hooting and howling

HOOTING AND HOWLING IS MOVING

2011-06-16T09:54:00.000+01:00

Hooting And Howling is now moving to a nicer website which can be found here. This is so that we can update more easily, with more writers and more articles. Despite this, I will still be updating this blog with my articles as and when they are written, but in order to get the most out of Hooting And Howling please visit our main website at the link above.

Thankyou!

Interview: IS TROPICAL

2011-06-02T23:31:00.001+01:00

IS TROPICAL are a trio from London who have been cited as one of the bands to look out for in 2011. After having toured successfully with bands such as Mystery Jets, The Big Pink and Klaxons, they were one of the many highlights of the Dot To Dot 2011 line-up. Hooting And Howling met with the band on the windy Monday evening of Dot To Dot Manchester and talked about their new single, their upcoming album and their time over the weekend...

How has your Dot To Dot experience been so far in Bristol and Nottingham?

Gary: It's been wicked. We haven't played yet today but yesterday at Nottingham was a really good show. The day before in Bristol as well, lots of people came to see us; it wasn't the greatest show but a lot of people seemed to like it.

Your new single 'The Greeks' is out today (30th May), can you tell us a bit about it?

Simon: The song's had a music video done by a collective from France called Megaforce; it's really good, they've made an amazing video and it's doing really well - it's got half a million views on YouTube at the moment which is a bit crazy. The song is about a younger brother trying to act like his older brother but he kind of gets it wrong.

The video for 'The Greeks' has been described as "funny and outrageous"; is this what you aimed for? Is there a story behind the video?

Dom: There's no story particularly, it's just an idea that we came up with and developed that we thought was going to be really good and we put it up on Thursday. I wouldn't say that we tried to be funny or outrageous or anything; it's not political. There are things in there that you could construe as political but they were only little kids so I don't think they knew what they were doing. It's just harmless fun.

Your album is coming out on 13th June, can you give us any hints about what to expect from it?

Gary: I'd say, primarily, it's kind of like a pop album - it's got quite standard, feelgood songs...

(At this point there was a lot of disagreement between the band as to whether it was a pop album or not)

No, okay, scrap that...it is good and we're really proud of it and we spent a lot of time making sure it came across how we wanted it to come across and all the songs sound how we pictured in our heads. Again, we're not trying to make a statement and we're not trying to change the world or anything, it's about just making straight-up, good songs that people can appreciate.

How was the writing and recording process for the album? Was there any specific way you went about it?

Simon: Everything was written in different ways; one of us would come up with an idea or a riff or a lyric or a melody and we take it to the band and all work on it, and when we take it to the studio, the guy that working with us ended up producing it with us and they added some really good ideas to it. It's all kind of natural.

For anyone who hasn't seen you live before, can you tell us what to expect from one of your live shows?

Dom: Hoey's really good at strobe lights, we love strobe lights. We don't really like it when people can see us or when we can see each other because we see too much of each other, so we try and make it really dark and atmospheric...and loud. We like playing late at night because I think the songs come across differently live - we get a little bit more into it and it gets a bit heavier so I think if someone has only heard the records then they should watch us live.

Have you seen any exciting bands on the bill this weekend?

Gary: We've been hanging out with DOM. They're from Massachusetts and they're supercool guys, their songs are wicked as well. Cults, as well; we've played a few shows with those guys.

Dom: They're not disappointed that we don't make good music or that we're not good at our instruments - they don't mind because they're not those kind of people...

Gary: Get People, obviously, they're a great band, shame we're clashing with them tonight though. We met them from partying and realised that they made music as well.

Can you name any of your favourite new bands that are around at the moment?

Dom: It's hard to know what bands are new, but Teeth are relatively new...our second tour was with them. They make really abrasive dance punk sort of music.

Gary: Publicly, Crystal Fighters could be considered quite new...

Dom: Yeah, their album has come out which is one of the ones we've had on rotation in the tour van...we really like Seams as well, and Beach Fossils. They've only had one album out but they're really cool.

Gary: We like a lot of American sounds, you'll figure it out.

IS TROPICAL Facebook

Interview: The Elizabeths

2011-05-21T21:34:00.003+01:00

The Elizabeths are four boys from Lancaster; the latest of many bands appearing on the vibrant music scene from this area. Hooting And Howling spoke to Will who told us all about the band and what they're up to...

Who are The Elizabeths and what do they do?

We're a young Lancaster band, who like so many met at school. We play Indie/Punk style songs which tend to float from one to the other and we try and put on a good gig...that's all we do really. However, our bass player and drummer both have asthma so we try not to have TOO good a time.

Your music is reminiscent of a number of 60's garage rock bands as well and also channels the 70's punk sound, would you say that you are mostly influenced by bands from this time? Could you name any bands as specific influences?

