Latest Articles | Leeds Music Scene | www.leedsmusicscene.net

News Article: Leeds trio I Swim With Sharks announce new single 'Build Me Up'

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Dave LMS) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:26 +0000

Leeds trio I Swim With Sharks have announced the release of a new single 'Build Me Up' on 16th April.

'Build Me Up' is the second installment from I Swim With Sharks, who have already been heralded as ones to watch by the Leeds Music Scene.

With their self-titled fusion of indie-aggro-pop, I Swim With Sharks are a cut above so many bands vying for attention in today's scene. They have already seen support from the likes of XFM, 6 Music, NME TV, BBC Introducing, Soundblab, Q Radio and more.

The strength of 'Build Me Up' lies in the instrumentation, mindfully elevating lyrical content and an infectious catchiness that sticks with you.

With a string of festival appearances secured for this summer, I Swim With Sharks are steadily building a place as underground favorites for 2012 and beyond.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16154/.

Read more about the featured bands: I Swim With Sharks.

Live Review: Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos + The Broken Hearts Club Band + Maggie8

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Ken Clark) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:40:32 +0000

And so to a criminally deserted Brudenell. There were people there, but as one of my party said, not the usual Brudenell crowd, but (I imagine) friends, parents and record company people. Not many real punters.

First up were Maggie8 a five (normally 6) piece Leeds based band doing what they describe as Hindi-indie-folk. I thought they were the band with the best potential of the evening, not because they are great now, not even because singer Nivedita Pisharoty is DDG, but because they have an interesting and near unique USP. There is not a lot happening in the East-West cross-over area, the only other notable that I know of being Kitty Daisy and Lewis, who do something similar with 50's RnB and blues. It's not a foregone conclusion, there's lots of work to do polishing it up and learning the stagecraft to carry it off but if they get it right it could be a winner. It reminded me a lot of early Fairport when they were on the cusp of, but not quite, going totally folk and maybe even a touch of Pentangle. Worth following.

Next up, The Broken Hearts Club Band, a four-piece from Bradford. They started as a three-piece playing straight rockabilly, and then were joined by their violin player which gave them a larger palette to work with (Folkabilly?). Very entertaining, no MacBook/loop nonsense, just straight-down-the line great playing and singing. Because of the genre they have chosen to plough I don't think they will ever make the big-time, but I reckon they could make a decent living out of it. I would go and see them again.

And lastly, the main act, Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos an Argentine/Mediterranean 5-piece. Accordion, saxes and guitar plus a phenomenal rhythm section of bass and drums. They were all excellent musicians doing up-tempo Gypsy Jazz/Latin numbers, but after about 40 minutes I got a bit bored and thought that their numbers were all a bit 'samey' and I longed for just a nice ballad to break it up a bit. I notice that a female singer was bought in for a couple of tracks on the album, so I guess their record company thought the same thing. Great, but just a little more light and shade required. With a crowd who were 'up for it' it could have been excellent, but the Brudenell was not that place this night.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16153/.

Read more about the featured bands: Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos, The Broken Hearts Club Band, Maggie8.

Live Review: Marsicans

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Hannah Bulmer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:21:11 +0000

You would be wrong to brush the Marsicans under the carpet as just another teen Arctics-like indie band. They are in fact far from it.

As the youngsters throw themselves into the first track 'Swings and Roundabouts' it is clear that they will be heading for bigger things. The nervous energy which was ever so present in the boys as they shuffled onto the stage at the Cockpit in Leeds disappeared; being replaced by the obvious elation of the moment. Who could blame them really? Barely out of high school the four mates are already supporting World class band Howler, who NME magazine tipped as 'one to watch' for this year. As well as receiving one of the best reactions from the audience that I've seen from an opening support band.

The songs elevated the previously subdued mood in the room, gathering a bigger and bigger crowd as the set continued. Refreshingly the lads made the audience genuinely glad they got down to the gig early, rather than being faced with the disappointing, ill prepared, painful supports which can be all too common nowadays.

Catchy rifts and lyrics made their songs an instant hit with the room to those who were previously a stranger to the band. A cover of Duran Duran's 'Rio' blended in seamlessly to the set list, putting their stamp on the classic though still allowing the familiarity of the tune to shine through.

I'd challenge anyone to listen to the Marsicans without even the slightest smile crossing their face or even having a bit of a dance. They really do make music to make you happy. Their new EP 'Hands' received a great reception, something I'd encourage you to check out.

There is no doubt that the guys will mature into a brilliant band; as they grow along with their music it will be interesting as to which direction they will go, and whereabouts in the music industry they will fit in.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16151/.

Read more about the featured bands: Marsicans.

