Come Play With Me / #009 / MAY2020 by Come Play With Me CIC

SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION

COME PL AY WITH EN T ER SHIK ARI GHOSTPOE T M Y S T ERY JE T S

M I L K T E E T H / O R C H A R D S / S K Y VA L L E Y M I S T R E S S BECCA MANCARI / MELENAS / SEAZOO / TEAM PICT URE ME A LT IME / I Z Z Y C A MIN A / S W E E T W HIRL AND LOTS MORE... BEHIND THE SCENES AND UNDER THE SKIN OF ALL THINGS MUSIC

PICK ME UP FOR FREE OR BUY ONLINE / #009 / MAY2020

You Are Not Alone

For music industry people affected by mental ill health and/or addiction. Helpline 0800 030 6789

www.musicsuppport.org Registered Charity Number 1170231 2

WHAT'S INSIDE

TEAM CPWM MANAGEMENT Tony Ereira tony@cpwm.co MAGAZINE Andrew Benge andy@cpwm.co LABEL Scott Lewis scott@cpwm.co DIVERSITY EVENTS PROMOTER Emily Marlow emily@cpwm.co ENTER SHIKARI COVER Derek Ridgers GHOSTPOET COVER Emma Dudlyke

SPECIAL THANKS

...and in no particular order - Warren, Rou, Steven, Callum, Becky, Lucy, Obaro, Nisa, Ella, Jenessa, Izzy, Becca, Esther, Simon, Tom, Matty, Christian, Blaine, Ben, Llinos, Steve, Rob, Katie, Josh, Emily, Abi, William, Jon... and everyone else that helped make this happen.

04 NEWS / MAY 2020 06 ENTER SHIKARI 12 IN FOCUS / MUSIC:LEEDS LAUNCHPAD 15 IZZY CAMINA 16 GHOSTPOET 20 IN FOCUS / MUSIC SUPPORT 21 SWEET WHIRL 23 ORCHARDS 24 MILK TEETH 28 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH / SHEFFIELD 30 PHOTO BOOTH / ISOLATION 36 MYSTERY JETS 39 PRIMO! 40 TEAM PICTURE 43 BILLY NOMATES 44 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH / PAMPLONA 46 SKY VALLEY MISTRESS 48 BECCA MANCARI 51 MEADOW MEADOW 52 SEAZOO 54 MEALTIME

SMALL PRINT

Come Play With is printed by Mixam. Copyright Â© 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

THIS ISSUE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

For permission requests, email the publisher at andy@cpwm.co. Printed in the UK.

Open Spotify App > Search > Camera > Scan

NEWS

MAY 2020 Hi everyone and welcome to our first online only edition of the magazine. At the time of writing, we were still in a full lockdown so we wanted to avoid printing copies of the magazine only for them to sit at the printer's because all of our favourite venues, shops and cafĂŠs were still closed. The print magazine will be back as soon as we can get them delivered as normal. It's given us a chance to try a new approach and get a bigger than usual selection of excellent, informative pieces together for your reading enjoyment! (Massive thanks to Youth Music for helping us to make that happen!) We know times have been hard for many people these last few weeks and, like everyone, we've been working on how we can adapt to the new environment we find ourselves in. It's meant a delay to our first single of 2020 but that will be with you all 27th May from two brilliant artists, Van Houten and In The Morning Lights. Van Houten were selected at a panel with Phil Taggart and Adele Slater last year while ITML were a personal selection from the brilliant Emily Pilbeam, presenter of BBC Introducing in West Yorkshire. You may have seen that we have also announced our regular Herfest event at Brudenell Social Club, 14th November - this year headlined by GIRLI with a bunch of more artists to come soon! We've also got news of a very special compilation album that we've been working on for a few weeksâ&#x20AC;Ś.check out www.crowdfunder.co.uk/come-stay-with-me Please let us know if you think there is anything else we could be doing to help. Any content you'd like to see during these strange times, any artists you think we should be talking to, any online activity that has really blown you away since lockdown began! Hang on in, stay safe and be there for each other. Big love Tony & the team

To support CPWM please see PATREON.COM/CPWM

www.cpwm.co

@cpwmco

@comeplaywith

@comeplaywith 4

Open Spotify App > Search > Camera > Scan

ENTER SHIKARI 6

Enter Shikari have managed the impossible. Big stages, chart positions and all the while never letting go of who they truly are. 7

Of course, finding the path to this point was far from easy, but they've always remained strong, both musically and even the core four characters haven't changed from vocalist Rou Reynolds, bassist and vocalist Chris Batten, guitarist Rory Clewlow and drummer Rob Rolfe. Getting their start on Myspace, those heady days were the precursor to this wild and wonderful social enterprise world we now find ourselves in. But now Enter Shikari are on album number six, 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible', and having been entrenched in the beginning of this world, staying true and not getting lost amongst the noise is what sets them apart. "For us, we've gone on a massive journey really in terms of outputting our music." Rou starts. "The first album was one of the first proper 360 deals with an indie licensing the music, and then with our second album, we went on a major and saw the complete other side of the industry. "And now, we've just started a new contract with SO records which is kind of a proper indie in the fact that they don't even have a board or anything," he says. "It's just a very in house, small thing, there's a lot of passion there. We've kind of seen everything, and we've seen the way people absorb music change quite dramatically as well."

was interesting. There were some points where the A&R guy got flown over from America to 'help us demo'," he laughs. "They weren't forceful but they were very much looking for more straightforward consistency, and more melody, you know all the things that you'd expect from people who are trying to sell as many records as possible.

"THE JOY OF MUSIC FOR ME IS WAKING UP HAVING AN IDEA AND HAVING THE FREEDOM TO FOLLOW THAT IDEA WHEREVER IT LEADS." "We sort of expected that but at the same time, we made sure the first thing for us was to never to get into a contract where you're contractually obliged to listen to them and to, therefore, edit the music. There was none of that so we kind of carried on. We took on any advice that we liked, and we ignored any that we didn't."

Which is the central ethos of Enter Shikari, they're a band who do things their way, making sure that everything falls in line with their central Given their penchant for going vision of being a band who continue to love what they do. against the grain sonically Finding their start in the DIY and aesthetically, Enter Shikari's history isn't rife with scene of their home region, it instilled early on that key communication issues with those supporting them, due in Do It Yourself aspect. "For part to their self-preservation us, it wasn't just normality it was like, there is no other way from the get-go. But even of doing it, surely that has to they weren't completely be the way?" immune to the gentle touch of a major label. Of course, as their career "When we were on Interscope grew "the other way" and made itself apparent in the for the second album... that 9

form of record labels, but even then they knew that it was the one that was far riskier. "As soon as you enter into the bigger world and if you're captured by the allure of a big advance, then yeah you're expected to produce music that then becomes just a whole different beast," Rou says. "You can't be niche, you can't be subtle, you can't be too experimental, and the joy of music for me is waking up having an idea and having the freedom to follow that idea wherever it leads. Not having to dilute things and to become a kind of production line, creating music that is created for completely different reasons and loses that passion." "By then, that was 2008? We were very much aware of the scary nature of being on majors. We've seen many of our peers and bands that we look up to be signed and then be dropped and everything just withered away so we were very cautious in everything that we entered in." Along with keeping aware of everything they were getting into, it's been a close-knit affair amongst their ranks which has helped keep the good ship Shikari right on track and gaining further steam. From their manager having such experience in the field, "he was our forcefield," to the rest of the team who have been there from day one. "Our press team is still the same that we use today, from Hertfordshire. Chris, our bassist, his dad is our finance manager so there's a real tight-knit team. There's a lot of trust there, and also a lot of passion because that's what it was about, you know, building a team around you that got it, that got the music, and were passionate to work

in the wider team that was producing it." Passion is the keyword that beats within the heart of Enter Shikari. Even back in the early days when they were in secondary school and would "have our school day, then we'd all go off and we used to clean another slightly posher school, that was our after school job, and then we'd all go back to Rob, our drummers, to practice." "We'd do that four times a week," Rou recalls chuckling. "There has to be the dedication, if you're forcing yourself to achieve that dedication, then I think you have to question whether it's for you. The passion has to be explosive." Which is what sets Enter Shikari apart from the saturated crowd: The passion and drive simply haven't waned over the last decade. But as the years have gone by, the masses have erupted, swallowing the established acts with a surrounding bubbling influx of new creativity. "It's so easy that you do often have to wade through a lot of shit to get to find bands that you might enjoy," He mentions of the new tide of sounds. "But as annoying as that can be for a listener finding new music that is of a decent standard, I think the technological advancement is incredible for the creativity for young budding artists.

