an edited version amiss of the words ‘faggot’ and ‘slut’ (despite the former being Irish slang for a lazy person, or indeed a British meatball). However, unlike this case, censorship usually depends on contextual usage; indeed, one needed to be drinking in order to be ‘pissed’. Dear old ‘fuck’ seems to be unacceptable in every context. While outright bans ultimately prevent a song from airing in the first place, censorship merely spoils the lyrics for the sake of the bitterly frail beings who torment the producers of ‘Points of View’ for a living.

Times have moved on thankfully, but beyond the days of cool kids proudly parading ‘parental advisory’ stickered CDs, there are still more serious issues of disturbing, Thatcheresque social dystopia surrounding all this. Auntie may know best, but her tea-cosy sentiments are occasionally a little too close for comfort. What is more asphyxiating is the dread of living in a world where The Daily Mail can propagate its homophobic literature, Nazi Nick can fat-mouth on a BBC topical debate show, but well-meaning musicians can't say the f-word. Ah, free speech.

By Ayisha Khan

INTERVIEW // ANNIE MAC

2009-10-21T22:47:00.003+01:00

You can’t get very far these days without a reminder of everyone’s favourite curly-haired musical whirlwind, Annie Mac. And that’s because the Irish DJ/Presenter has her proverbial finger in almost every proverbial pie there is. Since starting when she was 19, Annie now has just over a decade of DJ-ing perfection under her belt and looks set for a busy few months; combining a massive UK tour, a prestigious DJ slot on Radio 1 (Friday 7-10pm) and the release of a double compilation CD. Sounds exhausting? All in a days work for Britain’s favourite genre-smashing deck-gracing talent. So Noize caught up with Annie during a rare break from the chaos she so loves to find out how it's all been going:

NOIZE: Hi Annie, how are you? It seems like you've had a pretty hectic few weeks- how has it all gone?
AM: Hello there I'm good thanks... Yes the last few weeks have been suitably hectic... I've been on tour round the US and Canada and have come back and straight into the start of my Autumn Annie Mac Presents tour, my new slot on radio 1 and the impending release of my Annie Mac Presents compilation...

NOIZE: What has it been like filling Pete Tong's boots on Radio 1? How did it come about? Have you had a lot of support?
AM: It's been great I have to say. It makes sense for both of us musically. I've had loads of encouragement and support from listeners and friends and industry... the general consensus is that it feels right.

NOIZE: You've just started an autumn tour, how has it gone so far? Any shows you're particularly excited for?
AM: It's been great... we sold out KOKO with Skream and Benga, Zinc, Fake Blood and Ms Dynamite. I'm excited for Cardiff on Saturday with Mehdi and Jackbeats... for Amanda Blank in Bristol and for the next KOKO with Miike Snow and Kid Sister and Young Fathers... I can't think any further ahead than that!

NOIZE: What can people expect from your live shows musically and in terms of atmospherics? Any surprises making it onto the set list?
AM: My DJ sets are quite variable actually. I like to switch it up in order to keep myself entertained. Currently I'm playing everything from disco to UK funky to dubstep to jungle. I never go too deep... it’s usually loud and lairy and fun

NOIZE: The new album is later this week. How would you describe it? What can new/existing fans expect from it?
AM: It's 2 CDs of upfront dance music mixed by me. The first is indicative of a DJ set. It's bouncy and fun... A lot of disco vibes on there as well as some D&B and dubstep. The second is more chilled... it's got everything from reggae to dubstep to cosmic disco on it.

NOIZE: Are there any bands out there at the moment you can't stop listening to? Any promising new talent?
AM: So much! So much good music! Makes my job so exciting! I'm loving Hot city and Sbtrkt and Mark Pritchard and Young Fathers from Edinburgh and D bridge and Solo and Rivastar and Retrograde, and then there's people who've been around for a while that are still killing it like Riton, Seiji, DJ Zinc, Zed Bias and Lindstrom... too much good music!

Annie's new album, Annie Mac Presents, is available to buy from 26th October.

By Laura Routledge

INTERVIEW // FILTHY DUKES

2009-10-20T13:22:00.000+01:00

‘I had a dream about Fuck Buttons the other night. We were in a studio together. I never heard the tune though. Shame.’ But what would you call this disco-punk noise-pop super group? ‘Hmmm. Filthy Fucks.’ And so began a surreal night trying to find a quiet corner for a chat with Olly Dixon and Tim Lawton, two thirds of Filthy Dukes, London music kings and curators of Kill ‘Em All @ Fabric, who were in Barcelona for their bi-monthly DJ residency.
Taking in steak with foie and home-brewed beer, hotel problems (‘I walked in and someone was in my bed. Even the hotel doesn’t know where my room is!’), a bar with virtually no seats (but lots of noise), and a car ride spent debating the respective merits of Revolver and the White Album, Noize finally settled down on some backstage patio furniture to ask about remixes, record labels, and recording with Sarah Harding. 20 minutes before they were due on. No pressure then…

Noize: You’ve worked with a wide range of artists, both on your album as guest vocalists, and doing remixes. Have you ever been turned down by anyone you wanted to work with?

Olly: Yeah. Nobody ever says ‘No, we don’t want to do it’. They’re always more polite, like ‘Sorry, we don’t have time.’ At least that’s what they say.

Noize: Which collaborations have you missed out on?

Olly: Well, Friendly Fires couldn’t do it, cos they were recording their album. We also approached Florence & the Machine before she got famous, but she couldn’t do it either.

Tim: Yeah, we’d approached her and suggested we work on some stuff together, and she agreed, but by the time we got round to doing it, things had exploded for her and it just wasn’t possible.

Olly: The thing is, when we first started making the album, we hadn’t yet made any music, and we were asking people to give up a song, potentially, their time and their creative energy, which was quite a big ask. We were surprised when people actually said yes!

Tim: We’ve also recorded other stuff with people which didn’t make it onto the album because we didn’t like the final version, or cos we wanted the album to take a particular direction, but we also missed out on La Roux and Little Boots. That would have been interesting.

Noize: Have you ever turned down anyone who wanted to work with you?

Olly: Well, we’ve turned down work for radio, and we’ve turned down remixes cause they didn’t offer enough money! We’ve also turned down club nights that we didn’t like the look of, but not really any artists as such.

Noize: Recording with Sarah Harding (of Girls Aloud) is not something one would expect from a group such as yourselves.

Both: Ha ha ha!

Olly: What happened was, some members of the Filthy Dukes were asked to record a track for the soundtrack of “Wild Child”, so some members of the Filthy Dukes recorded a cover of the song “Wild Child” with the singer of another band. This was before we had released our own album. The record label really liked it, but then said ‘Oh, we don’t want that girl to sing any more, we want Sarah Harding to do it.’ So we were like, ‘Ok, sounds kinda fun, but this isn’t a Filthy Dukes track, it’s just another track with Sarah Harding’ which caused a few problems with the label. However, in the end, she came into our studio and spent a day recording.

Noize: And it went well?

Olly: It did. She’s a really nice girl. We had a discussion about domestic help, and now we share the same cleaner.

Noize: Wasn’t there a rumour that she was leaving Girls Aloud to join Filthy Dukes?

Olly: Someone, somewhere, who works for God knows who, dropped the “story” to the press, which is funny, cos there is no way we should be appearing in gossip columns and the like. Imagine, ‘Sarah Harding leaves Girls Aloud to join nu-rave group the Filthy Dukes’. Ridiculous.

Tim: My dad actually phoned me up one morning after reading it in the Daily Mirror, going ‘What’s all this? What’s going on?’. Even I hadn’t heard about it.

Noize: Is it more satisfying creatively to write your own material, or work on remixes?

Olly: It’s a lot harder making your own music because you’ve got a lot more going on in your head.

Tim: It depends, but at least with a remix you have a starting point, something concrete in front of you.

Olly: Yeah, sometimes you get a remix and you listen and think ‘Dear God, what are we gonna do with this?’. But you’ve got something. Sometimes when we go to a studio to record, we sit around looking at each other going ‘Right! Let’s make some music!’, and nothing happens. It can also depend what stage you’re at. If you’re writing for six months, you might find that you get a purple patch of one month where everything comes easily, but the rest of the time you’re tearing your hair out and wondering what direction you’re going in. There’s a lot of self questioning about the whole creative process, so it’s pretty horrible most of the time.
Tim: But it happens with remixes as well, we’ll sit around sometimes and just have no idea what to do.

Noize: Your club night at Fabric has attracted the great & good of the indie electro pop scene over the last few years. Is that what lead you to start the record label?

Olly: Totally. We’ve always booked bands really early on in their career, like we had Bloc Party’s second ever show, and we want to try and hold onto them in some way.

Tim: There was a time two years ago when every single club in London was saturated with that style of music and booking the same bands. When we booked them, hardly anyone else would put them on.

Olly: It can be a vanity thing as well. It’s the enthusiasm of new music and wanting to be involved from the start. I’ve never thought of it like ‘I wanna make money from this’ or anything like that. It’s a lot of work and sometimes I wonder why I bother, but I love the banter, and I wanna help them out. And get them to do something on our album.

By Derek Robertson

INTERVIEW // SKUNK ANANSIE

2009-10-20T13:21:00.000+01:00

Skunk Anansie are back with a vengeance. Disbanding some nine years ago after playing one final farewell show in Portugal, they agreed to reform during a band meeting cunningly orchestrated by their manager. Deciding that the time was right, they made a greatest hits album, wrote a smattering of new songs and now have an upcoming tour on the cards.
So have they been in hibernation? “We did sleep for a couple of years, but we’ve also been pretty busy leading our separate lives,” says Skin. Indeed, it doesn’t seem like she’s had much time off at all, citing two solo albums, a flourishing DJ career and modelling amongst her many achievements. “For his sins” Mark was in Feeder and Ace has been working as a teacher. And what’s become of Cass? According to Skin, he’s been absorbed in photographic pursuits and now runs a music production company for underprivileged kids. Not quite the rock and roll answer we were hoping for, but then we all knew that the tough guy image was just a façade. “He does have a brown belt in karate though, so knows exactly how to deal with the troublesome kids,” laughs Skin.

