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AUD O ADD CT
The Post Tribal Bible #15 / March 2013 / FREE
Bring me the horizon Paramore Bleached Peace + Our Festival Guide
Bastille
WELCOME Pinch yourselves boys and girls because Audio Addict is back and back with a bang. Our second issue of the year brings you our guide to the best summer festivals, from European powerhouse Primavera to the boutique ideals of LeeFest. As well as telling you the line ups and trying to give you the last little push towards buying those tickets we will also be informing you of AA’s Essential Essentials, a list that covers what dry-shampoo is best to what sleeping bag will keep you cosiest in the night times. We again pit our News and Design editors against eachother in a battle of wits in our Rant & Rave section, this issue focuses on the current acoustic boom. We have one odd interview with Us Baby Bear Bones that truly needs to be seen to be believed. Indie Shaw chats to chart topping indie revelation Bastille about recording processes and tour blunders. Aidan Ducker says Bring Me The Horizon fans of old may not appreciate the new album and and Connor Cass reviews Foals last intimate gig before they are unleashed on the Royal Albert Hall. Again we finish the magazine with The Future Of and this time we analyse live events particularly investigating the Prince show at SXSW. Editorial Team Matthew Cook - Front Section Mitch Stevens - Features Luke McFarlane - Reviews Mikey Rush - Design Twitter @AudioAddictMag Audio-Addict.co.uk To advertise or for press enquiries ontact us at: AudioAddictEditors@hotmail.co.uk Audio Addict magazine and blog are produced by students on the BA (Hons) Popular Music Journalism course at Southampton Solent University. The views expressed in the magazine and blog are the students’ and contributors for which the University and its staff can not be held responsible.
Contributors Adam Bouteloup // Aidan Ducker Alex Annabell //Billy Bentley // Connor Cass Coralie Pilté // Ella McClary // Ellis Ballard Fran Botham // George Percival Georgia Blunden // Hannah Woollven Indie Shaw // Izzy Coote // James Barlow Joe Madden // Katie Vowles Kiwi Vincent // Leo Troy Louis Kerry // Louise Egan Niamh Moore // Nicole Dimitrova Piers Le Moignan Raven // Rose Lyness Rebecca Rayner // Sean Lewis Shannon Gibson // Tommy Jones William Keenan // Zoe Coxon Photography: jamie Baker // Louise Roberts // Paul Simmons
CONTENTS Page eight
Don Broco are blazing a trail for other bands to follow after their self released debut won them a sold-out headline tour. So how did they do it?
Page ten
We’ve put together a guide of the best festivals to spend your savings on this summer.
page fourteen
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ooze cool, but what’s under those tough leather exteriors?
page eighteen
Bastille are rapidly becoming the UK’s favourite new threesome so we sat down for a little chat with the guys about tour disasters and drinking whiskey.
page twenty-six
With all the gossip that surrounds the band, have they managed to put the bickering aside for their new self-titled album?
NEWS MJ’s family after more money
30 Seconds To Mars Announce New Album
Warner music group named publisher of 2013
The mother and three children of late pop star Michael Jackson are claiming 6.6 billion dollars for lost future earnings and 19.8 billion dollars for other damages in a court case with AEG Live.
30 Seconds To Mars have confirmed that their new album, their fourth album overall, ‘Love Lust Faith + Dreams’ will be released on May 20th.
Warner Music Group was named Music Publisher of the Year at the 32nd Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards in Toronto. The award is voted for by music industry experts and the award recgonises the strength of Warner/ Chappell Music (WCM) in the Canadian charts, as well as the company’s ongoing worldwide success. This accolade follows WCM’s many successes in 2012, including being named Publisher of the Year at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards and comes in a year where WCM songwriters won cleaned up at this years Grammy’s.
The Jackson family’s claim against the entertainment company is for its alleged negligent hiring and supervision of Conrad Murray, the private doctor of MJ who was charged with the singer’s involuntary manslaughter. The Jackson family has not commented on the latest reports, though TMZ reports that AEG view the claim as “preposterous”.
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Frontman Jared Leto produced the album alongside Steve Lillywhite, who contributed production duties on four tracks. The band’s first single ‘Up In The Air’ was played in space by a bunch of astronauts and became available for download from midnight the 19th of March. For more information head to the band’s website.
tech Twitter launches music streaming platform
BBc cut’s album reviews section of website
Auction site Ebay acquires stubhub
Considering the majority of artists use Twitter to connect with their fans it was almost inevitable that some suit would have the idea of fusing Twitter with a music platform and thus dominate the social networking war. CNET is reporting that since Twitters purchase of We Are Hunted the intention of the microblogging site is to build a similar platform for its users. We Are Hunted’s website has been sporadically crashing since this news broke yesterday. It is more than likely to be a separate app, but will retain Twitter branding, and could be available as soon as April of this year.
The BBC’s Album Reviews section is the latest victim of the shrinking budgets in the music industry the and will be scrapped from April 1st. Current BBC Reviews Editor Mike Diver told Music Week “Unfortunately, budget cuts within BBC Audio and Music mean that there can be no reviews service from the end of this month,”.
Most music lovers detest the touters parading outside of gigs trying to rip off genuine fans, but now you don’t have to even get that far thanks to StubHub, a relative company of eBay. Paul Newman, VP Marketplaces for eBay, was quoted as saying “StubHub offers the best way to buy and sell tickets online. We’re committed to offering customers the very best experience” And by best experience he probably means get you and artists as ripped off as possible seeing as what ever money is earned by these touters goes straight in their pockets and none goes to the artists that these people want to go and see.
The news is the latest in a long list of closures, as print magazine The Stool Pigeon closed down last month to many a groan. It begs the question, are we coming to the end of music journalism in it’s typical long form sense of being?
Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Spring Break
As April rears its head, so does the end of Easter, the season of overindulgence. After devouring your weight in chocolate, the immediate thought is naturally how to lose all the weight you’ve lumbered yourself with a totally necessary bout of gluttony. One city on the South Coast in particular seem committed to helping you shed those unsightly Easter pounds through the medium of dance. Southampton’s clubs and bars are brimming with musical talent this April, encompassing all genres. With Junk’s newly rebranded Bang Bang night going from strength to strength, the club have enlisted some of electronic music and beyond’s finest for this April. On the new night, now on a friday, head honcho Louis Lawrence said “With the explosion of house / future sounds, it allowed us to split the genres normally catered for on Saturdays at Junk ( Junk love) – and amalgamate some of the more bass-driven sounds that were heard in the one-off parties we were putting on at Junk – creating a new weekly concept and potential for more than just a ‘night’...”. With this idea in mind, Junk have notably booked in two massive powerhouse nights for your calendar. Firstly, the Fresh Prince’s sidekick and one of the greatest hip hop DJs on the planet, DJ Jazzy Jeff, will be in attendance on the 18th of April. A week later on the 25th, prodigious house duo Bondax will be gracing the Junk decks, and bringing with them their own premier signing, Karma Kid.
