FMS Issue 07

TRENDS OTS SHO N HIO FAS FIVE UNSIGNED AND A POSTCARD FROM chicago

dly drawn boy PLUS // mysteryjets ////bama gnetic man

freelance whales people cherry ghost // foster theel ren son everything everything // ka plants & animals // AND MORE... ÂŁ3.00 Printed in the UK

autumn 2010

Flip My Switch

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DAYTONA LIGHTS 1.Lillian (Demo) 2.At Least I Know I Tried (Demo) brilliant mind 3.Our Osprey 4.Leave Your Friends Behind boy mandeville 5.Crisis 6.We Need More Stuff babeshadow 7.Sea Serpents 8.For Me the wild mercury sound 9.Chemistry 10.Clingfilm

subscr ibe to

FMS

turn to for detpage 92 ails

BONUS TRACKS Sam radseresht 11.Stranger 12.This Is Your Song Catherine Ad 13.Missiveh 14.Carry Your Heart (A Green Future Remix) the Alumni 15.No Order the hosts 16.Would You Be Blue

COPYRIGHT Š 2010 All rights of the producer and the owners of the work reproduced reserved. Unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this record prohibited.

Sponsored By

www.metropolis-group.co.uk

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Editor-in-Chief Sarah Hardy Photo Editor Michael Robert Williams Art Editor Elliott Webb Fashion Editor Rebekah Roy Music Editor Andrew Future Style Editor Jodie Ball Sub-Editor Matthew Finnegan Web Designer Kellie Watton Contributors

Adam Ficek, Andrea LaBarge Mills, Andy Wright, Allison Mulimba, Charlotte Armstrong, Christopher Dadey, Claire Coulton, Clare Lewington, Connie Hart, David Sue, David Swanson, Dom Gourlay, Fabio Gomes, Hannah Rogers, Jenna Walker, Jennie Warren, Karolina Kivimaki, Kate Brock, Kristen Shea, Laura Nineham, Lauren Mills, Lettie Waller, Lucia Anna Camilloni, Martyn Sinister, Michael Bennett, Natalie Van Zee, Natasha Wynarczyk, Patrick Gower, Philip Honour, Rachel Louise Jones, Rhian Jones, Ryutaro, Samira Andersson, Shinji Uezumi, Shirlaine Forrest, Simon Willmore, Stephen Kelly, Stuart Gadd, Takashi Kamei,Teiji Utsumi,Tomoyuki Tatematsuo

Special Thanks To

Alex Glendy @Next Models, Eve @ First Model Management, Florian @ M&P Models, Dirty Harry, Horse & Groom, Marissa Jane @ Bookings Models, Metropolis Group, Oliver @ D1models, Punk, Queen Of Hoxton, Quintessentially Soho @ The House Of St Barnabas, SESSION, Stuee Bevan,The Assembly Agency And All Of The Above! **********************************************************

Publisher Sarah Hardy · FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE Limited Printers Progressive Print Services Limited · www.progressive-print.co.uk · 0156 274 7356 Distributors Pineapple Media Limited · www.pineapplemediauk.com · 0239 278 7970 & World Wide Magazine Distribution Limited · www.wwmd.co.uk · 0121 683 7569 Staff Contact first name @ fashionmusicstyle.com Advertising Contact sales @ fashionmusicstyle.com ********************************************************* Views expressed within the pages of FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE are those of the contributors and not necessarily those shared by the publisher. All content is believed to be correct at the time of printing. Unauthorised reproduction of any editorial or images is strictly prohibited.

Well I have to say that I’m immensely pleased with our seventh issue…seventh! Okay well it seems a lot to us, that’s nearly two years worth after all. This, our autumn copy hits the stores around London Fashion Week, so what better than to dedicate a fashion shoot to eight designers from our capital? And check out our cover stars! Klaxons: what a lovely bunch of guys. They made sure I had a good time when they returned to London mid tour for a gig and to celebrate James’ birthday

– loads of fun. I’m also chuffed to feature not only Freelance Whales, my new favourite band from New York but also Foster The People from Los Angeles. I do believe that FMS has the first substantial interview with the latter and we also shot them exclusively in LA. We don’t mess about. You read it here first. In fact this issue is full of brilliant fashion and music, including our Five Unsigned, so get stuck in! Many thanks to everyone involved, you know who you are, lovelovelove…

Sarah Hardy Editor-in-Chief

COVER: KLAXONS BY MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS - SLOGAN: FLIP MY SWITCH BY FIONA POWER

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klaxons

Future Sound of London

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mysteryjets In Flight

karen elson Model Musician

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16 badly drawn boy Mad About The Boy

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five unsigned With the birth of FMS came the Five Unsigned and our desire to scout out the best new talent in the UK; not only giving them the opportunity for print exposure but to publish music on CD for the masses. So draw your attention to who we believe have captured that star quality.

FMS Five Unsigned is sponsored by Metropolis.

Metropolis Group Limited Tel +44 (0)20 8742 1111 - www.metropolis-group.co.uk

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DAYTONA LIGHTS..................................14 BRILLIANT MIND..................................33 BOY MANDEVILLE.................................44 BABESHADOW........................................62 THE WILD MERCURY SOUND.................74

autumn / 2010 ISSUE 7

features

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12. Everything everything –

78. plants & animals –

26. exile –

80. mud, sweat and beers –

34. Cherry ghost –

82. FMS VOL.7 –

36. magnetic man –

84. my weekend wardrobe –

40. freelance whales –

86. postcard from chicago –

54. renegade fashion –

93. adam ficek –

70. foster the people –

94. FMS @ PUNK SOHO –

76. 21 years of gio goi –

97. session –

All the People

Fashion…In-house Most Haunted

Feel The Force

Underwater Love

All About London

Meet our favourite new band from LA

Fashion, Music, Madness

Grounded

Festival Round-Up 2010

Your Bonus Tracks FMS Readers Rockin’ Their Looks

Dear FMS

The Modern Musician Issue Six Launch Party

Brought To You by Mat Horne

regulars 08. NEWS -

68. unisex trend -

18. unisex trend -

88. album reviews -

38. trend on trend -

90. BRIEF ENCOUNTER: huw stephens -

46. trend on trend -

98. Ask the DJs -

Wassup?!

Top Ten Tees

Woodland Walk vs Woodstock Aviator vs Biker

Geek Chic

Sounds like?

Do you read me?

Top Ten Tunes with Work Issues!

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fMs neWs

supremebeing Clothing brand Supremebeing work with the musicians they do, simply because they are mutual fans of each other.The artists are diverse and their tastes and talents are often unexpected and brilliant. What do Goldie (Metalheadz) and Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys) have in common? Both are hugely influential pioneers of their scenes, with music defining their generations and they’ve now come together to work closely with Supremebeing; creating a limited edition menswear collection including jackets, knitwear, polo shirts and tees. Each with their own signature designs –

Matt with his checked fabric and logo based on his own sketches, Goldie with his imprinted vision of street culture over the years, in a nocturnal city colour palette of dark purples, blacks and touches of light.

Urban Outfitters recently held an exclusive launch party for the collections and an item from each has been designed exclusively for them – a checked hoodie from Matt’s collection priced at £65.00 and a black hooded baseball jacket from Goldie’s collection for £70.00. See in store/online for more.

SUBREMEBEING.COM URBANOUTFITTERS.COM

busking for change Fran Healy, dedicated ambassador for War Child and lead singer/ songwriter of Travis was recently caught busking for the charity outside Deutsche Bank in the City of London. This September War Child celebrated 15 years of working with music, releasing albums and hosting concerts with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Oasis, Coldplay, Elbow, Lily Allen.The support from musicians has helped grow War Child into a small international charity that protects thousands of children around the world from the brutal effects of war and its consequences.

Fran Healy and Travis have a long association with War Child - hosting a concert back in 2001 with Ryan Adams, contributing the anti-war track ‘Beautiful Occupation’ to War Child’s 2003 album ‘Hope. Fran releases his first solo album ‘Wreckorder’ on October 4, the album features a guest appearance from fellow War Child supporter Sir Paul McCartney.

WARCHILD.ORG.UK FRANHEALY.COM

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guyliner Since the glam rock days when Alice Cooper got creative with kohl, and David Bowie had fun with eye shadow, never have so many men become enamoured by the cosmetics aisle. Some scoff at the eye liner trend, (except of course when it comes to Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean) and others trowel it on.

So, Guyliner (it is what it is), the original and most wanted brand for men have just launched a brand new online store, and the shelves of River Island will be lined with the stuff as of September.

I guess it all goes to show that men’s make up has come a long way, but please guys, don’t overdo it.

britain’s next top model The ultimate weekend shopping extravaganza comes to London for the first time ever, prepare to be WOWED – Britain’s Next Top Model Live is taking place across three days from 22nd – 24th October 2010 at the ExCel Centre in London’s Docklands.

GUYLINER.CO.UK

JEWELLERY FOR ART

Dedicated followers of fashion and beauty will be able to experience the ultimate retail therapy. Stunning catwalk shows featuring an inspiring range of fashion and unique creations, exhibitions, shopping, beauty, health and fitness. Top music acts will provide the sounds as well as some spectacular live entertainment. If that’s not enough, then you can strut your way into the ‘paparazzi zone’ with Company Magazine, or indulge in free hair and beauty makeovers, pamper treatments and advice from experts...oh, and you can audition for the next series, or pop onto the casting couch and face Models1 who are looking for new faces for their campaigns. What’s more FMS has 10 pairs of tickets to give away! Just answer the question:Which international super model presents the TV series BNTM? And send your answer with contact details to win@fashionmusicstyle.com

Independent organisation The Art Fund has teamed up with two successful British curators to create a unique collection of jewellery shaped together by leading contemporary makers. With gathered inspiration from vintage wallpaper, to plant influenced shapes this interesting and exclusive collection priced from £30 - £140 can be purchased directly from The Art Fund website. All proceeds made from sales go directly towards supporting the Art Fund’s cause: helping to buy inspiring works of art for museums and galleries across the UK through campaigning – more information online.

BNTMLIVE.COM

ARTFUND.ORG

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onathan looks uneasy having his photo taken, but seems delighted when a nearby assistant steps forward to adjust his makeup. "Sorry mate, we'll be over to do the interview in a minute I promise."

The Everything Everything singer and chief songwriter nods to the photographer, flashes a brief smile and returns to looking awkward and withdrawn.

His manner is packed with contradictions and it's impossible to decipher whether the camera is delighting or torturing him.

This constant battle of emotions rages through the Manchester quartet's debut offering Man Alive. The album leaps and skips through electro-pop, indie, hip hop and RnB genres without ever getting into bed with any of them. Its commercial appeal is obvious, and it will sit neatly on the shelves of kids searching for a more exploratory sound.

"We definitely wanted to surprise more than anything else. Just do anything but the obvious," says Jonathan. "Although we didn't factor the commercial appeal in, we didn't want to factor it out. We wanted to get somewhere in a different way to how you'd expect, but still get there."

His riddles make sense in the context of the album.

The opening tracks 'MY, KZ, UR BF' and 'Qwerty Fingers' leave you assured you've got Everything Everything sussed - just another British electro-indie, dance record, fun and daring enough to make Topshop think twice before spinning it in store, but not quite interesting enough to resurrect the genre.

But the arrival of 'Schoolin'', a song with a hook bold enough to please the most devoted of Jurassic 5 fans, brings with it the first of many twists that make Everything Everything so exciting.

"I think moments like that come from the stuff we listen to," explains Jonathan. "We're not snobbish about any genres.There are the big influences that we all share, like Radiohead and The Beatles, but we all listen to RnB like R Kelly too."

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"If it’s Girls Aloud or Slint, it doesn't matter," agrees Jeremy. "If we like it we'll listen to it and work out what makes it good. There are hundreds of years of amazing music to draw on. Why place restrictions on yourself?

We belong to a generation that was too young to buy into Britpop fully, so we've had no single significant pop cultural movement to throw our lot in with."

Despite the eclectic methodology the record still manages to feel reassuringly 'safe'. As 'Weights' fades, you feel sure you've just heard something groundbreaking, and you want to believe it, but the really special moments are just too fleeting to hold on to.

"There are like 12 different paths mapped out in this album that we could explore in the future, and we could go down any one of them. Or all of them. Or even none of them. Or maybe we'll just do exactly the same album but just play it in reverse."

Jonathan chuckles as he struggles to explain why he opts for the sounds he's chosen. He wrote almost

all the people Words: PATRICK GOWER - photo: michael robert williams stylist: STEPHEN kelly - location: queen of hoxton

the entire album on his laptop at home. "The beauty of writing on a laptop is that it’s not about what you can play. It’s about what you can think - but then again, if we always played exactly what comes out of my brain it would just sound awful. There's a huge difference between what comes out of a laptop and what comes out of a group of humans. The rest of the lads stop the music sounding too busy. I don't have the sort of mentality to shut up when I need to. The rest of the band reins me in."

The same could be said of his lyrics. Jonathan admits he's not afraid to confront difficult issues - in 'Come Alive Diana', he hints at the futility of the media furor over both the death of Princess Diana, and the abduction of Madeline McCann.

"It's impossible not to be affected by these types of events so I don't see the point in avoiding them," explains Jonathan. "My childhood began with the fall of the Berlin Wall, it ended when I was sixteen when 9/11 happened.

every everytthhing new al ing's um 'man alb e' is out niv ow

I grew up in a tiny little village in rural Northumberland so I was very isolated during that period. I didn't have a television until I was seventeen, so I listened to the radio a lot. I was making music all the time in my bedroom – my one rule was not to sound like anyone else."

It is evident from how often each of the members of Everything Everything mention it that this rule is taken with more than a pinch of salt. They give the impression that the recording of Man Alive has been a process whereby every decision has been broken down to avoid copying anything that has come and gone before.

Yet even with such discipline, the record doesn't have a serious or sombre feel. It's fun, unpredictable and virtually impossible not to fall in love with. Jonathan is right too. It doesn't really sound like anybody else. • myspace.com/everythingeverythinguk

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aving already supported the likes of The Horrors and The Macabees, Daytona Lights have already chalked up a tidy little list of impressive venues around London – in only one year since they started out. Add to that their appearance in the BlackBerry adverts, the fact that their single ‘Lillian’ is the soundtrack to the new Olympus camera commercials, and their Editor’s Pick session on Balcony TV and the story-so-far is starting to take shape. Recently, even Steve Levine (who’s worked with Beach Boys and Culture Club) has started basking in the warming glow of the

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Daytona Lights.

After meeting at college four years ago, and brought together by a general “love for live performance and the need to express yourself”, the five-piece now based in Hackney are spending their time “having fun and letting people know that”.

Lead singer, Dan Lawrence (aka ‘Danny Daytona’), and the lads are outside a studio on Denmark Street smiling and chatting when I arrive. It’s this easy-going, fun-loving attitude that is a reflection of the feel-good atmosphere they create on stage.

LOCATION: THE ASSEMBLY AGENCY

members.

The song-writing is just as much a collaborative effort.

Rather than a dictatorial ‘Danny Daytona’ leading his ‘Lights’ out of composition darkness, Lawrence and drummer Sam Fordham ‘spend a lot of time working together with new ideas.’ Apparently, Lawrence tells me, “It isn’t usually at home; it’s on the bus, it’s walking to a gig.”

“He stands at the side of the motorway and sings to the traffic!” chide the others. “We were at a service station and we couldn't find Danny; it was because he was at the side of the road!”

Lawrence maintains: “I wasn't singing to traffic; I was just working on an idea!”

“We just want to make people dance,” says guitarist Matt Gill, “We want them to have a good time.” I can testify to that, having seen one of their party-paradise performances at Hoxton Bar and Grill.

A typical Daytona Lights concert is built on 80s groovebased pop, combining exuberant stage presence with a few sharp shots of uplifting pop-rock; capturing the essence of The Strokes’ early albums, the lyric-led indie of Pete and the Pirates, and The La’s catchy chorus lines.

There’s also something blissfully rare in the band’s vocal melodies. Influences stretching from American pop punk like Pennywise, for guitarist Louis Souyave, all the way to Motown, have clearly shaped the band’s sound, and the boys are constantly striving to find “the happy medium between these varying styles.”

Vocal harmony, the common factor in all the above, is the magical mystery tour bus which is driving them to their desired destination. "Although I'm the front man,” Lawrence says, “It's very much a five-piece vocal band with me as the leader."

"Yeah, the shepherd to our sheep!" chip in the other

But the guys also plan to continue entertaining people as well as vehicles, and in addition to gigging they want to continue their sell-out ‘Keep It on the DL’ club night in Shoreditch. "We're going to carry on building our fan base there,” says the front man. “We're not one of your typical 'cool' bands – but I think we kind of enjoy that."

So what makes them not one of the cool bands? "Him!" shouts Gill, cheekily pointing to Fordham.

What really makes them a ‘not cool’ band is that they don't want to be for just a specific section of people, Lawrence explains. “We don’t want the audience to go and sit with their pint and not say anything and just be miserable.