That whole era definitely has an impact on us. I think alot of the time our lo-fi sound indicates that, that kind of music is where we come from. But just as much as The Ramones have influenced me so have The Vaccines. Then as much as guitar bands like that have had an influence i'm also really into some more pop style bands from the sixties like The Zombies. Also, it's difficult to be 18 and in a band and not be influenced to some extent by Arctic Monkeys and then lyrically Pulp have an influence on me - I think it's good to try and catch something about England in a song.

'Lifeboat' is your newest song which you released earlier this week, can you tell us a bit about it?

Lifeboat is probably the most structured song we've done so far and probably the most melodic. I like how it sits next to 'Back Into The Club' and it will probably be a set closer this summer. It's just about having a mate, or whatever, that you know has as bad luck as you do. I was trying to get a lot of very English references into the song because I like that in a song things like "Seaside rock" and "brown bag of sweets" things that our very specific to our time and culture. I also really like the title - the Richard Ayoade film 'Submarine' gave me the idea for it, but i'm not sure why. I think I just liked 'Lifeboat' as a title.

You're doing a BBC Introducing Live Session in June, how did that come about? Can you give us any hints to what it will include?

We're quite excited about that. Alot of brilliant bands have done it before us; The Heartbreaks, Joy Formidable, Liar Liar etc. It came about through the Uploader which is a brilliant tool for bands. It was 'Turn Around Touch The Ground' that got their attention i think. I put it up online one week and then next week it was played on the BBC Introducing Show on a Thursday - which is great. I think it's three songs we'll be playing so it will probably a good chance to air Lifeboat for the first time and a cleaner version of Back Into The Club...it would be a shame to miss out set favourite Pack It Up as well but we will have to see.

Do you have any gigs or festivals planned for the summer season?

We have gigs up until September which is great. We've got things lined up in Manchester at a student bar called 'The Royal Oak' and The Big Top in Catterick. Locally we have a festival at Williamson's Park on the 5th June and we'll be playing on the mainstage and i'm sure there's some other great bands on the bill and I think a festival like that is a really good thing for Lancaster and it's free, which is even better. It would be nice if we got some more local gigs as well actually although we have gigs in Kendal over the next couple of weeks it would be great to have a few more Lancaster shows - there's some great bands we'd like to support.

Finally, are there any new bands around at the moment that you particularly like?

I'd rather talk about local bands I like as we're not really in a position to call anyone else new, not being veterans ourselves. Locally, Lancaster has a great scene. Bands I particularly like are The Charm, Liar Liar are brilliant, The Heartbreaks are stunning and that's been shown by the fact they have a support slot with Morrissey, Hexed Hands are a good band and finally I really like the band Bleach who have a really great pop sound. I think Lancaster has alot to be proud of at the moment - this is exactly why we want to get more gigs in the area.

The Elizabeths MySpace

Pack It Up by The Elizabeths

DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL: top 10

2011-05-17T22:36:00.004+01:00

Dot To Dot Festival takes place consecutively over three days in three cities:

Bristol - Saturday 28th May

Nottingham - Sunday 29th May

Manchester - Monday 30th May

As well as hosting some of the biggest bands to cause a stir over the past year, it showcases some of the newest and best upcoming bands from all over. The amazing full line-up is available to see here, and with Hurts headlining the bank holiday weekend festival -as well as the brilliant We Are Scientists - it is bound to be a highlight of this year's festival calendar. Hooting And Howling will be attending the Manchester leg of the festival, so here's a rundown of the top 10 bands and artists to see on the day...

10. Ed Sheeran

Thanks to the power of social networking, solo artist Ed Sheeran has already developed an underground fanbase and is sure to make his big break when his debut album is released in August. The 20-year old's acoustic material is comparative to that of James Morrison or Jack Johnson's, and the narrative lyrics give his music a poetic twist and his live shows are known for selling out and filling to the brim. This Suffolk lad is on his way to mainstream success, so catch him here at Dot To Dot before you lose your chance.

9. Hot Horizons

Fans of Bombay Bicycle Club would be advised to check out Leicester brothers Hot Horizons. Their EP "All Of This", filled with tracks oozing with hazy, summery brilliance was released on the 9th May and holds comparisons to Wild Beasts and Grizzly Bear. Their beautifully written lyrics and woozy melodies are not to be missed.

8. The Naked And Famous

Electro-rockers The Naked And Famous are over from New Zealand for Dot To Dot and have already done well for themselves over the past few months. Their debut album 'Passive Me, Aggressive You' got to the Number 1 spot in their home country and turned the heads of a great many over here with their rattling guitars combined with exciting electronic sounds and melancholy vocals. See them if you like anthemic pop-rock tunes.

7. Foreign Office

London's Foreign Office will certainly be a foursome to catch at Dot To Dot as after supporting Carl Barat on his recent tour they received rave reviews for their catchy indie pop. Songs such as 'Leaving The House' and 'Stuck On Repeat' will make you want to dance around and sing along to the paranoid lyrics mixed with electro influenced tunes. Leaving you wanting more, these boys are surely ones to watch out for over the next year.