Indeed to many, Skunk Anansie have always been the embodiment of anger and rage. But in reality they are quite a gentle bunch, preferring to sip fruit smoothies than whisky chasers. The band is a close-knit unit but each member has a specific role to play. According to Skin, “Ace does the merchandising, I’m involved with the image side of things, and Mark does the website. But it does all cross over sometimes and we can work things out together. For example, we jointly decided which ten tracks to put on the album.”

So are they nervous about performing together after such a long time? “No, it’s just what we do, and what we do well.” Playing their comeback gig at Camden’s Electric Ballroom, the Big Smoke holds many fond memories for the four-piece. At the height of the nineties Britpop era, Skunk Anansie exploded onto the scene like a breath of fresh air. Playing angsty girl-fronted rock, they were a far cry from the anthemic indie of fellow Britpackers Blur and Oasis, offering something meatier for Brit kids to get their teeth into. “I have mixed emotions about those days,” reflects Skin. “Obviously we had a lot of fun, but I always remember not getting on TV shows because we weren’t Britpop enough.” But refusing to pander to commercial demands, they always stuck to doing exactly what they knew best: Britrock with political undertones.

Skin now lives in Ibiza but says that she still carries a torch for London. The Water Rats in Kings Cross is her favourite venue whereas Mark prefers the bright lights of Brixton Academy. “We really rocked that place though with all our quadraphonics,” Skin chirps.

And what are they listening to at the moment? “I love Band of Skulls and Friendly Fires right now. But I’m also really into things like Fake Blood and I have a bit of a soft spot for the Dubstep boys like Caspa and Skream.” Will any of these influences be evident in these next musical offerings? Not quite. Skunk Anansie’s latest tracks show a return to their softer side and their penchant for the ballad. But Skin tells me that they have already written ten new tracks and have plans to release an album sometime in the near future. What can we expect? “Sparky, contemporary songs, a kind of souped-up Skunk Anansie.” This fire’s definitely still burning

By April Welsh

NEW NOIZE MAKERS INTERVIEW // FLASHGUNS

2009-10-19T13:22:00.000+01:00

Four boys with an equal adoration for Kurt Cobain and bursting with the-world-doesn’t-understand-me teenage angst come together to form a band. Boys leave school and grow into young men, forcing their lyrics to be all the richer from their experiences of growing up and brother-like mentality. Same old? Perhaps on paper:
“We were childhood friends and the drummer and I played in bands before and then we came together in our last year of school and started making music a bit more seriously and it just went on from there. It’s just the three of us now, seeing as our keyboard player left not long ago, but it’s just sort of some mates making music which is how it came about and it’s just sort of got more serious every month or so since we left school.”

But Flashguns are far from the same old clichéd musical outfit. With their eclectic jangley sound, it is the well-thought, mature lyrics that function as the fraying string, binding the epic chaotic synth guitars in place as its unexpected vastness hits with full force on each and every Flashguns track. Something no doubt largely inspired by the band’s impressive back catalogue of influences;

“All the stuff I used to listen to a lot is still some of my favourite music. Like Deftones and Nirvana stuff, but more recently I got more into bands like Biffy Clyro and The Killers are absolutely one of my favourite bands ever. And then stuff like Moby and Sigur Ros, which is a bit more like more musically advanced. So a big mixture of sounds.”

With such an effortlessly unique and three-dimensional sound, even lead singer, Sam Johnston, struggles to pinpoint its description:

“It’s definitely rock. Like a grungey sort of sound I think. Quite reminiscent of the ‘Never Mind’ album, mixed in with more of a modern synth twinge which, I don’t know, is like a Killers’ sort of vibe. It’s kind of like grungey, epic, sort of soundscapey stuff. It’s cool. A lot of guitars, a lot of chorusy guitars and big vocals. It’s a sort of big imposing sort of thing. It’s hard to explain!”

As Sam stumbles over his words and amidst his neologisms exudes his youthful self-doubt, it is almost hard to believe that he is the same charismatic front man who appears on stage full of such lyrical wisdom and self-assuredness. But his vulnerability is undeniably endearing and reminiscent of the likes of the face-to-face shyness of Flashguns’ touring buddies, Bombay Bicycle Club. Talking to Noize the day of their final gig with the band following a sound check (“But I’m bunking off loading up the van so that’s not too bad”), Sam explains how it all came about:

“We’ve been on the Bombay Bicycle Club tour for about two weeks now and tonight’s the last show. It’s going to be a weird change having the go-back-to-normal life again but we’ve got tonight still which is going to be a wicked show.
We’ve played with them and toured with them a bit before and we’ve known the guys for a while now. We just happen to be on a similar sort of keel if you know what I mean.”

It’s easy to see how the two bands get on so well with the same intoxicating stage present and quiet likeability away from the bright lights. Yet, with the future looking so promising for Flashguns, it would seem that the band are likely to find their time away from the media frenzy less and less common as they plan for their debut album;

“We’ve got an EP out which is called ‘Matching Parts, Similar Hearts’ and that’s got 4 tracks on. I think we’re kind of starting to think more seriously about recording an album but for now the EP is our main thing and where people can get an idea of what we’re about. I think we’ve come a long way with our sounds since then, we’ve done a lot of growing since the release of the EP.”

Since playing Reading in 2008 and with a lot of support from new music connoisseur, Zane Lowe, earlier this year, Flashguns are now starting to see the rewards from all of their hard work pay off. But for the next few months at least, having been bitten hard by the touring buzz, the band’s plans are to stick to the open road:

“I think earlier this year was probably when I would like see the beginning of Flashguns really and it’s kind of like a slow growth kind of thing. We’ve had a lot of support from the BBC which has been amazing and has been a massive help. It’s not been like a massive hype but its been like a flow of growing and it’s been really good.”

“I think we’re going to try and book another support tour which would be really cool. Probably the wrong time of the year for it but it would be great to get in another consistent session. We’ve got a lot of writing to do, I think we’re going to be trying to write a whole new bunch of songs. Preparing for recording an album at the end of the year or something, I think that will be the plan. And gigging as much as possible, just playing shows all over the place and just trying to grow the fanbase.”

But for one of Britain’s most exciting and deserving new talents, it would seem developing more fans shouldn’t be too much of a problem as we eagerly await their first major release.

By Laura Routledge

INTERVIEW // FLOOD OF RED: Prepare for the Flood

2009-10-14T13:34:00.005+01:00

"Basically, we were on the motorway, forty-five minutes from London, and our van wouldn’t budge,” reminisces an excitable Graham Griffith, drummer of Glasgow alt.rock outfit Flood of Red, as he and band mate Dale Gallagher sit down with Noize .
We were on our way to record the Lost in the Light EP, and the van was done. It was put on the back of a pick-up truck, after which they told us they could tow us back to Airdrie or keep going to London. There was no thought on the matter, really.” Gallagher interrupts: “We told them to take us to London so that we could record our CD and then we would worry about getting home. We spent ten days sleeping in a broken down van in London’s Finsbury Park.”

It is an unusually warming moment in which the pair indulges in the memory of the incredibly dark places in that Flood of Red have found themselves in over the years. Keyboard player Gallagher continues in reference to past misdemeanours: “I think one of the best things about us all as individuals is how we view things, even when things are going really badly. I think that many bands would have questioned what they were doing, but we didn’t. As shite as it was at the time, thinking back on it, we had the time of our lives.”

After five years of relentless touring, the imminent release of debut album Leaving Everything Behind on their own label provides a long-overdue reward for a band that has covered every corner of the UK more than a Megabus could allude to. When questioned on the amount of travelling the band has experienced, Griffith simply describes his own way of keeping track: “I have a map on my wall with pins in everywhere we have played in the UK, and you can’t even see the map anymore.”

Flood of Red are one of the first bands to work with the recently-launched Polyphonic label – a joint-venture between ATC, of which Radiohead manager Brian Message is a partner, MAMA Group, which owns Flood of Red’s management group, and Vancouver-based artist management firm Nettwerk Music Group – which allows artists to keep their copyright. One of the aims of this investment-focused label is to utilise the internet in an innovative and forward-thinking way, something in which Flood of Red have embraced with the release of their debut.

Griffith describes Polyphonic as both liberating and extremely positive for the new age music is falling into. “They thought about directly investing in the artists,” he explains. “Instead of paying for them do things, they let the band choose. They invested in our band; their contacts and ability has helped us to start our own record label, Dark City Records. Effectively we have the finances and full creative control to do what we want. Through working with them we have been able to go to America and record our album with the number one producer we could have wanted in the world.”

Similar to the famous release of Radiohead’s In Rainbows, where fans could choose how much to pay when downloading it, Flood of Red are following a similar route, as opposed to the arguably under-threat traditional means of music distribution, as Griffith describes somewhat modestly. “The deal that we launched where you could buy the album for $1 from our website was simply a way of letting people hear our album,” he says. “If people want to buy something, we will make something special for them to buy. That is why we are releasing the album via packages and bundles, where you can buy the CD and digital download with extras with it, such as deluxe packages where you get nice artwork, vinyl, posters, previous singles, DVD extras and other extra stuff that you don’t normally get when you download a CD. We want to make that sure if people are going to hand over money to us, that it is going to be worth it.”

Since releasing Lost in the Light in February 2007, an EP laden with post-hardcore conformity comparable to touring buddies Enter Shikari, The Blackout and Funeral for a Friend, the Airdrie lads have honed a sound with a maturity beyond their years. Out goes the overcrowded screamo genre that is dying on its proverbial arse; hello to a mellowed and welcoming progression, evident of the bands belated maturity into technical musicians. The development and shift in the sound was duly-noted by fans of the band when new material began to surface, while many followers were not so understanding; the latter being largely frustrating for the band.