Not to be outdone, Roxx have booked massively appealing stars to keep people moving throughout April. The club have secured that scottish bass maximalist Rustie to be in the building on the 20th of April, coming off of the widespread critical acclaim of his Glass Swords album, and his new single ‘Triadzz/Slasherr’. Supporting Rustie on the 20th is London grime producer Darq E Freaker, famed for his production on Tempa T’s ‘Next Hype’ and more recently, ‘Blueberry’, which features infamous Detroit rapper Danny Brown. Exactly a week later on the 26th, Mercury Prize winners Alt-J are set to bring Roxx to their knees with a DJ set. Whilst we’re not sure what music they’ll play, we’re certain it’s a night that can’t be missed. Completing our round up, Orange Rooms have roped Radio 1’s newest young hope and Rinse FM regular Monki in to take over proceedings on the 19th of April. Expect bass driven floorfillers all night as the bar welcomes one of UK music’s finest young DJs to Southampton. Mitch Stevens
Two of our Editors again trade blows, this time on the recent rise of the acoustic bards that have taken over our airwaves and awards shows. Which side you do you fall on?
RANT
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong, Keep your mind set, try not to yawn!! I know its hard but please try. This song and artist truly sum up how mundane and boring the music industry is now. People don’t want to be torn from reality and thrust into an alternative reality like Dark Side Of The Moon provided.
There’s a reason so many of these acts exist, and it’s as simple as this; People like them. Just because they’re currently in vogue it doesn’t mean they’re to be despised. There’s a word for people who don’t like popular music, but I shant repeat it here. Artists like Ben Howard prove that you don’t need to do it different, you just need to do it better. Mastering the catchy singalong chorus and whistle-friendly melodies that go down so well in this genre isn’t easy. Music oesn’t always have to be this serious artistic medium, a lot of the time, music is just for fun. Because it sounds nice. The day i start saying an artist doesnt have enough depth to their music, or avoiiding certain artists because their music has lots of money behind it is the day I stop having an opinion on music. Just enjoy the songwriting, stop searching too hard and stop whinging. They aren’t reinventing the wheel, they’re perfecting it.
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It is now much, much more nicey-nicey sing song music and it sickens me. Although this is a lot better as a genre than most of the despicable modern music popular right now, thanks Skrillex you massive ignoramus, it is still too bland to be receiving the critical acclaim it has got recently. But if the Brits taught us anything it is that we as a collective have started to notice just how corporate orientated we are becoming and hopefully we are on the road to stepping through this unremarkable period of music and into the bliss that came with the 70’s. Matt Cook - Front Section Editor
rave
Mikey Rush - Design Editor
Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Going for broco
Don Broco are making a hell of an impact. Joe Bromley chats to them about selling out their own headline tour and self-releasing their debut album Big Fat Smile First things first, congratulations on selling out the entirety of this tour. That must make you feel pretty good! Does this give you a sense of making it? Rob: Yeah definitely. It’s weird to think ‘We’ve made it’... we’ve never felt that. When we set up the tour we thought, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be wicked if we sold out a few venues’, and we got the news that a few sold out and it looked really good on the poster, and thought ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we sold out all of them?’ – We never thought it would actually happen! Tom: I don’t think we’ll ever think we’ve made it because as soon as we get to one stage, the goal post moves and we’ve got a new target that’s kind of constantly moving forward, hopefully anyway.
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Obviously starting out it’s important to get out your first release, did you see many problems with funding and how to market it properly? R: Our first release was our mini album Big Fat Smile, and we completely financed that ourselves. We had a few demos that we’d been selling on the road, and I wouldn’t suggest it’s probably the right way to go about it for every band, but when we first started we were doing everything ourselves and we never had management. All we wanted to do was tour, so we toured relentlessly for two or three years with no real game plan, just that we’re going to tour, and tour, and tour the country. T: We’ll play as many gigs as we possibly can. So before Big Fat Smile it was all off your own back? R: Right up until we signed with Sony everything had been our own money. We all had part time jobs and it’s like an expensive hobby I guess because you don’t make any money from being in a band. You obviously love it, so that’s why you put your own investment into it.
T: I don’t think you would if you didn’t believe that it was something; A) that you really enjoy and B) that you hope would go further.
to force stuff through. They’ve also got the knowhow because they’ve done it a million other times with bands through the years.
How was the transition from your music being just a hobby to becoming a potential career, and when did you start taking it seriously? R: After we graduated from University. Me, Matt and Si were friends in school, and we’d played in bands doing school gigs and playing local shows until we went our separate ways to Uni. We played the occasional show in the holidays but didn’t take it that seriously because we were focused on just getting through Uni, but we always said before when we graduate, we’re getting back. So from us sort of re-finding ourselves and getting to know each other as musicians, we took it as seriously as we could.
So what are your main plans following this tour? R: We’ve got the second half of the tour in April, because so many of the dates sold out we’ve added a few extra dates. We’re going to go back to Germany with We are the Ocean, which we’re really stoked about, and a load of festivals to keep us busy over the summer. We’re doing Hevy festival and Hit the Deck in Bristol. We’re also playing Takedown festival here in Southampton. Apart from that we’re just going to be busy playing shows, doing the festivals and then hopefully at the end of the year we can start thinking about album number two!
So being signed straight to a major must feel pretty good? R: Yeah, it’s amazing. A good thing about ‘Search and Destroy’ is that they work really closely with our management, so we’ve got the indie label attention, but backed up by Sony. We’ve got the power and the muscle
Unfortunately all of the tour dates are sold out, but Don Broco are definitely a band to look out for in 2013. If anyone had any doubts on their legitimacy then buy a ticket to any one of their shows across the UK this year and prepare to be blown away. Joe Bromely
Audio-Addict.co.uk
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AUDIO ADDICT’S FESTIVAL GUIDE
With festival season just around the corner we’ve compiled a guide to the best homegrown and overseas festivals and given you all the ammunition you’ll need to persuade your mates to join you in a muddy field for a few days. We’ve also rather nicely compiled a handy list of our recommended festival essentials so you won’t be going in under prepared for the best long weekend of your life. 10
This year Bestival will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary. Last year saw the iconic Stevie Wonder light up the main stage, this year another icon is set to headline. Elton John and Snoop Dogg have been announced to headline the festival. For those who haven’t been to Bestival before, the 4 day weekend will play host to Music, Fashion, Arts, Comedy and hopefully sunshine! Renowned for its blend of mainstream and underground music, and with such great reviews year on year, Bestival is most certainly a festival you have to attend at some point. Each year there’s a fancy dress theme, with HMS Bestival being the chosen theme.