Read more from this author: Hannah Bulmer.

CD Review: Field Music - Plumb

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Daniel Hobden) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:49:42 +0000

Somewhere, far away in another dimension, Britain has a thriving, enviable economy, Fearne Cotton doesn't exist, I'm playing off scratch, and Field Music are as big as The Beatles. Most of the above things will never happen, though I'm sure with regards to the latter, Field Music wouldn't have it any other way. The band's core consists of brothers David and Peter Brewis; they released their eponymous debut in 2005 to little fanfare. Channelling the alternative leanings of XTC, with group harmonies and melodies to make Brian Wilson blush, Field Music was a short, compact pop gem. Some of its intricacies suggested a fierce musical intelligence, but it was never going to make them superstars and fly off the shelves - music such as that just doesn't.

Little changed with the release of their follow-up album Tones Of Town (2007). Granted, it was a little more accessible than its predecessor, but they still sounded as though they were making music for themselves - not willing to compromise for the sake of a few more sales. This feeling was compounded when soon after the release of that record the band took to their website to announce an indefinite hiatus from Field Music activities. They wanted it to be known that the band was a by-product of their existence, not their reason for it.

And so - a few pet projects aside - things went quiet for a while. Part of me felt Field Music were destined to disappear into obscurity like their North-East contemporaries The Futureheads and Maximo Park. But I needn't have worried. They returned and then some. The start of 2010 saw them release ambitious, sprawling double-album Field Music (Measure). The time off had clearly done them some good. Again, Measure, didn't exactly set the world alight, but it was an uncommonly very good double-album. So often veering dangerously close to prog-rock territory, the music was saved on each and every occasion by the band's tight, cohesive playing and precise melodies. They sounded reinvigorated - as though their cup was overflowing with ideas and songs, that were in immediate need of penning.

This probably explains the relatively speedy release of their fourth album, Plumb. It would also explain why it's one of the most inventive, brilliant and progressive pop records that I've heard in a number of years. Going back to the aforementioned Beatles, things do start off very McCartney-esque. 'Start The Day Right' wouldn't look out of place on the second side of Abbey Road. Cinematic Disney strings, drums and a delicate piano coincide with the matter of fact, mundane lyrics "I'm sure I was dreaming/ Or was I just tired/ A chance to start the day right." It's a beautiful, bold way to start the album - classic Field Music - all wonderful segues, intricate guitar and piano lines, and shifting time signatures.

But what comes across on Plumb, more so than on any of their previous releases, is that Field Music are now writing songs that are made as much for the heart as they are for the head. Take 'From Hide and Seek To Heartache' for example. It's a dazzling highlight for so many reasons. The fact it sounds so achingly beautiful being one of them. The fact it clocks in at a perfect pop song length of 2.52 being another. Then add to the mix nostalgic, wistful yearnings "Sad we used to see so many people everyday/ Games we used to play/ From hide and seek to heartache" and you've got one of their best, most effecting pieces of music to date.

This is by no means a record stuck in the past, though. There's always a song lurking just around the corner, serving as a reminder as to why the Brewis brothers are considered the boundary pushers they are. 'A New Town' starts slowly, with what sounds like an accordion, but then proceeds to morph into a full on R&B/funk monster, something that wouldn't sound out of place were Justin Timberlake to attach his vocals to it - I kid you not. Similarly, '(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing' is a tightly-wound, concise piece of pop - a keen example of their love of XTC - that stays firmly rooted in the present. It stomps its way along before everything drops out, breaking down into lovely falsetto-flecked harmonies.

This is a record to cherish; one to obsess over. Repeated listens - particularly with headphones - yield some of the most rewarding and complex music released so far this year. But one would hope it's not just the music that receives its admirers. Field Music, as an entity, deserve all the plaudits they will ever get. Here's a band who consistently release great album after album, without any fuss or PR stunts. In our current world of over-promoted and over-hyped musical stars, the fact they're even still around, financially able, and artistically hungry enough to release another LP is something that should be wholly celebrated. Plumb, for its part, feels something of a well-earned victory lap.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16149/.

Read more about the featured bands: Field Music.

Read more from this author: Daniel Hobden.

Interview: Honour Before Glory

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Harry Bedford) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:10:03 +0000

When you can put 'toured the world with a successful band,' 'started a record label' and 'university lecturer' on your CV, you know you're doing a pretty good job.

Nevertheless, Whiskas keeps on looking to the future, developing his skills as a producer and working with his new band Honour Before Glory.

With the approaching releases of Honour Before Glory's new single and album, I went to the House of Mook recording studio to have a chat with him.