The whole point is to enjoy yourself and have an experience, and come out and go, 'Yeah, that band was fun.’ ” But that doesn’t mean that the lyrics don’t have ‘emotional weight’ as Lawrence describes it. Bassist Laurie Saywood confirms this idea: "If your music has a happy tinge to it, but you combine it with thought-provoking lyrics, it means the song has more layers to it - the more layers, the more people that will like it, because there are more ways to interpret it."

Future plans include a BBC Introducing session with Tom Robinson and more time in the studio: “We want to hone a few sounds,” they tell me.“We're also going to go to a friend's house in Suffolk. It's such a rock and roll cliché; we're going to a country house to write!”

A speculative support tour prompts the question ‘Who?’ but they're not happy to talk about it yet: "We don't want to jinx it, they've put their trust in us," they say, "And we'll only end up with egg on our face!" • myspace.com/daytonalights WORDS: SIMON WILLMORE PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS

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kar n e lson's albume't h who waelghost is out n ks' ow

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hey’re tearing down the bridge? Are you kidding me?” says Karen Elson, the supermodel solo singer.

She’s angry because the local council of her hometown Oldham are demolishing the iconic Mumps Bridge to make way for a new Metrolink tram route. “That was Oldham’s pride and glory,” she says. “But I do think the town needs a bit of love. If they are trying to make it a bit more snazzy then maybe it’s okay.”

She’s come a long way from Oldham. Her journey is an odyssey that began after she was discovered by a Boss scout aged 16, and has hit every possible high for a model, including a series of Vogue covers and contracts with Jean Paul Gautier, Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana. After moving to Nashville, setting up family with Jack White, she fulfilled a long held desire by releasing her debut album The Ghost Who Walks on XL earlier this year.

It might seem odd someone from Oldham making Southern Gothic-influenced country music, Elson says her peripatetic lifestyle exposed her to more traditional, if obscure Americana than she would have found in England.

She first had her ear turned to the genre after moving to America, when a friend gave her a CD called ‘Flowers In The Wildwood’ a collection of early women in folk, such as The Carter Family, Patsy Montana and The Aaron Sisters.

“When I moved to Nashville, it wasn’t as if I just walked into country music,” she says. “I already had a love for it, being in Nashville just made it more profound, the music here is everywhere.”

WORDS: MICHAEL BENNETT - PHOTO: david swanson

On The Ghost Who Walks, Elson explores the staple themes of Southern Gothic literature and traditional country music, with the title track telling a macabre tale of murder and revenge, and others such as Lunasa, as sorrowful and lovelorn as a Hank Williams ballad (it’s actually a cover of a song by Rachelle Garniez, a fellow member of Elson’s cabaret troupe The Citizens Band). “I don’t think that I’m a dark person…” she says, “…but then I don’t think I’m normal. I’m just a bit unusual. I’d be the first to admit that I’ve changed drastically since living in Oldham but I think the thing that has stayed the same is that darkness. It’s not dark in a self-destructive way, more a brooding Victorian way.”

This pensive nature shines through on the record, as does her ability to weave her own experiences into part of a wider, fictional narrative, such as on Stolen Roses, which has the line “I was old before I learned to be young”. “My

early teenage years where such a strange time,” she says. “I was an awkward teenager and I felt so old and melancholy already, the older I get the more relaxed I become and the younger and more alive I feel. Back in those days I didn’t feel that much.”

It’s only now, having achieved success in her modelling career that Elson feels like she has the freedom to let her own creativity blossom.“As a model you’re always told what to do. For me getting up and singing is way more honest,” she says. “Modelling is all smoke and mirrors - somebody else’s clothes, hair, makeup; you are ultimately selling something. It’s

a different feeling altogether.”

Any accusations of trying to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Scarlet Johansson (with her album of Tom Waits cover) or French 1st lady and former model Carla Bruni fall flat when you consider that Elson has been writing material for over almost a decade.

Until now, it’s only self-doubt that has held her back.

Having so much good fortune in her modelling career caused Elson to think a musical career might be a step too far. “It took me a long time to get my confidence up,” she says, “but I think it was important for it to take a long time because I had to really work at it and know that I could do it before I could share it with anyone else.”

If it hadn’t been for White’s tender encouragement, then Elson’s songs would probably still be sitting in a pile of papers on a desk in her closet, in which case, they might as well not exist.

Elson is keen to stress that White’s role was that of a facilitator rather than being a creative force. As well as calling on Garniez to play accordion on the album, Elson made use of the couple’s extended musical family, drafting in Jackson Smith (husband of Meg White and guitarist in the Raconteurs), the Dead Weather’s Jack Lawrence on bass, as well as White himself on drums.

“I’m so happy that Jack produced my record,” says Elson.

“At first I was really nervous and thought ‘that everyone is going to think he did everything. But that’s not Jack’s style. He wouldn’t let me cut corners even if I wanted to.”

Next up for Elson is a collaboration with Grammyaward winning producer T-Bone Burnett, “T-Bone has been really supportive and I’m very grateful for that,” she says.“He just keeps music alive. Between him and Jack, they have so much love for the founding fathers of American music; I think they keep the torch going for a lot of songs that have been forgotten about.”• myspace.com/karenelsonmusic

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marni

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richard nicoll

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1.Fat face - www.fatface.com, £17 2. Worn by Dr X - www.wornby.co.uk, £30 3. J!NX, £21.99 4. Luella - www.aliveandkicking.org.uk, £25 5. Alexander McQueen - Matches, £180 6. Givenchy – Matches, £145

vivienne westwood

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Words: Jodie Ball - Shopping: Karolina Kivimaki

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1 2 D&G

3 4 GIVENCHY

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1. Libertine Libertine - Urban Outiftters – £40 2. 55DSL - ASOS, £35 3. Worn By - Urban Outfitters, £25 4. 2K By Gingham - www.my-wardrobe.com, £35 5. Fatface - www.fatface.com, £20 6. Passadella Death Squad - Harvey Nichols, £60

NEIL BARRETT

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mystery jets MULIMBA WORDS: ALLISON ROBERT WILLIAMS PHOTOS: MICHAEL N kelly PHE ste t: lis sty & groom location: horse

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stery Jets. the g way definitive My on a brave new journey, this is not g jets have come a lon m kin ry bar ste My Em t tha From their prog say us. fro sed g pri ilin t is fair to sur Ha e . hav ns’ De um ‘Making d album, t time Mystery Jets since their debut alb c pop of their secon in the middle firs d debut to the chaoti be shocked again. “Twenty hemian stronghold bo uce ind the , nd ic Isla op Pie osc l Ee kaleid h third effort expect to sn’t long before their s so unexpected, wit es into with their of the Thames it wa people because it wa fted along the Tham dri to sed pri on ed sur visi nag e g ma gin On ’ve ban l kitchen, utensi they have since d hugely and we lovers, fans and critics, rotonin’ we’ve evolve cked people the hearts of indie-pop English institution. Although initially ‘Se ns. ‘Twenty One’ sho ptio rce pe s le’ op pe an nge of cha ing eth d no som g e ” . pro ord ir com be h the s a huge pop rec indie music scene wit for because it wa last two albums as an causing waves on the t been all plain sailing William Rees sees the n en’ ma hav nt gs Fro thin rt of a journey. yd, Flo to early Pink by 670 Records ir art,“it feels like the sta themselves dropped ongoing learning of the are now musically.” Describing the . wn Do ors the boys who found Do o cessful release of Tw k we know who we o,” the boys despite the critically suc tival crowd this summer, the boys I thin ord as a “marriage between the first tw rec Mystery fes a st tive ny late fini ma de d re we ent mo wo rec Having see themselves as a husiasm with their ent and h ited are like wit g exc aze son are abl the yet in are fatigued Rough Trade, the um and the verses album ‘Serotonin’ on Jets. “listen to the alb enty One’ it’s ‘Tw ing like be are of es title rus release of their third the cho nce critics and shed ‘Making Dens’ and the d out like that,” says guitarist Blaine boys are ready to sile rke interesting how it’s wo ” gs. continues, “hopefully rdo are de “indie un reditch, Mystery Jets nodding in agreement le to interpret and es Sho Re in . on ge rris ran Ha fing gol of Sat in a ugh for peop gs and cups bles you er Sauerkraut hotdo gs are suitably open eno hung-over. As they ord ut their new album, the perks of son ir own rules on them, and that’s what ena of life abo the kind t S a pu FM get to re and talk mo y sic a the mu as s tea tus peoples ies and their new sta to live through other free hugs from group

I

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energy through music and feel good or bad or melancholic.”

Comparing music to a magnifying glass he continues,“when people listen to the record or listen to anything it should bring out whatever they’re feeling inside. But essentially I want people to listen to the record and come away feeling a little bit of serotonin.”

Having stripped away much of the excess and youthful musings of ‘Making Dens’ and ‘Twenty One’, ‘Serotonin’ sees Mystery Jets mapping out new musical territories with what has emerged as a clear, less chaotic chronicle of a sound they’ve championed all along.‘Dreaming Of Another World’ is undoubtedly one of Mystery Jets finest with its whirling synth hooks, it’s an uplifting slice of perfect British pop.Whilst ‘Lorna Doone’ unveils a wider insight into the world of the Mystery Jets with its dim, hallucinatory drones it touches on Fleetwood Mac and 10CC territory, inevitably confusing those who thought Mystery Jets were just clinical indie throwaways. Gone are the starry-eyed youthful purveyors of whimsical indie-pop, Harrison agrees that it represents a different level of maturity, yet maintains that the record is still quintessentially Mystery Jets. “It’s

"we’ve been around long enough to have a licence to do what we want to do and know that there are

people with us who will support what we do.”

been a coming of age; lyrically it is a lot more abstract. On the first record we weren’t really writing from experience we were fresh out of school and were listening to bands that hadn’t really existed for that long. Now we’re writing about our own lives and people can relate to it a bit better which is why the fan base is growing because people connect with it.”

The boys meteoric rise to fame came in 2006 with the release of ‘Making Dens’ sitting pretty amongst the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs, success was inevitable as they rode the waves of an indie-rock revival. However the boys refuse to recognise that their success is slightly indebted to the increasing popularity of the genre at the time. “I don’t think there were a lot of bands like us as the time,” says front man and guitarist Will Rees.

“There were a lot of bands who played guitar but I don’t think they were like us.”They maintain that they were never part of a scene, “we don’t rely on the climate as much as other people, we’ve always done our own thing and that has always worked in our favour.” Referring to Kaiser Chiefs and

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Franz Ferdinand, Rees retorts, “I don’t think anyone could have compared us to those bands, it was obvious who they made music for and that’s why they were a success, they only wrote one type of song.”

Mention the word ‘hype’ and the boys assert that they’re not sure what it means or if they’ve even experienced it.

“Hype can be a double edged sword,” says Blaine Harrison.

“For instance the whole debate about British guitar music being dead is rubbish.” “Yes,” interjects Rees “the great thing about music is that it’s purely subjective and if you’re someone who is obsessed by Delphic then you’re going to say that English guitar music is dead but if you’re into say Everything Everything then you might think that it’s the best it’s ever been.” Nodding in agreement Harrison continues, “It’s dead if the bands are crap, although I don’t think there’s been an abundance of really great indie guitar bands in the last year or two.” So who do they like then? “I’m a bit late in the game but I’ve been listening to a lot of Laura Marling, falling in love with her lyrics and melodies.” Says bassist Kai Fish,“falling in love with her more like!” scoffs drummer Kapil

mystery j albumets' 'seroto n is out noin' w

Trivedi. Unrequited love aside, they are also championing new band,Tribes who the boys are taking on tour with them.

“We kind of adopt a band on every album, the first wasThe Noisettes and the second was Golden Silvers. Tribes were Mystery Jets fans who kept sending us their demos and we were like ‘fuck!’ it blew our minds so much that we covered one of their songs on Radio One.We like to cultivate bands and groom them like poodles,” adds Fish.

One thing Mystery Jets dislike are comparisons, with their third album they feel free from such constraints. “We used to rely on reference points and influences too heavily and now we don’t have to. We feel liberated with this record we’ve been around long enough to have a licence to do what we want to do and know that there are people with us who will support what we do.”

Giving credit to illustrious producer Chris Thomas of Roxy Music, The Sex Pistols and The Beatles fame the boys agree that ‘Serotonin’ is bigger, more expansive and essentially a great pop record that they’re proud of. “We really felt like we met our match with Chris Thomas, he had so much energy and he helped us up our game and we’re really big fans and the fact that he really loved the band was amazing, we started working together and there was a real spark. He made some of our favourite records ever and you get a real energy from working with someone whose been so influential, not just in our musical upbringing but in musical history, and he still comes to all our shows.”

Despite having experienced a difficult transition between albums, the boys are enthusiastic, confident that they’ve made their best record yet, citing Radiohead and Bijork when asked whose career they would like theirs to mirror, here is a band unafraid to display titanic ambition.

“Radiohead, they are so uncompromising they’re just so loved and every album is completely different,“says Rees.

So what is next for Mystery Jets,“We want to break out of England, there’s quite a big emphasis of getting out of the NME world and touring around England. There is a whole world out there and it’s easy to get lost in the scene and the country you’re in.” Hoping to be on their sixth or seventh album in five years time, Serotonin is Mystery Jets at their finest; dispersed is the Syd Barrett influenced quirky pop of yesteryear, instead we have harmonic indie-pop which not only is captivating, but one listen and you’re guaranteed to feel a little serotonin. • myspace.com/mysteryjets mysteryjets.com

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Photographer Christopher Dadey Fashion Editor Rebekah Roy

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STOCKISTS All Saints www.allsaints.com Aristoc www.aristoc.com Beyond Retro www.beyondretro.com Bolongaro Trevor www.bolongarotrevor.com Daniel www.danielfootwear.com Desigual www.desigual.com Diesel www.diesel.com Firetrap www.firetrap.com Freedom at Topshop www.topshop.com Gala Gloves www.galagloves.it Insight www.insight51.com Ismail Erbil www.ismailerbil.com Kleins www.kleins.co.uk Lily & Lionel www.lilyandlionel.com Mango 020 74343694

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on’t call this lot Northern. They are. But don’t say it.They don’t like it.What can be said though is that they’re as cute as little indie buttons and they’re gorgeously fun.

With big eyes, floppy hair and quick humour, they’re quite a bunch; exuding a peculiar mix of charming awkwardness and uber cool confidence all at the same time. The first can be put down to manners and solid old fashioned values and the latter to brains. For this lot’s band name is actually pretty accurate.

Championed by BBC 6’s Tom Robinson, the band is Kate Edwards, Calum Lynn, James Martin, Josef Timlin and Paul Tallent. All five once belonged to the NMEapproved New Vinyl’s and supported the Macabees on tour in 2007, but got to the point where they feared the music was too shambolic and there were rather too many instruments and players (seven, at one point). “We played our last gig at the end of 2008, and then we sort of re-grouped and wrote new songs and came back as Brilliant Mind; with a bit more direction and idea of what we wanted to do,” Calum explains.

Just over a year on, they’re in the midst of releasing their second single, ’Our Osprey’ on cassette tape.The song’s catchy and fun- there’s a nifty chorus and more than a passing nod to The Smiths in style- but really it’s the B side’s reflective ‘March’ that quietly, unassumingly shows off their potential; great lyrics lilt alongside simple, beautifully haunting chords.

What’s also rather nice about this release is how they’ve packaged it; buy one of their tapes and you get a poster, badge and photo all thrown in too.This theme of giving people something tangible, something that provides a visual backdrop to their music is important to them. “It’s almost for people who haven’t seen the area or don’t know the setting to give them a bit of an idea,” James says. They all agree, supportive of each other, before Joe adds, “It’s not just about the music, it’s a holistic view of the whole thing, what it is to be a band, how it feels to write what we’re doing and trying to convey that in more than one format.”

Indeed, geographical context plays a big part in their songs, ethos and blood as a band. They all live and grew up in the Newcastle area (other than Kate who is originally from Hull). So what is it about where they’re from that inspires them? “I think it’s really

interesting how former industrial areas are becoming nature reserves and parks, and the mines are being taken down and grassed over; there’s a constant cycle of where urban becomes rural again,” Calum enthuses.

But this is where I’m told in the same breath that it’s very definitely not a ‘Northern’ thing. “You know when you get these bands from Manchester and they go (he puts on a silly accent); ‘We’re from the North.’ Shut up!

We’re three hours further north than them anyway!” he laughs.

As a group, they’re fiercely bright and thoughtful and this comes through in the lyrics of their songs. ‘Leave Your Friends Behind’ is a good example, lamenting disillusionment and the mundane; it’s confident angst-y indie pop, climaxing in a hearty disarray of keyboard playing. Their sound definitely honours a stylistic appreciation of British bands like Orange Juice and The Cure; which leads James to muse that, “Obviously there’s been quite a resurgence in 80s guitar pop bands, but I think it’s almost by chance that it’s come at the same time as we’ve been developing”.