What: Bestival Where: Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight When: September 5th-8th Who: Elton John, Snoop Dogg, Bastille.
What: Reading Where: Little Johns Farm, Reading When: August 23rd – 25th Who: Eminem, Biffy Clyro, Fall Out Boy Renowned for dominant guitar based music last year saw Reading festival play host to one of the most iconic bands in music history, The Cure, along with Kasabian and The Foo Fighters respectively. 2013 looks set to be a festival bonanza in regards to headline acts, with Hip Hop superstar Eminem set to headline alongside Green Day and Biffy Clyro. Following an incredible year with a number one debut album, Jake Bugg is playing Reading for the first time along with Indie Punk veterans Foals. Fall Out Boy will also be playing Reading, their only UK festival appearance this summer. Better get your tickets quick as this year’s Reading festival looks set to sell out pronto. Audio-Addict.co.uk
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What: Outlook Festival Where: Fort Punta Christo Pula, Croatia When: Aug 29th – Sept 2nd Who: Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, The Pharcyde.
Outlook Festival has become one of the leading festival authorities on bass music across the years. Located on the sunny site of a Croatian castle ruin. Outlook bolsters a line up that transcends multiple genres across its four days of music. Leaning strongly towards hip-hop this year, expect to see artists such as The Pharcyde, Jay Electronica, Talib Kweli and Joey Bada$$ amongst usual suspects David Rodigan, Goldie and Mala, who brings his experimental ‘Mala In Cuba’ project to the festival. All of these artists, plus royalty across the bass music meta-genre, will ensure that Outlook 2013 will go down in history.
What: Primavera Sound 2013 Where: Barcelona, Spain When: May 22nd - 25th Who: Blur, My Bloody Valentine, James Blake.
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Primavera Sound is one of the more eclectic festivals in Europe. Taking place in Barcelona since 2001, the festival has been churning out incredible lineups each year, with past alumni including Aphex Twin, Marianne Faithfull and Iggy and the Stooges. This year’s round up of acts is no different, with headline sets from Phoenix and The Postal Service on the 23rd, Blur and The Jesus and Mary Chain on the 24th, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and My Bloody Valentine on the 25th. Watch out for sets across the weekend from James Blake, The Knife and Death Grips.
What: Blissfields Where: Vicarage Farm, Winchester When: 5th - 7th July Who: Mystery Jets, Bastille, Theme Park
festival essentials Dry Shampoo Charles Worthington Front Row Refresh and Revive Dry Shampool Wet Wipes Boots Essentials
Blissfields is an unique festival that orientates itself around naturing talent & you and your band could be the latest to be groomed by this fantastic organisation through Road to Blissfields. R.t.B. is a battle of the bands for a slot at the festival, so for all you primadonna’s this could be a massive opportunity. Another reason why this year will be an intense experience is current indie-pop megastars Bastille will be headlining their first festival.
What: LeeFest Where: Highams Hill Farm When: 12 - 14 July Who: King Charles, The Other Tribes, Delphic.
Wellies Vans Unisex-Adult Rainfall Wellington Boot Torch Mini Water Powered AA Battery LED Flashlight Torch Sleeping Bag EUROHIKE - Adventurer 200 Sleeping Bag Toothbrush/Mouthwash Old Phone Nokia 3310 Bottle Opener Reef Credit Card Shape Bottle Opener
Award winning festival LeeFest returns to Highams Hill Farm and what superlatives can we throw at this perfect boutique fest that haven’t been lauded upon it already. Virtual Festivals summed up the festival as ‘wonderfully intimate, and a resounding triumph’ and with a capacity of 2,500 intimate is definitely apt. This years line up so far looks incredible with an array of music that will tantalise music fans taste buds. Pick of the bunch is King Charles who fuses tropical, alternative and country music to create a sound that typifies the fest itself.
Chair Tesco Camping Chair Hip Flask Andrew James Designer 8oz Hip Flask With Funnel Ear Plugs Howard Leight Laser Lite soft foam earplugs Audio-Addict.co.uk
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motorcycle diaries
Black Rebel Motrocycle Club sit down for a chat about their journey so far along the road less travelled.
Central London hotel Cumberland often plays host to businessmen working on their iPad, with an array of fancy cars coming in and out and doormen greeting and seeing you off, very posh and proper. And upon entering it seems like this conjured image is correct, well at least until I get towards the end of the bar. Lying there on a sofa is a black shadow: biker boots, black jacket and messy hair. This shadow is Robert Levon Been, bassist and singer in the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. He completely contrasts with his surroundings and when Leah Shapiro, drummer, joins him for the interview the picture becomes even more adverse.
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The reason they are sitting in this fancy hotel is simple: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are back with their seventh album, Specter At The Feast. Yes, seventh, not sixth as you might have read elsewhere. According to Been, Effects of 333 should be counted as a studio album: “I personally count it as a record, but it’s complicated. It was something we did not as a commercial thing, it was something we just wanted to put out, for the love of madness and noise.” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club love making noise, but after losing Michael Been, the band’s sound engineer and Robert Been’s father, during the Beat The Devil’s Tattoo tour,
the band was not sure where to head with their career. They needed time to get away from the music machine and after a few gigs in China, both Been and Shapiro headed to Cambodia on their motorcycles. “I was working on trying to start writing again, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and it was a long time coming after the end of the last tour, dealing with my father’s death and we needed to kind of get away from the machine writing.” But the band found their way back to the studio and even got the opportunity to record this album on the same desk as their debut album, B.R.M.C. Dave Grohl was working on a documentary in Sound City Studio’s where Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac Neil Young all recorded. BRMC, another of the bands that used the studio, got invited by Grohl to talk about it and one thing led to another and Grohl offered them the opportunity to record in the studio. “It’s the kind of offer you can’t refuse from ‘the Godfather’ Dave Grohl, so we ended up doing 9 songs there, went back and developed a few more and did another nine songs.” They took these tracks back to an old cabin in Santa Cruz and worked on an album inspired by Pink Floyd and other albums that take you on a trip from beginning to end. In fact, the whole point of Specter At The Feast is to be listened to as one piece rather than downloading one song after another. “It’s such a culture of downloading one song at a time, kind of cherry picking things and you miss that feeling of more. It’s a bit more satisfying when you can visit the whole world versus just getting a postcard from that world.” Been confessed. BRMC’s world is marked by cornerstones: motorcycles being the first one, followed by their respect for their fans. They don’t want to keep a barrier separating them, in every sense of the word. They’ll always try to get the barriers removed at their gigs. “They set them out so far, it really is like such a simple thing to make the difference between a good and a bad show, the band being too far from the crowd and
vice versa.” BRMC also get their fans involved in the creation process: “Paula K, one of our big fans, has done all these great illustrations though the years, I’ve always followed her tumblr account, and she kept getting more talented as the years went on so we contacted her about doing all the illustrations inside the artwork. It was really nice to include fans that have given us so much over the years and make them a part of the album.”
