INSIDE
Cover Image Tony Porter - MMI Issue 1 Promo Re-Launch March 2008 Sound Nation Third Floor, Redwither Tower, Wrexham, LL11 2TR Tel: 01978 664458 The Crew
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DUFFY
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ALARM!
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XFM
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WREXHAM ROCKS
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BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
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THE POP FACTORY
Editor JJ Hagar Reviews Editor Tony Porter Contributors Alan Davies, Mark Smith, Tina Randles, Chris Chorley, Andrea Jenkins, Paula Jones, Kieth Jones, Paul Richards, Alex Tedford Advertising advertising@soundnation.co.uk Submissions submissions@soundnation.co.uk Subscriptions subscribe@soundnation.co.uk
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She’s number one in the charts and our hearts and she’s been to Wrexham. Read our exclusive interview with her from Central Station, Wrexham
We’ve got it all, where they’ve been, who they’ve seen and were they are going next
We’ve got it all, where they’ve been, who they’ve seen and were they are going next
Why Wrexham is fast becoming a center for music, with analysis for top music heads and the Welsh Music Foundation
The latest album includes Dissapear, the comic strip. A good idea or just a gimmick?
The complete Welsh Music Foundation guide to whats on in the world of music in Wales
Duffy Hailing from the teeny-tiny town of Nefyn, North Wales herself, Duffy must be applauded for staying true to her Welsh roots and choosing to perform in Wrexham. So many acts snub the biggest town in North Wales in favour of playing the token cities in the South, not realising actually Wales is a big ol? country and that North and South are actually hundreds and hundreds of miles away from each other. So thankfully for us she stopped by on her tour of the UK and tonight here in the sold out sweat box of the best Live music venue North of Newport, Central Station, the Welsh soul singer showcases exactly why that was and what all the fuss is about. There was certainly a very mixed age range, an illustration of the wide appeal of Duffy's soul and Tamla Motown infused tones (This being obvious from the fact that Duffy had a DJ support act playing legendary Stax & Soul classics) the atmosphere among the crowd was one of anticipation, a sense that this was going to be something special. From the off, the young singer-songwriter did not disappoint, the petite blonde had the audience in the palm of her hand from the moment she walked on stage.? Good evening Wrexham," she said smiling and relaxed.
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sound nation issue 1 March 2008
Welsh and with this show being only the second Duffy has played since the album was released, the crowd already know the words to almost every track she plays. As she showcased songs from her already impressive repertoire, she showed she is growing in confidence, engaging the audience between songs and giving the impression that she is becoming an old hand at live performances. Unsurprisingly it was her current single, Mercy that received the biggest cheer from the crowd but it is other album tracks such as Stepping Stone and Warwick Avenue that really give the singer a chance to show the reason behind her meteoric rise to fame, her incredible singing voice. The set-list is generally a pitch-perfect run through of the album with the inclusion of 'Breaking My Own Heart?, which is available as a free download. The delightful yet haunting 'Syrup and Honey? is probably the stand out track of the evening, her amazing six-piece band is stripped down to just her and guitarist Jon Green and you can almost see the goose bumps and hairs on the necks of the crowd standing on edge.
"It's nice to be back close to home, the weather, I see, is still fine. Anyway I'm Duffy."
Duffy is everything the media have built her up to be. Her voice is ethereal and full of soul and belies her mere 24 years. When it comes to breaks in songs, she charms the crowd with her genuine, unfussy nature and witty personality and it?s clear she will not be playing venues of this size for much longer. The sell out crowd, packed in front of the stage and straining to get a better view, also seemed to know the words to every song she performed, "I know it's a clichĂŠ but thank you so much for your support." she said.
When she launched into her debut single & album title track, Rockferry, the walls of Central Station reverberated to her powerful, soulful voice. Stepping on the stage, simply dressed with a 6 piece band in tow, Duffy talks to us in a little bit of
Frequently (wrongly) compared to Dusty Springfield and Amy Winehouse, Duffy is neither one nor the other, the young singer has a lot to live up to and judging by her accomplished performance, and with a number one single and album
Photography: Tony Porter Article: JJ Hagar
already under her belt she has certainly made a good start. *Dufy returns to North Wales this Summer to play the Legendary? Wakestock? festival in Abersoch (Which is about 6 miles from her home town)
CHART-TOPPING Welsh singer Duffy wowed a sell-out crowd with a stunning performance at Wrexham’s Central Station.