“We had spent a lot of time in the studio writing new material,” describes Gallagher as he attempts to put the aforementioned shift and subsequent reaction into context. “People questioned whether it was deliberate, but it was just us growing up. We have simply opened up our horizons and become interested in a whole host of new music.” Griffith continues: “We continued to write songs the way we always would. It was a just a case of seeing what felt right. Many people felt that we had simply changed from heavy to light rock; but if you listen to our earlier material, you will hear that there have always been melodic parts to our songs. Maybe now that we have learned to control our dynamics a bit more, the heavy parts of the songs possibly are not as blaringly obvious.”

One man who may be credited with a hands-on part in the incredible development of the bands sound is legendary producer Brian McTernan. With a back catalogue of artists ranging from Thrice to Converge and Hot Water Music to Cave In, the Baltimore-based Salad Days studio was number one on the bands list of potential recording locations. As the notion is put to the pair of Leaving Everything Behind being placed on a mantle alongside records they have idolised throughout their childhood, Griffith replies with simplicity and a hint of trepidation. “It’s incredible,” he says, before we sit in a silent disbelief at what has just been muttered. Gallagher continues in a final moment of bashfulness: “We are the first band from the UK that he has ever recorded, and he really wanted to record us, which is so special. We still can’t believe it.”

Leaving Everything Behind is out on 19 Oct on Dark City Records.

Flood of Red are on tour in the UK right now. See the bands Myspace for details.

www.myspace.com/floodofred

By Andrew Burns

INTERVIEW // FAKE PROBLEMS

2009-10-14T13:17:00.006+01:00

“Everytime we bring a new crew member or auxiliary musician on tour with us, they say something to the effect of "I thought there was going to be more girls...but for real we party hard and get real wild.”
Fake Problems are a band who have come storming into the music scene with their no nonsense punk rock sound. After a riotous set at this year’s Reading and Leeds festivals, it appears clear that this is a band that is set to stick around for a long time.

Having toured extensively around the United States over the past 3 years; in fact doing 150 dates in the year of 2006 (that’s a gig almost every other day), they have certainly gained a huge, “solid as a rock”, fan base across the pond.

Fake Problems are a band who cannot be stereotyped or classified in a musical genre, with influences from the Rolling Stones to Hank Williams to Blink 182. They are now bringing their innovative sound and huge rock shows to the UK starting with this month’s tour support slot with Frank Turner and the promise of a headline tour sometime next year.

British fans are undoubtedly about to rise in their numbers as Fake Problems introduce their “Super Fun Rock” to the British music scene, as a band who simply love what they do; passionate about their music and intoxicated by the buzz of touring:

“Meeting new people, playing new places, watching our fanbase grow - that's all pretty exciting. It's really a way of life at this point. It's barely even about liking it or not liking it, it just "is". BUT obviously if we didn't like it we wouldn't do it.”

With new album, ‘It’s Great to be Alive’, recently released showcasing their unique sound and musical prowess, things should be overwhelming for these guys. Yet, having known each other for years, coupled with such “musical chemistry” (their words) creates a sound that is perfectly sits within a niche market, demonstrating both maturity and strength through it. It’s the type of album that seems almost timeless; anyone who is a fan of any type of rock music will undeniably enjoy it on some level.

There is no denying it, Fake Problems are a fun band, they don’t take themselves seriously and gel together as well with their audiences as they do with each other. Taking their name from ‘Raising Arizona’; there’s a scene where someone says "You're wasting your time on Fake Problems”, the band are definitely worth a listen. Keep an eye out for their various tour dates as, again, in their words, they will “100% rock your balls/girlballs off.” So there you have it. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will!

By Amber Brooker

INTERVIEW // GENERAL FIASCO

2009-10-14T13:05:00.009+01:00

I’m sitting in a room backstage with two thirds of General Fiasco. The other third, also known as Owen, is upstairs on the phone. He joins his band mates and Noize some minutes later. Who was he talking to? Only this guy called Zane Lowe live on one of the biggest radio stations in the UK. Zane Lowe who can make your career shoot upwards with an add to his playlist. But do they sit around and pat themselves on the back and stroke their egos at this achievement? Not at all. That’s not how things are done in General Fiasco which is why we wanted to talk to the boys about the successes they’ve had and what has got them to the stage they’re at today.
Noize: You formed the band when you were at school so were you ever a bit doubtful when you were starting to make your hobby a career?
Owen: I don’t believe we ever thought that far ahead. We knew we all wanted it to work out and to happen but the thing with starting a band is you’ve got to start at the bottom and hope things get better and that you write better songs and play better live. You can’t really shoot yourself down too quick you’ve gotta stick at it a little while before you start criticising yourself.

Noize: Did any of you ever have a moment when you thought it might not work out or that you should even try doing something else instead?

Owen: Yeah loads and loads of times. You can’t help but have darker days when just think it won’t happen or things don’t move as quick as you would like. There’s times when you’re just sitting and waiting, sitting and waiting....

Leaky: Sometimes something just happens and really does reassure you and it’s as good as you’d hoped so you get your confidence back again. It’s all good at the minute.

Noize: Did you have any parents in your ear telling you to give it up and become a doctor?

Owen: Maybe a bit at the beginning, but I think it’s kind of the parent’s job to tell you to go to university and all that because it is such an unreliable line of work.

Leaky: They’ll say it’s not feasible and you’ve got your head up in the clouds and then something happens.

Owen: There’s a point where something changes.

Leaky: Even something small like being played on Radio Ulster it just sort of reassures them.

Noize: Does it almost validate it for them a bit?

Leaky: When you’re playing all over and doing band things small things like that do help validate it a bit more for them.

Noize: When you were starting out who were the artists who made you realise you needed to be in a band?

Owen: I suppose whenever we started playing, i mean i really loved the Kings of Leon, Maximo Park and the Strokes. Those were the big bands that when i heard them that was when i knew what i really wanted to do.

Noize: Is it the same for you two more or less?

Leaky and Enda: yeah

Noize: Is there any band in particular who you would look to as a kind of referencing point or whose career you would like to mirror in terms of things they’ve done or how they’ve progressed?

Leaky: I think we’d like to really keep building on what we’ve been doing and obviously you don’t know how far things could go but we’d like to be a career band. It might sound really ambitious but a band like The Foo Fighters or Kings of Leon who reach such a wide audience.

Noize: How has it been translating your music from the small Northern Irish scene where everyone kind of knows each other to the wider U.K scene where it’s maybe a bit more varied? Have you found that quite different?

Owen: I think that in Northern Ireland, the bands coming out of there have got their own varied little thing but you do go from being like a bigger band in the unsigned scene in Northern Ireland to a touring band in the U.K. Then there’s so many bands here touring and doing what we’re doing so it takes certain things to make you feel like you’re stepping forward in that vastness of band-age.

Noize: In Northern Ireland there was quite a few of the bands getting quite big around the same time like Fighting With Wire, In Case of Fire and Ed Zealous so was that quite competitive or did create a sense of camaraderie between you all?

Owen: Definitely, last year when we started to break off and do our own stuff there was a really strong sense of comraderie and everyone was championing And So I Watch You From Afar and stuff. Everyone was out for everyone else and everyone was helping everyone else so there was a really strong sense of community. And for the first time since I’ve been playing in a band everyone was supporting each other instead of slagging each other off.

Noize: So the whole scene was more supportive rather than competitive?

Owen: Yeah and I think it’s a far better attitude and creates better opportunities because when you go off and things start happening for you it’s easier to turn round and go “actually that band is really good” rather than saying “no they’re shit just forget about them”.

Noize: You’ve got this upcoming date in the Ulster Hall, is that quite a big deal for you to be headlining in such a seminal venue in your hometown? I’m sure you’ve seen some artists there that were important for you so it must be quite strange?

Owen: It’s crazy. It’s mad that it’s got to that stage so quick. Duke Special is really the only artist I’ve ever seen there but I love Duke Special. It’s such a massive, mad thing to think that we’ll be doing something that he’s done, it’s just crazy.

Noize: You’ve played alongside and supported many different bands but have you ever looked at the bill and been really shocked at who you’re playing with?

Owen: Yeah it happens more and more. We’ve played with Placebo, Snow Patrol, Razorlight and Stereophonics and you look at the bill and see that you’re playing at 8 o’clock and Stereophonics are playing at 9 o’clock and you just think how are we on the same bit of paper? It’s crazy.

Noize: You’ve got this tour coming up with The Enemy, are you all feeling about that and how did it all come about?

Owen: Yeah we’re really excited and people knowing the right people is really how it came about.

Leaky: We’ve played with them a few times in Belfast as well.

Noize: So do you know them a bit?

Leaky: Actually no, we’ve never spoken to them as we’ve always just kept ourselves to ourselves. We probably should’ve made more of an effort at the time but we hear they’re really nice and support tours are always good fun.

Owen: You’re on and off by around 9 o’clock.

Leaky: Then you get the van packed and you can just have a few beers.

Noize: Is it a time to relax a bit more?

Owen: It’s the perfect night out really.

Noize: Would you be happy just being a support act for the rest of your career then?

Leaky: hahah yeah it would be okay.

Noize: So your new album is out pretty soon?

Owen: yeah in January.

Noize: Is there any sort of concept behind the album or is it more just a taste of what your sound is?

Owen: yeah its just sort of us. It’s what we’ve really been working for these past few years. We want it to be us so we don’t take a mad change of direction with the songs.

Leaky: We didn’t want this big producer making it to be all grandiose.

Owen: We just wrote songs that people got excited about. We didn’t want to write a whole new record and do something completely different, it would’ve defeated the purpose of what has taken us here. So it’s gonna be true to General Fiasco.

Noize: When you made the album, would you say you were making a point of keeping things the same so that it represented what you’re really like?