“It’s kind of like sex... rock is the sexual equivelent of just f *****g and almost like porn.... Rock ‘n’ Roll is more sensual, there’s more feeling and intimacy” The last cornerstone is rock’n’roll an element with which transpires through their music, their looks and their attitude. Everything they do is for the love of music, so don’t call them a rock band, because for Been, there is a real difference between the two: “It’s kind of like sex. On one side, rock is kind of like the sexual equivalent of just f*****g, and almost like porn where there’s not much feeling... no emotions, just raw... just no real sensitivity. To me rock’n’roll is more sensual, there’s more feeling and intimacy and emotion and fluidity and that’s good. It’s just good sex, and without it it’s just rock... it’s just f******, you know, and we make rock’n’roll.” Rock’n’roll follows BRMC everywhere; it’s runs through their veins, it’s in their blood, and they’ll keep riding down this road no matter what, so put on your leather jacket and your biker boots and get ready for a journey through the dark of night, into the light. Coralie Pilté Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Mo’ money mo’ problems Today’s music industry in changing rapidly year on year, with the introduction of new music platforms, streaming services and ways of purchasing music, but what affect does this have on record labels and their musicians. Being signed to a Major label is like signing for Manchester United or Real Madrid of the football world, the highest point in your career, the most prestigious company in your specific field of work. But in the last ten years since the introduction of the MP3 and illegal downloads, major labels have lost sight of what’s important. Independent record labels are reaping the rewards of major labels’ failures in recent years because of this, which has seen many major bands go back to indie labels and have much more success releasing records via this decision. Since early 2000’s when illegal downloading was at its peak and the birth of the mp3, major record labels were adamant music consumers would continue to buy music in the shops, the traditional way. How very wrong they were. With teams of hundreds of people, spread over different cities across the globe, how were they so oblivious to how popular and how in demand mp3 downloading had become? Major record labels continued to plunge money into selling music via online services such as iTunes, Spotify and Grooveshark, but continued to completely ignore that CD sale figures have been in decline since the
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mid-2000s. BBC reported in 2011 that UK music sales were in decline for the sixth year running. The British Recorded Music Industry (BPI) said combined digital and physical album sales fell 7% last year, from 128.9 million to 119.9 million. In 2012 album sales continued to fall by 11.2% according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) But a report published in February of this year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which represents 1,400 record companies around the world, shows revenues rose by around 0.3% to £10.8 billion with digital sales accounting for around a third of the revenue. This evidently shows how much major labels rely on digital sales. Artists signed to major labels are the ones that suffer because of the decline in CD sales, with some being dropped from the label entirely as a result of this. More recently, major labels have changed their approach and have found new ways to replace the income lost. According to Andy Copping, head booker for Download Festival and head honcho for Live Nation, “Major labels have begun to sign new bands/artists under a different type of contract,
(360 contract) which allows them to take a certain % of the revenue they make from live shows, festival appearances etc to repay the record label in the money invested in the band when first being signed”. 360 deals focus on turning the artist into a global brand rather than selling records, the main focus is the artist’s, overall profit which includes touring profits, merchandise, endorsements and publishing.
With CD sales becoming less prominent in today’s industry, artists rely on streaming and digital downloads along with live shows and festival appearances to earn money. Steven Battelle, lead singer of LostAlone stated “Just because your band may be a poster on someone’s wall, doesn’t mean you’re rich and have a mansion, a lot of bands have day jobs, that’s what people don’t realise that.” Luke McFarlane
QUICK FIRE WITH JAWS
Is there a rivalry between the B-Town boys? [Peace, Swim Deep] Not at all! We’re all home boys.
The UK music scene is currently the victim of an invasion, not that we’re complaining. The B-town bands are already among us, so we pinned down Jaws for a quick chat. How would you introduce yourselves? Ermmm….. rock and roll but without the rock and a little bit more glitter. How did the name Jaws come about? Jaws came about because I was really struggling to think of band names so I literally just started thinking of characters from films and TV shows, when I said jaws (from James bond) I thought that it fit perfectly. What was the highlight of 2012 for you? So much to choose from, but hearing on your song on the radio is crazy!
What do you guys think of all the hype surrounding Birmingham bands at the moment? I think it’s great; it’s giving new bands like ourselves a chance to show what we’re about. Are there any other bands you currently enjoy listening too? SuperFood & Laced, two great new local bands. What does 2013 hold for Jaws? A lot I hope, we’re releasing a new single and an EP in April. Finally, anything to say to our lovely readers? I want to say thank you if you’re reading this xxx Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Bastille’s way Bastille have blitzed the UK airwaves with their debut album Bad Blood. But even with a number 1 album in the bag, not much is known about Dan Smith and co. Indie Shaw caught up with the guys to discuss their recent album release and UK tour.