issue 1 March 2008 sound nation
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The Alarm
The Counter Attack Collective 21st Century Recordings 2007
So what’s the story morning glory, well when you have done the deal, got out of the deal, then re-dealt but still the aces fall in others favour, what do you do next! You become the enemy, you supply & demand, the business world if full of stories about new model’s & the music industry being on it’s knees, Well as always, some right, some not wrong! The Alarm are a band that has survived through the changes & often was ahead of the game, so in 2007 the idea was to do one gig a month from the summertime, each gig coinciding with an E.P. release of new music, culminating in a two day event held in North Wales in January 2008 (The gathering) where an album of collected works would be released, Each release will contain original recordings by The Alarm MMVII. The Counter Attack collection will feature a minimum of 50 brand new Mike Peters’ compositions. That was the theory; This is now the absolute reality! The 'Counter Attack Collective' features a total release schedule of seven mini albums (5-8 tracks per release) plus one full length album (12 -15 tracks) the follow up to last year's critically acclaimed album 'Under Attack'. The Collective will also contain specially commissioned 'limited edition' packaging to house all eight CD's once the monthly release schedule has been completed. The Punk Rock E.P. So we start at the beginning, where the three sevens clash (07:07:07) which is a landmark for MP as it’s 30 years since it last happened (07:07:77) when he was a boy in the midst of discovering punk rock, the Clash, the Pistols, ‘The Punk Rock EP’ is a live take on that story with great live versions of Ramones, SLF, Sham 69 songs and ’45 rpm’ which has lyrics that are relevant to it ‘Spiral Scratch gave me my life back’ This is a bonus E.P. that you get when you order the whole collective, and as such is worth the investment, you have to know where you come from to know where you are going to! 6.
sound nation issue 1 March 2008
July 2007: Three Sevens Clash E.P. The boy became a man & is in the midst of his own punk rock revolution, be it digital, be it a self sufficient record company living on the inside but on the outside!, So ‘The Opening’ is a riotous call to arms, get off yer arse! Straight into the title track of the e.p. which just makes you want to jump around your living room using the dog as a guitar! ‘Kill to get what you want’ has a tribal feel and a killer walking bass line, combined with a guitar lick & vocal to die for, ‘Blanks’ has amore accessible feel to it, like an old friend, ‘Zero’s & Ones’ is only 42 seconds of statement, but listen up boys & girls for ‘Love, Hope & Strength’ is the key cut on this record, it has become much more than just a song it’s now a statement of intent, read into it what you want, but believe in it! The whole thing closes with ‘Broadcast on street airwaves’ which is straight off Capital Radio, you either get it or you don’t… *Best Track: Love Hope & Strength August 2007: Fight Back E.P. ‘The fall out’ open EP II & it’s one of the hardest Alarm songs you will ever hear, it’s proper rock, heavy rock, never heard anything from them that can compare, ‘Fight Back’ say’s what you want it to, another of the call to arms tracks, stop moaning, life sucks, but for fuck sake, smile & fight back, ‘What about the man on the street’ is political, you can read it how ever you want, say it’s anti this or anti that, but the fact that it might be just that, what it is positive action, use your brain, vote with your feet! ‘War cry’ with the harmonica opening is perhaps the most ‘Alarm’ song so far, for it sounds like an old friend, but the juxtaposed guitar of James Stevenson ensures it feels like no Alarm song ever, ‘Love is my enemy’ tells the story, the feeling, the emotion, the should I stay or should I go, will I live, will I die, what do I do it all for? Love, Love my family, Love the music, Love the life, but there is more to life than dying! ‘Life support system’ is another tale of the tape, I guess if you face the fear of not living, then you embrace the support that’s needed to continue whether you want to
or not, This songs sounds more like a ‘Poets’ song than ‘Alarm’ but it’s a welcome deviation… *Best Track: Love Is My Enemy September 2007: The Alarm Calling E.P. ‘This is not a test’ is the opening question here, what the fucking test is, well your guess is as good as mine, but life is not a rehearsal, so get going, get gone, get doing, get done, Next up is a revelation, the first time since the band formed in 1879 (lol) the word Alarm has been used in a song, but once again it’s a riotous call to arms, another in the long line of fist throwing mutha’ fucker songs that they do so well, with an immense hook, ‘Come on’ is just that, hey ho, let’s go, a strange yet infectious bass line that keeps you hangin’, like a fifties in the 70’s but here in the today, I’m not making sense, neither is this, ‘Watching me, watching you, watching them, watching us’ is the type f title that just is wrong, yet so right, the song has all the trademarks of a great alarm song, deep groove, guitar hook & vocal hold that’s twisted by the off kilter drum beat and rude boy guitar, ‘State of emergency’ with it’s run to the hills drumbeat and daddy cool guitar has you hooked from the minute it stars, the melody rides you right to the door, before spring boarding you back into the norm, ‘The all clear’ is the heads to the tails of the test, as one opened the sequence, the other closes, bookends that embrace and expire. Best Track: Watching me, Watching you, Watching them, Watching us October 2007: Situation Under Control E.P. ‘The checkout’ 20 seconds of Adamson influence! Straight into ‘Situation under control’ which steadies the boat so as to ensure that the future is bright, I’ve seen the shades, once it kicks in again we are living in a big country! ‘Change III’ follows on from the other two! Which means you got to be a fan to understand why Change is such a strong and influential word in the Alarm’s world, from the beginning it’s followed the path being here today, and chapter three is as relevant as any of the previous, ‘Milk and opportunity’ has a real early Alarm feel to it, declare yourself an unsafe building step back off the train and take some time to look around, breathe, breathe in the air, ‘Plastic carrier bags’ is a departure song for this band, it’s one of those songs that allows them to turn the corner into the final straight, it allows them to let out, let go, become one and push on, it’s one of the best songs the band has done, ever! ‘Economic pressure’ has got my mind set on you, it’s a fun yet serous song that makes you smile, makes you jive, put’s a spring in your step while making you think, an unusual song, that works on so many levels, next stop… London Calling! *Best Track: Plastic Carrier Bags November 2007: Call To Action E.P.