Leaky: Well we wrote the songs and then went in to record them so it really started taking shape then, but we didn’t really do anything different.

Owen: We’re not a band who will look at what’s happening in music or fashion trends and start changing things and saying we’ve got to be like this or that.

Leaky: Bringing in key boards

Owen: Haha Yeah we just wanted something that was ours and we’ve got it in this record. I think it’s going to be harder and harder for bands to be honest and write the music that they really wanna write because the industry is just so ever changing. It’s like if you want to be a successful band then you’re gonna have to bend a little bit and write the music that they want you to write or you’ll get left behind. I think we’re lucky enough that we’ve done what we wanted and got to where we are now.

Noize: What are your plans for the future after this tour ends?

Owen: Well the album is out in January so I imagine we’ll just be touring from January 1st til...

Leaky: Probably forever!

Owen: Haha yeah we’re going to New York in a few weeks to shoot the video for our next single and doing some gigs over there then we’re back for the NME tour. After that it’s just gigs and more gigs.

Noize: Do you have any ideas for the concept of the video yet? Is that something you’re involved in?

Owen: Yeah we are we know what the craic is but i guess we probably shouldn’t let it out.

Leaky: We have a few ideas but we’re not decided on one yet.
Owen: Yeah we wanna keep a bit of mystery about it.

By Sara Irvine

INTERVIEW // FUCK BUTTONS: RISE OF THE SOLAR SURFERS

2009-10-13T00:15:00.000+01:00

After being the source of huge industry buzz in early 2008, the release of their debut album and an incendiary live reputation saw Fuck Buttons gain critical acclaim and a healthy cult following. 18 months later, the duo find themselves at the precipice of album number two, ready to dive off into the unknown. Seemingly on the cusp of great things, Noize caught up with Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power in Barcelona, at the start of their European tour, to get the inside scoop on ‘Tarot Sport’.
Noize: Your first album was produced by John Cummings (of Mogwai), but this time you have Andy Weatherall at the helm. Why the change?

Andrew: It wasn’t enforced or anything like that. We’d always wanted to work with Andy and when the chance arose, we took it.

Benjamin: He did a remix of ‘Sweet Love For Planet Earth’ for us, and on the back of the job he did we realised that he had a really good grasp of what we were trying to achieve and trying to get across, and in the end it worked out really well.

Noize: Did he approach the recording process any differently?

Andrew: I don’t think there is a structured process to how one would approach every recording project. There wasn’t a ‘formula’ we were looking for anyway; we thought it was going to be very different, and in the end, it was.

Noize: You make music with such an expansive sonic palette, do you ever find it hard to reproduce live?

Benjamin: Whenever we write material, we write and record it in a ‘live’ sense. We don’t write songs and then try to figure out how to play them, its more the other way around. Our songs tend to grow organically from what we do in the studio, so if we can’t create a sound in the first place, it won’t appear on the record. Which means we never end up shooting ourselves in the foot.

Noize: So you don’t use a lot of effects or ProTools?

Ben: Well, there are certain embellishments within some sounds on some of our tracks, but nothing major, and certainly nothing that we didn’t think we could replicate live.

Andrew: Yeah, when we play on stage, it’s hard work!

Noize: Do you think your sound will evolve to the point where you’ll need, and want, more musicians on stage, as opposed to just the two of you?

Andrew: I think what is key to our music is the relationship between the two of us, whereas with regards to whether we would consider playing live with extra people….there is always room for trying different things. We haven’t got there yet, but I wouldn’t say that it’ll never happen.

Noize: Speaking of playing live, how was the experience of playing at Primavera Sound in 2008?

Andrew: Incredible! We really enjoyed that show.

Benjamin: It’s one of our favourite festivals. It was fantastic, and it was actually the first time we’d played in Spain. Just the atmosphere of the whole thing was amazing.

Andrew: It’s definitely a different kind of challenge playing at festivals compared to an indoor show, but it’s all good.

Noize: New single ‘Surf Solar’ clocks in at over ten minutes on the album, but the radio edit is only a little under four minutes. How easy is it to chop that much off a song?

Benjamin: It’s absolutely brutal! In some senses, it might even be more beneficial for someone who is not the artist to do the edit. Obviously, that doesn’t happen very often, but it’s not easy. Normally, each part of a track, or whatever, is in there for a reason, but for radio and singles and promo, you kinda have to have a shorter version.

Noize: ‘Street Horrrsing’ was written and recorded whilst you both had other jobs. Now that you can concentrate on music full time, has that changed the creative process at all?

Andrew: Not really, no! It just allows us to have more focus and more time. We still have to worry about everything else, but music is now much more important in our lives.

Noize: Lily Allen caused some controversy recently with her comments about file-sharing. How do you feel about it?

Andrew: I think that it’s an arena that is developing as we speak and is forever changing. Downloading is now inevitable, and it’s not something that we can protect ourselves from even if we wanted to. It’s related to the way music nowadays is consumed, disseminated, and the way it generates revenue, and I don’t think anyone can stop that. The one direct advantage of it is that there are people out there who would never had heard our music if it weren’t for downloading.

Benjamin: Yeah, I think we’re in quite a transitionary period as regards what’s going to happen. Obviously there is a lot of controversy at the moment, but something has to give, somehow, and I reckon it will be sooner rather than later.

By Derek Robertson

IN PICTURES // FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE @ LEEDS ACADEMY

2009-09-29T19:27:00.004+01:00

An eventful night in Leeds courtesy of Miss Welch and her mechanical friends.

By Brendan Docherty

INTERVIEW // STIFF LITTLE FINGERS: EVERYBODY'S HEREOS

2009-09-29T14:56:00.003+01:00

Pub-dwelling Irish punk-rockers, ‘Stiff Little Fingers,’ are back on tour next month. The band has also been preparing to release a long-awaited new album. Curious to know the latest, I chat with Jake Burns, lead vocalist and guitarist. Have they been busy song-writing?

“A bit of that but mainly everyone has been involved in either side projects or just enjoying a bit of time away from each other! Ali is always busy tour managing (I have no idea who he’s been out with this time!) Steve has ‘The Alarm’ when we’re not playing. I’ve been writing and having fun with the ‘Nefarious Fat Cats’ (a cover band) and Ian…er has been playing golf!”

A punk rocker playing golf?! What is the world coming to…Then the imperative question: what do they feel like playing?

“We always try to strive for a mixture. Of course, this means that we get lambasted for playing a lot of the same songs, but realistically people WANT to hear the songs they know. Without turning us into a cabaret band, we have to find ways to satisfy those people and ourselves, who want to play new(er) material. It doesn’t always work, but once we toured and didn’t play ‘Suspect Device’, we got more complaints about that tour than any other we’ve undertaken in 32 years.”

Wow, the superficiality of the mob. I’m sure the old grannies can put away their machetes now: ‘Suspect Device’ will be on the set list. I can’t get through this interview without asking them a begging question: when’s the new album out? Jake scrapped the original material, and with the last album ‘Guitar and Drum’ being so successful, it was never going to be easy living up to expectations:

“The success of the last album has actually been a major problem, insomuch as I’ve rejected so much stuff that I didn’t feel lived up to that benchmark. Obviously, if for every song you accept, you throw out three, it’s going to take a while. So, I’ve reached a stage where I’m just not willing to speculate when it will surface!”

Sounds a lot like my undergrad dissertation. I have to delve deeper into new album themes and the psyche of the song-writer. Should punk bands be screaming about politicians and melting ice-caps?

“Every writer is entitled to write about whatever they want whether it’s a politically motivated track or just “more songs about chocolate and girls”. Both are valid in my opinion. Again, I’m not in a position to discuss themes for songs yet, as we haven’t gotten anywhere near finishing the thing yet and I don’t want to tell you one thing only to have it turn out to be another.”

Hmmm, time to move on I think. Sorry folks-an unfinished masterpiece silences the lips of elaboration. Jake currently lives his days out in that jewel of American cities, Chicago, and with band members scattered here and there, how do those musical minds collaborate effectively?

“This is where the internet comes into play. If, say, I have half an idea for a song, I can make an mp3 of that and have it with the others almost instantly. Then their feedback is also back with me in a flash. It’s not a system we need too often as I tend to write alone. Pretty much have done since Gordon [Ogilvie] & I stopped collaborating.”

Although all respectable bands should age delightfully like a good mature cheese, is all to continue unadulterated in the SLF crystal ball?

“I don’t see any reason to stop at the moment. We’re still having fun and that was always our bottom line. Regarding where we prefer to play, each option has a lot to recommend it. For example: going to a new territory is always exciting, even if you occasionally end up as more of a tourist than a performer. Yet, playing the U.K. & Ireland is always great because we know we’ll get a warm reception and we all have so many friends & family there.”

I sure hope international crowds don’t throw bottles at them! Having read about Mr. McMordie and his busy schedule, I wondered if the band membership was set in stone:

“Do you know something I don’t?? [Laughs] Yes, as far as I can tell everyone is happy to continue.”

I then flip over to the historical side of things and ask, “I've been doing some research on punk rock and wasn't sure if it had just developed or died out? Do you think the 'message' has been lost in recent times? “Pop-punk and its counterparts are ugly hybrids of the original thing”. What's your take on this, and please, please give reference to good old Green Day!” (who cite SLF as a main influence). That quote was mine by the way. It was critic Christine Di Bella who once said, “[Pop-punk] is punk taken to its most accessible point, a point where it barely reflects its lineage at all, except in the three-chord song structures.” Understanding that SLF has become very pop-punk, I was intrigued to know Jake’s view on this:

“Tricky one this, as it depends on your definition of ‘punk’. As I’ve said before, as far as I was concerned it was more a ‘freeing’ thing than a musical one. People who previously had been told they “weren’t good enough” to be in a band, were suddenly being hailed because of their fresh approach and “devil may care” spirit. And it’s the spirit that’s more important to me than anything else. Therefore, you could argue that we started out as a fairly hard-nosed punk band but by ‘Go For It’ had become a pop-punk band. I see nothing wrong with bands developing and everything wrong with people not ‘allowing’ them to. As with most other bands, I don’t really have an opinion on ‘Green Day’ one way or the other. I’ve heard some of their stuff and thought it was hugely derivative. (‘Basket Case’ could easily have been on an early album by ‘The Jam’, for example). Then their later stuff, in particular ‘American Idiot’, I found to be so much more powerful because they were singing from the heart. They’d found their voice, which is always vital.”