Chance or otherwise, ask the band what’s important to them; what they’d like their future to look

like and they all murmur, and look characteristically uncomfortable, but those shining, excited eyes are back again; they don’t think they’re generic enough to get really big, they’d like to keep playing the music that they so love... It’s Kate, with her enchanting looks and gentle voice that softly summarises. “We just want to matter to people really. We just want people to enjoy the music.” She trails off, thinking. “It’d be pretty awesome to headline Glastonbury though,” she says leaning back with a wide smile. I’d like to see that. But let’s just hope they don’t share it with Oasis. • myspace.com/brilliantmindmusic WORDS: CHARLOTTE ARMSTRONG PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS

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cherr album y'Bghost's THIS BURENEATH NING sHORELIN E' IS OUT N OW

y r r e ch t s o h g d most haunte

who angrily troubadour clichés. Simon country ’s He’s the northern northern troubadour of Manchester against out talks – kicks singer and songwriter Cherry Ghost how -winning Aldred – the Novello realism,and zing acclaimed Ivor meaning of northern group’s ama about the truefeminine side inspired his Shoreline. exploring his Beneath This Burning second album WORDS: David

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ine forest

shirla sue - PHOTO:

T

Simon he first thing that strikes you about riter in do even Aldred – singer and principle songw stereotypes of ill-conceived northern brava Ghost to drag d has Aldre Simon , Sound of ns Natio Manchester country-rockers Cherry his United always lower with h – is just how coolly unflappable he yed a more humble, self-critical approach. Whic displa s alway llo Manchester venue Nove in Ivor , booth us laimed lly-acc spacio a in critica ing his Relax given s. odd seem might seem to-toe black, the Deaf Institute, dressed sombrely in headaward-winning songwriter status.

TV major first his nting reviews about Bolton-raised musician is calmly recou “I went out of my way to read all the bad was BBC’s ion quest of those in some show t, TV hones The be 2007.

“To . in insists back d appearance the first album,” Aldre a bit a virtual unknown right; it’s not a bad record as such, but it’s Later With Jools Holland, and Aldred, then were s review to an expectant lump to d rming perfo wante le was , peop single a some e why releas see even can I to still d in parts. and venerable cliché those big stadium studio filled with guests including The Killers us in with bands like Keane and Coldplay, all king r-brea caree A n. that – the second from away get to d wante I But Beatles producer Sir George Marti s. cliché re, you would rock ic.” situation of high stakes and overwhelming pressu album had to be more honest, more realist g ’s second album, Beneath This Burnin think. Not for Aldred. group The too stressful, fresh this to ent testam bears July, in back “It all went by in a blur,” he recalls.“It didn’t feel ed Shoreline, releas n were watching ing at an alarming even though The Killers and George Marti outlook. With Aldred’s songwriting matur by away t swep too get the grandiose to down toned ly suitab have t Ghos me a few yards away. But I try not y Cherr rate, part of the job. all is s int verging rance restra n appea solem TV a of r Doing favou thing. in ity the public sweep of their debut drift for my mum – she . Electric guitars twitch, pianos shudder, vocals The only positive thing about it is probably gothic the on ng out shopping that s recalli she’ result when end le the ; peop scape telling sound from ry kick a count h gets in by in a noir-is well doing is Mark son late ar-old the and 35-ye an her Callah That Bill her son’s on the telly.

Aldred’s songwriting heroes his music career!”

Linkous of Sparklehorse. seem might the form of Put down on paper, Aldred’s recollection The biggest difference, though, arrives in alant. And yet, in ound lyrical perspective. Tasking himself with strangely casual – perhaps even a little nonch new-f s d’ Aldre s, ly opposed to as if he were penning a series of short storie truth, Aldred is simply someone who’s strong a at writing lyrics dram frilly more a avoids on who took man line a Shore story; g backromanticising his the songs on Beneath This Burnin d having his eye to all costs. voyeuristic tone; the overall effect like Aldre he when ent appar was of lives turning et icler minds g chron t-talkin thetic straigh empa s d’ an Aldre the world’s keyhole, e of his debut first emerged back in 2007, upon the releas sour. n born-and-raised d album that album Thirst For Romance. The Bolto “There’s a sense of realism on the secon ss endle in e decad a was trying to over “I for ins. led expla d strugg musician, who had just wasn’t there last time,” Aldre to taste success people tick, how s make what of details finer unsigned Manchester bands, was finally set the re explo (home to Doves), and relationships. after signing a record deal with Heavenly people honestly communicate in friendships l. vivid and arriva his g hypin ily and the media were cheer le I’ve written about in my lyrics are very peop The found their in abusive en wom s; widow war about songs Indeed, in Cherry Ghost the music press had are d: there ling northern realise of love.There’s romantic rags-to-riches narrative: the strugg relationships; people who are in desperate need class ing work and loss love, ” each. in ive troubadour writing songs about narrat a strong ds. If Elbow’s Guy prevalence of ennui, who was at long last reaping his rewar Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed the d rugge of n positio the ying occup in that above list – and it’s a theme Aldred cters Garvey was comfortably chara e femal a natural shoo-in people’s poet, then Cherry Ghost was been contemplating a lot recently. this was not a has ver, howe easier to write d, Aldre For n. positio for the deputy “I’ve been wondering why I find it so much ace. about nobility. I just s it’ guess I “And ers. pond he ” northern lineage he was prepared to embr an, wom romanticism about woman’s “I’ve never bought into that northern en much more noble and to write from a culture in find wom this re. I still s e’ “Ther d. agitate gives you more emotional range to explo crap,” sighs Aldred, visibly ective persp that it’s grim up of our rtion propo large A too. gigs our in ted Manchester of bands playing up to the idea reflec think that’s eys and factory north, and all these clichés about smoky chimn audiences are women.” was I n Whe !

1960s the be for Alfred not floors. I mean, it’s the year 2010, The natural conclusion, you assume, would would alists journ all s that’ , album . first my voice e for femal otion a for doing prom to pen some songs from Bolton, who artists,” Aldred ever ask me about.They saw this musician “I get offers all the time to write for other they away, t straigh g for other writin think I . down all them d turne I’ve wrote songs with a slightly nostalgic feel, and . But reveals.“But cliché adour make an troub d I’ ern But north years. dour few this a in into tried to box me people is something I’ll do clichés. I’ll leave it to write a single for love d I’ Cole. yl Cher for write I’ve never cared for those romantic northern to tion excep ”• to Richard Ashcroft, thanks very much.” her. Maybe a revenge ballad about love rats. ues contin oft Ashcr rd Richa t Whils He’s got a fair point. myspace.com/cherryghostband

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feel the force

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WORDS: MICHAEL BENNETT

orged in the creative fires of the now-defunct but still legendary Big Apple record shop in Croydon, Magnetic Man is a musical triumvirate whose mission is to deliver dubstep to the masses.

Prodigies Benga and Skream, guided by the more experienced hands of Artwork, decided to form dubstep’s first super group, and in true comic book fashion, they chose a name fit for a superhero, one that would bring these three separate forces together to generate something more than just the sum of its parts.

It also happened to be the stage name of some Polish bloke with a penchant for sticking metal pots to his bald head. “His name’s Miroslaw Magola,” says Artwork. “We haven’t met him but we know about him, and he shares the Google page for Magnetic Man with us. “ Magnetic Poles aside, the trio chose the name to keep their identities a secret to give the project some mystique. “We wanted to see how far it could go without any preconceptions, to see if people would like it for what it was,” says Artwork. Unfortunately, the ruse didn’t work for long, with the group getting ‘outed’ after just a couple of weeks.

Nevertheless, it’s a case of ‘so far, so good’ when it comes to their main mission. “I Need Air”, which featured Angela Hunte (Alicia Key’s ‘Empire State Of Mind’ songwriter) was meant as an introductory calling card whilst their campaign built up steam, but it smashed it’s way onto the Radio 1 A-list and got into the top 10 of the singles chart.

Predictably, this popularity has prompted disenchanted grumblings amongst devout dubstep fans, who see this mainstream success as evidence of the genre’s originators abandoning their roots. And when the Guardian describes your sound as “Poppy d&b…

Gaga at a rave”, you might think they’re right Artwork disagrees, claiming that their album accounts different influences, including dubstep’s ‘dark room’ origins. “If you listen to the album there’s a lot

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of very dark stuff on there,” he says. “You could play all of our tracks in clubs. Music has opened up over the last three or four years, and you can play any music anywhere. ‘I Need Air’ can be played on Radio 1 in the daytime but will still smash it up in a warehouse on a Saturday.”

Adding that there is no pressing need for them to ‘bring’ dubstep to the masses, they can’t be accused of ‘selling out’. “Dubstep has always been there, if you want it you can get it on the internet. It’s not like

magn self-teittic man's album is le debut r 4thoctoeleased ber

people need to be shown it on Radio 1.” Still, what Artwork hopes is that top ten hits and radio play lists might just encourage more people to discover the genre, because to a lot of people outside of London it remains an unexplored musical avenue. “I still get people asking ‘what is dubstep?’ and I have to explain it”, he says.“Dubstep is evolving, it’s changing every day,” says Artwork. And it’s something to be embraced, not sneered at.

Their self-titled debut album is a perfect

demonstration of the versatility of the genre, as it takes in just about every possible shade of the dubstep spectrum, from ragga (‘Fire’), slowed down Ibiza synth trance (‘Anthemic’), auto-tuned pop (‘I Need Air’), future garage (‘Boiling Water’), Vangelismeets-Giorgio Moroder electro (‘Box Of Ghosts’), soul-dub (‘Getting Nowhere’) to Katy B’s stopstart r&b (‘Perfect Stranger’). The album has enough juddering bass lines to keep the purists happy, with the theatrically snarly rhythmic clod of ‘Karma Crazy’ and the industrial oscillation and loping synths of ‘Mad’ (which, if Magnetic Man was a superhero, would surely be his theme song).

Whilst making the record, the trio took creative refuge in a mansion in Cornwall, allowing them to switch off from the digital world and rely on nothing but the intuitive understanding they have built up over the last decade, crafting the different parts of the album, passing it around between themselves and adding their own flourishes, making it a fluid, organic process.

Like three audio alchemists, Magnetic Man’s onstage understanding creates a union with the crowd that is simply unattainable for a guitar band. Artwork concedes that the onus is on laptop-based musicians to up their game live, and it’s the live experience where Magnetic Man come into their own and fully exploit the performance potential of dubstep. They play from within a giant steel box that sits on stage strewn with cutting-edge laser beam visuals courtesy of Novak, a Newcastle-based collective who specialise in ‘live light’ that reacts to the music. “They are as much a part of the show as we are,” says Artwork. “If you close your eyes when you listen to dubstep and you imagine patterns and shapes, that’s what they are trying to do, except with eyes open.”

One of the dangers with collaborative works is that sometimes decisions get made by committee and so the members end up cancelling each other out, negating and censoring each other’s more extreme bits until the result is something middle of the road.

However,Artwork says that the opposite has happened with Magnetic Man, that by relinquishing individual ownership of the tracks, each member has been able to let himself go a bit more. “It’s much better than it being one person’s project with others guesting on it,” says Artwork.“This isn’t the work of any one of us.This is Magnetic Man doing it. • myspace.com/magneticman

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Autumn presents two very different style icons this year and first up is the questionably sexy sexagenarian Princess Anne. Famous for her buck teeth and bouffant, fashion found unlikely inspiration in her horsey looks and penchant for plaid – think hacking jackets, sensible tweed skirts and solid riding boots, yah. Bring the horses round Jeeves, I’m going for a gallop

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3 DAKS

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1.Stag ring – Freedom at Topshop, £8.50 (pack of three) 2. Cape – Dorothy Perkins, £65 3. Jacket - Cooper & Stollbrand for ASOS, £150 4. Feathered headband – Accessorize, £10 5. Riding boots – River Island, £85 6. Fox jumper – H by Henry Holland at Debenhams, £35 7. Kilt – Papaya at Matalan, £12 8. Bow brooch – Freedom at Topshop, £14 9. Tartan bag – Vivienne Westwood, £360

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DIOR

But if the whole hunting, shooting, fishing scene doesn’t get your autumnal juices flowing, then fear not because the Seventies are back with a bang and bring with them an altogether different style icon. Take your fashion cue from Kate Hudson’s ‘Penny Lane’ in Almost Famous. Pick up a pair of blue flared jeans, a curly sheepskin coat and utter those immortal words: “We are not Groupies.We are Band Aids.”

2 1 3 KENZO

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salvatore ferragamo

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Words & shopping: Jodie Ball

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1. Fur gilet – Be Beau at Matalan, £22 2. Hat – Miss Selfridge, £18 3. Waistcoat – Rokit, £25 4. Shoes – Miss Selfridge, £50 5. Blouse – A/Wear, £40 6. Jeans – Falmer Heritage at Matalan, £16 7. Scarf – Therapy at House of Fraser, £15 8. Satchel – New Look, £18 9. Bangles – Next, £12

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freelAnce whAles E underwater love

WORDS: LAURA NINEHAM PHOTOS: JENNIE WARREN

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very so often you hear a song by a new band that literally shakes you by the eardrum, steals your attention and with a few taps of your foot, wins prime position in your CD collection.

That band is Freelance Whales; a band who have been around for a couple of years but evaded attention until I heard ‘Generator 2nd Floor’. It’s a song that starts quietly, save for a few strung-out notes, before the glockenspiel finally begins to twinkle, gradually building up the layered melody.The song has the power to leave you waiting, with baited breath, for the next element of the tune to reveal itself and when it does it’s the heart-stoppingly beautiful vocals of Judah Dadone that carries the fragile, harmonious melody of their first single.

Judah says the songs have “a sort of dream narrative,” which makes complete sense because some songs like

times now. We’ve been driving a lot; I didn’t know we could drive this far!” freelan Travelling between tour dates is something c e whal Judah’s learnt to enjoy. “I guess I can only speak for 'weathees'album is rel rvanes' myself,” he says.“I look forward to having bits of time xthxxxexased: where I can do little bits of writing and listening to 2010 music and checking out the landscapes. I think your body sort of calibrates to learn to suck all of the nourishment out of every aspect of this experience.”

“Your body also learns how to catch little bits of sleep when you wouldn’t normally be able to sleep and in places that would normally feel pretty uncomfortable,” continues Judah.“I think we’ve all adapted a great deal to be able to live this lifestyle and feel good about it.”

Freelance Whales formed in 2008 and set about playing as many gigs in NewYork as they could.The band learnt that playing regular gigs wasn’t enough to get noticed, so they turned to busking. “People don’t necessarily just show up in New York to go and see bands that they don’t know about; like, it’s not really like the cool thing to do,” explains Judah.

The front man says that in other cities, especially in the south like Atlanta or Austin, “it’s really cool for a bunch of people to get together in a car and go and see a band they’ve never heard before,” but the opposite is true of New Yorkers.

That’s when they decided busking would be a good publicity stunt, and it has certainly worked in their favour.

Judah says that they get people at their shows who say they’ve seen footage online of Freelance Whales busking: “I think even though it sounds really crappy on the YouTube

“we All have like a billion different pAssions And a billion different loVes but I guess we All enjoy the puzzle of trying to sAy soMething that feels Almost coMplete.”

‘Danse Flat’ on their debut album actually sound like lullabies. All of the tracks on the album Weathervane have this soothing, swelling, almost orchestral feel to them that will relax any listener faster than a Valium.

As I talk to Judah, he tells me that Freelance Whales are finishing up their U.S. tour. “We’re in this really dilapidated van that we drive round. We call it William Harrison; he’s the American president with the shortest term in office, because we have sneaking suspicions that this vehicle is not long for the world,” jokes Judah.

Freelance Whales toured the U.S. and played a couple of UK shows to promote Weathervane, which was released at the end of August. Judah says he finds UK tours a bit easier because there’s less travelling. “Normally on a tour in the United States we drive about 15,000 miles,” says Judah.

“We realised since the tour in November we’ve been driving around the circumference of the earth almost two

videos, people still gravitate to it and a lot of people kind of see it as something to help them get into the band.”

The band aren’t brave enough to busk elsewhere though, says Judah: “It’s something that we’ve really wanted to do, but New York is kind of prime for it because you can do it without getting hassled too much, you know.With the cops, the worst they’ll do is like tell you to stop.They won’t fine you or arrest you or anything like that.”

The tour they just finished was their first ever headline tour in the States and Canada, and Judah says that some people have really enjoyed the gigs, but some people haven’t bought into the band.“That’s the other beautiful thing about

41

being a musician; you don’t have to make everyone happy, but if you can forge a meaningful connection with anyone then that’s great.”

Judah seems like a man who is surprised people even show up to their gigs. As he confides that he believes every musician has, at one stage or another, questioned whether they can ever earn enough to sustain themselves thorough music, he expresses his delight that people come to watch Freelance Whales.

“As a band you feel like any listener-ship is the best because, as a band, you always expect that you’re not gonna make it,” says Judah. “The fact that we can show up in cities in the United States and a handful of people come out and respond to you, it’s hugely encouraging.”

