Issue 2 april 2016 Fret-Buzz Music Magazine

April ‘16 £3 Digital | £5 Printed

issue 2

featured articles festival news | anthony investigates bands in the spotlight Max Cowley | Eyes are Wild | Xockha In Review James George | k.Flay | Chloe North | more...

Live & local Wolf Alice | Lewis Shepherd | Duveaux

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Co-founder James Adsett Editor/Co-Founder Jake Priddle www.jake-priddle.co.uk

Contributors Andrew Butcher Luke Joynes www.iowfestivalsfansite.net Anthony Sharp Joe Hagan www.josephhagan.co.uk

issue 2 april ‘16

Eliott McRae

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James Gilby

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Silas Gregory www.chalkpitrecords.com

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It’s the difficult second album, the sequel everyone loves to hate, the second pint that goes straight to your head - Issue 2 of the Fret-Buzz Music Magazine. Your one shop stop for the best in features, news, reviews, photos and views covering the bands you care about from the South.

In this issue we welcome back Chalkpit Records and their excellent play-lists, Luke Joynes and his Festival News, we have a fresh face from UHub Official and Anthony is back asking the question ‘Why support live music?’.

The main feature this month is all about Max Cowley and his new solo project (that’s him on the front cover), we have a couple of extra features about Eyes Are Wild and XOCKHA and all the usual reviews and photos.

The support we got from the March Issue was monumental, so thank you to everyone for their kind words and keep on buying Fret-Buzz Music Magazine!

Support local music Jake Priddle editor@fret-buzz.net

www.fret-buzz.net

April 2016 fret buzz

Contents 06 chalkpit records recommends Playlists for musical discovery

12 bands in the spotlight Max cowley xockha eyes are wild

11 Festival news news brought to you by luke joynes from www.iowfestivalsfansite.net

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uhub official @uhub_official

30 super sick records 20 why support live music? anthony investigates

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Contents

April 2016 fret buzz

Contents 32 music reviews xockha nick cane james george chloe north benedict trenches k.flay badow greg barnes luke bond

39 live & Local wolf alice swim deep bloody knees duveaux church & ivory jonny michael sexy pretty things lewis shepherd tink battle of the bands

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LUKE’S ONES TO WATCH

THE HUNNA

London-rockers The Hunna are currently on an extensive tour around the UK, with a massive 12 sold-out dates- so what’s all the fuss about?

Describing their sound as ‘turn-up rock’, the four-piece can easily be compared to the likes of Kings Of Leon and Foals and look set to take the summer festival season by storm this year. Following another equally huge UK tour in May and June, The Hunna will be performing at Leopallooza in Cornwall and the Great Escape Festival in Brighton, where fans can expect a set packed with rock anthems from the band that supported Coasts on tour last year. Watch this space…

WHERE TO CATCH THEM: The Great Escape, Brighton: Sat 21 June The Joiners, Southampton: Sat 4 June Patterns, Brighton: Mon 6 June DOWNLOAD: ‘Bonfire’

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DAMN ROGER, BACK AT THE IOW FESTIVAL AGAIN!

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ritish rock icons The Who have been confirmed as the final headline act for the Isle of Wight Festival 2016, as part of their ongoing 50th-anniversary celebrations.

In a UK festival exclusive performance, Roger Daltrey and co. will headline the Seaclose Park event on Saturday 11th June.

the festival, performing hits from his latest solo album These People before The Who, in the ‘special guest’ slot. Also recently confirmed is Maxi Jazz & the E-Type Boys, who will be playing a special set in the Big Top on the Thursday of the festival, before Maxi Jazz’s headline appearance with Faithless on the following day.

The band played at the original festivals back in 1969 and 1970 and later headlined the event in 2004the same year that the legendary David Bowie headlined, with his last ever UK live performance. Since forming in 1964, The Who’s illustrious career has seen them sell over 100 million records and fans at the Isle of Wight can expect a set featuring the top 10 singles Pinball Wizard and My Generation.

The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft has also been confirmed for

They join the previously announced headliners Queen with Adam Lambert, Stereophonics and Faithless, as well as Iggy Pop, Sigma (Live), Jess Glynne, The Corrs and many more for the festival’s 15th-anniversary celebrations, since its reform in 2002. Over the coming weeks, organisers of the festival will be releasing the line-ups for the smaller stages, so make sure you keep checking out www.iowfestivalsfansite.net to ensure you don’t miss anything!

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rganisers at Bestival have announced a plethora of up and coming artists set to take to their future-themed, this September. Leading the announcement is grime artist Kano, whose latest album Made In The Manor peaked at the number 8 spot last month. He also cites collaborations with Gorillaz, Chase & Status and fellow Bestival performer Skepta.

Also confirmed is electronica duo Odesza, who have remixed tracks for Porter Robinson, Pretty Lights and Sia in the past, and Snakehips, whose single All My Friends, featuring Tinashe and Chance The Rapper charted at number 5 in the UK. They will be joined on the line-up by 19-year-old Guernsey producer Mura Masa, hip hop stars WSTRN, BBC Sound of 2016 nominee Billie Marten, freestyle phenomenon Lady Leshurr, Izzy Bizu, who has previously supported Foxes, Rudimental and Sam Smith on

tour, and X Factor runners-up Reggie N Bollie.