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Why ‘Bastille’? If you are thinking that front man, Dan Smith chose it because it connotes revolution and change, you honestly would be reading too far into it; really it’s just because his birthday falls on Bastille Day and he wanted something neutral yet evocative enough to describe his rhythmically and melodically inventive indie-R&B-pop. Having formed in 2010, it was not until the release of their single, ‘Flaws’, the following year that Bastille became the word-of-mouth sensation that enticed YouTube viewers to no end. Sitting with them here today, post album release and in the midst of their biggest ever tour, it is fair to say that things have been going pretty well for the band. It is hard to pinpoint a particular band to compare Bastille to. Sharing no common interests or influences in music amongst the four band members (“except for Dr. Dre’s 2001”, corrects Will), Bastille produce such a broad range of music that it is hard to label. “I just get bored easily so I aim to make each song to sound a bit different from the last” claims Smith. A clear
music lover, Dan has never restricted himself to just one style of music; growing up he was listening to “anything from Simon and Garfunkel to The Fugees”. Today he says that he derives most of his inspiration from artists such as Antony Hegarty, Regina Spektor, Kate Bush, Bon Iver, Bjork and of course (long term friends of Bastille) To Kill A King (who the band as a whole, rave about). On the topic of Bad Blood, it was clear that Dan in particular had a hard time finalizing the album’s content, “There’s a big variety of past and present material. I think everything I wrote up to now, was intended to put on the album. I guess you don’t really think about it at the time; I was trying to write songs that were good. It was quite a tricky process in choosing what would and wouldn’t go in the album.”. When asked about the band’s song writing and recording process, Dan fesses up that he is not the most inclusive person at this stage of production: “I’m a control freak, so I write stuff and record it in my room, but then we work on it in the studio; Will, Woody and Kyle come
“I’m a control freak” Audio-Addict.co.uk
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come in and add their magic”. Don’t get the wrong impression though, the other 75% of Bastille seem very content with the band’s dynamics, “I think it is quite good, the way that Dan works, because he’ll demo ideas and he’ll have the song as he kind of wants it, and then there is the freedom to work with it when we add our parts. I think when bands have everyone coming in at once during that period, when everyone has a different idea and input; you can massively lose the cohesion. I like working with Dan, because it’s easy. He knows what he wants” claims Will. Bad Blood was titled by Dan, “I actually thought of that as a name for the song and the album title, I just really like the idea of it. For me it sounds kind of dark. It also sums up a lot of the themes in the album.”. Dan is obviously interested in the way that people function and their social conventions: “I think some of the songs are slightly introspective, looking at people and the kind of person that one develops into, and how they initially were. It felt to me like they name really fit... I just thought it sounded cool” retorts Will.
“Every tour we’ve done we’ve had a breakdown” The crowds that Bastille are receiving today are nothing like they were a few years ago. Having previously admitted that they aren’t the most confident bunch, I ask how they prepare themselves pre-performance, “Just distracting ourselves from the fact that we are about to do a gig and then listening to some really loud music. My mum once said that whiskey warms up the voice, but then we spoke to a vocal expert who said that that was absolutely not the case, and that whiskey is the worst! So, last time we were on tour we didn’t drink anything at all” Dan confesses... Well done Mrs. Smith.
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Prior to our interview the band’s tour bus was being arranged to be taken to a local garage. I politely enquired about the situation; “basically, Woody has this ridiculous [maneki neko] cat thing that is meant to be good luck for travelling. Since getting it, every tour we’ve done, we’ve had a break down” said Will. “The van caught on fire last tour”. There seems to be no off-switch for Bastille, who’s ever increasing fan base are clearly connecting with the band’s haunting melodies, strong narratives and rhythmic backbone. Here’s hoping that the tour bus makes it through to the end of the tour.
THe ins and outs of: Give In
Out from the ashes of Scattered trees rose a phoenix in the form of ON AN ON. Their debut album Give In came out on March 4th here in the UK but they’ve been steadily building momentum over the last few months since their debut single ‘Ghosts’ hit the internet. Mikey Rush talked with Nate Eisland of the band about what went into the record. Now the album is finally out over here, how do you feel? It’s been very interesting to see the amount of difference the US and Europe, I’ve heard about it my whole life, and now kind of experiencing it, it’s kind of surreal. What is it that’s surreal? I feel like maybe people in europe are more excited in a sense to discover a new band and the US is just so big and you play to as many people as you can, but you’re doing a lot of driving over just a gigantic country. And here, going from Paris to London was like going from Chicago to indeanapolis, it was nothing, it was great, so we’re all feeling like really refreshed and playing these great shows. How does it feel not playing under the Scattered Trees banner anymore? As we start a new project as adults, we had a lot of lessons that we had learned and when we had the opportunity to split away and make a new band, it’s so much more healthy. No-ones sacrificing too much and creatively we are just so much more fulfilled because we’re being very much instinctual with how
we are making that we’re making. We’re not necessarily feeling like we have to have any loyalty to a sound that we had in the past. We’ve given ourselves the opportunity to start fresh, to say ‘f**k everybody else who doesn’t like what we’re doing’. But you know, we’re polite, so we wouldn’t actually say that. Did it take you long to find your new sound? Surprisingly it happened really fast. It wasn’t necessarily a decision we made ahead of time. Before, in other projects, our priority in going in the studio is much more executing a record and proficiency and confidence, things like that ended up sterilisng what we did because it was so thought out and so planned and what was caught on tape was just the execution of something that may have been an idea that was much older, even years old. And so when we went into the studio to become on an on and make give in, we were almost like animals, you know it was just instinct. Pure instinct. If we like it we kept it, and we explored it and if we didn’t like it, we didn’t. What we went after was the exploration or capturing something new, and so we spent all our time doing that and we came out with give in. How does the record translate live? We made the record before we had ever played any of these songs live together. In many ways when we played live we were an ON an ON cover band, the record existed first and we had to reinterpret it for a live scene. Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Keyboard warriors