Of course, not all music finds its way into the world through the mind of the bedroom Soundcloud uploads and the DIY scene dreamers. In the course of his own career, Rou has even stepped inside the factory for writing camps, "where you're thrown into a room with three or four people you don't know, and you're expected to write a song for an artist who's often not even in the room.

"THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF HAVING A CREATIVE OUTLET, AND BEING ABLE TO GIFT YOUR ART TO THE WIDER WORLD, THERE'S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IN THAT."

And as the stages get bigger, along with the crowds, the chart positions get higher, but the grateful Rou and co will always acknowledge where they come from. "We're very lucky to have an audience that does seem to follow us wherever we go and we don't ever want to neglect that," He concludes. "We do feel very lucky, and we're very grateful for it. It's something that we want to use to just to make better music and to open ourselves up to the world in every way that we can."

"You're given very much a brief, you know, a couple of references, 'We want a melody that sounds like this or a beat that sounds like this. Go!' And in five hours you're expected to produce a song, and obviously that's a completely different experience for me."

On a more personal level, for Rou, he "wouldn't have anywhere near the amount of satisfaction if I was in a band that was forced to write certain styles of music or watered down the output in some way. "To me then it would lose its freedom and therefore its purpose to some degree. The reason that I'm so, so lucky to do what I do is the freedom and the creative leash that I've been given. Our band especially, I don't think there's a lot of bands out there that have an audience that is so kind, in terms of the free rein that we're given."

Rou is more used to the process being "an emotional release." The impetus of it being "an exploration into the "It is so easy now to make self. Creation is everything, it music of pretty good is the way I communicate with production quality, and so the outer world whereas that easy to get it out into the was very much just factory world, which I think is an production lines. Very, very overall benefit regardless if rushed. The production of it saturates the online music scenes. I think even the health an asset really of a product rather than a piece of music benefits of having a creative a piece of the soul. Hopefully, outlet, and being able to gift I'm not being too cliché!" your art to the wider world, there's something beautiful in It's this understanding that's that." given Enter Shikari a die-hard Words by Steven Loftin

fanbase, on that's helped their ascension from four lads packed into a van driving all over our fair country in search of any gig.

The new album 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible' out now. A UK Tour starts in November.

Photography by Tom Pullen & Derek Ridgers

METALLICA ARE THE FIRST AND ONLY BAND TO HAVE PLAYED ON ALL 7 CONTINENTS. A GLOBETROTTING NUMBER, SURE. BUT NOT A LIFESAVING ONE. We’re CALM and we’re leading a movement against suicide. If you’re

0800 58 58 58

Number hungry? CALM is a registered charity no. 1110621 (England & Wales) and SC044347 (Scotland). This interesting number was taken from guinnessworldrecords.com

IN FOCUS

LAUNCHPAD Music:Leeds Launchpad offers opportunities and support for emerging artists, musicians, producers, bands, composers, projects and businesses in Leeds and the West Yorkshire region. In 2019, we supported a total of 47 artists! Some of those artists have shared their experiences of being involved in Launchpadâ&#x20AC;Ś

LUCY, DEAD NAKED HIPPIES

"We were extremely lucky to receive live and recording opportunities through Launchpad in 2019, with the opportunity to play one of the biggest stages we've ever played at Millennium Square in the summer - which was great to be able to do on home ground. We received funds towards recording our next single which will be released in Spring 2020, it's been really motivating to have been selected and great to feel like Music:Leeds has faith in the music we're creating. These kinds of opportunities are invaluable to the growth of any artist or band, and I think the Launchpad platform works really well as it is not genre specific and is open to all levels / career stages. With it not being a one size fits all scheme, it means

there's a potential opportunity for anyone."

MARNZ

"Music: Leeds has helped me beyond words building my confidence and artist profile across various platforms. My involvement in the one to one sessions, has proved invaluable and provided me with crucial expertise I otherwise wouldn't have had. This included release planning and marketing techniques for the music industry from a digital and social media perspective to optimise the right time to promote and the length of time. I cannot thank Music:Leeds enough and look forward to continuing my music journey with them in support."

JEMMA, FREESE TRIO

"Being on the Music:Leeds Launchpad programme with my band Freese Trio has been an amazing way to broaden our musical horizons both in terms of business (planning our releases, research, our next steps etc.) 12

and genre, as we have previously been on solely jazz-centred programmes. This programme has helped us plan the release of our music video 'Pleasure Island' and also to plan and partially fund the release of our next album. From this programme, I feel ready, more confident than I ever have done before and equipped with what I need for the next Freese Trio release. I also feel like the knowledge I have gained through this programme will help me with releases in my other projects and for future releases with Freese Trio. The Music:Leeds team have been extremely helpful, responsive, resourceful, knowledgeable and approachable with everything that I needed."

LILY, ENGLISH TEACHER

"Through Music: Leeds Launchpad, my band has had the opportunity to headline Belgrave Music Hall for the Yorkshire Music Forum Convention showcase, spend three days recording with Ken Scott (Bowie, The Beatles, Pink Floyd), and perform at Live at Leeds Festival 2020 alongside some of the artists that got us writing in the first place. It's not just the experiences themselves, but the people you get to meet and work with because of them, that prove how valuable they are. Personally, having mentoring

sessions with Scott Lewis from Clue Records has been the most valuable opportunity from Music:Leeds. I have learnt so much about releasing a single effectively and to a professional standard, and as a new DIY band, it is reassuring to have an industry expert to go to with aspects I am unsure about. The Music:Leeds team are lovely and I would recommend all upcoming bands to get involved" Any artist can submit their music to be considered for support through Launchpad, and they are chosen by a large and varied panel of reviewers, with staggered deadlines throughout the year The first selection rounds for Launchpad 2020 have already taken place. Some artists have played live at festivals including Inner City Electronic (Seth, Lindenbaum Modular) and more recently have taken part in Music:Leeds Virtual House Gigs, our live streamed gigs broadcast on Facebook and Youtube (DREUW, Fig By Four, Franky, Napoleon IIIrd, Dirty Freud, La Rissa). Some other artists who've been selected for Launchpad support in 2020 include:

AGI

With a wealth of experience with session work and collaboration, Agi is stepping forward to front her own project. Multiple genre influences inspire her distinctive

electro-pop sound, filled with captivating vocal performances and brilliant melodies.

IN THE MORNING LIGHTS

Since forming in 2018 this duo have headlined The Cavern stage at Liverpool Sound City, been named BBC Radio Leeds 'Track of the Week', and have been played on Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio1. Their sound explores alternative electronic pop/hip-hop – which they describe as Young Fathers meets Nao.

MAMILAH

A group of musicians, producers, DJs and songwriters with a whole host of musical influences, walking through genres of soul, jazz, Latin music and R&B. Their debut EP 'Moonlight Walking', independently released in August 2018, quickly followed their first single 'Sundrips'; earning regular airtime on Alan Raw's BBC Introducing Show in West Yorkshire, being highlighted on his 'Ones to Watch in 2019' broadcast, and featured on Bandcamp's "Best Soul of August 2018" article. A recent feature on Clash magazine highlighted Mamilah as one of the pioneering artists in Leeds underground Jazz scene

and they intend to further push the boundaries of this scene in 2020. You can find out more about Launchpad, more supported artists and our upcoming deadlines at www.musicleeds. com/launchpad and keep an eye on our social media for our upcoming online activity. Listen to a selection of artists from the region through our Spotify profile, including playlists of our supported artists, monthly playlists of new releases, and great tracks from the past: bit.ly/musicleedsprofile The effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) will undoubtedly have an impact on the Music:Leeds Launchpad program, specifically on the live opportunities that are on offer to artists. However, we're hopeful and planning to maintain all the support that is planned for mentoring / individual career support, as well as recording and project support. The details of forthcoming planned live opportunities that will be offered through the scheme are being constantly assessed through ongoing conversations with partners. Ultimately the hope is to be able to offer opportunities to perform live at exciting events and festivals in the near future! Music:Leeds is supported by Youth Music and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Leeds 2023, arts@leeds, and as a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner.

AWAY FROM THE NOISE

IZZY CAMINA FINDING A HAPPY PLACE... My name is Izzy Camina. I'm a songwriter and producer. When I was a child, my father would take me for walks in the forest. We would leave cookies and offerings on stones for pagan entities, like the green man and the Celtic god Cernunnos. We would camp in canvas tents and nap under trees. This is when I developed an appreciation for stillness and respect for nature. Life was not always peachy for us. Life is chaotic and cruel, but if you look closely, you can see that it harbours peace in equal measure.