Joining the previously confirmed Spaceport headliners Diplo, Carl Cox and Fatboy Slim on the DJ line-up is festival favourite DJ Yoda, DJ-come-actor Goldie, Southampton’s very own James Zabiela, critics’ favourites Mount Kimbie and Radio 1’s Heidi.

The eagle-eyed among you would know that the Sunday headliner is still yet to be announced and it seems to be as unpredictable as ever. Unlike the Isle of Wight Festival, the Bestival headliners are always much harder to predict, but there have been rumours flying around mentioning Muse, LCD Soundsystem, Disclosure and Pendulum. Pendulum made a live return last month with a performance at the Ultra Music Festival in the States, but it would seem unlikely that they will headline Bestival alongside The Cure, who both headlined back in 2011. Hopefully, we’ll find out very soon!

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fter an incredibly successful first year in 2015, Bestival organisers are once again staging their Common People event on Southampton Common on the weekend of 28th and 29th May. Headlining the Sunday night is none other than 80’s legends Duran Duran, who were one of the highlights at Bestival 2015. Released on the Friday of last year’s Bestival, Duran Duran’s fourteenth studio album Paper Gods went straight up to number 5, and fans can expect some of the stand-out tracks from this, as well as their classics, including The Reflex, Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf and Girls On Film.

confirmed for the Saturday of the event, as well as Supergrass lead singer Gaz Coombes, Mercury Prize nominee Ghostpoet, 70’s rap duo The Sugarhill Gang and People Just Do Nothing stars Kurupt FM, who will be performing in the Big Top. Sunday’s proceedings will see Craig David collaborator Katy B, who is due to release her new album Honey later this month, take to the Common Stage, following performances from chart-topper Jamie Lawson, the infectious force of nature that is The Cuban Brothers and boogie-woogie-come-rock legends Chas & Dave.

The Uncommon Stage will be hosted this year by The Joiners The Saturday sees local lad venue, who are encouraging Craig David and his TS5 show revellers to discover new music take to the headline spot, with over the weekend by offering a what is expected to be one of his line-up featuring the very best best shows to date, following his up and coming talent the UK has recent comeback and chart suc- to offer. The likes of Palma Vicess. I wouldn’t be too surprised olets, Lonely The Brave, Pretty if he is joined by special guests Vicious, Tall Ships and the Isle of who he has collaborated with in Wight’s very own Signals have the past! Craig David’s set will all been confirmed, ensuring follow a performance from Scot- that there really is something tish rockers Primal Scream, who, for everyone to discover. although are of a completely The Southampton Common is a different genre, share an equal- big ol’ place, which means there ly fantastic chart record. are plenty of tickets still goingAmerican hip hop veterans at just £30 a day, why wouldn’t Public Enemy have also been you?

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Max Cowley B Words: Andrew Butcher | Photos: Jake Priddle

ack in March for the rebirth of Fret Buzz I reviewed a new song called Believe In Me Now by solo artist Max Cowley. This song was special for many reasons, with the main being that it was Max’s first solo project release - and what a powerful beginning it was! - But also because its the first of many new songs in Max’s innovative and experimental solo project. The only thing that we journalistic-minded and musically inspired people can do when a new project like this is on the horizon is jump at any chance we get to hear all about it from the artist themselves, so that’s exactly what I did!

On a chilled out Sunday night in Max’s warm living room, while the wind howls outside and the rain throws itself at the window pane angrily reminding my friends and I that when we leave we shall face the wrath of ‘Storm Katie’ (Which if you ask me isn’t really a threatening name.. But hey, I digress. You might know some horrid Katie’s...), Max sits at his dining table eating popcorn, clearly comfortable, while I sit opposite desperately hoping the questions I wrote not long before this impromptu interview will give me the important information I need! (This is the first interview piece I’ve done for Fret Buzz... Gotta get it right man!) So with my phone primed to record everything we say, first of all, I wanted to find out

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what provoked Max to go solo after many years of working in duos and bands. ‘I wanted to try something different that I could have my own creative control over’, Max tells me, ‘Its nice. I can go home: mix, master, write music, record music, and it’s just all in my own time so I don’t have to rely on others, rely on studios, and it makes life so much easier and quicker.’

“I wanted to try something that I could have my own creative control over”

true love. This song begins with atmospheric piano keys and an electronic backing before breaking into a heart leaping longing fuelled by powerful vocals as the song progresses. Somewhat in contrast, I See a Future is an incredibly interesting development for Max, with it being his first crack at both techno style music and rap. There is certainly quite a retro style about this song from the very beginning, and mixing this with rap provides an intriguing combination that is sure to turn heads. This genre mix is also definitely a deliberate choice by Max to prove talent in many different areas of music and showcase his own vocal and stylistic range throughout this album.