Let's start off talking about the upcoming releases, first the single Maison, which comes out:

On Monday [6th February].

And the album, This is Broken Lines:

12th of March.

Obviously the music is a lot different from ¡Forward Russia!, it seems to go even deeper and I would say a lot of that has to do with the production, is it all self-produced?

It's all self-produced and mostly all self-played as well. Simon from I Like Trains plays drums on it and there's quite a few different people who have sung backing but a track like Maison is all from me really. But yeah it's a completely different beast to ¡Forward Russia!, it's just not collaborative, it's just me and the seeing through of ideas and that's quite a big difference in terms of the songwriting and the formation of sounds as much as anything else.
There are Honour Before Glory tracks that use the same sonic palette as ¡Forward Russia!'s tracks, but then it goes a lot bigger than that because there are no confines of four individuals to restrict it. That is kind of the point, to have a limitless thing but then the challenge was to try and drag it all in and put it together. The other big difference with ¡Forward Russia! is that this was never conceived as a live entity, whereas first and foremost ¡Forward Russia! always was. Especially at the beginning the main reason for writing songs was to get people jumping up and down, whereas that has never crossed my mind with Honour Before Glory, it's kind of the opposite. The aim of Honour Before Glory tracks is to make people go, 'hmmm.'

I've described Maison as a record with deep lyrical content and a haunting sound, whereas Maisonette is a much more pop structured record, do you agree?

They both have the same structure [but] what I would say is that Maisonette sounds more like what people would expect a band to sound like whereas Maison doesn't. The reason I wanted to do the EP in that way is a point that a lot of people seemed to have missed, because Honour Before Glory started life with a lot of acoustic songs and ideas and it took a while to work out how the sound would be defined, so I essentially just wrote a rocked-up version.
Then I started to look at ways to play with it because I thought it was a bit too throw-away - not in a bad way, I just didn't see it fitting on an album in that form so that's where Maison came in. When I put Maison out online, a lot more people seemed to identify with it because it's a little more in with the current.

One thing I found amazing about the project is the fact that one person did everything, from the lyrics to the entire production. Does that come from years of being in studios and working in bands?

I guess so but that is the whole essence of Honour Before Glory, that's the challenge, to try and see through every idea to its fullest possible conclusion. Because when you're in a band like ¡Forward Russia! or any band, you give your ideas over to a collective and there's a point where sometimes I would wonder what would happen if I saw through ideas more fully myself.

Is producing a big part of that?

You need to know how to produce as well. That was always the idea when I started Honour Before Glory, I had to start learning how to use the studio. That was a key part of me being able to realise what I wanted from Honour Before Glory. The way Maison changes from Maisonette is a perfect example of it; if I didn't know how to produce I wouldn't be able to write the song in that way.

Working with a band is a lot easier, taking on such a huge project by yourself must have taken a lot of time and effort. Were there any moments when you were struggling for inspiration?

No, not struggling for inspiration, just a constant sense of determination really to get it done. I just relentlessly kept working on ideas and there were points where I wasn't sure how I saw it being an album, [however] the way in which the album and the concept of Honour Before Glory has been presented has failed. ¡Forward Russia! were a very coherent band and brand, but with Honour Before Glory I have failed to get anyone overly interested in it from that point of view, because I've been so focused on the music.

Do you have a manager helping you out?

Various people have helped with it. We had a manager and he had a heart attack which hindered the first planned release of the album. We were trying to build momentum and do the usual band thing, but we lost momentum. We were putting together a distribution deal, we were going to set up a new label and things like that and it kind of went away a little bit. So it feels like we've been a bit unlucky with that part of it and it feels like we've had a few missed opportunities.

So is it being released to a label or is it just you?

It's just me, I've created a new imprint for it but I don't think the imprint will do anything else. It's there to release Honour Before Glory stuff.

Has releasing digitally made things easier, through methods such as Spotify, Sound Cloud and iTunes?

Yeah, there was a point when I wasn't sure how the album was going to fit together or, more to the point, it could have fit together in a few different ways and I was looking to garner opinion about it. Then I just finished the album and was like 'this is it, let's get it mastered.' Then I didn't know what to do with it and thought, 'I've been working on this for three and a half years, I'm going to put it online.'

You've also had Maison played on Radio 1...

[Steve] Lamacq played it on 6 [BBC Radio 6 Music] and Huw [Stephens] has played it on Radio 1 a few times.

So it's certainly getting out there...

Yeah but with the nature of it, it has been kind of sporadic as well, which is frustrating within the context of it.

Steve Lamacq spend his Sundays listening to piles and piles of CDs that he gets sent, the ones he likes obviously go on his radio show, is that how ¡Forward Russia! got started?