*Best Track: Higher Call December 2007: 83/84 Revisited E.P. Now, I hope you have a sense of humour and irony, because opener Reveille starts with that famous 3-4 & the declaration of sound that lives forever in the hearts of every Alarm fan regardless of when they got on this train bound for glory, it segways into 1983/84 where Mike Peters declares that there will be a piece of him forever in those years, you and I know how he feels for no matter if you feel the pain, the glory, lived the life, loved the joy, your
*Best Track: Badge Of Honour January 2008: The Counter Collective L.P. (Stay Tuned) This will be a collection of songs that is close to the hearts & minds of all the members of The Alarm for in 2008 the world will see the band bigger, better, stronger and more together than ever, They are now the band they always threatened to be, and the future is theirs to see and hear, they will finally take their place in the Rock ‘n’ Roll world as one of not only the UK’s best bands, but one of the best in the world…Ever. I have only three words to say… About Fuckin’ Time! Jj: 2007
issue 1 March 2008 sound nation
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Photography: Tony Porter
year is his year, his year is yours, 18 or 85, be alive, remember what made you want to do this, imagine what that young chap would have said to you back then, then understand, nothings changed, we didn’t do it for the money or the glory, we did it for the Howling Wind can you feel it’s spirit. War Song keeps the feeling flowing, it has an ‘edge’ but not in an obvious way, it’s the boy becoming a man, taking all he can and opening the door to embrace the new world that’s the same as the old world, it’s for me, it’s from them, it’s for you, Badge of Honour is a song that I hope to hear live someday for it feels so right, so at home, so like a long lost friend, when I play it in the car, I feel my foot press harder to the floor, the needle rises, I go faster until I’m just rolling along in top gear with a top tune, singing loud, when it ends I want to keep on going, no fear, no brakes, just the passion, the dream, the belief, the fact that waters keep us worlds apart, but music brings us heart to heart, Love, Hope & Strength, we reach the end of the collective with For the Faithful to remind you that without the fans the band is nothing, without the band the fans have nothing, together forever from day one to days end, remember, rejoice, re-live every drumbeat, every guitar lick, every bass line, and sing loud every word, for yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever declare yourself an Unsafe Building stand In The Poppy Fields & most importantly of all Sound The Alarm
Article: JJ Hagar
Apocalypse now! That’s the whirring helicopter sound that greets you from the opening of this the lead cut & title track Call to Action from the latest in the release schedule, a wicked up-tempo drum beat draws you from the door to the floor & it’s Stray Cat Strut guitar hook never let’s you go, I can see the floor bouncing to this for years (Don’t Let Go!) The Infomercial is under 10 seconds long, so by the time you have read this sentence it’s finished! Higher Call can be interpreted anyway you want it to, but which ever way you go there is little doubt that you will be singing along with the ‘Whoo Hoo’s’ & it’s a matter of fact that the backing vocals on this track ensure it’s the closest thing yet to anything from the band formally known as the Alarm, re-invent, re-juvanate, reconnect, somehow, someway, anyway, tomorrow or today. Rat Trap is one of the boldest tracks that the Alarm has ever recorded, with the White Trash Reggae vibe touched upon through previous Counter Collective releases and once again brings to mind the fact that this is still Radio Clash who else out there will pick up the guitar of Strummer and ensure the dial remains on the frequency, Into the Light kicks in with a marching beat and has staccato feet to pull you from one side of the room to another, dreaming, scheming, returning to glory road to drive fast forward, from Zero 2 Hero in one fell swoop, one four minute song, walk out Breathe understand that you can never go back, only forward, take that leap of faith with the band Walk Away And Be Strong sing the words, listen, don’t just hear them, Dub Police rips open the wound with the bandage ready to heal it over, 24-7, 365 days of our life it’s the flip side to the opener, the closure that makes you leave as you entered, smiling, once again, those jail guitar doors still clanger…
inimitable style. Expect the usual mix of great tunes, some classic rock numbers and Stuart espousing the merits of Saxon (yes, we didn't think there were any, either). The XFM residency Some of the biggest bands in the UK and The College Ystrad Mynach bring you an hour of radio to die for every Sunday.