Having heard these tracks, and the beginnings of some others currently being crafted, I wonThere are currently many songs dered what it takes to create a in the works that will collectivewhole album from scratch from ly form Max’s début album, A the confines of your own home Story of Thoughts. The first track I wanted to find out the process released, Believe In Me Now, is an artist would go through to a beautiful ballad of electronic achieve this great ambition: ‘I’ll echoes with a heavenly chime have a song already written, in that seems to glisten through the past or one I specifically write the dust of a decaying world, for it. Normally comes music first reminding us to have hope and at the minute. It used to come believe we can be better people lyrics first but now its the other if we stop hating. For his second way around’ Max begins, eagerly solo release Max is currently torn taking me through his own perbetween two other new songs: In sonal process, ‘I’ll come forward the Night, and I See a Future. In with a music idea on the piano the Night is a softly sung, sweet - and then I’ll take it forward in a song that seems to be about the pro-tools session on my laptop. contrast between wild, someWhen I’m happy with the music times dangerous passion, and I’ll record vocals over the top - I

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normally mix the vocals as I’m going, so I can get a rough idea of how it’s going to sound and if it’s still sounding good. And then once the vocals are mixed I’ll have a full mix over the whole thing, and then I master it. Listen to it. Master it again. I do that process about twenty times until I have the final product. It takes many days and hours.’ Just like mastering any craft, it’s very clear that mastering music takes a lot of passion and patience, and it’s no surprise that working in your own home-studio brings challenges as well as benefits. But for Max, this is all part of the excitement: ‘And you know I enjoy doing it so even if it takes a while it’s fun!’

One of the challenges I imagined a solo artist might face is the fact that they are constantly working alone, with not a lot of other creative input from outside ears.

But actually it seems that one of the main reason Max is doing this is to test himself and find his own sound - to see what he is ultimately capable of and stretch his abilities even further: ‘I like the fact I’m writing on my own because it allows me to have my creative input, no arguments, and you just get on with it.’ However, although Max is writing and producing this album by himself, he does tell me that he doesn’t hesitate to ask for help where it’s needed, as any artist should, and is happy to welcome outside influence: ‘In this project I’m having the likes of Edan Bartlett and Euan Pope, you know they’re helping me out with guitar and stuff when I need it, and they do add influence in certain songs like I’ve got a new song coming up which is a bit different to my other stuff - a bit more ‘bluesy’ and mainly guitar based. And they’re a big influence in that’.

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So what then, is Max actually trying to say throughout this project? What does he ultimately aim to do? Well, it’s a good job I asked him or we’d never know..

Unless you know him in reality and could ask him yourself..

But don’t do that! Cause you could buy Fret Buzz instead and find out here! (if I ever stopped rambling). ‘The key for me more than anything’, Max explains, ‘is to have a sound that’s consistent. Hopefully, my vocals, and the synthy aspects, and kind of the dancey beat aspects will be consistent so that can be picked up.’ But the question is, how does an artist find and achieve a new, solo consistency when they’ve spent many years crafting a unique sound in other projects before this? How will this new album compare to Max’s other work, such as Last Chance City’s sound? ‘With Last Chance City I wrote.. Kind of war and political, with this one I’m not trying to be political. The idea of this project is to get away, do something completely different, to kind of... Do something more commercial. Cause as I say I love the bands pieces but it’s getting a frustration that it’s not hitting the commercial market which these days is the market to aim for if you wanna do well.’ Here I was intrigued, so, like any good journalist, I altered the script and added a question - I asked Max what he thinks makes this album ‘commercial’: ‘I’d say the sound of it. Bringing about the 80’s vibe is one of the key things of it I think. Lyrical content. I’m aiming to write commercial structures, lengths of songs. I’ve really researched this hard and I’m just trying to do my own take on making commercial songs.’

An interesting article for anoth-

er time (though someone else will probably steal it now I’m publishing it here... Damn I’m clever..!) is ‘What Makes a Song ‘Commercial’?’. But for now, before I get carried away and go off topic, I need to know when we could expect a release of this innovative new album - And the first thing Max does is laugh.

We may be discussing it now, but its a long way off it seems: ‘Its gonna be a while. I’m gonna spend so much of my summer working on this album. The album’s gonna be ten songs long.

I’m gonna write probably about twenty, thirty songs, and then I’m gonna pick the ten which I think are the strongest. I’m at eight songs. And that’s just after a couple of months.’ He pauses for a while to consider a personal target... ‘Probably October/ November. But if it needs to be longer it needs to be longer. I’m not gonna rush this, it needs to be important.’ Although Max does make it very clear that we shan’t be forgetting about it: ‘In the meantime, I will be releasing singles as well so the buzz won’t be gone. In the next couple of months I’m probably gonna release my next single: either ‘In the Night’ or ‘I See a Future. I’ve got a full band now. Full live setup, six of us. And we’re hopefully gonna be aiming from starting around the Isle of Wight Festival period and pushing on from there.’

So there you go folks - although we might be waiting a while for Max’s Story of Thoughts to be complete, there’s no need to cast your mind anywhere else. Look out for single releases and future live performances from the daring and brilliant upcoming solo artist that is: Max Cowley.

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ollowing the successes of last year – releasing their debut EP to positive reviews, and playing Bestival main stage! – XOCKHA are back with a brand new song Losing Sight that recently released, building on the sounds of the Sleeper EP but with noticeable refinement to the overall production. What’s more they’re playing again this year at Bestival 2016!