As Jake said, the free spirit of the punk era must have been a liberating age under the locks and chains of a very un-free society. Having most unfortunately been born in the late 80s, I feel completely certain that I do not know what this means. So I ask what circa 1977 was like as a punk:

“Exciting. It seemed like everyone in the country suddenly had a guitar and something to say. And boy did they make some great records. It’s an old expression that everyone has one book inside them. Well back in 1977 it seemed like every band had at least one great song inside them.”

I then move on to the 80s, and relate to an 80s band which I had seen over the summer, who’s second name rhymed with an aromatic wine. At their gig, drugs were openly promoted to fans, the health benefactors being outlined as, “I like feeling high because I don’t like feeling low”. I initially thought it was ironic, until they asked us to go and snort crystals. What does Jake think about this behavior?

“Hmmm…as I don’t know the band you’re referring to I can hardly comment.” (Never mind Jake, it’s beside the point, and they will likely sue the shit out of me!) “Regarding drugs, I certainly wouldn’t want to lecture anyone apart from urging you to be safe. The problem is where do you draw the line? More people die from nicotine and alcohol abuse than marijuana, yet the first two are legal. Having said that, to quote ‘New Model Army’, “Only stupid bastards use heroin.” ”

NMA seem to have a song for everything. Winding down, I can’t help but ask about life in Chicago. Having recently been there and not yet been back, I need to get my fix. Baseball and politics; the two bastions of American civilisation. I also ask about non-American attitudes to the USA, having been showered with abuse for liking the place:

“Chicago is fine. Summer arrived at last a week or so ago! Both [Chicago] baseball teams are crap. (I’m used to my team, the Cubs, being useless as I’ve spent years of training supporting Newcastle United!) I know exactly the attitude towards America that you mention. In fact, even though I live here I’m still guilty of it myself on occasion. This recent healthcare debate, for example, makes my blood boil. The Republican party have managed to corral a load of support against a bill which will, in effect, HELP the majority of people protesting against it. They’ve done this by the simple use of the word ‘socialist’, which in a lot of American minds translates as ‘communist’, and that, as we all know has been their bogeyman under the bed for years. Pathetic, really.”

That’s Republican pathology for you. If you’re a SLF fan and reading this (both of which you should be), here’s a final message from Jake:

“Just to say that, as always, we are looking forward immensely to being together again and playing. It’s always a huge amount of fun. And, after all this time, it’s always hugely flattering to see so many of you turn up to listen. Hope we don’t let you down.”

‘Stiff Little Fingers’ begin their UK tour on 14 October in Inverness, Scotland, gradually working their way down the country.

By Ayisha Khan

FEATURE // THE SOUNDTRACK TO LONDON FASHION WEEK

2009-09-26T20:34:00.003+01:00

Ever wondered what the models are tapping their stilettos to as they walk down the catwalk? London fashion week is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year and every style/fashion blog going has it's own opinion on the designers, the clothes and the 'stories' (that's a fashion term sweetie), and as beautiful and lust worthy the clothes are there is so much more to a good show than the shirts on their backs. Propping, hair, make-up, lighting and of course the music.
Music plays such a huge part in fashion shows, it deciphers the mood, it sets the tone and it tells the stories better than any sulky faced model. I had a little scout around in cyberspace to find out what tunes had the designers in a frenzy this year, here's what I found out:

Bryan Ferrry - All Along the Watchtower (sung live at the Topshop Unique party)

Nirvana - All Apologies (Topshop Unique)

Deelite - Groove Is In The Heart (Julien Macdonald)

Editors - Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors (Burberry Prorsum)

Joy Division/New Order medley (Luella)

Billy Idol - White Wedding (House of Holland)

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (Roksanda Illincic)

Bedrock – For What You Dream Of (Marios Schwab)

Madonna – Holiday (Ashish)

The Slits – Heard it on the Grapevine (Danielle Scutt)

Jam International – Dub Be Good To Me (Danielle Scutt)

Nina Simone – Wild is the Wind (Meadham Kirchhoff)

Patti Smith – Redondo Beach (Margaret Howell)

Big Love – Fleetwood Mac (Burberry)

Toto Coelo - I Eat Cannibal (Jeremy Scott)

Type O Negative - Summer Breeze (Louise Goldin)

Friendly Fires - Lovesick (performed live at the Mulberry party)

I found this playlist from the good people at Elle.co.uk (http://www.elleuk.com/news/Fashion-News/elleuk.com-s-london-fashion-week-playlist/(gid)/428059) These were the songs blasting in London this year, nice to see some classics from the past and with the 80's storming it's way back onto the fashion scene this autumn it makes perfect sense. Also nice to see they have great taste and chose one of my personal favourite songs (Fleetwood Mac 'Big Love') Good move Burberry. The range of styles emphasises the range in the designers styles and shows why music and fashion are so happily married. A Few current bands are slotted in there too you'll notice, with Friendly Fires and Editors marking their territory proudly. All in all a good mix of everything great about music, past and present.

Looking across the pond I also managed to find out what the New Yorkers were shaking their ass' to during New York Fashion Week...

'God Only Knows' by The Beach Boys (Haute Hippie, DJ was Aaron Johnson AKA Love Letters)

'Sold to the Highest Bidder' by The Electric Prunes (Yigal Azrouel, playlist created by Jorge Elbrecht of Violens)

'Mathematics' by Little Boots (DKNY)

'So Human' by Lady Sovereign (ADAM)

'1901' by Phoenix (Vicente Villarin, playlist by Joanne Cordero Reyes)

'Hey You' by Pony Pony Run Run (Julie Haus)

'Pretty Green' by Mark Ronson featuring Santigold (Zac Posen, playlist by Mark Ronson)

'Nothing to Worry About' by Peter Bjorn and John (Erin Fetherston)

'Half Mist' by Empire of the Sun (Michael Angel, playlist directed by Edward Bottger)

'Be the One' by Jack Peñate (Badgley Mischka)

So there we have it- a slice of Fashion Week's musical pie, tasty stuff.

INTERVIEW // TWIN ATLANTIC

2009-09-26T20:06:00.003+01:00

Having had a chat with the band many would hail as the new Biffy Clyro almost a year ago, it was high time we tracked down Twin Atlantic's Craig Kneale again to see how the Scotch rockers have been getting on.

NOIZE: It’s been 10 months since I last met you, can you tell me what has happened to Twin Atlantic since then?

CRAIG KNEALE: I think it was around about that we met Red Bull Records, so after that tour we eventually signed with them in January. From then we were just writing and then we went over to America in March to do South By South West, then drove straight from there to LA to record the mini-album. We were meant to be there for two months, but we stayed for three! Since then we’ve come home and played a few festivals and waited for our record to come out, which came out on Monday! Everything’s happened in such a short space of time, it’s been all go!

N: As you’ve mentioned, you recorded your album in LA, would you like to spend more time over in the States?

CK: At first when we were over there we would’ve said no, I’ve been to New York a few times with my family, which was really cool, but LA was just a bit weird! The people are really strange, but it was really difficult to come home. About a month ago I really started to miss it. I think we’re going to be back over by the end of the year for a tour. I’d love to see more of America, LA isn’t a real place, it’s like a magical land!

N: You played a few gigs when you were over there, how did they go down?

CK: Well we did SXSW, which was unbelievable; it was the coolest thing we’ve ever done! Then we played the Viper Room, Johnny Depp’s old bar, that was kind of cool, we were announced by this compere and came out from behind this red curtain, that was pretty cool actually! Then we played Bamboozle, which was actually a bit shit, all the bands sounded the same! The Get Up Kids clashed with us which was the only band I really wanted to see!

N: Do you have any personal highlights from your time in America?

CK: It’s a bit weird, and a bit homosexual, but it was a total bonding experience! It was just me, Sam, Barry and Ross for ten weeks straight. There were ups and downs, but it was just a great experience! When we’re at home we pretty much just practice and then go home, but we got to spend a lot of time together just the four of us.

N: Are you finding thins a little different now that you’ve signed to Red Bull Records?

CK: In some respects, it’s more different in the sense that we have more people to please! The actual dynamic of the band is the same, we still practice every day, but we know that it isn’t just about us now! It’s definitely a positive thing, there’s a lot more pressure, but we have a lot of opportunities that we never would have had before.

N: In your own words, what can people expect from ‘Vivarium’ (apart from awesome drumming)?

CK: Other than the awesome drumming, it’s just a really good stamp of where we are at the moment. There are a few songs from the beginning of the band, and some that we wrote when we were over in America, it’s like a nice history really! If you liked us before, it’s bigger and heavier, it’s definitely a lot more mature. It’s like the old stuff but better! You can tell we’re a band that has been playing together for two and a half years, as opposed to six months.

N: Why did you decide to re-record ‘Audience & Audio’ above the other tracks off your debut EP ‘A Guidance From Colour?

CK: I think it’s because it’s maybe the most immediate. It’s the first song we wrote as a band which we all thought ‘this is really good’! It’s also that only a select group of people know our band, so we thought it’d be the most impressive song if people heard it.

N: Did it turn out as well as you’d hoped?

CK: Well, it’s different because we recorded it live, so it sounds a lot more aggressive. I really like it, a lot of people don’t like it. Sam’s voice is a lot more grown up on it, it’s completely different to how it used to be, it used to be really low, but now it’s operatic!