With that being said, when I have nothing to sing about, or any emotions to transmute into chord or song, I seek out that stillness. I experience a lot of internal chaos. Half of the time I'm "dreamy" and "creative", half of the time I'm angry, combative and hyperactive. Easy remedies are either mind/ body connection (yoga), or experiencing nature with my senses. Whether it's smelling flowers, doing handstands or making daisy chains in the grass. I try my best, as often as I can. My acute awareness of the pleasant aspects of existence 15

tend to bring the darkness into focus. I struggle to look away. I think and dwell and probe, which leaves me stuck, lonely, and isolated (only to be exacerbated by quarantine). Getting a chance to indulge in outdoor spaces has proven difficult during lockdown, so I've been spending a lot of time by the LA river. It's polluted, dotted with garbage, but full of potential, teaming with hope and teaming with life. Not to sound pretentious, but it's poetry to me. The EP 'Nihilist In The Club' is out now.

GHOSTPOET Creating soundtracks to narrate the twists and turns of modern life, Ghostpoet is back with another collection of hymns. But the man behind the music is laying low in isolation, sticking to the methods that make him happy, and most importantly keeping things simple. 16

"I haven't really woken up yet, I'm not fully firing on all cylinders." I'm talking to Obaro Ejimiwe, known to the masses as Ghostpoet, who I've called on a late Friday morning, though who really knows what day it is anyway. I steer clear of pushing him on his isolation routine however, as he tells me sleepily his days aren't really different from one to the other. Instead, we launch straight into his new release, the aptly named "I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep". "I guess I tried to do it in a more concentrated way. Tried to be a bit bolder and tried to talk about things, as per usual, that we're all going through," he tells me as I dive in head first, quizzing him on the inspiration for the album. The 10 track offering is dark, deep and edgy. But it's also packed full of meaning, which is always Obaro's first intention. "We're all going through levels of anxiety and a feeling of not knowing what the future holds and I wanted to reflect that as much as possible." Straight away from the first track, Breaking Cover, Obaros' deep and captivating voice reverberates in your ears, 'I am alive' he sings. Though the album wasn't written in the midst of CoronaVirus, it feels encouraging to hear those words. The rest of the tracks follow suit in the depth they have to offer. "Lyrics are important to me. More than just lyrics, it's lyrics with depth and lyrics with meaning. I'm always drawn to that rather than candy floss words" he explains, as I ask him what he wanted to portray with this piece. "I guess I've always been rooted in that world through choice

and it just so happens that the world is in a very dark moment. It's tomorrow's world to come. You know, if it was Utopia, a reflection of the 60s and 70s when everyone was loving each other and at peace, then my music would reflect that but it's not the case."

"IT'S LYRICS WITH DEPTH AND LYRICS WITH MEANING. I'M ALWAYS DRAWN TO THAT RATHER THAN CANDY FLOSS WORDS." This leads us down the rabbit hole of writing and creative process. "I don't really write in the moment, I write when it's time to write. I may write a line in the moment if something affected me in a particular way. It's rare that I'd write a whole song with that energy. I don't know why. The only things I'm able to retain nowadays are those initial emotions from a song, so I can write something today and then I can come back to it in a year and I will still remember the feelings I felt at the time." This presentation comes from a conversation about turning pain into art, something most writers will have an opinion on and as this is Ghostpoets fourth studio album, he must have a failsafe way of using his wealth of experience to craft such heart-rending songs. "I don't know if it's a subconscious thing, but I feel like I want a clearer head. A distance from that emotional 17

feeling to really do it justice. Whenever I've written in the moment I've never been a massive fan of the results. I guess I tried it, but didn't like it." What becomes clear after some back and forth is that Obaro is a perfectionist. Each part of the album has been handpicked and directed with the highest level of scrutiny. After stressing that the music is just as important as the words, he tells me a little about how the songs come together. "I write the initial compositions in a very rough format at home, then I invite musicians that I know and that I'm interested in working with then we take it to the studio. I basically direct and orchestrate their playing." At this point he laughs, "I sound like such a narcissist! I'm really not. I don't have any traditional musical training, the way I like being a musician is by giving them the original ideas and allowing them to play and give me a reaction to the ideas. Then I direct and say 'Yeah, I like that. Can we get more of this? I'll do that for hours. Those recordings are what I take away and arrange." In between being interrupted by postmen, kettles boiling and room changes ("it makes it more interesting!" he stresses) we move into the so-called collaborations, which Obaro takes great care to define in his own way. "That's another word that's been bandied around a fair bit," he explains. It's not that collaboration isn't important, it's just not what he would use to describe his music. "Collaboration seems to be a word that's used but collaborating doesn't feel right. I write all the lyrics and the music and I find artists that I admire and artists that I felt

sounded right for the songs in question and I asked them if they would like to sing my words on my record and they were happy to oblige." Two of the artists in question are Delilah Holiday from the punk band Skinny Girl Diet and producer Art School Girlfriend. From there, I ask him about the title, which carries the weight of so many connotations from its first utterance. "I write down a lot of song titles. I do that a lot more regularly than anything else. Things that I see or hear, I write it down. In summing up the record it felt so right." "That line is kind of like a reflection of the general fatigue of society and the idea of being very much overworked and underpaid and your existence feels like it's going from paycheck to paycheck. Not paid to really fulfil your dreams or desires and wholesale long term. That's where 'I grew tired' came from. The second part of it 'I dare not fall asleep,' a conflict of feeling maybe ignorance is bliss and whatever will be will be and the other side is staying awake and alert, making sure that one is ready for the opportunity or potential of a better life or a better existence for one's self." Our conversation moves on and we discuss matters such as his new music video for single Concrete Pony where Obaro himself features heavily,("It felt like I wanted to push the envelope a bit. Come out of my comfort zone a little bit in terms of performing") and the importance of learning to produce yourself ("I would encourage anyone to give it a go because it's definitely possible.")

Words by Ella Guthrie

But as I feel the conversation wrapping up and our time limiting, I build the courage to ask him a couple of things which I feel the need to quiz all artists when I meet them. Do they want praise? And what do they want to leave behind? Aware of the current circumstances this question feels all the more poignant now we're locked inside, unable to physically reach out. For Obaro, they bleed into each other and he offers them to me sort of as a beacon of hope.

"I JUST WANT TO MAKE WHAT I WANT TO MAKE AND IF YOU LIKE IT YOU LIKE IT. THAT'S MY ENERGY." "I definitely want my music to stand the test of time and I always want to write music which has meaning. A lot of the time, that legacy thing comes about when you're gone so maybe I'll never see it. The future generations will maybe be able to see what I couldn't see. So because of that feeling, I don't think about it too much. I just keep trying to make what I want to make. It's gotten easier to do that the longer I do it because there's a lot of external pressure to make particular things or go down a particular route because that seems like the area you'll get love from and I've always been anti-that. I just want to make what I want to make and if you like it you like it. That's my energy."

"Positive feedback or love for my work is great, but I feel if I like it too much it will potentially sway what I want to make. It's how I'm feeling about art. It's like squash. If it's a bit too sweet it gets sickly. It's lovely when people do come up to me and say those things and it means a lot to me, but I always kind of take it in and pull it into the cupboard in my mind which is reserved for when I feel really low and gives me a boost when I need it. But if I dwell on it too much, it's almost like resting your morals on it." But that's specific to Obaro's own artistic path, and not the one everyone needs to follow. "Everyone takes those things in their own way and there's no right or wrong way to do it. That's just how I feel about my art." But to end on a slightly happier note, we look to the future, and the possibility that we'll be able to absorb the energy of this release and all the others together soon. I ask him what he plans to do when he gets to perform again, hoping for a detailed set and setlist, but instead he laughs. "Play live. Get drunk. Probably." His philosophy nowadays is one of less complications. "I am trying to simplify my life one day at a time, and I just want to play live and experience the live thing again with my band and connection to the audience and have fun times." I for one can't wait to see it. The new album 'I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep' is out now.

Photography by Emma Dudlyke

GIVE IT UP FOR THE HEALTHCARE HEROES Help spread thanks to those on the frontline. #MakeItBlue has been organised to say a massive thank you to our brave medical professionals and frontline workers, who are risking their own health to care for others. 1. CREATE This could be a video, a photo, messages of support – anything that spreads positivity and thanks. The only rule is, make it blue. 2. UPLOAD Just add our hashtag #MakeItBlue when uploading to your social channels. 3. SHARE Help spread the message further – just nominate your friends and family to get involved too. We think the brave medical professionals and frontline workers are amazing, let’s make sure they know. Please share this message and spread the positivity. #MakeItBlue

Make It Blue UK

@makeitblueuk

#MAKEITBLUE

#STAYATHOME 19

NHSMAKEITBLUE.ORG

IN FOCUS

As a clinically effective app that offers 24/7 support for mental health and wellbeing, Thrive helps with the early detection, prevention and management of common disorders such as anxiety and depression, as well as building resilience so that users can feel empowered to improve their mental health. It tackles common stressors such as sleep, bereavement, work issues and more via the use of evidence-based therapies such as CBT, meditation, deep muscle relaxation, breathing exercises and distraction games.