The Lo-Fi Indie band formed right here on the Isle of Wight, and though that comes with its own challenges, playing the legendary Isle of Wight festival AND Bestival in the first year of being a band isn’t bad going. Notably, they put on a great live show and it’s definitely a pleasure to witness

regardless of age and musical preferences.

The four-piece definitely creates a unique atmosphere; the music just crafts a whole mood that, in that brief space of time, brings everyone attending on the same (chilled out) wavelength.

With those long summer nights rolling around again soon (which provide the perfect backdrop to listening to Xockha’s tracks) we know the band has a few more gigs to announce very soon, in addition to a few more singles! So check back in with us online for all the details.

Words & Photos by Joe Hagan

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“Support live music” has become a mantra that is spoken by every promoter, rock star, bartender and their cat. If you know anything about live music it’s that you’re supposed to support it, and to not do so is a sin. But has anyone ever stopped to wonder why it must be this way? Sure, supporting live music helps out local musicians in terms of putting on their shows. It means more people through doors, and inevitably, more money. But is there a catch?

In my opinion, the phrase “support live music” sprung into popular usage back in the early 2000s when internet media sharing sites such as Napster first begun offering people the opportunity to share their music for free. Things have never quite been the same since; today music sales in the USA are lower than they have been at any time in the past 43 years (the data doesn’t go back any further than that). Now that record sales are down, one of the only remaining unaffected avenues for musicians looking to make money is live music, and so, the idea of supporting live music sprung into existence.

But there is something forcefully banal

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about the phrase. Firstly, it assumes that musicians deserve some kind of special treatment simply because of who they are, regardless of whether they have good songs, an exciting image and whether or not they can put on a great live show. It completely ignores the concept of supply and demand and free markets, which explain how people will only do what they want to do and will

Much like buying bread, going to see live music is a business deal only invest in something that they see as worthwhile. Much like buying bread, going to see live music is a business deal.

For most people it costs money to get to a gig and then oftentimes, even more to actually get in. Therefore, people will expect something of greater value than the initial costs before they will decide to go anywhere. Secondly, it implies that

To get people to come and see you do what you love most you’re going to have to think outside of the box In all fairness, though, apart from maybe convincing a few more people to come along to your gig in order to fulfil a good deed, this phrase probably has very little positive or negative impact on the consumers of live music themselves.

Ironically, the ones this phrase will inevitably end up damaging are the ones in the music industry, since if through these three words musicians and promoters are able to devolve their responsibility for getting people through the doors to something else, then they will inevitably do so, leaving them frustrated as no one comes to see them play, and that would be the ultimate shame. Sadly there is no easy way out of it unless you just happen to be really cool and hot

and everyone comes to see your gigs anyway. To get people to come and see you do what you love most you’re going to have to think outside of the box. Sell some marshmallows. Hire a Meerkat. Get some pink fluffy dice with your band’s logo on them. These things take time and to work time after time, must be part of a larger well thought-out marketing strategy.

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to not support live music is inherently a bad thing which therefore makes you a bad person; when used as a marketing tool its sole function is to make people feel guilty. There is not necessarily anything wrong with this, however, since if people feel like they’re doing a good thing then they will be the ones having that warm fuzzy feeling inside, however for some, I’m sure it can be quite alienating.

Ultimately, its intentions are kind-hearted. Musicians want to provide people with something that they will enjoy, and music consumers want to enjoy going out and listening to live music. But the phrase “support live music” is not the be-all and end-all. It is a coin with two sides. (Because obviously that third side isn’t important. No one talks about the third side.) So then, the answer is that you don’t have to support live music. If it’s really not worth your time, then don’t go. If it’s the same bands churning out the same sticky-floor-pub-night, then maybe deciding not to turn up would be teaching them a hard-won lesson.

But always be on the lookout, because out there are promoters and artists who want to tailor a unique experience for you, and to these, make sure that you go, because I’m afraid that you will enjoy yourself.

Support good live music!

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A Unique Experience

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very musician has a different, unique way of working. Whether they begin with the sound, or the words. Or perhaps even both in some cases. But why are we as human beings so attracted to the combination of sound and language?

Well, this is only one 22 year old’s opinion: but I think I have an answer.

Language is a very useful tool for communication, we learn it from a very young age and continue to develop our own idiolect throughout our lives. We spend a vast majority of our time on this planet labelling things and naming things because we think that it gives meaning to that item or place - and the name or label combined with your own personal experience of said place or thing does give it meaning. But where language and spoken word communication fails is when somebody has difficulty articulating what they want to say, either because a word hasn’t been invented to describe what you’re trying to explain, or because spoken word communication is not easy for them. And unfortunately, where the human race fails is that we’ve made language so prevalent in our society that people who have difficulty using it as a tool for expression feel that they have to hide parts of themselves because our ‘accepted’ form of articulation isn’t right for them. This is where creative expression comes in, music especially.

I know quite a few people who have difficulty expressing themselves through language, and the trick to help them, surprisingly, is to empathise and allow them to find other ways of showing you what they mean - because everyone, at some point in their life, has failed to find a way to express themselves. When you’ve felt how horrible something is for yourself, you’d be a pretty crappy person to sit back and watch as others suffer with it. For people like me, who use language as their main tool of expression, because they are comfortable with it, lyrical and poetic expression works incredibly well. But for somebody who doesn’t find comfort in words, music becomes their words - and often can actually be more effective than language for expression.