With today’s knee-jerk culture coupled with the rise of Twitter, musician rivalries are at an all time high. But is the bad blood real? Or are they just cries for attention... The ‘rap game’ as i’ve heard it called by cooler people than I, does not seem to be a game for more than one player. Neither, judging by loudmouth buzz blog rapper Azealia banks latest torrent of tweets, is it a game suitable for ages 12 and under. Her list of victims has got a bit out of hand now, among the aggrieved are Angel Haze, Baauer, Perez Hilton, Rita Ora and even The Stone Roses. What’s more, her frequent use of the homophobic slur ‘faggot’ has landed her in hot water with gay rights activists. And pretty much the whole gay community actually. But the timing of these attacks seems a bit fishy to me, Banks recently released a new
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single. Now this in itself may not be cause for alarm (unless you’ve heard how bad it is yourself ) but in the run up to it’s grand unveiling the outspoken Harlem rap princess aimed abusive accusations at three rather popular artists via tweets. It does make you wonder, how legitimate are these beefs she keeps starting? Is she trying to gain popularity through controversy? It polarised critics and intrigued the press when LA rap collective Odd Future tried a similar shock tactic to spread their messages. It’s a question that’s reared it’s quizzical head a couple of times over the past few decades as music and tantrums seem to go hand-inhand. Now, thanks to twitter, an artist can let loose their most wondrous epiphanies for the public to pour and ponder over. But with great power comes great responsibility. When Zayne of One Direction and Max of The Wanted clashed heads on Twitter last year the internet nearly exploded. But again,
was this genuine? It’s hard to infer much from 140 characters, but with insults like ‘I’m not sure why your still talking to me mate conversation ended when I called you a geek’ being thrown around you can’t imagine they were really taking it that seriously. It’s more than likely that this was just a bit of fun between the boys to see how the media reacted, it’s what teenagers do. When the harshest insult thrown in that exchange was ‘chlamydia boy’ which I must admit, appeals to the 15 year old inside of me, it doesn’t really compare to bust-ups and rivalries of old. Before Gorillaz and before Beady Eye there were two bands called Oasis and Blur. The formers were working class Mancunians with a lot to say. Whilst the latter were a group of cheeky middle class art school dropouts. They had their own similar rivalry, similarly perpetuated by the music press which came to a head when both bands released singles in the same week in an effort to win the number 1 spot and prove who had the bigger egos… Blur won, and a bad taste was left in the Gallagher Brother’s mouths. A perfect example of a feud between bands working out best for all involved? Fans flocked to their record stores to make sure that their gods got the number one spot they believed they deserved. Unfortunately, the harmless banter and playful insults took a turn for the worse, when in an interview with the Observer newspaper, Noel Gallagher said “I hate that Alex and Damon. I hope they catch Aids and die.”. Strong words and pretty foolish. Since then, brother Liam has put the rivalry to bed telling Mojo “I don’t mind Blur… I’m over [the rivalry]. It was a laugh man, that’s what you do when you’re young” with maybe a sly wink and a nod. The problem with these band v band battles is that in the end, both parties often coming off sounding like dicks. When Stephen Malkmus sang ‘Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins / Nature kids, but they don’t have no function
/ I don’t understand what they mean and I could really give a f**k’ on Pavement’s ‘Range Life’ it comes off as self-indulgent and petty. Though Billy Corgan of the name-dropped band didn’t redeem himself by retorting with the catchphrase of the conceited: “I think it’s rooted in jealousy”. Whilst these sort of tactics may serve to boost awareness of a band or add a little fire to their personalities, they don’t really sell any more records because of it. On the other side of the spectrum, what obviously isn’t a PR stunt is the implosion of bands thanks to their members. The aforementioned Gallagher brothers famously don’t see eye to eye and on news of their split i’m sure the label were drying their tears with £50 pound notes. Bands like Oasis are worth a hell of a lot more to a label than mediocre spin-offs founded by the floundering stars. These cases are usually a case of ‘this town aint big enough for the both of us’ as members egos expand, inflated by self-importance and jealousy. What’s more the people hurt most are usually the fans. The amount of teenagers who were left crying into their veggie lasagnias after they heard there wouldn’t be a new record featuring both Marr and Morrissey didn’t help anyone. If we can find a way to harness the energy emminated from hyperventilating young beliebers or the tears from rumours of a certain young boyband or two’s split, i’d be happy for the arguments to rage on. But seeing as all of this bad blood adds nothing of worth to this earth you’ve got ask the question, can’t we all just grow up and get along? So here’s a call to the labels, sort it out, because imagine the sales of a Jay-Z and Nas collaboration? A musical One Direction/ Wanted orgy? Or even just getting Oasis bask together. Because if we can’t appeal to artists or their labels decency? We can exploit their love of money instead. Mikey Rush Audio-Addict.co.uk
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US BABy BEAR BONES Some of the more avid readers of our online site would have noticed our Presenting piece on Brightonian trio Us Baby Bear Bones. Well, we asked for an interview and the answers we got back were rather peculiar, and if one word could summarise them peculiar would be in with a shout. The strange, sugar coated dark magic that makes Us Baby Bear Bones’ brand of dreamyspace pop so interesting is why we have become hooked on their music. If you enjoy some of the imagery used then by all means go check out the groups Facebook page which is uploaded daily with images of babies, bears and bones. Matt Cook
How did you all meet and form the band?
Did moving to Brighton change your sound?
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How did you come up with the name?
Have any artists influenced your music?
How would you describe your sound?
Who would play UBBB in a movie?
What are your favourite gigging memories?
Who is the weirdest person you have ever partied with?
What is the biggest risk any of you have ever taken?
Whats the most stressful time in the bands history been?
What can we expect from UBBB this year?
Audio-Addict.co.uk
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REVIEWS 26
Paramore Paramore Fueled By Ramen
Paramore are back with this; their new self-titled new album and well it is the least forward thinking album to have hit UK shores in sometime. Sounding like a horrific car crash of genres, the album sounds like the work of Justin Bieber on crack. Let’s label it ‘Disney Rock’. Rock for kids, as that’s ultimately what Paramore do best. The band have been annoying music lovers with their over Americanised spin on pop and rock for some time now and are now on their fourth studio album. Having recently lost two founding members it is safe to say that this so called loss has not affected the bands ability to puke out more cringe worthy beats than The Cheeky Girls. In fact The Cheeky Girls have probably left more of a musical legacy than Paramore can ever even dream of. The album opens with the track ‘Fast In My Car’ and when that horror show is over the album rattles on and the assault on your eardrums continues with songs such as ‘Daydreaming’ which is what you’ll find yourself doing as you listen to it desperately searching for a better way of spending your time. With lyrics such as “If I have to I’m gonna leave you behind” you will find yourself wishing that singer Hayley Williams would just leave her musical career behind.