Music Support has also launched weekly online support groups. This initiative will allow the music industry's 12 Step recovery community to continue to connect during the Covid-19 lockdown. Meetings will take place online every Monday until 8 September 2020. Please visit the Music Support website for more information.

Music Support Managing Director, Eric Mtungwazi explains: "The 12 Step Support Group Meetings have been a key part of our Simon Jay, Thrive's Commercial Director says: work backstage at festivals during the typical "We're really proud to be supporting the team at summer season. This year, as we're unable to Music Support. We've been aware of the fantastic offer this service in-person due to the lockdown work they've been doing for a while. Hopefully, which has resulted in the cancellation of festivals Thrive will be a welcome addition to many in the across the UK - we're delighted to now be able to offer support online and keep this community but proactive and preventative mental health connected." support." www.musicsupport.org/online-12-stepThe to download Thrive via support-group the Music Support website will receive it on a free personal and secure. www.musicsupport.org/thrive-app

5 QUESTIONS

SWEET WHIRL WHO ARE YOU?

I'm Esther Edquist, aka Sweet Whirl.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I'm a songwriter, so usually I'm trying to express in song what can't be said in words alone. You know, sometimes you hear yourself describe a situation or a feeling and it's not nuanced enough, you can admit that your mind will change in the future. Songs are a way of allowing for multiple readings, other possible moods, and the words are just the props on stage for anyone to come along and try out, to wield with their own intention, flex their own moods.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I've tried to leave music alone and prune it into a hobby, and I've been a big listener of music all my life, but there always comes a point for me where there's no way forward in my own thoughts, as they stand, and no way forward via listening to others'. I process myself, experience myself, my

thoughts, opinions, crises, hopes, solutions best when I have to work it all out via music.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

Well the second single, "Sweetness" from my forthcoming Album 'How Much Works', was released recently, a few weeks into lockdown here in Melbourne, and while I've been a bit distracted from all the usual excitement of a release it's been really nice getting messages from people I know and love, telling me how much they're enjoying the track. It's such an upbeat track, it was a real mind-bender for me to transform what I'd written on piano, heavy jazz chords etc, to this light and fun song. It was an exercise in letting my usual emotional intensity take a backseat and channelling the clever sunshine of pop. I'm glad it came out during this weird-arse bleak time.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

In Australia, I think there's a changing awareness of just how 21

important the music industry is. We don't have anywhere near the amount of opportunities or revenue that, say, the American music industry has but as a community, and an economy, the industry is very valued. I think that's evident in all the press that gathered around the music fundraisers for the summer bushfires, and more recently all the concern for people in the industry who really rely on live music for an income. Being a musician when I was young was a bit of an oblique career choice.. you're drifting on to some unsealed backroad that your parents sort of wish you hadn't taken. I think recently there's been a big change within the industry as well as the broader Australian community; a realisation that live music, and local music, is really valued, and something we're all proud of. The debut album, 'How Much Works' out on Chapter Music on May 29th Photography by Traianos Pakioufakis

DIGGING DEEPER

ORCHARDS ON MUSIC AND THE MIND...

Hi. I'm Lucy from Orchards.

It is more important than ever to check in on others. Make sure your loved ones are staying physically and mentally safe. Empathy is key right now. But let's talk about your mind, huh? We as a band pride ourselves on creating safe, inclusive and positive spaces. Our shows are environments where you can be whoever you want to be, whilst dancing your socks off to indie summer bops. We've just released our debut album 'Lovecore', the week before lockdown actually, so our minds are all over the 'essential' shop. Whilst writing this record, like any artist, we put ourselves under huge amounts of pressure. Pressure to get it right, pressure to do a good job, pressure to be our very best. But pressure is not a creativity producing environment, so that's where

self care comes in. Musicians (as clichĂŠ as it sounds) live with their hearts on their sleeves. The more honest and open you are with your mind and thoughts, the more creative it allows you to be. Now we aren't reinventing the wheel here, we're just trying to make you smile and bring a little happiness into your day. But the topics we chose to speak about are completely raw and open. The lead single off our record is called 'Sincerely Overwhelmed', something Sam (our guitarist) said to me pre-show last year when I was mid anxiety-attack before a headline gig. And that's it. Overwhelmed. There is such expectation and pressure on our generation to be nothing but flawless and 'instagram perfect' all the time, but that's simply not real life. We put socially negative topics with positive upbeat music. The lyrics were emotional for me, sometimes a little too close for comfort, but the benefit of this 23

is the emotion is strong enough to reach the listener and maybe make you dance a little and get some negative energy out of your subconscious. During recording, we made sure to take time for ourselves. Music aside. Just some good family time. Throw the nerf rocket around, play a little football, listen to some podcasts. Clear our minds so when we arrive back to create nothing but the music matters. Wow. Cheesy but music is cheesy. I suppose in conclusion, take the time. Make the time. Find the time. It exists. Open the pressure valve otherwise you'll explode. The music industry (life) can be a difficult place to be sometimes but with the correct amount of empathy and self care, anything can be achieved. Anything is possible. The debut album 'Lovecore' is out now, they tour the UK this September. Photography by Jessie Morgan

MILK TEETH

Talking about staying positive, being kind with yourself and moving forward. Milk Teeth have grown through to be an outspoken and resilient trio. 24

For Milk Teeth penning hard hitting alt rock bangers is now almost second nature. Their self-titled release brushes aside a turbulent past and sees them ranking in the top twenty of Apple Music's rock charts, turning their narrative into a brave new sound. "It was definitely a peaks and troughs process. There were times where it was the last thing I wanted to put myself through but then there were times where the people around me really encouraged me. I managed to find a weird therapy in getting the songs out there." lead singer and bassist Becky Bloomfield affirms to me. "I've been demoing some of the tracks since 2017 and it's been refreshing to get fresh input on them." making this release all the more cathartic. After meeting Watford punk rockers Nervus on tour, singer and guitarist Em Foster and drummer Jack Kenny join Bloomfield following Oli Holbrook's decision to pursue an alternative career giving a fresh, uplifting sound to the band.

Although Em and Kenny are very different players they are also very versatile so we can bring that in while still being consistent to the Milk Teeth sound."

"IT'S IMPORTANT TO STICK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AS A COMMUNITY BUT ALSO TAKE TIME FOR OURSELVES" Milk Teeth run self-care sessions before gigs, allowing fans to unwind and open up about mental health issues in safe spaces while getting creative alongside the band. It is clear that they embrace a strong sense of collectivism which we both agreed is important for supporting each other and their fans through such difficult times at the moment.

"I've been trying to message people online as well as live streaming me making breakfast for catch ups and checking in with our fans. It is a lonely and difficult time. I "Our sound has always think it changes for each been hard to box. I think it individual each day and falls somewhere between even people who don't alt rock and noisy pop. have a predisposition This line-up change to mental health plays to our advantage. issues are feeling the 25

struggle as they aren't normally faced these feelings. It's important to stick together and support each other as a community but also take time for ourselves because if we're not okay as individuals how can we be good for other people." I felt this was reflected as a two-way conversation flowed naturally with Becky asking as well as answering questions as we discussed food, coffee, music and pets getting us through the downtime. "I've been listening to Jose Gonzalez's debut album and a lot of the records that remind me of being fifteen which I think is a comfort thing. Biscuits too, I've been eating a lot of biscuits. We recently got a Pomeranian puppy called Frank and looked after a tortoise for a weekend so we've been playing with them too." Milk Teeth have also been an active voice on other important issues besides mental health such as politics and gender. All band members use their podium, as well as extending support to smaller grass roots movements, to back their views of equality and diversity in an industry that, by and large, still has a long way to go.

"With the generation that we live in, now more than ever, it's important to use the voice that you have. That's something we always try to do even if it's not in the songs, when we speak on stage and just have a microphone or a platform. If there's something we want to bring attention to then we will. It's important to not just talk about the fun stuff all the time but also to challenge peoples' beliefs. I know there are unwritten rules about bringing politics into the music industry as it can sometimes break relationships and not necessarily work in your favour but for us, morally, it's more important to say what we think than it is to have a big money making connection or be afraid of pissing someone off."

sector of the industry that we're in because there hasn't really been a video that included that many people before." This album also marks a rebrand in the visuality as well as the sound of Milk Teeth with a more developed and refined feel. There was clearly a concept with the record as it is broken down into four parts in the EP releases.