Often, with people who use music to express themselves, its a symbol of trust if they send you some of their favourite songs, because its as if they’re sending you part of them. What I mean by that is; where I’d express thanks to somebody by telling them how grateful I am over and over again (honestly, if you can avoid the repetition try to. From what I’ve heard it can be too much sometimes..), a person less comfortable with words might send you ‘Thank You’ by Dido to express the same sentiment, just in a different way. I think the combination of music and language work so well together because it conjures images in your mind, and the creative power of the mind is an incredible thing. The images you develop and the experience you have when hearing words and music weaving together seamlessly are incredibly personal, because though likely similar to other people’s, what you see and feel will never be exactly the same.

When welded together, music and language create an experience purely unique, based on your own life experiences, personality, influences... Some people say actions speak louder than words, but if that is true, I think songs speak the loudest of all.

By Andrew Butcher.

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e r A Eyes Wild

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ver the past few months, Eyes Are Wild have kept us busy with their debut EP Bad Wolf and regular local gigs, bringing the noise and energy, bringing new life into the scene. But in between this, they’ve been working on new music, TWO new EPs and a handful of music videos to accompany them!

We’re pleased to be the first place to announce that the titles of the new EPs are FEAR & IMAGINATION and find the finished artwork right here:

If this is the first you’ve heard of this relatively new Island band, then what you need to know is here.

There are heavy electronic influences on all songs, alongside heavy… metal. They currently have the debut 5 track EP available online. If this sounds like something you could be into definitely go and check it out now! More importantly, the promise of even more music soon makes them a band to follow closely.

We’ve heard the majority of the new tracks and it’s very much more of the same, though more refined and focused, definitely the right direction and an exciting band to follow.

Finally, the band is really upping the production values when it comes to their must-see live shows, coming soon to a venue near you is a chock full rock set list, live visuals and seizure inducing (disclaimer: not literally, but it’s possible) lighting rigs.

Words & photos by Joe Hagan

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Super Sick Records are a record label that release a brand new EP, from a great new artist, every single month. Styles can be broadly summed up as ‘good guitar music’, with artists ranging from energetic acoustic acts, through catchy poppunk to heavier alternative bands.

These are the bands that people talk about when they say that the best music to be heard is on the underground circuit. The label works with upcoming musicians to produce tight, professional EPs, before both distributing these to their fans and introducing them to hundreds of other music lovers.

Where it came from Super Sick Records was originally formed in the summer of 2014 by Ben and Joe Brewer. With the brothers both having been musicians and

bandmates for several years themselves, Super Sick Records was originally formed as a vehicle to release the new EP they’d been working on, under the name of Halley’s Apparition.

During one particularly coffee-fuelled discussion of their release plans, it occurred to them that the unique combination of their studio facilities, combined experience and willingness to put themselves out there for other artists meant that Super Sick Records could be something that would work well not just for themselves, but for other musicians too.

After a few weeks of intense work, research, prototyping and of course, finishing what was going to be the first release, the structure of Super Sick Records solidified into a system that worked based around a simple idea: bands would pay nothing, fans would pay a little each. Although the label has gone from strength to strength, improving and refining details along the way since its formation, that core idea has stayed at the heart of how Super Sick Records work today.

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Bands and musicians that work with Super Sick Records don’t pay anything to produce, record, or distribute their EP. They don’t sign over any intellectual rights to songs or their image; they don’t commit to having to make more releases and they don’t have to promise to hit CD sales targets.

The musicians do take 100% of profits from their EP’s first month on sale, while it’s exclusively available through the label, and 50% of all profits after that. They also get to benefit from the promotion and other artist-building tools that the label can offer.

In setting out the principles at the centre of Super Sick Records’ artist deal, Ben and Joe deliberately went for ideas that they themselves would find attractive as musicians – figuring that getting paid to make music, rather than having to pay to be given the chance to even make it, is perhaps a better way of working.

For the fans Members of Super Sick Records join through the label website, pay £3 a month and receive everything the label releases, as it’s released (meaning they receive new music before it’s available through iTunes, Google Play, Amazon etc). As well as the regular monthly EPs, members also get occasional mid-month bonus releases and even merch through the post. There are no contract commitments (although there are discounts for multiple-month subscriptions), meaning that members can leave and stop receiving music whenever they like.

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For the artists

favourite new artist then stay on to enjoy what the label produces every month – their memberships go back into offering the artists a fuller, richer experience with the label, which means there’s more amazing new music and content for those same fans to enjoy in the future.

Having been in the position of trying to persuade friends and fans of their own bands to part with even £5 for a copy of a new release, Ben and Joe specifically set the price of membership to Super Sick Records at a level that few could refuse, with no nasty commitments. Since there are no manufacturing costs involved, the bands still end up with the same royalty, but each fan only pays a little.