Judah tells that Freelance Whales locked themselves away for the first few months after they formed, saving their first gig for January 2009.Whilst most bands will discuss how members met through shared passions, Judah says that Freelance Whales share a similar ‘dedication to work’. “I think we all have like a billion different passions and a billion different loves but I guess we all enjoy the puzzle of trying to say something that feels almost complete,” explains Judah.

He continues: “That’s usually what the creative process feels like for us; trying to take all of the different feelings that we have about music and trying to reconcile them into smaller packages.That’s something that helps us all work really creatively together.”

Judah describes the album that they spent 2008 and 2009 working on as ‘a patchwork of sounds’. He says: “There’s a lot of stuff in there and I think the more people listen to the record, everyone kind of pulls out different things. I think that’s kind of what matters more; what other people pull out of it.”

One of the first things that is often picked up on is a striking similarity to the Postal Service. That’s not to say Freelance Whales have done an Owl City and ripped the band off, but there are moments in Weathervane that immediately had me thinking of the Postal Service. ‘Starring’, for example, is reminiscent of a fuzzy take on the opening bars of ‘Such Great Heights’.

This is something Judah disagrees with, as you’d expect him to. He says the band are fans of the Postal Service, but don’t see why they attract such comparisons. “It’s pretty heavy electronic music and ours is sort of a negotiation between a lot more acoustic and organic elements and a little bit more sparse electronic elements,” says Judah.

The front man also explains that they’ve drawn comparisons with Arcade Fire, which is one they don’t welcome: “It makes you wonder if people’s ears work differently than yours and it makes you wonder if they really listen that much, or if they looked and saw that we have

loads of instruments on stage and just thought that we must be like Arcade Fire.”

“I feel the same way about the Postal Service thing,” continues Judah. “It makes me wonder how deeply people listen to the music, but its fine, I recognise that there’s this human instinct to categorise and the only way people can really rack their brains around a new artist.”

“I don’t mind being compared to anyone as long as the comparison is a way to build a bridge between two artists that someone can actually walk across and have a good experience. I think the comparisons that are frustrating are the ones that are distant, or the ones that seem shallow or superficial.”

Judah says their sound is the result of numerous musical influences all vying for some record space:“We all consume music in the way we consume vitamins; we try to get as many different vitamins as possible. You hope that they

“I don’t Mind being coMpared to Anyone As long As the coMparison is A way to build A bridge betWeen tWo ARtists.”

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sort of crystallize deep down somewhere but you’re not necessarily conscious of it.”

One thing Judah doesn’t confess is whether there are any songs on the album he prefers. He says: “I feel like it’s almost like asking someone if they have a favourite limb of their body; you kind of need them all in order to walk around, function and pick things up.”

He explains that the band goes through phases with the songs they play; some songs are harder to deliver at certain times, but they suddenly become great ones to play, and that’s because the tunes are being constantly evolved in a bid to keep them fresh. After all, the band has been playing the same songs for almost two years now.

If you managed to watch them at Reading, or caught a couple of their UK dates, you’ll be pleased to learn that the band plans to start writing again this autumn. “We already have kind of the skeletal outline of a handful of songs, but we want to hunker down and kind of disconnect ourselves from society and from our computers and such for a little while, sometime in September and October and maybe for four or five weeks.”

Judah gushes about how excited Freelance Whales were to return to the UK. He says it was a chance for the band to show off how much they’ve improved over the past year. “We feel prepared for it now,” he says, before teasing: “We may come back to the UK again in January.” • myspace.com/freelancewhales

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hat do the cast of The Wizard of Oz, a pot plant and a house all have in common? The answer? Boy Mandeville. In amongst the expanse of melancholy, pensive indie out there this lot are fresh, exciting and listening to them makes you just a bit happy in your heart.

Compare these boys to who you will; Vampire Weekend meets The Kinks meets Johnny Cash and Mumford and Sons, they just want you to dance.

Curling up over a beer I meet the band before a gig at Proud Galleries. It’s Mike Coxhead and Jack Brown who start the Boy Mandeville story for me. They met at school in Cambridge, went to the same uni, busked for a bit and scooped up drummer Jono Cary on the way, before eventually all moving to London where they found their bassist, Brian Cantwell. Combining disparate musical passions and influences, the result is upbeat and cheeky (or Afro-jive and wonky-pop, as they call it).“We started playing and were kind of slightly funky, kind of country, a bit shambolic- and then we slowly impressed each other’s favourite music on the band. It’s kind of now at a stage where it’s spawned a particular sound that a lot of our songs are conforming to, which I think we can safely say is what Boy Mandeville sound like.”

And indeed, there is a sound.The songs sit neatly together

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and their arrangements are tidy- but definitely never formulaic or dull.‘Raisin Snake’ is exemplary of their gift for a tune.“It’s an overwhelming feeling when you play a gig and then someone comes up to you afterwards and says, you know what, I go to gigs quite a lot but I genuinely really enjoyed that and I actually started dancing around,” grins Jack, leaning back in his Hawaiian

shirt.They talk a lot about dancing and having a great time and bringing people together, and that’s somehow what they end up sounding like.

Of late, Boy Mandeville have been gigging around London to bouncing crowds. It was at a new music night in Camden that they met the head of Kind Canyon Records who asked to release their single. Some months later, the finishing touches were put to ‘Christina’, which came out in June.The band are philosophical about the song; it was the first that they put through the process of being produced. “It gave us a lot

STYLIST: STEPHEN KELLY - LOCATION: QUEEN OF HOXTON

of radio play and there was a lot of promotion that we’re riding off the back of now,” Mike muses before adding, ”in the production process it got cut down a bit and it wasn’t the most complex of songs in the first place. At the time when it was about to come out we’d just written songs which in terms of our ability to write had a lot more in them and were a lot more thoughtful really.”

Simple or otherwise, ‘Christina’ makes great sense as a radio friendly single, and whether the boys love it as a song or not, they concede that it sounds great and is still an integral part of their set.

If each of the band bring something stylistically different to the table, they also bring different skills. Jono’s a professional DJ and this is frequently referred to as being crucial to Boy Mandeville’s appeal. Mike explains, “Jack’s songs have the propensity to be catchy and have a hook, but Jono’s eye for keeping a crowd dancing influences our arrangement- he often has his focus on where I’d like to have a 12 minute instrumental, he might say we should probably have another chorus and finish the song now”.

This ear for a set landed them an appearance at this year’s Secret Garden Party (which is where they dressed up as the cast of the Wizard of Oz and gave away those pot plants), and they’re also set to release a second single in November.

Things are going well.

We wrap up by talking about the photo-shoot. “We’ve got shit shoes, we’ve got shit clothes and we’re camera shy”, deadpans Jono. Certainly they don’t take themselves too seriously - the disparaging banter between them all is fast and amusing - which is nice for such a good looking bunch. As I later watch them play and find myself jiving along to the controversial ‘Christina’ I think to myself that lots of lady fans would love to be that girl. .• myspace.com/boymandeville WORDS: CHARLOTTE ARMSTRONG PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS

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Copy: FIGHT NIGHT. In the red corner we have new kid on the block: The Aviator. Poised to take the heavy-weight title this autumn, his fighting technique is rooted in classic post-war style. A flighty fellow, The Aviator poses a real threat to Old Boy Biker, his thick sheepskin lining providing perfect protection from those heavy autumnal blows. Ding ding!

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Burberry Prorsum Vivienne Westwood

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5 NEW LOOK 1. Burton, £120 2. Burberry Prorsum - Matches, £2,298 3. Jofama - Question-air, £399 4. Rokit, £200 5. Acne - my-wardrobe.com, £1249

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Over in the blue corner is bookie’s favourite Old Boy Biker, who has come out fighting with a few new moves this season. While he’s never gone down in his traditional black leather, he’s upped his game with options in casual jersey, plaid flannel and even denim. Never underestimate this guy, no matter how many knocks he gets, he just keeps coming back for more. KO.

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JAMES SMALL

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Words: Jodie Ball - Shopping: Karolina Kivimaki

Jean Paul Gaultier

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FRENCH CONNECTION

1. True Religion - Harrods, £270 2. Rokit, £120 3. 3.1. Philip Lim www.my-wardrobe.com,£895 4. ASOS, £60 5. Topman, £36

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ondon’s famous Columbia Road flower market fills the streets of east London with an almost war time sense of community and bustle every Sunday.

Colour and scent fill an air all too often soiled by fear and poverty. On the other side of Hackney Road lies Premises Studios: one of London’s most creative hives of activity. Surrounded by the derelict flats kicked in by feuds and dealers, laundrettes, shops selling office furniture and some selling nothing, it’s flanked by the British Lion pub - not somewhere you go wearing skinny jeans. Still, Premises is a beacon of light in an otherwise murky fringe of London’s Shoreditch district. And, as well as housing the likes of Hot Chip, Lily Allen and Bloc Party, Klaxons and their original lynchpin James Ford also cemented their careers within its anonymous walls.

Trading the cracked and crack-addled pavements of London for the beaches of Malibu beach in California must have seemed like a dream for Klaxons; a band ever so obsessed by that very topic. Decamping to the home of legendary producer Ross Robinson – the stalwart of nu-metal – to record their second album came with a distinct increase in warmth, sunlight and beaches.

It’s testament to the mark left by the Klaxons three years ago that no band has taken their place at the top of Britain’s indie tree in the time they’ve been away. There’s been a short-lived femme-pop resurgence and a shed load of Britpop reunions, but new records by giants like Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian have not even scraped the kind of impact that Klaxons’ debut, Myths of the Near Future, had.

It also says a lot about the band’s sense of timing that their new record, Surfing The Void, is dripping in dreamlinked references, at the same time as the Leonardo Di Caprio movie Inception continues to generate a whole world full of lucid dreamers.

“It’s always been a point of reference on a surrealist nature that’s always been at the forefront; that sort of expression and tapping into sub-consciousness,” explains singer and bassist Jamie Reynolds. “It’s an area that I guess we still have a strong lineage with. There isn’t a more personal melting pot to dive into. Everything that’s been written about comes from a personal experience or interest that demands to come out in our music – either we’ve got some intuition what’s about to turn up or we’re very good at exercising wish fulfilment,”

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he says, with a smirk.

“I think James [Righton, keyboardist and vocalist] and I are fairly telepathic when singing, one of us says the wrong word and it completely puts everything off,” concurs guitarist Simon Taylor. “If one makes a mistake, the other makes a mistake immediately – we’re not in charge of that happening. Something in the middle is doing its thing. It’s weird. It’s there.”

With the pavements of electro-pop lined with alsorans and pan-flashers (remember Fischerspooner?) the disappearance of Klaxons or, indeed, re-appearance, has been something heavily noted by many cynics. Had they run out of fizzy-pop juice? Were they too busy getting off with the Geldof sisters? And what of the first attempt at the second album that was allegedly scrapped?

“I’ve been listening to it all week actually,” Reynolds says, leaning forward.“James Ford’s mixing it again.There are about five tracks from that period we’ll release as an EP. I love it.

It’s really beautiful, incredible. I think it’s some of our finest work and I think what happened was we jumped forward into a funny period of time. It sounds like the recording of

a beautiful dream. Like the oral equivalent of a dream. The subject matter of all of it is very much dream state.”

With a switch musical direction, were they taking influence from any other artists at the time of writing?

“We were listening to a lot of the Canterbury scene, which is English 60s, 70s odd psychedelia,” muses Righton.

“A guy called Haroumi, who we were all really into. All the Canterbury bands – like Caravan, Soft Machine. There’s a certain atmosphere, a mood as a whole. It really makes sense, this kind of feeling about it. I find it quite cinematic.”

As elegant as they now claim it is, the band decided to keep it on ice, instead going back to what wasn’t broken, denying reports that their label had anything to do with the decision.The pop revolution of the last few years has seen everyone embracing the all-dancing, all-masturbating Lady Gaga and her various wannabes. But no real bands have come forward to knock the Klaxons off their electro waveriding pedestal.The Hoosiers have a new record out though, apparently.

“There’s a lot more colour around today,” Righton points out. “Bands pushing things, psychedelic things. Like MGMT,

JAMIE CAPE: NICO-D.COM STEFFAN, SIMON, JAMES CLOTHES: ARTISTS’ OWN

you know. I think the last couple of years have definitely been dominated by girl singers – but no, no-one, really.

“I think bands and groups are quite happy to be pop.

Pop may have been seen as a dirty word before and I think that, now, everyone’s up for having a go at making a successful pop single.”

While there were doubtlessly more than few eyebrows raised over their choice of producer, there was no denying that Ross Robinson – the producer behind Slipknot, Korn and countless other platinum selling nu-metal acts – knew how to construct something that would shift a few copies.

But did anybody tell him he was making a nu-rave record?

The guy has probably never held a glow stick, let alone invented a scene around questionable fashion accessories and 80s fluorescent socks.

“He never said that word [nu-rave] once. I don’t think he was aware of it. He doesn’t read Pitchfork or NME. He’s purely creative. He doesn’t sit there talking about music or bands,” Reynolds explains, leaning back. “It was very emotional. With Ross, he was the surrogate father of us all.

We moved into his house, it was like a family. There was

nothing regimented or military about it. If we wanted to just go and hang out in the valley, we did. Doing the music wasn’t like work, it was like fun.”

“He gives you permission to be yourself. He’s quite big on that,” enthuses Klaxons’ newly appointed full-time member Steffan Halperin, who drummed live with the band during their first album campaign. He pulls off a shirt and tries on another, getting ready for a photo shoot, adding: “You’re not thinking about anything other than what you’re working on and being the best that you can be.”

So it was quite an experience? “Yeah” quips Righton, with one of his smiles. “He gives you confidence in all sorts of areas; it’s like a life training camp. He’s quite keen to remove blockages in your personal life. He says, if there are blockages that are getting in the way of you being a musician, that either needs to be brought to the surface or let go of.”

He pauses.“Mostly emotional, girl related problems.”

Indeed, while their surrogate father exorcised the girlshaped problems, any other structural problems were dealt with through anthropological forces. Namely Shamanism,

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which references practises regarding the spiritual world, believed to heal the soul.

Taylor explains: “It’s not that there were negative things or problems before, it’s just that that’s such a positive experience that I think it’d make any relationship with anybody more fruitful and developed.”

The shamanic sessions he took part in often involved several dozen strangers all unified by a mystical sense of purpose and emotional cleansing.

“I think it’s natural to go in sceptical, but if you weren’t sceptical you’d have to be pretty headstrong and it probably wouldn’t be something you needed to do anyway. I came out feeling revitalised, happy and ready to start putting the record together.”

So the band unit is better as a consequence? “Well, we’re very much an open group now, I think.There’s nothing going on in our lives that we’re afraid to talk about or to deal with, you know? I think, before, we just didn’t have the mechanics.”

Simon shrugs: “It’s that appreciation of everyone’s roles now. It’s that appreciation of what everyone’s doing and what everyone’s bringing to the band.”

Of course the other band to go stateside and come back rockier were Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys, who also worked extensively with James Ford. Producing the bulk

of their last record with Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme, many fans lost heart from the group’s decision to bin many of the traits that made them great (melodic, kitchen sink dramas turned into gushing indie anthems). Klaxons have thankfully turned up the volume without turning off their personality. A large part of this was bringing Halperin on board full time, turning the band into a four-piece.

“I think the drums are the powerhouse.That’s now what it’s all about. Everything’s based around the powerhouse. If we’re heavier live, it’s because we have the drums,” says Reynolds assuredly. “James [Ford] got what we were going for. We were crossing dance with guitars and he’d already worked with Test Icicles. We just got on with him on a

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friendship level.”

Righton recalls: “I remember when we met him at the Old Blue [Last]. He actually said he wasn’t that into our music, but he liked hanging out with us. We connected, talked about music – we just got on. And then, when we started making music, it just worked.We did Atlantis on the Hackney Road at Premises.”

And did it shape the band for the better? “We weren’t defined when we met James Ford. We didn’t know what we were doing. There was a decision made, like, come on Stef, let’s make this thing a four-piece and lock ourselves in a room for – what were we there for? – like, a month or something, at The Premises.Then it was like,‘let’s write some songs and record them’ and it just became really simple.”

It’s quite noticeable, some 20 minutes into the interview that the guys have undergone more than just a line-up change. Sitting nicely on chairs they offer to give up, cartons of orange juice pepper the tables, half nibbled biscuits, an air of decorum and fuck all MDMA anywhere. Most interestingly, a void on all fluorescentries.

“When we first started playing, everyone was wearing black like some sort of awful Bible band and we were, like, what happened to all of the colour and the vibrancy?”Taylor laughs, dryly. “It was just a reaction to everyone wearing black. We thought we’d wear the most ludicrous colour possible.”

Far from being Nathan Barley style scene-queens, Klaxons have a sensitive, self-effacing air of calmness about them. Maybe it was hammered into them by Robinson or perhaps they’ve grown up. Or maybe we’re all dreaming.

“Is this ring a little too much?” Taylor asks, under his breath, pirouetting some garish silver thing between his fingers as he walks out to join the band for the shoot.