repetitive and the drums will leave your ears ringing and your head thumping. One thing that can’t be denied is that Hayley actually has a powerful voice, annoying but still powerful. Some may even say she has a beautiful voice. Yet it is only beautiful in the way a dog turd may glisten in the sun. Ultimately you still know it is a dog turd with a rather horrible and potent smell and you would never want a dog turd in your house now would you? From start to finish this album has to be seen as nothing but a joke. It sounds as though the band have devised a strategy to annoy the nation with their unwanted musical advances. Ending on a song entitled ‘Future’ the album will certainly leave you wishing you never have to listen to it again in the future and ironically it could be the album to finish a lacklustre career on. Tommy Jones
Yet it is not just the lyrics that will make you feel physically sick, it is the sheer audacity of the backing music. The music is far too loud for the drowning sounds of Hayley’s voice as she moans on about some pathetic first world problems in a desperate attempt to strike a chord with the masses. The guitars are too Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Specter At The Feast Abstract Dragon
Three years after releasing Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are back with their most haunting album so far. Strongly inspired by Pink Floyd, this album creates one movement where each song perfectly fades into the next. From opener ‘Fire Walker’ until the very last second of ‘Lose Yourself ’, you’ll go on an initiatory journey and find yourself immersed into another side of BRMC’s music. This mystical and hazy aspect was ever present in past songs, such as ‘Half-State’, but this new record takes it to another level with each song bearing a near religious feeling. But restricting this album to drug-induced experiences would be too simplistic. BRMC found the way to mix the haze and the dirty rock’n’roll on songs such as ‘Hate The Taste’ or ‘Rival’ where Peter Hayes’ vocals swing between smooth crooning and raspy growls. With slower tracks like ‘Returning’ and ‘Lullaby’, BRMC give this the perfect
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combination of BRMC’s earlier records. You’ll hear sounds that were emerging on Baby 81 and Beat The Devil’s Tattoo but that are now developed in more depth. This album is not one for the shuffle button: by losing the structure, you’ll lose it’s essence. Everything has been made to create a sense of unity and flow that is becoming a rare aspect of music consumption. So put on your headphones, forget shuffle and embark on a trip with BRMC, where you’ll find yourself speeding down a highway with fuzzy guitars in a trance-like state Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s future was unsure after the death of Michael Been, sound engineer for the band, but most importantly Robert Been’s father during the tour. But BRMC fought their demons, found their way back to the studio and came back with their most elaborate album so far. Coralie Pilté
Peace In Love
Columbia Following recent proposal to journalist girlfriend Billie Porter, lead singer Harrison provides a perfect example to the title of their debut. In Love is a reflection of where Peace stand currently, young adults portraying love, lust and the rebirth of guitar music. Opening with ‘Higher than the Sun’, trashy drums and dreamy guitar chords introduce the energy it contains. Lead single ‘Follow Baby’ has been reworked, fitting in pitch with the rest of the album. ‘Lovesick’ slows things down and provides a timeless interpretation into falling for someone, with simple but effective lyrics. ‘Float Forever’ sounds like a French rendition of California Daze, and is the hidden gem within the album ‘If your not happy wearing denim, you’re a devil in disguise’. Live highlight ‘Wraith ‘is followed by ‘Delicious’, which represents the colorful creativity that they portray. ‘If the world is just a bubble, then we were just a scribble.’
Although Peace are from Birmingham, ‘Waste of Paint’ is an effort that would not fall out of place on a Stone Roses or Happy Mondays album, providing a Manchester feel through it’s use of vocal delay. Despite negative lyrics ‘I’ve heard you’ve got a heavy little heart, it seems as though your feature is the past’, ‘Sugarstone’ provides a soft touch to the record. Despite being released previously, ‘California Daze’, fits perfectly into the album, providing a calm closure to a heavy beginning, reflecting the highs and lows within relationships. Overall In Love is a beautiful and flawless debut that has come naturally from a band who have endured an awful lot of hype in a short space of time. Despite being only 10 tracks in length it is more than enough to set a strong foundation what is to come of 2013 and the rise of Birmingham bands. Billy Bentley Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Tom Odell Long Way Down Columbia
After releasing his EP Songs From Another Love, which caught everyone’s attention, Tom Odell offers audiences a bigger glimpse at his talent with his debut album. Long Way Down is proof that talent doesn’t come with age. Each of his songs bear intense feelings that mark this new generation of singer-songwriters, apart from the fact that his favoured instrument is the piano and not the guitar, Odell found a way to make you feel his heartache. Ballads start with piano melodies and then slowly build up until they reach their climax, engaging drums and choirs join his emotion-filled voice. Don’t expect songs about last night’s party, Long Way Down will show you Odell’s soul. Tom Odell might only be 22, but he delivers an album full of maturity you wouldn’t expect from someone this young. Coralie Pilté
Bleached Ride Your Heart Dead Oceans
Ride Your Heart is spilling sun, the sea and Los Angeles musically; entering the realms of its charming 70s surf rock shimmer and punk haste, its sound bleeds within the same veins of a Lo-fi indie potency, its aura letting one envisage a fitting afternoon on the sand where everything is just great and dandy and happy and absolutely perfect. Everything seems just fine listening to this record, but it just feels too nice and pleasantly poppy or (trying to refrain from using)... feel good. It lacks any venom that you might have expected the track ‘Looking For A Fight’ might bare, especially when the ‘new band of the day’ gifted by the Guardian last year advocated that Germs fans might enjoy this, I’m not quite sure where they were getting that from. As far as one’s search for small indie rock troupes go, it will fit just fine amongst their collection. Joe Madden
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Jimi Hendrix People, Hell And Angels Legacy
People, Hell and Angels is the compilation of unreleased material from rock icon Jimi Hendrix. This album is the 12th official studio release since Hendrix’s premature death in 1970, and seeing as Valleys of Neptune charted in the top 30 in the UK and no.4 on Billboards we can see that the power of Hendrix is still unfathomable. So how does People, Hell and Angels compare to previous work like Electric Ladyland and Are You Experienced? Well it doesn’t. This album is completely unique seeing as Hendrix strayed away from the original Jimi Hendrix Experience Trio to team up with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles from Band Of Gypsys, in which they produce some of the catchiest Hendrix songs to date, especially opener ‘Earth Blues’. This track is a tight rock-and-soul fusion with Hendrix using his colloquial jive-talk whilst accompanied by Miles and Cox with a harmonized chorus reminiscent of vintage Motown. Matt Cook
Bring Me The Horizon Sempiternal RCA / Epitaph
Mentioning them in any discussion has become a guaranteed room divider. The Sheffield mob’s blend of electronic laced metalcore has always been enough to keep them on the tip of people’s tongues, but now the time has come for them to deliver a game changer to declare themselves as heavyweights of the genre. Whilst they’ve dipped their toes into a foray of new influences on this record including clublandesque electronics on ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ and glimmers of post-rock throughout ‘ And The Snakes Start To Sing’, the crunchy menacing guitar tone we’ve all grown to love pops up to remind us that the band are still capable of writing riffs capable of igniting a moshpit effortlessly. Album closer ‘Hospital For Souls’ becomes a pleasant 7 minute culmination of their newly acquired musical muscles turning into an exhibition of musical prowess. Aidan Ducker Audio-Addict.co.uk