Fans can join Super Sick Records at www.supersickrecords.com Musicians who are interested in working with the label can send an e-mail to submissions@supersickrecords.com (see the website for more submission details)

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xockha

Music Reviews

Losing Sight Released solely on Soundcloud, this is the latest release from the indie-pop-rockers. Super chill as you’ve come to expect from XOCKHA, still managing to be as unique as their previous releases.

Here’s what listeners from Soundcloud have to say: “Sick Tune :)”, “KOOL!!!”, “stunning song.”, “awesome :D x” I totally agree with their sentiments, this is a stunning track - perfect for warmer and longer days to come. Lets hope they release more in time for summer.

By Jake Priddle

nick cane walking

Straight from the beginning you can tell that Nick Cane is an accomplished and experienced musician, offering gentle country blues rock that hits the spot perfectly.

The album starts of at a nice comfortable pace building up towards the title track ‘Walking’ which is slap bang in the middle. The perfect place to hold possibly the best track from the 10 song record. The pace is held nicely all the way up until track 8 with Azzurro. This is where things start to get a bit weird with a little flute number before bringing the pace back down towards the end of the album.

A nice little release if you fancy a bit of good old country blues well written, performed and produced.

james george make you mine

James George is an Indie Rocker from Manchester and this is his new single ‘Make You Mine’. It seems to me that everyone and their dog classes themselves as indie rock but it always amazes me how much variation there is in the semi genre.

If you like Last Shadow Puppets, you’ll probably like this too.

There’s a lot going on here, the echoed vocals, main guitar riff weaving around muted distortions and a twine of lead piercing through the surface. All that with a bit of synth peppered throughout makes for an interesting listen.

There’s no real climax to the track which is a bit disappointing from a single release point of view, it maintains interest but just doesn’t seem to deliver a satisfying ‘this is really cool’ moment. Nevertheless, James George offers a pretty solid listen so go check him out and buy this single.

By Jake Priddle

By Jake Priddle

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Benedict trenches Part 1

Benedict Trenches is an anomaly. This is not a band in the traditional sense, they’re more of a weird and wonderful musical entity. They describe themselves as a fictional character playing Psych-Prog-AcousticFiction Rock which as far as I am aware, is a fictional genre. They’re from Nottingham too apparently.

This is Part One of the Benedict Trenches journey and it’s really intriguing. Track one ‘Blank Slate’ introduces the sound as gently as possible with a very acoustic folk orientated approach - the end of this first track starts to get unhinged. At first I didn’t really get it, but the more you listen, the more you realise you don’t have to ‘get it’, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

The next track ‘Eighty Five’ is just so up and down.

Nice gentle bits transitioning into psych acoustic madness. The main vocals remind me a lot of another obscure project band - Forleigh - who we covered back in 2015. There seems to be a trend of

off the wall genre breaking bands, and it’s a welcomed alternative the norm.

The mood takes a nosedive in the nest track ‘Take Some Time’ which is fraught with anger and sorrow intensifying before the last song ‘Fire’ which starts off way jazzy. The jazzyness pretty much plays out the rest of the EP until things get really weird again.

I think the closest thing I can compare Benedict Trenches to is Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. So good, but so unhinged.

Ok, I just realised I played these tracks in the wrong order... it goes Blank Slate, Take Some Time, Fire, then Eighty Five.

The only remedy to that mistake is to go and listen to it for yourself.

By Jake Priddle

Luke Bond

As promised

Speaking of Super Sick Records, this was Marches release. Luke Bond is an acoustic/alternative musician from Barnstaple and this is his latest release ‘As Promised’ I really like this! It reminds me

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of summer sunset gigs, the kind where you get to the venue early and just end up chilling in the sunset.

There’s something so appealing about warm acoustic guitar tones and a great voice - especially arranged in an alt rock formation. I’m not normally fussed about alt-rock, but when it’s performed acoustically I love that stuff!

Seriously, that voice is fantastic - there’s a power that pushes

through and makes you sit up and listen.

Really worth a listen, get all over this!

By Jake Priddle

K.Flay Every so often a track comes along which you end up playing on repeat for a good few days - this is most definitely one of those tracks. K.Flay is an amalgamation of indie, hip-hop and electronic, originally from Chicago, current location tour bus.

This track is pretty much what it sounds like to be 20 something - that constant battle between loving life and realising you have to start taking things seriously. As a tune and a message, FML keeps on giving making you want to play it again and again.

Super hyped to see K.Flay at Bestival this year (if we get tickets... *cough cough press passes plz*)

By Jake Priddle

chloë north

The Sound (The 1975 Cover) In January, Manchester formed band The 1975 released a new song entitled The Sound; a very upbeat pop song with retro 80’s style electronic backing. By March, Manchester born Island artist Chloë North had obviously resonated with The Sound from her home town, being so inspired by The 1975’s work that she decided to create her own take on the song. Where the original song has clear influence from the catchy melodies of the 80’s, like Wham, Chloë’s cover brings a new, intriguing, emotive weight to the song - a perfect example of how different artistic takes on existing works can change the emotion of them completely. Chloë’s version of The Sound has a steady, slower pace, with dream-like synths and a constant heartbeat like thump throughout, accompanied of course by her beautifully emotive voice. The 1975’s original song may make you want to get up and dance the night away, but music can move people in many different ways, and Chloë’s version, to me, makes you feel like you’re underwater - slowly moving, exploring, trying to find something you desperately long for. And if you love good music, long for more from Chloë, with this being her début single I’m sure we can expect more from this upcoming artist!