6. Wolf Gang

Max McElligott aka Wolf Gang has been receiving quite a lot of hype recently, and quite right too. He returns to Dot To Dot after successfully playing last year, delivering exciting Bowie-crossed-with-Scissor-Sisters inspired ballads, and with his debut album released on 27th June, check out Wolf Gang as he will certainly put a smile on your face.

5. Dom

If you're looking for a new surf-pop synth band to love, then that is what you will get if you see Dom at this year's Dot To Dot Festival. The five-piece from Massachusetts are ready to bring their infectious lo-fi punk back to England, showcasing tracks from their incredible EP 'Sun Bronzed Greek Gods' which was released last year. If you like Wavves and Surfer Blood then you will love Dom, and watch as they become the soundtrack to your summer.

4. R O M A N C E

A four piece band from London which formed in 2008, R O M A N C E are the band that Hooting and Howling see as the most exciting live band on the line up this year. Singer Jamie Lovatt is renowned for turning their live shows into energetic, crazy parties and with their unique image they are certainly one of the bands which stand out the most. For fans of big post punk anthems, but just make sure you've got your dancing shoes on first.

3. The Joy Formidable

After recent success headlining the Emerge NME Radar Tour last year, this is the second year that Dot To Dot Festival has welcomed the Welsh threesome. Their debut album 'The Big Roar' released in January brought swirling, heavy guitar riffs and silvery, emotional vocals back to a world filled with overproduced teen popstars and are bound to draw a hell of a crowd at this year's Dot To Dot.

2. Cults

Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin make up Cults, a two piece from New York who channel C86 sounds along with 60's girl group vocals. Their twee melodies will leave you elated as they offer tracks from their new album, such as 'Go Outside' - their three and a half minute stand-out track which will get you swaying. Highly hyped all over the internet, Cults are sure to cause more than a buzz this year, so make sure you go out of your way to see them.

1. Is Tropical

You may think Is Tropical are "just another internet buzzband following in the footsteps of Egyptian Hip Hop and Wavves", but the London trio have appeared as one of the most exciting bands around at the moment. Swirling synths and echoing distortion as well as Klaxons-esque vocals are what you would find during a typical Is Tropical set, and with a new single 'The Greeks' out on 30th May, don't miss a band sure to cause a storm when their debut album is released in June.

Dot To Dot festival official website

live review: Liar Liar, Club Smith, City Reign, Secret Pilot, Grounds @ Manchester Roadhouse, 7th May 2011

2011-05-13T17:44:00.002+01:00

The Roadhouse is a tiny basement venue in Manchester which has previously hosted such legends as Muse, Coldplay and Blink 182 onto their stage. Tonight the venue welcomes five bands; Grounds, Secret Pilot, City Reign, Club Smith and headliners Liar Liar.

First to take to the stage tonight were Grounds, a four piece band from Manchester, delivering an amalgamation of a 90's grunge-crossed-with-Britpop inspired music. Showing a clear influence from bands such as Oasis and James, they went down well with the crowd who seemed altogether impressed with their sound.

Another Manchester band called Secret Pilot were on next. A set full of infectious guitars and strong vocals from frontman Ali Harrison, they played songs from their EP 'Punching Underwater', beginning with 'The Tide' - a song which holds sounds incredibly similar to early Kings Of Leon. They continued with 'Fight For Me' and followed this with stand-out track 'The Institute'. They then finished their set by asking the crowd to take part in the filming of their new video for the song 'Punching Underwater'; a three-minute anthem brimming with striking lyrics as well as a livelier sound. After they thanked the audience for helping with their video, they left the stage leaving everybody wanting more.

The third out of five bands to play tonight were City Reign, a foursome based in Manchester. Opening the set with 'See What It's Worth' they then followed this 'Out In The Cold'; their second single which was released in January. Vocally they could be compared to Idlewild or Oasis which really showed as they played 'Making Plans', and throughout their set it was obvious as to why Steve Lamacq named them as one of his favourite new bands as part of In The City festival 2010. They closed the set with their third single 'Daybreak' - a four minute song filled with emotional vocals and memorable lyrics - and and finally a heartfelt rendition of 'The Line'. Tonight City Reign have made it clear that everybody should keep an eye on them as they are surely set to do well.

Club Smith have only recently returned from a tour alongside The Pigeon Detectives and tonight they show the reasons behind the hype they have received over the past few months. The electro-indie four piece opened with 'Institution' and then played 'Young Defeatists'; one half of their double A-side single set to be released on the 6th June. There seemed to be more energy during Club Smith's set compared to previous bands and this was clear as they played various tracks from EP's - 'The Loss' and 'The Process' - such as 'Connected' and the energetic 'Lament'. The Yorkshire boys finished their set with the other half of their debut single, the stand out 'No Friend Of Mine'; a perfect pop song which is most definitely to be huge after its release.