That's exactly how ¡Forward Russia! got started, we sent him a CD, he listened to it and liked it and we kept sending him stuff. He helped us a lot and through us he also helped the Pigeon Detectives quite a lot.

Yeah because that's how the Pigeon Detectives became popular through DJs like
Steve Lamacq, was that through you giving their music directly to him?

Yeah that was me giving it to Steve and he got ¡Forward Russia! a radio plugger who was very good. We were all part of the same gang so we played it to the radio plugger and he liked [the Pigeon Detectives' music] and pushed it as well.

The Pigeon Detectives gained international success on a the record label you started, Dance to the Radio. Can you tell us about how that came to be?

We tried to talk about the good Leeds bands in a national framework, giving them a 'cool' record label, whereas before that it was like, 'this is a cool band releasing on their own label from Leeds' and we were like, 'that's not the way to get people's attention in London.' I started Dance to The Radio, not because I wanted to run a record label, [but] I started it because Leeds needed that kind of thing at the time. There was an opportunity to do something and we did. We released five records, out of my bedroom basically, the first compilation, The ¡Forward Russia! and This Et Al split single, I Like Trains single, Napoleon IIIrd single and The Lodger single. Then someone offered to help us expend the record company and I said, 'no point, we're done, that's it.' Most of the bands off the first compilation we did got some kind of record deal and the other four bands found a record label to release their next single as well. There wasn't anything left to do, then ¡Forward Russia! got themselves into a situation where we needed a facilitator to release records and so we got involved and expanded the record label to do that, which meant the next release was Twelve by ¡Forward Russia! that got into the top 40 and at that point with the expanded operation, we were able to look at, and work more with, other bands, which at the time was Yes Boss, The Pigeon Detectives and Shut Your Eyes and You'll Burst Into Flames, and later on people like Grammatics.

So after the upcoming releases, what's next for Honour Before Glory?

Not a lot, I don't think. For Honour Before Glory it's relatively to bed time. Having said that, I have got plans to record some more stuff but it's kind of on the back burner.

You are very busy with many other things, not to mention lecturing at Leeds Met,
what's next in the forthcoming months?

The next big thing on the calendar is Live at Leeds because with the Unconference, I curate it, invite the guests with other people but it's my baby. The educational forum at Live at Leeds has existed since the first year but the format has changed every year up until two years ago, so this is the third what we have called the Unconference and after the Honour Before Glory stuff, that's the next big thing to get our heads around.

Can you tell us a little more about the Unconference?
It's the Friday of Live at Leeds, it's going to be at a place called Monroe House this year which has been set up as a new social enterprise place. But yeah it's all slightly formative at the minute and we are approaching a few guests and starting to put a program together. And my idea is to hopefully tap into online stuff, like press and distribution; all sorts of stuff like how the world's changing. We are hopefully trying to put a different edge to it, so it's less sitting down in front of people talking all day, but it's all about getting a balance.

So just to finish off, what's your ambition for the album?

Well essentially it's already been fulfilled, it's what I hoped it would be. It feels like the most complete work that I could do and it's great, I like it. I have always thought that with Honour Before Glory that people would really like it, so I want to get it out there. I think it's very likable, a little off-kilter, but it would be nice for people to listen to it and enjoy.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16148/.

Read more about the featured bands: Honour Before Glory.

Read more from this author: Harry Bedford.

News Article: Long Division 2012 line up announced

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Dave LMS) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:44:02 +0000

After the sellout success of Long Division 2011, Indie Fanzine 'Rhubarb Bomb' and leading Wakefield Music Venue 'The Hop' have this week announced the return of the multi-venue music festival in 2012.

Long Division 2012 will take place across Wakefield city centre between 1st June and 3rd June.

The all day event on Saturday June 2nd will take place across 9 venues including two stages at The Hop, Wakefield Theatre Royal, Wakefield Town Hall, a Grade II listed Chapel, an Orangery and the thousand capacity Black Flag venue. The unique range of venues promises special, unique and, in some cases, very intimate gigs.

Around 70 bands will play on the Saturday with organisers revealing the first thirty this week:

The Vaselines
Art Brut
Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells
Zoey Van Goey
My Sad Captains
Gentlemans Pistols
Let's Wrestle
Dan Michaelson
Standard Fare
The Spills
This Many Boyfriends
Runaround Kids
Hookworms
Sam Airey
Heartships
Middleman
Treecreeper
Post War Glamour Girls
Hannah Trigwell
Advances In Mathematics
Mi Mye
Louise Distras
St Gregory Orange
Crushed Beaks
Piskie Sits
Keel Her
Imp
Tiny Planets
Protectors
The Passing Fancy
The Do's
The Fur Blend
The Tracks

Long Division is super convenient with all venues being within a five minute walk of one another, and the bus and train stations.