There’s a pause. He takes it anyway.• myspace.com/klaxons www.klaxons.net Fashion Editor - Rebekah Roy Groomer: Rachel Louise Jones @ Artistic License using Kiehls Many thanks to Quintessentially Soho @The Hose Of St Barnabas quintessentiallysoho.com

STEFFAN SHIRT: PEOPLE’S MARKET JACKET: NICO-D.COM TROUSERS: BEYONDRETRO.COM SIMON CLOTHES: ARTISTS’ OWN JAMIE CLOTHES: ARTISTS’ OWN RING: TOPMAN.COM JAMES T-SHIRT: TOPMAN.COM CARDIGAN: NICO-D.COM TROUSERS: ARTISTS’ OWN

kLAX new a ON's 'surfinlgbum void' is o the ut now

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The sense of escapism that London offers is inspiring, anonymity can be quite seductive. Other than that the museums are pretty amazing, but the ones not many other people go to - I have this great book called Little Known Museums of London and am slowly working my way through it.

Sweater, Gloves and Trousers by www.carolynmassey.com

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I love being in London as it’s the city of opportunity for new designers,you can be as creative/innovative as you want. It’s full of life! My favourite London Fashion moment was when Sarah Brown (prime minister's wife) introduced my first ever season's show at London Fashion Week!

And Erin O’connor ordered a jacket from my AW2010 collection.

Jacket, Trousers and necklace by www.georgiahardinge.co.uk

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London is the hub for the creative and new talent. The whole energy of different designers during London fashion week is very exciting & as a young designer it’s a great platform to promote your work. My favourite London fashion moment has to be meeting Skin Anansie while admiring some of my work.

Top, kilt and boots by www.beekaystudio.com

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I find London truly inspiring.

Every where you go you meet creative, passionate people who have a dream. There is definitely something in the air which drives you...It's important for me to show in London as this is where people come to see something different and London is the place for cutting edge designers.

Dress and Tights by www.alicepalmer.co.uk

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London is very important, all my inspiration and ideas are connected to London. It is very multicultural and very arty. People, places, museums, exhibitions different things create London and I think that’s amazing. London is one of the fashion capitals.

Lot of different buyers and the best press are gathered in London for fashion week. I think London is the place where new talents are born.

I love London fashion week, even if you are not attending or showing, still everyone in the city is part of the fashion week.

Dress by www.lakobukia.com Tights by www.bebaroque.co.uk

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As a designer London is wonderful inspiration. It is the epicentre of the juxtaposition of cultural diversity, architecture, entertainment and art. London Fashion Week is the global capital of creative fashion. Milan, Paris and New York have a distinctive style; London however is melange of aesthetics ranging from the maverick, through to timeless elegance via counter-cultural references and the pursuit of fun. Personally the history of tailoring in London informs my work.

Jacket and Trousers by www.orschel-read.com Shirt from www.beyondretro.com

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Jesse

Sunglasses Ray-Ban Baseball jacket Rockit White “Animal House� Tee Urban Outfitters Shorts Born by Ted Baker Boots Dr. Martens

It's the people who work with us. Their positive energy, huge motivation to succeed and create that makes London so important to us as Designers.

We haven't found this anywhere else. It's a great place full of challenges and it is important to have such challenges when you are starting your own business. And London is very influential due to the quality of new designers it produces.

Dress by www.focusart.com Bracelet by www.houseofflora.net Tights by www.bebaroque.co.uk Boots by www.rakish-heels.com

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For us London is important as a platform for renegade fashion.

The underdog or the maverick. It is a place you can just do it. Even if you are a nobody.

Top and Trousers by www.horace.tv Shoes from www.clarks.co.uk

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espite forming a little over eight months ago, tender London four-piece Babeshadow are fast becoming a force of nature on the music scene. And in the wake of a folk-pop revival lead by the likes of Noah & The Whale, Johnny Flynn and Mumford and Sons, they’re certainly not out of place.

Leaning against the wall of an old east-end pub, the boys are laden with cans of beer purchased from the off-license. A quick swig and puff of a cigarette, then they smuggle the beer into the pub to chat with FMS about their new EP and scheme to get rich quick without leaving their sofa.

Having just completed a tour with Florence and The Machine, their happy afro-beat guitars and songs about aquatic creatures have earned them comparisons to Vampire Weekend. Although never their intention the boys can see why they’ve been “pinned with a Vampire Weekend tag.” Instead they are influenced by fifties and sixties music, clean guitars, John Lennon, Paul Simon and Marc Bolan, the boys describe their music as simplistic on record yet playful when heard live. “We are influenced by all these old,

big names but it’s not always reflected on our music, but you can hear it on some of our new stuff,” says David Thornley (vocals and guitar).

Initially gigging under the name of ‘Tom and Dave’ they changed to Babeshadow after too many comparisons to Chas n Dave. They first starting making music together aged 12, busking down Canterbury High Street in Kent, “We had to haggle for our spot every morning with the Big Issue skankies” guffaws Tom Cawte (vocals and guitar).

They record their demos in the front room of the house the boys share in Dalston. Admitting that their approach to recording is unconventional Cawte (vocals and guitar) equates it to their success, “the people that latched onto us in the beginning liked the sound of house, we’re trying to keep it like that, yet

it’s not even the sound of the house it’s the sound of that feeling of someone sitting on the sofa playing something. If you’re in the front room you can relax into recording and stay up till whenever eating pizza in your underwear.”

Unfazed by the inconsistency of the music industry and its tendency to fall in and out of love with artists Tom says, “I’ve never written with the intention of trying to please someone else, we got picked up simply because someone liked our stuff. Our goal is simply to write a song that we genuinely like.” Agreeing that the industry can be a bit like a board game they don’t deny certain managements mould artists to follow certain trends, but “if you know in your heart that it isn’t what you want to do and go with your gut people hear that it’s real and genuine,” assures Cawte.

In an industry clogged up with electronics and shoe gazers the boys’ offering of folk-pop loveliness is a breath of fresh air, literally. One listen of their

debut single ‘Sea Serpents’ will immediately conjure up dreamy pre-Raphaelite images of forests and fields. “We always vowed to never use synthesizers,” says Thornley. “We have no special effects when we record, just cigarette smoke, mirrors and empty pizza boxes.” • myspace.com/babeshadowband WORDS: ALLISON MULIMBA PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS

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WORDS: DAVID SUE PHOTOS: SHIRLAINE FORREST

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F

or all their outlandish outfits, A-list parties and constant pampering, it’s often perplexing the amount of established rock stars who still claim to live normal lives. That’s normal as in nipping to the local Tesco for a pint of milk, normal as in still catching public transport; an Ordinary Joe, just like you and me.Well, ordinary once they’ve returned from partying with Bono at his luxury chateau in the South of France that is.

Yet there’s rock star normal and then there’s Badly Drawn Boy normal. It’s a sun-kissed August afternoon in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, South Manchester, when FMS catches up with Damon Gough – for he is the man behind the Boy – and the Mancunian songwriter seems less a rock star, more a picture postcard of suburban normality.

Dressed in his trademark uniform of faded jeans, utilitarian jacket and woolly tea-cosy hat, Gough, soon coming up to his 41st birthday, is eager to guide us through his blissful domestic itinerary. He talks us through the musical ambitions of his two beautiful children, Oscar, 8, and Edie, 10 (the latter is showing enormous aptitude for the piano and is taking lessons soon). He discusses his own recent social movements (he did quite well at the Sunday pub quiz the other night). And when it comes to having his photo taken, he happily invites the FMS snapper into his nearby home for a complete ‘Through The Keyhole’-style tour of his cosy semi-detached abode (his wife Claire even offers to take down the washing for the benefits of our photo-shoot).

A more genial host you really couldn’t ask for. Indeed, it’s only when we stumble across a framed photograph of Gough and Joan Collins in his hallway (the veteran actress guest-starred in the Badly Drawn Boy video ‘Spitting In The Wind’), that we remember our host is, in fact, a Mercury Prize-winning,Top 10-selling pop artist.

“I’ve been really lucky,” he reflects a little earlier, in an oldfashioned boozer completely in keeping with his low-key demeanour. “It’s not always been easy, but I think I’ve been very fortunate in the way I can reconcile my creative, artistic

life with my personal life. I’ve managed to strike a balance. I wrote and recorded my first album around the time I first met Claire, and every subsequent album since has been a further chapter, from starting a family to where we are now.

I’m sure some people would think it’s not the done thing; like you should keep your real life separate if you want to be a rock and roll star. Someone once said you should never mention your kids in your songs, but I just can’t help it. I can’t escape being so honest in my songs – it’s intrinsic to what I do. And maybe it helps people relate to me more.”

He’s got a point. A man defined by his intense relationships – with his family and music – Gough’s most curious bond must surely be the one he shares with his audience. Ten years ago, the Manchester songwriter cemented his place in the nation’s affections largely on account of his earthy, anti-showbiz persona. Everything from his lovelorn, untrammelled pop songs to his shabby appearance underlined his status as what Gough refers to as “a people’s champion – like an underdog people want to really root for.”

Indeed, even when Gough bagged a Mercury Prize (in 2000 for his debut album The Hour of Bewilderbeast) and scored the soundtrack to a blockbuster Hollywood movie starring Hugh Grant (2002’s About A Boy), the Mancunian’s homespun charms remained blissfully intact.

And yet, on the downside, Gough has perhaps suffered by being taken too easily for granted by his public. The second half of the noughties saw him experience a large dip in commercial fortunes, despite Gough producing some of the best work of his career (2006’s Born In The UK and last year’s Is There Nothing We Could Do).

Reflecting back on his ten years in the business, you sense Gough wouldn’t change a thing – he started it as an underdog, and a decade later, he’s still proudly wearing those credentials.

“It all goes back to when I won the Mercury Prize,” he says. “The night of the ceremony, it felt like people were

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really rooting for me - like I was the underdog. I had a similar feeling when I played at Kendal Calling recently. There was such a sense of love and warmth from the audience – I felt so humbled; it made me really aware of this crazy ten year journey I’ve been on.The way I see it, my career still has an accidental feel about it. But I think I still represent the idea of someone trying to make something of themselves.Working passionately at something you’re good at.”

It’s in that last statement where we first get a glimpse of the duality that so informs the world of Badly Drawn Boy. For all his shabby demeanour and distrust of the limelight, Gough has always seen himself as a deeply populist songwriter. And to be a ‘people’s champion’, it sometimes helps when large quantities of those people buy your music.

“I’d love to be able to say I’ve had a number one album or number one single – but I haven’t,” he considers. “But

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there are other Manchester bands like Doves who have.

So you sometimes have to ask yourself ‘why them and not me?’. But it’s not like a jealousy thing – you accept the way things are, and those bands deserve their success.There are songs of mine, like ‘Silent Sigh’ or ‘Spitting In The Wind’, which have permeated people’s lives and made an impact. But they never got to number one. So that’s why the creative process is still the most important thing for me. It’s the thing that has lasting value – not all the commercial factors.”

If Gough seems in more reflective mood than usual, then it’s probably with very good reason.Twelve months ago, as he was completing the soundtrack to the ITV drama The Fattest Man In Britain (he did it as a favour to his old mate Caroline Aherne, who wrote the script), Gough realised a strange synchronicity sneaking up on him.

As 2009 became 2010, it struck Gough how he was

badly d boy's rawn 'IT'S WHalbum AT I'M THIN PHOTOKGING PT.1 R A SNOWFL PHING A releasKES' is 4 tHOCTed:

starting this decade exactly as he did the last one – bursting with creativity and on his own record label.

Having parted company with major label EMI, Gough felt more creatively liberated than ever. He says new songs were “pouring out” of him and before he knew it, he had 30 plus songs ready for recording.

And with no evil record company man dictating release schedules to him, Gough gladly committed the ultimate artistic indulgence – he would record all those songs, and release them in a three-part trilogy.

“I’m feeling more prolific than ever right now,” he boldly declares. “It feels like I’m in full flow with my song-writing.

People seem to forget that when I started my career, I was almost fumbling about...finding my way as a songwriter.

Some of my early releases were just home demos. I was more of a dabbler, working in my bedroom and a little

embarrassed about singing. So it feels like I’ve lived my life in the public eye as a songwriter. I’ve learnt my craft in full public view. Which is why now, ten years after, I finally feel like I’m reaching my peak. My creative sensibilities are more opened up,‘cos I’m not worried about getting good reviews – as I’m busy working on the next instalment. I’ve planned to release a trilogy, but it could even be longer than that – ‘cos I’ve still to write my best songs and I have freedom to release them how I want.”

We’ll have to wait and see – but judging from the first instalment of that trilogy, It’sWhat I’mThinking, Gough’s newly expansive outlook is already producing special results.

Released in early October, It’s What I’m Thinking has the feel of Badly Drawn Boy quintessence: spanning rousing choral pop (‘Too Many Miracles’), Elliot Smith-style folk ruminations (‘In Safe Hands’) and kitschy universal balladry (‘What Tomorrow Brings’), its ten tracks capture a winning and natural spontaneity that recalls some of his earliest and best ever work. Put simply, Badly Drawn Boy has got his boy-ishness back.

Moreover, in the aforementioned ‘What Tomorrow Brings’, Gough might well have penned the track that perfectly crystallises his populist designs.

“From my point of view, it’s the nearest thing to a simple universal song I’ve ever written,” he proudly states.“It could almost be like a Eurovision song or something Susan Boyle might cover. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s my best song, but it’s one of those simple, populist songs I’ve always wanted to write. My song-writing is so personal to me, it’s so tied up to me as a person, that I’ve never imagined other people singing my songs. I tried working with Cathy Dennis (the British pop songwriter tour de force who has penned hits for Kylie) and that didn’t quite work out. My song-writing is very strongly wrapped up in my persona – and now I’m more aware of that than ever.”

In a rather nostalgia-heavy interview (Gough will blame it on turning 40 last year), it’s heartening to find Gough back on more optimistic, forward-thinking ground. Because if we’re learnt any lesson from a decade of Badly Drawn Boy music – his hit single All Possibilities springs to mind here – then it’s one of wholeheartedly embracing the future in spite all its niggling uncertainties.

Badly Drawn Boy: an ordinary type of chap, yes; but ten years since he bumbled into the spotlight, he’s still very much in possession of that extraordinary talent.

“It’s hard for me to analyse what I do,” Gough says, taking the last glug of his glass of white wine. “Even now, ten years later, it still feels bizarre when I play gigs.The idea of standing on a stage and expressing myself to thousands of people – it still has an accidental feel to it. But I feel so lucky. I’ve been given this chance and I’ve got so much more music to offer.” • myspace.com/badlydrawnboy

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Give the teacher an apple andur sharpensyo pencil as ies go accessor hool back to sc n. this autum

Influenced by Mad Men’s sassy Joan Holloway and Prada’s winter runway show (right), women’s accessories worked a sexy secretary vibe this season. Pair cats eye glasses with a slick of red lipstick and a Marylin Monroe wiggle, courtesy of some high-heeled black court shoes, and you’ll realise taking notes has never felt sexier.

1 5 3 prada Fabris Lane

4 ********** editor's fave **********

2 6 7 1.Gucci - 01423 520 303, £245 2. Linda Farrow Luxe lindafarrowgallery.com, £382.25 3. Prada, davidclulow.com, £189 4. Fabris Lane fabrislane.co.uk, £110 5. ASOS, £10 6. LK Bennett www.lkbennett.com, £190 7. MAC, £12.50 8. Smythson, £225

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Whether it’s Woody Allen or Napolean Dynamite, bespectacled blokes are this season’s poster boys. Rock the geek chic look from head-to-toe with oversized square frames, preppy bow ties and natty Argyle socks peeking out from under too-short trousers. Get the glasses, get the girl.We’re calling it the Clark Kent effect.

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asos

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Miharayasuhiro

Words & shopping: Jodie Ball

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1. D&G - davidclulow.com, £130 2. Oliver Peoples oliverpeoples.com, £295 3. Calvin Klein Collection calvinklein.com, £265 4. Marc Jacobs 01423 520 303, £199 5. Rokit, £15 6. The Cambridge Satchel Co. cambridgesatchel.co.uk, £76 7. Topman, £14 (checked) or £16 (floral) 8. Burlington socksfox.co.uk, £11

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foster the people WORDS: CHARLOTTE ARMSTRONG PHOTOS: ANDREA LABARGE MILLS

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os Angeles based Foster the People might have taken some time to come together, but they’ve exploded onto the US music scene faster than Madonna can do a costume change. Their debut single ‘Pumped up Kicks’ has rightfully earned them huge attention and lead to their being likened to current big players such as MGMT and Empire of the Sun. This may be all well and good, but don’t go expecting them to have all the answers, as Mark Foster tells FMS. “It’s hard in L.A to put together a good band, it really is”, he says of his epic search for members.

“It seems like it wouldn’t be,” he concedes, “but all the best musicians that are young and cool and can play are snatched up.” In October last year however he found himself two talented guys and so went on to cement his line up. Thus Foster the People were born, with Foster on the keyboard, guitar and vocals, Mark Pontius on the drums and Cubbie Fink on the bass.