Finally the headliners, Morecambe based Liar Liar took to the stage. As the lights went out and the only thing to illuminate the stage was a set of fairy lights draped onto singer David Murdoch's microphone stand, the band went straight into 'It's Only Love' and continued with 'Unwanted'. After highlight song 'A Little Romance' they played a new track, which involved guitarist Charlie Kondras playing keyboard for what he said was "the second time I've ever done that". 'Sorry' was filled with impassioned vocals and 'Why Don't You Love Me Anymore?' confirmed that they have the potential to become one of the next big bands around at the moment. Their set ended with 'Seaside Girl' - their next single set to be released in September - a song with a memorable drum beat provided by Liam Maxwell and a dancey bassline from Charlotte Bell. Watch out for Liar Liar - they are sure to find all kinds of success in the future.

Interview: Liar Liar

2011-05-10T19:42:00.000+01:00

Liar Liar are a band from Morecambe made up from four members; David Murdoch (vocals/guitar), Charlie Kondras (lead guitar/vocals), Charlotte Bell (bass) and Liam Maxwell (drums). During their time together they have supported bands such as The Vaccines, Brother, The Heartbreaks and Orphan Boy, and in 2009 they played at Underage Festival after being selected out of 1,500 entrants to play there. I spoke to singer David who told me what the band are all about....

You're all from Morecambe; would you say that coming from a seaside town inspires your songs in any way?

Yes, they do. Our debut single "Seaside Girl" was, for obvious reasons, inspired by living in a seaside town. I believe that it does influence our songs, I much prefer living in a seaside town than a city. I believe there is just more substance and character to it.

Are there any plans to bring out a single anytime soon?
Yes, in September. Seaside Girl.

Do you have a specific writing process as a band?
I usually have an idea and take it to Charlie. We then work it out, show our drummer Liam and learn it at practice.

Who would you say are your main influences as a band, musically and lyrically?

Blondie, Jesus And Mary Chain, Echo And The Bunnymen and Pulp.

What should someone new to your music expect at one of your gigs?
A very energetic show, filled with catchy pop songs that leave you wanting more.

Where is your favourite venue to play and why?
Well, out of town I would say Manchester Roadhouse; the sound in there is fantastic. I would say also the Yorkshire House in Lancaster as well, we are having our single launch there on the 17th September.

Where do you hope to see the band in three years time?

We hope to have a larger fanbase, most probably working on a second album.

Do you have any new bands around at the moment that you can recommend?
I love a band called The Crookes and a band from Lancaster called Bleach.

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Interview: Your Other Lover

2011-05-04T21:04:00.000+01:00

Your Other Lover are a four-piece from London whose sound has been described as "doomy, 80's Matchbox sounding aggro pop". I interviewed their guitarist, Ben, and talked about their new single, their influences and 'wardrobe surfing'...

Your music has a very typically "80's goth" vibe, would you say you're influenced mainly by bands from this era or are there many bands from the present day which you could name as an influence?

The Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division and The Cure are big influences in they way we sound that are from the 80's but there are definitely influences from modern day bands. Crocodiles are a band we love that we came across last year, they are so cool to watch live as are Warpaint with there hypnotic sounds, A Place to Bury Strangers too, amazing noise pop...there 'Death By Audio' effects pedals are worth checking out to create that huge raw sound.

You're recording a new AA side single, can you give us any information about that?
We're are going up to Newcastle for four days to do two tracks, 'Walking with The Wolves' and our newest song 'Stare at the Sun'. Once it's all mixed and mastered we'll be hosting our own launch party with some good friends of ours in July. We'll hopefully be able to put this out on vinyl as well as download. We literally can't wait to get this done. Planning on shooting a video for one of the tracks too...

Your single is being produced by Detroit Social Club's Dave Burn - how has it been working with him?
Dave is a friend of ours from back home in Newcastle so we're looking forward to getting in the studio with him. We haven't seen him in a while with us living in London so will be good to catch up. We've been speaking on email and things are getting exciting, he's just ordered a killer mic for Dans vocal which was mega bucks. We're not even in the studio yet and Dave is so enthusiastic and encouraging which obviously makes us feel great, we're counting the days!

What's the best gig you've played so far?
Well we've only played eight shows so far but I think everyone would agree that headlining upstairs at The Garage was pretty special. Every show has made us more confident and we have got some really cool shows coming up at The Bullet Bar and Queen of Hoxton this month and our show at 93 Feet East in June will be great, cant wait for that one.

What is the best story of rock and roll excess you're allowed to tell us?
After one show we thought it would be a good idea to buy a crate and carry on our party back at the bass player Si's house. We invented a weird game we called 'wardrobe surfing' and it was painful, very painful...there was blood. We played our first ever acoustic performance which was filmed for Sounds of the Camper van at the Camden Crawl...we stayed out a little too late the night before and being cooped up in a van when it's 20 degrees outside wearing leather jackets and boots kind of ruined us...it's was great fun though and a good way to sweat out the hangover.