"MORE THAN EVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO USE THE VOICE THAT YOU HAVE. THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN THE SONGS"

a strong visual identity flowing through the record." These times force the best of us to be adaptable in careers. Becky tells me "I've started part time work which has picked up to around 50hr a week now. I think we're all very fortunate to be in work while others aren't but that is quite stressful. Em has started doing delivery driving for Iceland and Jack has been doing loads of drum lessons online including some with Zock from Petrol Girls all the way from Austria. We're all trying to crack on with our personal shit but also not disconnect and be there for people too."

In an environment like the music industry where turmoil often can be the demise of bands, it is The single 'Transparent' hugely encouraging to released from the album see a band come through is a piece of art that truly "All merch designs have such a difficult time and reflects their values as a been done by Em since flourish while continuing band. "The 'Transparent' she joined and it's nice to stay true to their values video was really special. to have them connected and genuinely care about It was really cool to get in a timeline. The album their fans. Milk Teeth so many creative people artwork is done by Jens are regarded incredibly in the room from all Wortmann who we were highly of in many different different backgrounds, going to approach but circles which speaks gender identities, races who, weirdly enough, sent volumes to their honesty and sexual identities. This us some posters for the and kindness. has always been really German shows and we important to us, as we connected that way. It The album 'Milk Teeth' want our shows and our was a dream collaboration is out now on Music fan base to be as broad as really. I then worked from For Nations, with a possible and welcoming to there with Billy Price from rescheduled tour to all. I think it broke some Puppy on the video for come. boundaries within the Destroyer. I think we have Words by Callum Ritchie

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

SHEFFIELD

INTRODUCTION I went into writing this with a muted sense of panic. I'm not from Sheffield, and now is not the time for a day trip to have a root around. I was certain it'd make writing this beyond tough; how can I possibly talk with fond familiarity about something I'm completely incapable of exploring? Yet against all odds I'm here, working on one of the most life-affirming pieces I've ever written. In the midst of pandemicincited chaos, it's refreshing to see a community utilising and sharing resources to make coping that little bit easier. Digging deep into

the unfamiliar, the lust for livelihood in this city is beyond resilient. There's been a relatively seamless adaptation to this new way of life; musicians, producers, venues and shops act as vital community gateposts for those looking for something to lean on. So, this is it. This is your toolbox; use these people, services and online communities to keep creating when the cards feel like they're stacked against you.

PRODUCERS With what feels like all the time in the world to perfect new music from home, conquering the production side of things is when it can all start to go a bit skewwhiff. Sheffield producer Federico Telesca is offering a helping hand to artists during lockdown; working with the likes of Sub Machine, Keyframe and Outta Peak, if you're looking to pump your single with a boat load of attitude and get it that welldeserved radio play, he's your man.

It seems that from the outside looking in, maybe the world www.federicotelesca.co.uk isn't quite as bad as we all thought. 28

MUSIC SHOPS Let's say you've always fancied yourself as the musical sort, but never had the time to pick up an instrument and give it a whirl. Rich Tone Music may have closed their doors last month, but with daily listings of guitars galore on their social media, if now isn't the time to master Stairway To Heaven, when is? Don't worry if you're stuck on what guitar you need, their YouTube channel offers solace, boasting heaps of playthroughs to show you what each guitar sounds like so you can find your best fit. www.richtonemusic.co.uk

ARTISTS If you're an artist looking for some isolation inspiration, turn your attention to the Jarr'ed Up Arts Lab. Founded by Sheffield band Blackwaters, the Facebook group is home to hundreds of local creatives, and is a free-thinking space to share ideas, creations and to look for potential collaborators near you. Not quite enough to get your Blackwaters fix? Their weekly Sunday podcast is aired on YouTube from 9pm, chatting all things music with plenty of opportunities for listeners to get involved.

RECORD LABELS Sheffield natives Hudson Records have launched their Listening Club on Folk Radio during isolation, and are providing full album commentaries from the artists behind the music every Sunday morning. The broadcast itself may be pre-recorded, but through the power of live-streaming listeners can use the Facebook comments section to chat with the artist in question for the duration of each show.

RECORD SHOPS Spinning Discs aren't relying on the usual methods of record delivery during lockdown, with their approach www.hudsonrecords.co.uk requiring no first-class stamps or three to five working days wait. On shop owner Martin's daily walk, he takes with him a selection of records to individually deliver to nearby residents missing out on their weekly vinyl browsing session, injecting a personal touch into each delivery. They're also re-sharing their Front Room sessions, with music from the likes of Speed For Lovers, Nick JD Hodgson, The EVENTS Harriets and more. Dive in! Peddler Night Market are known for hosting some of spinningdiscssheffield.co.uk the UK's best street food vendors and live music every month, but with the lockdown in place their free entry event is surely struggling to stay afloat- right? Never one to turn their back on a good challenge, Peddler Night Market remains alive and kicking. With music and DJ sets from 7pm every Saturday night available on their Facebook page, the event is now hosted on a weekly basis, with a new food delivery service in the works too. peddlermarket.co.uk

Words by Abi Whistance

Artwork by Andrew Benge

PHOTO BOOTH

ISOLATION

01 GHOSTPOET 02 SEAZOO 03 SWEET WHIRL 04 NIKI STAVRIANOU 05 MELENAS 06 BECCA MANCARI 07 SKY VALLEY MISTRESS 08 IZZY CAMINA 09 TEAM PICTURE 10 PRIMO! 11 LIZ GORNY 12 MEADOW MEADOW

MYSTERY JETS In the face of political crisis, 'A Billion Heartbeats' is a Mystery Jets' call for community spirit. But for it to happen, they had to get off that glacierâ&#x20AC;Ś 36

Blaine Harrison doesn't get homesick. After nearly twenty years on the road at the helm of Mystery Jets, he embraces living out of a suitcase, allowing the change in scenery to influence his musical direction. As is his custom when the urge to start a new record strikes, he sought out isolation in late 2017, and found himself in Iceland, pondering over the ideas that would shape the band's seventh album. Little did he know, inspiration was breaking all the way back home. "I was hiking and I was halfway up a glacier, as you do." He recalls. "I was having a bit of a holiday from social media, but I managed to get some phone signal, and I saw that lots of my friends were at the International Women's Day Marches right across the world. I just had this very emotional reaction; part of it was being on my own in the most isolated place I'd ever been, but then a bigger part of it was just realising that the world is changing before our very eyes. In a strange way, Trump's presidency has brought about this whole conversation around gender equality and human rights - the #MeToo and Times Up's conversation were very much catalysed in the wake of his coming into power. I had this very strong pull to come back, and when I did, I started going to protests religiously â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every weekend for about 18 months." Taking an almost studious approach, Blaine's research took him far and wide in a mission to understand more about why people gather in the name of change. "I went to everything; the Solidarity Sleepout for child refugees in Calais, Pride, the Extinction Rebellion takeovers of the bridges, Black Lives Matter, Free Tommy Robinson." He explains. "I felt it was actually really important to see both sides of conversations, especially if you're a liberalminded person, which I am.

It felt really important to me to remove myself from the echo chambers of left-wing media - going on marches 100% populated by people on the complete opposite on the political spectrum to myself was really educational."

"I THINK IT PERHAPS TOOK UNTIL NOW TO FIND THE COURAGE AND THE EMOTIONAL CONFIDENCE TO TURN THE LENS ON THE OUTSIDE WORLD." Tommy Robinson and Britain First marches became the driving force behind 'Screwdriver', the records heavy opener that invites the listener to 'fight them with love'. "When I went on those marches, what I actually saw was not a gathering of evil people," he reasons. "It was just people from working-class backgrounds - communities whose jobs have been taken away from them by the Conservative government. These are communities who have been hurting for 20, 30 years, but they're being brainwashed by the rhetoric of the tabloids. They're looking for someone to blame, and the communities time and time again who have the blame pinned to them are migrants, marginalised people who have come to country with nothing and become the targets of people's frustrations. I think we're living in the information age where everybody is just trying to get by and swim in this very confusing bit of history. For me, that path is songwriting; I'm not a journalist, I don't go to protests to report, but 37