Foster, being a composer by trade (he writes for commercials, TV and film), already boasted a library of tunes that make up the bulk of the band’s current material. As the core writer, he’s still creating new work all the time, though reports that the others have their input too. “The second part of the process is going into rehearsal and deconstructing the songs for a live show, and then building them back up.

The guys bring a lot to the table when it comes to that.” How easy it must be to be at Foster’s table is anyone’s guess. Although exceptionally polite and affable, at times he can be guarded and measured to a somewhat off-putting degree. One thing’s for sure though – he’s an undoubtedly gifted composer.

He famously wrote ‘Pumped up Kicks’ in a couple of hours at work, and its cool and confident beat and laid back melody is nothing if not stylish. “Most of the songs I write start with drums. And I love a hip-hop beat, but I love to kind of flip it on its head. It’s fun to hear a hip-hop beat but then not play a hip-hop melody over it.”

Foster wasn’t always about cheery, super-slick beats though. “I grew up in Cleveland and there it’s all metal and hardcore. I was in a band in high school for three years where I didn’t sing a note, I didn’t play, I just screamed. It’s pretty crazy to think about that now.” Leaving Ohio and the angry teenage years

behind; and mourning the loss of his amp and electric guitar, he began to write and play on an acoustic replacement. Therein his ear for playful melodies began to emerge, building on an already established love and admiration of both pop and electro royalty, stretching from the respectable Beach Boys and Aphex Twin right through to Euro disco soundtrackers Ace of Base. He clearly loves a hummable, chant-worthy chorus and this he delivers with seeming ease. ‘Kids’ is a great example; it’s a piece of LA sunshine coming through a speaker, featuring laughing, whistling and even a few ‘do do do’s’. Suffice to say these cool California residing boys love surfing and indeed their work has that American coastal, laid-back summer vibe to it.

Of his ability to pen a tune, Foster tells me carefully, “The music that I write is commercial music.

It’s quirky and it’s left of centre and sometimes I’ll write a song that’s totally off the wall and I’m cool with that, I love that, and sometimes I’ll write a song that an 80 year old person can listen to and a five year old person can listen to and both will bob their head and I love that too.” The songs definitely inspire head bobbing, and maybe the odd bit of shoulder movement (arthritis allowing). So whilst Foster’s music has been described (by himself and others) as crossing genres, bridging generations and generally boasting lots of ideas, the man himself is a big advocate of interpretations influencing interpretations. Of current emerging styles he says, “People aren’t necessarily going to the source. The purists knock that stuff and I think it’s awesome. It’s what art has always been like, with people influencing each other.”

He does however differentiate between entertainers and musicians, but he does so without judgement or disdain. He willingly admits to listening to America’s top radio stations because the song writing’s so good and from a technical aspect, he enjoys dissecting the songs and asking himself just what it is that makes them each so big. Perhaps then it’s his respect for pop blended with his talent for quirk that’s fused itself into the make-up of their songs. ‘Love’ is perfectly illustrative of this. Its tune relies on a simple key change as its core ingredient but the mastery is in the decoration – so rather than being monotonous, it’s infectious. It’s at these points

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that Foster’s jingle writing ability shines through; he must be legendry in gleaming advertising agency offices the world over.

If Foster and his band are teetering on musical fame and fortune however, he’s philosophical about it. In the last four months he’s had a huge increase in contact from people who allege to be related to him – that rare name ‘Foster’ must explain it. What truly seems to trouble him though (as one would expect) is when fame becomes a curse. He says of celebrities surprisingly passionately, “These are just people that are good at what they do, and they love what they do and because of that they get to do it on a big scale, but when you break it down that’s still just their art. It’s still what they were doing in little budget high school plays at 14 years old. It’s the same thing.

They’re just in a different place now; they were given an opportunity to make it on a higher scale, but then all of a sudden they’re expected to be a politician or a superhero!” So we can assume Foster and his westcoast cronies won’t be following the 38th Governor of California and going in for any pious political or environmental canvassing any time soon.

He summarises. “You don’t want to forget the reality of a situation which is that things can come and go any day and you have to be okay with that. I think for me if I break down the basics, I love to do music. I can do it in my room by myself, or I can do it on stage in front of ten thousand people.” At this point, Foster the People needn’t concern themselves with the thought of simply playing in Foster’s room; they’re getting ready for some intense rehearsal time before they start rolling out more gigs and recording the album which is due out in the Spring of next year. “Trying not to get lost in the allure of the limelight of it all and just trying to keep it simple, I think it’s healthy that way.”

This is very true; and so as long as we don’t ask him to define healthy or run for President we can all just be very happy bobbing our heads and moving our shoulders (arthritis allowing).•

“Most of the songs I write start with drums.

And I love a hiphop beat, but I lovE to kind of flip it on its head. It’s fun to hear a hiphop beat but then not play a hip-hop melody over it.”

www.fosterthepeople.com

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FOS ER THE PEOPLET'S album isdebut out spr due in 2011 g

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itting cross-legged on a sofa in a sweltering dressing room in the Camden Barfly, The Wild Mercury Sound’s lead singer, Benji Compston, has wrapped his diminutive frame around his guitar, and is treating us to an impromptu performance of their song ‘Flex’.

Despite his young 18 years, the song’s poetic lyrics indicate a maturity far beyond this.

“Our music has really changed,” says Benji.“Yeah,” agrees guitarist Johnny Lillis, “When we first started off we were a shit Libertines tribute act. It was at the height of Libertines mania when loads of bands who were obviously influenced by them were around. We quickly realised that sort of music had a shelf life of about five minutes.”

Forming in 2007, the band met whilst they were at school. Bassist Johnny Allen is the youngest, at 17 years old. Compston, Lillis and drummer Ashley Cooper have just completed their A-Level exams.

“Our first ever gig was at Tommy Flynn’s in Camden,” recalls Compston, “When we were setting up the guy that put us on realised we were fifteen and you had to be eighteen to be in the venue. We were allowed to play because of the short notice, but they said they would ID all of our friends. They ran past the bouncers, but at the end of our set an announcement was made telling everybody that had specifically turned up to watch us had to leave – that was a bit mortifying. It happened to us a lot.”

Their musical maturity is evident when you listen to the gentle chews of their recording entitled ‘Paris Session’.The song is part folk, part indie – imagine The Libertines singing Bob Dylan. Essentially it’s pleasing to the ears and thus confirms that The Wild Mercury Sound are wise beyond their years, give them time and they will astound listeners old and new. “We aren’t scared anymore,” says Lillis. “If people tell you you’re good live then you become more confident and play a better show.”

They’ve managed to acquire friends from supporting other acts. “We supported Florence and the Machine over a year ago in Hungerford, we hung out with her a lot,” says Comspton.

Compston and Lillis work as the main songwriters, writing the melodies then bringing it together with the rest of the band. “We do pretty intense sessions,” declares Lillis, “we go to Shropshire, and rehearse and write for eight

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hours a day.”

“It’s good to be tight as a band,” Compston states, “intense writing and working in the studio can be hard but it’s worth it as it’s just made us much more critical. We have a bigger and better sound now.”

The first song they ever wrote, ‘Goldielocks’, has been re-worked and is, by the band’s own admission, their strongest song. “At first we’d have songs with good choruses and bad verses, now we just work on them until they are perfect” Cooper says. It could

be argued that this heavy focus on songwriting is something that sets them apart from many other bands who are currently out there.

“We aren’t all about image,” says Lillis, “you need an emphasis on having the best songs you can.”

But what for the band’s future? With Lillis and Cooper both off to university, Allen finishing his A-levels and the pressures of job-hunting being placed on Compston’s slender shoulders, where do they see themselves in the long-term? “We want to be around for a long time,” says Compston, “we’re idealistic – we want to put out a good debut album.”

“And Glastonbury, we’d love to play Glastonbury”.

And with that, Compston lays down his guitar and the band head outside for some much needed fresh air and a cigarette..• myspace.com/thewildmercurysound WORDS: NATASHA WYNARCZYK PHOTO: MICHAEL ROBERT WILLIAMS

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years of

gio-goi WORDS: charlotte armstrong

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e’ve done it with the best of them,” Anthony Donnelly says, jovially. He’s not kidding. Since 1988, Gio-Goi has been there, done that and created the T-Shirt. In fact, they probably created the ‘there’ and the ‘that’ too.

Inextricably linked with the music scene, Chris and Anthony Donnelly are largely credited (with a few others) as pretty much creating the English Acid House movement of the late 80s. With the creation and hosting of infamous warehouse parties and raves attracting thousands of people under their belt, the brothers were named personally in the House of Commons as being a menace to society.This was, as the story would have it, the point at which the pair decided to unleash their passions and thirst for adventure in a new direction: clothing. Gio-Goi was born, and given the royal seal of approval by none other than Vivienne Westwood, who described them as being “ambassadors for a generation”. Not bad for the sons of a roguish scrap metal merchant from an estate in Manchester. Donnelly comes back to his childhood a lot, describing it as being “somewhat

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unorthodox.” Again, this is putting it mildly; Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ was written about his family. With a feature film of the very same name in production it’s plain to see that the Gio-Goi brand story reaches the heights of legend and myth that their competitors could only dream of.

The journey has been peppered with pauses and new directions however. Following some time out (which Donnelly jovially describes as a period where people would ask incredulously, “Where are those lunatic brothers?”), they burst back onto the scene in 2005 and took the fashion world by storm. Within two years they’d created a fashion company that went from a turnover of around the £300,000 mark to nearly £19 million. Gio-Goi is the current holder of the Drapers ‘Fashion Brand of the Year’ award and recent celeb fans and friends include Pete Doherty (who is godfather to one of Donnelly’s children), Lilly Allen, Calvin Harris and Amy Winehouse – and that’s to name a few, the debauched list of cool continues. “It’s a true rock and roll brand, its roots are set in music and it goes back to our being predominantly promoters. That’s what it was borne out of, this label. Every label out there’s jumping on the bandwagon though. It’s basically like we’re trendsetting and they’re following.We just see it as fucking shit copying!”

One can assume that in amongst the feisty talk of poor imitation,the Donnelly’s are secretly pleased.Anthony is brash

but totally mindful of arrogance; he’s fearless but entirely resolute in his loyalty and kindness, and it’s these credentials that Gio-Goi was borne out of. In an unmistakable sense they’re right about their role in what was a revolution; they’re global cultural authors, they rewrote the face of an industry.

Of two industries in fact – cleverly and naturally intertwining fashion and music long before Christina Aguilera gazed seductively at a pair of Sketchers.

At the moment, Gio-Goi and the Donnelly brothers are busy.The official sponsors of Cream in Ibiza, there’s also an album out mixed by Graeme Park and Mark Knight to mark their 21 years of existence, not to mention the backing of a feature length documentary entitled They Call It Acid, charting the dizzying ascent of the illegal rave scene. For 20 years Anthony tells me he and his brother have been punching holes out of each other wishing they’d have documented and recorded footage of their initial era.

Then, some months ago, as luck would have it, Anthony received a call from a man who confessed that despite the wish at the time for everyone involved to be anonymous, he videoed entire raves.“So we’re sat in the British Film Institute the other day watching the rushes and fucking right in the middle of the film our Chris just pops up, off his nut, about 20 years of age and it’s just the weirdest thing! So we’re getting right behind that,” he gushes.

It could be argued that the Donnelly24 project page (though loyal to their two primary loves) reads like the business plan of an ADHD plagued child, but it works. As Donnelly says of his ethos, “I had to put my hand up in the air, lick my fingers and hope that whatever stuck was mine to take home.You could call it living off your wits, but when you’re living off your wits you’re surrounded by people that can give you opportunities. It’s about who you know, not so much what you know.” It’s not surprising then that the slogan

behind the label that brings us straight-up, iconic clothing is the effective and simple,“It is what it is”.

I ask if the brothers ever see themselves winding down and what might happen then?This answer is also simple. GioGoi might be a multi-million pound cultural institution, but it started with the Donnelly’s and it’ll stay with the Donnelly’s.

It’s a family business. “As we get old and frail, you know that we’ll both be there in our rocking chairs and we’ll say to the other generations, this is how we did it: you need to stay true to your friends and your roots, and you have to have that authenticity.You’ve got to be at the forefront.” No truer words were ever said.That is what they are. • Gio-goi.com Donnelly24.com

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pla animalnsts & lbum 'La La La is out nand' ow

plAnts and grounded words: laura nineham

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lants and Animals have been nominated for two Juno awards, the guitarist is an award winning composer and the drummer’s party trick is making his eyes bulge out their sockets. So when drummer Woody tells me “You’re talking to some boring, repressed Canadians,” I know it’s just him joking around.

Whilst Woody says “We’re musicians, we’re not out to shake the foundations of anything other than music,” and they claim they’re simply entertainers, guitarist Nic jokes that their ambition is to drop the band’s van out of a plane.

“Our tour manager is a pilot,” explains Nic. “He’s one of the only pilots who can bring a plane three feet from the ground and drop a van.

We thought he could do the same with the band; drop the van from the plane onto the street.”

Woody joins in: “I’m interested in the next level of transportation, because you can never be too comfortable. Tour buses are nice, but you know …”

With such an odd choice of name, it’s fair to assume there’s a story behind it. That’s not the case for Plants and Animals. Nic confesses “Woody’s dad one day gave me a lecture about what I could say when someone asks me that question, so he asked ‘What’s behind the name of the band?’ and I said I didn’t know.”

“We need a better answer, I know,” admits Woody. “We failed miserably in that department. This is our new introduction to the UK, so maybe you

of the microphone when “he got more comfortable and literally found his voice.”

Plants and Animals describe themselves as “post-classic rock,” a genre they claim to have created themselves. “There’s some very classic rock influences, which is why, but it’s a very modern sound,” says Woody. “It’s stripped down; there’s two guitars, some drums and vocals, and the occasional bass.”

“We don’t have a bassist in our full live setting, which makes us somewhat unique,” offers Woody.

I disagree – what makes Plants and Animals unique is their rock sound. Unlike the majority of autotune fan boys and poseurs, they are old school

"We’re musicians, we’re not out to shake the foundations of anything other than music". skilled musicians. They’re not 20-something models wiggling around in skinny jeans and trying to fake it til they make it; Plants and Animals have been playing together for a long time, “like going on a decade” and it’s obvious when they play live.

Their Juno nominations would also disagree. Last year they were nominated for Alternative Album of the Year with Park Avenue, along with The Chemistry of Modern Life by Fucked Up, losing out to Oceans Will Rise by the Stills. They were also nominated for New Group of the Year, alongside Crystal Castles and the Stills, who won again.

Woody said the band had many drinks thrust upon them during the ceremony for Canada’s music awards.

They had a small gig to play after the awards, but it didn’t go too well. “We had too many cocktails, and it was just an absolute wreck of a show,” says Woody.

In fact, Woody says he doesn’t have any particular preference when it comes to playing gigs. “Once you’re in a room, you’re in a room, you know. An audience is an audience and it’s not reflective of what’s outside. The landscapes are really different and the people are different [to Canada and North America], but I wouldn’t say there’s anywhere that I don’t like playing.”

If you fancy being in one of those rooms with my new favourite rock band, they’re playing some dates at the end of September. Their third album, La La Land, is in store now. •

AniMals could help us with something scandalous and sexy?”

The Montreal-based band has already released two albums, the first of which was purely instrumental, before their latest offering, La La Land. Woody tells me it’s hitting record stores in September. “So we’re kind of new kids on the block here,” he says.

“The instrumental stuff was good in itself,” says Nic, “but we wanted to do something and move forward.” Woody says they gradually “introduced the ‘oh oh ohs’ and the ‘ah ah ahs”’ before they brought in lyrics. “Those were always the moments where people would engage the most,” explains Woody, as he tells me that singer Warren finally took control

myspace.com/plantsandanimals

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-

2010

WORDS: DOM GOURLAY PHOTOS: SHIRLAINE FORREST

As much a part of the British summer as strikes, sick days and two weeks in Spain, music festivals have moved on a bit from when Glasto cost £1 and came with a free pint of milk. Dom Gourlay has ventured from the dizzy heights of Austria for Snowbombing, through the mean streets of Camden’s Crawl and off through Pilton before ending at Leeds.We don’t remember too much – proof we were really there.

But here are some of the highs and lows.

SNOWBOMBING Five days of mostly dance-infused hedonism set in the exclusive ski resort of Mayrhofen, Austria.

Highs: Its laidback atmosphere and combination of skiing in the daytime and live music in the evening made this a most enjoyable entrée for 2010’s festival season.

Low: The Enemy attracting 2,000 beered-up Brits after less than 50 punters had watched a breathtaking performance by “support act”Wild Beasts was soul destroying.

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CAMDEN CRAWL

Two days of walking around 47 (count ‘em!) of Camden’s finest and in some cases, grimiest niteries.

Highs: So much to see, so many places to go, boredom is never an option. Oh, and it was our first live experience of the wonderful Gaggle, possibly THE festival band of the summer.