What's your opinion on the current alternative music scene? Are there any bands which really stand out to you at the moment?
At the moment we tend to favour American bands like Crocodiles, Warpaint and Dum Dum Girls that are alternative. I quite like Veronica Falls who play in London quite a bit and The History of Apple Pie are cool. There are so many bands around there is always something great going on in London for unsigned bands which is really exciting. We've met some really cool bands since playing, Severin make great electro noise and Hold Kiss Kill play cool early 90s sounding indie that excites the hell out of us, we're playing a show with the at The Wheelbarrow in June...we may introduce them to wardrobe surfing afterwards.

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The Heartbreaks, The Deaf Institute, 9th April 2011

2011-04-17T22:05:00.000+01:00

Lancastrian duo The Lovely Eggs kicked off tonight's gig at Manchester's Deaf Institute, with the not so lovely named but fantastically fun song 'People Are Twats', followed up by 'I Like Birds But I Like Other Animals Too', a two minute shoutfest filled with crashing cymbals and scratchy guitars. Drawing attention from the crowd with their surreal lyrics and a Vaselines inspired sound, singer and guitarist Holly and drummer David continued with their single 'Don't Look At Me, I Don't Like It', instructing people to "look at him with his sausage roll thumb!". Finishing the set with 'Digital Accordion' they left the stage, leaving smiles on the faces of the crowd.

As the venue began to fill to it's maximum capacity, the second support act Mabel Love took to the stage. Opening with 'Ha Ha People' and following with 'Hardened Face', the Sheffield four-piece impressed the crowd with the combination of Dave Mitchell's fast-paced drumming, George Moran's hard hitting bass along with Dan Whitehouse's sweet-sounding guitar and Richard Rice's euphonious vocals. The song 'Socks' seemed to be the most favoured song tonight - one which is available to download for free from their website - followed up by 'Breaking It All' a "slightly political", slightly heavier song compared to their others. After playing a new song entitled 'Bootstraps' they finished up with 'Gardenstown' they left an extremely good impression on the Manchester audience in preparation for their Arctic Monkeys support slot in the summer.

Finally, complete with a projection filled with shots of their hometown Morecambe in the background and an avid atmosphere charging The Deaf Institute, The Heartbreaks graced the stage and introduced new material going by the name of 'Winter Gardens' - a song which delivered the classic repetitive lyrics and crisp sound which the four are so loved for. Speeding their way through the set they played 'Delay', as well as 'Save Your Souls' with singer Matthew questioning "what are you doing so intoxicated?" as guitarist Ryan and bassist Deaks span around the small stage. As well as playing their debut single 'Liar, My Dear' they showcased yet more new material; 'Man Overboard' and 'Gorgeous', leaving the audience eager to hear more and in high anticipation for their upcoming debut album. As they played their final songs for the night - their newest single, 'Jealous, Don't You Know' and the equally wordy titled 'I Didn't Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You' - it was clear that The Heartbreaks aren't just another generic "Manchester indie band" as the crowd sang along to drummer Joseph Kondras' poetically genius lyrics, but a band who are destined for all kinds of success.

Carl Barat, Manchester Academy 2, 6th April 2011

2011-04-14T14:41:00.003+01:00

photograph by Amanda J Window

The opening band tonight were Foreign Office, a four-piece band from Hackney. Starting with 'Shame', they raced through their 6 song set of quirky "Franz Ferdinand meets Hot Chip" tunes, including 'On Repeat' - their infectious debut single which delivers funky guitar and bass lines along with repetitive, catchy lyrics. With traces of an influence by bands such as Talking Heads and Orange Juice, they continued with the paranoia-inspired 'Leaving The House', and finished with 'Losing The Plot'. Clearly leaving a lasting impression on the crowd, could Foreign Office be ones to watch in 2011?

Accompanied by his backing band, Carl Barat took to the stage soon afterwards, going straight into The Magus and following this up with a high energy performance of Run With The Boys. It was clear a number of people were only there to hear Libertines material so Barat added to the set a number of Libs classics, such as Man Who Would Be King and Up The Bracket, along with his solo material - in particular Je Regrette, Je Regrette, inspiring an impromptu sing along. He finished with the Dirty Pretty Things hit, Bang Bang You're Dead, before returning with his acoustic guitar to do an encore half the length of the main set, and after many a heckle for more Libertines material, he joined in with the crowd's yells of an a capella version of What Katie Did. Although the inclusion of yet more Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things tracks pleased tonight's gathering at the Academy no end, Carl should perhaps try to realise his solo work is strong enough to be performed without the large number of back catalogue hits he played this evening. Barat ended tonight with Don't Look Back Into The Sun to the obvious delight of all.

