2
3
4
5
Gallows Ghost are a female-fronted 6 piece band whose sound is described as electronic rock and roll, with some added folk, in the form of cello and violin. Kate Young, daughter of Hammer Horror diretor Robert Young, has the voice of an angel – full tones and pitch perfect.
6
They cite their influences as being Alice in Chains, Primal Scream, Maya Jane Coles, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Hammer Horror, H.P. Lovecraft, Jonathan Glazer, Iris Van Herpen – vocally however Kate reminds us of Annie Lennox or Florence Welch. Apart from singer Kate, Gallows Ghost is made up of Lewis Young (bass and keys), Mako (guitar), Hannah Lloyd (Cello), Rachel Swift, (Violin) and Jack Darvill (Drums). They’ve only been together as a band for 18 months, but their sound is slick and polished, and, with the help of Bristol producer Chris Gouldstone, have come together to make their new EP, “Arrows”, a thing of beauty. They’ve certainly not been sitting around in that time. Gallow’s Ghost has played various venues and festivals including headlining the Bestival Bandstand, Bush Hall, Oxjam, Wilderness, Secret Garden Party and Metropolis Studio Sessions and other places around the UK, where they are gaining a steadily-‐increasing fanbase. “Arrows”, title track from the EP, is due for release on 26 January. It’s a haunting melody with soaring strings and pulsing drumbeat. Gallows Ghost will be performing an acoustic set at The Camden Lock Tavern on February 5th and will have a full live gig for their EP launch at Hoxton Bar & Grill on February 25th. The EP will be released on 23 February. EP: Give us the potted Gallows Ghost story! Kate: Myself and Mako the guitarist started a couple of years ago writing folk songs together but we always had a bigger sound in our heads. And in a really bizarre and serendipitous way we started bumping into various musicians in all sorts of strange places and they gradually all became members of the band and Gallows Ghost was finally born! EP: You have a very polished style considering you’ve only been together for 18 months – to what do you attribute that? Kate: We really spend a lot of time writing and creating our tracks, pulling them apart and working them over and over before we before even get them into a rehearsal space. We have such esteemed influences we really don’t want to put stuff into the world that isn’t on a par or at least aiming to be. I must say the band are all pretty amazing musicians so that helps! EP: Tell us about your musical influences: Kate: We are into a lot of different styles. As well as coming from traditional folk like Shirley Collins, Burt Jansch and Fairport Convention, some of my favourite singers are Doug Pinnick, Chris Cornell, Layne Stayley and Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains….we kinda love a lot of old metal and grunge! We are also hugely influenced by trip hop and electronic music and adore Massive Attack, Moderat and London Grammar. The list really is endless!! I guess each member of the band has a huge melting pot of influences where they are coming from musically and the combination of that makes us sound like we do.
7 EP: Do you feel your modelling experience has helped your stage presence? Kate: I definitely think so. Whether it’s modelling, acting or music I throw myself into it with all guns blazing! I’m at my happiest being a performer and modelling has been another facet of being able to express myself. Singing is my absolute passion and love though. EP: Talk us through “Arrows”: What was it like working with Chris Goulstone? Kate: One of the most amazing and intense experiences. He has a real understanding of us as a band and what we wanted in our sound (being an original part of the Bristol trip hop scene!) And watching him work and move our songs forward was so exciting. That man has the fastest fingers we have ever seen! He is a maestro! EP: Tell us about playing Bestival – how exciting would that have been for you, headlining the Bandstand! Kate: It sooooo was!! We played our hearts out to a beautiful sea of people waving pineapples and crazy looking pirates (it was desert island theme) and it was a huge privilege to be playing at such an amazing festival….huge love always to Rob Da Bank! EP: What does the future hold for Gallows Ghost? Kate: Putting out loads more music and playing gigs with some of our heroes would be a great start! Maybe a tour with Kasabian…..Tom, Serge hello?
8
9
10
You may remember Sam and The Womp from 2012, when they shot to the UK number one spot, and achieved 4x platinum status in Australia, with their dance track “Bom Bom”! The UK band, which mainly consists of vocalist Bloom de Wilde and trumpeter Sam Ritchie, have spent the last two years bringing their party driven sound to the live circuit, and producing a baby daughter. But now they’re ready to tackle the charts again with their new track “Zeppelin”. Bloom states, ‘For me, as a musician you have the chance to set something free into the world to let it take its own journey. “Zeppelin” is like a new child ready to start its own life’. “Zeppelin” is a very different sound to “Bom Bom”. Described as a “ska-‐dance fusion” the track has potential to be another huge hit. We found ourselves dancing in our chairs after the first listen. Due to be released on February 2nd, the accompanying video is both vibrant and colourful, a perfect match for this vibrant, colourful track! The mix of Sam’s jazzed-‐up trumpets and Bloom’s Bjork-‐like vocals, give the band a truly distinctive and enjoyable sound. We look forward to Sam and the Womp’s album release later this year.
11
12
IT'S FEBRUARY, WHICH MEANS VALENTINES DAY WHICH MEANS LOVE...AND WHAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE THAN A BAND THAT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE? Alice and the Lovers hail from Swindon, a town that also spawned blonde bombshell Diana Dors and seminal 70s group, XTC. Lead singer Alice Offley wanted to get back to the 60s girl group sound and so roped in her sister Amy. They were soon joined by Rio Tasia on guitar and Rosie Lefevre on drums. Alice can play a multitude of instruments, while Amy is a guitarist. Alice and Amy were brought up on classic records from The Beatles to Kate Bush; piano playing, and family sing-‐alongs. Alice's musical influences go way further than that though. She cites retro country stars as her personal influences from 1950's country stars, like Loretta Lynn and her hero, the King of Rock n Roll, Elvis. A pianist and lover of old harmony bands such as the Shangri Las and Everly Brothers, she felt lonely playing solo gigs, so put a band together of her sister and female friends. Alice and the Lovers came together on Valentine's Day 2013. Alice and the Lovers say they make "dark romantic pop", and they're right. New single "Valentine" (out this Valentine's Day -‐ when else?) has hints of Lana del Rey and a lot of the 60s girls groups like the Shangri Las. It's cool. They're based in London these days and you can see them at the Dublin Castle on 12 February (limited tickets available).
13
14