what I can do is try and put the feelings I sense around me into music." Despite it's heavy subject matter, 'A Billion Heartbeats' has a universally uplifting message. Musically speaking, the pep and fun of a Mystery Jets record is firmly in place, while the lyrics tackle everything from climate change and racial inequality to mental health and gender equality, a notable shift from the personal nature of their earlier work. With so many ideas in the mix, there's a certain risk of being perceived as cashing in on the zeitgeist, especially for a band normally known for a more straightforward indie hit. Did he fear coming off as performative? "We talk about questions of privilege, and whether it's your battle to fight etc., but whether that was at Black Lives Matter or Pride, I never felt a sense of 'you're not welcome here,'" he says. "As a person with a disability, by proxy I belong to the disabled community. But if an able-bodied person wants to stand up for disabled rights, then I'd just say fucking well done to that person. As a band, we've perhaps shied away on previous records from talking about what's going on in the world around us, and I think that's partly an age thing - in your twenties you're experiencing life at a gazillion miles an hour. Heartbreak, finding your place in the world, carving out relationshipsâ&#x20AC;Ś all these things have such a profound effect on you and really shape who you are, and I think it perhaps took until now to find the courage and the emotional confidence to turn the lens on the outside world." Where Blaine can draw on a multitude of direct experience, is with the NHS. Born with spina bifida, complications resulting from his condition lead to an elongated hospital stay in late 2019, delaying the

initially planned release of the record. From the experience comes ones of the albums most poignant moments – 'Hospital Radio', a track that speaks to the necessity of open-access healthcare. "Half of my body is full of pins and metal, so am I literally built by the NHS!" he smiles. "It's thanks to having so many incredible people helping me over the years that I've been able to do my job, to stay on the road and make records. That song very much felt like a chance to express my gratitude and pay back a little of what they've done for me. I think it's resonated in some ways, like nothing we've ever done before, because it's come at a time where the very future of the NHS is under such question. I've been ill on both sides of the Atlantic, and when I got sick in America, it was cheaper for me to fly home to get my antibiotics and be seen by

my doctor than it was to get antibiotics from a private health clinic. It really isn't a joke, but in the UK at least, I feel quite positive about it now – the ClapForOurCarers which has been happening over the past few weeks has really reaffirmed this nations appreciation of the NHS." Although Coronavirus may have delayed 'A Billion Heartbeats' physical release yet again, its digital existence seems to have come at exactly the right time – spreading a message of hope and resilience that while perhaps not the vaccine we need, is at least capable of raising morale. A few months back, the band took a further hit by the departure of original guitarist Williams Rees – a perfectly amicable split, but another nudge towards reevaluation. Despite everything thrown Mystery Jets way, Blaine is determined to keep his eyes on the bright side.

"I truly believe that music finds you when you need it most – it can lift the human spirit like nothing else." He says, "When all of this is over, we can't go back to 'normal' – normal wasn't working. I'm not superstitious or a conspiracy theorist by any means, but I do think this is an opportunity to really think about the way we have been living, the way that the world has been run. It's a chance to really reassess what's truly important to us, which is simple really – it's human connection, it's food, it's family, home – these are the things we need. Everything else is just nice to have. I just feel grateful that this record is out at all, and can serve whatever use people need it to." The album 'A Billion Heartbeats' is out now, with a UK Tour in November.

Words by Jenessa Williams

CURRENT ARTISTS

THESE ARE THE ARTISTS WE'RE WORKING WITH, LISTEN + FOLLOW ON SPOTIFY

IN THE MORNING LIGHTS

CHANTE AMOUR

STRAIGHT GIRL

SUNFLOWER THIEVES

LENU

VAN HOUTEN

Open Spotify App > Search > Camera > Scan

5 QUESTIONS

PRIMO! WHO ARE YOU?

We are PRIMO!, four Melbourne based musicians in the throes of releasing our second album SOGNI which translates 'dreams' in Italian, pretty well suited to the current climate where you wake up every morning and wonder if it's all been a dream before checking the news and wanting to chuck your laptop at the wall.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Collectively we play music, separately we busy ourselves with a wide range of predominantly arts based vocations including painting, photography, printmaking, film & TV production, and Xanthe's recently moved back to Sydney to study Law and the art of legal eagling.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I don't think we have a choice. But for me, drumming, apparently I blurted out that I wanted to be a drummer when we were out

together one night. Back then Vio and Xanthe were playing together and coincidently needed a drummer so they invited me to a prac (that would be about four years ago now) Amy joined a couple of years later to play the bass, and since then we've toured overseas and played heaps of shows. My favourite show was in Krakรณw. Best crowd, best city. And we stayed in a haunted hostel and all had a really bad night's sleep.

fruit, 1 cup desiccated coconut, 1 cup chocolate chips. Bonus points, pinch of salt + cinnamon. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Easiest and best biscuits ever.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

A Melbourne band that occasionally release new music, we are big fans. Melbourne has so many great bands, maybe that's a 'hot tip' more than a 'hot topic'? We're really proud and honoured to be part of the local music community. In saying that, we're also so proud to be represented by Upset the Rhythm our UK label who continue to be wonderful and make what we do fun.

Important home based stuff. Clicker training cats, perfecting the 5-cup biscuit recipe (recipe below for any thrill seekers out there), I painted the kitchen (mellow yellow), working through the top Merchant Ivory films (The Remains of the Day.. perfect). 5 Cup Biscuit Recipe 1 cup condensed milk, 1 cup crushed nuts, 1 cup diced dried 39

"Naughty No More: Change Unwanted Behaviours Through Positive Reinforcement" by Marilyn Krieger (this is not a sponsored post but this book came highly recommended from a 4 cat household).

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

Photography by Robyn Daly

TEAM PICTURE

The Art of The Menace of Mechanical Music 40

We're releasing an album called 'The Menace of Mechanical Music' on June 12th. It's our first proper record and we're looking forward to finally being able to present to everyone this body of work that we've been creating for the past year and a bit. 'TMOMM' hasn't just been a recording project for us, there's been a really distinct visual aspect to the album that has been just as important to us as the sound of it. We were privileged enough to receive support via Help Musicians 'Do It Differently' fund last year. This allowed us to collaborate with Leedsbased artist Louis Byrne on the vast majority of the imagery surrounding 'TMOMM'. One of our number actually went to college with Louis, so we have a personal connection with him, but the work he's done over the last few years has been phenomenal, cosmic, and unique. We did a callout on our socials to which Louis responded, and the subsequent decision to work with him was not a difficult one to make. There were two separate influences which we sought to synthesise for this project with Louis. The first was an essay by an American marching-band leader called 'John Phillip-Sousa', published in 1906. Said essay is an uncannily portentous work regarding Sousa's fears of a world in which the way we interact with and create music is entirely automated, and the effect that this would have on our collective cultural identity. The imagery of his essay is a black mirroresque strand of bio-mechanical dystopian humour which we felt particularly lent itself to Louis' style. The essay has long been on my mind since I first discovered that it was a thing via a random web-content collation site probably close to a decade ago. It's one of those things that just sticks with you as something that will be important to you Words by Josh McCarthy

one day, but in a way that you don't fully understand yet. The fact that I had stumbled across Sousa's essay via an automated system lent it an extra layer of significance, as did his renown as a director of marching bands (we had adopted full marching band regalia for the touring and press imagery of our previous mini-LP 'RECITAL'). We decided to lift the title of this essay to use as the name of our album.

"IT INVOLVED US BAPTISING ONE OF OUR NUMBER IN THE RIVER BEHIND BOLTON ABBEY, AN ACT WHICH DREW A SMALL CROWD OF CURIOUS ONLOOKERS" The second influence was the triptych 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' by Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. It is a work of such mad subversion that I can barely believe it was completed in 1510. Seriously, image search that muvva and be awed. In a weird coincidence, Louis had just been to see 'The Gardenâ&#x20AC;Ś' itself at its place of rest in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, so he was well boned up on its nightmarish psychedelia. Over the course of several months we corresponded with Louis as he created his own triptych drawing from both of these sources. The tonality and specific dioramas of Sousa's essay, and the characterbased hellscape of Bosch's 'Garden'. The results of this collaboration were fruitful. We now have a trio of prints, each one corresponding to a set of images described in Sousa's essay, from idyllic garden of Eden featuring a strange mechanical bird, to the final image of a burning city under 41

the looming dominion of some messed-up part organ, part Kaiju mega-beast. As well these posters, which have been screen printed by Ellie Way of Wakefield's 'The Art House' in super limited quantities, the characters Louis created to populate his triptych have formed an important part of the images accompanying each single from 'TMOMM'. Our very own Ross Francis, bass player and graphic designer par excellence, has adapted Louis' work into the cover of the 'TMOMM' LP, and we have heavily featured the photography of another collaborator of ours, Sam Joyce (with some crucial direction by Lou Kuster), in both the packaging of the album and the media surrounding it. The photography with Sam and Lou was created one day last July. Amongst other scenes it involved us baptising one of our number in the river behind Bolton Abbey, an act which drew a small crowd of curious onlookers. This activity, combined with the long, white surgeons coats we were wearing for this shoot led some observers to believe we were some kind of strange religious sect initiating our newest member, resulting in a couple of awkward conversations (and a round of applause) after we emerged from the river. These visual collaborations I've written about here have been as crucial to the development of 'TMOMM' as the recording relationship we had with producer Matt Peel during its recording. We are very excited to be releasing something that we feel is both visually and aurally unique, and I believe that 'TMOMM' is truly a testament to the depth of talent present in the artists Yorkshire is capable of producing. www.teampictureband.com

Art by Louis Byrne

5 QUESTIONS

BILLY NOMATES WHO ARE YOU? Alrite, my names Tor. it's also Billy Nomates. WHAT DO YOU DO? I'm a musician of sorts, I do Billy Nomates, making music on my own in my room and then perform it. Back when that was a thing. WHY DO YOU DO IT? Well, I've always liked writing songs and playing bits 'n' pieces but mainly just for myself. This last year I thought I'd see if anyone else might be into it. I put some bits online and surprisingly it did alright!