The XFM residency Some of the biggest bands in the UK and The College Ystrad Mynach bring you an hour of radio to die for every Sunday. Xfm believes that our listeners want the best new music and they want to hear it first. From our specialist shows with expert presenters, to exclusive sessions from the biggest and future stars, to the music we play, we believe we deliver this like no other station. Put simply, there is hardly anyone working in the music industry that knows more about new music than John Kennedy. And as if that's not enough, he's one of the nicest people you could ever have the pleasure to meet... Knowing how to entertain almost as much as they know how to party, Pritchard and Dainton unfasten their nuts from pool tables to get behind the mic at Xfm. What's it sound like? Put it this way, it ain't Tony Blackburn. Two deck DJs? Moneyshot And Parker kick sand in their faces and laugh at their sorry excuse for starting a party. Saturday night's never been the same since they took to the airwaves. Turn it up and get your frickin' hands in the air! Eddy Temple-Morris presents The Remix ".where dance rocks" every Friday evening from 10pm, playing Xfm artists as you've never quite heard them before. Big of hair, booming of voice, Stuart Cable brightens the weekend in his own 8.
sound nation issue 1 March 2008
All of Xfm's regular output is produced and presented live from the Xfm studios in Cardiff, except for: X-posure (Mon - Thur 22:00 - 01:00),
4The XFM Playlist: March 2008 Xfm Daytime • Biffy Clyro - Who’s Got A Match • Charlatans, The - Oh Vanity • Cribs, The - I’m A Realist • Elbow - Grounds For Divorce • Enemy, The - We’ll Live & Die In These Towns • Futureheads, The - The Beginning Of The Twist • Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Find The Time • Guillemots - Get Over It • Hard-Fi - I Shall Overcome • Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong - Lonely Buoy • Kaiser Chiefs - Heat Dies Down
The Rock Show (Sun 22:00 - 01:00),
• Kids In Glass Houses - Easy Tiger
The Remix with Eddy Temple-Morris (Fri 21:00 - 01:00),
• Los Campesinos - Death To Los Campesinos
Weekender with Steve Harris (Sat 18:00 - 21:00),
• Kooks, The - Always Where I Need to Be • Madina Lake - House of Cards • Mark Ronson feat.Phat Planet - Just • MGMT - Time To Pretend • One Night Only - Just For Tonight
The Live Hour (Sun 20:00 - 21:00),
• Plain White T’s - Hate (I Really Don’t Like You)
XFM Residency (Sun 21:00 - 22:00)
• Ting Tings, The - Great DJ
Live From Leicester Square (Fri 18:00 - 18:15) which are broadcast live from Xfm's London studios, Leicester Square. Xfm runs regular events in South Wales including show-themed club and live nights (X-posure Live, Music: Response) Each December we also organise Xfm's Winter Wonderland, a charity gig featuring the year's biggest and best Xfm artists with all profits going to the homeless charity Shelter. Xfm also see our audience as part of the most vital music community in the country and aim to encourage involvement in shaping the future of music through initiatives such as:
• REM - Supernatural Superstitious • We Are Scientists - After Hours • Vampire Weekend - A-Punk • Wombats, The - Moving To New York • Young Knives, The - Up All Night
Xfm Evening • Band Of Horses - No One’s Gonna Love You • Blackout, The - It’s High Tide Baby • Boy Kill Boy - Promises • British Sea Power - No Lucifer • Cage The Elephant - In One Ear • Cloud Room, The - Blackout • Does It Offend You, Yeah? - We Are Rockstars • Dykeenies - Waiting For Go • Envy and Other Sins - Highness • Fightstar - Floods • Gallows - Just Because You Sleep Next To Me
XU - every week day
• Johnny Foreigner - Our Bipolar Friends
10am - 4pm, you shape the sound of Xfm South Wales with requests, reviews and news comments.
• Les Savy Fav- Party Lee
Xfm Rock school Xfm's two times Sony Gold Award winning competition to find the best young band in South Wales.
• Lines, The - Domino Effect • Lowline - Monitors • Maple State, The - For The Temperate Lives • My American Heart - Boys! Grab Your Guns • Naked & The Boys - If You Find Love • Neon Neon - I Lust U • Operator Please - Get What You Want
Xfm Uploaded
• Shoes, The - Knock Out
our ongoing search for the best new musical talent with local high-profile exposure for each week's winning artist.
• This City - Kids With Fireworks
• Teenagers, The - Love No • Vincent Vincent And The Villains - Pretty Girl