Limited "Early Bird" tickets for the Saturday are available for £13 from Crash Records and Jumbo Records (subject to booking fee) and in person at The Hop, Wakefield.

Special one-off events will take place on the Friday and Sunday, details to follow shortly.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16146/.

Interview: The Blackout

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Sam Panasuik) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:54:10 +0000

Could you describe The Blackout in 6 words?

Snoz: I'm gonna go one of them can be live.

Bob: Big, stupid, funny, rock, and, roll... and live!

Live can be an extra one...

Bob: Live!

Snoz: Live, live, live, live, live!

[All laugh]

Hows the tour been so far?

Snoz: Good! Real good!

Bob: Fun. Unreal. It's been the best one we've ever done. Like, every show's been mind blowing. Like Birmingham last night was one of my favourite shoes we've ever done.

Snoz: It's weird for me because, on the last album, we did one tour and that was just before the album's release. Then after that we didn't do another headline tour. I guess that was a year and half ago, two years? So we did the Kerrang! Tour, instead of OUR tour, and supports, before headlining again. Which was a bit shitty like and we didn't do headlines shows. So then we did the headline shows in April which was pretty good. Played with My Chemical Romance before that, which was mental!

Bob: Right, and whenever we play Manchester, even when we don't expect it, it's good to us.

Snoz: It happened on the last tour, and sold so well, that they gave us these bigger venues 'cause Manchester was the first big, big city to embrace us, [he says it unsurely] is that fair?

Bob: Yeah...Yeah. That's right.

Snoz: The first show was with Avenged Sevenfold, like a month later and literally, we didn't know what we were doing and then erm, we like...Er what?!

Bob: So to get from there to today...

Snoz: Yeah like that was back in 2005, to get to today, which is nearly sold out.

Bob: Yeah.

Snoz: It might well have sold out tonight! It's just... [eyes winden] wow. Like, every time we've come to Manchester, since like 2005 people have always turned up!

Bob: Yeah!

Snoz: Like, there's certain fans, like Gemma! [One of my friends] She's been to every single show. We played at like Jilly's and Music Box? Is that it. We played like a matinee show, which was like our first ever tour, that was great. We came to rock, although we felt sick!

You always say you play shows, like it was your last. Where does this philosophy come from?

Bob: It could be, partly, erm you never know. Well, like this isn't going to be our last show [Manchester] but like tomorrow, you never know what's gonna happen. You know you can't guarantee that, like you're gonna get another tour, or you're gonna be together. I'm not saying it will happen, but you know. You don't know 100% if we'll get the chance to play a room this big again. But hopefully we will, hopefully it'll be bigger! But there's no point in... Like Jamie Lostprophets tweeted about the Birmingham show yesterday, 'cause it was a really big show, and we were more than excited about it. Jamie was kinda like [pauses] 'don't think about it as a means to an end, just enjoy it for what it is'. Which is what we always kinda done, which is a sensible thing, which people don't really consider. Which young people bands think, 'oh we should do this one and it will go well, then we will get to here...' You should just enjoy that show. Because like, well yeah, maybe one day you will get something bigger in Birmingham, you may well not as well! 'Cause last night, that could have been our last show, and I enjoyed it like it was.

Snoz: Yeah, especially as we've seen a lot of bands that do tours, you know big tours, 'Ah wicked' and then they disappear. I'm thinking a band like Aiden, who aren't very big now, but a few years ago they came over, did this tour, played to loads of people and they played the Astoria, and they sold it out, and it was wicked. Then they came back like a year later and they had hardly any shows and then that shows how people go. Like we're gonna play to two and half thousand people, and I bet you this time next year they won't bother. So like, you dunno, that unless you're constantly doing stuff, that's why were always on the road. We gotta keep on it, or people are gonna... lose interest.

Bob: And we've got like, I think what we're lucky with, is that we've got that core group of people, you know, who come see us all over the country. And that's the main reason we do, 'cause we know there'll be a certain amount of people no matter where we play or if we play to 100 people or 1000 people or 2000, you know there's that core that'll be there. So that if we go back down to playing little rooms, we know those people will be there, and that means a lot. To me anyways, that's a really good thing, rather than a lot of them dumping us in six months.

Snoz: We've been up and down, fan base wise. Like 2008, we playing with From First To last, and we got 1700 in, and we sold the Astoria out in the October and that was wicked; then in the May, just before The Best In Town was released [Their 2nd album] the shows didn't sell as well and we had a new album. So it just shows, that in six months, people decided "aw I don't like 'em now".