Keep your eye on the YouTube channel Chloë North for future projects, and check out Chloë’s music video for her cover of The Sound there too!

By Andrew Butcher

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Music Reviews

FML

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Greg Barnes Day by day

The clocks have gone forward. The sun has come up. There’s warmth in the air and fluffy clouds in the big, bright blue sky. The weather has a huge influence on our everyday lives, and greatly effects our moods and culture. So it’s very fitting in this bright and positive weather that another summery song has emerged from the ebbing Ventnorian ocean that is Greg Barnes!

Day By Day, Greg’s latest single, is an upbeat, fun, and catchy tune that will make you feel you should be out in the sun having a picnic by the sea, enjoying the beautiful world around you without any worries. The song is about living in the moment, taking life as it comes and making the best you can of it, and is definitely a well made ‘feel-good’ piece that utilises Ukulele, Keyboard chimes, backing harmonies, and some Latin influence, to give the listener a full musical experience of happiness and relaxation. Keep your eye on the horizon, (and the YouTube channel Greg Barnes Music) for Greg, as Day By Day will be released on the 14th of April with a full music video! And being Greg’s second single this year in the space of only a couple of months, there’s lots more to look forward to! Let’s say perhaps a debut EP..! Don’t let your mind wash over Greg, for this will be a good year for him.

By Andrew Butcher

Badow

Freedom of the night This is what happens if you leave your homework until the very last moment. It’s gone! And I guess you’ll have to wait until BaDow officially release more music. Let me explain.

Earlier in the month Chalkpit Records shared a track on Facebook called Freedom Of The Night and I can only presume it shouldn’t have been shared and has now been taken off of Soundcloud. I can confirm however that it was a huge track! I seem to remember BaDow playing it live at Blacksheep Bar and it’s a cracker.

You can tell someone’s been listening to Royal Blood by the tones and atmosphere this track has/had/ will have. I don’t know, you’ll have to wait and see hey?

By Jake Priddle

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Wolf Alice Swim Deep Bloody Knees Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth 14th March

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t’s amazing to see how far a band like Wolf Alice have come in a year, releasing a killer album, picking up 2 NME awards (one for live performance, but more on that in a bit) and bringing a whole new meaning to a great light show.

It’s a cold and windy Monday night in the coastal city of Portsmouth and a sold out Pyramids Centre (please mind the smell of chlorine) is waiting for an eager crowd. A gig with a varied lineup, with three acts who all vary in style and genre. Opening the night is new grungers Bloody Knees. The crowd react better than a crowd would normally to an opening group, with Bloody Knees playing hits such as Stitches and Daydream and even treating us to new anticipated music ‘I want it all’ Overall a solid performance and a band to watch.

Following Bloody Knees is the next support act from Birmingham, Swim Deep. Looking like they have come straight out of the 70’s and their style reflects their sound. Sounding a lot like

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Finally, it comes to the time for the main act, as the lights go out and the stage slowly lights up with a yellow glow, the backdrop reveals the iconic ‘My Love Is Cool’ album artwork. Taking to the stage one by one with front lady Ellie Roswell taking to the stage last to a massive cheer.

They break straight into song opening with a fantastic intro that leads into massive hit ‘’Your Love Whore’. The crowd are fully involved and wanting more from the start, with singing and dancing filling the sold out pyramids.

Playing other hits such as ‘Bros’,

Live Reviews

early Bowie, with a heavy synth tone and driven by it.

This, however, is a slight downfall as it makes every song have a similar sound and can leave you wanting something different. Besides that the 5 piece take to the stage naturally and play through their set list with ease, with the crowd fully participating.

‘Lisbon’ and slower songs such as ‘silk’. As well as a good set list the lighting and stage set up are a fantastic one, perfectly putting the dreamy / melodic feel to the music in a visual format. With a great combination of dreamy starry sky visuals on the background, to the combination of lighting and smoke to create this dreamlike feel as well. The production is one of the best I’ve seen and as well as this the band feel like they have been playing for years, with Ellie’s vocals being fantastic. Wolf Alice finish on the award winning song (NME – Best Song) Giant Peach and it brings an end to a fantastic night and proves that Wolf Alice and are a band to watch, as what they have accomplished in a year is amazing.

Words and photos by Elliot Mcrae www.elliotmcraephotogra-phy. com

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duveaux Church & Ivory jonny michael blacksheep bar, Ryde 25th March

What do you do when you’ve made plans to go cover a gig when out of the blue, your friends come down to visit? Yes, invite them along! Lets get a few beers in and watch Duveaux!

We get to Ryde just in time to see the first act Jonny Michael perform to a refreshingly wellish attended Blacksheep bar. We must have seen this guy before at one of the old Songbird Sessions so it’s nice to see he’s still about playing.

Solid vocals and acoustic singer songwriter goodness ensued which set the night off really nicely.

Church & Ivory up next. Usually as the name suggests, its just Church and Ivory doing their thing.