N: You’re a band that tours constantly, what are your favourite things about touring, and is there anything you hate about touring?

CK: My favourite thing is getting to see new places and getting to meet and play for people who you’ve never met before. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d get to do things like this. The worst things are playing gigs to empty rooms or the van breaking down in the middle of Exeter at three in the morning, they’re the low points! It ebbs and flows, you play a really shit gig one night, and then it’s fantastic the next!

N: How do you cope with being so far away from home?

CK: It gets a lot easier, it’s becoming like second nature because we’re away from home so much now. It’s harder being at home because I get so restless!

N: You mentioned that you played a few festivals over the Summer, both in the UK and abroad, do you enjoy the festival experience?

CK: Yes, it’s a lot more stressful because you don’t get to sound check and everything, so you just go on and hope for the best! People come and see bands at festivals out of curiosity, so you can make a lot of fans that way, if you play well that is, which we didn’t! It’s really cool playing a show and then hanging around watching others. You get treated so well at festivals in Europe; they treat you like you’re one of the actual big bands! It’s not like that back home!

N: Finally, where would you like to be this time next year?

CK: Hopefully we’ll have our full length album out, but as long as we’re enjoying ourselves and people are still coming to see us we’ll all be very happy!

By Ben Connell

INTERVIEW // WALL STREET RIOTS

2009-09-26T19:58:00.002+01:00

With a new single soon out punk rockers Wall Street Riots are getting ready for its release by gigging and promoting themselves. I managed to get a slot with them to find out how the band is doing with their steady rise to the top.

NOIZE: Hello WSR, how’s it been getting to where you are now? With an EP, single release plus another soon on the horizon and countless amounts of gigs it seems like just a matter of time before you explode into every radio and TV set across the country.

WSR: It’s been really fun and we’re very pleased with what we’ve done so far and all the songs we’ve written however it has also been very tough and we aren’t as far as we’d have liked to be by now. We still consider ourselves near the beginning of our career.

NOIZE: Has the press helped at all in your ascent and do you ever read your reviews?

WSR: If we come across a review of us we will read it but we don’t make a B-line for the magazines to read about ourselves. We like to think the press has helped as the tracks from our EP managed to get played on Radio 1. Although we can’t stand a mediocre review: we like to stir emotions in people, whether they’re loving or hating us, not just plain nothing.

NOIZE: Fair enough I can understand that. Your new single – what’s it about? Is it quite light-hearted and comical like Dr. King or does it have a more serious tone?

WSR: it’s about having a vice in the sense of a relapsing addiction and not being able to give up what you’re hooked on. In our case it’s junk food: pizzas and burgers. We’re not crack addicts or anything.

NOIZE: Of course… The video too is really good with a clever story line. Whose idea was it?

WSR: We have a director in the States who did it for us. A very talented man called Chas Grieder who also directed our first video. We wanted to have something visual for One More Ride so we contacted Grieder again and he said “leave it to me and I’ll hand you a finished product.” After a while he came back with this video which we all love.

NOIZE: You seem to have built a reputation for having a highly energetic live act. What do you think brings this about?

WSR: We’re a rock band so when we play it’s really hard not to get into it and the audience pick up on this. It also helps that our songs are very energetic and aren’t serious. We like to give off a party vibe and just try and give everyone a good time.

NOIZE: So what do you have planned for the future? Will we see a much anticipated album any time soon?

WSR: We’ve still got a lot touring to do and we are in the process of writing an album to be released next year probably. We’re writing twenty-five tracks and will choose our best twelve to put on it. So just working hard really! We’ve also got our new single out on the 28th of September. The B-side is a remix by Ian Watkins from Lost Prophets and will be available for a free download.

NOIZE: Well I look forward to it and hopefully I’ll catch you at one of your shows.

By Josh Charig

INTERVIEW // ECHASKECH

2009-09-19T10:25:00.001+01:00

“When you’re an electronic music artist these days, it pretty much means you bring out a laptop and not a lot more. And it’s not that exciting to watch someone check their emails [Try telling that to Little Boots!-Sub-Ed]. But we’re not at all like that when we play live”
It’s half six on a uncharacteristically sunny September evening in London and one half of Echaskech, Dom Hoare, dives right into explaining what sets the Electronica duo apart from in their peers in such a saturated niche.

“We wanted to be a visual thing as much as a music based thing. We’re far more organic in kind of the live aspect, we end of meshing all kinds of things and making all sorts of noises out of all sorts of boxes. So it’s fun to watch anyway, even if Mark’s [visual artist, Mark van der Vor] not there, which he isn’t always- fpr example if you’re at a festival you cant really get projections working so then it’ll be just the two of us.”

Mark van der Vor is the newest sort of honorary member to the London duo, providing a visual experience to work alongside the beats produced by Dom and Andy Gillham, who’s musical journey started over a decade ago:

“Me and Andy are old school mates, we used to go to the same school. We both studied music there and we also sort of grew a love of electronic, or dance, music I guess. In the late 90s we used to go down to Metal Heads quite a lot , down in Shoreditch, which was sort of drum and bass night and an excellent venue on a Sunday night. We kind of formed a group then, which was drum and bass.

“We had a sort of moderate success there, kind of left it and had a hiatus until about 4 years ago, we re-formed as Echaskech and decided to do it as more of an audio visual thing. We got Mark V on board and sort of mashed it all together one night. It was totally random; we went down to Brick Lane and played a gig there. We met for the first time that night and sort of said; ‘Lets just pretty much jam’ at a live performance and it came off really, really well so we’ve stuck with it since then really.”

Two albums in and the band seem to have stumbled across a formula that works. Something undoubtedly spurred on by the effortlessly likeable nature of the band, as Dom talks of their future plans, there is sense that Echaskech have a more advanced sentiment with their music, less so chasing the bright lights of stardom and more like the fame is something that found them in the most natural and organic way:

“When our first album came out, our launch party was one of the best gigs we’ve ever played just cause everybody’s there in good spirits and celebrating your music and you know, it’s not too judgemental so the pressure is off a bit. Although the album’s already out, we’ve got a delayed album launch at the end of October (28th) which will be at the Queen of Hoxton. It will be open to everyone, it’s kind of first come, first served for that night. But we’re already really looking forward to that.

“Also, every month we curate a night at the Haywood Galleries called ‘Concrete’, In fact, this Saturday it’s going to all be a bit of a jump up rave experience [laughs]. We have all sorts of acts that play there from basically, folktronica to the sort of thing this weekend, which is AGT Rave Crew, who have been described as the ‘Chas n Dave of Rave’ and they’re exactly that. They just mash any kind of bass noise to brakes and it sounds fantastic. And every month from there until Christmas we’ve got some fantastic acts booked, some real beauties. We’re doing a special Christmas gig too”

The end product of Dom and Andy’s clear vision and knowledge of the industry means their output spills out influences with tracks like ‘Every Touch’ sounding almost Postal Service meets Sigur Ros meets DJ Shadow. Something truly diverse.

Any band that can stir up such heightened emotions amidst beats that cause legs to dance like they wouldn’t get another chance to, but minds to pause and get lost in the beauty of the band’s Mogwai-esque style, clearly have more talent than most of us could wish for.

Far from your average electro music, forget stereotypes of the genre. Forget Justice, Simian Mobile Disco or even those bloody awful remixes, Echaskech produce something different, something awe-inspiring and something truly unique.

By Laura Routledge

NEW NOIZE MAKERS INTERVIEW // THE SILENT YEARS

2009-09-18T00:16:00.002+01:00

The Silent Years are a band you may or may not have heard of, a small band coming from Detroit with this, their first full length album, 'The Globe'. On their website they refer to their DIY capabilities which range from artwork to websites and even to a debut video clip for their single, "Someone To Keep Us Warm". I think it's this element that has the world transfixed - let's face it, these days bands are born via merchandisers and told what to do and how to do it, so it's nice to see there are still a few bands doing it purely for the love.
The Silent Years cite their influences to be Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, Flaming Lips and Sunny Day Real Estate. Personally I would liken them to Arcade Fire with a hint of electro thrown in. They have the same fun summer festival sound and are clearly surrounded by friends and musicians alike when playing. I caught up with frontman Josh Epstein to find out more about the debut album and their ongoing plan to take over the world....

NOIZE: Your latest album, 'The Globe' is out in the UK in September/October time, can you tell us a little more about it- I read the inspiration came from a science film at school?....

JOSH: I was recalling the film "Powers Of Ten", which is shown in most junior high schools here, and thought it so wonderful that dust particles end up looking like outer space. I got to thinking about scale and the way that it applies to the notion that everything that exists probably exists everywhere and thought it was a subject that deserved being written on.

NOIZE: This is your second album now- how do you feel your music style has progressed from the first album to this one?....

JOSH: I think lyrically, there's a lot more depth in these songs. The music is also a bit more adventurous as the song structures themselves are more developed.

NOIZE: At the beginning of your career you were very hands on with creating artwork, websites and films for the band- are you still as involved in these areas?...

JOSH: Oh yes, definitely. I think that the only way that changes is as the ideas get bigger, you need to start calling in people with more expertise. But working very closely with people is something we look forward to. I can't imagine just turning over the car keys though.

NOIZE: I've noticed your website is updated often, almost like an online journal for the band- do you see writing albums as another way of keeping a record of your lives?...

JOSH: I think so. Listening to a completed album after giving it time can be a bit like looking at old photos! Sometimes it's enough to draw a cringe or a smile. I think that if you're making music, you are influencing that music with your current self so it ends up being like a time capsule.

NOIZE: Josh, You studied poetry and literature, is it you that takes control of the writing side? And also, do you have any separate writing projects on the side?...

JOSH: I do most of the writing and the band does a lot of arranging. I have been writing some stuff for a few friends' bands and projects lately, but nothing literary as of yet. I do plan on getting there eventually though when the time is right.