Lows: So many bands playing so many venues at the same time made numerous clashes inevitable.

ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES

GLASTONBURY The daddy of all festivals that really needs no introduction.

(curated by Matt Groening)

Three days spent in the surreal surroundings of Butlins, Minehead listening to all sorts of post-rock, noise and generally eclectic mayhem.

Highs: It’s indoors so adverse weather conditions were never a concern. Spiritualized’s performance of their seminal ‘Ladies & Gentlemen We’re Floating In Space’ album will live in the memory for many a year.

Low: Watching Nottingham Forest lose to Blackpool in the sports bar whilst hung-over on Saturday lunchtime.

Highs: The Sun! Possibly the driest Glastonbury in living memory, and blistering headline sets from Muse and Stevie Wonder too. Everything about Glasto gets bigger and better every year. Of course the real fun is found when you delve beyond the main stages and head into the undergrowth with all kinds of weird and wonderful things to behold. Gorillaz last minute addition to the bill was also the first time any act had headlined twice in a row. Damon is now a national treasure.

Low: England’s World Cup drubbing should’ve been switched off.

LATITUDE

Previously known as the most familyfriendly of the UK’s festivals, set in idyllic Suffolk.

Highs: The return of Belle & Sebastian,The National’s ascendancy to big league status, and a mostly relaxed atmosphere.

Lows: The reported rapes of two girls led to certain sections of the media christening it “LADITUDE”. Enough said.

FIELD DAY

A full day’s entertainment in London’s Victoria Park served up by the Eat Your Own Ears collective.

Highs: Great weather, no

by laura nineham queues, and blistering sets

by No Age, Phoenix and These New Puritans among countless others.

Low: Nathan Barley is alive and well and having mutated several times, appears to be living in Mile End.

SUMMER SUNDAE

Three days worth of eclectic entertainment in the grounds of Leicester’s De Montfort Hall.

Highs: Gaggle (again!),The Futureheads proving what a great headline act they’ve become, and Frightened Rabbit coming of age on the final night.

Low: Drinking far too much

after eating far too little, falling flat on one’s face and spending Sunday night having said face stitched back together in Leicester A & E. Ouch.

LEEDS

Four days of carnage spent on the outskirts of Leeds with possibly the most eclectic line-up of the entire summer.

Highs: Arcade Fire has made the best album of 2010 and now they can add “Best Live Band” to their growing list of accolades too.

Low: Look, you wouldn’t set fire to your best friend’s belongings back home so why do it in a field in Leeds, eh •

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he promise of a Libertines gig was enough to make my first Reading as exciting as Christmas. Add to that the best comedy band Midnight Beast, playing the same place as new dance stunners Magnetic Man and everyone’s new favourite band Arcade Fire, and it was always going to be the perfect Bank Holiday. There weren’t as many drunk kids setting fire to things as I’d been warned about, but security had been stepped up to keep the mobs at bay. Despite a horrifically embarrassing ‘set’ by Guns N’ Roses the other headliners did themselves proud. Pete turned up and the Libertines turned the clock back on all the fights and tabloid nonsense. Arcade Fire were of course stunning. The Action Aid tent provided some after-hours fun with DJs, which was needed after everything ended so early. I didn’t love the expensive beers, the 10p cup deposit, the traffic or the nightmare parking, but it hasn’t put me off.

I’ll be putting this in my diary for next summer without a doubt. •

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This season your bonus tracks were chosen by our Five Unsigned CD sponsor – Metropolis.

FMS catches up with them at the world renowned recording studios based in west London to find out more about how they support unsigned artists and the reasons behind this issue’s choices.

FMS: Metropolis puts on the monthly showcase entitled ‘Power Down at the Powerhouse’.Tell us more?

Power Down was launched in June of last year as a way of showcasing the best of the unsigned artists we’ve worked with in front of an industry audience, and in a really unique environment.We’re lucky enough to have a hugely talented client list, some of whom have gone on to sign major record deals since playing at the event. Annika Walsh, Marketing Manager FMS:What other services or initiatives have Metropolis come up with to support unsigned artists?

We’re always looking for ways to support independent artists. First we launched iMastering in 2005 an online mastering service, so that independent artists from all around the world can easily and securely achieve the same high quality service as today’s major artists at a fraction of the cost.All our engineers are involved in the process so you can select a Grammy Award-winning engineer to master your tracks! Following its success, we launched iMixing which has a similar objective and we will shortly be launching iDesign.

In addition, we have Power Down at the Power House and are starting to build a network of affiliates aimed to offer our unsigned clients discounted rates with recommended services in the industry, such as distribution, duplication and website build. Annika Walsh, Marketing Manager FMS:Who should artists speak to at Metropolis if they wish to be considered for your monthly showcase and/ or inclusion on the FMS Five Unsigned CD? Artists who’d like to play at Power Down at the Power House should email music@metropolis-group.co.uk or submit their tracks to our Soundcloud Dropbox soundcloud.com/ metropolisgroup/dropbox while inclusion on the FMS Five Unsigned CD is limited to our client base so artists should book a session!

Metropolis-group.co.uk

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SAM RADSERESHT myspace.com/SAMRADSERESHT

We chose Sam because he came to us as a 16 year old with 10 amazing songs already written. Once we got him in the studio we found not only was he a great writer but also has a haunting, melodic voice and plays all the instruments on his songs. He is an incredible talent and these two songs showcase his writing, singing and playing ability perfectly.

Katy Samwell, Studio Manager

CATHERINE AD myspace.com/catherinead

Catherine initially approached Phil Joannides and I to remix one of her tracks. This resulted in the ‘A Green Future Remix’ of CarryYour Heart. Catherine didn't want just a regular dance mix, and I'd just got back from a month in Mali so had many African sounds and rhythms in my head, which I wanted to put to use.

So we started from there and created a whole new backing track using live and electronic instrumentation. Catherine was so happy with the results of the remix that she asked if I could mix her next EP, which was then mastered by Phil. Having spent so long working on it, Phil and I are in agreement that Missiveh was one of the stand out tracks from the EP, and we're glad that she chose to release it for the cover CD. Mike Hillier, Mix Engineer

the ALUMNI

myspace.com/wearethealumni

The Alumni are a band based in Toronto, Canada. They were brought to our attention through iMixing, which is our online mixing service. The song ‘No Order’ is a cool track with real commercial appeal and for this reason we thought it would be perfect for FMS. Dan Parry, Mix Engineer

SAM RADSERESHT 11. STRANGER 12. THIS IS YOUR SONG CATHERINE AD 13. MISSIVEH 14. CARRY YOUR HEART (A GREEN FUTURE REMIX) THE ALUMNI 15. NO ORDER THE HOSTS 16. WOULD YOU BE BLUE

THE HOSTS

facebook.com/thehosts

For meThe Hosts are in that special camp of having both sterling musicianship and great catchy songs.They play with real balls, and there is a strong passion in their music that really comes across live. Both the music and the band are sharp and slick, and they draw you into a world of class that makes you want to put your coat across a puddle for a lady!

Would You Be Blue is one of my favourite tracks of theirs – both dirty and classy, upbeat yet melancholic, and with a touch of nostalgia. I guess it's one of those songs that makes you think about loves gone by, with all the happiness and sadness that goes with it.

Neil Comber, Mix Engineer

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In our second installment of My Weekend Wardrobe meet musos Harry and Stuee, who gave FMS a sneak peek into their crazy closets.

AY D R U T SA

friday Y SUNDA PHOTOS: CLAIRE COULTON NAME: HARRY AGE: 27 OCCUPATION: SINGER/SONGWRITER – MYSPACE.COM/dirtyharryrocks

CASUAL 70'S GLAM ROCK Vintage Gold Dress, Camden Vintage Stall "This look i rocked at my new club night In shoreditch. Good to run around in this at sound check and works well into the evening."

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DIRTY BOWIE Burgundy and gold Original 70's Cape, from LA Thigh High leather custom made boots, made for previous Dirty Harry video Fishnets, Morrisons "A look i worked for some catch up drinks with old friends from LA @ The Hospital Club, Covent Garden"

GRUNGE CASUAL Floral Grunge dress, Miss Selfridge circa 1993 Mini velvet waistcoat, Camilla Stærk Cowboy Boots, Camden Market "Sunday my day in isolation, working on new songs, catching up on my reading and chanting."

Edited by Jodie Ball

friday Y SUNDA

DAY R U T A S PHOTOS: SAMIRA ANDERSSON NAME: STUEE BEVAN AGE: 31 OCCUPATION: MUSIC ARTIST – MYSPACE.COM/THEPADDINGTONS

THE CLASH Vs. JAY Z

ACID GRUNGE WITHNAIL

PUBLIC IMAGE

Blazer, Rokit Top, homemade from dishcloth and spray paint Jeans, DKNY Shoes, Reeboke

Jacket, DKNY Jumper, EBay bargain Vest, M&S Jeans, Lee Norma Shoes, Vintage from Dappa Camden

Jumper, Fay Nixon Knitwear T-Shirt, American Apparel Jeans, Levis Shoes, Deadstock Hi Tops (No Label)

“A few cheeky frozen ciders on the roof of the Queen of Hoxton before heading up the road to the Haggerston then on to Alibi.The dishcloth top is useful in soaking up inevitable spillages.”

“Soho tonight - few drinks in the Endurance then Trisha’s Basement, ending up at The Bar. Maybe a quick bite at that bring your own booze Italian on the way.That jumper is the reddest thing in the world. Hi viz when you lose your mates. Love it!”

“The Crown and Goose in Camden for a roast then onto The Good Mixer and the Dublin Castle. Don’t wanna risk a good pair of shoes on the plastic pint glasses and sticky floors of the Dublin! Ending up at Funday Sunday.”

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H H H H H H H H H H HHHHHH H H H HHHH H HH H H H H H HHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHH HHHHHHH HH H HHHHHHHHaH H ◊ HM chic goHHH RO ◊ fH HH H H H H H H HHH HHHHHHHH HHHH

HHHHHH

d r a c poSt n ShEa WORDS BY kirste OCK BR TE KA BY OS PHOT

I

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t’s my first night back in Chicago after a long stay in London and I’m heading up the grimy stairs of a building that looks like a former early-1900s sweatshop described in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle.

I enter the cavernous windowless space to a nauseating sound of chaos. At one end there’s a village of huge eightperson tents assembled while at the other end bands are playing to a riot of the city’s new wave of hipsters-turnedpost-apocalyptic-punks. Noise grunge and powerviolence assault my unsuspecting ears softened from months of melodic spacey shoegaze. And in a dark corner somewhere tabs, balloons, bowls and rolls are being traded.The Mopery of Logan Square that is sadly no more was the soul of the very underground scene of Chicago and set the mood for the city’s rejection of all preconceived notions of ‘trendy’.

The so-called Second City, Chicago has a bit of an inferiority complex, desperately trying to measure up to its big sister NewYork yet ever falling short. Even with a former resident in the White House, Chicago is still fighting to earn the respect of its peers.The idea that Chicago’s got something to prove is ubiquitous in every aspect of the city’s culture, but at the same time it refuses to compete on anyone else's terms opting for its own deviant definition of cool and subscribing to the mentality ’If you can’t beat ‘em, fuck ‘em.’

Chicago is the rebellious middle child of American cities—neither here nor there as far as NewYork and LA are concerned.The Midwest itself is a mystery that no one cares to solve, ask any coastal American about it and you will simply get a blank stare. Most of the time they forget it even exists. Neglected and rejected like some high school misfit, Chicago scenesters band together like the Outsiders, forging a spirit of camaraderie and sense of family that characterizes the local fashion, music and attitude.

Overlooked as it is, Chicago does in fact have something to offer but it doesn’t just serve it up on a platter

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like the aforementioned super-hubs. It’s one of those places where you have to dig a little deeper to figure out what’s going on and with that comes all sorts of unexpected happenings and pleasant surprises. I once walked into a party that had full-on cage fighting in the basement.This was at one of the notorious so-called Pitchfork after-parties at the Co-Prosperity Sphere in Pilsen. Chicago is host to two major music festivals— Pitchfork and Lollapalooza—and during summer weeks the city is flooded with hipsters from all over the country and some wild parties ensue.The abundance of cheap, massive spaces in Chicago makes for a raging party scene and the happening neighborhoods of Pilsen and Logan Square are littered with private lofts and venues ideal for depraved merriment.

In contrast to the exploited and commercialized ‘cool’ neighborhoods of NewYork, or the grandly deluded and glorified LA, Chicago radiates an undiscovered charm and down to earth quality that is inherent in its Midwestern mentality. Chicago does not have a pretentious bone in its body despite the fact that the heart of its scene is based around the two main local art colleges—SAIC (School of the Art Institute Chicago) and Columbia College.The perks of being so oft-neglected a city is that there is no need to impress anyone which allows all kinds of creative liberties, best illustrated in the city’s fashion philosophies and musical endeavors.

Legendary artist and superfreak Jojo Baby pioneered an outlandishly flamboyant and eccentric school of dress as personal stylist to Chicago Bulls’ notorious Dennis Rodman and costume director for the 2003 film Party Monster with Macaulay Culkin.This legacy is continued today as the hard-edged grunge-punk of

former Mopery-goers and art school kids is contrasted with the wacky retro-eclectic style of Kokorokoko. A year or so ago Ross Kelly and Sasha Hodges blew into Chicago from Boston and breathed life into the mediocre fashion scene with their revolutionary concept boutique Kokorokoko.With their playful avant-garde looks from the eighties and nineties they have rallied a coalition to transform the streets of Chicago, acting as the mothership to a tight community of fashion enthusiasts such as Sisterman Vintage,The Something Store, Labrabbit Optics and Knee Deep Vintage.

While fashion is a fast-growing force in the city, Chicago shines brightest in its music exports producing the likes of mainstay bands like the dark space-punk Disappears, lo-fi noise-pop Smith Westerns, and the hazy chillwave Light Pollution as well as an impressive flow of talented up-and-coming acts like The Dirty Diamonds, Hollows, Rabble Rabble and Netherfriends. Although this music addresses the rampant trends of lo-fi, psychedelic and shoegaze, it is only through Chicago’s resolute weirdness that wild card groups like the dance-pop doowop Dirty Diamonds exist.

So before dismissing it as some cultureless, Midwestern bro-ville a step behind the rest of the world, a closer look reveals a unique city and community of misfits that has accepted its lot as ‘odd man’ out and embraced its own inner wackiness to produce something that is truly original.•

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interpol

grinderman

Soft Limits

Mute records

The strafing guitar, the trademark rolling arpeggios, the precise drumming – right from the star t it’s clear we shouldn’t expect too much progression in Interpol’s sound on this self titled four th LP. What a relief!

In fact opener ‘Success’s’ moody neon lit taxi ride recaptures the dazzle and vim of their first two albums rather than the rather dour last one – this is a group who only need return to a winning formula rather than change it. And throughout ‘Interpol’ sustains a beautifully dignified mood, paradoxically listening to ‘Summer Well’ you can easily imagine autumn or winter in the Hamptons. But an elegiac atmosphere and leisurely pace throughout is also tinged with storming dark pop songs such as ‘Barricade’, which, with its swaggering guitar and steady drum thump, also contains the telling line ‘I did not take to analysis / so I had to make up my mind’. Yes it’s the same old existential angst but it’s produced a very fine album indeed.

This second album has been billed as a new direction, but its differences from the debut are subtle. Grinderman recalled Nick Cave’s Birthday Party days of smack-soaked sonic sorcery, and Grinderman 2 retains its attitude and themes – Southern Gothic, spiritual interrogation and the all-consuming qualities of love and sex – but this time there’s more meat on the brutalist blues-rock bone. Thunderous rhythms and sledgehammer riffs are leavened by backing vocals and Warren Ellis’ strings, and many songs here drop into moments of arresting delicacy or psychedelic stoner-rock workouts. The dry spell of ‘No Pussy Blues’ has broken and sex is dissected with grudging fascination in ‘Worm Tamer’, listless frustration in ‘Kitchenette’, and feral lasciviousness in lead single ‘Heathen Child’. Cave sounds as good as ever, his intonation deep and rich as the tolling of a funeral bell, whether strutting and rutting or dry and sinuous like a rattlesnake raising sand.

Words: Stuart Gadd

Words: Rhian Jones

the walkmen

manic street preachers

Bella Union

Columbia

The Walkmen return with their sixth studio album; inspired by two trips to the Portuguese capital. The eleven songs here are confidently,intricately constructed miniatures of life, love and loss felt on a grand and sweeping scale, deftly nostalgic rather than knowingly quaint. There’s a clean and buttoned-up feel to much of Lisbon, all neat backbeat, coruscating strings, and fluidly simple arrangements reminiscent of early Sun records, while elsewhere it revs into drum-driven overdrive or dips into orchestral plunges with a flash of gleaming brass. Hamilton Leithauser’s throatily plaintive vocals dilute the surges of surf-rock, while the lyrics, reaching their summit in ‘Stranded’, conjure up images of isolation, empty streets and endless rain against a windowpane. Beside the headlong retro-rush of ‘Angela Surf City’, ‘Blue as Your Blood’ races like a nervous pulse and ‘Victory’ sways with punch-drunk triumph before the title track brings down the curtain in epic, elegiac style.