Bob: That was so dependent on so many different things as well. Like that tour in the May, was like slap bang in the middle of exam season, so kids couldn't. What's good about this time is, kids who are just in Uni who have time and are looking for things to do. There's so many different things, like obviously the economy isn't doing that well, like the amount of people who have actually deciding to part with money to come and see us on this tour is mind blowing.

Snoz: And people are still buying merch as well.

Bob: Yeah, it's just incredible. I mean one of the great things is, we did a show in Latvia with Linkin Park, to a few thousand people, like the size of the MEN, sold out, right? We walked up to merch after and we'd sold one t shirt. And I suppose it's better than none, but one t-shirt. Anyways before we had to mark up the merch to the same as Linkin Park's, and the price of one t-shirt is like a week's wages! So someone spent, well imagine you work all week and someone spent their money on one of our t-shirts, on a band you'd never heard of!? It's INSANE!

Bob: "That's so good, I've gotta spend all my money on this one t-shirt!"

Snoz: Mental!

Bob: When it comes to stuff like, it's mind blowing!
Snoz: Especially 'cause they must've paid loads for a ticket! And saved up loads for it.

Bob: It's kinda like a birthday and Christmas present combined.

Snoz: Weird.

You've started work on the next album. What's the next step?

Snoz: More...

Bob: Backwards scar. [He's stony faced, then breaks out into laughter]

Snoz: We have been in talks [laughs] about doing a little bit of an image change at some point... But we'll see.

Not like a boy band look?!

[All laugh]

Snoz: No no! But, yeah.

Bob: Musically we've got like 9 finished. But then the music and lyrics have to come together. We've been writing since Reading pretty much. Which was the last thing we did, right up until this tour, and then we'll write right through until Christmas, and we've got a couple of shows in December. And then we're looking to go into the studio February/mid March.

Snoz: And it'll probably be out... summer?

Bob: The plan is maybe a festival next summer and then another tour maybe same time next year [October/ November] and then tour like March 2013 then. Hopefully!

Snoz: We hope!

Early planning?!

Bob: Yeah, that's a really hypothetical 'we'll do this and this and then this and this.'

Snoz: plans will probs obviously end up changing. I'll probably hurt my other shoulder [in reference to him falling over in 2010, and tearing ligaments in his shoulder which meant he was unable to perform on the Hope album]. Maybe both shoulders!

[All laugh]

There's always your hands.

Snoz: Oh aye, yeah.

According to other press sources, 2011 was tour make or break year. How did you think you did?

Snoz: Really?!

Bob: I didn't realise that was hanging over our heads even!

Snoz: We made it, after we broke it! [pauses] I guess that's through the Pledge. It's a fair point, but it's been done now. For me it's been good, with the tour.

Bob: Tour's been a successful year for me!

Snoz: Yeah I'm really happy with the way things have gone. See if I look to see how The Best In Town did six months later, Hope has sold more. But that's album sales anyways [makes up and down motion and plummet sound]. No one buys albums any more.

Bob: It's like I haven't spent any time and effort, writing at 4 o'clock in the morning, trying to work out what chord to put next.

Snoz: It's a fucking nightmare! [Sighs - in reference to the music buyers of today I assume, total despair]

What's been your best show?

Bob: In Birmingham. But I've got a feeling tonight, 'cause Manchester is always up there as well. Always bonkers.

Snoz: Yeah! Last time we played Academy 2, and that was the best show of that tour. Up until yesterday it was our best.

Bob: I loved the Astoria show as well...

Snoz: No I think she means 2011...?

Bob: OH!

I mean show to date.

Snoz: Oh, right! Astoria was good then! [pauses to think]

Snoz: We played Earls Court on Give It A Name.

Bob: Yeah that was good!

Snoz: Yeah, we played there in 2006 then in 2008 and we were further up the bill and it was mental! 'Cause when we played there in the first place, it was the, er, side, and we were the first band on, and two people saw us and it was wicked! Then 2 years later we played, and it was fucking rammed! Everyone seemed to know our stuff!

Bob: That was fucking awesome!

Snoz: We played Cyclone in Japan.

Bob: Yeah, all the Japanese club shows are good. That Punkspring [Japanese festival] was good.

Snoz: Ooh yeah! It's just loads of Japanese people going daft!

Bob: The size of the crowd was just ridiculous. I dunno whether they were just all confused thinking it was someone else or there were there, like a door got stuck and they were like 'ah we're here now!' That was ridiculous. Err there was one in Australia, Soundwave... was it Melbourne?

Snoz: Aye there were two?