NOIZE: Speaking of side projects, I heard about a project with Daniel Zotte called 'Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr', how is this collaboration going?

JOSH: It's been a lot of fun. We have recorded 7 songs thus far, and are going to release an EP and then record 4 more and make a full length album. It is amazing how much working in different genres and with different, talented people can assist your growth as an artist.

NOIZE: What are your plans for the rest of the year, any plans to record soon?

JOSH: We are going to Los Angeles to record a new record with Sam Farrar of Phantom Planet and Mark Ronson fame in September. Hopefully we'll be touring the UK shortly after that and then the US until the
new record comes out and we do it all over.

NOIZE: What is your favourite part of the whole making-an-album process? The writing, recording or touring?

JOSH: They are entirely different outlets and once you get comfortable with that it can be a welcome variance. The performing is much more of a personal interaction with people and more of an exuberant experience.

I love recording and writing as well, but those tend to be more cathartic. I think it's best to get the best of both worlds and hopefully do well in each.

NOIZE: And finally- any plans to come to the UK anytime soon?

JOSH: Maybe we'll have to relocate for a spell and tour so much that everyone gets sick of us. We could do the Camden Barfly every Monday and Wednesday, maybe a weekly gig at the Apple store. Even if we have to busk in the tube we will get there!

Check out the website: www.thesilentyears.biz and myspace page: www.myspace.com/thesilentyears to hear happyness in musical form!

By Kat Nichols

IN PICTURES // YOUR TWENTIES + THE BRUTE CHORUS + THE BRIDPORT DAGGER @ LEVIS ONES TO WATCH

2009-09-18T00:10:00.003+01:00

Another night of the finest in jean-funded new music in old London town for us to take the camera down to and snap the action.

NEW NOIZE MAKERS INTERVIEW // LEMONADE

2009-09-17T20:59:00.005+01:00

“Extreme bass, new age synthesizers, carnival, dolphin noises, swimming.” As far as musical influences come, you don’t get much more obtuse than this. But for a band whose very fibres embody diversity and a hybrid sense of self, anything but randomness would seem somewhat out of character.
Step into this vibrant world of Lemonade. An exciting new band from Brooklyn, a state which seems to churn out off-mainstream gems at a pace that matches the rate that China spews out air pollution. Yet, unlike their predecessors, the likes of MGMT, TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear, Lemonade keep it funk but pile in their dubstep and house influences.

So how did this new breed of dark beats meets infectious upbeat overtones begin between Callan Clendenin, Alex Pasternak and Ben Steidel?:

“It was very spontaneous. Alex and Callan had the concept for a while and when the opportunity to play a show on 2 weeks notice came up, they got together with Ben and made it happen. It's been going pretty well since then.”

Rather an understatement for a band that have already received such great feedback, with ‘Big Weekend’ hailed as Nick Grimshaw’s single of the week and with the three-piece’s self-titled album out this week, it seems things are really about to take off for the band. Something the band seems quietly confident of, promising that their debut will be a good mood provoker amongst the listeners:

“They can expect joy and dancing.”

It would seem the listeners can also expect an album jammed with innovation and a whole host of genre-dodging musical delights, particularly with percussionist Alex’s training in Arab and Latin music to bring that extra slice of originality to the band’s carefully crafted music. And following a busy Summer, things look set to continue at a fast face for our new favourite electro mavericks:

“We’ll be writing new songs and playing more shows. We’ll also be getting a Swatch sponsorship (hopefully)”

Typically jovial, it’s often hard to know when Lemonade are being witty, as their welcomed especially dry sense of humour colours so much of their speech, or being serious; having also told us “We all met at a casting call for the popular American children's show Kids Incorporated.” But it is completely clear that they are a band that give their everything to the music; a completely admirable quality in an industry where it seems so easy to get lost in the trivial falsities.

Whilst Lemonade may well be a band of few words, short of musical talent, they ain’t. Enter their vivacious world at your own peril, it’s pretty bloody infectious.
By Laura Routledge

INTERVIEW // MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE NORTHERN SOUL

2009-09-12T22:14:00.002+01:00

Following an impressive set on Reading’s NME/Radio 1 Stage last weekend, Atlantic indie rockers, Manchester Orchestra, release their second full UK album ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’ this week. Noize caught up with five-piece’s bassist, Jonathon Corley, to find out a bit more about the release and one of our new favourite bands.
“I think everyone in both camps is excited about the upcoming tour. It's been awhile since we've been out with those guys. We all lost our minds in the desert last time we toured together. Maybe that will happen again.”

‘Those guys’ are the Metal meets Emo tyrants, Brand New, and with the pairing of this, and the band’s exciting support slot for Biffy Clyro’s upcoming UK tour – it is more firmly set in stone than one of mythological Medusa’s worst enemies, that just another indie band feigning to be credible in some half-arsed industry move, they ain’t.

The band’s new album fuses true rock in its more mainstream format with lyrics that dare to spit the words of painful truth like /You’re not alive when I need you/ but manage to still exude an overarching endearing sense of poetry, in the way only the best songwriters can muster.

Defining themselves as “Abrasive southern indie rock... or music to listen to during a shakedown”, the band’s creative juices flowed further than just a traditional album release – instead choosing to treat their devoted fans to a video series to go alongside the end product as a sort of narrative interpretation:

“Each song has a video that weaves discovered 8mm film into a story that flows all the way to "The River" [end track]. It was a massive project tackled by a couple of guys from Destroy Rock Music (Clay Lipsky and Jason Bognacki). They had about four months to complete the entire project, which is a feat in and of itself.”

Yet, the multi-media end result seems to more than justify the means. Having spent 300 days on the road with the last album, you can be sure that the band can also promise some polished and spine-tingle inducing sets on their upcoming live shows:

“We're constantly working on new things. The schedule we've chosen to maintain keeps us on the road and out of the studio, at the moment. When we're home, however we're usually recording. You can find new video podcasts from tour updated regularly online. There is sure to be something exciting musically out later this year.”

Manchester Orchestra’s diverse sound and unique output combines all the best aspects of American rock acts such as Weezer with sprinklings of the divine likes of Right Away, Great Captain in a way which conveys their bottom-line vulnerability in a way which is impossibly likeable. Having received positive press and even shining comparisons by Caleb Followill himself (that’s the front man of Kings of Leon for those of you who’ve only really heard ‘Sex on Fire’): “They remind me of us. They are country boys from Georgia and sing this raw passionate music”, it seems that the next few months are set to be pretty life-affirming for one of the most understated, but exciting, bands in a long while.

By Laura Routledge

FEATURE // WHICH INSPIRED FIRST: THE FASHION OR THE MUSIC?

2009-09-10T00:36:00.004+01:00

To answer this question I think I’m going to have to take the words out of a musicians mouth, (front man for Holy Ghost Revival I interviewed a while back) “I think they're kind of one and the same - it's like Oscar Wilde said: "Those who see the difference between the soul and the body have neither". So if you see the difference between music and fashion you don't understand either – they just blend together.”
Nicely said. This link between the two art forms has become so tight that it’s hard to think of a singer/band who don’t have a certain amount of style/fashion sense- even if they are helped along by a stylist. And what’s more, looking at today’s music scene, singers and bands seem to be interviewed more and more about their ‘look’, sometimes more so than their sound. As a society we’ve become a lot more attuned to what celeb’s look like, and they have to look aspirational right? Or else why should we want to be them? After all isn‘t that what celeb culture is about?

Right, before I get into a rant about celeb culture and what not, let’s take a look at some fashion warriors in today’s charts. First of all, love her or hate her, You gotta appreciate the way she works that red quiff - La Roux:

I’ve read countless interviews with her, all asking about her style and the answers always include Mr. David Bowie and the 80’s. So, one has to ask, is it her fault the high street is surrounded by shoulder pads and brogues? Or was she just a step ahead of us?

The next gorgeous lady I want to look at is Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine:

Again, I’ve read interviews with her regarding fashion and it seems with her it is almost like a costume, she says it helps her give an otherworldly performance if she is dressed the part. During the summer months her look was more hippy meets 1920’s flapper girl, but as winter approaches she is working the glamorous Goth look better than any model at London Fashion week.

Looking from a different angel, we have VV Brown - queen of retro cool:

Stepping away from current trends, VV plays up her love of the 1040’s. Not only has her music got this vibe, she injects it into her wardrobe whilst putting an ‘09 spin on the whole thing. (And I’m sure she’s started a trend of hair roll up’s and red lipstick.)

The great thing is that it’s not only the girls that are having fun with fashion, the boys are getting in on the action too, just look at Daniel Merriweather:

Boy’s got style! He looks like he’s just walk out of a 50’s jazz bar and this only adds to our interest about his music. Girls want him to smooth talk him, guys wanna play pool with him.

So musicians are, as they’ve always been, keenly aware of fashion and taking it to the extreme to create an infinite ‘look’- but what about the designers? Do they look to musicians for inspiration? Hell yes. When talking about current designers and music, one name springs to mind - Balmain.

Balmain has a thing for Michael Jackson, and his A/W ‘09 collection has been influenced by him in a massive way:

Defined shoulders, military jackets- all came from the same man, the legend that was MJ.

The link between fashion and music has turned into a beautiful relationship which, when broken down comes down to this- creative people expressing themselves, whether that’s the musician or the designer. And it’s something we all want to do, and something we all want to look amazing doing.

Also, I think when musicians dress a bit crazily, it makes them much more memorable to the audience, I mean who was going to forget Karen O at Reading this year?

See what I mean? Wouldn’t be the same if she was in a t-shirt and jeans. Ahh, what a crazy little legend.