I've been in various unsuccessful bands and do Billy Nomates because I just do what I want musically/ performance wise. It's all based on what I feel like doing. Not anybody else's perception or 'cool' take on what that should be. WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? I wonder what other people are putting here?! Haha. I've baked nothing... Well, not a hell of a lot. But my debut album is set for release on Invada Records around August time, so that's something. I'm making 43

demos in the meantime and I recently did a limited release Bandcamp EP to help replace some broken equipment and that was really cool. I'm moving to my dads as a temporary measure as soon as possible, just while the year pans out. He's over on the Isle of Wight. I'll be setting up a little studio in the shed. WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC? To live stream or not to live stream, that is the question. I ate a couple of yoghurts on Instagram live and it went alright.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

PAMPLONA

out of our eyes cause now that all of us are staying at our homes, the meaning fits with the actual situation and is like science fiction to us.

INTRODUCTION / MELENAS The little pic above was made before the pandemia and everything. Many of the songs of our new album are made from the inside (inside your room, inside yourself...) and we liked the idea of representing it in a picture just staying inside a space where we are looking out outside or something like that. We have added (right now) those lightning strings coming

Besides that, our album (that we are releasing on May 8th) is called DIAS RAROS (Strange Days) and it seems that everything fits right now. Who would have thought!

Göo (Dj, Villafranca (Rizos) ARTISTS Leire Urbeltz (illustrator), Txema Maraví (poet / visual artist / musician), Kinki Stinky (visual artist), Marina Lameiro (photographer / filmmaker), Guillermo Sarmiento (painter), Fermín Jiménez Landa (drawing, photography, installation, video), Ana Pagola (painter), Maddi Barber (filmmaker), Cristina Martinez Lana (painter), Gorka Beunza (photographer), Maite Artajo (photographer), Mirari Echávarri (visual artist / photographer)

MUSIC There is an amazing local scene in Pamplona. Most of our friends are musicians; often the same person is a member of different bands. Kokoshca, J´aime, Exnovio, Río Arga, Los Jambos, Germán STUDIO AND RECORDING y La alegría del barrio, El Motu Recording Studio. Columpio Asesino, Fermin This is the studio where we 44

recorded our first album, our 7'' and part of our last album. The owner is Guillermo Fernandez Mutiloa and he is a very good friend of us, he is very talented and has brilliant ideas. Many of the bands we mentioned before have recorded their albums in this studio. Montreal Studios. Hans Kruger is a musician and producer of many national and local works and his works have been published in dozens of record labels such as Mushroom Pillow, Subterfuge or Limbo Starr.

VENUES El Nébula. We call it our home, the place where we all met and where Melenas were born. The best gigs in town, many of our favourite bands from all over the world have played here: Sonny and the Sunsets, Shannon and the Clams, Holy Wave… a real oasis in town. Toki Leza. One of the oldest bars in town where sometimes you can watch great rockabilly, garage, country shows. We recommend the open mic on Sundays, where you can go to play, sing or just enjoy the locals playing great songs and covers. Txintxarri. Bar/venue next to Nebula bar, where you can find good indie shows and dj sessions. Words by Melenas

Katakrak. One of the best bookshops in town. Sometimes they also offer other activities such as live shows and interesting conferences. It also has a coffee bar/restaurant with vegan Nicolette. The perfect club if you want to listen to electronic music. There are dj sessions every weekend. Katos. Here you can find electronic music: house, techno, disco… It's open until 7 a.m. so it's always very crowded, specially on Saturdays. Cavas. This bar opens until 7 a.m. too, sometimes there are gigs and dj sessions too. The music is different any time, from pop to hip-hop, trap, heavy, garage or electronic music.

GIGS AND EVENTS Pim Pam Ville, SantasPascuas, Flamenco on Fire, Postre Club, Pumpk!, Festival Punto de Vista, Beltza Weekend. HISTORICAL FACTS Pamplona was the capital of the former Kingdom of Navarre, which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees (in Spain and France). From XVIth to XXth century Pamplona was a fortified city, and it still has its most of its walls and the Citadel, you can go for a nice walk and admire the views. It's one of the best preserved fortifications in Europe. RECORD SHOPS Dientes Largos. Magic spot, great vinyl shop where you can find new or second hand treasures. Specially rock and roll, garage, psychedelia and indie and a bit of the rest :))

Zentral. The biggest venue (capacity of 1000 people), located at the town centre. All [Clic…] A new place kinds of music. dedicated to electronic music and club culture: record store, workshops, live shows...

LGBTQIA+ SCENE AND COMMUNITIES Harrotu (supporting centre), Albina Stardust (drag show, talks), Euskabaret (band), Nicolette (club). RECORD LABELS Nebula Recordings, Farmway Records. PROMOTERS In & out.

INSTRUMENT SHOPS El Infiernito. This is our favourite. They have guitars and bass specially but they help with everything you need for you instrument. Great pedals too :)) WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS Huarte Contemporany Art Centre. It is a centre for artistic production, experimentation and research. It offers material, economic and training resources to the artistic community. The new album 'Dias Raros' is out 8th May via Trouble in Mind.

Photography by Dani Canto

5 QUESTIONS

SKY VALLEY MISTRESS WHO ARE YOU?

Russell "Russell" Russell.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Bassist in Sky Valley Mistress.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I accidentally ended up playing bass in Sky Valley Mistress. I come from a long line of engineers and was unemployed a few years back. One day I was watching TV and saw an advert for an engineer position at a local factory called Grind My Gears. I turned up and there was a band practicing there who had no bass player. I got up and sang all the bass notes for a full practice and that was enough to get me in the band. The next day I had to go out and buy a bass to go out to the desert and record our debut album at Rancho de la Luna and now I'm here.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

out the other side! The hot topic in music right now and has been for the past few years is politics and how our country is run - sorry, controlled - by people who do not care about our wellbeing and do not help anyone but the rich but beating this virus is more important than thinking about that right now, I suppose.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

Our album came out just as the UK lockdown came into place which meant postponing shows but it felt like a weirdly appropriate time to bring out a record with a board game in the gatefold!.

In my world right now I'm pretty pissed about everything that's going on but we're all in this together working through it. It's making us adapt and write in new ways. After working on releasing our album, Faithless Rituals a bit of time apart ain't gonna kill us either!. Obviously the hot topic right now is the big ol' virus that's killing huge amounts of people. To me it's bad 'cause we can't play gigs or practice or record properly. I'm going to work, to go home, to go back to work y'know but like I've said it's filling everyone with a sense of solidarity 'cause this isn't singling out individuals. We've all got to work through it and come 46

The new album 'Faithless Rituals' in out now on New Heavy Sounds.

Photography by Tom Bronowski

5 QUESTIONS

BECCA MANCARI WHO ARE YOU?

My name is Becca Mancari, and I play music under my name.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I am a multi instrumentalist, but my main instrument is guitar. I also am the primary songwriter and singer. I am working on growing in production, but my main strengths are in performing live music, and I can't wait for that to happen again.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I do it because I have too. It feels like in my gut I know that this is my only path, and I feel most at home when I am on the stage. It's like something takes over me, and for one hour I am truly a peace when I play music. I definitely know that this can be a hard life at times, but the reward is overwhelming... and when you

really connect with your audience it's everything.

"IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE OPEN IN MY MUSIC, AND HOPE FOR A DAY WHEN WE ARE ALL TREATED WITH THE SAME LOVE AND RESPECT" WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

I am releasing a new record called, "The Greatest Part" out on June 19th via Captured Tracks, it will be my first time releasing a record with a label, and I am very happy it is with them. Because 48

of the Coronavirus, I don't know if we will be able to tour right away, but I remain hopeful! If we can, we will be opening up for my friend Brittany Howard from the band Alabama Shakes this fall, with more touring to follow!