Bob: There's was a lot. There was Reading, where we played. Reading was one of my favourites. This year's too.

Snoz: There's all sorts of fun ones, like big arenas and small ones. I think my favourite show, might've been the Manchester show we did last tour.

Bob: I know it could be just because it's recent, but last night [Birmingham] was pretty special. I'm just trying to think of a show that was better, and I played better. 'Cause I played really well, and it was amazing and I really enjoyed it. I'm a miserable bastard; it's hard for me to get those three at the same time!

We were at the back on the balcony, and we could tell by your faces you were enjoying it. Like the crowd were just so into it!

Bob: The place just went insane! Normally, in a place like that, there'll be people at the back of it, there's gonna people that just watch. Not that they don't enjoy it, but they just have a beer. Like they're not massively into us... But everyone was just like [screams] 'AAAAHHHHHH'. So it was just incredible that night was, tonight will be the same and tomorrow probably will be. If we nail all of them, touch wood, then...

Snoz: We've gone all the way!

Bob: Ha yeah! But, erm, yeah, last night was great!

What's your favourite song to perform live?

Snoz: Uppercut for me.

Bob: Yeah, that one, too.

Snoz: That's my favourite song, we've ever done! I think for me.

Bob: There's a nice mix of...

Snoz: All of it? It's classic Blackout, it's shouting, it's singing and there's riffs.

Bob: Yes and, according to the internet, we've only ever written 3 songs! Which I think is quite good, 'cause most bands get by on one!

Snoz: Most punk bands...

Bob: Most metal bands... [starts singing along to a guitar riff]

[Snoz joins in]

Snoz: There we are, and we've got 3 different ones!

Bob: Yeah...

Snoz: On this tour I think it's gotta be Higher.

Bob: Higher And Higher.

Snoz: Like yesterday was mental. I can't work out bodies, just limbs!

And then people join in on the rap.

Bob: Oh yes 2000 white people, with no rhythm! 'Hello I just woke up from blacking out...'

[All laugh]

Bob: That's always quite funny! Yeah, Higher's fun. I like playing Hope actually!

Snoz: Girls always start crying when we okay that, I don't know why?!

Bob: There was a girl there right in front of me, she was looking and she started going [does crying face] and I was like 'Aww'.

Are you sure it wasn't just 'cause she hated it?! [laughs]

Bob: Oh! I dunno. 'Ooh no they're playing it again!'

[All laugh]

If people take one message, from The Blackout, seeing you live and your music, what would it be?

Bob: LAUGH!

Snoz: That's exactly what I was thinking! Fuck it, just have a laugh!

Bob: Just have a laugh! Like, you get all these type of American bands, who are all angsty and stuff. I can understand to a certain extent, I suppose when you're growing up you can relate to that. But Americans, they sorta like hammer it over. [Whiney American voice] 'Aww life is so hard man! Oh god, I think I might cut off my arm and stick it up my head'. And you know, you're like so Orange County, your parents are millionaires. They bought all the gear for you and all you fat friends to get a van and drive around California, to get to where ever and it's like, I understand why you wanna do it, like to truly get it out of your system. Like Jonathan Davies from Korn. Right, I loved Korn when I was 16, but he's still whinging! And it's like come on now, you're nearly 40, you've been a millionaire. Yeah just like have a laugh. Music is just meant to be entertaining and uplifting and it's to feel awesome. Like if you don't like it, you have to exaggerate what you're feeling. So if you're sad, you put a sad song one [mock sobs]. Whereas, if you put a happy song on, and you're like "This is brilliant". Like I was on a run the other day and some 1980s music came on, and it was so uplifting, that I ran faster! Everyone in the 1980s must have a top laugh, 'cause it's just like [starts humming a tune]. It's awesome and uplifting and like. It's pretty much like a Rocky soundtrack!

Snoz: We're just up there and have a laugh like.

Bob: Yeah.

Snoz: 'Cause we never thought we'd play anywhere like this!

Bob: Of course we dreamed about it. We never thought it would actually happen.

Snoz: I guess we thought, you know, keep on playing, play some pubs and have a laugh like. But then we started doing bigger shows, and it got to this size and we're like 'fucking hell', as we just don't take anything seriously. We're not the greatest musicians in the world, we don't claim to be. We just have a laugh like. One thing when I'm on stage is if I was there and people were like 'meh'. I'd rather go daft so people are like 'wahey'.

Bob: There's always a point in every gig, where I've burst out laughing. Or it's something that somebody's said, like one of those clowns we've got in front of us. But like surely a show like this should just be... fun!? You want to pay your money and go there 'cause you know you're gonna have a good time.