Postcards From a Young Man is exactly the album you’d expect the Manic Street Preachers to make; slow-paced rock with anthemic choruses that doesn’t challenge the Manics’ mould one little bit. It’s full of stadium-sized choruses and gospel choirs and will go down well with many Manics fans, but it doesn’t offer anything fresh for new ears. And perhaps they’ve overdone the orchestration just a tad? It seems anachronistic alongside other contemporary music – it could easily be the mid-‘’90s because they have just reverted to type. Fans will find it a refreshing contrast to the synth-pop, grime and electro-dance populating the airwaves, but I can’t count myself as one of them. ‘The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever’ is the standout – focusing less on the cookie cutter sound and in favour of a a more disco-cum-gospel vibe.

Words: Rhian Jones

Words: Laura Nineham

Interpol

Lisbon

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Grinderman 2

Postcards From A Young Man

Carl barÂt

best coast

Arcady [PIAS]

Witchita

Carl Barât may have been waiting to step out from the powdery white shadow of Pete Doher ty for some time.

Now, after two albums with both The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things, he releases his first eponymous solo record.

The result is both quintessential Barât - 'Je Regrette, Je Regrette' is a chip straight off the old DPT 'Tired of England' block and yet an unconcealed attempt at getting away from the usual. A handful of tracks, including the eerie ‘The Fall’, with its unsettling bicycle bells and haunting violin harmonies, wouldn't sound out of place at a Pink Floyd concert. This blending of styles is epitomised in 'Run with the Money', the first single. A composition boasting a vintage Jam-style bassline intro, layered with an almost show tune brass section, it will provide a curious, dynamic backdrop as Barât sets out to promote his first book, 'Threepenny Memoir'.

It might have taken me a few listens, but I’ve succumbed to popular opinion and thrown myself onto the Best Coastloving bandwagon. Think ‘60s girl group crossed with the Raveonettes, impersonating Surfer Blood, and you’re pretty close to what Crazy For You sounds like. Whilst it’s pretty impossible to tell any of the songs apart in the opening 15 seconds, the songs all have cracking melodies and interesting lyrical rhythms. Bethany Cosentino has an enchanting voice, although I did tire of her bleating about not being able to land the man of her affections. ‘Summer Mood’ is my absolute favourite track; it’s the only one which sounds different to the other 11 on the album. Single ‘Boyfriend’ is the song that has been circling my brain, relentlessly, for days. Crazy For You should come with a health warning: ‘dangerously catchy, may cause earworms’.

Words: Simon Willmore

Words: Laura Nineham

fenech-soler

engineers

B-Unique

Kscope

Flying the flag for British dance music, Fenech-Soler’s self titled debut is an accomplished piece of work reminiscent of the best bits of Friendly Fires and The Postal Service. The listener’s attention is captured immediately with the pulsating beats of ‘Battlefields’, ‘Lies‘ (surely next year’s big Ibiza beach tune) and ‘Golden Sun’, before the tempo slows for the stand out track of the album ‘The Great Unknown’ which could of been written especially as a soundtrack for hear t to hear t conversations at sunrise. As the album progresses the tracks do have a tendency to merge into one but as the momentum rebuilds, closing tracks ‘Contender’ and ‘Walk Alone’ leave you desperate for more. It seems like years since we’ve had a UK dance act that we can get excited about and has wide appeal, but Fenech-Soler may well just be it.

After the critical acclaim bestowed upon last year’s ‘Three Fact Fader’, the sophomore return after a four-year hiatus, two founding band members left and remaining Engineers Simon Phipps and Mark Peters regrouped, recruited three new members and wrote a batch of new songs. The resultant In Praise Of More represents their most ambient collection of works to date, no doubt aided and abetted by one of those newcomers, revered musician and producer Ulrich Schnauss, whose deft keyboard overcoats are omnipresent throughout.

At times, Engineers more sensitive side shines through like never before; genteel ballad ‘Las Vega’ and choral torch song ‘To An Evergreen’ both highlight their mellow change in direction, while the dark veneer of ‘Nach Hause’ suggests the happy-go-lucky days of ‘Clean Coloured Wine’ are all but a distant memory. Out with the old and in with the new.

Words: Philip Honour

Words: Dom Gourlay

Carl Barât

Fenech-Soler

Crazy For You

In Praise of More

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INTRO: HANNAH ROGERS

Huw Stephens has been gracing our airwaves since the tender age of 17 when he joined the Radio 1 team as part of the station’s new regional output.

He hosted Wales opt-out, presenting the Welsh music scene to the nation and becoming Radio 1s youngest ever presenter.

His Radio 1 slot showcases the best in unsigned and underground talent bringing it to the ears of listeners on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The Cardiff born DJ harbours a passion for discovering new music and presenting it to the masses.

As well as unleashing the tunes of the nation’s best kept secrets, Huw also once ran his own record label and writes for a wide variety of publications. Fuelled by his passion, he co founded the Swn festival in his home city of Cardiff with the best new bands playing in venues across the city.

The twice nominated BAFTA Cymru DJ has spread his musical secrets at various festivals across the world with his shows being broadcasted at Sónar in Barcelona and South by South West in Texas.

Taking time from his busy diary both scouting for and promoting new music, Huw talks to FMS about his career, music and how he rocked to Barbie Girl as a teen.

FMS:What was your big career break?

HS: Meeting Bethan Elfyn and doing a demo for Radio 1 when I was 17.

FMS: Does radio still have a place in modern life or has net killed it?

HS: It’s very much alive and kicking, essential and entertaining.

FMS: How much of the music you play is determined by playlists and producers?

HS: At night, none of it I get total freedom to play what I want which is a beautiful thing. Daytime Radio 1 is more playlisted.

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FMS: Do playlist makers have too much power?

HS: Yes, because they have the power to share music with millions of people. Or not.

FMS:What were your top three party tunes as a teen?

HS: Barbie Girl by Aqua. Country House by Blur. Intergalactic

by Beastie Boys.

FMS:What bands have defined your life in music?

HS: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci got me excited very early on.

FMS: Do the Welsh get a bad time of it and what do think of new Manic’s record?

HS: No the Welsh don’t have a bad time of it and the new Manic’s record is assured, confident, beautiful and brilliant.

FMS: Is the death of the single and b-side a bad thing?

HS: Music lives on.

FMS: Do labels throw too much money at bands?

HS: Sometimes, definitely. Or at least, they spend it in the wrong areas.

Right now I’m…

Sitting in the Radio 1 office with the new NME next to me, ready to read what they made of Reading and Leeds I’m inspired by…

Music and musicians. Every day!

And listening to…

I can hear Sam from Zane Lowe's show playing something that sounds good over there Not a lot of people know that…

I used to be well into magic FMS: Do you think there’s a dearth of newly developed talent because the record industry’s been in meltdown?

HS: I like it when bands and artists go out there alone and do it themselves.

FMS:What’s the future like for the BBC right now?

HS: I like to think it's optimistic. It’s a very special organisation and it needs to exist.

FMS:Who’s inspired you in your career?

HS: Steve Lamacq and John Peel.

FMS:What will be big in the next year?

HS: A realisation that we've been conned.

Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1,Wednesdays 9pm-10pm & Thursdays 12am-2am bbc.co.uk/radio1/huwstephens

I’ll never forget the time…

I met Bill Murray at a house party in America I’m currently wearing to death…

My new shorts I bought for summer. They were thirty pounds from Howies and I've worn them loads If I could meet anyone (dead or alive) it would be…

Johnny Cash Or have a conversation with any animal it would be…

A nice mellow cat I like my eggs…

Whipped into a meringue Elvis is definitely…

Missed ‘cause he'd be rockin’ it if he was still about

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DIARY OF... the MODERN MUSICIAN It takes only the name to work out our content without science or equations. At one glance, absorbing the bright bold pink lettering should highlight the fact that we don’t take things too gravely. Its fashion and music with an extra loud drizzle of style.

What’s more, with every single issue comes a FREE CD to accompany our regular Five Unsigned feature, and we top it up with bonus tracks contributed by musicians profiled within our pages.

If you’ve only just stumbled across FASHION.MUSIC. STYLE then you’ve missed out…but don’t cry. If you order a subscription to FMS magazine online then we’ll send you a back copy of your choice absolutely free*

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION (4 COPIES) including P&P: UK £12.00 Europe £20.00 Rest of World £24.00 Order online

fashionmusicstyle.com *Dependent on availability and while stocks last of course

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ADAM FICEK Welcome to the first in a series of warblings giving an insight into my world as a performer, composer, PR, self marketer, and occasional music industry cynic.

I've been in many a band, some big, some small, signed and unsigned, from the humble Indie Rough Trade (ahem) to the heights of EMI. I've released my own records on my own label, and released my own records on other labels. During my time in this most turbulent of industries, I've also spent 18 years playing everything from Chicago House music to Balinese water song under the guise of the popular pre-recorded music entertainer, AKA the 'DJ'.

These past few months have seen me up to the usual hustling, gigging and DJ wonderment which just about pay my bills. In these modern times, it's essential to try and get some income for ourselves from our art, ultimately we all do it because we buzz off it but if we can generate income to live from our creativity then we've succeeded, that's 'making it', that's the reality!

I’ve recently set up a website to bring everyone into my world from the numerous micro sites that my musical endeavours inhabit.

In my mind the new site is like a giant octopus with its tentacles stuck to its own head.The vast array of social networking websites are all well and good but we're not really in control of the data they hold and can't tap into them as effectively as we'd like to without getting smacked on the wrist by Facebook or a limitation of words byTwitter.

So I'm hoping to bring people into my own domain, which is a little more cosy than these places.

My second RKC album is out in November so the plan is to directly market this to my database and save money on the cost of PR and reviews etc. ‘Did you hear that? He said 'market'. Man! What a bread head, rock ‘n roll’s not about that, it's about the music maaaaaaan’. Bullshit! In an ideal media generated world the musician doesn't dirty his hands with money or the marketing of his music.

Well this is the new age pecker head, and if your face doesn’t fit you're not getting that gazillion pound deal so you better wise up!

And if you're don't get that gazillion, don't expect any airplay from the big boys. Ahem.

Over the past few months I’ve also rediscovered my love for electronic music; this re-acquaintance was prompted by a string of DJ sets on the magical isle of Ibiza. I know, it can be 'Hackett hell' but Ibiza always draws me back into the exciting and vibrant electronic scene. Before I go on, and you all scream 'I hate dance music, I love bands with sweaty hair and ripped stuff', in my world there are only two types of music, 'good or bad' therefore I never judge by genre,

although I still can't seem to dig American metal!

I always seem to gravitate towards dance music when the UK commercial guitar scene becomes diluted. I think the current major label guitar band scene is suffering from the past four years of 'Indie by numbers' groups. The once exciting environment cultivated by emerging Strokes and White Stripes types back in the early to mid noughties has quickly become oversaturated by major label attempts to squeeze every last drop of juice from the scene. So there you have it, all the London A&R are on the lookout, chasing each other around London like little wired mice, waiting for someone to tell them what the next big thing is.At this very minute they're signing up every dubstep act they can get their hands on, it could be you!

MY TOP FIVe: ibiza tunes this suMMer Primal Scream Come Together (Herves Re-Edit) Mr Vega Drop Like A Seizure

MY TOP FIVe: DIY MARKETING TIPS Make sure you’re represented on every social networking platform - Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Bebo etc Think about where and when you gig - if you need the practice that's fine but overplaying, especially in one place, is not the best way to generate a fan base

Bonsai Kat Ego Tripping Doorly Anything On The Pigeon Hole (This EP) Magnetic Man I Need Air

Keep content fresh - nobody wants to read the same old shit a trillion times a day

Make friends with a good legal team, sooner or later you'll need it - this industry is rife with all sorts of creatures

Don't wait around for that 'big money' deal offered by the A&R brigade

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fMs@ punk

punk

street 14 soho D LON ON w1d 3dn

THE BANDS STRANGE WAYS KRISTIAN MARR TOM WILLIAMS AND THE BOAT CREATURES OF LOVE THE DJS LIAM YOUNG (XFM) SUNTA TEMPLETON (NME) COURTESY OF SESSION

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THE GOODIES DIESEL BAGS, GOODY HAIR ACCESSORIES, PULP FRUIT POUCHES, LUSH PERFUME, GOOD VIBES VOUCHERS, A SUIT THAT FITS VOUCHERS, MUSIC MATTERS BADGES, BLURB VOUCHERS,TUCA TUCA CD & FMS MAGAZINE! SPONSERED BY BUDWEISER ‘66 PHOTOGRAPHERS MARTYN SINISTER ANDY WRIGHT MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED INCLUDING PUNK, SKULLCANDY AND PARTY GUESTS,WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME!

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1. Party guests model our Diesel goody bags 2, 7 & 18. Strange Ways – myspace.com/ilovestrangeways 3, 4, 11, 17, 20 & 23. Party guests get papped 5. FMS contributor Karolina Kivimaki (right) with photographer Grace Vane Percy and Jimmy Ho 6. Ron Brand with publisher & editorin-chief Sarah Hardy moments after he knocked down our sponsor board 8. Sub-editor Matthew Finnegan enjoys the free beer 9 & 14. Tom Williams and the Boat – myspace.com/williamstommusic 10 & 21. Kristian Marr – myspace.com/kristianmarr 12. SESSION DJs Liam Young and Sunta Templeton – session.org.uk 13. Dan Lawrence from this issue’s Daytona Lights parties with guests 15 & 19. Creatures of Love – myspace.com/creaturesoflove 16. Mmm…free Budweiser ’66 for a whole hour – facebook.com/budweiser66 22. Photographer Virginia Fonderico with Chris Brown

session clubnight SESSION is the club night that came about on the back of Gavin and Stacy star Mat Horne’s love of DJing and party throwing. Starting out with a residency at one of London’s coolest hangouts, The Queen of Hoxton, the third Saturday of every month (where it still remains as their flagship party) SESSION has now grown to being one of the UK's hottest club tickets. Guests over the last year have included Lady Ga Ga, Zane Lowe, Sadie Frost, The Big Pink, Erasure, The Drums, The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, These New Puritans and Florence and The Machine, which explains why this club night is the talk of the town. Mat’s SESSION partner Stu Whiffen said "SESSION has blown us away! Mat and I knew we had good DJs and a great venue but I don’t think we saw the club night growing so big so quickly, and now we tour the night across the UK in some of the countries finest venues, which I guess is the dream."

SESSION is the third Saturday of the month at The Queen of Hoxton. For information on your nearest SESSION club night go to session.org.uk / Mat Horne Presents on Facebook / or twitter sessionclub

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dilemma #7 Words and Playlist: Connie Hart

1. Donna Summer –

She Works Hard For The Money Overworked waitresses falling asleep…

to work or not to work... that is the question

2. Belle and Sebastian –

Step Into My Office Baby

So do you think I’m hot enough for the job? Oh yes baby, let’s get photocopying!

3. The Clash – Career Opportunities Screw the system and all who play the game.

4. Oasis – The Importance Of Being Idle Who said being lazy wasn’t fun.

5. John Lennon – Working Class Hero

It’sthe beginning ofthe end.Of summertime.

The sun goes down and the holiday romance seems a distant memory. Many transport themselves half asleep at the crack of dawn - some with a bobbing head on route to dreaded studies, others to the workplace; but maybe you don't even get that far, just roll over in bed and simply ponder your options.

For some the wrench out of bed is a misery worth bearing for love. As for everyone else, well you’re not the only ones complaining. From tired eyes, tired feet, a lack of money or jobs that just aren't quite what they seem, it’s been strung, sung and shouted about all in the name of music. Some may sound surprisingly perky after a nightshift, others may not offer much lyrical consolation.

Well if Oasis can’t persuade you that there’s an importance in being idle, Morrissey can’t distil the grey and joyless essence of the daily journey into the jungle or The Pet Shop Boys can’t convince you that you’ve got the looks to make lots of money, then surely nobody can. Roll over and pull the quilt tight, because FMS is here with a top ten to help you decide. To work or not to work, that is the question.

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Basically, you’ve slaved away all of your life and have nothing to show for it. Oh and your creativity has been stripped and pounded. Thanks for being so positive John.

6. The Smiths –

Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now

I was looking for a job and then I found a job. Basically, I really don’t want one so I started moaning about it then people threw flowers at me because they totally agree with me.

7. Bob Dylan – Maggie’s Farm

Your (old) job treated you like crap and scrubbing the floor was no fun, who says you’re going to get ‘laid off’?

Bloody quit.

8. Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities

Get an 80’s groove on whilst making lots of money, cos’ I’d like to think I’ve got the brains...AND the looks.

9. Michael Jackson – Working Day and Night Too busy for luuurrve…

10. A Tribe Called Quest – Show Business Jobs aren’t all they seem to be yo!