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

Being a queer woman in this industry I have a lot of fans who will come up to me at the merch table, and tell me their stories about coming out, or about how they are thankful to have a record of songs that they can relate to. Because there are still such a fight for true equality for all, I feel like it's important for me to be open in my music, and hope for a day when we are all treated with the same love and respect. The new album 'The Greatest Part' is out June 19th. Photography by Zac Farro

#SAVEOURVENUES

SAVE OUR VENUES

OVER 400 GRASSROOTS MUSIC VENUES ACROSS THE UK ARE AT IMMINENT RISK OF BEING CLOSED. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED, AND IT NOW FALLS TO ARTISTS, MUSIC FANS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE WIDER INDUSTRY TO TAKE ACTION. WITHOUT THESE VENUES THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES TO CONNECT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AT A LOCAL LEVEL WILL SIMPLY DISAPPEAR. IF THEY GO THEY WILL NEVER COME BACK.

PLEASE HELP US TO #SAVEOURVENUES CROWDFUNDER.CO.UK/SAVE-OUR-VENUES 49

MASTER YOUR

CRAFT

MUSIC GAMES MEDIA EVENTS COMPUTING

Find out more Book a virtual meet & greet Visit our website

accesscreative.ac.uk

5 QUESTIONS

MEADOW MEADOW WHO ARE YOU? Meadow Meadow, or Peter Darlington and James Green. WHAT DO YOU DO? We make music drawn from shared childhood experiences growing up in Northern towns.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? We are both at home, James with his wife and new born baby, and Peter rediscovering a love of yoga.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC? We've been talking about how good UK independent WHY DO YOU DO IT? music is right now. There's so The music we make is many different sounds and incredibly cathartic for us, but worlds being created that all also a constant source of joy. feel original. Our favourites: We do what we do because it Anna B Savage (otherworldly feels good. voice and beautiful poetic 51

lyrics), Jockstrap (we cant stop smiling when listening to them), Squid (high intensity Krautrock that makes us dance), Beige Palace (Leeds based excellent minimal punks). The debut EP 'Meadow Meadow' out 1 July via Practise Music.

5 QUESTIONS

SEAZOO WHO ARE YOU?

We're Ben and Llinos from the band SEAZOO! As we write, the UK is about to enter the 4th week of restrictions due to the corona virus pandemic. We're currently staying in as much as possible, here in North Wales. Ben sings and plays guitar in the band, and Llinos sings and plays keys. We've got to give a shout out to the other band members too. Mike the bassist, Dan the guitarist and Steffan the drummer they're safe and well. We all live in and around Wrexham. We're pretty lucky here as I don't think any of us are too far away from open space and country side for our daily exercise fix.

"IT WAS A TOUGH CALL. IT WAS REALLY JUST A BOWL OF PLAIN NOODLES AND SAUCE. I FEEL BETTER THAT THEY'VE BEEN USED UP. PHEW." WHAT DO YOU DO?

We're currently doing as much writing as possible while we have the time. I (Ben), write the songs and I'm making the most out of all of this spare time. I've got into a routine of writing every day. I get up around 6am, go into the 52

front room with a brew and a guitar and quietly record ideas onto my phone. Once I've got the song written I'll demo it on garage band in the evening. I'm getting so much done! It's exciting to see it come together in such a short space of time. I literally had nothing a few weeks ago. It's nice to have a routine and something to work towards.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I don't know. It's just something

I (Ben) have to do. Ever since school, and joining my first band, it's been so important to me. I've always loved writing and recording ideas. I feel so lucky that I have a creative way to express myself.

I guess it's fun and a way of socialising with like minded people. I've met some of my closest friend through music. It's also a brilliant way to see the world. We physically get to go to some smart places, but also, when I'm writing, I tend to observe things differently and that's nice too.

We just had some stir-fry. The noodles were going off - but we didn't really have any veg left. But we HAD to use the noodles. It was a tough call. It was really just a bowl of plain noodles and sauce. I feel better that they've been used up. Phew.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

Well, it's the global catastrophe WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? that's unfolding around us Well, well, well! What was meant right now! The whole world has to be happening: We released literally pretty much ground to our second album "JOY" a few a halt. It's mad. So it'll be really weeks ago (so exciting), and we interesting to see how it shapes should be on tour, right now! In the industry. The future of live Newcastle specifically. We're a music? Will venues that were DIY band, and had put so much already struggling still be there? effort into not only recording Will anyone have any money and making the record but also to do anything? To record? To booking the tour. It's been really make stuff? I hope so. disappointing as we've lost out financially, but we're looking to I guess we're pretty fortunate re-book and focusing on the as we are DIY, and do quite future and more releases. a bit of recording ourselves. We could retreat back into But what's happening right now recording at home where it all in reality? started if that's what's needed.

I guess lots of people might feel the same? It's interesting to see the way people are taking to the internet and streaming live performances at home. Perhaps that'll grow and will form part of how we consume live music in the future? It is good to see musicians thinking creatively around this. Our friends Mr Ben and the Bens have started to make a weekly TV show that's streamed live on Saturday mornings. It's a take on an 80's kid's TV show. It's really good! They're always creating stuff, it's mental the work they put in! It's inspiring! If anything, the virus has made me work much harder. The new album 'JOY' is out now on their own label Big Terry.

5 QUESTIONS

MEALTIME WHO ARE YOU?

Mealtime, an Alt Electro pop songwriting collaborative based in Manchester but from the scabby ends of Durham, Merseyside, Stockport and North Manchester.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Argue, mimic each others voices and mannerisms. Eat together more often than doing anything productive. Waste all of our collective income on unnecessary amounts of musical equipment we have no idea how to use. As well as spending ÂŁ15 in service stations on coffees and wraps when we've only eaten an hour before, in the previous service station. We also release music.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

We're doing what we're doing for two simple reasons: 1. It's quite literally the only thing we're good at. 2. If we saw six weirdos making semi-clever pop music, trying to dance around a load of synthesizers on a tiny stage, we'd probably go - "I'm glad this exists."

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

This month we'll be releasing our debit EP called "Aperitif" it includes our recent releases and some hot new music we've been working on over the last few months. It brings together a genre bending introduction to what we are as a songwriting/production collective at this point in time. We're all also dealing with the new conditions of the world falling apart around us and not being able to see each other, which is something we're very much not used to. Usually we'd all be meeting up 3-4 times a week to write, record, rehearse, gig and generally annoy each other. But we're now all confined to 6 separate soggy bedrooms, writing songs and passing the virtual parcel for future releases after the current set of songs are released. A few of us are also Key Workers and are adjusting to the new conditions of commuting to a desolate Manchester City centre to carry out mundane tasks wearing face marks and disposable gloves. Fighting off angry customers reminiscent of 54

Gollum with hand sanitiser being a suitable metaphor for the one ring.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

When will we gig again? When will anyone gig again? We were strongly hoping for a huge support tour with an artist along the lines of Daniel Beddingfield or Simon Webbe by the end of 2020. Now these goals seem all the further away. Maybe 2021 now. We used to think gigging was tedious, going backwards and forwards to London to play showcases and not getting home til 4am. The only saving grace being the best beard in the business James Kidd, our tour driver keeping the spirits up with Ozzy Osbourne trivia. But now we miss it after only a month or so without. We cant wait to get back on the road to perform a load of new music, or to be able to shoot videos and photoshoots and be together and hate each other once again. Because all of this separation is making us sickeningly sentimental. The debut EP 'Aperitif' is out now. Photography by Sara Carpentieri

NEED ADVICE ON

MARKETING & FUNDING?

SOUND CITY

ADVICELINE VISIT

SOUNDCITY.UK.COM/INFO/ADVICELINE 55

SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION

COME PL AY WITH GHOSTPOE T ENTER SHIK ARI M Y S T ERY JE T S

PICK ME UP FOR FREE OR BUY ONLINE / #009 / MAY2020

Come Play With Me / #009 / MAY2020

Articles inside

MEALTIME

SEAZOO

MEADOW MEADOW

BECCA MANCARI

SKY VALLEY MISTRESS

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH / PAMPLONA with MELENAS

BILLY NOMATES

TEAM PICTURE

PRIMO!

MYSTERY JETS

PHOTO BOOTH / ISOLATION

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH / SHEFFIELD

MILK TEETH

ORCHARDS

SWEET WHIRL

MUSIC SUPPORT

GHOSTPOET

IZZY CAMINA

MUSIC:LEEDS LAUNCHPAD

ENTER SHIKARI

MAY 2020 NEWS

Come Play With Me / #009 / MAY2020