Foreign Office on MySpace
Carl Barat official

The Chapman Family/O. Children, The Ruby Lounge, 15th March 2011

2011-03-31T22:27:00.003+01:00

Tonight's gig was opened by The Tunics, a band from Croydon who seemed to leave a good impression on the crowd tonight by showcasing a selection of anthemic indie tunes that had the rhythmic guitar of a typical Arcade Fire song, Bluetones-esque vocals and the memorable lyrics that would be expected from a band who lists The Libertines as one of their main influences. Although they refer to being described as "the most forgettable band ever", this is clearly not the case tonight as they exit the stage after receiving a great amount of cheers and applause.

As it was a co-headline tour, O. Children were on next, with Tobias towering over the rest of the band, with the microphone drawn up to it's fullest height, as they started with a full-of-energy rendition of 'Malo'. They then went straight into a new track - which oozed the typical O. Children sound - and went down extremely well with the crowd. 'Dead Disco Dancer', possibly their most well known song perked up the audience fully with it's memorable riff and catchy lyrics and following this was the dark yet emotive sounds of 'Heels' which slowed down the mood of the audience, who were quickly electrified again as Tobi and co. burst into 'Radio Waves' - the highlight song of their set. Their relatively short set ended with 'Ruins', as the band showed enormous gratitude to the crowd before leaving.

The Chapman Family headlined tonight, and with a different, heavier sound than O. Children, they opened with 'All That's Left To Break'. An unrelenting bassline and thrashing guitars are overlaid by Kingsley's passionate vocals that range from a doleful croon to a vicious roar as they race through their set. They played the majority of their album, 'Burn Your Town', and as the night drew to a close and the energy peaked, bassist Pop dived into the crowd during 'A Million Dollars', much to the bemusement of the crowd. Dripping with sweat, Kingsley screamed vocals, threw himself around the low-ceilinged stage and at one point thrust the microphone into his mouth as the set reached its climax, and as the final notes died away Pop acknowledged the crowd with arms outstretched before disappearing. After the chaos of the last 45 minutes the sudden silence seems slightly unnerving.

The Tunics on Myspace

O. Children on Myspace

The Chapman Family on Myspace

Two Wounded Birds interview

2011-03-22T20:17:00.002+00:00

Margate's Two Wounded Birds formed towards the end of 2008 and since then have released an EP entitled Keep Dreaming Baby which features . They will be releasing a new double A-side single, All We Wanna Do/Midnight Wave, on April 18th, which will be a follow-up to their EP, Keep Dreaming Baby. With a surf-pop sound complete with twangy guitars and lyrics tinged with melancholy, Two Wounded Birds have the potential to be the sound of everyone's summer 2011.

How did the band come together?

J: The band started just over a year ago over a love of old pop records from the 50's and 60's. We just found those old melodies so amazing and aspire to make records as good.

What is the significance of the name Two Wounded Birds?

J: It's from the film True Romance. It's such an idyllic film, the characters, the story, a great romantic fantasy. I think it also sounds really classic.

Your new single is out in April, is there any plans for an album anytime soon?

J: I've quite a big selection of songs built up now that there is plenty to choose from for an album. I don't really want to use the songs from the Holiday EP that we done, just because I like the fact it's a separate release with it's own songs. I might only use My Lonesome from that. I like how Best Coast done their record, stuck out loads of great singles, then the album was all brand new stuff. Would love to get the debut out by the end if summer hopefully. I'd also like to stick out another EP maybe at the festive end of the year. I don't like leaving ages between releases. I Like it when bands release a constant flow of music.

What is the creative process of your music? Do you write together or seperately?

J: I do all the writing in the group, then I usually take it to the others with their parts and then rehearse it. Coming up with a new song idea is one of the best feelings I can have.

You've had lots of attention in recent months, for instance you supported The Drums in November and played a BBC Radio session, does it feel there is a weight of responsibility to prove yourselves?

J: Not really, because we are all enjoying playing live and enjoying playing these songs. It's amazing that other people are into it as well as us. It sounds nice to us, and it makes us happy. Sometimes I sit and think about how quickly things have happened but I feel we all deserve it and i think if we started to worry about pressure and peoples expectations then it wouldn't be as pure and fun as it is.

The 60's West coast influence is obvious in your music, but what bands inspire you the most?

J: We love lots of stuff, I find the Doors a massive influence on us really, I love Jim's deep drawl, and the darkness of their songs, Rays organ playing is truly out of this world too. They just have great songs you can get lost in. We love lots of Rock N Roll too, like Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Cash, instrumental stuff like The Chantays, Doo Wop, Soul and Mowtown records also, I love Sam Cooke a lot at the moment. What a voice. I could go on forever. Oh and did I mention The Beach Boys? :)

What are your ambitions for the band over the next few years?

J: I just want to make some of the best albums of all time. People don't fall in love with bands enough anymore. We want to change that.

I'm looking for a seaside town to visit in the summer, how can you big up Margate over, say, Whitstable or Herne Bay?

J: Well, We are here, so that's one reason why it's better than those other areas! Great beaches, great fish and chips and great ice cream. You should come!