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Foals
Pyramid Center, Portsmouth 13/03/13 As Foals career undoubtedly continues on it’s upwards ascent, their show at Portsmouth Pyramids is a special occasion in two ways. It serves as a finale to their jaunt around UK mid-sized venues, and it also marks the likely case that British fans will not be able to see Foals in venues of this for a long time, as they get closer to their prestigious slot at the Royal Albert Hall and rest comfortably in the upper parts of festival line-ups. Therefore it’s no surprise that Foals deliver in a very celebratory manor. Foals ensure that their entrance is an unforgettable one as hit the stage with ‘Prelude’. Guitarist Jimmy Smith is first to appear playing the song’s hypnotic riff; the other members follow suit as they make an entrance one by one, which climaxes in frontman Yannis Philippakis unveiling himself to a rousing cheer. Dramatic lighting and an abundance of energy from both band and crowd complements the songs explosive section, opening the set at an already impressive standard. Unsurprisingly the setlist is dominated by Holy Fire tracks, but the band clearly relishes the chance to draw songs from the commercially and critically acclaimed record. ‘My Number’ inspires excited sing-alongs, while ‘Providence’ sees them indulge in their heroic statures, given to them by devout fans present, as the stand atop speakers in a godlike fashion. Likewise tracks from debut Antidotes still remain vibrantly scrappy, while Total Life Forever is mostly ignored, but still has its defining moment with the graceful ‘Spanish Sahara’. While banter is rather unimpressive, mostly limited to Philippakis’ approving “yes Portsmouth”, the cavernous energy on display
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is outstanding. Playing tiny venues around UK has seemingly enhanced their performance, as they end the main set with ‘Electric Bloom’, which feature a cacophony of noise and a feral Phillipakis diving into the crowd. They swiftly depart, knowingly leaving the crowd baying for more, proved by resounding screams and toosoon sing-alongs of ‘Two Steps, Twice’. Foals begin the encore by demonstrating that they can also master goosebump inducing moments, as ‘Moon’ is stripped down to only the Philippakis’ and Smith’s guitar cries in a display of raw emotion. Following ‘Moon’s momentary pause, they return to a thrilling pace with ‘Inhaler’. They then mark the tours big conclusion by bringing The Invisible (the support act for the night) onstage for ‘Two Steps, Twice’, causing spirited enthusiasm to erupt from every corner of the room. Reflection on the show proves that Foals have put themselves amongst the very best modern live acts, as they continue to be levels above their contemporaries. Connor Cass
Theme Park Joiners, Southampton 15/03/13
Fresh from supporting Bloc Party on the UK leg of their world tour, Theme Park brought their shoulder bopping summer tunes to the cold and dreary south- coast, playing at the iconic venue, The Joiners. Gracing the stage to a welcoming cheer from the uber cool crowd, the suited and booted gents dived straight into Foals tinged ‘Ghosts’, before ever so politely introducing themselves, all whilst sipping sophisticatedly on a miniature bottle of red wine, no beer in sight, these guys are gentlemen. Indie-pop floor filler ‘Jamaica’ was a standout track of the night, the funkified shoulder shrugging head bopper got the crowd moving and is most definitely the sound of the summer. ‘Tonight’, the lead single from their debut
album, was a clear crowd pleaser. Its 70s style funk- disco- synthed vibes and catchy chorus had everyone singing along. The bands synchronised shoulder swaying caught on to a Mexican wave style sway of the crowd. With their sound of the summer feel good indie-pop floor fillers, Theme Park look set to make a scene at this year’s festivals once again. Izzy Coote
Lapalux
Green Door Store, Brighton 14/03/13 The atmosphere was at once intimate and rowdy, the crowd visibly feeling the ambience in a packed out venue, running through hit remixes of Mario’s ‘Let Me Love You’ and Lianne La Havas’ ‘Lost and Found’. And again, what lacked in audience interaction, Howard made sure to avoid even a moment of silence, keeping the Green Door Store sound system pounding for a good 90 minutes.
In the abandoned brewery that is Brighton’s Green Door Store, Lapalux tore down the house. While he didn’t once speak, Stuart Howard’s set was anything but timid. Armed with just a laptop and an array of very impressive live mixing skills, Lapalux treated the Brighton crowd to some pulsating tracks, both old and new.
Lapalux displays a unique gift for producing music that fundamentally gets into a listener’s bones. While the set became more subdued as the night drew on with Howard running through some slower, more melodic instrumentals, the crowd remained captivated even demanding an encore, with Howard duly obliging. The new album Nostalchic drops later this month. Jack O’Neill Audio-Addict.co.uk
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What's the future of: Live Events As with every part of the world today economics has a fundamental underlying in the music industry. But with the revelation of the Prince gig at South By South West, were you have to have either a SXSW Platinum or Music badge, the only way to get in was having Samsung’s newest Galaxy so are sponsored events like this the future of the music industry? Will you have to get the latest technology, spending ridiculous fee’s just to see those who you adore. I understand Prince may be the exception and I can’t take anything away from those at Samsung who have used this as a fantastic promotional tool. “Having Prince in Austin at his first SXSW show will truly be a onenight only experience that our Samsung Galaxy owners and friends will remember for years to come,” Samsung’s chief marketing officer Todd Pendleton is quoted as telling Mashable. I however have found it a slap in the music consumers faces. The old idiom ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ comes into my mind when thinking about this corporate idea, seeing as the audience is the meaning maker and without us an artist is nothing! Also why
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on earth should you be discriminated in this day and age, when equality and political correctness are everything, for something as trivial as what phone you have? You shouldn’t is the answer. So how has this all gone down? Well I must say many have seen it as a bitter pill to swallow, and plenty have taken to Twitter to show their grievance of the situation. eMusic tweeted “To get in to see Prince at #SXSW, buy a pricy smartphone NOW or sell your first-born child. Tough call.” Corporations are becoming to dominant in this era and that is why so many young artists are becoming more and more disposable. In the mid to late 20th century we had lots of artists making a name for themselves with their music and attitude, now it seems the only way to have a successful career is to have your song on a TV ad or come from some reality show and this is down to corporations heavily influencing sales. Stop it now or we risk losing the one thing we all strive for... Originality!! Matt Cook
GIG GUIDE FOR april
Southampton
Brighton
8 - The Ataris @ Joiners
2 - Swans @ Concorde 2
11 - King Krule @ Joiners
16 - Don Broco @ Concorde 2
24 - Dinosaur Pile-Up @ Joiners
24 - Peace @ Concorde 2
30 - King Creosote @ Talking Heads
26 - Mallory Knox @ Audio
31 - Lone/Maribou State @ Roxx
30 - Laura Mvula @ Komedia
Bournemouth
Portsmouth
15 - Little Comets @ Old Fire Station
3 - Kodaline @ Wedgewood
19 - Cantebury @ Sound Circus
11 - King Charles @ Wedgewood
24 - Daughter @ Old Fire Station
15 - British Sea Power @ Wedgewood
25 - Attack Attack! @ Sound Circus
24 - Lower Than Atlantis @ Pyramid
27 - Noah And The Whale @ O2 Academy
29 - Dog is Dead @ Wedgewood Audio-Addict.co.uk
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