By Kat Nichols

NOIZE POLLUTION // THE MUSICAL DIVERSE-CITIES OF THE WEST MIDLANDS

2009-09-10T00:24:00.000+01:00

The West Midlands’ music scene, bar London, is probably the most diverse I have experienced. Without sounding like a tourist board promotion, it really does cater for every taste. Countless local pop wannabees and r’n’b types have friend requested me on MySpace, unfortunately, but whether they’re good, bad, or just downright ugly, the diversity is undeniably there.
It seems to be within rock and indie music that the West Midlands has found its calling. This area is inundated with young, up-and-coming potential rockstars and the region is responsible for some of the most famous musicians in the industry: Duran Duran, Black Sabbath, The Specials, Judas Priest, Robert Plant, and, more recently, the likes of The Charlatans and The Enemy.

Today, there is a meteoric rise in potential young stars. Strangle Kojak, a Birmingham-based band made up of four very energetic young gentlemen, have created a unique sound influenced by punk, indie, hardcore and ska. Having already won “best guitarist award” at 2007’s Surface Unsigned National Final, Omar, Ash, Aaron and Max are racking up a huge following, both locally and across the country, thanks to some vivacious gigs and lots of talent. They are definitely worth a listen and a watch; more importantly, they epitomise the strength and diversity of the West Midlands’ music scene.

Wolverhampton four-piece, The Lines, are certainly something to brag about: not many bands can say that Robert Plant has called them “great”. Belting out catchy, honest indie is what this band do best, and they have gripped the attention of some very important members of the industry. They are set to be very, very big and have already been tipped for huge success.

Alongside Strangle Kojak and The Lines is Stourbridge-based Arcadian Kicks. Having wowed Maximo Park and The Maccabees at last year’s Isle of Wight festival, the band returned this year and packed out the Big Top tent. So impressive a band they are that Charlatans’ drummer, Jon Brookes, set up a management company to help them achieve big things. It seems to be working. Arcadian Kicks are probably the most unique Midlands experience; complete with a saxophone, the band are known for their soulful edge, big beats and beautiful female vocals. Hugely talented and wanted everywhere, their contribution to this region’s music scene is set to explode in the near future.

It is bands such as the above that make me proud to be a West Midlander, and make the future of music very exciting. If you don’t live round here, then that is a shame. What are you waiting for?

By Lucy Hill

INTERVIEW // PLANET OF THE APES: MATT HELDERS TALKS MONKEYS IN NEW YORK

2009-08-29T21:31:00.006+01:00

Packing his bags at his Sheffield flat, Matt Helders prepared for the Arctic Monkeys’ tour, which brought them to the U.S. in late July and early August and then back to Europe for a slew of shows. NOIZE meets up with the drummer in New York to talk Homme, 'Humbug' follow-up plans and life on the road in one of the World's biggest bands.
The Sheffield band is in the midst of a massive European festival run. The boys return to the U.S. Sept. 14 to play Soma in San Diego, all in support of the band’s third studio album Humbug. The band took a bit of a turn, musically, on the new album, but it’s one that has earned the boys high praise from critics. Helders and company lassoed in Josh Homme (yes, the Josh Homme who fronts Queens of the Stone Age) to produce the album. Homme also played some guitar on the record.

“We first met him at a festival in Europe. We were amazed because we’re such massive fans,” Helders said. “We talked to him a couple times. It was a different way of recording a record than what we had done before. But we have a lot of respect for him. He was always very encouraging.”

The band has a reputation for cranking out albums at a Beatles-esque pace. A year after their smashing debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, the band released the follow-up, Favourite Worst Nightmare. Now, two-and-a-half years later, the boys return with their third full-length studio album. Helders said there’s so much material in addition to the 10 tracks on Humbug. Will the band release another album next year?

“You never know,” Helders said. “We did over 20 songs. They could be used for B-sides on singles. We always took pride in B-sides. We have plenty available. But they could end up on another record in another form.”

In addition to drumming, Helders, 23, is also known for his backing vocals on such tracks as “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” “Balaclava,” and “Teddy Picker.”

Arctic Monkeys are quite possibly one of the most successful young bands of the new millennium. The lads recorded their first album while they were in their late teens.

“It probably helped that with our age, we didn’t take it too seriously,” Helders said. “You can see the funny side of us. We didn’t have any major responsibilities. We grew up together. You miss out on a lot of the dramas that other bands have.”

Helders said that seeing the Monkeys have been friends for so long, there’s never really any tension within the band.

“Believe it or not, it never gets to that stage,” he said. “There’s never been a serious argument. We kind of joke about it. We always have a laugh when we try to find something to do.”

Now that the band’s tour is in full swing, Helders and the rest of the Monkeys prepare for their massive onslaught of incessant fans.

“There’s always people outside the back door,” he said. “There’s quite a lot of that in America. In Japan, they hang around the hotel. Everybody meets there. After a bit anyone would get annoyed by that, but I suppose it’s good in a sense.”

By Ryan Wood

INTERVIEW // NOAH AND THE WHALE: THE HEALING POWER OF SPRING

2009-08-26T22:04:00.002+01:00

Pain. As humans, pain is, a feeling, we all encounter; whether it be on a regular basis, on a small scale, or on what feels like the worst level possible. And nothing hurts more than the pain that associates itself with love. That feeling which physically hurts as the abstract emotion turns to concrete and reaches in, squeezing each atrium of your pitiful organ.
But as humans, we hurt and then we heal. Often a direct result of whatever cathartic process we’ve immersed ourselves into as a distraction. Some of the best and most beautiful creations emerge from this form of therapy. Bon Iver created ‘For Emma, Forever Ago; an album bursting with more pathos than the runner up in the X-Factor final. Cue Charlie Fink’s proverbial rehab and Noah and The Whale’s second album ‘The First Days of Spring’.

And the Autumn it follows? Fink’s own heartbreak with the end result an eleven track masterpiece that replaces textbook folk handclaps for lyrics so rich with torturous accuracy that the listener is left wishing they could have articulated their own pain so efficiently. Similarly, the vocal supplements of Emmy the Great and Laura Marling have been replaced with divine orchestration:

“It’s very different from the debut. It’s different lyrically, its different instrumentation, everything’s very different. The ambitions for it are also very different.

The album is very a much a single person’s story and it’s definitely not a duet. At no point is the album a duet and so it would feel unusual to have an extra voice there, it needed to be quite solitary I think. We have a choir singing on a few songs and the reason I liked that is the texture of it and also there fact that it’s less personal than if it’s just one other person’s voice. There’s quite a big difference between a choir and duet.”

Meeting Noah and The Whale’s lead singer and song writer, Charlie Fink, at the band’s North-West London studio, it’s hard to believe music of such epic heights was created in what appears to be such basic surroundings. Sat in black skinnies and an over-sized pastal striped shirt, Charlie effortlessly exudes an unavoidable likeability and as he fingers his indie curls, it’s clear he’s every bit as passionate abut this album as the end result implies.

His creativity and work ethos is also demonstrated by the film he has produced to accompany the album. Featuring the likes of Daisy Lowe, Fink’s development from music videos to the film, named after the album, was something as unconventional as his mission statement:

“It’s not the same thing at all but, along the lines of ‘Man on Wire’; about the guy that walked between the two twin towers, it’s like in a way that’s the most beautiful pointless act of all time because it has no purpose other than the pleasure of tightrope walking which is, I’ve never experienced that pleasure but you know, I think it’s the same thing. It’s creating something because it’s beautiful.

“It’s trying to make something that was such a peculiar shape that it’s almost pointless, in the best possible way. It’s not a short film, it’s not a feature film, it’s this weird unmarketable non-commercial product that’s just a piece of art. And that’s what I like about it.

“The initial inspiration was also the idea of how people listen to albums now that they don’t sit down and listen to an album as one experience and take it in, so to create a fully immersive album and that is as much in the writing process of the album as it is in the film as well. There’s this quote from W.D. Collingwood which is that ‘Art is Dead, and amusement is all that’s left’ and he wrote that quote like 100 years ago, so if you made that quote now it’d probably have more weight than ever.

The film, ‘The First Days of Spring’ is available with the album, but characteristically ambitious, Charlie has bigger plans for his debut film:

“I’m doing a tour, because for me, it really belongs in a cinema, that’s really it’s home because that’s the real purpose of it so I’m going and I’m taking the film to different cinema’s around England and screening it and doing a Q&A with it. I’m doing Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, London and maybe Brighton.”

Whilst Charlie’s development and maturation is something exposed on the new album, Noah and The Whale’s very foundations are also undergoing big changes:

“We’re introducing a new line up because bizarrely, Doug, who plays drums, is becoming a doctor and so we’ve got a new drummer in and we’re bringing in a 5th member to play extra keys and guitar. So we’re trying to get them up to speed for touring in September but we’re doing a few more shows with Doug as well. We’re kind of just remoulding the live thing really”

Having done ‘the live thing’ throughout the Summer and Reading and Leeds still to come, the band look set to transform into a sort of musical collection of gypsies as the first days of Autumn encroach:

“We’re basically going on tour forever, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m packing up and moving out of everywhere I live in London. I’m moving out of here (studio) and my home and going to kind of just have a couple of bags of stuff and just enjoy the road and just travel when I can in between touring. It’s really going to be a great feeling I think.”

And fans of the band can expect a set list throughout their touring that truly embodies Noah and The Whale:

“I very much try and do things by instinct, whatever feels right, and so I think we’ll just play the set that sounds best to us which will incorporate a bit of both and maybe some stuff that’s even newer than the new record.”

Whilst, when most of us feel as if someone has torched the space between our lungs, we turn to a box of red wine, Eastender’s Heather Trott’s freezer drawer of ice cream and a lot of self-destructive behaviour, the others count to ten, compose themselves and use it to their advantage. Thankfully Charlie Fink was one of the latter. Defining the album/film combo as one of his proudest achievements: “The thing is when I first kind of envisaged this project, it seemed like such a vast and unassailable task to get it made and the process of actually completing it is very satisfying, regardless of whatever happens to it.” it’s clear that, despite early heartbreak, this year, and the future, has very exciting prospects for Noah and The Whale.

By Laura Routledge