All We Wanna Do/Midnight Wave is out on April 18th

TWB on MySpace
TWB on Twitter
TWB official

Cat's Eyes, St Philip's Church, Salford, 14th March 2011

2011-03-17T22:19:00.001+00:00

Not your traditional venue, St Philip's Church has been home to many gigs over the past few years, such as Chapel Club, Hurts and Florence & The Machine. With no support act and a room filled with people eager to see them play their first UK show, Badwan and Zeffira graced the stage accompanied by a backing band. Starting with the obvious choice of the song 'Cat's Eyes' and then going straight into a cover of Lucifer Sam by Pink Floyd, it was strange to see Faris on stage playing a guitar; although despite this he looked completely comfortable. Following this were Rachel's renditions of Not A Friend and Best Person I Know, her operatic voice echoing around the church walls and contrasting with Faris' snarling vocals during Sooner Or Later, Over You, and The Lull, tracks from their upcoming debut album. Playing only a short 45 minute set, and finishing with the surf-punk sounds of Sunshine Girls the band then left the stage, to reverential applause and an overly impressed audience.

Cat's Eyes' self-titled debut album is out May 3rd on Cooperative Music USA/Downtown

Cat's Eyes official website

The Heartbreaks interview

2011-03-03T22:41:00.000+00:00

A once great seaside town, Morecambe is now faded, but it isn't hard to see where The Heartbreaks, consisting of Matthew (vocals, guitar), Deaks (bass), Ryan (lead guitar) and Joe (drums), get their inspiration for their music from. During a time of manufactured Disney popstars taking over, The Heartbreaks are coming through as a rapidly rising band, opposing with poetic lyrics and a sound that embraces so many traditional guitar based bands, but brings it up to date with a raw honesty arising from their decaying surrounding, living in "the coastal town that they forgot to close down". We meet at the statue of arguably the town's most famous son, Eric Morecambe.

Since forming in 2009 you've released two singles, when can we expect a third?

Matthew: Oh, soon, very soon. April, in fact.
Deaks: The 4th has been pencilled. It's called 'Jealous, Don't You Know' and it's a better, new version of an existing demo that's around at the moment. It's very good, we're very pleased with it.

You're recording your new album at the moment, how's that going?

M: We're trying to work in, you know, we're recording in different places and trying to find somewhere we're happy with. The b-side to the single is actually one of the tracks we did with Edwyn Collins, and we're really happy working with him. We have time scheduled in with him...
Joe: We're working with him tomorrow, in fact, so at the moment, as Matt said, we're very, very happy with that.

Do you have any idea when it's going to be released?

D: Either June, which might be a bit rushed...?
J: I doubt that.
D: That's something we've been told, but we think it's more likely September - probably early September.
J: But if it's not ready then, it's not going to get released any either way, we're not going to release anything that we're not really proud to put our names to, but yeah, I think September is pencilled.
D: And do we have any working titles?
J: We'll give you a world exclusive...we think we're gonna call it 'Funtimes' by The Heartbreaks. There's an arcade down there called Funtimes and it's a bit of a reaction to being labelled really dour, boring Northerners a lot, so maybe someone in London will get the joke, but I doubt it!

I've read that you're big Orange Juice fans, so what's it like working with Edwyn Collins on your new album?

J: A dream.
D: We keep having to pinch ourselves. [to Joe] Have you got that picture on your phone? Because of all of his guitars around, we found ourselves putting his guitars from the Rip It Up video on, and putting sunglasses on and pretending to be him.

What do you think appeals to people when they hear your music?

J: I think it's honesty, and I think it's, from what I've spoken about with other people, at this moment in time when pop music is quite detached and synthetic, we've got kind of a realness, and honesty is rife to our sound.
D: Our approach to creating music has been missing for quite a while, and I think that's what people are trying to connect with. I think, as well, because this is all that we do, we don't have jobs or anything, and we're not very good at anything else, apart from Matt's really good at Mr Whippy ice creams and stuff...
M: I actually won the best Under 21s pourer in the North West for it, if you can believe that.
D: I think because this is the only thing we do, we've created our own little world. If people like the music it teaches them to get involved in it. There's lots of references to places round here like I pointed out before, like The Kings is in one of our songs, so everyone's more than welcome to jump into our little world and come along with us.

What were you doing before you formed The Heartbreaks?

M: Joseph and I were ice cream men when we left school, for two years, and it seemed like a really good, novelty job for two days, but for two years it was enough.
Ryan: I was a roofer, and I made a few smoothies on the side.
D: I did nothing, plethora of nothing for a long time and I just floated from place to place, from job to job. It was rubbish.

What made you realise that this was what you want to do?

M: I think we all probably had a vague sense of knowing that we wanted to do something different and I think it was when the four of us got together that it was definite. When we're recording together it feels right. We're all in the same tree, all on the same wavelength and we're happiest when we're all together.
D: ...in the tree.

What would you ultimately like to achieve as The Heartbreaks?