Snoz: [Mocks] 'Oh yeah I went to see Morrissey there and we all cried together'.

Bob: [Mocks] 'Yeah, they told me not to eat meat, or ducks or this or whatever.'

Snoz: Wanker! I fucking hate him.

Bob: Biggest wanker!

Snoz: Tosser!

Bob: I fucking hate Morrissey, the pretentious wanker!

[More expletives]

Bob: [sighs] So yeah it's just about having fun! We don't pretend to be like, Rage Against The Machine, they're an important political band, and that's what they set out to be. We're not that kinda band, we're just about having fun. Let's have a laugh. Let's just all have a laugh, 'cause if everything is fucked, then who cares?

Snoz: There we are!

Thank you very much for your time!

We exchange pleasantries, hugs and I am on my way into the queue to enjoy the show. Let's hope it tops the last show!.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16145/.

Read more about the featured bands: The Blackout.

Read more from this author: Sam Panasuik.

Live Review: Alaska

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Hannah Bulmer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:08:37 +0000

According to their fan page, Alaska describe themselves as a 'four piece garage rock, post-punk, surf/psych-pop band'. So from this ambiguous description you would reckon that they are pretty original. They definitely are!

Walking into the small room tucked away upstairs of The Packhorse pub in Leeds, it was hard to believe that an up and coming band of any calibre would be comfortable playing there. Packed into the small box room were around seventy people, some obviously cult fans, others were those that just on pure luck stumbled across the event whilst having a quiet one in their local, and also friends and family, all there to enjoy and support the band's newest addition to the set list and music video 'Girl'. As soon as they began playing it was clear that the lack of space added to the friendly, excitable atmosphere rather than being detrimental in any way; like we were all about to hear your new favourite band.

There is no doubt that in anyone's book the guys are 'different' from the array or random animals that were projected onto their backdrop, to the odd song titles like 'Cowboy' they definitely set themselves apart from the other hundreds of unsigned bands around. Not music that you could easily forget in a hurry.

With similar tones to such bands as 'The Drums', it was hard not to smile at their catchy rifts and infectious rhythm that was delivered in every one of their tracks. In my opinion however there wasn't really a 'stand out' tune amongst the set list, though this would inevitably come with time.

The new video is a definite must see, pretty certain to give you a giggle, which, along with a relaxed atmosphere and the oddly lovable support act, 'Samuel Foxton Welles' (he wore a fox hat in case you ever forgot his name) delivered an extremely enjoyable night. I left thinking I'd been round a mate's listening to some exciting new music than at a gig.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16144/.

Read more about the featured bands: Alaska.

Read more from this author: Hannah Bulmer.

News Article: This Many Boyfriends release 'Starling'

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Dave LMS) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:50:37 +0000

'Starling' is the cracking new single from Leeds indiepop band This Many Boyfriends.

The single will be available to buy on February 20th through Angular Recording Corporation and is accompanied by a number of live dates, including Leeds dates supporting Allo Darlin' (Brudenell Social Club, 26/2) and The Cribs (LMUSU, 3/3).

'Starling' was written and recorded with Peter Sykes, and this release is dedicated to him.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16143/.

Read more about the featured bands: This Many Boyfriends.

CD Review: Floating Points - Shadows

info@leedsmusicscene.net (Adam Nealon) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:01:24 +0000

As we reluctantly drift into the new year, Floating Points awakens the slump and encourages a few more euphoric dance-offs that echo the festive optimism. Acting as a bit of a giant in the forward-thinking dance music scene of London (and quite rightly too), Sam Shepherd - an intellectually intimidating musician and academic - shows off a plethora of talent with this five track EP. With training at both the classical and jazz ends of the spectrum, the versatility is effortlessly communicated through the medium of electronic music; although it seems quite clear that jazz was this boy's first love. The sound is very much reminiscent of an earlier EP - Vacuum. There are spacey washed-out drones, biting synth lines, flawlessly effective beats - only this time it's faster, settling mostly around the 130 BPM mark. As painful as it probably is to hear, this is an EP undoubtedly influenced by the future-garage sounds that have embodied London.

If one pays attention to the construction of the beats, they touch on those virtuosic drummers who choose a triplet there, a quintuplet here, often when you least expect it - Floating Points does this. Turning to harmony - the chordal progressions and improv-sounding keyboard parts are all about 7ths, 9ths and even flattened 5ths. The bass lines too - they're deep, but move as a walking line would in a trio-based rendition of a popular jazz standard. In short, you don't have to be in a pumping club to appreciate how the this record has been brought to fruition.

This article can be read online at www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16142/.

Read more about the featured bands: Floating Points.

Read more from this author: Adam Nealon.