But tonight they played as a full band - both doing their usual thing with acoustic guitars and timeless vocals, but with extra members including Nathan from Duveaux on bass.

This new dynamic made a nice change adding a small twist to their covers and originals that they

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normally play. Head-liners now with Duveaux stepping up to finish the night off.

Normally, the sound system at Blacksheep Bar is pretty good. Not tonight, oh no no. Only one mic seemed to work albeit super crackly and quiet, but still the show must go on. Duveaux are great showmen always offering something interesting to keep the attention held. Mostly Dan and his great stage presence and starey eyes.

This was the first time we’ve seen Duveaux play on the Island for a long time, so it was nice to see them play again with all the classics like Felicity Gin and a new track for the night - Terroriser.

An eclectic night of music from acoustic chill to quirky pop.

Live Reviews

sexy pretty things Lewis shepherd Tink blacksheep bar, Ryde 26th march The full line up for the night would have included Waves and Valance. Well, it did, but we had to leave early. I’m sure the rest of the night was awesome too.

Tink played first with her little Ukulele and tiny voice. She performed a selection of Ukucovers of popular songs to an already pretty heaving venue.

It’s really nice to see a crowd for the first act of a night.

Lewis Shepherd next, what a voice this guy has!

Absolutely incredible. I know we couldn’t stay until the end of the night to see the rest of the acts, but wow, Lewis definitely stole the show for me.

Covers again but who cares when they sound this good? He played Adele, Ed Shearan and Blur amongst other artists - what a varied repertoire.

didn’t really click at the time, and after seeing on Lewis Facebook feed about a super group cover, it all makes sense. He must have teamed up with Sexy Pretty Things and Tink to perform a huge cover of that classic Blur song.

Sexy Pretty Things next. I was looking forward to seeing these guys as I’ve read a lot about them via social media. For me, they didn’t really hit the spot.

Maybe it was just an off night but their set seemed way clumsy and a tad lacklustre - especially the cover of Fidlar which is supposed to be way in your face. Can’t complain at mostly original music though! Next time maybe.

I know it’s not the most rock n roll exit, but we had to leave early... because... of the dreaded cold.

One day we’ll get to see Valance.

We did hear the Song 2 cover, but must have missed seeing it played as we were at the bar. It

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Battle of the bands Silencing the voiceless embers lucille effect no sound effects coburgs, Ryde 31st march

Yeah! Look at that, a gig with a decent poster.

It’s the 31st of March - the very last day to gather content for this issue and what a night to close it off with. Despite this being the final of R3bellions Battle of the Bands, we hadn’t heard any hype about winners of the previous heats, or even this event... but hey, the final must be worth a visit right?

Kicking off the night was covers band ‘No Sound Effects’. I cant really comprehend how a band playing exclusively covers makes it to a battle of the bands final but who am I to complain. To be fair though, 75% of bands had covers in their sets.

Where do I start, the girl on vocals could sing pretty well I guess. The rest of the band scrapped through the repertoire

of teeny covers and the crowd really enjoyed it. It must be hard to start a night off in an almost empty venue, especially for a competition gig. They’re all in it to win... what exactly? Does anyone know what the champions get except the satisfaction of winning the hearts of a Thursday night Coburgs audience?

Well next up are Lucille Effect.

This is the very first time we’ve seen this band of fresh faced locals, and from what we’ve heard so far, they’re not half bad.

The rumours are right! They’re not half bad, in fact they’re pretty damn good. The bar has been set for the rest of the night.

Opening with Hendrix (if memory serves right) cover is pretty ballsy for any band, let alone one as young and new on the black as these guys. And they nailed it.

Ok, it was a bit scrappy around

Live Reviews

the edges, as were most of their songs, but that voice... This guy has a huge and versatile set of pipes. I think the thing that let them down was the selection of covers way overshadowed their originals - it’s be real nice to see these guys play a full original set.

It’s loud, relentless, and there’s an element of entertainment you wouldn’t get from other smaller bands.

The idea I guess is to sound and act as menacing as you possibly can to match the music being played and I love it. They played a great set to a now handful sized audience.

Where did everyone go? Surely they all have to stay and vote or something?! Anyway, time for me to leave, my lift arrived.

Embers now. I don’t know if I’m sold on these guys. Yes they can perform covers and a couple of originals very well, have a fairly large group of followers who love what they do, but what makes them stand out other than a saxophone player? I guess that worked for The Zutons right? Normally I leave Coburgs feeling pretty hollow but tonight But seriously though, their cover I made my exit feeling hyped of Gold on the Ceiling was fanup from the performance of tastic and the alternative take Silencing the Voiceless and on popular songs was very well inspired by the raw talent of complimented by the added Sax- Lucille Effect and Embers. My ophone - that girl can play! money would definitely be on the last act if everyone hadn’t Final act for the night was Silenc- left, but my firm second ing the Voiceless. Right from the favourite had to be Lucille off they looked way more serious Effect. than all the other acts combined.

Their drumkit took an age to set Flicking through Facebook up and looked really impressive, later on that night - turns out they had a huge banner, and Embers won. they coordinated outfits.

Well done Embers!

Normally I’m not really into heavier music but when it’s played live in front of me I totally get it.

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