D: To be some people's favourite band in 20 years or something.
J: To really, sort of, connect with people, and I don't know, something like...longevity.
D: Not like hero worship or anything, just so people love the songs and it means something to them, and they know all the words and all the reference points and things, and if they're having a bad day, they can put our records on and it can make them feel that little bit better.

What was the worst and best gig you've played?

J: The worst gig was probably last week. Everything blew up!
M: To everyone who was at The Proud Galleries last week, we're sorry.
D: That was just a combination of a bad venue...there was a good audience, but we thought we'd sort of got past that 'teenage band' thing where there's like five bands playing, the sound checks are rushed and you're all getting rushed onto the stage. It just doesn't put you in a good frame of mind to play.
M: The best was probably the Scala with Carl Barat.
R: We played a really good set in Scotland the other day...
D: Yeah, it was just a tiny room with about 30 people or something, but they all came just to hear us play.
J: I still can't get my head round, even though there was only about 30 or 40 people there, it was the fact that they'd come to watch us from further afield. It was just a beautiful thing that there were people who'd bothered to travel from Inverness and wherever, to Glasgow, and it's not like we've been rammed down people's throats, or punched into anyone's ears on the radio or in the press. I think it's really nice that people have discovered us and shown that level of dedication already, it's just really moving.
D: One of the best moments was when this lad from Nottingham, he came to Manchester to The Deaf Institute, and he'd made his own t-shirt with the Liar, My Dear cover on it, and it was like, 'are you serious? Why've you done that?' These are just songs that we'd written in my mum's kitchen and it's come to mean that much a lad from Mansfield that he'll drive however many miles just to see us.
J: It probably means that we should get our arses in gear and make some t-shirts!

Where's your favourite venue to play, and where would you like to play?

J: The Deaf Institute in Manchester, that's cool...
D: We're back there in April.
M: We used to do a lot of gigs in an Irish pub in Morecambe, called Ma Murphy's.
R: We love playing big venues when we get the chance, but my favourite gigs are in little bars, they're the best
J: I've always liked to play at the Apollo in Manchester, and Brixton Academy.
D: Shea Stadium!

Who are your favourite bands at the moment and who were your favourites to come out of 2010?
M: Do you say 'two thousand and ten' or 'twenty ten'?
Either...
D: Or either...Best Coast were one of my favourite to come out of 2010, and, I think it came out in 2009 but it was really late on, but The Raveonettes' last record was one of my favourite ones, 'In And Out Of Control".
M: I like Vivian Girls an awful lot.
J: We like a band called The Crookes; they're good pals of ours.
D: They're like a really nice, Southern home county version of us, but just that little bit less stupid.
R: Mabel Love.
J: They're supporting The Arctic Monkeys actually, at the Don Valley Stadium.
D: There's a band I really like as well, from London called Evans The Death. They're a bit like Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, but they're all about 16 or something, and they're incredible.
M: I love PJ Harvey's new song, 'The Words That Maketh Murder', it's just amazing, I can't stop listening to it.
D: Other than that, if it was released after 1984 we probably don't know it...

Where's the best place to get ice cream in Morecambe?

J: Lewis' of Morecambe!
R: What's your favourite ice cream flavour?J: I like Whippy's you know, Whippy's are my favourite kind of ice cream.
D: Pistachio is mine, that's incredible, but why's it green?! They just try and trick you into thinking it's mint.
M: It surprises you...like when you eat a parsnip instead of a roast potato.
D: Or like when you eat a plantain...it doesn't happen very often in Morecambe, but it happened once. I'd never eaten it before and my mind was blown.

The Heartbreaks on MySpace
The Heartbreaks on Twitter

Chapel Club, Liverpool Academy 2, 4th February 2011

2011-02-22T23:09:00.000+00:00

This was the third time I'd seen Chapel Club, and it was also my first gig this year.
The first support band, Dustland, were unexpectedly good - certainly a lot better than some support bands I've seen. They performed with real confidence and held a good stage presence, fully capturing the audience's attention with a sound that could be compared to that of S.C.U.M or O Children.
Second on were David's Lyre, a Manchester artist whose real name is Paul Dixon. Having seen them support Chapel Club before, I was expecting a set as well performed as last time, and he and his band did not disappoint. Despite minor technical difficulties towards the end, they were clearly a crowd pleaser, playing songs comparative to that of Wild Beasts, such as In Arms and Tear Them Down.
Chapel Club graced the small stage shortly afterwards, beginning their set with Surfacing, and continuing with tracks from their debut Palace, such as White Knight Position and my personal favourite, Blind. Frontman Lewis Bowman grinned, "I can't believe how many people are here!" as their short but sweet set continued with more tracks from their EP Wintering, and singles O Maybe I and All The Eastern Girls, finishing with The Shore, complete with a heavy guitar sound to end the set. Surprisingly, there was no encore, although the short set was perhaps enough to please the crowd. Definitely a band to check out live if you haven't already.

Paul Dixon, David's Lyre

Lewis Bowman, Chapel Club